Christmas Toy Deals

Ok... I just have to brag about something.  I got some crazy good deals on excellent Christmas presents for the girls this year and I just have to share!

So, the day started out with my setting my alarm for 7 AM for Walmart's Pre-Black Friday event.  No, I am not crazy (7 isn't that early, anyway...).  I have 2 daughters and 1 LeapPad 2 = chaos.  They have screaming fights all the time.  It is time that they each had their own.  Walmart was selling these for $39.99 (reg. $79.99) this morning at 8 AM in store and online with a 1 hour sell out guarantee (basically they will not sell out for an hour after starting).  So I log on at like 7:55 and the pink is already sold out, bummer.  I try to purchase the green one, get to the checkout page, and it won't let me checkout because I haven't selected whether I wanted to ship the item to the store or to my home.  That's weird, I think, because the box with this particular option has never populated and I cannot possibly put in my selection.  I refresh it several times but by then they were sold out. :(

So at 7:58 AM, I pulled my happy butt into a jacket and tennis shoes and drove to the Walmart down the street.  (It was 34 degrees)  I get there about 10 minutes late and there is a group of about 10 people standing in the LeapPad aisle where the LP2 should be... How could they be sold out this fast?  What about the 1 hour guarantee???

I talk with some of the parents there and find out that they never had the item to begin with, something about a shipment error that only sent the LP2 with the rechargeable battery packs.  We all go to Customer Service for rainchecks, but they are handing out these more expensive ones (reg. $99.99) with the battery packs as a replacement item!  The man in front of me in line who I had been talking to mentions how the one they gave him is pink and he'll have to come back and replace it for a green one.  I tell him that if I get a green one I'll trade with him.  He thinks for a minute and then says, "Well you can just have this one because they're giving out rainchecks anyway."  SCORE!!!  So I took my happy butt with my new *PINK* LP2 and checked out. :)

Regular price: $99.99
Paid: $39.99
Savings: $60

Then I went home and came across another deal at Walmart for the Fisher Price Little People Disney Princess Castle, reg. $42.99 it was also part of their pre-Black Friday sale for only $24.99.  I took this price to Target where you can price match after you pay at customer service and they will give you back the difference.  It was $39.99 at Target, but I also had a $10 manufacturer's coupon I printed from the Fisher Price website AND a $5 off Fisher Price item Target store coupon that I could stack.  I also had a $5/$50 toy purchase Target coupon and I figured I would use it since the castle brought me up to $40 already.  I got some more figures for the castle (wedding Cinderella and Prince Charming) $6.99, and some little whistle instruments I remember having as a kid ($4.99).
Castle $24.99 (after price match) - $10 - $5 = $9.99
Reg. $42.99 at Walmart
Little People Figures $6.99
Whistles $4.99
-$5/50
=$15.97 for all three toys
Originally $54.97
Savings: $39

Today's total savings on Christmas for the girls: $99

Keep in mind these are toys that they actually want and will be excited to receive.  I see deals like this for other toys and I pass on them because if I wouldn't pay for it anyway, I'm not saving money if I buy it with a coupon.

4th of July Jello Jiggler Stars!

Or, if you don't want stars, slicing them into squares is also a more space-effective method:

So, these layered jello jigglers have been something I have wanted to make for quite some time.  The first time I saw them was at a party from some good family friends in our church.  I finally got down to making them, though, and they were a lot easier than I thought!  They do take a little bit of time, but I was able to finish these in a few hours.  I suppose it helped that I was anticipating it taking days.  We are leaving for Disney World on the 3rd, so I wanted to make these ahead of time so that we could enjoy them before we left.

So, these week at Target (ending today, Saturday, so if you want to get these deal, you're going to have to do it today), they had the large 6 oz. boxes of Jell-O gelatin and pudding on sale for $.99 (regularly $1.29).  There are $1/3 coupons on coupons.com, and a Buy 3 get 1 Free store coupon to print at coupons.target.com.  Get 4 boxes for $.49 each!

