Monday, March 30, 2009

Great Wags deals this week

If you got a raincheck on the Wags diapers when they were 2/$9, this is the week to cash that in! Since Walgreens is selling their brand diapers this week BOGO 1/2 off, you will actually get your first pack for $4.50 and your second for $2.25! I found this out completely by accident!

Today the BOG a coupon for one free in your next purchase of Softsoap body wash has been rolling. What that means is when you buy your first bottle (at $3.99) you get a coupon for your next bottle free. When you buy that next bottle with the coupon... you get a coupon for your next bottle free. Lather, rinse, repeat as many times as you want and your Wags will allow (pun very much intended).

My favorite cashier was working tonight, so she let me do 5 small transactions. I was telling her about this deal and encouraged her to buy hers today as I expected that the company would probably find out about this mistake and correct it tomorrow - ending this endless freebie. She wasn't able to purchase the first one that night, so I "bought" two of them for her... and I still have one more freebie to redeem by the 12th!

Friday, March 27, 2009

Another great trip at Wags

We were out of garbage bags and I had a raincheck for diapers, so I headed to Wags Wednesday. They were unloading from the truck and it was mass confusion... and the two things I needed just weren't out yet. No prob - I'll come back tomorrow.

So when I went today, I did GREAT!!!
Size 4 Wags diapers - $4.50
Size 4 Wags diapers - $4.50
TUF 36 count drawstring trash bags $3.50
TUF 36 count drawstring trash bags $3.50
Sambucol $11.99
Sambucol $11.99
$39.98

-$10 IVC Sambucol
-$10 IVC Sambucol
-$4 internet Sambucol
-$4 internet Sambucol
$10 RR from the Dove deal

$1.98 oop

ESR $3(.30) when you buy 2 TUF trash bags.

net -$1.32 =)

I need to print out a few more coupons for Sambucol and go back and get the other 2 packs of diaper for which I still have the raincheck. WOO HOO!!!

Frugality starts at home

I've read a few friends' posts about making their own laundry detergent. I was thinking of getting in on the BOGO Arm & Hammer detergent at Wags this week, so I decided that if I wanted to try making my own, I needed to do that before the sale ended (to see if it was any good).

Well, I did it. I went out and got the borax and washing soda required for this recipe. I looked at the Fels Naptha, but when the label said prolonged exposure and contact with skin should be avoided because it could cause irritation... I passed on that. Besides, I already had 8 bars of Ivory at home (I planned let my kids carve boats with plastic spoons like we did in kindergarten).

Here's my breakdown:
74 ounce box of 20 Mule Team Borax - $2.98
~60 ounce box of Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda - $2.70
1 bar Ivory soap - free because I had it on hand.

There's enough Borax for 18.5 batches and washing soda for 15. Since I have 8 bars of Ivory and 8 of Dove - and a few random others - we're set for 30 gallons of laundry detergent for $5.68. That's $.31 less than I would have paid for 2, 32 load bottles of Arm & Hammer this week with sale and coupon. This is HUGE!

(If I'm being honest, I also had to purchase a 5 gallon bucket and lid for $4.88 and $1.79 respectively. I only had a lid-less 1.25 gallon ice cream bucket, but this will be reused for a *really* long time).

I followed her recipe (please click on the link - she requests that no part be reprinted) until we got to the gallon and 6 cups of water. She said that the final consistency would be something like egg drop soup, and I didn't have a bucket big enough for all that volume. So I figured I'd just add the 6 cups of water and use 1/4 cup of the detergent in the laundry instead of the 1/2 cup of diluted detergent.

So what I'm learning is that frugality comes through trial and error =) It formed something between crisco and jello-jigglers =) Then I figured that I'd just use one of our repurposed spaghetti sauce jars with a few cups of boiling water and shake the heck out of that 1/4 cup of soap and dump it into the machine. But as well as saving money, my time is valuable and should be saved as well (it took a LONG time to dissolve like that). So I bought the bigger bucket and lid, plopped the detergent jell-o mold in the bottom, broke it up and added a gallon of boiling water in 2 cup batches. And I stirred. And stirred. And stirred. It took what seemed forever, but was probably at least 30 minutes, and I got most of the clumps dissolved well enough to call it good.

And the best parts- the Ivory smell (not my favorite) is totally gone from the clothes when the wash cycle is over. Even better? IT WORKS!!!! It works and it works really, really well. Totally worth it!

So if you're interested in trying it, give it a shot. You really can use any bar of soap that you have around (or collect a few as you travel for free!) and spend about NINETEEN CENTS PER GALLON!!!!

Monday, March 23, 2009

Not a money-saving post

This little guy could use your prayers.

