Theresa' great copps deal

Wednesday night I bought all of this stuff for $2.67.


How I did it?
7 cans of Muir Glen Organic Tomatoes = $7
2 pkgs Strawberries 2/$6
Eggs - $2.05
Grapes - $1.99 per #

Used
7 - $1 coupons for Muir Glen
1 - .50 coupon for eggs
$8 register rewards from previous purchase

I've never walked out of a grocery store with this much stuff for only $2.67!!

Deals at the Pig - 2/27-3/4

I stopped at the Piggly Wiggly tonight to pick up one item and ran through the sale aisle "just in case" and found that the Pig has Quaker Instant Oatmeal - flavored and regular - on sale - $1 per box - if you buy 10. My family loves the stuff and I don't buy it often due to expense so I told them we'd have to stop there once a day until the sale runs out - and I'm gone the next 4 days so we'll see if someone actually runs over there - I only live one and half miles away. BUT they are having a TRUCKLOAD sale right now and there are a lot of good deals so check out the ad. Also, if you got the wismoms.com newspaper ad in your mailbox this week, on the back page are coupons for $0.10 off/gal of gas with purchase of $50 or more for the next several WEEKS (twin mom meeting near a Pig just in case you didn't think of that for next week) . I am up to $2.50 off my gas so I'll be fueling for pennies soon :)

Theresa's CVS shopping deals

Hello everyone

Today I went to CVS and this is what I bought.

Order #1:
1 Samucol - $12.99
1 Tylenol Extra Strength Rapid Release Gels - $3.99
1 CVS Children's Chewable Aspirin = $1.79
1 Softsoap = $1.49

Total before taxes and coupons: $20.26
Saved:
$4 off $20
$1 MC for Tylenol $1
$15 ECB from previous purchase

Total OOP = $0.33
Received $14.79 ECB, plus $12.99 rebate for Sambucol

Order #2
1 Sambucol = $12.99
1 CVS Children's Chewable Aspirin = $1.79

Total = $14.78
ECBs used = $13.79
Total OOP = $1.04
ECBs received for next trip = $11.79, plus another $12.99 rebate for the Sambucol

I probably could have used one more of my $1 ECBs and received it all free, but I forgot I had that one until after I paid and left the store.

Not too bad, plus I should be receiving another $20 in the mail from the rebates, so I actually got paid to shop. :)

Cereal deal

The Austin's grocery store on Webster has General Mills cereal 5 for $10. There were coupons in the paper, I think it was last week. There are printable Cheerios coupons at many websites as well. The Reeses cereal that is included has a coupon on the back for a free bag of Chocolate Turtle Chex mix (which is really good!) and the Cheerios boxes have free "Matchbox" cars in them! I ended up getting mine for $1.45 per box and I'll be getting two free bags of Chex Mix!

Shelly's Shopping List for Week of 2/24

I am getting a little bummed with CVS. Another slow week in my opinion. I wish they would put out more coupons and free after ECB items. It seems right when I got on a CVS roll they pulled the plug on all the good stuff. Walgreens has much better deals this week and many more free after rebate items since the new monthly booklet came out this week. Don't forget to send away your rebate from last month and be sure and choose the option of getting your money back in the form of a Walgreens gift card to get an extra 10%!

CVS:

• Nestle Eggs 2/$5 get 4 use two of these coupons get 5 ECBs back (when you buy $10 of Nestle products) each bag ends up $.75
  
• Gillette Fusion Phenom $9.99 use $4 coupon from paper and get 6 ECBs making it free
• Irish Spring or Soft Soap Hand Pump $1.79 get 1 ECBs (there are coupons out there but I don't have them)
  

Walgreens:

• Celestial Seasoning Tea 2 for $3 use $1 off EasySaver coupon and coupon here making them $.45 each
• Seed packets 10 for $1
• Life cereal 4 for $10 get 4 RRs and use 4 coupons from here, here, and here. There is also supposed to be another one here (I can't get it to print) making them $.50 per box
• Yes to Carrots Body Butter free after monthly rebate if you buy it this week on sale
  
