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.
 

Walgreens and Tom Thumb

Decided to make a last-ditch effort for the drugstores today.  Shouldn't have.  All three of the great deals were OOS.  I got a 2L of Dr. Pepper TEN for free... but other than that, nothing really exciting.

Used $6 in coupons.

Went to Tom Thumb after and got some Angel Soft tp!  The 4 pk. is on sale for $.99 and I had $.45 coupons that doubled to $.90!  I had my trusty MIL with me so I got 2 for $.09 each!  WOOOO HOOOO!

Ok, that's a little too much excitement over toilet paper.

I used $4.85 in coupons.


Total saved this year with paper coupons:  $812.26
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): $104.78   
 

Today's trips: Sprouts and Target

I usually go to Sprouts first to get high quality meat and vegetables at a great price.  I plan out my meals, make a shopping list and go here first.  Then, if there's any money left over in the weekly grocery budget, I coupon. :)

I used $2.50 in coupons at Sprouts.

Here's my Target trip!

8 Happy Toddler pouch $1.43 ea. - BOGO coupon (earned on recyclebank.com) - $2/$10 mobile baby coupon (Text BABY to 827438) = $.43 each!
These coupons scanned really weird.  The first 2 took off $2.50 each, then the third took of $.50, and the fourth took off $1...  When you consider it should have only taken off $5.72 all together ($1.43 x 4), I'll take the extra $.28. :)

The new Spring text coupons are great!  Text SPRING to 827438. There are $1/$1 fruit and $1/$1 vegetable coupons!
I got sweet potatoes $2.65 - $1 = $1.65 for 3, and organic strawberries clamshell $2.89 - $1 = $1.89!

Also in that text was a great $1.50/2 Clorox Green Works products!  Go to their website and sign up for emails and they will email you a coupon for $1 off any Green Works product.  The toilet cleaners are on PC for $2.20 this week.  I got 2:
$2.20 x 2 = $4.40 - $1.50 - $1 - $1 = $.90, or $.45 each!

2 Archer Farms frozen green beans$1.99 each - $1/$4 = $1.49 each

12 Yocrunch on rollback $.55 a cup
I had $1 off any multipack, but I did the math and it was cheaper to just buy the individual cups without the coupon (especially since the size in the multipack are half that of the individual cups).

3 Chobani kids tube yogurt $2 - $1 (chobani.com) = $1 each!  They hold 8 tubes each!
Only the blueberry flavor was on price-cut for $2.

4 Huggies Wipes $2, buy one get one for $1.  I got 4 = $6.  There are $1 coupons on Huggies website (you have to play a game to get it.  It's fun!) - $4 = $2, or $.50 each!
When you get the coupon, you can print as many as you want.  Be warned, though, that at the register they will only let you redeem four at a time.  If you want more, you have to split transactions.

2 Tyson frozen grilled and ready are BOGO this week at $7 each.  There is a $1 mobile coupon in the Spring coupons (see above). = $3 a bag
There were several varieties included in this: chicken strips, beef strips, chicken breasts, and cubed chicken.  Makes dinner very convenient and is cheaper than buying raw chicken!
I also had a paper coupon but it wouldn't let me use it on the free item.  The $1 manufacturer's coupons expired yesterday. :(  Oh well!  Still happy! :)

Plum baby box 4 pk. $2.99, submit for $1 with iBotta app = $1.99, or $.50 a pouch.

I spent $32.45 and saved $35.23, $20.50 of which were coupons.

Total saved this year with paper coupons:  $797.41
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): $104.78   

Recent Tom Thumb trips

Kind of frustrated.  The girls went through my wallet and have lost both my CVS card and my Tom Thumb card.  Both I can still use with my phone number in store, but I can no longer scan my card at the Magic Coupon Machine at CVS and get those high dollar coupons that would get me free makeup this week. :(  What it also meant for my last large shopping trip at Tom Thumb was that I lost $25 in coupons loaded to my card because I could not remember the phone number associated with the account and used a long-lost account I must have opened a long time ago but have never used. GRRR!!!  There goes another gas reward!

