WIC and Awesome Wags trip

(This is a repost from my other blog - pardon the explanations of what RRs are as I know that has been covered here in the past)
I had to get the kiddos fed and down for naps by 2 (we did 1:30 since they were obviously tired). I wanted to be at the WIC office by 2:45 to be in the first batch of Farmer's Market checks. I was under the impression that we would get $20 to spend at the market - any farmer's market in Oregon, and they gave us a newspaper listing every one and what they have and their hours... really neat. I was charmed by the babies there, and then shocked to learn that EACH of my kids got $20 in vouchers. I asked the lady handing out the vouchers if it was less expensive to go to the bigger cities for their markets rather than the one here in town. She said the bigger ones would have more variety, but she wasn't sure about the prices being lower. However, the lady that helped us Tuesday with our WIC recertification came behind her and started nodding emphatically. So, we'll look at the list and make a trip to one of the markets in Salem (where we do our big shopping) or Albany (where we go to church) sometime soon. We have until October to use them.

Then I went to Walgreens. Last week, my calcium supplement was on sale for $8.99 (regular price $11.99). That was great as it was! But they were also running a deal where you bought the supplement for the $8.99 price and you got a $9 register reward (basically a coupon that works as cash at Walgreens - you can buy just about anything with it other than dairy, phone cards, gift cards, tobacco, lottery or prescriptions). I did that deal twice, so I had $18 in register rewards to spend by the 9th - and next week's ad wasn't that promising. So I figured I'd do my best to get some staples, as well as our Father's Day cards, and see where it took me. I have to post this list - I haven't done that here in a long time.

I found some surprise sales - like Swanson Chicken Broth that is usually about $1.30 a can on sale for $.50 a can. I also found some fun and useful clearance items (50 paper lunch bags - we use those when we fry or cook bacon - and a white board calendar that's magnetic to go on our to-the-garage door for appointments.)

$3.09 Father's Day Card
$1.99 Father's Day Card
$0.99 Father's Day Card
$0.99 Father's Day Card
$2.59 Dry Erase Calendar
$0.45 Lunch Bags
$3.49 5lb bag of sugar
$1.50 bag of Dum-Dums for the kiddos
$4.00 8 cans of chicken broth
$0.19 hair elastic (I needed a filler to reach $18.00)
$19.28
-$1.20 Walgreens coupon for the sugar
-$9.00 register reward
-$9.00 register reward
$0.08

That's right EIGHT CENTS!!!! That was stinkin' cool =)

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!

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!!!

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.

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.

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!

Wal-Mart (1/8): Coupons $1.50

Fred Meyer (1/8):Bag Credit $.05
Store Sale: (2 $1 lettuce bags - find receipt for regular price)

Rite Aid (1/9): Store Sale $8.90
Coupons $3.00
(OOP $2 with $5 ECR!)

Safeway (1/10): Bag credit $.03

Target (1/10): Store Sale $22.19
Coupons: $7.50

Wal-Mart (1/10): Store Sale $1.20

Walgreens (1/10): Store Sale $3.00

Safeway (1/11) Store Sale: $8.72
Bag Credit $.03
Coupons $2.00

Walgreens (1/11)
(Check regular price on Mt. Dew 12 pk - sale 7x$3.00=$21 plus $4.20 deposit)
[received $10 RR exp 1/23]

Quick update

I have pictures to share - just haven't uploaded them yet. This was the week of the great B2G3 Coke 12 packs at Safeway - that sale ends Tuesday. Great catalina at Safeway, also, with the Glade candles - done that twice already with one more trip planned. Awesome Walgreens trip(s)... lots to share. But living life right now has to take precedence over sharing about the past.

Two really great deals you may be interested in this coming week (thanks to Money Saving Mom). At Walgreens:

Buy 1 Just for Men Touch of Gray Hair Color on sale for $7, Get $7 in Register Rewards
Use $2/1 coupon here (may not work - those are for Just For Men, not specifically for JFM Touch of Gray) It works!
Send in for full rebate here

Free plus a potential of $9 ($10?) overage after coupon, Register Rewards, and rebate

Also:
Buy 4 Suave Haircare: prices start at $1.13 x 4 = $4.52
-$1.50 ($.75 x2)
-$3.00 RR
Final Price: $.02/4

Time to start stocking up on the Walgreens RRs for Black Friday =) Or couple them with the $4/$9.99 toys at Walgreens this week... with a filler, of course!

Rite Aid Sunday and Wags Monday

Only one thing at RA this week (so far - we don't get the ads until Tuesday, and I don't like trying to page through them online). We got one of the coupons for the Digital TV converter boxes from the government (dtv2009.gov). We currently have digital cable, but we aren't sure that we'll be able to keep it, so I figured better safe than sorry. RA has had the boxes for months, but they were always still $20 after the coupon/card for them. Last week, though, they were selling them for $40 - or $0 after the card. So, that's when I got ours. Geof's going to call the company tomorrow, though, because according to the box it should have a universal remote in it and it has the other kind of remote (dedicated?) instead.

In talking to my lovely SM at Wags today, I revised my shopping trip and took full advantage of the RRs I had (and received).