You will also need to get a box of Knox unflavored gelatin (the 4 packages is all you need), and a can of sweetened condensed milk.  All in all, this recipe cost me less than $6.

The amount of Jell-O you need depends on how many layers you want.  I used two 6 oz. boxes and used all the sweetened condensed milk mixture, and it got me 7 layers.  Pretty impressive if I say so myself. :)


Here is the recipe:

2 6 oz. boxes of Jell-O (any color you like)

1 box of Knox unflavored gelatin 4 packages

1 can sweetened condensed milk 13-14 oz.


Boil 1 c. of water.  Remove from heat.  Add can of sweetened condensed milk.  Stir until smooth and combined.  In a small bowl, sprinkle 2 packets of Knox gelatin over 1/2 c. COLD water.  Let stand 3 minutes, then add 1/2 c. boiling water.  Stir until dissolved and smooth.  Add this mixture to the milk mixture.  Stir until dissolved and smooth.  Set this mixture aside to cool to room temperature.  You will not need it for a while.

Empty half a box of Jell-O (3 oz.) with 1/2 packet of Knox gelatin.  Stir and then add to 1 c. boiling water.  Stir until dissolved and smooth.  Pour into 9 x 13" glass baking pan.  Place in refrigerator for 15 minutes.

After first layer has set up (about 15 minutes), pour 1 c. of your sweetened condensed milk mixture over the first layer.  Place in the fridge and allow to set up for 15 minutes.  Repeat with each layer until the desired amount is achieved.  You will have enough for 7 layers with the above ingredients.


Enjoy!  I like the way that the stars slanted to the side once I cut them out because it makes them look like shooting stars!  They have a really fun jiggle to them, too, when you take them out.

Today's Staples, CVS, and Walgreens trips

So, today was shopping day.  I hit up Sprouts for some fruits and veggies (used a $.55 on coconut milk), and then it was onto the fun!

First we hit up

As you may have seen me mention earlier, I bought 6 more inserts of last Sunday's Smart Source because of their $6 coupon for Zyrtec 5 ct.  This coupon makes it FREE at CVS, Walgreens, and Target, and a money maker at Walmart! (76 cents to be exact)  I went Sunday afternoon and there was one left at my Walmart.  It had fallen down behind things.  Since this coupon was only good for a week, things were starting to look bleak.

So I checked Walgreens, and they were out of it, too.

Thankfully, though, I was able to get some $.49 batteries!!!

Here's the deal
Walgreen's brand batteries are BOGO this week.  If you picked the beauty book at the front of the store with Fergie on it (uuuugh... hate Fergie!), there was a coupon in the back that makes the 4 packs of AAs or AAAs only $.99!  They are regularly $4.29 each.  Combine that with the BOGO sale this week and you get, drumroll, please... $.49 packs of batteries.

I got 6.  (That was all they had, plus the coupon said limit 3 on it.)

So!  That was great.  Then it was off to Staples.

They are having a great deal on their coupons page right now.  They have a Staples brand box of 10 reams of paper for $49.99.  There is a $5 coupons you can print from the link above for it, PLUS Rewards Club members get $40 back in rewards!  This makes it roughly $5 for the box after rewards and before tax.

It gets better, though.  There's also a 20% off coupon on the same page which my cashier offered to use instead, which makes it completely free after rewards!  The actual total with tax I paid was $43.XX, but still, that's a heck of a deal!

If you have questions about the Staples Rewards Program, check out this link.


Great!  So that was my whole point in going shopping today, but lo and behold, there is a CVS across the street!  I have to check it to see if they have the Zyrtec, because I didn't want to have bought all those inserts for nothin'.  So I went and heaven smiled down on me...

THEY HAD A FULL STOCK OF ZYRTEC 5 CT.!!!!!

I was so excited that I had a mad dash to throw them in my basket, looking over my shoulder like a crazed wild-woman that someone would swoop in front of me and claim them all for themselves.
But no crazy people took them, no, that was just me!

