5 hours ago
Posts
Friday, August 5, 2011
New Scotch Brite Botanicals Coupon
Go here or here to print 50¢ off one Scotch-Brite Botanicals Disinfecting Wipes. As with most Scotch Brand coupons, these are PDF so you can print more than one! The second link also has a Buy 3, Get 1 of Them Free Mail-in Rebate. If your Walmart has them priced at $1.62, this could make for a pretty good deal. Of course, if Kroger would have them for a good price the coupons would double... So here's hoping! There's also a coupon on coupons.com. Thanks Who Said Nothing in Life is Free!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Why I'm No Longer Extreme...
First, I just want to say I'm not trying to bash "extreme" couponers. I think most extreme couponers are doing what I used to do (and am working towards doing again). I used to like to be called an extreme couponer; however, since the show came out it has taken on such a negative connotation with so many people that I'm not sure it's how I want to be perceived. You walk in the store with your coupon binder and get "the look". The "Oh no, here comes another one of them" look.
Don't get me wrong, I still walk into the store with my coupon binder. I don't see that changing anytime soon; it's the most effective coupon organization method for me. I'm just tired of being lumped in the with the ones who discover that they can't just buy a paper & a binder this morning and walk into the store this afternoon and get everything free. I know the majority of couponers are not this way - even the ones who've just started because of the show. But it only takes a couple to get rude with a good cashier, and suddenly they're suspicious of us all. The good cashiers are getting burned and it's up to the rest of us - the "normal" couponers to make sure we're doing it right. That we're using coupons correctly, that we're following the stores' coupon policies, that no matter how horribly wrong the shopping trip goes, we are not rude to the store personnel. Even when they're wrong!
I'm not saying you shouldn't stand your ground when you're following the rules, but stand it nicely. And know that sometimes, you may have to walk away from a deal because a cashier or even a manager may just not understand the policies. Just remember to make sure that YOU know the policies, and if you get caught trying to do something wrong because you didn't know better - apologize! Then thank them for explaining the policy to you so you'll know better next time. And once you find those wonderful coupon-friendly cashiers, make sure you go online and email the company, mentioning them by name. It's no more than you would do if you encountered a really rude cashier, so why not put as much effort into praising the good ones.
If we make it a point to follow the rules, and to play nicely, maybe we can make them smile again so when they see us coming in with our binders we will get a different look. A look like I used to get from cashiers; a look of excitement when they see how much we're saving & they realize that they can do it too.
So if I'm choosing to no longer be referred to as extreme, I mean no offense to anyone who still fights for that label to remain a positive thing. Meanwhile I'm toying with the term "effective couponer". I'm sure I'm not the first to use it, I just have no idea where I've heard it :) Effective... Here's Merriam-Webster's definition: 1a : producing a decided, decisive, or desired effect 1b : impressive, striking . Hmmm... Yup, I have a decided, desired effect I want to produce, I want to get stuff free and/or cheap. And I would like it to be impressive. LOL
Well, those are my random, sleep-deprived thoughts for the night. I'm sure there will be more at a later date! :)
Don't get me wrong, I still walk into the store with my coupon binder. I don't see that changing anytime soon; it's the most effective coupon organization method for me. I'm just tired of being lumped in the with the ones who discover that they can't just buy a paper & a binder this morning and walk into the store this afternoon and get everything free. I know the majority of couponers are not this way - even the ones who've just started because of the show. But it only takes a couple to get rude with a good cashier, and suddenly they're suspicious of us all. The good cashiers are getting burned and it's up to the rest of us - the "normal" couponers to make sure we're doing it right. That we're using coupons correctly, that we're following the stores' coupon policies, that no matter how horribly wrong the shopping trip goes, we are not rude to the store personnel. Even when they're wrong!
I'm not saying you shouldn't stand your ground when you're following the rules, but stand it nicely. And know that sometimes, you may have to walk away from a deal because a cashier or even a manager may just not understand the policies. Just remember to make sure that YOU know the policies, and if you get caught trying to do something wrong because you didn't know better - apologize! Then thank them for explaining the policy to you so you'll know better next time. And once you find those wonderful coupon-friendly cashiers, make sure you go online and email the company, mentioning them by name. It's no more than you would do if you encountered a really rude cashier, so why not put as much effort into praising the good ones.
If we make it a point to follow the rules, and to play nicely, maybe we can make them smile again so when they see us coming in with our binders we will get a different look. A look like I used to get from cashiers; a look of excitement when they see how much we're saving & they realize that they can do it too.