I started reading here when Stellan was still in utero. He wasn't expected to live past birth because of his VERY rapid heart rate. But he was born, he was FINE and life was grand.

Following an albuterol treatment for some breathing issues last night, his heart rate went up to about 300 - and they're still having a really hard time bringing it down to normal 24 hours later. His mama tells the story much better and with much more detail. Go read back a few entries and keep little Mck Muffin in your prayers.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

A great Wags trip

Today I went to Wags to cash in my $40 in RRs from the Huggies deal last week. I was at Walgreens so much last week that I didn't even open my ad until today! But I was still able to get an awesome deal - and only spent $1.29 oop.

8 Dove Bath Bars @ $1.04 ($8.32) (I'm kicking myself because I had a rain check for 4@$.99)
1 Walgreens Extra Strength Headache 20 ct capsules @ $2.99
1 Iceland Memory Formula @ $19.99
1 Sony Hi8 8mm 2 pack of tapes @ $9.99

Total $41.29

- 4 $10 RRs

$1.29 oop

PLUS

The 8 Dove at $8.32 got me a $10 RR, the Memory formula is a FAR (and the last one on the shelf - they've been out for awhile) - $21.99, and the Wags Excedrine stuff was also FAR - $3.29.

So I paid $1.29 and got a $10 RR and submitted rebates for $25.28. Not bad!

I had a great trip at Walmart yesterday, too... I'll have to get that up here in the next day or so.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

4 orders and organization

That's how many separate receipts I had at Wags today. The Huggies deal was just TOO good to pass up, and I had to do separate trips for the Garnier, anyway. I don't have my receipts in front of me, so bear with me, please...

I was planning to do 3 size 4 Huggies Natural Fits, but they only had 2 (there have GOT to be a TON of babies in this town that are M's size - no matter what brand of diapers they are, the size 4s are almost always gone on day one of a sale at Walgreens or Rite Aid here!) So I got 2 4's and a pack of pull-ups. Here's the whole order:

Size 4 $10
Size 4 $10
Pull-ups $10
GF Curl shaping spray $2.99
Colgate Total TP $3.49
Dry Idea Unscented Gel Deodorant $1.69
$38.17

Qs
Huggies Naturals -$3.00
HN -$3.00
Pull-ups -$2.00
GF -$1.00
Colgate -$1.50

$27.67 (I'm thinking that I paid $30.67... I'm wondering if one of my HN Qs didn't go through...)

Received
$2 RR for the Dry Idea
$10 RR for Huggies over $25

Did you notice anything? Yeah, I was chatting away with my favorite cashier and we both forgot the ESR IVC coupons. She called the manager over, though, we returned a couple things and added them onto my next order where they took the coupons off... see below.

Huggies Supreme Newborn diapers $10.00
HS size 1 diapers $10.00
HS size 2 diapers $10.00
clearance highlighter (ch) $.10
ch $.10
ch $.10
$30.30

Coupons
HS -$5.00
HS -$5.00
HS -$5.00
Garnier IVC -$2.00
Colgate IVC -$2.50
RR -$2.00
RR -$2.00
RR -$2.00

$4.80

Received
$10 RR for Huggies over $25

I brought those out to the car. Then I went back in and did:

HS Newborn diapers $10.00
HS size 1 diapers $10.00
HS size 2 diapers $10.00
Garnier Hydra-Curls shampoo $2.99
$32.99

Coupons
HS -$5.00
HS -$5.00
HS -$5.00
GF -$1.00
Garnier IVC -$2.00

$14.99

Received:
$10 RR

I fully intended that to be my last trip to Walgreens. I brought my things out to the car and walked over to redbox for free-movie Monday. I already knew what I wanted, and it was a good thing. It was COLD for us today, and I was standing in line behind a guy who must have read every. single. summary. there was in that box. I picked up my movies, punched in the freebie code for the guy behind me... and went back to Walgreens. I know... I know...

HS size 1 diapers $10.00
HS size 2 diapers $10.00
HS size 2 diapers $10.00
Garnier Hydra-Curls shampoo $2.99
$32.99

Coupons
HS -$5.00
HS -$5.00
HS -$5.00
GF -$1.00
Garnier IVC -$2.00

$14.99

Received:
$10 RR

So, I now have $40 is Wags-bucks to spend in the next 2 weeks. That won't be a problem. I have a rain check for M's Wags diapers that will eat up $18 of that. I can also pick up the rest of the FARs for this month... and maybe something fun for the kids. I figure it's REALLY rare to find Huggies for $5 a bag (or even $7 for M's current size), so it was worth it to me.