I got 8 for FREE
Plus I got a free candy for Emma.  Scan your CVS card at the Magic Coupon Machine and you'll get a coupon for $.99 off any Hershey's or Mars small candy.  The ones that are free are marked.

This was the most amazing part of all.  After she scanned all of my coupons, there was no tax.  There was no card swipe, the register saw the total was $0.00 and began to print my receipt and that was it!  I PAID ABSOLUTELY NOTHING FOR THIS TRANSACTION.

I made like a bandit and got out of there!


Paper coupons used today: $47.55

Total saved this year with paper coupons:  $930.31
This number is not reflective of savings as a result of sales, e-coupons, or gift cards.
Total spent this year to get coupons (printer ink, paper, and newspapers): $143.08   

Today's Walmart Trip

So, we went to Walmart today to get some things.  My order for the Zyrtec coupons came in, but they were OOS per the norm.  I have until Saturday to find 8 5 ct. Zyrtec so that I may get them!  May the force be with me.

Here are the highlights of today's trip:

2 Folgers individual packets 7 ct. $1 - $1.50 (coupons.com) = $.50 MM!

6 Pull-Ups Wipes $1.67 - $1 (pull-ups.com) = $.67 ea.!

2 Gerber graduates sippy cup $2.97 - $2 (gerber.com) = $.97 ea.!


As I said, I reeeeally hope I find some 5 ct. Zyrtec before the end of this week.  The deal was free at all the drugstores as well, so... Here's hoping!

Coupons used this trip: $14 (used an additional $1/2 Dole frozen fruit products, no deal)

Total saved this year with paper coupons:  $882.76
This number is not reflective of savings as a result of sales, e-coupons, or gift cards.
Total spent this year to get coupons (printer ink, paper, and newspapers): $143.08  

Recent Trips

So... I woke up the other day, checked my e-mail, and lo and behold!  Tom Thumb threw a whole bunch of free stuff at me!  I had J4U coupons for free: Honey Nut Cheerios, Bush's beans, Old El Paso refried beans, Yoplait GoGurt, Fiber One bars, and I can't remember what else.  Unfortunately, I can't add these to the amount I've saved this year in paper coupons because they are not paper coupons.  I am trying to prove to Andy that the buying of coupons, paper, and ink truly is worth it.  Anyway, here are the things I used paper coupons on that trip:

Fresh Express spinach 10 oz. $.99 - $.55 = $.45!
Eggland's Best Eggs (can't remember price) used $.35 tripled to $.95.
There was another $.50 coupon, but I can't remember what for...  It was a few days ago.

Anyway.  I paid quite a bit on newspapers today.  I bought 4 in store for a total of $11.  I then bought a bunch of inserts from sundaycouponinserts.com to fill in the ones I had missed.  I bought 20 inserts for a total of $22.30.

While at Walmart, I found 1 Zyrtec that I got for free ($.74 MM actually), and a free Beech Nut fruit pouch.
Zyrtex 5 ct. $5.26 - $6 coupon = $.74 MM
Beech Nut Fruit Pouch $.98 - $1 = $.02 MM

Now for the real fun...

2 Crest Pro Health mouthwash $3.49 - $1.50 = $1.99, received $1 EB each

CVS training pant $5.99, get $1 EB

2 Gillette Venus 1 ct. $6.99 - $3 = $3.99, received $5 on 2

1 U by Kotex liner $1.57 - $2 = $.43 MM

 Used $9 in EB

Used 25% coupon loaded to card (this will only work on regular price items, not sale items.  You can tell by looking at the ad which ones are on sale.  None of the things I got were in sale, they merely provided extra bucks. ;) )

Paid $5.06, received $10 EB

Then I remembered that I had to get ice cream:

Blue Bell ice cream $6.99 - $6 EB = $.99


Total saved this year with paper coupons:  $868.76
This number is not reflective of savings as a result of sales, e-coupons, or gift cards.
Total spent this year to get coupons (printer ink, paper, and newspapers): $143.08 

Attention all Burt's Bees Fans!!!

