CVS -ing

I have not done much shopping at CVS for a very long time.  The deals just have not been nearly as nice as at Walgreens.  Today, I did alright.  I had a $4.00 ECB that would expire in 4 days, so I was glad to find a deal for it.  Counting that ECB, some nice manufacturer coupons, and a $4.00 off of $20.00 CVS coupon, I spent a total of $6.04 for everything in the picture and left the store with another $5.49 in Extra Care Bucks!   I was especially happy to get the deal on the fish oil, because I use it every day.  That was my first transaction , and thanks to coupons and a B1G1 sale,  my total came to a minus .96!   I bought the travel kit (clearance item) to bring it back up! 

My stockpile is so full right now, and I am really cherry picking my deals.  I am mostly concentrating on what we need, but will stock up on what we like at great prices. 

Swag Bucks

Okay, 

I have not really gone "commercial" on this blog, but I just want to share something I recently discovered.  Swag Bucks.  They are "digital" dollars that you earn from doing nothing more than normal, everyday, on-line searches.  Like going to Google and searching for whatever.  Only now, I go through Swag Bucks and earn while I search.  I just joined last weekend and am already up to 24 bucks.  I will trade these in for a $5.00 Amazon gift card when I hit 45 , all without spending a penny! 

If you refer people then you earn even faster, because you earn when they earn!  So, this is my shameless plug.  Click on the banner on the side of my blog and check it out.  If you are going to search, you might as well earn something! 

I get my snow day!

Our district announced earlier this evening that there is no school tomorrow!  Thank you for announcing early!  Husband and I just watched a movie, and will sleep in tomorrow. (His day off)

I love bonus days!

If you have to get out, you might as well shop!

Well, since they made me go to school today, I guess it wasn't that hard to get out to Walgreens. 
Plus, Walgreens has had a bunch of deals this week.  

I did not take a picture of it, but last night I purchased 4  -24 packs of Aquafina Water.  I spent just under $16.00, but got back $10.00 in Register Rewards.  Today, I took that RR, and some sweet coupons and took out my stress over not having a snow day, and went shopping.   I purchased all of this loot for $3.42 out of pocket.  I then earned back another $10.00 in Register Rewards for later.  

The Ester C was BOGO this week, plus I had 2 $5.00 coupons.  Husband uses this EVERY day.   The beef broth was clearanced to .34 cents a can, and I use a lot of this in the winter.  I was out, so I was glad to see it!  It expires in 2012.  The cookies and crackers were all free after coupons and RRs.  I made money on the Neosporin Lip products, and the Jergen's Lotion ended up being .29 cents after coupons and RRs.  

I used about $24.00 in coupons plus the Register Reward. 

No Snow Day, Poor Me.

I Want a Snow Day

I know, I know.  I just had two weeks off.  Snow days are just precious to me though.  They are like little vacations from God.  I love the unexpected day off to putter around my house.  I love the fact that I got a lot of cleaning done during my last week off, and I could actually enjoy a day off tomorrow.  

Come on snow, bring all your friends, and come quickly.  There is a crucial timing for these events.  We need a lot of snow before 5:30 AM.   Shall I cross my fingers?

Stock Up Shopping

(You can click on the picture for a close-up)
After school today I hit Wal-Mart,  Menards and Walgreens.  Thanks to price matching, coupons, and rebates, I got everything pictured for $63.79.   I used exactly $75.00 in coupons!  I love it when I save more than I spend!

I am very well stocked up now on my dishwashing tablets, detergent, and toothbrushes.  Believe it or not, I was getting low on toothbrushes.  

Here is a breakdown of the loot by store:

Wal-Mart:

• 7 packages of Quantum dishwasher tablets (my favorite) priced matched to Target's ad, and used $2.50 coupons (.99 cents each)
  
• 6 bottles of All, I made a mistake there, I didn't know this was a CVS "card" price.  I thought it was just a sale price.  They did not want to put it back, and price matched it anyway.  Used $2.00 coupons ($1.99 each)
• 5 Healthy Choice meals, $1.89 each, used $5.00 off of 5 coupons , so .89 cents each
• 2 I Can't Believe it's not Butter, used $1.00 coupons
• Velveeta, used a $1.00 coupon
• Husband's prescription
• Miracle Whip
• Tabasco 
• Caesar dressing
• Constant Comment Tea
• A deli pizza for supper (some things you just buy with no coupons because you want them...) 

