Money Wrap Up for the Week of 6/21-6/27

I guess I should have done this a few days ago...

Total Spent: $123.37
Total Rebates Sent For: $13.32
Total Extra Money Received: $268.36

Shopping 6/30/08

Vons

Planters cocktail peanuts $4.39 - $3 q = .39
Hershey 60 calorie sticks $1.69 - $1 q = FREE
Eagle Cinnamon Sugar Bursts $1.99 - $1 q = FREE
Kotex Lightdays pantiliners $1.69 - $1 q = FREE
Ponds facial towelettes $2.89 - $1.50 q = .39
3 Oscar Mayer hot dogs $3 - $1.50 Vons q - $1/2 q = 3/$1

Total: $1

7-11

honey $2.49 (thought we had some...)

Total: $2.49

Total for the day $3.49

Total for the week: $65.40

Mail Call Monday June 30

Digiorno For One Pizza coupon
Quaker Simple Harvest coupon
Philadelphia Ready-To-Eat Cheesecake Filling coupon
Juicy Juice Harvest Surprise coupon
Kelloggs/Produce coupon
Planters coupon
Cinnabon cereal coupon
*4 x .25 Entenmann's coupons
Sparkpeople.com keychain

*resulted from Campaign For Coupons

Extra Money - Sunday

Paypal

.99 eBay

Total for the week: .99

Shopping 6/29/08

Ugh. Today was so frustrating. Almost every where I went the stuff that was "supposed" to be on sale wasn't or they were out of stock. I ended up doing a lot of useless running around. And Trader Joe's didn't have the things that I needed so now instead of Gnocchi Bake I guess I'll have to make Ziti Bake or Rotini Bake or insert-the-name-of-your-favorite-pasta bake. Oh well. Here's what I ended up with...

Walmart



2 copies of All You

Total: $3.81

Vons



Planters coctail peanuts $4.39 - $3 q = .39
Hershey 60 calorie sticks $1.69 - $1 q = FREE
Kelloggs Strawberry Frosted Mini Wheats $2 - $1 q = FREE
3 Kool Aid .60
Budweiser basting sauce $2.49 - .75 q = .99 (received $1 Catalina coupon off my next order)
Eagle Honey BBQ Poppers $1.99 - $1 q = FREE
2 Kraft American cheese $8 - $5 Vons q - $1.50 free q = $1.50 (received $1 Catalina coupon off my next order)
Colgate toothpaste $1 - .75 q = FREE
Kotex Lightdays pantiliners $1.69 - $1 q = FREE
Ponds facial towelettes $2.89 - $1.50 q = .39
2 Met RX Protein Plus bars $2.68 - $2 q = 2/FREE
Pert Plus 2 in 1 shampoo $2.99 - $2 q = FREE
3 Oscar Mayer hot dogs $4.50 - $1.50 Vons q - $1/2 q = 3/$1
*used $1 Catalina

Total: $4.31

Walgreens



1 newspaper
2 pkgs Walgreens diapers $5.99 ea - $5/2 Walgreens q = $6.98
*used $5.50 Register Rewards

Total: $3.66 (on gift card)

CVS



Card #1:
Bic Soleil razor $6.99 - $4 q = $2.99
Bic Soleil refills 46.99 - $4 q = $2.99
Physician's Formula mascara $7.99 - $1 q = $6.99
Used $9.38 ECB & $2.99 ECB

Total: $1.34 (on gift card)
Total ECBs earned: $12.99

Card #2:
Bic Soleil razor $6.99 - $4 q = $2.99
Bic Soleil refills 46.99 - $4 q = $2.99
Physician's Formula mascara $7.99 - $1 q = $6.99
Used $10.00 ECB & $1.99 ECB

Total: $1.75 (on gift card)
Total ECBs earned: $12.99

Earn $5 ECB when you buy 1 Bic Soleil razor and 1 Bic Soleil refill (limit 4 per card)
Earn $7.99 ECB when you buy Physician's Formula mascara (limit 1 per card)

