Paid to Shop

I haven’t done much with coupons lately, but a couple days ago I cleaned out the coupon binder and got to work reorganizing and clipping coupon inserts.  I asked Daddy to pick up a paper yesterday (only one insert — boo!), and I combed through the ads and the “bargains” category of my Google Reader to put together some local scenarios.  Then Moco, Bubba, and I stopped at Walgreens this morning to see if we could score from the list I had made up:

Greenworks Liquid Dish Soap $2.99 (sale) – $1 MFC (manufacturer’s coupon) = $1.99 + get $1 RR (Register Reward)

Cascade 15 count Action Pacs Dishwasher Detergent $3.99 (sale) – $2 MFC = $1.99 + get $1 RR

Colgate MaxFresh Toothpaste $2.99 (sale) – $0.75 MFC = $2.24 + $2 RR

Gillette Fusion ProGlide Manual Razor $9.89 (sale) – $2 MFC = $7.89 + $5 RR

Dawn Dish Soap $0.99 (sale) – $0.25 MFC = $0.74

I also had two Register Rewards ($5 and $10) from purchases last week, which are basically like using coupons but also kinda like cash.  However, you can only use as many coupons as you have items.  I had 5 items and 5 manufacturer’s coupons already, plus the 2 RR’s.  I let the kids each pick out a cheap “filler” item so that I would have 7 items and 7 coupons; they selected two $0.49 memo notebooks.

Therefore, the total was $21.83 before taxes.  I used $6 in manufacturer’s coupons, bringing the total to $15.83 before taxes.  I then used the $15 RR’s, bringing the total to $0.83 before taxes.  (Yes, you read that correctly — EIGHTY-THREE CENTS!)  However, my total bill was $2.52 because you have to pay the pre-coupon tax on all your items, so I paid $1.69 in taxes for a final total of $2.52.

But the fun doesn’t end there!  Once I had paid, out came $9 RR with my receipt.  That’s like making $6.48!

I did two separate transactions because I also had a coupon for Colgate toothbrushes, but because I was also doing the Colgate MaxFresh deal, I would only get one Register Reward for the two items.

So… add in Colgate MaxFresh Toothbrush $2.99 (sale) – $0.75 MFC = $2.47 (with taxes) + $2 RR

Therefore, I spent $4.99 out of pocket for $24.82 worth of items (actually, more than that, considering these were sale prices)!  And I earned $11 in Register Rewards, so Walgreens basically paid ME $6.01 to shop there today!

11/19: Today I Am Thankful For…

…my mad bargain shopping skillz. 50 family photo holiday cards, 50 matching thank you cards, and 140 matching family photo return address labels for a total of just $3.50 shipping. Yes, $3.50. I ♥ SeeHere.com and VistaPrint.com!!!

When you order 50 4×8 flat photo cards and use the code “freebies4mom-1109″ (may have to type it in rather than cut and paste it), the total price will go from $39.50 to $0.00 — and there is FREE shipping, too!  To find out more information, including access to FAQs for this particular deal, checkout Freebies4Mom.com.  There is a link at the top of her page under the menu bar that says “50 FREE 4×8 Photo Cards from SeeHere ends November 30″.  Rumor has it the promotion may end earlier than the 30th, so order while you can!  To get a second set of 50 free photo cards, you can use the code “newbaby” on a second order.  I was able to use the first code for 5×7 cards last weekend when I ordered, but things may have changed since then (including prices!).  The cards process extremely fast and ship quickly, too.  I ordered my first set Friday night and received then on Wednesday.  I ordered my second set last night (Wednesday) and received an email this morning that they had shipped!  The first set of cards I ordered were standard family photo cards, and the second set were flat thank you cards in the same design but without a picture.  The photo cards turned out great — I am impressed and totally excited for such a great deal!