Menards:

I took advantage of a rebate here to buy some additional things we need / want

• 2 bags chips
• 2 containers Fritos Cheese Sauce (great on potatoes)
• parmesan cheese
• 2 bags of marked down Snickers

Walgreens:

• 4 double packs of Reach toothbrushes 
• 2 single Reach toothbrushes (all toothbrushes ended up free after coupons) 
• 2 packages of Nepsporin Lip Health

I spent $3.62 at Walgreens and then received a $3.00 Register Reward for the Neosporin! 

I had not been doing much coupon shopping lately.  Felt good to feel the rush again! 

I am tracking my spending this year, and my coupon savings.  I will probably give a monthly report. 

Merry Christmas / Happy New Year!

Yeah, I know, I am a bit late with those greetings.  

Can I fall back on my old excuse that things have been busy here?

In all honesty, things have been busy.  I am so glad I have had the last 2 weeks off of school, because I have been needed.  Husband's folks have both been having health issues lately.  Since I have been off work, I have been able to help some with laundry, dishes, cooking, appointments, shopping, un-decorating,  and other necessary tasks.  My first week off was the busiest.  Things have settled down a bit now, and for the last few days, I have been able to focus on some much needed tasks at home.  

I must say that my boys are wonderful!  

There is no way I could accomplish so many things without them. 

 Each has been a huge help.  

Youngest has helped with the following since Tuesday:

• Took down the tree and all the trimmings
  
• Re-arranged 3 rooms of furniture.  They look so nice now.  Remember when I bought the used furniture for our spare bedroom?  Well, it was too nice to never be seen, so it is now in my sun-room. (Picture at end of post). 
• Helped with a massive amount of paperwork that needed sorted and  filed, and then  burnt the paperwork that was discarded (we do not have a shredder, but we do have a wood-burner in the garage)
• Completely emptied 3 big shelves in my hall built-in cabinets that desperately needed sorted, and organized.  He then helped to put what we kept back inside. 
• Emptied my buffet storage, helped to pitch, sort, and organize the contents. 
• Put together a small storage unit that now houses all of my coupon files and supplies.  (I will take a picture of that soon.  It is in our spare bedroom along with our old love seat from the sun-room, and my treadmill.) 
• Helped hang 11 new mini blinds! (Ours are getting brittle, they are 10 years old, so I replaced all 8 in the sun-room, and replaced 3 in the living room.  More to come)  

Oldest helped in these ways:

• Came home on New Year's Eve so he could help out
• New Year's Day he went through a lot of his old belongings in the basement and pitched out about 3 boxes of  unwanted items.
• Did a few loads of my laundry
• Completely emptied my stand alone pantry cabinet,  washed it out, and helped me pitch a few things, and organize the rest
• Emptied my lazy susan cabinet, washed it down, and helped me replace what was kept
• Made pancakes for breakfast today!
• Did my grocery shopping!

Am I spoiled or what?   I tell you, they are good boys! 

 I accomplished a few things on my own as well this week:

• Organized my vanity area, and re-purposed a cabinet that I had to use beside the vanity to hold extra nail polish, and other girly items
• Organized my pots and pans cabinet
• Organized my coupon filing system
• Walked on my treadmill and have read my Bible two days in a row! 

I will not quite go as far as to say I am ready for school on Monday, but with all of these things done, I am much closer to being ready than I was!

My cat is so funny.  She loves the radiators so much, that she cannot even lay completely on her bed, she sort of slides to the end so she is directly on the radiator. 

My sun-room is decorated very frugally.  The furniture was all purchased second hand from a friend of our sons, and the TV and cabinet were purchased second hand from my sister!   Works for me.