• Garnier Fructis Hair Stylers free after monthly rebate
• Reynolds Wrap foil or wax paper $.79 (limit 3) with weekly coupon
• Colgate weekly coupon this week 2 for $4 plus used manuf. coupons here and Easy Saver monthly rebate making it more than free
• Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew free after rebate, more than free if you can get this coupon to print (I can't)
• Nature Made Liquid Softgels free after rebate (more than free if you have manf. coupon from past paper)
• Arm and Hammer laundry detergent 2 for $5.99 use two coupons from here making them $1.99 each
  
• Walgreens bar soap 3 for $1 with weekly coupon
• All sorts of little Easter candy and fun stuff at 3 for $1
  

Good deals at Copps

I just got back from Copps. I wanted to let you know about a FREE deal or almost free.  Copps has Flat Earth Crisps Chips on sale 4/$11 or 2/$6. You can print 2 coupons here to purchase for free. If you buy 3 you receive $4 in bonus buy coupons, plus there was a coupon in one of the recent inserts for $1 of 2 bags. So I bought 4 bags, received $2.99 off 2 of the bags (max price the coupon is good for), plus $1 off the other 2 bags and received $4 in RR.

I also received Muir Glen Organic Diced tomatoes for free as well. They are on sale 10/$10, and I have $1 off coupons from here. I was able to print off 8 of them. I only bought one of them at Copps because I already had a lot of coupons and I didn't know what they would do. I'm definitely planning to go back and get some more though. They also have tomato paste for .99, but didn't know what Copps would do since this is an overage. If anyone wants to try, let us know what you find out.

Walgreens for 87 cents!

Roz and I stopped at Walgreens to get some free Jane makeup Wednesday on the way to youth group at church. I used the Walgreens printable coupons I posted a few days ago and got:
1 pkg. diapers
1 pkg. wipes
1 large baby lotion
4 Jane makeups
6 Reese's pb eggs
I used my $3 off $10 from the Grand Opening ad plus used $21.16 in coupons and $4 register rewards. My total got down to $.09 and the cashier said: "I think we're going to owe you money!" but with tax I paid $.87! Sorry I don't have a picture...we didn't get home until late and I didn't have time. I'm looking forward to both the new Walgreens Easy Saver and the CVS March deals!

Sambucol Rebate

Just in case you missed it...
Sambucol rebate.

It's a February deal at CVS $12.99 get 10 ECBs and then a $12.99 mail in rebate.

Rebate for Diapers

Have seen this mentioned on several blogs lately. At Caregivers Marketplace you can get $1 per package rebate for Pull-ups and Huggies (among other things...check out the list). I have seen some debate on whether or not it is available to regular folks (parents) just taking care of healthy children/babies. I read someone finally called the company and asked. They said it was indeed for anyone. So after thinking about it, I decided I'd give it a try and printed off the form a couple days ago to send in with this latest batch of PullUps receipts.

A Guide for Shopping at CVS

Extra Care Card

• Get an Extra Care Card (by mail or at the store). You'll get a card immediately if you apply in the store. This is the key to saving at CVS.
• Register your Extra Care Card on CVS's website. Occasionally they will email you coupons and maybe even a birthday gift!

Extra Care Bucks

• Extra Care Bucks (ECBs) are like CVS money or instant rebates. They are printed at the end of your receipt. They are like CVS money, do not throw them away or lose them.
• Extra Care Bucks expire 30 days from the date they were printed.
• ECBs are attached to your card so no one else can use them. If you lose them, in most cases, they cannot be replaced.

