Rite Aid Round UP #1

Today was my first 'real' trip with coupons! Something tells me I'm going to look back at this and laugh someday. It is certainly something I want to get into!! We shall see...I'm actually going to a 'couponing class' tomorrow night that is being put on by Frugal Living NW.

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Rite Aid Round Up #1 ~ 5/23/11

Transaction #1

Subtotal {tax excluded}: $36.33

Coupons: -$2.00

+$5.00 UP+ Reward Earned (Scunci)

+$10.00 UP+ Reward Earned (Wet Wipes/Banana Boat)

$ tendered {tax included}: $37.31

Transaction #2

Subtotal {tax excluded}: $28.46

Coupons: -$1.55

B1G1: -$3.99

-$5.00 UP+ Rewards Earned (scunci)

UP+ Rewards: -$15.00 {from Tran #1}

$ tendered {tax included}: $9.15

Transaction #3

Subtotal {tax excluded}: $22.66

Coupons: -$2.00

UP+ Rewards: -$6.00 {from Tran #2 and last week $1}

$ tendered {tax included}: 16.44

Total Shelf Price: $87.45

Total Savings {coupons, UP+ Rewards): $24.55

Total OOP (Out of Pocket): 62.90

Savings in %s: 28%

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So, I did not do as good once I got home and added everything up as I thought. Dang it!!

To do next time

*Watch videos on Rideaid.com - extra savings

*Figure out how much at RA you have to spend to get the $3/15 purchase code

*Watch the prices/register

     One of the suntan lotions I bought I was obviously not paying attention because I got a really expensive suntan lotion instead of a cheaper one. Though it will be okay in the end because it is the baby kind and I like to use that on my face because they don't have oil.

*Learn coupon lingo a bit more. Like what is the difference between "1 per transaction" "1 per person/customer" "1 per purchase". Because in the reading I've done since I got home, there is a big difference.

*Be prepared.

*Figure out if RA is like Safeway. If something says 2/$5 do you have to buy two or can you buy one for $2.50?? I'm thinking so according to my receipts.

Interesting Tidbits

*I have enough binders (hair ties to some) for a year-ish

*I have 4 bottles of suntan lotion and that will definiely get the two of us through the summer!!

*The paperplates and salt pepper are to bring to my high school reunion this next weekend.

*I can't wait to do this again ;-)

first free coupon!!

cutting coupons...part 2

Last weekend I took advantage of my free weekend to dabble into some more coupon sites and even bought myself a Sunday paper! I generally don't shop at Safeway but I have not been in the mood to go to Winco since Jason stopped going grocery shopping with me...now I TOTALLY see why my Mom used to not go to Winco unless I was with her. I was a bit of a cart organizer and bagger fanatic when I was younger. For some reason, it is less motivating to do it for my own house...weird, yes.

Even though I spent a lot {95.25} I saved too!!

Not a bad start. 30%. The shows like Extreme Couponing are just that, extreme. I'm totally not extreme but I'm proud to say that all the coupons I used were for items we buy monthly. My goal is to do this a few more times this school year and then this summer get used to/in to watching the flyer for when certain flyers go on sale and then matching them with coupons.

I'm also going to a 'couponing class' that is being offered by a pro...Frugal Living NW on the 24th...we'll see what kind of damage that does ;-)

cutting coupons...

Last week I watched the pilot episodes of Extreme Couponing. Holy Moly. Jason watched about 10 minutes of the last one and his jaw was on the floor! Since it was my spring break I stayed up late to watch them and during that time I was unconsciously drawn to coupons.com, Krazy Coupon Lady, and many more "frugal" websites. Eegads!

My goal was to save money while NOT buying unnecessary items. Some lady on that show bought like 56 tubes of mustard, and her family doesn't even eat mustard it was "just too good of a deal to pass up". STRANGE! I think I did pretty good on this trip. We generally "stock up" at Winco. I know the point of extreme couponing is to match up deals at standard grocery stores with coupons. I, however, am not an extreme couponer. I am not even a novice couponer. I am total amateur.

I used 11 coupons and I saved $7.83! The ONLY thing I bought that we don't already use was from this coupon on top. I bought these Mozarella Cheese Sticks. Obviously I'm craving them. Other than that it was salad dressings, cheeses, frozen lunches/dinner, cinnamon rolls, as examples. I certainly bought other things that I didn't have coupons for but maybe this is the start of something...

I also have about 10 coupons left from brand's that Safeway does not carry.

I do not want to become extreme but I wouldn't mind saving some money!

More after the next trip :)