Vons



Honey Nut Cheerios Snack Mix $2 - $1 q = FREE
Hershey 60 cal sticks $1.69 - $1 q = FREE
Kelloggs Strawberry Frosted Mini Wheats $2 - $1 q = FREE
Kelloggs Blueberry Frosted Mini Wheats $2 (will send for rebate)
3 Kool Aid .60
Kraft American cheese $4 - $5.49 q = $1.49 overage (took off the regular price when he overrode it!)
Colgate toothpaste $1 - .75 q = FREE
Kotex Lightdays $1.49 - $1 q = FREE
Pert Plus 2 in 1 shampoo $2.99 - $2 q = FREE
cantaloupe $2 - $1 q = FREE (free produce when you buy 2 Kelloggs cereals)

Total: $1.40
Rebate: $2

Cost Plus World Market



Free reusable shopping bag!

Total spent today: $9.52
Rebates earned: $2.00

Total for the week: $61.91

Menu For The Week (or why I'm spending so much money...)

Sunday: Gnocchi Bake, salad, garlic bread
Monday: Honey Mustard Chicken, rice, veggie
Tuesday: Juiciest Hamburgers Ever, fries, pasta salad
Wednesday: Pleasant Pork Chops, noodles, veggie
Thursday: steak, baked potatoes, veggie
Friday: Big Al's Chicken, noodles, veggie
Saturday: spaghetti w/ meat sauce, salad, garlic bread

Shopping 6/28/08

What I bought today (along with items from my stockpile) is food for 3 meals a day for 7 days for 6 people plus some stuff for my stockpile. There are a few things I still need to get that I couldn't find at Vons. I'm going to go to Trader Joe's tomorrow. This diet thing is expensive...

Walmart

apple juice $2.50
3 newspapers $3

Total: $5.73

Vons

Chex Mix $1.99 - $1 q = FREE
Cheerios Snack Mix $1.99 - $1 q = FREE
Kraft salad dressing $1.67 - .70 q = .27
Hershey 60 calorie Sticks $1.69 - $1 q = FREE
Kelloggs Strawberry Frosted Mini Wheats $2 - $1 q = FREE
French's mustard .99 - .50 q = FREE
3 Kool Aid .60
A1 steak sauce $2.99 - $1 q = .99
Budweiser basting sauce $2.49 - .75 q = .99 (received $1 catalina coupon off my next order)
Muir Glen tomato paste $1.35 - $1 q = FREE
Eagle Cinnamon Sugar Bursts $1.99 - $1 q = FREE
Kraft American Cheese $4 - $4 = FREE (free with Kool Aid purchase)
Lucerne fat free milk 1/2 gallon $2.49
Lucerne shredded mozzarella cheese $2.50
Safeway shoestring french fries $2.50
2 Mamma Bella garlic bread $3.34
2 gallons whole milk $5.79
Daisy sour cream $1.99 - .50 q = .99
Colgate toothpaste $1 - .75 q = FREE
Kotex Lightdays pantiliners $1.69 - $1 = FREE
Simple Green stainless steel cleaner $2 - $1 = FREE
Ponds facial towelettes 15 ct $2.89 - $1.50 q = .39
Rolaids $1 - $1 q = FREE
Pert Plus 2 in 1 shampoo $2.99 - $2 q = FREE
Sara Lee Delightful bread $3.99
Turkey Store Italian sausage $3
Jenny O ground turkey $1.49
Hillshire Farms Deli Select lunchmeat $1.67 - .55 q = .57
3 lb chicken breast tenderloins $9.99
Watermelon $2.99
5 lb potatoes $3.29