Getting Deals at CVS

• Look for items that are "free" after Extra Care Bucks (ECBs) or items that give you back ECBs.
• If you pay less for a free item (by using a coupon) than the ECBs you get back you will be "making money".
• You can also get an item just plain free by combining ECB deals and coupons.
• Note the limit for each deal. Most are a limit of one or two per card total (not per day). With limits of two or more, you can get the limit in the same transaction or in separate transactions in the same sale period since the card keeps track. The ECBs will be printed together for deals with a limit of more than one. (Ex: Get $2 ECBs back on a product with a limit of 2. Get both in the same transaction and you will get one $4 ECB. Get one at a time you will get two $2 ECBs.)
• Use the ECBs you earned during your last CVS trip to buy more items the next time that will earn you even more ECBs. This is called "rolling". If you keep up this cycle, you will eventually pay very little out of pocket at CVS. At CVS (unlike Walgreens) you can roll the ECBs on the same product or deal multiple times (if there is a limit of more than one).
• Earn $1 ECB for every 2 prescriptions you buy (shop around for prescription prices) and earn 2% back on every purchase (the goal is to spend so little that you won't get much back!).

Coupon Use at CVS

• CVS offers store coupons from the red box at the front of the store, on their website (click on "In-Store Coupons" in the upper right hand corner), and via email.
• CVS store coupons can be “stacked” or used WITH a manufacturers coupon.
• Occasionally there will be a store coupon AND a manufacturer coupon AND an ECB offer at the same time. Combine all three for BIG savings!
• Some sites will "share" CVS store coupons that are intended for certain customers only, please use only legitimate coupons that were sent to you directly. Fraudulent coupon use will make it harder to get good deals in the future.
• CVS accepts competitor's coupons, including prescription transfer coupons. A free gift card at CVS can get you a lot of great deals.

At the Store

• Go to the Red Coupon Box at the front of the store and scan your card for CVS coupons. You will also occasionally get coupon on the end of your receipt.
• Match the items you are buying to the ad. ECB deals are for certain products only. Observe the limits (unless you hear otherwise or check your receipt).
• When you check out don’t forget to give them your card!
• Give them any coupons you have in this order: 1) CVS coupons 2) manufacturers coupons 3) any Extra Care Bucks you may have 4) money. Hopefully not much money!

A Few Beginner’s Tips:

• At first you will have to spend a little to save a little. It will be worth it if you stick with it!
• Be prepared to change your list when you get to the store since sometimes they are out of items. If they are out of an item you want, request a raincheck.
• Check your receipt to make sure you got all the ECBs that you were expecting.

When you have been shopping awhile:

• Consider breaking up your order into more than one transaction to lower your out of pocket costs by using one transactions ECBs to pay for the next. CVS knows customers do this so do not feel bad about using this strategy. If there is a line behind you, you may want to step to the side for a minute to be polite.
• Sometimes, although it seems strange, it will benefit you to buy things you DON'T need. If they will "pay" you $2 to buy something it is worth getting even if you don't need it. You can use the $2 to buy something you DO need and then donate or sell the item you don't need.

CVS Vocabulary:
ECBs=Extra Care Bucks
OOP=out of pocket
IP=internet printable (coupon)
MC=manufacturers coupon
rolling=using ECBs to pay for products that generate more ECBs
stacking=use more than one coupon/sale for the same item
overage=the amount you "make" over what you spent
filler=item(s) you buy to increase your total so you can use an ECB or coupon
$/$$ (or $X off $X)=generic for any type of coupon that gives $X off a purchase amount of $

EXAMPLES

Example #1--FREE AFTER ECBs:
Buy one Children's Advil for $5.79 get $5.79 ECBs (aka FREE)

Example #2--MONEY MAKER AFTER ECBs:
Children's Advil is on sale for $5.79 but use a $1 off coupon and pay $4.79 for the Advil and still get $5.79 ECBs....you "earned" a $1!
IMPORTANT -- Any item that is already free after ECBs will be a money maker if you use a coupon.

Example #3--FREE with ECBs and COUPON:
Colgate toothpaste is on sale for $2.99 and you get $2 ECBs back making the final price $.99 but use $1 off coupon and you will get the item free.
IMPORTANT -- If ECBs back plus coupon exceeds the price the item is free or a money maker.