So if I'm choosing to no longer be referred to as extreme, I mean no offense to anyone who still fights for that label to remain a positive thing. Meanwhile I'm toying with the term "effective couponer". I'm sure I'm not the first to use it, I just have no idea where I've heard it :) Effective... Here's Merriam-Webster's definition: 1a : producing a decided, decisive, or desired effect
Well, those are my random, sleep-deprived thoughts for the night. I'm sure there will be more at a later date! :)
Yes, I do love CVS!
Since the Office Depot post was so long, let's just jump right in! LOL
4 cans Axe Body Spray, sale price $4.49 each
Used (2) BOGO coupons, 7/31 RP
Used $1 EB & $5 EB
Total OOP (including $1.08 tax) $2.56
Got back $3 EB
5 bottles Smartwater, sale price $1.00 each
Used (5) 75¢ coupons, truck stop tearpad (gotta love my hubby)
Total OOP $1.25
Got back $1 EB
2 boxes Efferdent, clearance price $1.47 each
Used (2) 75¢ coupons, 7/31 SS
Used $1 EB
Total OOP (including 18¢ tax) 62¢
Got back $2 EB because the clearance boxes triggered the weekly EB deal on Efferdent. Gotta love those moneymakers!
4 cans Axe Body Spray, sale price $4.49 eachUsed (2) BOGO coupons, 7/31 RP
Used $1 EB & $5 EB
Total OOP (including $1.08 tax) $2.56
Got back $3 EB
5 bottles Smartwater, sale price $1.00 each
Used (5) 75¢ coupons, truck stop tearpad (gotta love my hubby)
Total OOP $1.25
Got back $1 EB
2 boxes Efferdent, clearance price $1.47 each
Used (2) 75¢ coupons, 7/31 SS
Used $1 EB
Total OOP (including 18¢ tax) 62¢
Got back $2 EB because the clearance boxes triggered the weekly EB deal on Efferdent. Gotta love those moneymakers!
Office Depot - Well They Were Almost Free
So the hubby & I were in Office Depot last weekend and I stumbled across a great clearance deal. Lysol Clean-Flip Sweeper Starter Kits (Swiffer type thing LOL) were $2.00 and the dry cloth refill 16 ct boxes were $1.00. Since I've been wanting to replace my slightly beaten-up Swiffer, I was very pleased. They had 3 of the Clean-Flip starter sets so I made a couple of calls and discovered that my mom & my best friend were both interested for that price :) They had 8 boxes of the dry cloths so I promptly snagged all of them as well. (No I don't usually advocate shelf-clearing; however, when purchasing for three people, this was not a huge quantity. And clearance has it own set of rules anyway IMO.) Then hubby noticed a Quickie broom/dust pan set on clearance for $2.00... They only had one left so we quickly put it in the shopping cart as well.
As we were looking at other items, I mentioned that I thought I had a couple of coupons for the Clean-Flip starter kits but the face value was probably more than $2.00. I had also never attempted to use a manufacturer's coupon at Office Depot so I had no idea how well it would work. I have noticed on other blogs that Office Depot seems to definitely be a YMMV (your mileage may vary) kind of place. But I just couldn't not check, so I ran out to the car, flipped through my binder, and there they were - 2 printables for $3.00 off. So now I have printables for more than the cost of the item; I'm a little nervous. So when we checked out my hubby asked the very nice cashier (trainee) and she said "Yes, we take coupons". She then tried to scan it, but it wouldn't scan. I don't know if they're like Lowe's and their systems just don't scan coupons, or if it was just this coupon, or if it was because of the price vs. coupon amount, but it just wouldn't work. Hmmm...
So, she called for a manager, who came over and told her she would have to adjust the purchase price, but that won't work since the coupon is more than the price and the register won't let them adjust to zero. So now I'm about ready to just pay the $2.00 which is a good price anyway...
2 pkg plastic spoons, 50¢ each (friend's little girl starts kindergarten next week & I'm sure she NEEDED these cause they're cute!)
8 boxes Lysol Clean-Flip dry cloth refills, $1.00 each
3 Lysol Clean-Flip starter kits, 1¢ each (adjusted all 3 of them down to allow for the face value of the 2 coupons)
Total OOP (including 66¢ sales tax) = $11.69
I don't know if all our Office Depot employees are this coupon-friendly, but the ones we had were great!