Total $46.66

Total for the day: $52.39

Total for the week: $52.39

Mail Call Saturday June 28

Free Coke coupon from My Coke Rewards

My Campaign for Coupons Day 2

I wrote to these companies yesterday

Luvs
Crystal Light
SuperPretzel
John Morrell - 7/3 received $1 coupon
Johnson & Johnson - 7/5 received $5 coupon
Johnsonville
Jones Sausage - 7/2 received $1, $5 and 2 FREE coupons
Kahiki
Karo - 7/7 received .50 coupon
AC LaRocco - 7/5 received 6 x .50 coupons
Aidell's - 7/2 received 4 x .50 coupons
Alexia - 7/7 received 2 x $1 and 2 x $1/2 coupons
Amy's Kitchen - 7/2 received .55 and 3 x $1 coupons
Arm & Hammer
Aussie
Baker's Joy
Banquet - 7/3 received 4 x .50 coupons
Barbara's Bakery - 7/9 received FREE coupon
Barber Foods - 7/2 received $1/1 and $1/2 coupons
Bar-S - 7/3 received 4 x .25 and $5 coupons
Bear Naked - 7/7 received 2 x $1 coupons
Blue Bunny
Birds Eye - 7/3 received 1 FREE and 5 x .25 coupons
Breyers
Brown Cow - 7/3 received 3 x .50/3 coupons
Carando - 7/7 received 4 x $1 Carando coupons and $5.70 in various Farmland coupons
Carl Buddig
Children's Motrin
Clairol
Contessa - 7/11 received 2 x .50 and 2 x .75 coupons
Cover Girl
Crayola
Creamette
Del Monte - 7/8 received 3 x .50 coupons
Drano - 7/17 received FREE coupon
Dr. Praeger's - 7/19 received 6 x .30 coupons
Duracell
Edge
Edwards Pies
Dreyers - 7/7 received 2 x .50 coupons
Energizer - 7/3 received 2 x $2 coupons
Eveready
Fantastik - 7/17 received FREE coupon
Flat Out Bread - 7/10 received 1 FREE coupon and 2 x $1/2 coupons
Glade
Gerber - 7/5 received $10 in various coupons
Hefty - 7/7 received FREE coupon
Bundinos

Extra Money - Friday

Cash

$10 MySurvey payment

Total for the week: $268.36

Mail Call Friday June 27

$10 MySurvey payment
All You magazine

CVS & Rite Aid reminders

Just making sure everyone remembers to get in on these CVS and Rite Aid deals before the sale ends tomorrow!

Rite Aid

2 Finesse shampoo/conditioner 2/$6 - 2 x $1 q = 2/$4 ($5 SCR)
Crest Pro Health Night toothpaste $2.99 - .75 q = $2.24 ($2.99 SCR)

Total: $6.94
Single Check Rebate earned: $7.99

CVS #1

20 Soy Joy bars $1 each - 7 x B2G1F q = $14
Used $10 ECB & $4 ECB

Total: zero
ECBs earned: $20

Earn $4 ECBs when you buy 4 Soy Joy bars (limit 5 per card).

CVS #2

4 Bounty Basic 8 roll paper towels $4.99 each - 4 x .25 q = $18.96
1 Charmin Ultra 12 roll $4.99 - $1 q = $3.99
1 CVS bandages $1.99
1 Twizzlers .20
Used $20 ECB & $5 ECB

Total: .29 (on a gift card)
Total ECBs earned: $11.99

Earn $10 ECBs when you buy $20 of Bounty, Charmin or Duracell (limit 1 per card).
Earn $1.99 ECBs when you buy CVS bandages (limit 3 per card).

Visit the "Cent"sible Sawyer for more CVS savings!