Example #4--GOOD DEAL AFTER ECBs:
Buy 1 Crest toothpaste for $2.49 get $1.50 ECBs.
Use $0.75 off coupon and get the toothpaste for $0.24

Example #5--BUY $10 get $5 ECBs and SIMILAR BUY $X GET $X DEALS:
Buy $10 worth of Colgate products get $5 ECBs back (products will be listed in the ad)
2 toothpastes ($2.50 each)
1 deodorant ($2.99)
1 body wash ($2.99)
Total=$10.98

NOW subtract coupons:
-$1 off one toothpaste
-$1.50 off the other toothpaste
-$1 off the body wash
-$.75 off the deodorant
plus get $5 back in ECBs
FINAL TOTAL= $1.73 for all

Example #7--Combine a Buy One Get One Free (BOGO) sale with a Buy One Get One (BOGO) coupon:
Buy 2 Lifesavers candy in the bag on sale for buy one at $1.99 get one free
Use a BOGO coupon and get both free!
(The store sale pays for one and the store coupon pays for another)

Example #8--Combine a Buy One Get One Free (BOGO) sale with coupons
Buy 2 Pert Plus on sale for buy one at $3.99 get one free
Use two $2 off coupons and get both free!

Coupons to use at Cub Foods this week (2/17)

All these things are on sale for $1 so with coupons you'll do well...
Scott paper towels here or here
Hamburger Helper here or here
Totinos Pizza rolls coupons here and here and here and here and here
Old Orchard Fruit Cocktail Juice here (not positive if this is the right type for the sale)

Yoplait is on sale 20 for $10 coupons here and here

No coupon for this but if you haven't tried the David's "French Toast" Bagels (also on sale $1) you're missing out! Get some $1 orange juice too!

March 2 P&G Coupons coming in newspaper

If you like P&G products, be sure to get your Sunday paper or two because there will be $102 worth of free coupons in there.

Free after Rebate...now plus Overage!

I found a $1 coupon for overage! Yay! It was in the paper 1/13...I didn't even think to check until this morning. I think about coupons while I sleep!

I have an extra coupon and rebate...who wants it?
___________________________________________
In this weeks paper:
Pledge Multi Surface Product
FREE after Rebate, mail by 4-14-08
One per household (I have an extra if you need it)

*Just make sure you save your receipt and that you don't need that same receipt for a different rebate...or just ask for a duplicate receipt...which I always forget is an option!

Theresa's Walgreens visit

I just got done shopping at Walgreens today. I had to go to 2 different stores. At one store though, I got 2 packages of Jane Mascara and 4 boxes of Kellogg's cereal for $1.26

Here is how I did it.

2 - Mascara $4.99 each
Less (2) $2 off coupons from Walgreens's easy saver booklet = $4
Less (2) $2 off coupons from the internet
Less $4.99 (buy one get one free deal)
4 boxes Cereal = $10
Less $6 from previous Register Rewards (RR)

What is cool about this deal, is that I actually received the mascara for overage, so even if I didn't have the previous RR, I would have received all of this for $7.26

Cub Foods (Week of 2/17)

Check out the Cub Foods ad this week they are having a 10 for $10 sale that includes lots of great products. I'm going to be getting some Pizza Rolls for as low as 60 cents! There are printable coupons here and here! Also includes: salad, orange juice, Smuckers jelly, character Bandaids, and lots more. Check for online coupons before you go!

Scrubbing Bubbles Coupon

If you are interested in the Scrubbing Bubble automatic shower cleaner that is part of the CVS buy $30 get $15 deal this week...here is a $5 off coupon.

A Guide for Shopping at Walgreens

Besides just the normal store sales, Walgreens has different types of deals to take advantage of:

Using Multiple Coupons on One Item (Stacking)
Walgreens has 2 different kinds of sales and coupons.

Weekly: The weekly ad which has several coupons.