It really makes me wonder why I spend all this time doing things and planning a trip if it's all going to go to hell at the register.  But, I have since figured out the correct phone number and Tom Thumb is fixed.  Any deals requiring Magic Coupon Machine coupons at CVS, though, are dead for me. :(

Here are the latest deals at Tom Thumb:

Mojo bar $.99 - $.50 doubled = free

Capri Sun $2.49 - $.30 tripled = $1.59, submit for $1 on iBotta app = $.59

There were more deals I got last week, but they are over now so there's no point in wasting my time posting them.  :)

Paper coupons used in last three trips: $26.49


Oh, and I did not get a newspaper last week.  It was just one of those days... I have found a great website, though.  Sundaycouponinserts.com offers inserts for $.85 each (The Dallas Morning News costs $3 for one, or $5 for 2 on Sundays and usually contains at least two inserts, the Red Plum and Smart Source, except on holiday weeks, so be careful.  The first week of the month [sometimes the 30th or the 31st if that's how it falls] will contain the P&G regardless of holiday.  There are also sometimes second or even third Red Plums and Smart Sources that they throw in there.  If you want to know what to expect, visit sundaycouponpreview.com)

The only thing that really kills it about this website to me is the cost of shipping.  Shipping is a flat $5.30, so I only use this if I am ordering a significant amount of inserts.  I buy 4 of each (a good rule of them is 1 for each family member, but I usually buy in increments of 2 to facilitate buy on get one free sales to increase savings).  I need 20 inserts (4 of which are a special buy this week for $.35 each, mostly because they are expiring soon, but still a good insert that I will use), and shipping is $5.30

We also bought ink - 2 black ink cartridges for $41.

Total saved this year with paper coupons:  $744.41
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): $104.78   

Today's CVS and Target trips = AWESOME!!!

Today was my coupon day.  :)  Went to CVS first.  Here is what I got:

Brookside Dark chocolate Goji berry bag $3 - $2.50 = $.50

Brookside Dark chocolate Acai blueberry bag $3 - $2.50 = $.50

2 Stride gum $1 - $1/2 = $.50 each, got $1 back on two making them free!

CVS was having a super sale on all Physician's Formula cosmetics.  Use your card and get $6 off any product in their line... period.  Combine that with a coupon for $7 off each item!
1 Physician's Formula eyeshadow quad $7.49 - $6 - $1 = $.49

1 Physician's Formula tinted moisturizer $11.99 - $6 - $1 = $4.99

Remember, all this applies to the Beauty club!

Used $4.50 quarterly EB and $4 EB.  Had a $10 EB but the total was too low to use it, so I'll save it for next time. :)

Total spent: $3.22
Total saved: $35.62
EBs received: $3
So I paid $3.22 and got $3 EB back.  Not to shabby!

Target was super awesome as well!  Here is what I got.  Some of the things were things we just needed around the house and I did not have coupons for, but I'm including everything to be accurate.

Happy Baby pouch $1.27 - $.50 coupon = $.77

Happy Tot pouch $1.43 - $.50 = $.93

2 tortilla chip bags $1.50 each

Kool Aid pouches $1.79, redeem for $1 with the iBotta app

2 Campbell's Go! Soup $2.36 - $1 store coupon - $1 manufacturer's coupon = $.36 each

Old El Paso taco kits $2.54
Old El Paso taco seasoning $.79 - $.60/3 Old El Paso products

Zatarain's rice $1.14, submit for $.75 from Endorse app = $.39

Bananas $1.45 - $1 Target coupon off fruit = $.45

Tai Pei chicken egg rolls $1.90

Tai Pei beef and broccoli $1.90

El Monterey burritos $1.02 - $1 = $.02 each!

8 Yocrunch $.62 - $1.25 catalina = $.46 each

2 Oral B rechargeable 3D White toothbrushes $15.29 - $10 Target coupon - $3 man. coupon = $2.29 each!

2 Poise 20 ct. wipes $2.99 - $3 = $.01 MM!

2 Tums Freshers 25 ct. $2.49 - $1.50/2 manufacturer's q - (2) $1 Target coupon = $.74 each

I spent $30.88 and saved $50.82!  Good day.


To keep the coupon counting accurate, I used $.50 off Cuties at Sprouts last week and another $10 at Carter's.

Total saved this year with paper coupons:  $717.92
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): $63.78  

Today's Walmart trip

 
Had to make an emergency trip to Walmart for dishwashing detergent bc we were out and I do not like dishes in my sink. :)

Here's what I got:
Outshine fruit bars 6 pk. $2.97 - $2 (NLA) = $.97, submitted to iBotta for $1 back = $.03 MM

Found some Gerber organic baby pouches on clearance for $1 - $.99/6 = $.84 each
Anytime these are under $1, I get them.

