Target - No Deals :(

1 Wet One Wipes
Regular Price: $.99
- $.50 Target coupon
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Final Price: $.50

1 Tums 3pack
Regular Price: $1.99
- $1.00 Target coupon
- $1.00 Manufacturer Coupon
------------------------------------------
Final Price: FREE

Scotch Magic Tape
Regular Price: $1.00
Raincheck Price: $.50
- $.50 Target coupon
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Final Price: FREE

With Tax, I paid $.52.

CVS Weekly Deals (7/24-7/30)

I don't know why, but getting nearly free stuff excites me. It's the same as the high after running. You get that rush of adrenaline followed by a sense of accomplishment.

All week long, this deal has been in the back of my mind. I've been wanting and waiting to do it, and when today finally rolled around, I got to execute it, and it went quite well!

CVS has their "extra bucks" rewards program, so you're gonna have to be willing to shop regularly at CVS to make great deals there.


Transaction #1:

1 Kotex U Feminine Care Product
Regular Price: $4.79
Sale Price: $3.49
Price After $1.00 off manufacturer's coupon: $2.49
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Total Out of Pocket Cost: $2.80, Received $2.00 Extra Bucks




Transaction #2:
1 Re-nu 12oz. sensitive eyes contact solution
Regular Price: $9.99
Sale Price: $7.89
Price After $2.00 manufacturer's coupon: $5.89

1 Papermate Pens
Regular Price: $2.29
Sale Price: $1.99
Price: $1.99
----------------------------------------
Subtotal: $7.88
- $2.00 Extra Bucks earned from Transaction #1
- $5.00 Extra Bucks earned from Garnier Transaction last week
------------------------------------------------------
Total Out of Pocket Cost: $1.74, Received $6 extra bucks and $1.99 extra bucks. (Note, I paid .86 in tax.)


Transaction #3:

1 Schick 5 Hydro Razor
Regular Price: $10.79
Sale Price: $7.99
Price After $4.00 manufacturer's coupon: $3.99

1 Schick 3 Hydro Razor
Regular Price: $9.79
Sale Price: $7.99
Price After $3.00 manufacturer's coupon: $4.99

1 Edge Shave Gel
Regular Price: $2.99
Sale Price: $2.19
Price After $.55 manufacturer's coupon: $1.64


2 Skintimate Shave Creams
Regular Price: $4.79/each
Sale Price: $2.19/each
Price After 2 $1.50 manufacturer's coupons: $.69/each
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal: $12.00
- $4.00 CVS coupon when you buy $20.00 of stuff
- $6.00 Extra Bucks from Transaction #2
- $1.99 Extra Bucks from Transaction #2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Out of Pocket Cost: $1.45, Received $10 extra bucks. (Note, I paid $1.44 in tax, which means my total was $.01.)

In total I paid $5.99, and I've got $10.00 to roll over to future purchases. Exciting!

Ralphs Deals (Weekly Ad of 7/20-7/26)

Ralphs runs a lot of their "Buy any 10 participating items, get $.50 off each of the 10 items."

- 7 bottles of Honest Tea
Regular Price: $2.49/each
Ralphs Reward Club Price: $1.25/each
Buy 10 Promotional Price: $0.75 + $.05 CRV/each
Price After 6 $1.00 off Honest Tea coupons: -$.40

- 1 Colgate Toothpaste
Regular Price: $3.99/each
Ralphs Reward Club Price: $1.49/each
Buy 10 Promotional Price: $.99/each
Price After $.50 cent off coupon, doubled to $1.00: FREE

- 2 Silk Pure Coconut Milk
Regular Price: $3.99/each
Ralphs Reward Club Price: $2.99/each
Buy 10 Promotional Price: $2.49/each
Price After $1.00 off coupon, and $.75 off coupon doubled to $1.00: $1.49/bottle

- 1 Bag Skittles*
Regular Price: $4.29
Ralphs Reward Card Price: 2/$3.00
* not part of the buy 10 promotion
Price After $1.00 off coupon: $.50

- 1 Bag Starbursts*
Regular Price: $4.29
Ralphs Reward Card Price: 2/$3.00
* not part of the buy 10 promotion
Price After $1.00 off coupon: $.50
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Retail Cost (before Reward Card Savings): $40.37
Total After Rewards Card + Promotion: $14.69

Total Out of Pocket Cost After Coupons: $3.62 + Received a Catalina for a Free Redbox Movie Rental. (I got "The Adjustment Bureau" in case you were wondering.)