Monthly: The monthly coupon booklet (sometimes referred to as IVC or instant value coupons) which is usually located in the store by the weekly ad. Month long sales are called Megasaver sales.

The coupons in Walgreens ads and monthly booklets are store coupons. You can combine (also called "stacking") manufacturer coupons, store coupons, and store sales to get free or very cheap items.

Register Rewards
Register rewards are instant rebate coupons that print out when you buy certain items. The register rewards (RR) can be used like cash or a gift card on your next purchase. Register rewards expire 2 weeks from the day they are printed.

There are usually several items that are completely free or free when stacked with manufacturer coupons and RR in the weekly ad. Sometimes it is possible to combine the RR deals with a manufacturer coupon to get items for free (or cheap). Sometimes you can even "earn" or "make" money on RR deals.

Walgreen's RR program is similar to CVS's Extra Care Bucks program, however, an advantage to RR is that the deals are not tied to a card. That means that you can do the deals over and over again. This also means that you cannot do more than one of the same deal in one transaction. For instance, if Colgate toothpaste is $2.99 and producing a $2.99 register reward. You cannot buy 2 tubes and get 2 RR in the same transaction. You need to do this in two separate transactions. Some stores will limit you to one transaction of the same deal per day.

One thing you need to keep in mind, is that you cannot use the same RR to pay for the same RR deal. For instance, if there is a deal on Colgate Toothpaste, which is $2.99 on sale, and you get a $2.99 RR. You cannot use that same $2.99 RR to buy another Colgate toothpaste at $2.99 and receive another $2.99 RR.

When you check out at Walgreens you must have as many items as you have coupons. Register rewards, manufacturer coupons, and store coupons all count, so you need to be sure to have the same number (or more) of items as coupons. The cash register will beep and you will not be able to use all your coupons if you have more items than coupons. It isn't a bad idea to have at least one extra item in case there are any issues with the coupons. This would be especially true when using a coupon that may be for more than one item (ex. $1/2 items) as these sometimes (but not always) count as two coupons. Try to find cheap items to use as “filler” (ex: pencils, $.39 candy, etc).

Before you leave the store, make sure your register rewards printed (and get them from the cashier) and that everything rang up appropriately. If you find a register reward or someone gives you one, you may use it since it is not tied to any one person/card. If your register reward did not print you either 1) didn't buy the right product or 2) you tried to roll a RR deal. If you think you did not get an RR you should have ask to speak to a manager and they will give you a form to fill out and mail in to receive your RR.

Coupon Order
The order you give your coupons is important too. Here is the order you should give them:

1. Manufacturer coupons
2. Store coupons (weekly before monthly if they happen to overlap)
3. Register rewards

Walgreens has finally posted their coupon policy online. I recommend you read it, print it out, and keep a copy in your coupon organizer.

Here's a quick summary of Walgreen's Coupon Policy:

• Walgreens does not accept expired or competitors coupons.
• If coupon value exceeds the price the cashier should round it down.
  
• Walgreens DOES accept internet printed coupons (do not allow a misinformed cashier to tell you otherwise. Also do not believe them if they tell you they will not be accepting them any longer.)
• You CAN use TWO coupons with a buy one get one free sale. You may also use a BOGO coupon with a BOGO sale. You will have to pay sales tax.
  

IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WHEN SHOPPING AT WALGREENS (And it's almost a guarantee you will at some point.) Do not be afraid to ask to speak with a manager. Ask them to clarify if there is a problem using a coupon. If it comes down to it inform the cashier/manager to void off the item and don't buy it. If you have any trouble or feel like the cashier or manager was rude PLEASE call the 800 number or email Walgreen's corporate office.

EXAMPLES

Example #1--FREE AFTER RRs:
Buy one razor for $8.99 get $8.99 RRs (aka FREE)

Example #2--MONEY MAKER AFTER RRs:
Vitamins are on sale for $2.99
Use a $1 off coupon and pay $1.99
Plus still get $2.99 RRs
=you "earned" a $1!
IMPORTANT -- Any item that is already free after RRs will be a money maker if you use a coupon.

