Target Brag: Easter Clearance and MORE!

I Saved About $60 Today at Target. 

What Could You Do With An Extra $60 a Week? 

$240 A Month? 

You Can Coupon. If You Do, You Can Get Some Deals Like I Did Today!

I got some great deals at Target today. I am going to spare you all the random details on my receipt and highlight the really good deals for you today.  And, Yes. Today I started Easter shopping for next year. Don't Tell my kids or in-laws! :)

*Disclaimer:  It is Target's official policy to Value Down a coupon if it exceeds the in-store value. For example, when I used a $2 off ANY Head and Shoulders coupon to buy the 97c travel size, the policy is for the cashier to value the coupon down to 97c off instead of taking $2 off.  Today, you will see in many cases,the computer took my coupons without beeping.. and took them for the full face value of the coupon amount. This hardly ever happens. AND I did tell the clerk that I had items that would need the coupons valued down on. She just scanned them and they all went through. So, instead of free, I got some nice overage today.  I did it on the up and up with integrity, so Cool! ALWAYS tell the clerks about these types of coupon issues upfront. IF they choose to take the coupon at full face value after that and not Value Down the coupon, then yippee for you. You did what you were supposed to do and if the computer didn't beep on the coupon, there really isnt a way to Value Down the coupon, anyway.  

I was prepared for a long check out as we went line by line to Value Down my coupons... lots were expiring, so I hurried and used them for travel sized freebies.  **overage refers to the amount I basically got paid to own something.

Here's what I snagged:

• Tide Single Load Detergent: 97c, used $1 off Any Manuf Coupon (P&G rebate book) = 3c overage!
• Wonka Exceptionals Eggs Candy: On Clearance for $1.99, used $1 Manuf Q= 99c
• 8 Boxes of Skittles Blenders Candies (movie theater size):  On Clearance for 49c ea.  Used 2 $1 off 2 Skittles Blenders Target Q, and 2 manuf coupons for 50c off 2 = $1 for 8 boxes, or 12.5c ea box
• Pringles: 2 cans at $1.57 ea, used a $1 off 2 Manuf Q= $1.07 ea
• 1 L Sparkling Ozarka Water: 69c ea, used a BOGO Manuf Q =  34.5 c ea
• Kraft Bunny Marshmallows: On Clearance 50% off = 59c
• Bagel Bites: $2.49- $1 Manuf Q = $1.49
• Nivea Body Wash: $3.04 - $3 Manuf Q = 4 c!
• Old Spice Deodorant: 97 c - $1 off ANY Manuf Q (P&G Brand Rebate book) = 3c overage!
• Olay Bar of Soap:  97c - $2 off ANY Olay Manuf Q (P&G Brand Rebate Book) = $1.03 overage!!
• Secret Deodorant: 97c- $1 off ANY Manuf Q (P&G rebate book)= 3c overage!
• Oral B Cavity Defense Toothbrush:  $1.59 - $1 off ANY Manual Oral B Toothbrush Manuf Q (P&G) = 59c
• Head and Shoulders: 97c - $2 off ANY Manuf Q (P&G Rebate book) = $1.03 overage!
• Herbal Essence Shampoo:  97c- $1 off ANY Manuf Q (P&G Rebate Book) = 3c overage!
• Band Aids (Hello Kitty): 97c - 50c Manuf Q = 47c
• Band Aids (Hello Kitty): 97c ea, bought 2, used a $2 off 2 Manuf Q= 6c overage to own both!
• Hello Kitty Band Aid (97c) and Travel Listerine ($1.47) : $2.43 for both, used a $2 off 2 Manuf Q = 43c for both, or about 22c each!
• Fur Real Friend Mini for Easter (clearanced to $3.49) and a Single Chocolate Peep (Clearanced to 49c): $3.98.  I used a Manuf Q for $2 off Fur Real Easter Friend WYB ANY chocolate Peep = $1.98 for both.  (really good, since the original cost on the Fur Real Friend was around $7!!)

I got a lot of good products and things I needed on the cheap today.  And, yes, I really did need that many Hello Kitty bandaids! We had about 3 Band Aids in the house prior to this.. now we have 40! Whew.

Here is the breakdown:


Total Pre Tax Out of Pocket Expense:  $7.52
Number of Coupons Used:  20
Items Bought:  30
Coupons Total Value:  $24.19
Pre Coupon, Pre Clearance, Original Value of All Items When Bought at Regular Full Price:  $45.01

Total Savings Today On The Items Above: About 83% or  $37.49 off Original In-Store Cost. 

*I did not list everything I bought, or all of my coupons.  This is my "highlight reel".  I actually saved about $60 with coupons this trip, and only spent $76.56, pre tax, on this trip.  That means I saved about 44% off my total today with coupons!  (I saved even more than that off original in-store costs, bc much of what I bought was on sale today)

**AND! Notice many of these deals were done without needing stackable coupons.  

TARGET TRIP- Excedrin, Kelloggs, and MORE deals!