Extra Money - Thursday

Cash

$5.99 Tums rebate

Total for the week: $258.36

My Campaign for Coupons Day 1

I started writing companies for coupons tonight. I said my goal was five companies a day but I did way more than that tonight! I guess I got a little carried away, lol! I wrote to:

Dannon - 7/7 received 1 FREE coupon and 2 x .50 coupons
Dare Foods - 7/7 received 4 x .50 coupons
Dennison's - 7/3 received .50 coupon
Dixie
Dole - 7/16 received $4.25 in various coupons
Duncan Hines - 7/5 received .35 Duncan Hines coupon, .25 Swanson coupon & FREE Lender's Bagels coupon
Egg Beaters - 7/3 received .50 coupon
Eggland's Best - 7/5 received FREE coupon
Endust
Entenmann's - 6/30 received 4 x .25 coupons
Equal - 7/24 received 3 x .50 coupons
Fast Fixin'
Febreze
Fleischmann's - 7/3 received 2 x .50 coupons
Florida's Natural - 7/5 received 4 x .35 coupons
Foster Farms - 7/2 received $1 and 2 x .50 coupons
French's
Fresh Express - 7/3 received 2 x .55 coupons
General Mills
Ghirardelli
Glucerna
Gulden's - 7/3 received .50 coupon
Hansen's - 7/1 received 2 x $1/2 coupons
Healthy Choice - 7/3 received .50 coupon
Horizon Organic - 7/5 received .55 coupon
Hostess
Hot Pockets - 7/5 received 2 x .40 coupons
Hungry Jack - 7/2 received FREE coupon
Hunt's
Haagen-Dazs - 7/7 received 2 x .50 coupons
International Delight - 7/5 received 2 x .55 coupons
Jane Cosmetics - 7/7 received 2 x $2 coupons
Jimmy Dean - 7/3 received 3 x .25 coupons

Mail Call Thursday June 26

Rolling Stone magazine
$5.99 Tums rebate

Nestle Crunch Instant Win Game

Are you ready for this? I won... a paddle ball in this Nestle Crunch instant win game. I guess it's a good thing I didn't win candy... I'm on a diet, lol.

3M/Nascar Instant Win Game

I just won a duffle bag in this 3M/Nascar instant win game. Good luck!

Microsoft Forefront Instant Win Game

OMG! I just won a $50 Best Buy gift card in the Microsoft Forefront instant win game! Try your luck and see if you win!

Hostess/Mamma Mia Instant Win Game

Play the Hostess/Mamma Mia instant win game. You can win a trip to Las Vegas or a movie ticket. I won a movie ticket on my first try! If you don't have a code, send an email to enter@hostessmammamia.com and request a code.

Update: The movie ticket is only good for Mamma Mia so keep that in mind when entering.

Money Saving Idea: Writing to companies...

I used to write to companies a lot, either to complain about a product or to compliment a product. Back in the day I would use postcards. That seems so archaic, doesn't it, lol. Then of course, I progressed to email. In my experience, companies will often send coupons (even free coupons!) in response to your email. Somewhere along the line I stopped doing this... I guess I got involved in other things. But thanks to Money Saving Mom I'm going to start again. Last fall I went on a "free spree" with all of the free coupons I received just for sending an email. I'd like to do that again sometime soon. So my goal is to write to five companies a day. I will try to keep track here of who I write to.

Purchase 3 games, get free gas!

Hasbro (including Parker Bros and Milton Bradley) is offering a $10 gas card when you purchase 3 games (via mail in rebate). Purchase any three participating games (Cosmic Catch, Connect 4, Trouble, The Game of Life, Monopoly or Scrabble) and send in the form to receive a $10 gas card. You can choose from BP Amoco, Chevron, or ExxonMobil. This offer ends 7/31/08.

Credit goes to Hooray for Free-Bates! for this offer.

Coupon for $5/$20 at Walgreens

Here is a coupon good for $5 off of a $20 purchase at Walgreens. It is valid tomorrow only, June 27! Please note that the subtotal after coupons has to at least $20 to be able to use this coupon. This could be a good time to pick up some rebate items.

Coupon for a free Auntie Anne's pretzel

Print a coupon for a free Auntie Anne's pretzel (hint: hit the back button and you can print it a second time.) You can also click help in the lower right corner and have the coupon mailed to you. So that's three free pretzels! Yay!