Star EVOO rollback $3.98 - $1 (smartsource.com) = $2.98

Got some other things, but I won't bore you with them as I didn't use coupons. :)

Total saved this year with paper coupons:  $647.49
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): $63.78  

My CVS plan for tomorrow!!!

SO excited for tomorrow's trip!  Will get $98.49 worth of product my family and I actually use and need for $3.72 after EB back!  Here's the plan:

Buy 2 Oral-B Cross Action tb (the battery kind) $5.99 - $3 April P&G = $2.99 each, get $2 EB each

Rescue Sleep (see ad for details ) $8.99, get $8.99 back

2 Dawn Hand Renewal dish soap $.99 - $.50 coupons.com = $.49

Clear Hair scalp therapy $4.99 - $4.99 magic coupon machine coupon = FREE
Submit for $1.25 on the iBotta app, and viola!  $1.25 Moneymaker!

4 Altoid tins BOGO $1.50 - (4) $.50 (coupons.com) = $.25 each!  Anyone can do this deal!

2 Brookside pouches (chocolate covered dried fruit like pomegranate and goji berries) $3 - $2.50 (go to cvs.com.  Search for "brookside."  Watch the video that says save $1.  At the end, you will have an option to share the coupon on Twitter that will bump up the coupon to $2.50!  I have a Twitter account just for junk like this. ;) ) = $.50 each!!!

2 Nature Made Vitamin D BOGO $4.79 - (2) $2 coupons.com = $.79 for 2

CVS alcohol prep first aid pads 100 ct. FREE coupon for deal of the day on their website.  You should check this every day!  This deal is already gone, but they always have good deals popping out that all you have to do is claim and print!

2 Almay i-intense eye shadow $5.99 each - $5/2 coupons.com - $4/$12 beauty purchase from magic coupon machine (probably want to add something to make sure it's always $12.  Wet n Wild nail polishes are only $.99) = pay $2.98 (not including nail polish), get $3 EB back!
Remember - this counts for Beauty Club!

2 Tampax Pearl Radiant $3.50 each - $2.50/2 April P&G = $4.50 for 2
2 Infinity Radiant pads $3.50 each - $2.50/2 April P&G = $4.50 for 2
1 Pampers baby dry $9.50 - $1.50 coupons.com = $8
Spend $20 before coupons of these select products and get $5 EB back!
Pay $17, get $5 back.  Like getting each for $2.40!

1 Allegra $17.99 - $5 printed (there was a $6 coupon, but it was in the 3/17 SS that I do not have) = $12.99, get $5 EB back

Use $14 in EB from last week, plus $4.50 quarterly EB loaded to my card.

Total before card and coupons: $98.49

Total after card before coupons: $94.20

Total after coupons (OOP): $30.71

EB received: $26.99

It's like getting everything for $3.72 after EB!  Keep in mind tax will be on the pre-coupon amount.


Apparently that $4/$12 beauty coupon is printing every day this week from the Magic Coupon Machine!  Here's another great way to use it:
Buy 1 CoverGirl Brow & Eye Maker $4.79, regular price
Buy 3 CoverGirl Eye Enhancer Eye Shadow Singles $3.99, regular price
They are buy 1 get 1 50% off thru Sat.
Use two $3.00/2 Covergirl Products, excludes Accessories, Limit of 4 like coupons per household per day from PG 3/31 (exp 4/30)
Or $1.00/1 Covergirl Product, excludes Accessories, Limit of 4 like coupons per household per day from PG 3/31 (exp 4/30)
And use one $4.00/$12.00 Cosmetics Purchase, CVS Coupon Machine Week of 3/31
Final Price: $0.69 each, when you buy all 4
Thank you KCL! 

Recent Coupons

I'm trying to get caught up on the small trips I've done lately to keep an accurate running total..

Victoria's Secret sent me a coupon in the mail for a free panty!  Reg. price $10.50.

Pull-up has a $1 coupon on their website for wipes.  Walmart has the refills for $1.64.  Got five.

Total coupons used: $15.64.

Bought 2 newspapers yesterday - $6.

Total saved this year with paper coupons:  $643.50
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): $63.78