5TH UPDATE: Rite-Aid, 1/30-2/5

Well, it's been a crazy week at Rite-Aid.  I just couldn't stay away from the stores this week.  There were just too many moneymakers.  It's a good thing too because next week looks pretty slim to me (at least for the stuff that I buy).  Many of these items will be going into my garage sale box so that I can make enough money to pay for my other groceries.  I had fun being in the stores this week.  My cashiers are all getting to know me pretty well and I am really enjoying spending time with them every week.  What a great group of people!

1ST SHOP: Quick shop at Rite-Aid this afternoon to pick up some Finish detergent, Planter's peanuts and the Dixie plates.  I threw the other items into my shop because they were moneymakers.  Paid $0 out of pocket. This was a small shop so I've taken the time to provide the details in case you want to shop this week.  :) 

2ND UPDATE: Made another stop at Rite-Aid today to pick up a few deals that I have read about on various websites.  A couple of them were moneymakers (Osteo, Hormel, KY, Hartz, and Coricidin).  Made another $20 today and added a few more things to my stockpile.

3RD UPDATE: Had to run out last night to pick up my free coffee from Cost Plus (from the deal almost 2 months ago; certificates were expiring last night).  Spotted a Rite-Aid on the way home and pulled in to grab a few more items.

4TH UPDATE: I ventured out this morning (Saturday) to spend some time with Anna H. We walked the aisles and talked a little about couponing and had a great time picking up a few things.  She is ready to learn the ropes about couponing and I'm eager to teach someone "live in person."

5TH UPDATE: We went out for free museum day today and stopped at a Rite-Aid on the way home to pick up a few more Prilosec boxes for my friend Carissa.  She just gave birth to a new baby girl and she hasn't been able to venture out lately.  Congratulations Carissa!  We couldn't be more ecstatic for you guys.  The store that I went to just received their shipment and because they are a slow store they were stocking the shelves on a Saturday instead of a Monday like most of the stores in the area.  I asked the clerk at the store if they had any more of the Lay's Stax chips because my church is trying to replenish their snacks for the children.  I picked up a few more containers!


MONEYMAKERS
8 Chex Mix $1.50 ea. (sale price)
- $.50/1 Rite-Aid VV printable (Big Game Snacking section) - I only used 4 coupons
- $1/1 Chex Mix from the Safeway Football booklet
- prints $1 UP Reward per item and $5 UP Reward wyb $15 in participating products (limit 1)
= FREE + $11.00 in overage after UP Rewards wyb eight

8 Dixie Plates, Bowls $3.99 ea. (B1G1)
- $3/2 Dixie Rite-Aid VV printable (Big Game Snacking section)
- $1/1 Dixie Q from the Safeway Football booklet
- prints $5 UP Reward wyb $15 in participating products (limit 1)
= FREE + $9.04 in overage after UP Reward wyb eight

2 Planter's Cocktail Peanuts 24oz. (B1G1)
- $2.25/1 wyb 3 Chex Mix peelie (found 8 months ago)
- prints $1 UP Reward
= FREE + $.51 cents overage wyb 2 after UP Reward

2 Stayfree Maxi's $6.99 ea. (B1G1)
- B1G1 Stayfree 1/9/11 SS
- $1/1 Stayfree printable or printable (register)
= FREE + $1.00 overage wyb 2

4 Afrin $5.59 ea w/20% wellness (sale price is $5.99ea.)
- $2/1 Afrin Q from inserts (expired on 1/30/11) or printable (no longer available)
- $2/1 Afrin Rite-Aid VV printable (Great Offers section)
- prints $4.00 UP Reward
= FREE + $2.01 overage after UP Reward

4 Coricidin $5.59 ea w/20% wellness (sale price is $5.99ea.)
- $2/1 Coricidin product printable or printable (click on bottom right hand corner to get coupon)
- $2/1 Coricidin Rite-Aid VV printable (Heart Health section)
- prints $4.00 UP Reward
= FREE + $2.01 overage after UP Reward

2 Neuragen Gel .28 oz. $19.99 ea. (sale price - in the pain relief section; NOT in diabetes section)
- $10/1 Neuragen Q from 12/5/11 RP (expires on 1/31/11)
- submit for $19.99 single check rebate here
= FREE + $10 in overage after rebate