Credit goes to My Coupon Pal for this great freebie!

Extra Money - Wednesday

Paypal

$12.14 eBay

Total for the week: $252.37

Shopping 6/25/08

Food 4 Less

Thirst Rockers gallon drink $1.18 - $1.18 q = FREE
Tampico Punch $1 - $1 q = FREE
Cheetos $2.28
Private Selection ice cream $3.50 - $3.50 q = FREE
Van De Kamps dessert shells .98
California Pizza Kitchen pizza for one $2.50 - $1 q = $1.50
Dole bagged salad .98 - .98 q = FREE
bakery french bread .98 - .98 q = FREE
1.88 lb red grapes $1.84
2 pkgs ice pops .98
4 cantaloupes $3.22

Total: $11.18

Walmart

Weight Watchers muffins $2.97
Great Value on the go drink mix $1.50
2 Crystal Light on the go drink mix $4 - .50 q = $3.50
Pringle Pretzel Stix $3.53

Total: $11.50

Total for today: $22.68

Total for the week: $123.37

Mail Call Wednesday June 25

Caress Exotic Oil Infusions body wash sample

Free meal at Pick Up Stix

Join the Dragon Club at Pick Up Stix and get a coupon for a free combo meal! I did this a couple of weeks ago and it worked like a charm! My daughter and I each had a coupon and it was more than enough food for me and the kids (of course 3 of my kids eat like birds, lol). Nothing like a free lunch! It takes about 3 days for the coupon to be sent to your email so if you have a particular day you want to go make sure you join the club a few days ahead of time.

THIS is why I don't shop at Ralphs anymore...

Ralphs is clipping it's coupon policy

Free food at Chick-fil-a... if you dress up like a cow...

Yep, you read that right. Dress up like a cow on July 11 and get a free combo meal. Again, make sure you call your local Chick-fil-a to make sure they are participating before you show up dressed like a cow...

Credit goes to The "Cent"sible Sawyer for this interesting freebie.

Free Tacos at Jack in the Box tomorrow!

Take a gas receipt to you local Jack in the Box and you will get two free tacos! This is tomorrow, June 26. It's probably a good idea to call your Jack in the Box first and make sure they are participating...

Luvs $5 coupon!

Sign up here and get a welcome kit from Luvs that includes a $5 coupon!! I've heard that if you are already registered on their site that you will only get a $1 coupon but hey, when it comes to diapers every little bit helps. My baby can only wear Luvs so I'm super excited about this offer! You don't see Luvs coupons very often.

Extra Money - Tuesday

Paypal

$3.30 eBay

Total for the week: $240.23

Free Warm Delights Minis - Gone for now

Get a free full size sample of Betty Crocker Warm Delights Minis.

Credit goes to Freebies 4 Mom for this freebie.

Update: Gone as of 6/25 AM. Maybe they will replenish... keep checking back!

Mail Call Tuesday June 24

Women's Day magazine
Excedrin sample from Walmart
Limited Too coupons

Shopping 6/24/08

Vons

Chex 100 calorie packs $2 - $1 q = FREE
Planters cocktail peanuts $4.39 - $3 q = .39
French's mustard .99 - .50 q = FREE
3 Kool Aid .60
Muir Glen tomato paste $1.35 - $1 q = FREE
Dawn Direct Foam $2.99 - $1.50 q = .49 (will send for rebate)
Dixie napkins $1 - .50 q = FREE
Kraft American cheese $4 - $4 q = FREE (with purchase of Kool Aid)
Totinos Pizza Rolls $1.25 - .55 q = FREE
Kotex Lightdays pantiliners $1.69 - $1 q = FREE
Simple Green stainless steel cleaner $2 - $1 q = FREE
Rolaids $1 - $1 q = FREE
2 Met RX Protein Plus bars $2.68 - $2 q = FREE
3 Oscar Mayer bologna $3
Hebrew National 97% fat free hot dogs $2.50 - .75 q = $1

Total: $5.06
Rebate: $2.99

Total for the week: $100.69

Double Points at My Coke Rewards

If you have any Coke points to enter at My Coke Rewards, you might want to make sure you do it tomorrow, June 25. Points from 12 packs will be worth 20 points instead of 10! (Only points from 12 packs will be doubled, all other points will be rewarded at face value.) Get that reward twice as fast!! I always redeem for the coupon for a free 12 pack as soon as I hit 100 points. How about you?

