From July 23, 2008

Geof LOVES Pibb. We can only get it if we drive to at least 30 minutes, and Fred Meyer, the store that carries it, hardly ever has it on sale. We've been collecting the mycokerewards points for a long time now - never find anything worth spending them on, really. But the had an offer for spend 100 points and they'll send you a coupon for a free 12 pack of Coke products. Including Pibb. I ordered 2 (they were one per customer per visit - so it worked out well that we were both going down there). The day we had our trip planned to go to Newport, I also got the Fred Meyer coupons in the mail. There were a few really good ones in there, so we brought those along.

I don't have those receipts right in front of me, but I'll do this from memory as much as I can.

My trip
1 Pibb 12 pack @ $4.50 (it was on sale - go figure)
1 "designer cupcake" @ $.99
Coupons - free 12 pack, free cupcake
No sales tax in Oregon
Total: $.60 (can deposit)

Geof's trip
1 Pibb 12 pack
2 packages of frozen tilapia @ $2.99 each
2 packages of ground pork sausage (I don't remember the price)
1 bottle of the kids' acidophilus (about $10)
(something else that I'm blanking on right now - which is why I should do this as soon as I get home)
Coupons - free 12 pack, $3 off $3 or more in seafood department, $3 off $3 or more in meat department, 50% off one vitamin or supplement from a certain brand
His total went from $29 something to $9 something.

I then found 3 pennies in the lobby and had found a few extra cans in the can return when I took ours back for deposits. Always fun =)

Then today, I was reading in poor_skills. If you're trying to live frugally, don't mind skimming a fast-moving community for advice that fits you and are looking to save money - you really need to join in over there. Someone posted that Walgreens brand of disposable diapers are pretty good and they had them on sale for $5.99 (normally$8.99 each). There's a coupon book you can pick up in the front of the store with a "Save $5 on two" that includes these diapers. There's also a coupon flier available at the pharmacy that had a coupon for $2 off one. Plus, if you buy three packages of the Walgreens diapers, you get an instant coupon for $5 off your next shopping trip.

Yeah, like I'm gonna pass THAT one up!

It gets better...

Even though the coupon clearly states that it's $5 off for two packages, the computer rings it up as $2.50 off EACH, so that's $7.50 off. The $2.00 off one package of diapers rings up as $2.00 off EACH package of diapers. This isn't the guy ringing it up funny - this is what is happening when he's scanning the national coupon book. I got a few other things that had really good rebates ($2 box of Crayola washable markers with a $2 rebate, $9.99 box of vitamins with a $9.99 rebate, $.99 candy bar with a $.99 rebate), two boxes of ziploc bags with a $1 off coupon, and birthday cards for mom and Andrew (sibling) - not on sale. Total: $30.71 I have to submit the rebates, but that's $12.98 in the form of a check or $14.29 in the form of a Walgreen's giftcard. That's a prescription right there. Plus I got the $5 off coupon.

I went out to the car, put the things in, called Geof (because the sale ended in a couple days - they had just gotten their shipments in - and they were down to the last 3 packages of diapers in M's size). I decided to go right back in and do the diapers again. Here's where it gets REALLY good. 2 packages of diapers, one of their pull-ups, minus the coupons (that rang up the same way on a different cash register) - under $5. I had to pick something else quickly since there was now a line behind me, so I grabbed a hershey bar. Which also had a coupon (I didn't know that), now I'm at $4.89. So I grabbed a second Hershey bar - and I left with 3 packages of diapers and two chocolate bars for $.20. TWENTY CENTS!!!!!

We are set on diapers for quite awhile - and we still only use them when we're out or traveling or whatever... so they're gonna last a few months!