4 Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie Mix $1.91 ea. w/20% wellness ($2.39 ea. regular price)
- $1/2 Betty Crocker Rite-Aid VV printable (Big Game Snacking section)
- $1/1 Betty Crocker Brownie Mix Q from the Safeway Football booklet
- prints $1 UP Reward
= FREE + $1.18 in overage wyb 2 after UP Reward

4 Osteo Bi-Flex w/Knox $15.99 (B1G1)
- $7/1 any Osteo (excluding liquids) from 1/23 RP
- $3/1 any Osteo,  Rite-Aid VV printable (Heart Health section)
= FREE + $4.01 overage wyb 2

4 Hartz Crunch and Clean $2.99 ea. (sale price)
- $2/1 Hartz Crunch and Clean Q from 1/9 SS
- prints $1 UP Reward for the Crunch and Clean and $1 UP Reward for the Hartz product
= FREE + $1.00 overage after UP Rewards

4 KY Warming Liquid 1oz, $4.99 (B1G1 50%)
- $3/1 KY Product printable (zip 90210) and printable (sign up)
- prints $5 UP Reward wyb 2
= FREE + $3.52 overage wyb 2 after UP Reward

3 Busy Bones 7oz. $2.99 ea. (sale price)
- FREE Purina Busy Bone, 7 Oz. or Smaller WYB Beggin' Strips Dog Snacks from 1/23 SS
- prints $1 UP Reward
= FREE + $1.00 overage after UP Reward

9 Hormel Chili $1.50 ea. (sale price)
- $1/2 Select Hormel Items, Rite-Aid VV printable (Big Game Snacking section) or $.50/1 Select Hormel Items, Rite-Aid VV printable (Big Game Snacking section)
- $.55/2 Hormel Chili printable (may not be available any longer)
- prints $1 UP Reward
= FREE + $.55 cents overage wyb 2 after UP Reward

3 Gillette Fusion ProGlide $8.79 w/20% wellness discount ($9.99 sale price)

- $4/1 Gillette Fusion from 1/30 PG

- prints $5 UP Reward (limit 1)
= FREE + $.21 cents ea. after UP Reward

1 GoLean Crunch $2.44 ea. (sale price)

- $3/1 GoLean Q from Vocalpoint website

= FREE + $.56 cents ea.

4 Prilosec $23.19 w/20% wellness discount ($24.99 sale price)
- $8/2 Prilosec from 1/30 PG
- $7 UP Reward for each Prilosec
- $25 mail in rebate wyb (2) 42 count Prilosec OTC
= FREE + $.61 cents wyb 2 after UP Reward and Rebate

STOCKPILE
2 Finish Quantamatic $3.99 (on sale for $3.99 all month long....and I think next month too)
- $3/1 Finish Quantamatic detergent Q here
- $1/1 Finish Rite-Aid VV printable (Winter Rewards section)
= FREE

4 Halls Cough Drops $1.50 ea. (sale price)
- $.50/1 Halls Rite-Aid VV printable (Winter Rewards section)
- $1/2 Halls Q from 1/2 SS or $.50/1 from February All You
- prints $1 UP Reward wyb 2
= FREE after UP Reward

19 Lay's Stax $1.00 ea. (sale price)
no coupons
- prints $1 UP Reward
= FREE after UP Reward

2 Renpure Shampoo & Conditioner $4.99ea. (sale price)
- FREE Rebate forms (found on product)
= FREE after rebate

4 Clairol Perfect 10 Haircolor $3.12 ea. (75% clearance)

- $3/1 Clairol Perfect 10 from 1/23 SS

= $.12 cents

2 Milk Bone Dog Biscuits 24oz, $2.99 ea. (sale price)
- $1.50 peelie found on product
= $.50 cents ea.

3 Cesar Dog Treats $2.99 ea. (sale price)
$2/1 Cesar Treats printable
- prints $1 UP Reward
= FREE

8 Jif Peanut Butter $1.99 ea. (sale price)
- $1/2 Rite-Aid VV printable (Big Game Snacking section)
- prints $1 Up Reward
= .50 cents ea. after UP Reward

2 Dixie Plates $3.99 (B1G1)
- $3/2 Dixie Rite-Aid VV printable (Big Game Snacking section)
= .50 cents ea. after UP Reward

1 Suave Kid's Cherry 2-in-1 shampoo $.69 cents (clearance?)

no coupons

= $.69 cents ea.