DEALS DEALS DEALS

Albertsons:
Transaction #1:
- 4 boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios: (originally $4.19), on sale for 2/$5 = $10.00
- 1 package of Chips Ahoy Gooey Cookies (originally $3.69), on sale for $2.00/each. = $2.00
------------------------------------------
Total: $12.00
- 3 Cheerio $.60 off coupons
- 1 Cheerio $.50 off coupon
- $1.00 off Chips Ahoy Gooey Cookies
- $1.00 Albertsons doubler coupon
- $5.00 General Mills coupon (from purchase of Fiber one Brownies from last, last week),
- $2.00 Fiber One coupons (from purchase of Fiber One Brownies from last, last week).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total out of Pocket: $0.70
Received $2.00 catalina, $2.00 catalina, free milk catalina

Transcation #2:
- 1 package of Chips Ahoy Gooey Cookies (originally $3.69), on sale for $2.00/each. = $2.00
---------------------------------------------------
Total: $2.00
- $1.00 Chips Ahoy Gooey Cookies coupon
- $1.00 Albertsons doubler coupon
--------------------------------------------------------------
Total Out of Pocket: NOTHING!


Target:
- 2 packages of Ziploc Bags, (original price $1.99) on sale $1.75 each
- 1 pack Jif-T0-Go peanut butter, original price $2.29
- 1 pair bootleg cut jeans, (original price $19.99) on clearance for $4.98
- 2 Bengay Vanishing Scent, original price $4.29/each
- 2 Bengay Ultra Strength, original price $4.89/each
- 1 Target Apricot Scrub, original price $2.10
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total: $33.49
- $1/2 Target coupon for Ziploc Bags
- $1/2 Manufacturer coupon for Ziploc Bags
- FREE Target Jif-To-Go Peanut Butter Coupon
- $3.00 Target denim coupon
- 4 $5.00 off Bengay coupons
- $0.55 Target Coupon for Facial Cleansers
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Out of Pocket: $4.90

Rite Aid:
-$1.00 U Kotex Thin Liners
- $4.99 Tylenol Precise Pain Relieving Cream
- $4.99 Tylenol Precision Pain Heat Patch
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total: $11.85
- $5.00 off Tylenol Precise Coupon
- $5.00 Tylenol Precise Coupon
- $1.00 U Kotex Coupon
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Out of Pocket: $0.83

Retail Sales Price for all the stuff in the pictures: $59.34
Total Paid After Coupons: $6.43
Received: $4.00 in Catalinas and Free Milk Catalina

Proof:


All the Receipts

CVS Haul (7/10-7/16)

This is my haul from CVS.

Transaction #1: Bic Soleil Razor costs $6.99. I had a $3.00 off manufacturer's coupon delivered in a free insert to my front door. I paid $3.99 + tax for the razor and earned $3.00 extra bucks (coupon for $3.00 off my next transaction). This makes it $.99.

I also bought a balance bar. I paid $1.69 for it, and got $1.69 extra bucks. This makes it FREE.

With Tax, I paid $6.22 out of pocket.

Transaction #2: I bought 2 bottles of the new natural, environmentally friendly Garnier Fructis Shampoo, and 2 bottles of the conditioner. I also bought one bottle of the all natural hairspray. The shampoo, conditioner and hairspray were on sale for 3/$10. CVS has those machines at the front of the store that if you scan your rewards card, you get coupons. Last week I got a coupon for $3 off your next $15 purchase. I also had 5 - $1 off manufacturer coupons I printed from coupons.com (no longer available). I also applied the $3 extra bucks and $1.69 extra bucks I earned from transaction #1 to this transaction. After all the coupons, I paid $5.04 and got $5 extra bucks to carry over to next week (as a result of spending $15 on Garnier products in one transaction).

One last thing to note, the Razor had something attached to it. I was totally confused, but since it was the last one, I didn't really look at it until I got home:



FREE HEADPHONES. I mean, they're not the best, but they retail on Amazon.com for $11.98 and have a 3.5 star rating. Honestly, I'll take anything that's free, so this was a great score for me!






With the Extra Bucks to roll over, it's like I paid $6.26 for everything you see pictured.

All and all, a great shopping trip at CVS!

Target, Part Deux = $0.83

$0.83 at Target buys you:

1 bottle of cheapo Suave Shampoo
1 bag of cheapo Papermate pens
3 Scotch tapes
1 bottle of Sally Hansen Nail Polish in Lilac
and 1 bottle of Sally Hansen Hard as Nails










For the prices and coupons, please look at the receipt to the left <-----

Target Weekly Deals - $5 Wednesday

Ritz Crackerfuls are on price cut for $2.40. There is a Target coupon for $1.00 on their website, and a manufacturer's coupon for $.75 off on FB. After the stack, it cost $.65 per box. I have gotten boxes for free before, but this is not a bad price.