Extra Money - Monday

Paypal

$58.96 eBay

Total for the week: $236.93

Mail Call Monday June 23

Crystal Light On the Go sample from Walmart
$2/2 Johnsons Buddies coupon
TGIFridays Give Me More Stripes rewards card
Today's Diet & Nutrition magazine

Rite Aid Single Check Rebate requested

I requested my Rite Aid Single Check Rebate today. I had a grand total of $42.43 in rebates! When the check comes I am going to put it on a Rite Aid gift card so I can just keep rolling that initial OOP (out of pocket).

Shopping 6/23/08

Target

2 Luvs diapers $7.99 - $2.50/2 q = $13.48
4 Duracell batteries $4 - 4 x .75 q = $1

Total: $15.92 ($15.70 on a gift card and .22 cash)

Total for the week: $95.63

Batman Spectacular Sweepstakes

Enter the Batman Spectacular Sweepstakes for a chance to win one of 2350 instant prizes.

Extra Money - Sunday

Cash

$150 check for babysitting
$3.99 Spray N Wash rebate
$5.99 Tums rebate

Paypal

$4.99 eBay

Total: $164.97

Total for the week: $177.97

Free Cutting Board from DiLusso Deli Company

Click here for a free flexible cutting board from DiLusso Deli Company.

Credit goes to Budget Help$ for this freebie.

Shopping 6/22/08

CVS #1

20 Soy Joy bars $1 each - 7 x B2G1F q = $14
Used $10 ECB & $4 ECB

Total: zero
ECBs earned: $20

Earn $4 ECBs when you buy 4 Soy Joy bars (limit 5 per card).

CVS #2

4 Bounty Basic 8 roll paper towels $4.99 each - 4 x .25 q = $18.96
1 Charmin Ultra 12 roll $4.99 - $1 q = $3.99
1 CVS bandages $1.99
1 Twizzlers .20
Used $20 ECB & $5 ECB

Total: .29 (on a gift card)
Total ECBs earned: $11.99

Earn $10 ECBs when you buy $20 of Bounty, Charmin or Duracell (limit 1 per card).
Earn $1.99 ECBs when you buy CVS bandages (limit 3 per card).

Vons

Chex Mix 100 calorie packs $2 - $1 q = FREE
Kashi TLC crackers $2.50 - $2 q = FREE
Planters cocktail peanuts $4.39 - $3 q = FREE
French's Mustard .99 - .50 q = FREE
Mission tortillas $1.50 - $1 q = FREE
Muir Glen tomato paste $1.35 - $1 q = FREE
Totinos Pizza Rolls $1.25 - .55 q = FREE
Simple Green stainless steel cleaner $2 - $1 q = FREE
2 Rolaids 3 pack $2 - $1 q = 2/FREE
2 Mex RX Protein Plus bars $2.68 - $2/2 q = 2/FREE
3 Oscar Mayer bologna $3
Hebrew National 97% fat free hot dogs $2.50 - .75 q = $1

Total: $4.55

Total spent today: $4.55
Total ECBs earned: $31.99

Total for the week: $95.41

Extra Money - Saturday

Each day I'm going to keep track of the extra money that I receive, be it in the form of a rebate check, payment for a survey, gift card, or eBay earnings.

Cash

$2 Home Testing Institute

Paypal

$11 eBay

Total: $13

Free Stride Gum

For a free pack of stride gum click here and pick settle. This will undoubtedly be the weirdest form you will ever fill out for a freebie.