3 Beggin' Strips 6oz. $2.99 ea. (sale price)
- $1/1 Beggin' Strips from 12/12 SS
- prints $1 UP Reward
= $.99 cents ea. after UP Reward

6 Smucker's Strawberry Jam $1.99 ea. (sale price)
no coupons
- prints $1 UP Reward
= $.99 cents ea. after UP Reward

2 Dreyers $2.99 ea. (sale price)
no coupons
- $2 UP Reward
= $.99 cents ea.
  
4 Oberto Beef Jerky $2.50 ea. (sale price)
$.50/1 Oberto Rite-Aid VV printable (Big Game Snacking section)
- prints $1 UP Reward
= $1.00 ea. after UP Reward

3 Suave Kid's Gentle and Fruit 2-in-1 shampoo $1.34 (50% clearance)

no coupons

= $1.34 ea.

2 Lindsay Olives $1.50 ea. (sale price)
no coupons
= $1.50 ea.

1 Suave Kid's Coconut 2-in-1 shampoo $1.99 ea. (sale price)

no coupons

= $1.99 ea.

2 Pull Ups $8.99 ea. (sale price)
- $2/1 Pull Ups from 1/23 SS
= $6.99 ea.

THINGS I NEEDED
1 Pez Dispenser $1.49 ea. (regular price)
no coupons
= $1.49 ea. (a treat for my daughter to thank her for her help with little Sydney)

1 Package of Valentines $1.99 ea. (regular price)
no coupons
= $1.99 ea.

TOTAL: $832.93
TOTAL AFTER COUPONS AND REBATES:  -$40 Moneymaker
SAVINGS: over 105%



NEURAGEN GEL: I will submit two rebates for the Neuragen Gel (one for myself and one on my mom's address).  I still have $76 in UP Rewards to roll next week.

GIFTS FOR CASHIERS: I gave one of the Chex Mixes to one of my cashiers and two of the Jif Peanut Butter to my other cashier.  I also gave one of the Lay's Stax to my cashier today (Saturday).

AFRIN COUPON: The Afrin coupon beeped but the cashier pushed it through.  It does not beep on the colored boxes (purple, blue, etc) but it does beep on the white boxes.

LIMITATIONS ON UP REWARDS: I had to separate my transactions because of the limit on the number of UP's that can print on one receipt.  I thought I read that 20 was the limit but I can't remember.

CORICIDIN LIMIT: They would only allow me to purchase 3 of the Coricidin's because of the limitation they put on certain kinds of medicine.  I purchased the 4th one on a different card.

UP REWARDS: Started with $78 UPS and ended up with $101 UPS.  I rolled my UP Rewards for all of these transactions and made money in the process.  Did not have to pay the tax as I still have money on my gift card.

SUAVE SHAMPOO - I found several different prices for the Suave Shampoos.  Try and find the cherry shampoo for the best savings.  Seems they are on a special clearance price for $.69 cents.  Have them check the price at the register before you purchase to ensure they ring up correctly.

NOT PICTURED - The Dreyers and the Dixie Plates were given to my friend Anna; she needed them for a birthday party!

UPDATED: Rite-Aid, 1/23-1/29

I really thought it was going to be a slow week at Rite-Aid and then I found a few great deals in the store.  I didn't spend anything out of pocket, however, I'll have to provide the totals tomorrow. 

I threw in the Tide-Stain-To-Go pen and the Cetaphil because I needed them but the rest of the items were on sale. 

UPDATE: Decided to make a quick run to get some more vitamins and light bulbs.  I found some slipper's on 75% clearance and I picked up a few pair for the girls. 


TOTAL: $473.60
TOTAL AFTER COUPONS: -$10
SAVINGS: 103%


NOTE: I will submit for the two NatureMade $5 rebates and will make $10 on this shop.

NOTE: My $20 Reward didn't print last week so the store manager gave me a Rite-Aid Merchandise credit (yeah)!  I used this to pay for the tax on this transaction and rolled my UP Rewards for the rest of the transaction.

Rite-Aid, 1/9-1/15

We headed out to Panera for coffee this morning.  Jason decided that he wanted to teach Savannah how to play Carcassonne (you're never too young to learn to play strategy games in this family).  We drove around the city looking for houses because we are thinking of moving closer to Jason's work this summer.  We stumbled upon a neighborhood that was prepped for new houses but was totally empty.  There were several streets that had been laid out with electrical and water taps but they were completely empty.  This is a sign of the economy here in this part of the country.  This particular area has looked like this for several years.  The land looked so eerie that I had to snap a photo.

