CVS 1/25

With my $17.00 in Extra Bucks from last week, I took two trips to CVS. My personal philosophy about shopping at CVS is to limit my spending out of pocket to $10.00/week and purchase all of our personal and cleaning items. I like to spend Extra Care bucks on purchasing more Extra Care Bucks, but that doesn't always happen particularly when we need things like erasers or my favorite shaving cream. This week I spend about $7.50 and set us up with a couple months worth of shampoo!

Reese Whips 4 @ .50
- 2 $1.00/2 coupons
= free

Johnson and Johnson Bath Buddies 1.19
- $1.00 coupon
= .19

Eraser Pack $3.49

Photo 5 x 7 $.99
Subtotal = 7.67
- 3.00 coupons
- $4.00 Extra Bucks
= $.93 out of pocket
CVS savings (from bottom of receipt) $9.06

2nd Transaction

Head and Shoulders $4.99
- $1.00 coupon
$3.99 Receive $3.00 Extra Care bucks

2 Pantene Expressions $9.98
- $3.00/2 Pantene
$6.98 receive $6.00 Extra Care bucks

1 Pantene Shampoo plus Condition 72 oz = $7.99
- $2.00 coupon
$5.99

1 Aveeno Shave Gel $4.99
- $1.00 coupon
$3.99

2 Mentos Gum (buy one get one free) $1.69
- .55 cent coupon
$1.19

1 Sunday Paper $1.50

Subtotal = $33.40

- $5.00/$25.00 purchase
- $7.55 coupons
- $13.00 Extra Care bucks
Total out of pocket = $6.40
Extra Care Bucks received = $9.00
Net = $2.60
CVS Savings (from bottom of receipt) $31.14

CVS deals this week

I just got back from CVS shopping this morning. Here's what I came home with:

2 St. Ives Apricot Scrub on sale $2.99
- used 2 $2.00/1 coupon
= .99 each (1.98 for 2)

1 Clairol Natural Instincts Hair Color on sale $5.99
- $2.00 coupon from paper
= 3.99 plus received $2.00 in Extra Care bucks

1 Colgate 360 Toothbrush $3.49
- $.75 coupon from paper
= $2.74 plus received $1.00 Extra Care bucks

1 Shick Quattro Titanium Razon $8.99
- $2.00 coupon from paper
= $6.99 plus received $3.00 Extra Care bucks

2 Bottles Dawn dish washing liquid (Buy one get one free) $1.99
- .50 and .25 coupon from paper
= $.62 each ($1.24 for 2)

1 Kleenex 3 pack 3.69
- .50 coupon from paper
= 3.19 plus received $1.00 Extra Care bucks

2 Maybelline Mineral Makeup $17.98
- $2.00 off $10 cosmetics
= $15.98 received $10.00 Extra Care bucks

3 Johnson and Johnson Buddies Soap $3.57
- $3.00/3 J and J coupon
= $.19 each ($.57 for 3)

I also had $2.00 in Extra Care Bucks plus a coupon for $10 off a $50 purchase. There is a machine at the front of the store that you should always check by swiping your CVS card. It will print coupons off of products and usually once per week will give you a coupon for money off a purchase. I usually receive the $5/$25.

Grand total = $27.32
Extra Care Bucks received = $17.00
Total saved = $36.49

Extra care bucks can be spent just like cash. The fun of shopping at CVS is that you can use your extra care bucks to buy products that are on sale or that you will give you more extra care bucks. I was a little low this week, so I spent more cash than I usually do, but I will be all set for next week with $17.00 in Extra Care bucks and probably won't spend any more out of pocket.

Free Johnson and Johnson soap

Johnson and Johnson Soap buddies are great for kids. They have a nice fruity scent and a wash-cloth surface with the soap inside-- kids can wash themselves and you don't have to worry about the soap melting in the bathtub.

These are usually priced at about $1.00 each at major retailers, so this coupon for $3 off 3 JandJ products, would make them free.

You have to have a coupon printer installed to use this coupon. It's a quick download and just a way for the coupon company to keep folks from making too many copies.

shortcuts.com

Shortcuts.com is a website where you can add free coupons directly to your shopper's card so that you don't have to worry about clipping coupons or bringing them to the store.

Currently it appears that they work with Kroger stores including Payless, Frys and Dillons.

You log in and check the current coupons they are offering for the week. It's about 20/week. They are especially good for items such as diapers. In our shopping trip today, we bought a $10.00 pack of Huggies for a baby shower. We had a coupon for $1.50 off from the Sunday paper, a $1.50 off via shortcuts and we'll receive $1.50 in our u-promise account (college savings). Pretty sweet deal for a baby shower gift.

They only ask for zip code, gender, name and grocery card number. I haven't received any spam mailings, although they do email when new coupons are added.

weekly menu and shopping

Sat- Meatloaf and sweet potatoes
Sun - Fried chicken, salad, brocolli
Mon - Manicotti or Lasagna
Tues - Chili
Wed- Tacos
Thurs - Calzone
Friday - Out!

Lunches for Kiddo
Mon - turkey bagel
Tue - pizza rolls
Weds - tuna
Thurs - chicken nuggets
Fri - PB and J

Shopping List
Ground Beef
Sweet Potatoes
Tuna
Chicken Broth
Bagels
Redi-whip
Chocolate Syrup
Frozen Turkey Sausage
Fruit rollups
Granola Bars
Apple juice
pizza crust
Recipe starters - onions, green peppers,etc.
Red Gold Tomatoes
Huggies (for our cousin)

Finding coupons online

Where do I find coupons? I don't spent a whole lot of time looking for them, now that I have my favorite sites. I also receive emails from most of these websites so that I know when new coupons are released (usually weekly).

Most stores do accept printed coupons from the web. I haven't had any problem using them.


Smartsource
Coupons.com
Health e-savers
Eat Better America
Betty Crocker
Right at home
Coupon Loop - a list of hundreds of current online coupons

I have also had luck going directly to the websites of products that I like and signing up for their newsletters. Often they send out coupons or opportunities to get free samples. By signing up with Morningstar, I recently received two $1.00 off coupons for their breakfast patties (our favorite veggie sausage).

Shortcuts is a site that works with Kroger and adds electronic coupons directly to your shopper's card. When you purchase something from your shortcuts list, it automatically adjusts the price at the register. Sweet!

You may wish to set up an alternative email address for your coupons as they can fill up your inbox.

Free coffee at Borders

Seattle's Best Coffee is offering a buy one get one free coupon at their Borders coffee shops. The coupon expires March 4, 2009.

A great opportunity for a frugal date...coffee and book-store browsing.