As far as organization - I decided that we needed to do something to keep track of the free things and great deals we've purchased this year. We have them stored and stashed all over the house, and often my husband will ask where something is and we have to try a few spots to find it - or he'll ask if we have something and I just don't know.

So I put together a workbook of spreadsheets for us. I've divided the worksheets into:
Cosmetics
Toothpaste (and brushes)
Bath, shower & smell good
Family planning & feminine
Medications & pain relief
(I plan to add a kids worksheet and household cleaners worksheet, too)

Then I went though our different storage places, emptied them, sorted them, and put them in the database. I've put it on our family file-share so that my husband and I have the information at our fingertips whenever we need it. I still have to go through our medication shelf and the things in our garage pantry and laundry room cabinets. But the majority of our "stash" has now been taken care of. I'm SUPER excited about this. It will be helpful in preventing us from buying things we already have, as well as being able to locate things we need MUCH quicker than in the past. It is my hope to eventually do this with our food pantry as well - to know at all times what we have on stock and how much - so that we know what we can use for recipes and what needs to be restocked on our next big shopping trip. I think that's totally doable, too.

Monday, March 9, 2009

Sambucol and This week at Wags

I have been having an awesome time shopping Walgreens last week - and this week appears to be the same way... but better!

Last week, I went after the Sambucol deal. It didn't appear that anyone else in town had been doing it. The first time I picked up two of them along with diapers and a few things on clearance. My Walgreens had it on sale for $11.99 - so after both coupons, I received a $2.01 overage.

The next time I went back later in the week, I got 4 boxes of Sambucol (there were 5 left after my first trip - so I still left one on the shelf), a 6 pack of Ensure (on sale for $6.99, I had a $3/1 coupon, and a "try me free" full-price rebate), and a bottle of the Axe shampoo that's in this month's ESRs as a FAR deal. I paid $1.76 (I think - from memory, but I know under $2) and I'm getting $13.58 in rebates. I was hoping to hit the Dove RR deal, but they were out of the soap. I did pick up a rain check as this is a deal all month.

However, after getting home I realized that I forgot to pick up a rain check for the Walgreen's diapers. So after the kids were in bed, I headed back and picked up the last box of Sambucol and 4 boxes of the plastic storage bags that were on sale for $.99... for one more hour. I paid $1.95.

The best part... the Sambucol deal is on ALL MONTH LONG. Though, if I know my Wags, they will change the rules on that one, too, like they did the freebies this week...

Today started the great week of freebies at Walgreens. Garnier Fructis shampoo is on sale for $2.99. There's a $2/1 ESR coupon, and there have been an abundance of $1/1 coupons lately. Combine them - and a filler - and you have some free shampoo! There's also Colgate Total toothpaste on sale for $3.49, $2.50 ESR, and $1/1 and $1.50/1 internet coupons abound (the $1.50/1 are .pdf coupons that can be printed as often as you'd like - like the Sambucol coupon).

I had 5 coupons for shampoo and 2 for styling products. I had all 7 (different kinds) in my cart - the shelves were still VERY full. I also had 3 boxes of Total and a Dry Idea deodorant (more later). One of my friendly cashiers saw me and told me to go put it back before I got up to the register - they had been told to refuse to sell more than one Garnier or toothpaste per person per trip - not just transaction - because "that's what the coupon says." But, that's not what the coupon says. The coupon says limit one item per coupon. So I should be able to collect 5 booklets with 5 (total) coupons and buy 5 bottles of shampoo... but no dice. This store has been big on changing coupon rules lately (which is why I think the Sambucol deal will be going down). So another one of my friendly cashiers let me do 2 transactions... and I promised to be back many times this week. Here's what I got:

GF Shampoo $2.99
Colgate TP $3.49
Dry Idea Gel deodorant $1.69 (on clearance)

IVCs (that's the coupons in the ESR catalog):
GF -$2.00
Colgate -$2.50

Coupons:
GF -$1.00
Colgate -$1.50

Paid $1.17 off my gift card

Received $2 RR for the Dry Idea. There's a $2 register reward when you buy the Dry Idea and (I think) Rite Guard deodorants this week at $2.99 - but these were on clearance. There was still one left, so I'll do that again tomorrow if it's still there).

Lather, rinse, repeat for a second order (this time with GF smoothing milk instead of the shampoo) =)

$0 oop and $4 in RR!

There's also a GREAT deal going on Huggies diapers and wipes this week, but only in the smaller sizes. I have pregnant friends, so I may get in on that deal as well. More info on that is available HERE with thanks to Money Saving Mom.

I have a few other surprising deals from last week to share, but I'll have to do that another night as my body is screaming for sleep. I wanted to get these up here now, though, as these sales are still going. So if they're helpful to you... have at it!