1
Grape Pedialyte $4.50
Citrus Pedialyte $4.50
York Mints $.99
Sunbeam Cuddle-Up Throw $34.99
$44.98
-$10 RR
-$5 RR
-$5 RR
-$4.50 RR
Total $20.48 (off the gift card)
Received $5 RR for throw and $2 RR for Pedialyte, and throw has a $5 MIR

2
5 Cases Dr. Pepper $11.00
Bottle deposits $3.00
$14
-$5 RR
-$2 RR
Total $7 (off the gift card)
Will receive the $3 in deposits back

5 12-packs of Dr. Pepper for $4. That's less than $.07 a can! And it will tide G over until a good sale on Coke at Safeway... =)

It pays to get to know your managers

I don't have time for a full details post, so I'll fill that in at a later date. But I talked with my favorite manager tonight at my Wags about the "new" RR restrictions and found out that the cashiers were wrong yesterday. You can use as many RR as you have - as long as you have at least that many items. RRs count as a manufacturer's coupon - not a gift card. Walgreens policy is that you can't have more coupons than items. For instance, I had $24.50 in RRs that I wanted to use toward something for me (I was thinking the foot warmer, but went with the Sunbeam throw). I couldn't use all 4 RRs on ONE item - so I bought the throw, 2 Pedialites and a tin of mints (4 items) and used all 4 with no problem. If I would have had a coupon for the mints, I would have needed one more item (4 RR + 1 Q = 5Qs... need 5 items). My SM (store manager) is really, really helpful and she kindly went right to the cashier and explained the policy to him again before I had to check out... and everything went smoothly!

My $5/$20 deals

Okay. While I've been in a mad search for my Zout receipt (I can't believe I lost the one receipt from that day that I actually NEED), I figured I had better do my deals post now before I forget (and upload my ESRs to Wags immediately!).

Nutra Air Kit $5.99
Mushrooms $1.29
Mushrooms $1.29
Mushrooms $1.29
Mushrooms $1.29
L'Oreal Pro Calcium $19.99
Oral B Cross Action Tooth Brush $4.49
$35.63
-$4.00 Nutra Air
-$2.00 L'Oreal
-$5.00 RR
-$1.00 Oral B
-$3.16 Wags Mushroom Q
-$5/$20 Q
$15.47
Received $4.50 RR and $25.29 110% ESR

Christmas Wrap $1.99
Christmas Wrap $1.01
Christmas Wrap $1.50
Christmas Wrap $1.50
5.2 oz caramels $.49
5.2 oz caramels $.49
380 500 Q-Tip bonus pack $2.00
Play doctor kit $6.99
Play kitchen kit (mixer) $6.99
Play kitchen kit (toaster) $0.00 (their $6.99 toys are B2G1)
Princess Tea Set $9.99
$32.95
-$2.04 Wags Wrapping Paper Q (brought each down to $.99)
-$.30 Q-Tips Q
-$10.00 RR
-$5/$20 Q
$15.61

I know I've said before that I don't like to double claim my savings - saying "it's like I paid" and then tell you "but since I used my gift card and RR I didn't pay anything OOP." My bold totals above are what came off the gift cards (So, I really DIDN'T pay anything OOP!) But, I have to do the money out/money back report at least with this deal...

Money Out $31.08
Money Back $29.79

That's only $1.29 that I didn't recoup!

(And in the interest of transparency, the toaster is going back. It doesn't finish it's little timer without having to force it - and I'm SO not going to deal with "Mama... fix it!" over and over for the next few years. I think I'll replace it with the play tool belt... or the knock off My Little Ponies since they both really like my two from growing up.)

So it really was a good trip - even with my disappointing news from earlier. I'm now really debating whether I want to still get the foot warmer and sunbeam throw this week (they were going to by freebie birthday/Christmas gifts for me from my husband... yes, I was going to buy them, but he was on board). I really think I'd use the foot warmer a lot. Even right now, I'm sitting here at the computer and my feet are numb from cold (G and I are totally different when it comes to nighttime temperature - I've got the electric blanket on my side of the bed, he's sleeping next to the open window!). The throw was meant to replace mine that is already over 10 years old. I don't know.

What I'm actually kicking myself on... the digital frame. I've wanted one of those for 3 years now. They were $69.99 - $10 RR - $5/20 - $22 ESR (110%) would have brought it down to $32. Granted, though, I can't really afford to be springing for that right now - even with the gift card - so it was smart to skip it. But still...

So bummed

I got some good deals today - especially for Christmas for the kids. But my Wags is no longer allowing more than one register reward per transaction. I'm really upset - I know I've mentioned that money is tight around here right now, and I had been saving them for a couple things that are coming up on sale this week. So now I have $10, $5, $5, and $4.50 - and I can't use them all together (or even the 2 $10s that I had before today - I was going to use 2 $5s together when I found out) for the one $19.99 and the $35 items I wanted to this week. I know that I can (and will) use the $10 one - as it will be expiring on the 29th. But after these are done, I don't think I'll be chasing the RR anymore.

I do think I'll be calling corporate on this new rule. I understand if the coupons say that you can't use them in combination with another. But the ones I have do not say that - and they advertise that they're "the same as cash" and "it's like getting it for $X" - but it's not if they aren't going to honor them. Either that, or I'll just be splitting up my orders into much smaller groupings from now on to use it up... and make more work for the cashier and hold up the lines. It's just ridiculous!