Target Trip= Success

Found Some Great Deals and Ran Into Some Blog Followers!

Last night, I took a friend with me to Target so I could show her hands on my couponing process.  Of course, we stopped at the in-store Starbucks first for some "Free" coffee. (Pretty Easy to snag free coffee... be super nice and maybe a friend will get you a gift card. Also, you can take your EMPTY Starbucks coffee bags from the grocery section back to Starbucks for a free cup of coffee.)

Here are the highlights from my trip:

• Huggies Pull Ups- $4.99 for the Jumbo Pack. They were $8.99. I used a $2.50 Target Catalina Coupon, and a $1.50 manuf coupon.
• Splendid Little "boutique" Two Piece Outfit on Clearance.. Super adorable, reg $18, I paid $4.74.
• Banana Puffs for Baby- $1.17 after a Target 50c off coupon.
• Planters Peanuts-29c for the single serving. Perfect for an upcoming road trip. Used a 50c off Target coupon.
• Nabisco Honey Graham Crackers, Spongebob Shaped, AND a pack of Nabisco Animal Crackers:  On sale for $1.50 a pack. I used a Target $1 off any 2 Nabisco cookies coupon= $1 each pack!
• Excedrin: 59c  They were $3.59. I had a Target coupon for $3 off. 
• Excedrin:  59c  They were $3.59. I had a Target Q for $3 off (I bought two of these, using two coupons total!)
• Market Pantry Lunch Meat:  $3.90 for 2 packs after a $1 off 2 Target Q
• Market Pantry Fruit Snacks: 89c a box. 10 packs per box. They were on sale for $1.39 each. I had a Target Q for $1 off 2.  I had two of these coupons, so I got 4 boxes of fruit snacks for 89c ea box.
• Kraft Deli Sliced Cheese: $1.95 a pack for the normally $4 packs. They were on sale, plus I used $1 off two Target coupon.

THIS IS A SPECIAL DEAL:
I had some great Kelloggs-y coupons.  Remember the rebate offer I told you about? Go HERE to refresh. Basically, you buy 10 boxes of participating cereals by December, and get a $10 Debit Card Rebate.

Target had a special on various Kelloggs cereals.  They were marked $1.99.  I bought 6 boxes. (3 of the flavors I bought will work towards the $10 rebate offer.)
So, the total for 6 boxes of Kelloggs was $11.94
I used 3 coupons (manuf) that were good for $1 off 2 boxes of Kelloggs.
The new total was $8.94 for 6 boxes of cereal, or $1.49 a box.
THEN,
I had 2 coupons that were $1 off Fresh Produce WYB 2 boxes of Kelloggs.  So, I put $2 worth of bananas in my buggy= FREE BANANAS
AND
I had a coupon for $1 off Eggs WYB 2 Kelloggs Cereals = 39c for a dozen eggs. 

RECAP: Stacking my coupons, I paid $9.33 for 6 boxes of cereal, a dozen eggs, AND 8 large bananas. AND, 3 of the cereals work towards a rebate deal I am working for $10 back.

*I could have bought ten boxes of the participating flavors for a total of $15 after coupons, and gotten $10 rebate back, making it like getting the cereal for 50c a box after rebate. BUT, I was honestly annoyed a teensy bit. I am usually able to get my Kelloggs for less than $1 a box. I never pay more than $1.80 a box, unless my husband demands Crispix and it isn't on sale. (shame on him, right??! LOL) So, I made the decision that I have plenty of time to finish working the rebate offer before December. I plan to turn my rebate deal into a moneymaker. I am determined to do such! :) I will probably end up at CVS with EB's to spend on cheap on sale Kelloggs before all is said and done. 


So, that is my Target Trip this week. Not too shabby:
I spent $81.34 out of my weekly $120 budget. And, I saved $36.72, or 34% off my total (after adjusting for taxes) just by using coupons!

The cool part was running into some new followers at the check out! They were using coupons.. I was so proud. AND, I flipped open my binder and started handing the cashier more coupons for them while they were checking out.  They saved $18 this trip. That is a good start. After all, $18 a week saved adds up to $936 a year! The funny part was when the cashier (one of my fave Target employees.. we got lucky!) had forgotten to hand me my Catalina coupons.. and she joked and handed them to my new followers!  I let them keep the coupons.. I think this time they were advertisements instead of coupons. LOL!

Are You a Member?

Are You a Member?

Free Memberships that Offer Nice Freebies or Discounts

This is a list of some places online that offer members only discounts, perks, freebies, etc.  If you are going to shop online, browse online, print coupons from online, or sign up for free samples online, these are a few places I have found to be handy and rewarding.