Sally Hansen Nail Polish is $2.54 at Target. There is a Target coupon for $1.00 off. There was a manufacturer's coupon on coupon.com for $1.00 off. That makes the nail polish $.54.

Sally Hansen Nail Treatment is $2.54. There is a $2.00 off coupon for nail treatment as long as you buy a bottle of nail polish. Since I bought the nail polish above, the treatment was $.54.

Scotch Magic Tape is $1.00. There is a one dollar off coupon if you go here. This makes the tape FREE.

Vitamin Water is $2.89 for the 4 pack. Target had a coupon for $1.00 off. I had a manufacturer's coupon that I misread. Therefore I paid $1.89 for it. Not the best price, but that's ok.

Suave shampoo is $.87. Target has a $.75 off coupon. The bottle cost me $.12.

Papermate pens are $1.07. Target has a $1.00 off coupon for any papermate writing utensil. The pens cost me $.07.

Finally, Bayer aspirin cost $3.49. I had a manufacturer's coupon for $2.00 off, making it $1.49. I also have a mail in rebate, making this FREE.

My receipt total is $6.05, but with the mail in rebate and stamp it will cost me to mail, the total bill came out to exactly $5.00.

Albertsons HOT DEAL (Part 2) Ends 7/10/2011

A lot of people are wondering how I accumulated this many boxes of snacks:














plus this:















I'm gonna talk about it once more here, and then I'm going to put this issue to rest. Now, the best way to do this is if you have 2 computers. With two computers, you can print 16 coupons and get 16 boxes of snacks, 8 boxes of Nature valley Granola Thins and 8 boxes of 90 calorie Fiber One Chewy Granola Bars or Brownies. If you only have one computer, you'll only get four of each box.

First, go to coupons.com and print out 2 $.50 off per box NV Granola Thins coupons and 2 $.40 off per box Fiber One 90 Calorie Chewy Granola/Brownie Bar coupons per computer you have (you're going to have to download and install the coupon installer if you haven't already). Next, sign up for a Pillsbury.com account (they only ask for an email and name - I use my junk email and just put my initials.) You can then print out 2 $.60 off per box NV Granola Thins coupons and 2 $.50 off Fiber One 90 calorie Chewy Granola/Brownie Bar coupons per computer.

Next, you should have at least 4 NV Granola Thins coupons printed out and cut, and 4 Fiber One 90 Calorie Chewy Granola Bar/Brownie coupons printed at cut. Obviously, you want to use the highest value coupons as possible to save the most money, given the choice.

Go to Albertsons and buy 4 NV Granola Thins boxes. You must buy 4. The boxes, using your preferred card, should cost you 2/$5. Therefore, 4 boxes should ring up a total of $10. After you hand over your manufacturer's coupons (the ones your printed from online), it should cost you $7.60-$8.00. Buying 4 boxes should yield you a $2 catalina (a coupon that prints at the cash register; see the second picture for what it looks like) and a $5 catalina (a coupon that prints at the cash register). Both will print, one after the other. You'll have to pay somewhere between $7.60-$8.00 depending on your coupons, and the catalinas will print after your receipt prints. Be sure to stay and collect the catalinas if the cashier does not hand them to you with your receipt.

Now, you can go in and out of the store if you'd feel more comfortable, but I just put one of the divider things and let them ring up my 4 boxes of Fiber One bars in a separate order. Again, you must buy 4 boses. They cost 2/$5, so 4 boxes should cost you $10.00 before coupons. Then you hand over the $2 catalina from the NV Granola Thins and the $5.00 catalina from the NV Granola Thins. You also hand over the 4 coupons you printed from either coupons.com or pillsbury.com. Your total, depending on the coupons you used should be $1.00-$1.40 for four boxes. After your receipt prints out, you should also get a print out of the $2 catalina and the $5 catalina. Again, be sure to stay until they are printed and handed over to you.

If you only printed 4 coupons of each type of product, then you can walk away with your 4 boxes of NV Granola thins, 4 boxes of Fiber one Brownies, and $7 worth of coupons off your next purchase (which you can use on just about anything).

If you were able to print 16 coupons, then you would just repeat the process again.

Eventually, after you use all your coupons, you should have 8 boxes of NV Granola Thins, 8 boxes of Fiber One 90 Calorie Chewy Granola Bars or Brownies, and one $2 catalina and one $5 catalina. You will have paid somewhere between $10-$13 out of pocket, but remember, you're still holding $7 in coupons off your next purchase. The only thing you have to be careful of, is not letting the $7 worth of catalinas expire before you use them. (You usually get around 2 weeks.)