Ok, so Burt's Bees is having a super sale right now, and we all know that I love that! ;) 
Right now, all orders ship free, no minimum purchase.

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The Outlet has a nice variety of items for 50% or more, including the Spring Grab Bag, a hand-selected collection of 6 full-sized products valued at $45, for only $18.  Items start at $1, such as the Nighttime Radiance face cream (travel size).

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Use code SPRING13 to save $5 off any order of $30 or more at checkout!!!

Here's what I got:

1 Spring Grab Bag                                     reg. $45   sale $18

1 Burt's Bees Tinted Lip Duo                     reg. $10  sale $3.50

1 Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream travel size  reg. $3.4, no sale price

^I love this stuff!!!

1 Burt's Bees Body Butter and lip duo        reg. $13  sale $6

So, I basically got $71.40 worth of all-natural products for $25.90 after the coupon code!

This makes for one happy lady mama. :)

CVS trip yesterday!

So, I finally did a drugstore run on a Sunday. :)  Yay me!  The reason was that I needed a newspaper, but by the time I got there, they were all out. :(  Oh well, I got one at Kroger instead!

I was trying to keep my OOP low, so I didn't get all the deals I wanted, but I will show an explanation of what I didn't get afterwards in case anyone would like to get those deals. :)

2 Tom's toothpaste $4 - $1 (peelie found at Sprouts) = $3, get $2 EB wyb 2, makes them $2 each after EB
They had a cart full of Easter clearance 90% off.  Andy loves Peeps and there was one left, so I got it for $.09!
Physician's Formula bronzer - All Physician's Formula cosmetics will print a $7 EB after buying them.  I love this cosmetic line because it is all-natural and very safe.  I got the bronzer for $8.49, used $1 coupon and paid $7.49 and got $7 EB back!  Score. :)
2 Children's Advil 1 oz. $2.49 - $1.50 = $.99 each
1 Kotex U liner $1.57 - $2 (CVS coupon printed from cvs.com) = $.43 MM!
1 Birthday card for Andy $6.95
I had a $5/$30 coupon loaded to my card, and used $14 EB.

Paid $10.33 after tax and saved $29.88, $21 of which were paper coupons.
I spent $5 on 2 newspapers at Kroger later that day.

Total saved this year with paper coupons:  $833.26
This number is not reflective of savings as a result of sales, e-coupons, or gift cards.
Total spent this year to get coupons (printer ink, paper, and newspapers): $109.78     

Here are some of the other deals I will get later in the week:
Oral B manual toothbrush $2.87 - $1 (April P&G) = $1.87, get $1 EB back
There is also a great deal on first-aid products.  Spent $10 on select products (check the ad for specifics) and get $3 EB plus a first aid kit.  I know that it includes Benadryl topical, Band-aid, neosporin, etc.  This also matches up with a great rebate that Johnson & Johnson are putting out at http://healthyessentials.com/printable-coupons/ (click the one that says $26.99).  You must buy 2 band-aid products and one neosporin product to qualify for the rebate.  They will send you a first aid kit, $5 check, and $17 worth of coupons.  There are $.75/2 Bandaids on the same website, and $2 off Neosporin website.  Prices vary by store, but this is a great deal if you need to set up a first aid kit.

In conclusion, if you buy 2 Bandaids and 1 Neosporin at CVS this week and use the coupons, you will get $3 EB back, a First Aid kit (you have to "buy" the first aid kit and then it will take off the total at register.  Don't bring the bandaids and Neosporing to the register thinking they will give you a first aid kit there), then submit the rebate to get $5, another first aid kit, and $17 in coupons.  Either way you look at it, it's a great deal!

That's all for this week, folks!  I don't include products that my family won't use because they contain sodium lauryl sulphate, artificial fragrances and dyes, etc.  For a full list of the deals this week if your family will use these products, please visit Thekrazycouponlady.com.