After our drive through the ghost of homebuilding's past we headed to the airport to pick up Jason's mom and little brother Stephen. They will be staying with us for a few days so we are excited to have them here!

TOTAL: $144.16
TOTAL AFTER COUPONS: $0
SAVINGS: 100%

NOTE: I had so much overage on my Motrin PM and my Tylenol Precise Pain patches that I bought four Purex laundry detergents (which were B1G1).  The store was out of 8oz. bags of Wonderful Pistachios so the store manager marked down the 16oz. bags for me so that I could still get some pistachios.  What a great store manager right?

NOTE: I still had a balance on my gift card from my previous return so I didn't have any OOP for this shop.

NOTE: I was taking my bag out of the cart so that I could carry my groceries outside when all of a sudden my bag with the laundry detergent slipped and cracked open on the floor damaging everything that was inside the bag.  The store gave me replacement laundry detergent but they were out of stock on the Motrin PM so I just took the containers out of the damaged boxes. 

Rite-Aid, 1/2-1/8

We have a new tradition of going out for coffee and pastries on Saturday morning as a family.  As we were driving to midtown I pulled out my phone and began searching on yelp for a new coffeehouse.  I found one called the Naked Lounge.  It had 4 stars and looked promising especially because the reviewers highlighted the excellent baristas and their perfectly frothed cappuccinos.  Expertly crafted cappuccino foam is hard to come by so I was pretty excited about this place.

Can I just say that my first mistake was choosing a place that had the name "naked" in it? 

I knew I was in trouble when I walked in and there were no children to be seen anywhere and all of the patrons looked up in surprise that a family was walking into the establishment.  This reaction did not daunt me.  I have become accustomed to people looking at us everywhere we go because my children are adopted.  I figured they were just interested in us as a family because our children don't look like us.  Well, I was wrong.  As soon as we ordered our food and sat down I noticed some modern paintings in front of me.  Let's just say that they were indiscreet.  I immediately began to plot a place for Jason to sit where he could not see these paintings (hoping he wouldn't even notice them because his back would be to them).  As he sat down, I glanced over my shoulder to see what was behind me and to my dismay I noticed another indiscreet painting.  Then I darted my eyes around the entire coffeeshop and noticed that every painting was of the same nature.  Oh man.  What kind of person wants to eat and drink in a coffeeshop with this kind of "art?"  I didn't want to find out.  We downed our muffins and coffee and fled. 

Sometimes I hate California.   

Jason then decided that he wanted to go to the McClatchy library in midtown to read books to the children; the library is a quaint little house and I fell in love with it immediately.  He knew that I would love it.  It doesn't get any better than a library inside of a wonderful old house.  We had fun browsing through the books and left with a big bag full of videos, children's books and travel books. 

Sometimes I love California.

On the way home we spotted a Rite-Aid and I asked Jason if we could stop while I did a little shop.  He wanted to roam the neighborhoods looking for public domain fruit so he told me to go ahead and do my shop and call him after I was done.  I did a quick 20 minute shop and then we headed back home to read and hibernate on this wintry day.

Time to light the fireplace...

5 ACT Rinses $3.99 ea. ($1/1 from 1/2 SS)
= $1.99 ea. after $1 UP Reward
2 Planters Peanuts $1.99 ea. ($1/1 printable)
= $.99 ea.
2 Raisin Bran $2.50 ea. ($.70/1 printable )
= $1.30 ea. after $1 UP Reward wyb 2
1 Sonicare replacement brush heads $26.24 ($5/1 from 11/21 SS, 12/12 SS or printable )
= $21.24 ea.
2 Ester C (B1G1) $6.49 ea. (use $2/1 printable and $1/1 Rite-Aid vv printable )
= FREE + $1.51 overage after $2 UP Reward wyb2

L'Oreal Deal - purchase these items together
2 L'Oreal Revitalift face cloths (use $2/1 from 1/2 RP)
2 L'Oreal Eye Shadow (use $5/2 from 1/2 RP and $1/1 Rite-Aid vv printable from last month)
= $2.05 total after $5 UP Reward wyb $15 of L'Oreal product

TOTAL: $123.06
TOTAL AFTER COUPONS: $0
SAVINGS: 100%

NOTE: I had some money left on my Rite-Aid gift card from a return from last week so no out of pocket this week.  I have wiped out most of my UP Rewards and only have about $7 in UP Rewards left.