Does this take a little bit of work? Yes. Is it that hard? No. It took me 10 minutes to print and clip the coupons and 5 transcations in 3 separate trips. (I basically did it every time I had a need to go to the store.)

If you have more than 2 computers, you could print even more coupons and keep doing this, but I limit this to only 2 household computers. But you could honestly keep going even if you run out of coupons because $3 for 4 boxes of NV Granola Thins or Fiber One bars is really cheap, but in all reality, who needs that much product?

Anyhow, good luck. Be legit and honest in your couponing. Happy Shopping.

On Couponing: How-To

Every month, one of those coupon inserts gets delivered to the house. This is not enough to do efficient couponing. I could buy the local newspaper and get all the coupon inserts out of that, but let's just be frank. In Southern California, we get the worst coupon inserts with products I would never dare to eat (because they are so unhealthy) or with products I would never use (lots of allergy medication coupons, and I don't have many allergies.)

For me, the most efficient way to coupon, and the cheapest way, is to print coupons out from online. The largest source of online coupons is coupons.com. New coupons come out every month, and they sometimes add 2-3 new coupons every few days. Notice it's July 1st, so it's time to head over to coupons.com to print your free coupons today!

Now, there are a few things I do when I print coupons. First, I always try to print 3 to a page. Save paper. (And recycle the rest after you cut your coupons out!) Second, while some people choose to just print all the coupons, I only print coupons for products I will actually use, or products I could potentially use if the price comes out low enough. Therefore, you have to be discriminatory in your coupons. I try to only print coupons that will either double to a dollar, are for one dollar off, and coupons that are only off one product. Don't be fooled into printing a coupon that says $1 off when you purchase 3, unless you already use that product and buy it regularly. $1 off 3 sucks because it does not double at the grocery store, at least not in SoCal. Also, unless the product is under a dollar, $.33 cents off for a product you don't normally use will never be worth it; the product will be very expensive still. Last, coupons.com allows you to print two of each coupon per computer. Since I have two computers, I always try to print four of each coupon right away. Coupons actually do run out, so sometimes if you don't print them right away (within the day,) they will be gone.


After I print coupons out, I clip them, usually only when I have time, and it's usually when I'm watching TV.

Let's not waste more time than we should doing this; that's my philosophy. You're not going to see me doing this 40 hours a week like those people on Extreme Couponing!





Next, I start organizing and grouping like coupons together. Again, I do this while I'm doing something like watching TV or chatting online late at night.

Because online coupons expire quicker than coupon inserts in the newspaper, I organize them by date first, then by product type.

I know a lot of other people just organize them by product type.





Finally, when I'm going to a store, I pull out the coupons I think I am going to use, and organize them according to the store layout, if I know it, and then clip the coupons together. Here, I was going to Target, and I've been to Target a million times, so I know the store layout extremely well. This leads for an easy shopping trip that gets me in and out with just the products I need.

Sometimes I do pull out some coupons just to see how much they cost at Target, so I can mentally keep it in mind and be able to compare it to grocery store prices later.

Anyway, that's just a taste of how I started. There are more efficient, better ways, I'm sure, but this way works for me because it's fairly low maintenance.

Coconut Water

Coconut Water isn't cheap. It just isn't. There aren't coupons for coconut water. In fact, I would argue, there aren't really "deals" for coconut water either. It's pretty much, if you want to drink coconut water, you have pay for it. I guess everyone who drinks it can afford it but me. Then again, the only people I've seen drinking it are celebrities.

Anyway, coconut water can generally be found on "sale" at $2/drink. $2 for 11oz. is pretty freaking ridiculous. Even Costco* jacked up the price of coconut water to $15.40 a box (12 drinks per box.) That comes out to $1.28 per unit.

This is the best deal I've been able to score on coconut water so far. $.99/drink at the local grocery store. That comes out to $11.88/box. You didn't have to buy a whole box, but it just goes to show you how much I like coconut water, since I bought two entire unopened boxes. I paid a hefty price for this bounty, and I'm not sharing it with anyone!

Although Zico is pictured above, my favorite is Vita Coco. If Vita Coco ever goes on sale that cheap, expect that I will STOCK UP.

It's not that it tastes great, but it does have a clean flavor that leaves you refreshed. I use it after working out as an alternative to Gatorade-type drinks because it is more natural and also contains essential electrolytes. Also, if you ever have a hang-over, and are not allergic to coconut water, I would suggest giving it a shot, though I can't verify whether it works or not, since I don't drink.

So there it is, my "deal" for coconut water!

*I should just mention that the Costco price I quoted is for Vita Coco.