As for the address labels: VistaPrint often has special deals on free items (usually business cards), and when I went on last night, they had 140 FREE photo return address labels.  I picked a simple design that matched the cards, uploaded the same photo, clicked through the additional offers, and paid $3.50 for priority shipping.  There were several other free items last night and I thought “oh, I’ll go back and order some stuff later” and went to bed… and this morning, all those items now have prices!  Should have take the opportunity while I could… oh, well!

So, here’s the breakdown of my savings:

50 family photo cards, 5×7 ($0.79 each) = $39.50 + $3.19 for standard shipping –> FREE with promo code “freebies4mom-1109″

50 thank you cards, 5×7 ($0.79 each) = $39.50 + $3.19 for standard shipping –> FREE with promo code “newbaby”

140 family photo return address labels = $7.99 + $3.50 for priority shipping –> FREE labels offer

Original total = $96.87

Post-promo total = $3.50

Savings = 96.4%

Stamps for 100 cards will be $44 — but I would have to pay that regardless.  I’m so thrilled, I’m almost ready to ask Daddy to get the Christmas tree out of storage so we can set it up before Thanksgiving… :)

11/10: Today I Am Thankful For…

… taking the afternoon off!

The kids had dental appointments early this afternoon, so I figured I would just take the afternoon off rather than go back to work.  Moco actually went back to Daddy’s office like she usually does after school because she has a Spanish “tutor” two days a week.  Bubba and I spent the rest of the time driving around town looking for Zhu Zhu toy hamsters for a high school friend of mine who has been looking for these for her little girl.  No such luck, but I’ll keep trying (and respectfully ask that you all keep your eyes out for these elusive toys as well)!

I’m also thankful for a great deal I scored today at Toys’R'Us.  Here’s the scoop: Toys’R'Us has a deal where you can get a $10 gift card when you purchase $25 + in Hasbro games.  They also have a lot of the Hasbro preschool games on sale — $3.99 for Hi Ho Cherry-o, Ants in Your Pants, Cootie, Memory, Chutes & Ladders, Candyland, and Don’t Break the Ice.  Hasbro also has a rebate deal going on for selected games if you buy them at Toys’R'Us (26 different games for a total of up to $60 in rebates).  Basically, if you buy each of the 7 preschool games I listed ($27.93), you get the $10 gift card PLUS you can send in your receipt for the rebate ($14 for those 7 games) — comes out to 7 games for $3.93 (or $0.56 per game).

Unfortunately our Toys’R'Us didn’t have all seven games in stock… so we got 4 games for $3.99 plus Scrabble (also included on the rebate form) for $9.99 — total $25.95 (just over the $25 mark to qualify for the $10 gift card).  Plus we’ll get $11 back with the rebate.  So… 5 games for $4.95 (or 99 cents each).  The original total would have been $53.95 for 5 games.  That’s a 92% savings!!!

You can find this week’s Toys’R'Us ad with the Hasbro offer in the store, and you can also find it on the Toys’R'Us website.  You can also find the Hasbro game offer on tear pads in store or on Hasbro’s website.

If you have other shopping to do at Toys’R'Us, check to see if your store’s ad also has a $10 gift card offer when you spend $75 or more.  You can combine this offer with the Hasbro deal as long as your total stays above $75 after the $10 Hasbro gift card promotion.  Bubba fell asleep in the shopping cart, so I took the opportunity to sneak in a big Lego set that we were planning to get him for Christmas.  The total was $85.94 + taxes, but I got a $20 gift card for the two $10 promotions and will submit my receipt for the $11 rebate for the games – so it’s like I paid $54.94 + taxes for a Lego set and 5 games.  That’s actually LESS than what I would have paid if I had just bought the Lego set alone!!!

So… in summary, I’m thankful that I took the afternoon off, I stocked up our family game inventory and knocked off one big item on the Xmas shopping list – all with big savings!

Bargains

We braved Old Navy today for $1 flip-flops… but I grabbed an expired $10 off $50 Old Navy Weekly coupon and I didn’t want to put back everything we picked out (10 pairs of flip-flops, 2 swimsuits, and 5 pairs of shorts) to head home and get it — I guarantee nothing would have been there when we came back!  If it hadn’t been a chaotic mess there, I would have.  Oh, well.

