Too Good :o)

I'd like to do more on this blog about living simply and frugally but time just hasn't allowed for it. But this morning's run to CVS was too good! Picture of what I purchased:



Transaction #1
Bayer Breeze 2 Glucose Monitor
- Sale $19.99 - $10.00 coupon + $15 Extra Care Bucks= FREE plus $5.00 overage after coupon and extra care bucks
Kotex U Liners
- Sale $4.99 - $1.00 coupon + 4.99 Extra Care Bucks = Free plus $1.00 overage after coupon and extra care bucks.
Since extra care bucks don't print until AFTER your purchase is made I used $10 in extra care bucks that I'd received from doing a survey several weeks ago that I'd received by e-mail. So I paid $4.18 out of pocket (with tax) and received $19.99 back in Extra Care bucks.

Transaction #2
Right Guard Deoderant - purchased 2
-Sale $2.49 - $3/2 coupon + $4.00 Extra Care Bucks = Free plus $2.02 overage after coupon and extra care bucks
Crest Pro health Toothpaste
- Sale $3.50 - $.75 coupon + $3.50 Extra Care Bucks = Free plus $.75 overage after coupon and extra care bucks
Huggies Diapers size 3
- Sale 8.49 - $1.50 coupon + $2.00 Extra Care Bucks = $4.99 after coupons and extra care bucks
Huggies Wipes (not a good deal but I needed them and didn't want to run to Walmart)
- 3.49 - $.50 = $2.99

I wasn't paying attention (because the flyer said that Right Guard was on sale for $2.99 and I'd figured my transactions on that price) and when I gave them my $15 in extra care bucks from transaction #1 it wouldn't take it because my total was only $14.71. So I picked up a pack of gum for the boys! My total out of pocket was $2.03 and I received $9.50 in Extra Care bucks back. Combined with my previous transaction and my quarterly rewards I now have $14.99 extra care bucks to work with on my next transaction. Whooo hooooo!

Clarification - No one in my family is diabetic but several times each year they have glucose monitors for free or more than free with coupons and extra care bucks. I always get them and then pass them off to medical mission teams or missionaries.

Clarification #2 - does this happen every week? Absolutely not! but I have found there are many items that you don't ever have to pay for (like toothpaste) and many things you can get for free or less than $.50/package (like feminine products).

Some day when I have more time I'd like to blog more on this subject but we'll have to see how things go. :o)

This week's Savings Summary

Contrary to what my sister-in-law says, I'm not the queen of frugality. I wish I were and I'm endeavoring to get better but there's only so much energy that I can afford to pour into it. One of these days I'd like to write down the money saving things we've implemented in our home (long before there was any economic 'depression' ) that flows out of our philosophy of money and stewardship. But that will be the day when I have more time than what is available to me now.

This week there were some good deals at various places so I made two trips to Walgreens (I only have a picture of one of the trips), and one to CVS and Kroger. Here were the final results:

Kroger: Two 6pks of Dannon yogurt, One 6pk Danimals yogurt, two pkgs hot dogs, chicken breasts, 2 pkgs sausage, 2 pkgs bacon, 2 jars salad dressing, 1 jar mayo, 4 pkgs Knorr pasta sides, 1 box rice, 1 jar oil, 4 boxes cereal, 1 roll paper towels, bread, bananas, 2 gallons of milk.
Total value: $83.56
After coupons, sales and promotions paid: $37.81

CVS: 2 jumbo pkgs Huggies diapers, 1 pair scissors, 1 softsoap body wash
Total before sale: $33.07
Total after sales, coupons and promotions: $6.14
Received: $11.00 in Extra Care Bucks for next trip

Walgreens: 1 tube Colgate toothpaste, 4 cans Campbell's cream of chicken soup, 4 pocket folders (for fillers in Walgreens won't accept more coupons than the number of items you have...very unhandy policy), 2 pkgs (2 in each) reach toothbrushes, 1 reach dental floss, 2 pkgs Neosporin
Total before sales: $31.26
After coupons, sales and promotions: $10.63
Got back: $10.00 in Register Rewards for next store purchase.

So that means I paid out of pocket $54.58. Our budget is $60.00 a week for groceries, papers products, health needs, diapers, cleaning items. Basically that covers everything except clothes which is kept in a different fund and rolls over each month. Whatever is left over after our $240.00 either goes into savings or if there are any "needed" purchases then we can look at using the money towards that. Pretty good week!