Example #3--FREE with RRs and COUPON:
Colgate toothpaste is on sale for $2.99 and you get $2 RRs back making the final price $.99 but use $1 off coupon and you will get the item free.
IMPORTANT -- If RRs back plus coupon exceeds the price the item is free or a money maker.

Example #4--GOOD DEAL AFTER RRs:
Item is not free but very cheap after RRs or after RRs & coupons.

Example #5--BUY $20 get $10 RRs and SIMILAR BUY $X GET $X DEALS:
Buy $20 worth of Garnier Fructis products get $10 RRs back (products will be listed in the ad)
3 shampoos ($3 each)
3 conditioners ($3 each)
1 hairspray ($3)
Original Total=$21

NOW subtract coupons:
-$1 off shampoo/conditioner x 5 = $5 off
-$1 off styler
plus get $10 back in RRs
FINAL TOTAL= $4 for all (or $.57 each)


Example #6--FREE after stacking store coupon and manufacturer coupon
Tuna is on sale for $.89 with weekly in store coupon plus you have a $1/1 manufacturer coupon making the tuna free. (Coupon will be rounded down.)

Example #7--Combine a Buy One Get One Free (BOGO) sale with a Buy One Get One (BOGO) coupon:
Buy 2 Lifesavers candy in the bag on sale for buy one at $1.99 get one free
Use a BOGO coupon and get both free!

OR buy 4 bags, two will be free with the BOGO sale, one will be free with the BOGO coupon
And you get FOUR for the price of one.

Shelly's Shopping List for Week of 2/17

Another slow week...

CVS:

• 3 Pullups (or Huggies) coupons at SmartSource or Walgreens (can be used anywhere) Pullups coupon here (if you have to take the survey to get the coupon for the Huggies be sure and answer NOT Huggies for your current brand)
  
• 1 Kotex Pads, coupons in the 1/13 or 2/17 paper or from here
  
• 1 Palmolive dish soap

*Above items total $30.46 so I'll get back $15 plus I'll use $7 in coupons, final price=$8.46

• Colgate toothpaste $2.39 get 2 ECB back use coupon or here more than free
• Hershey's Kisses $.99 Limit 2
  
• Venus Razor $9.99 get 6 ECBs use coupon from 2/17 paper (would be more than free at with the Walgreens rebate but I already sent mine in-if you haven't get it there!)
  
• Check Valentine's candy...on clearance for 50% off or more
• I won't be getting this but if you need make up there were coupons in the 1/20 and 2/10 paper and Covergirl is buy $20 get 10 ECBs so with coupons you could get $20 worth of makeup for $5...if you are interested I can dig out the coupons for you.

WALGREENS:
In the paper this week we got an extra coupon for $3 off $10 at the Lime Kiln store for their Grand Opening!

• Gillette Fusion razor $9.99 get 6 register rewards free after $4 coupon from 2/10 paper
• Puffs tissue $.79 with weekly coupon (no man. coupon that I'm aware of)
• Jane Makeup buy one get one free use printable $2 coupon (1 for each) and get any make up that is $4 or less free. They also have a $2 Jane mascara coupon in the monthly Walgreens book.
• If you haven't already gotten it the Venus razor would make you $2 with the coupon from this weeks paper since it is free after rebate.

Saving 101: Organizing Coupons

I have tried various coupon storing/organizing methods over the years. There are advantages and disadvantages to each. A binder makes it easy to see each coupon, but folding them all to fit in the little pockets is a real pain. A box is nice but cumbersome. What it boils down to is that you will have to find out what works best for you. And just because you start out using one method doesn't mean you have to stick with it forever. If something isn't working for you, try a new way!

