Deals at CVS – 11/27 thru 29

This was my best CVS experience ever!

The short story is that I started with $21.59 in ECBs, spent only $.68 out of pocket, and ended up with almost $44 in ECBs. That's a gain of about $22 (ECBs)! And everything was in stock, too! I did go to two different stores and also had the assistance of two $5 off $25 purchase coupons that printed with my ECBs – one two weeks ago and the other on Friday.

If you're like I used to be and are not yet convinced about the benefits of the CVS ExtraCare Bucks program, click here for tips on how to make CVS work for you. (Thanks to Crystal's CVS 101 tutorial, I became convinced!) And take a look at the loot you can bring home with ECBs!

The deals pictured are still available tomorrow! Click here for details...

Walgreens Summary – Nov '08

First of all, a big “thank-you” to Crystal (here) for her Walgreens 101 online tutorial and to Andrea (here) for challenging me by her example (and for pointing me to Crystal's blog in the first place). After reading Andrea's post on Nov 3, my goal this past month became to try to end up with as much back on my gift card as I was spending from it, with a minimum (if any) real out of pocket spending.

So, here’s how things went during the November EasySaver period. Of course, it’s admittedly an advantage that I was able to build up the amount on my WG gift card during October and that I did spend some real out of pocket cash at the beginning of this month...

I started with “double dipping deals” on Oct 24. (If you’re new to Walgreens rebates, coupons, etc., you’ll want to take some lessons like I did by clicking here.) On that first “double dipping” experience for me, I did spend $29.65 out of pocket in order to get (what I thought would be) $34.98 put back on the gift card (plus $3.50 more with the 10% bonus). However, the “double dipping” M&Ms deal didn’t go through – apparently, we really DID have to buy the holiday packs (which were not yet on the shelves) – so I ended up getting only $29.98 (plus $3.00 more with the 10% bonus) back on the gift card out of that trip. That's still a profit of $3.33! At any rate, that visit took place before I read Andrea’s blog (here) and decided to take up the challenge of minimum out of pocket for the rest of the month…

Since I had another $5 off $20 purchase coupon, I went back to WG on Oct 25 and ended up getting some grocery items (including mushrooms, mandarin oranges, cashew nuts, mixed nuts, and Brita filters).

According to my receipt that day:
My total out of pocket: $17.57 (really "out of pocket")
WG Q savings: $1.48
WG ad savings: $6.00
(Plus the $5 off $20 purchase WG Q)

By my next visit on Nov 3, my Oct rebates had posted to my gift card (with the 10% bonus!), so I was all set for the real challenge and some real bargains!

According to my receipt that day:
(I was able to go to a new store and use a $3 off $10 purchase coupon in honor of its grand opening!)
My total out of pocket: $7.87 (from the gift card)
WG ad savings: $10.60
Mf Q savings: $18.00
Rebates for Nov ES: $7.00 (plus $.70 10% bonus) to be added to the gift card for Dec

According to the receipt for the next visit on Nov 6:
My total out of pocket: $7.45 (from the gift card)
WG Q savings: $2.00
WG ad savings: $2.30
Mf Q savings: $11.00
Rebates for Nov ES: $5.00 (plus $.50 10% bonus) to be added to the gift card for Dec

According to the receipt for the next visit on Nov 14:
My total out of pocket: $15.90 (from the gift card)
WG ad savings: $3.97
Also used a $5 off 20 purchase WG Q
Rebates for Nov ES: $10.00 (plus $1.00 10% bonus) to be added to the gift card for Dec

The next two visits on Nov 15 were primarily “grocery trips” – for details see my post here – and those deals were what finally persuaded me to start blogging to share tips with others. (By the way, I forgot to include in my post that the first WG trip that day also involved a $5 off $20 purchase coupon.)

I returned to WG on Nov 17. According to the receipt for that visit:
My total out of pocket: $11.31 (from the gift card)
WG ad savings: $2.51
Mf Q savings: $4.00
Register Rewards toward next purchases: $7.00 and $3.00

The next trip on Nov 19 was another “grocery trip” – taking advantage of the great milk and cheese deals! (By the way, I either live or work close to several WG or they’re on the way to other errands.)
According to the receipt for that visit:
My total out of pocket: $6.29 – $5.24 from the gift card & $1.05 literally out of pocket
WG ad savings: $2.68

And the last visit on Nov 21 was another “double dipping” experience – for details see my post here.
My total literally out of pocket: $.93
(I used the $7 RR to pay for most of the loot.)

I still have the $3 in RR from the Nov 17 trip (and my ES rebates should be posting to my gift card any day now), so I'm hoping to take advantage of some good deals (posted here) this week!

By the way, we have more candy in our house than we’ve ever had at any one time before – but it was all FREE (or almost free)! There’ll be no excuse – unless it’s lack of time – for lots of holiday baking this year!