As we were looking at other items, I mentioned that I thought I had a couple of coupons for the Clean-Flip starter kits but the face value was probably more than $2.00. I had also never attempted to use a manufacturer's coupon at Office Depot so I had no idea how well it would work. I have noticed on other blogs that Office Depot seems to definitely be a YMMV (your mileage may vary) kind of place. But I just couldn't not check, so I ran out to the car, flipped through my binder, and there they were - 2 printables for $3.00 off. So now I have printables for more than the cost of the item; I'm a little nervous. So when we checked out my hubby asked the very nice cashier (trainee) and she said "Yes, we take coupons". She then tried to scan it, but it wouldn't scan. I don't know if they're like Lowe's and their systems just don't scan coupons, or if it was just this coupon, or if it was because of the price vs. coupon amount, but it just wouldn't work. Hmmm...
So, she called for a manager, who came over and told her she would have to adjust the purchase price, but that won't work since the coupon is more than the price and the register won't let them adjust to zero. So now I'm about ready to just pay the $2.00 which is a good price anyway...
2 pkg plastic spoons, 50¢ each (friend's little girl starts kindergarten next week & I'm sure she NEEDED these cause they're cute!)
8 boxes Lysol Clean-Flip dry cloth refills, $1.00 each
3 Lysol Clean-Flip starter kits, 1¢ each (adjusted all 3 of them down to allow for the face value of the 2 coupons)
Total OOP (including 66¢ sales tax) = $11.69
I don't know if all our Office Depot employees are this coupon-friendly, but the ones we had were great!
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Kroger - Making Money on Crest!
I realize I've been out of the loop for awhile, but I got a nice surprise when I checked out at Kroger Thursday. Stopped in to get a few things we needed (like meat, veggies... LOL) and a few good deals since I had my 7/31 P&G (love that it comes out on Wednesday in the Mayfield Messenger).
One of the things I picked up was the free Crest toothpaste since it's on sale for $1.00 and there were 50¢ coupons in the 7/31 P&G which doubled to $1.00. What I didn't realize is that there's a catalina deal going on Crest. I'm still not sure what the specifics are, but I had 4 tubes of Crest in my order and was surprised with a $2.00 catalina from Crest when I checked out! I spent between $25 & $30 on that order, but when I saw the catalina I decided to use the other 4 coupons I had and make some more money. I'm not going to breakdown the 1st transaction (that receipt isn't with the other and I'm not digging for it LOL), but here's the breakdown of #2 and #3.
Transaction #2
2 bags Milky Way Fun-Size bars, $1.87 each
used $1.50/2 (found in-store dispenser a while back at Walgreens)
4 tubes Crest, $1.00 each
used (4) 50¢ coupons, 7/31 PG, doubled to $1.00
4 bottles Dawn dish detergent, $1.00 each
used (4) 50¢ coupons, 7/31 PG, doubled to $1.00
Total, including tax = $2.37
Got back $2.00 catalina for Crest & $1.00 catalina for Milky Way!
Transaction #3
2 bags Milky Way Fun-Size bars, $1.87 each
used $1.50/2
Boneless pork tenderloin, $1.97/lb, total $9.04 (had them slice into pork chops)
used (2) $1.00 & (2) $2.00 catalinas
Total OOP, including tax = $5.28
Got back $1.00 catalina for Milky Ways!
One of the things I picked up was the free Crest toothpaste since it's on sale for $1.00 and there were 50¢ coupons in the 7/31 P&G which doubled to $1.00. What I didn't realize is that there's a catalina deal going on Crest. I'm still not sure what the specifics are, but I had 4 tubes of Crest in my order and was surprised with a $2.00 catalina from Crest when I checked out! I spent between $25 & $30 on that order, but when I saw the catalina I decided to use the other 4 coupons I had and make some more money. I'm not going to breakdown the 1st transaction (that receipt isn't with the other and I'm not digging for it LOL), but here's the breakdown of #2 and #3.
Transaction #2
2 bags Milky Way Fun-Size bars, $1.87 each
used $1.50/2 (found in-store dispenser a while back at Walgreens)
4 tubes Crest, $1.00 each
used (4) 50¢ coupons, 7/31 PG, doubled to $1.00
4 bottles Dawn dish detergent, $1.00 each
used (4) 50¢ coupons, 7/31 PG, doubled to $1.00
Total, including tax = $2.37
Got back $2.00 catalina for Crest & $1.00 catalina for Milky Way!
Transaction #3
2 bags Milky Way Fun-Size bars, $1.87 each
used $1.50/2
Boneless pork tenderloin, $1.97/lb, total $9.04 (had them slice into pork chops)
used (2) $1.00 & (2) $2.00 catalinas
Total OOP, including tax = $5.28
Got back $1.00 catalina for Milky Ways!