I use a large accordion style check file from Walmart (costs about $4) for my coupon box. It is a bit longer than a regular coupon organizer but I like that I don't have to fold some of the longer coupons. It also has a little compartment in the front that I use to store scissors, a pen, and a calculator. Put your name and phone number on your coupon organizer somewhere so if you lose it then you'll hopefully get it back. (Ask me about how I learned this lesson!)

Open

Organize your coupons so you can find what you need quickly. I organize my coupons by category. I use envelopes to divide each category. For example, in my "mouth" section I have envelopes for toothpaste, mouthwash, toothbrushes, floss, etc. I also have one envelope just for "free item" coupons so they don't get lost in the mix and expire on me.

On some of my envelopes, I jotted down the known lowest price (like from Sams or Aldi) for items I buy frequently. That way I know if I can get a better deal with the coupon then I should stock up. It's like a price book built right into my coupon file.

Envelopes

This is probably obvious, but don't forget to go through your coupons every so often and remove the expired ones. I hate that... I think I've found a great deal and then notice the coupon is expired.

In the back of my coupon organizer I have an envelope for each store I shop at (Piggly Wiggly, CVS, Walgreens, etc) and as I make my list I stick the coupons in the store envelope. Do bring your coupon organizer along though even if you pulled all the coupons out ahead of time to match your list... you never know when you'll find a deal. If you don't want to bring it in just leave it in the car.

I, personally, don't cut out every single coupon, although I know lots of people who do. I just cut the ones I know I'll use and save the rest of the coupon "inserts" in a file folder sorted by date. When a deal blog or someone mentions a coupon they usually tell you which insert it was in and you can go get it out when you need it later. You can mark the date on the inserts or if you look at the fine print on the spine of the coupon insert you will see the date the insert was issued.


You can also search MoneySavingMom's "Coupon Database" to see if/when a certain coupon came out. This has been especially helpful since I started shopping at CVS. I have bought items there that I normally would not have saved the coupon for, but since it is free, I'll get it.


This method has saved me a bunch of time... and space in my coupon file! The down side to this is if you don't have a coupon with you that would get you a great deal, like if you find something on clearance for instance. But it is still much better than cutting out the ones you think you will use and tossing the rest!

UPDATE:
Last year I won this bag and it has now become my coupon bag. I just cut the top off my accordion file and put it in the bag. The bag has generous side pockets for various necessities. It fits perfectly in the front part of the cart and, best of all, it's cute!

Update, Shelly's 2/10 List

I haven't made it to CVS yet this week but while I was out grocery shopping last night I went to Walgreens. I learned a few things and made one mistake that I'll share so you don't do the same thing...

The Walgreens that I went to (Main & Mason) would not allow me to use the $2 off $1.99 Aquafresh toothpaste. I asked her to adjust the coupon down to $1.99 but she wouldn't, so I had her take it off my order and I didn't buy it. (I don't know why the store wouldn't take when they get the face value plus 8 cents or whatever when they process a coupon. CVS would have taken it!) They also didn't have the right chapstick or the free after rebate razor. The clerk told me they only got 4 of the razors...how ridiculous! They shouldn't have advertised those if they were only going to give a handful to each store.

I bought two of the Suave products that were 3 for $4. For some reason it completely slipped my mind (probably cause I didn't read my own list!) that I had to get 3 to get the $2 register reward. Unfortunately, at Walgreens you can't go back and buy one more to get the reward like at CVS...so I'm kicking myself for that one!

The rest of the list, thankfully, went as planned.

Another FYI coupon rule you might want to know about...Copps won't take internet coupons for amounts greater than $1. (So don't go trying to use your Huggies internet coupons there!) With that minor exception, so far I haven't had any trouble with stores taking coupons printed from the internet. I thought I might, especially since I print them in black and white, not color.