Credit goes to My Good Cents.

Free Pledge Multi Surface Duster Starter Kit

Sign up here to receive a free Pledge Multi Surface Duster Starter Kit. This kit includes a 1-ct. sample of Pledge Multi Surface wipes, (2) $1 off coupons, and (1) $3 off a Multi Duster Starter Kit.

Credit to Deal Seeking Mom for this freebie.

Here's a tip: I created a yahoo email address that I use just for signing up for freebies and samples. That way my regular email address doesn't get too clogged.

Subway Instant Win Game

Try your luck at this Subway instant win game. I won 2 bags of Flat Earth chips today! Don't worry, there are more exciting prizes including a car... but hey anything free makes me happy!

You have to do a little work to get to actually play the game. Once you register, click on rules at the very bottom of the page. In section 4a there will be a link that says HERE. Click it and they will send 2 codes to your email. You can then use those codes to play the game. You can input 2 codes per day.

Good luck!

How I shop...

As I was writing the last post I realized that it might be confusing to some people. So I am going to list the stores that I have in my area and explain some things about them.

Grocery Stores

Vons: This is where I do the majority of my grocery shopping. Vons doubles coupons up to and including $1.

Ralphs: I used to do a lot of my shopping at Ralphs until they changed their coupon policy. I have not step foot in Ralphs since then. So if you ever see me posting about shopping at Ralphs, call me on it!!

Albertsons: I will occasionally shop at Albertsons. They don't double coupons and their prices are a little high considering that fact. Sometimes they have 8 hour sales with some great loss leaders though so I will pick those up. And occasionally they will have something that is free after coupons (a couple of weeks ago they had Band Aids for $1 and I had $1 coupons).

Stater Brothers: I rarely shop at Stater Brothers. I can't even remember the last time I stepped foot in that store. The selection is horrible and they have high prices.

Food 4 Less: Food 4 Less is owned by Kroger, who also owns Ralphs. I want to boycott them along with Ralphs but I do have some free coupons that are only good at Food 4 Less so I will probably break down and use them before they expire.

Costco: I'm sure you all know Coscto :)

Drug Stores:

CVS: CVS offers Extra Care Bucks (ECBs)on select items. These are basically an instant rebate. For example, toothpaste will be on sale for $2.99 and when you purchase it a coupon will print on the bottom of your receipt for $2.99 off of any future purchase. ECBs can be used the same as cash. Sometimes they are for the entire purchase price and sometimes they are a partial "rebate". If you have a coupon for the item also than that sometimes makes the item a "moneymaker" (ie you make a profit on the item).

Rite Aid: Rite Aid offers what they call Single Check Rebates (SCR). Every month they publish a rebate booklet. You purchase the items and enter your receipts online and they send you one big check!

Walgreens: Walgreens has a rebate program very similar to Rite Aid's. They also publish a rebate booklet every month. Again, you enter your receipts online and they send you one big check. Or you can elect to have your rebate put on a gift card and you will get an extra 10%!

Mass Merchandisers:

Target: I'm sure you are familiar with Target. What you may not know is that Target has their own coupons that you can print online. You can combine these coupons with manufacturers coupons for some great deals!

Walmart: Again, you are familiar with Walmart.

Kmart: I rarely shop at Kmart. But you never know...

Basically, when I shop, I look for the items that are going to be free or dirt cheap after coupons. You will notice that a lot of what I bought today at Vons was free. Today I actually spent a lot more than I normally do, believe it or not. I am starting a diet tomorrow and I've discovered that dieting is not cheap, LOL. I am also cooking dinner every night, which I admit, I don't normally do, so I had to get some staples that I didn't have in my stockpile. Top sirloin was on sale for the killer price of $1.99/lb so I stocked up. I got over $50 worth of steak for under $15!

So hopefully this will explain some things and will make my posts a little easier to understand.