Food Giant 2-Day Sale... Lots of Sundrop (& other drinks)!
I have to dig out my receipts and take pictures. My OOP for this sale has been more than I was planning to spend, but with 6 pack RC products (RC, Diet Rite, Sundrop, A&W, Sunkist, Big Red) (16.9 oz bottles) for 99¢, we have stocked up on several kinds! My hubby, son & I had to be in Mayfield and Paducah yesterday, so we all purchased soft drinks since there's a limit of 4 6-packs. 1 stop in Mayfield and 1 stop in Paducah equals 24 6-packs. I'm sure this will seem extreme to many, but with school starting next week (school lunches - even though my son frequently takes water) and a truck driver hubby who keeps bottled soft drinks in his fridge in the truck (bottles are better than cans because bottles have lids...LOL), this stash won't last as long as you might think.
Also in the 2-day sale:
Frito-Lay chips, $1.99
Chester's Puff-corn or Pop-corn, 99¢
Hunt's ketchup, 24 oz bottle, 89¢
Hamburger Helper, 89¢ (used 75/3 coupon to make it 64¢ each)
Bunny Bread 1/2 loaf, 49¢ (used 25 coupon which doubled to 49¢ to make it free!)
I'm hoping to dig out my receipts and do breakdowns of my actual shopping trips; however, this weekend is a little crazy so it just might not happen LOL
Also in the 2-day sale:
Frito-Lay chips, $1.99
Chester's Puff-corn or Pop-corn, 99¢
Hunt's ketchup, 24 oz bottle, 89¢
Hamburger Helper, 89¢ (used 75/3 coupon to make it 64¢ each)
Bunny Bread 1/2 loaf, 49¢ (used 25 coupon which doubled to 49¢ to make it free!)
I'm hoping to dig out my receipts and do breakdowns of my actual shopping trips; however, this weekend is a little crazy so it just might not happen LOL
Why You Should Never Ignore Food Giant!
Wow! So this week (Wed 7/27 - Tues 8/2) at Food Giant, they have a few P & G trial size items for $1.00 each and there just happen to be corresponding coupons to make them free or really cheap!
I've stopped in a few times so far... :)
Cascade Action Tabs, 4 ct, $1.00
use $1.00 off any Cascade item, P&G 7/3 or 8/1 (P&G comes out in the Mayfield Messenger on the Wednesday before so already have some of them)
use 50¢ off Cascade Action Tabs, Organize in Style Booklet, doubles to $1.00
Bounty Napkins, 50 ct, $1.00
use $1.00 off Bounty Napkins, P & G 6/5 (exp 7/31)
use $1.00 off Bounty Napkins, 50 ct or more, specially marked Town House Cracker Boxes (thanks to my mother)
Mr Clean Magic Eraser, 1 ct, $1.00
use 75¢ off Mr Clean Magic Eraser, Organize in Style Booklet
I don't actually have my receipts in front of me; however, I only had 1 Mr. Clean coupon so my OOP was extremely low for these items. I stopped 3 times for these products since you can only use 4 identical coupons per transaction. Not all of the items are in the picture since I've already dropped some off at my parents' house. Purchased a total of 10 Cascade packets, 10 Bounty napkin packages and 1 Mr. Clean Magic Eraser for a total OOP of $1.51.
I've stopped in a few times so far... :)
Cascade Action Tabs, 4 ct, $1.00
use $1.00 off any Cascade item, P&G 7/3 or 8/1 (P&G comes out in the Mayfield Messenger on the Wednesday before so already have some of them)
use 50¢ off Cascade Action Tabs, Organize in Style Booklet, doubles to $1.00
Bounty Napkins, 50 ct, $1.00
use $1.00 off Bounty Napkins, P & G 6/5 (exp 7/31)
use $1.00 off Bounty Napkins, 50 ct or more, specially marked Town House Cracker Boxes (thanks to my mother)
Mr Clean Magic Eraser, 1 ct, $1.00
use 75¢ off Mr Clean Magic Eraser, Organize in Style Booklet
I don't actually have my receipts in front of me; however, I only had 1 Mr. Clean coupon so my OOP was extremely low for these items. I stopped 3 times for these products since you can only use 4 identical coupons per transaction. Not all of the items are in the picture since I've already dropped some off at my parents' house. Purchased a total of 10 Cascade packets, 10 Bounty napkin packages and 1 Mr. Clean Magic Eraser for a total OOP of $1.51.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