I love to shop, but I hate to pay full price.  I spend a lot of time browsing blogs and websites to find coupons, sales, bargains, and free shipping codes – plus I use Upromise to get money back for online shopping.  I clip coupons and combine them with sales as much as possible.  And I’ll share good deals with my friends and familly as I find them!

Here is a quick compilation of some good Memorial Day weekend deals:

Payless Shoes – 15% off (in-store) or $10 off $60+ (online)

Old Navy – $1 flip flops today only and find various hidden coupons at Old Navy Weekly

• Find hints at Bargain Briana or Never Pay Retail Again (read comments)

KMart – $10 off $100+ (in-store)

Borders/Waldenbooks – 40% off list price of one book – sign up for a free Borders Rewards card too to earn Borders Bucks for your purchases (including cafe purchases for those with Seattle’s Best in-store)

MovieCube (like Redbox) – Use checkout codes ETUX9A5 (expires 5/28) and MEM0903 (expires 6/21) to get free rentals!

Children’s Place – 20% off (online) or 15% off (online or in-store)

Justice – 25% off (online or in-store)

New York & Company – $30 off $75+ (online or in-store) or $15 off $50 off w/Visa card (online or in-store)

DSW – $1o off $50+ (online or in-store)

Sports Authority – $10 off $50+ (online or in-store)

If your kids like Webkinz, we found several clearanced Webkinz Plush animals at our local Hallmark store for $4.99.

Happy Shopping!

Coupon It Up!

Yesterday Emily and I taught another Community Education class on coupons, promotions, rebates, rewards programs, etc.  By combining sale prices with coupons, rebate incentives, and other rewards at the right time, you can save a lot of money.   If you want proof that taking time to clip and use coupons at the right times works, here’s proof from a trip to Walgreens yesterday:

Code

Black = product and regular price

Blue = sale/promotion

Red = amount off with coupon (WG is Walgreens store coupon from their Sunday ad, WG ES is coupon from Walgreens EasySaver Catalog, MFC is manufacturer’s coupon).  Register Rewards are coupons that print out with your receipt for $ off your next shopping trip order.  Walgreens EasySaver Rebates are additional incentives to submit by mail or online with receipt.

Green = Final price paid

Receipt

Sunlight dish soap (reg. $1.79) – Buy One/Get One Free = 2/$1.79

Colgate Max toothpaste (reg. $3.49) – $2.99 - $2 (WG) – $0.75 (MFC) = $0.24

Tylenol Extra Strength Rapid Release Gels (reg. $7.49) – $1.50 (WG ES) - $2 (MFC) = $3.99

Excedrin Extra Strength Caplets (reg. $10.49) – $5.99 – $2 (MFC) = $3.99 (plus $2 Register Rewards)

Trident CoolMint Gum (reg. 1.49) – $0.50 (WG) – $0.75 (MFC) = $0.24

Rimmel Eyeliner (reg. 3.29) -  Buy One/Get One Free – $1 (MFC) = 2/$2.29

Glade Candle (reg. $2.99) – $1.99 – $1 (MFC) = $0.99 (plus $1 WG ES rebate)

Haribo Gummy Bears (for Bubba) – $0.79

Regular Price Total = $36.90

Sales Price Total = $25.82

Total Coupon Savings (incl. Register Rewards & Rebate) = $14.50

Final Price = $11.32 + tax (70% savings)

…and not everything that I bought had a coupon or was on sale, so I could have done even better!  I had two $1 off coupons for the Rimmel products, but one was expired.

I have yet to have one of those amazing trips to the grocery store where I get $300 worth of food for like $16, but I’ve had significant savings with smaller trips!  If you’re interested and want to learn more, let me know because I’d be more than happy to share some tricks, information, and resources with you!!!