Shopping 6/21/08

I am going to keep track of my grocery spending here. Here is what I spent today (and what I got). I bought items for meals for one week (using some items from my stockpile) and I also added to my stockpile.

Henry's

4 mangos 4/$1
3 ruby red grapefruit 3/$1
.67 lb oranges .46
1 bunch green onions .50
2.05 lb peaches $1.99
lime juice .79
2 lb baby carrots $2.89
1 (HUGE) watermelon $1.97 (seriously, this thing weighs at least 20 lbs)
1.49 lb jicama .75
2 qts strawberries $1.94

Total: $13.29

Walmart

Quaker quick cooking oats $2.08
Campbells Healthy Request cream of mushroom soup $1.38
chili powder .50
onion powder .50
4 newspapers (for the coupons, of course) $4.00

Total: $8.77

Rite Aid

2 Finesse shampoo/conditioner 2/$6 - 2 x $1 q = 2/$4 ($5 SCR)
Crest Pro Health Night toothpaste $2.99 - .75 q = $2.24 ($2.99 SCR)

Total: $6.94
Single Check Rebate earned: $7.99

Boney's

3.70 lb oranges .93
2.43 lb green grapes $1.68
3 lb Fuji apples $2.49
1 head lettuce .50
1 tomato .69
3 cantaloupes $2.97

Total: $9.26

Vons

Chex Mix 100 Calorie packs $2 - $1 q = FREE
Kashi TLC crackers $2.99 - $2 q = FREE
Safeway pretzels $1.50
Safeway evaporated milk $1.25
Planters cocktail peanuts $4.39 - $3 q = .39
Dole crushed pineapple $1.29
French's mustard .99 - .50 q = FREE
Post Honey Bunches of Oats w/ Chocolate $2.50 - $2 q = FREE
Post LiveActive cereal $3 - $3 q = FREE
Safeway cider vinegar $2.19
Vons brown sugar .89
Liquid Smoke $1.68
Mission tortillas $1.50 - $1 q= FREE
Barilla whole grain spaghetti $2.39 - .50 q = $1.39
Muir Glen tomato paste $1.35 - $1 q = FREE
Dixie napkins $1 - .50 q = FREE
Philadelphia 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese $2.34 (will send in for a rebate)
Lucerne 2% cheddar jack shredded cheese $2.50
Lucerne fat free milk 1/2 gallon $2.49
Totinos Pizza Rolls $1.25 - .55 q = .15
2 gallons whole milk $5.79
Colgate toothpaste $1 - .50 q = FREE
Simple Green Stainless Steel Cleaner $2 - $1 q = FREE
2 Rolaids $1 - $1 q = 2/FREE
Met RX Protein Plus bars $1.34 - $2/2 q = 2/FREE
2 Oven Joy white bread $2.38
3 Oscar Mayer bologna $3
Hebrew National 97% fat free hot dogs $2.50 - .75 q = $1
7.3 lbs top sirloin steak $14.53
3.02 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts $6.01

Total: $52.60
Rebate: $2.34

Total spent today: $90.86
Rebates earned today: $10.33

Mail Call Saturday June 21

$2 from the Home Testing Institute for a survey that they are hoping I will do
Pull-Ups and Huggies Cleanteam bath wash and shampoo samples (from Walmart)

Walmart offers several samples on their website. You can check out what they have to offer here.

I am a coupon junkie...

I am a coupon junkie. I love coupons. Grocery coupons. Store coupons. Restaurant coupons. You get the idea. I also love free stuff. Samples, giveaways, anything that's free.

I am a stay at home mom of four kids. Yep, four. My husband makes a decent living but I like to do what I can to stretch our money as far as possible.

I stockpile. I sign up for lots of free samples. I am a member of many survey sites and rewards programs that pay in cash and gift cards. I sell on eBay. I take my cans and bottles to the recycling center and turn them in for cash. I enter sweepstakes. And of course I use coupons.

This blog will follow my daily quest to save as much money as possible and maybe bring in a little extra cash along the way.