Shelly's Shopping List for Week of 2/10

Since several people have asked I thought I'd type out my shopping list for this week. Feel free to skip reading this post if it doesn't interest you! :)

Unfortunately, this week is pretty slim pickings at CVS. If you are new to the CVS thing don't judge the whole deal based on this weeks ad. Some bloggers in the know are prediciting that next week will be better. Supposedly there will be a deal... buy $30 worth of Huggies stuff get $15 back. So get your Huggies and Pull Ups coupons ready. There are some printable Huggies coupons and Pull Ups coupons available right now online. If I have time I'll post the links to those in another post or next week if I do another list.

Walgreens has some good deals this week. If you didn't already know this Walgreens also has a rebate program where you can get things free or more than free. Most of the time you have to actually fill out a form though, you don't get it back instantly like at CVS. Wisconsin (and AZ!) is one of the few lucky states that can file the rebate form online. Actually, Walgreens does have a few items that you can get instant rebates (Register Rewards) that are just like the Extra Care Bucks but they aren't as common as the ECBs at CVS. Walgreens has a weekly ad and a monthly Easy Saver booklet. When shopping at Walgreens you can use a store coupon WITH a manufacturers coupon to maximize your savings. I have also been told that you can use a monthly Easy Saver booklet coupon WITH a weekly ad coupon although I have not tried that myself yet (will try this week though!).

I'm planning another post about coupons but for now set up a spam email account that you can use to sign in to get all these printable coupons. My new spam-mail is mrs.frugal@sbcglobal.net. Cute, huh?

WALGREENS SHOPPING LIST

• Aquafresh toothpaste $1.99 free after using this coupon
• Bayer Aspirin $.99 free after using coupon from the Feb. 3 paper
• Bounty Basic paper towels-Walgreens coupon $.79 plus coupon from this week and Jan. 20= $.54 per roll (limit 3)
• Robitussin $3.99 more than free with printable coupon and $2 Register Reward
• Gillette Venus razor $9.99 free after Walgreens rebate (I tried to get this last week but they were out)
• General Mills (Cheerios, Lucky Charms) cereal 3 for $7 get $2 register reward use coupons from paper or from Betty Crocker or Box Tops or from Pillsbury. That is $1.17 per box of Cheerios or Lucky Charms
• Hefty Zip Bags buy one for $2.79 get one free (or $1.40 each) there was a coupon in the paper to make this an even better deal but we didn't get it.
• Chapstick $.99 with coupon but if you get the "naturals" brand you supposedly get $2 register reward making it more than free.
• Gillette Fusion Phenom razor $9.99 get $6 register rewards, use $4 off coupon from this weeks paper get it for free. Can also get this same deal at CVS so I'll probably do it there since I have ECBs.
• Suave Kids 3in1 Shampoo is on sale 3 for $6 get $2 register rewards making them $1.33 each...most of the country got coupons for these in this weeks paper but not us. Ugh!
  
• Wrigley's gum $.59 with weekly coupon plus use coupon $.99 off three from monthly booklet to make $.26 each if you get three.
• Arrid or Arm&Hammer deodorant $.99 each with weekly coupon.
  

CVS SHOPPING LIST

• Gatorade G2 FREE after ECBs
• Colgate Toothpaste $1.88 get $1 ECBs use coupon from here or here more than free
• Excedrin $3.99 get $2 ECBs free after this coupon
• Boost Smoothie $1 get free after $1 ECB (this is a monthly deal, Roz tried one and said it was good so I'll get more...limit 5)
  
• Purell hand sanatizer $3.69 get $2 ECBs use $1 off coupon from paper making it $.69
• Kleenex buy one for $2.19 get one free use two $.50 off 3 coupon from Jan. 6 or Jan. 27 paper get 6 boxes for $.93 each.
• Gillette Fusion Phenom razor $9.99 get $6 ECBs, use $4 off coupon from this weeks paper get it for free.

Okay, that's it for now. All these embedded links are going to be the death of me. Let me know if you find any errors or can't get the link to work. FYI, if you are on a Mac these coupon printers do not work with Firefox. I have to use Safari to print. If you found this helpful, please leave a comment or I'm never going to do it again! :)