 

• Go HERE to sign up to shop through Ebates.  If you are going to shop online anyway, might as well get cash back for free, right? How it works is you log in to Ebates. Then, you search for the store online you want to shop. Just click the link through Ebates and shop like normal. Then, you will get a "Big Fat Check" rebate mailed to you.  Also, you can find some good coupons and online discount codes on Ebates.  I just checked and the Disney Store online has a 5% cash rebate when you shop through Ebates right now.  The downside? Ebates can track your purchases to see what your shopping habits are. New members do get a "sign up bonus". Sometimes it is $5, sometimes $10, etc.
• Have you signed up for Kraft's First Taste Program? How it works: Go HERE to sign up with Kraft First Taste. Then, check your email and the site from time to time. You will get chances to sign up for members only freebies and samples of new Kraft products.. from Jello to Philadelphia Cream Cheese Cooking Creme, etc.. 
• I have really loved the perks from joining the P&G Brand Saver online.  Every month, you can sign in and check the samples and coupons you want to receive. Then, they mail you a members only package. It is really nice. I have scored many freebies at Target and drugstores using these coupons. The nice thing I have noticed is that often these coupons may not have the size exclusions the ones in the paper have.. and often they are also more valuable. Go HERE to register. 
• A similar members only freebies site to P&G is the Vocalpoint one. Go HERE to sign up for this.
• Living Social is a site where you can purchase deals cheaply. You might get 50% off or more. The neat thing is that if you share the deal you purchase while it is still "live" and 3 of your friends purchase the deal through your link, you get yours FREE! Go HERE to sign up for various city "subscriptions" so you can get some great deal alerts. Recently, I purchased a $20 Amazon gift card for only $10. I used that to pay $4 for a huge box of PopTarts. 
• Similar to Living Social is Groupon. You don't get your Groupon deal free if 3 people buy from you, but I have still scored some really great deals going through Groupon.  Go HERE to check it out and sign up.

• Want free shipping on Amazon.com on Prime Eligible items, no minimum purchase necessary? Go HERE to sign up for a FREE membership to Amazon Mom.  You also get steep discounts on baby necessities like diapers.  There is no hidden cost. When your membership expires, there is nothing to cancel, etc.

There are lots of reputable places online to sign up for savings and freebies. What are some of your faves?

 

 

My Less Than $1.50 Brag for the Week

This Week, I Got Many Items Less Than $1.50 or FREE. Some Items I Even Got Paid to Own.

In lieu of a large item by item description of my weekly trip to Target, I decided to make this post about items I got for less than $1.50, Free, or even got Paid To Own.  Sometimes, it is hard to see why it is worth it to clip coupons or deal seek. It can be tedious at times.  But, items like the ones listed below are why I do this.  Last year, I saved my family more than $4000 working one deal at a time.

Here's what I did this week: 

In the mail so far, this week, I received FREE: Being Girl Tampax/Always sample pack, Secret Flawless Berry scented deodorant, a FREE Parents Magazine with a $10 off Any Baby Item Amazon.com coupon, and the week is still going on...

At Target, I got the following deals (after coupons, etc. Not going to break it down this week..)

•   Huggies Travel Wipes for the diaper bag, 47c
• Huggies Travel Wipes for the diaper bag, 72c
• Finish QUANTUM Dishwasher Tabs, 10ct (reg $5), FREE
• Shout Wipes(we use these all the time), 7c
• Tide 1 load Detergent, 12c
• Tide 1 load Detergent, 12c
• Planters Peanuts, 3oz, 24c
• Colgate, 6 oz, 44c
• Travel Size Herbal Essence Conditioner, Got Paid 3 c to own!
• Kraft Shredded Cheese, $1.29
• Kraft Shredded Cheese, $1.29
• Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs, $1.50
• Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs, $1.50
• Kraft Deli Sliced Cheese, $1.30

Rite Aid was pretty wonderful this week. The prices below reflect the +Up Rewards added back into the original cost.

• Colgate Sensitive, got Paid 50 c to own!
• Colgate Toothpaste with FREE Toothbrush, got Paid $1 to own!
• Gain Apple Tango Dish Detergent, Reg. Size, got Paid 13 c to own!
• Gain Apple Tango Dish Detergent, Reg. Size, got Paid 13 c to own!
• Gain Original Dish Detergent, Reg. Size, got Paid 13 c to own!

CVS deals were pretty nice too. Again, the prices below reflect the Extra Bucks added back in as reimbursement.

•  Listerine Total Care Mouthwash, Full Size, FREE

• Colgate Toothpaste, FREE
• Colgate Toothpaste, FREE

I do this weekly deals brag just to show you that you can do this! The deals this week were pretty straightforward.  The Gain moneymakers were using a $1 off coupon.. I got paid to own these instantly since they were only 87c on sale, and the computer took the full $1 off coupon amount without beeping. 

It takes a little time and effort.. but not having to pay for toothpaste, dish soap, dishwasher detergent, etc?? Totally worth it!