Have I mentioned that I like Publix?

I made my Publix run yesterday. I try to go on Mondays in order to take advantage of the weekly 1 cent item – if I'm going to be spending at least the required $10 to qualify. (This week's item was a 96 fl. oz. bottle of Publix bleach – not bad for 1 cent.)


According to the receipt, I spent $12.63, but I saved $36.30!

My total savings:
Manufacturers' coupons: $5.95
Publix coupons: $5.03
(These were the doubled Qs and the discount on the 1 cent item.)
Advertised Special Savings: $14.34
In-store special savings: $10.98
(These were the two clearance items!)

My favorite deals this trip were:

Betty Crocker Potatoes
B1G1 for $1.75
Use (2) $.40/1 printable mf Q (See details here.)
If your Publix doubles Qs, you pay $.15 for 2!
(These make great donations for food pantries – and that's why several boxes are missing from my snapshot...)

Mt. Olive Pickles
(I bought the 46 fl. oz. jar of Kosher Dills.)
B1G1 for $2.79 – $1.40 each
Use $.50 mf Q (from a recent Sunday paper)
If your Publix doubles Qs, you pay $.40 each!

Domino's Sugar – 1 lb
(I bought the confectioner's sugar.)
On sale for $.69
Use $.25 mf Q (from a recent Sunday paper)
If your Publix doubles Qs, you pay $.19 each!

I also try to check the clearance section each time I go; yesterday I found a plaid cotton tablecloth (60" x 90") for $3.25 and a box of Gerber's mixed grain cereal for $.75 – it's a cheap way to ensure that Elizabeth is getting vitamins.

By the way, these deals are still good today and tomorrow!

"double dipping" at Walgreens – 11/21 & 22

Yesterday and today!

The December EasySaver catalogs are out, and these are the days when some offers and rebates and/or coupons from the current weekly flier and ES catalog are likely to combine with some in the next ES catalog.

I made a quick run last night and came home with the following:


Here's how it all turned out:

Hershey's DARK Chocolate Kisses – on sale 2/$5
Buy 4/$10
Use (2) $1/1 mf Q (from last Sunday's paper)
Use $1/3 printable Q (click here)
Use $1/2 Q from Nov ES catalog
Submit for $5 rebate in Dec ES catalog
FREE after coupons and rebate!
(Actually, I'll earn $.50 with the 10% bonus, by getting the rebate put on my WG gift card.)

Crest Spinbrush – on sale $4.99
Use $2/1 printable Q (click here for details)
Use $3/1 Q from Dec ES catalog
FREE after coupons!

(4) Chex Mix (8.75 oz.) – on sale $.99
Use (2) $1/1 printable Q (click here for details)
Use (2) $.50 mf Q
$.98 for four

I had to get a "raincheck" for the French's French Fried Onions I was planning to buy. So, in order to use $7 Register Rewards (details on that deal here) to pay for everything, I also bought some hairspray on clearance for $1.59.

Total out of pocket for this trip: $.93

This is so exciting! Unbelievable really!

For more details and tips on saving at Walgreens, click here. (Thanks again to the ladies at my favorite savings sites!)

I like Publix!

And so does my daughter ~ she loves the Cookie Club!

I like the fact that they offer B1G1 deals every week, they double manufacturers' coupons (up to 50 cents), and they offer a 1 cent item every week (with a $10 minimum purchase). The personnel also go out of their way to be helpful, and they're always courteous. I think they must like Publix, too!

Here's a snapshot of my latest deals at Publix:


According to my receipt, I spent $9.43, but I saved $20.14!

My total savings:
Manufacturers' coupons: $9.35
Publix coupons: 50 cents
Advertised Special Savings: $10.29

My favorite deals this trip were:

Just Bunches cereal:
Usual price: $4.09 each
B1G1 offer: $2.05 each
Mf Q: $2/1
Total for me: 5 cents!

Ziploc containers:
Usual price: $2.99 each
On sale: $2.50 each
Mf Qs: $1.50/2 and $.75/1
Publix Q: $2/3
Total for me: $3.25 for all three
(I'll be using these to freeze homemade applesauce!)

Juicy Juice:
Usual price: $3.49
B1G1 offer: $1.75 and $1.74 each
Mf Qs: two $1/1
Total for me: $1.49 for two

Last night was also the Holiday Open House, and I talked my dearest into making it a family outing. We sampled lots of goodies – shrimp, sushi, eggnog, and Publix's wonderful peppermint ice-cream (only available during the holidays, if I remember correctly)!

SO thankful!

I recently became an avid couponing fan. Previously, I didn't see why anyone would try to save 35 cents on a brand name item when store brands were almost always cheaper and equally good in taste and/or quality. But that was before I understood buy-one-get-one-free deals combined with double coupons, or coupon stacking, or rebates.

Click here to see what I mean!