Guittard Chocolate

Ruth over at Living Well, Spending Less wrote a nice little article on Peppermint Bark complete with some fantastic photos.  This inspired me to purchase some Guittard Dark Chocolate and White Chocolate chips so that I can make my own peppermint bark.

Guess where I found these little Guittard beauties. 
Guess, guess, guess?
You'll never guess...nope. 
Not in a million years...

I found them at WinCo Foods.  That's right.  I said WinCo Foods.  I was completely shocked when I spotted the Guittard label in the baking chip aisle tonight.  I felt like I had won a golden ticket.  Since when does a grocery store that acts more casual than a Walmart carry Guittard chocolate? 

These most beloved chips will cost you less than $2 a bag.  A stellar deal for some very good baking chocolate.

I need to stop right now and tell you why I am so excited that I found these chips.  I've been looking for them for over 4 years.  I read an article in Cook's Illustrated about blondie brownies and they recommended using Guittard white chocolate chips because they have superior flavor and amazing meltability and a little ingredient called cocoa butter.  I quickly did what any self-respecting Californian would do when they want to find something.  I googled "Guittard white chocolate chips."  The only source that I could find for them four years ago was a warehouse that would ship them to me if I purchased 50 bags.  I can just see my friends coming over and gawking at my 50 bags of white chocolate chips.  I love it when people gawk.  I have occasionally found Guittard chips stocked at various places like Cost Plus World Market but they have never carried the white chocolate chips.  Apparently, mint chips and butterscotch chips are all the rage.  Hmph. 

Why doesn't anyone in this town read Cook's Illustrated?

I've been thinking about Peppermint Bark way too much lately.  I have been desiring to try Williams Sonoma's Peppermint Bark for ages but couldn't bring myself to pay the $26 that they charge.  Well, it finally went on clearance and Williams Sonoma offered me free shipping.  End of story.

Still, I never could understand why Williams Sonoma charged so much for their snooty Peppermint Bark especially since my local Costco offered it for only $9.99.  Well, this week I found out why. 

......let's just say that it has something to do with Guittard Chocolate.

Safeway, 12/29-1/1

Safeway has a good promotion running through today (Saturday).  Buy 5 specific products and get $5 off your order.

STOCKPILE:

Buy 5, Get $5 Promotion
12 bags of Kraft Cheese @ $2.50 ea.
- $1/2 Kraft Cheese printable or $1/1 Kraft Cheese printable (no longer available)
4 bags of marshmallows @ $1.50 ea.
- no coupons
4 Wheat Thins @ $2.00 ea.
- $1/1 Wheat Thins printable (no longer available) or $1/2 Nabisco printable
- $15 taken off my order because I purchased 15 items
=  $11.96 total (used four $1/1 Kraft, four $1/2 Kraft and four $1/1 Wheat Thins)

ITEMS I NEEDED:

2 Baker's Chocolate
- $1/2 Baker's Chocolate printable
= $2.50 ea. (this might be cheaper somewhere else but it's hard to find sales on Baker's Chocolate)!!

TOTAL: $81.38
TOTAL AFTER COUPONS: $16.96
SAVINGS: 80%

NOTE:  This cheese turns out to be $1 for a 1/2 lb. of cheese (the same price as Costco), however, I like having a variety of cheeses in single serve bags instead of in the large Costco bags.  They also happen to have the Parmesan cheese as a part of this sale and it is very difficult to find shredded parmesan in single serve bags for $1 for a 1/2 lb.  They have a new "authentic" Mexican cheese blend that comes with queso, asadero and manchego cheeses.  Yum, yum.  I LOVE authentic Mexican cheese (especially for quesadillas).

NOTE: After the above coupons and the $5 promotion wyb 5 items, the price for each item was:

KRAFT CHEESE: $.50-$1.00 for 8oz. of cheese (depending on your coupon)
KRAFT MARSHMALLOWS: $.49 cents for a bag of marshmallows
WHEAT THINS: FREE or $.50 cents (depending on your coupon)

NOTE: Safeway had their Baker's Chocolate on sale for $3 ea.  Turns out the Baker's Chocolate is cheaper at WinCo Foods.  The regular price for Baker's Chocolate at WinCo. Foods is $2.22 ea. (which is less than what I paid at Safeway with a coupon and their sale).   I used a coupon at WinCo. and scored the Baker's Chocolate for $1.72 ea. instead of the $2.50 ea. at Safeway with a coupon and their sale price.  Sheesh.  Safeway is so expensive.