Money Maker Alert on Olay Spa Gift Set for Christmas!

Get Started On a Gift For Christmas...

And Make a Buck! SHH!

Thanks for the AWESOME Head's Up, Couponing to Disney!

Ok, so what's better than giving a really great gift? Well.. don't tell anyone.. but getting it for free.. and making a little something in the process!

Hurry! Today, you can order the Olay Spa Gift Set from Walmart online for $9.63, shipped!

But, that doesn't sound free or money making you say... well.. here's how it works..

Step 1: Go HERE to Ebates and search Walmart.com. Click the link to shop through Walmart and ensure your 2% cash back. I love Ebate checks in my mailbox! Yay!

Step 2: Search Olay Spa Gift Set. You will see 2 options.  Pick the one you like. They are $9 today.  They say "free shipping to home after $45 in purchase." Ignore that. At the check out, the total will be $9.63 after tax and shipping will show as free.  (I know, right??!)  This is a good deal. A week ago these were $10!

Step 3:  Wait for the item to come in. THEN, when it does, fill out the form it comes with that declines the FREE SUBSCRIPTION to ALLURE magazine and wait for your $9.99 rebate!!  (But, you said give this as a gift! If you have to open it...!!  Ok. So, put it back together neatly. Throw in some other goodies like chocolates or candles or whatever the recipient likes.. and voila! Gift restored! You can make it lovely if you have to open it to get the subscription card out. Head to Dollar Tree if you need a new heat shrink basket bag!)    

*So, about 37c money maker right now? Right? 

Step 4: Wait for your Ebates check in the mail for about $1.80 back! So, just over $2 money maker! 

SuhWEET!  

This is why I HEART Couponing To Disney!  I always say let me tailor my blog to the deals you are specifically looking for and the tutorial/ethics questions you have... and let the big guys do what they do best. Because they totally rock it!

P&G Brand Sampler

Like Free Samples In Your Mailbox?

Join P&G Brand Sampler!

If you haven't joined the P&G Brand Sampler online, you need to do that ASAP! Every month or so you can log in and check off the list of samples you would like to receive in your mailbox. It is that simple! A lot of these samples also come with coupons! SOMETIMES, you can request coupons instead of the samples offerred.. as in, you could request a voucher for a free sample size item.. or a $3 off any type coupon...  WHEN that option presents itself, I recommend going that route if you are going to "do the coupon thing".  Sometimes, magic happens when you are sitting on a voucher for a freebie (up to x amount of dollars) or a $3 off or whatever. You might find a clearance sale that would make a full sized item the same cost as a trial/travel sized item and then you just bonus sized your freebie. OR you might find a drugstore deal with extra bucks back or even a rebate.. you can keep the savings going or even make a little money for purchasing the free item....   Just some food for thought! 

Anyway, give the P&G Brand Sampler club thing and looksie HERE! And go ahead and join! Currently, you can sign up for free Head and Shoulders and/or Prilosec.

Puzzler: What is the TRUE Cost of Free?

What is the True Cost of FREE?

And, How Good is that Deal, Really?

Whether you are working a rebate deal, doing a drugstore freebie, participating in a consignment event, or joining a warehouse discount club, you need to look at the true cost.  Follow the dollar. Then, make an informed consumerist decision.

When I first started couponing and doing rebates, etc.., I made a few rookie mistakes.  I didn't look at the overall big picture on what I was doing and spending to save a buck or even make a buck.

I saw a SC Johnson rebate offer and got super excited. It was buy any 3 SC Johnson items and get a $5 rebate check by mail.  It was my first rebate. I realized that SHOUT! Wipes from the travel section are SC Johnson. I had 55c off one coupons (3) in my binder. AND, the wipes were only $1.09 ea.  We use these all the time.  I had picked up one set of those wipes for something else already. So, I found that receipt. I got so excited I grabbed my coupons and the kids and went to Target. Target is a 15+min drive.  So, I bought two more sets of wipes and got a couple other items I hadn't really needed before next week's Target trip.  I ended up spending $1.73 after tax on the SHOUT wipes for the rebate.  But I was getting a $5 check back! What an awesome moneymaker, right?

No.

Here's why:  

$5.00

-1.73 (cost of the items)

-$2.50 (gas to go there and come back since I ran out when I didn't need to go just to work the rebate.)

- 40c (stamps)

-5c (envelop)

___________

32c moneymaker

Yeah, I got the items free and got paid to own the items. But it was one of those aha moments. To get them free and to make 32c, I had to take an HOUR out of my day to run to the store, get the items, wait in line, and then come home. For 32c and 3 travel packs of SHOUT wipes.

That was not using my time or resources to the best of my abilities. It was a wake up call. Now, I look at the big picture and follow the money.

You can and need to take this philosophy to every deal you do and money you spend to get a better bargain.  My husband takes it to extremes and says "That $1 you just spent on the candy bar could have been $16 in retirement money".  He is right, to an extent. But I wont take it that far.

I will take it as far as evaluating our need for a discount warehouse membership.  I have a family of five to cook and provide for. If I say we don't need a discount membership, chances are you are throwing your money away to have one too.  One of my friends is like "BUT you SAVE 50c  a week on milk ALONE!"  Do you know how many gallons of milk you would have to buy to make, say, a $30 annual membership fee pay for itself? More than 60 gallons of milk.  That's BEFORE you start to save on milk. And, you can coupon for milk (Kelloggs and others put out save $1 on milk WYB cereal, etc)  You can use drugstore rewards on milk.  But, you interrupt me, But they sell more than milk.  I get that. That super cheap box of diapers you buy in  bulk? That is about 3 packages worth right? So you just lost the chance to use up to 6 coupons on that box of diapers.  Now, you have to take what the savings on that box of diapers is and subtract out the coupons you could have used. Then, you get a real savings.  Take that real savings and put it towards the membership fee.  I am telling you.. if you would only coupon, it would be more beneficial in most cases.  If you pay $30 for a savings membership.. make sure you are saving MORE than that $30 annually AND more than coupons would have saved as well.  Personally, I like to keep my $30 upfront in an interest bearing account at the bank than hand it over.  **Disclaimer.. you will totally find me in a warehouse savings club from time to time. Our local one has Churros. Hot fresh yummy ones. AND, 87c huge fountain sodas.  BUT, I did NOT pay for my membership. I got it for free.  And I do think there are redeeming qualities to such a club.  Like the $16 awesomely decorated, yummy cakes.  And, the rotisserie chickens are larger and cheaper. Most of the items in such a club are not worth the membership fees. BUT if you are NOT going to coupon and you  get such a membership for FREE.. well.. I will look the other way and munch my churro.

When looking into consignment events, or even having your own yard sale, consider the cost of it all. What are the fees? How much are the supplies to price your items? How much to rent a table for your own sale? Advertising? Signage? Etc.  It all comes with a dollar mark. What are you hoping to make vs how much time you are going to put into getting it ready vs how much you will spend/be charged to make that money?  

What about that pricey family membership to the zoo, waterpark, museum, etc.. even if they are having a sale... How many times would you have to go before it paid for itself? What is the true cost in terms of items you might purchase when there (souvenirs), food, gas, etc to go?  Make sure it will be really worth it before you commit to the money for it.

Beware the FREE:

Once upon a time, my husband did freelance work in exchange for a year of free dance lessons for our child.  We had never done dance before. We did not have the money for such a pricey extracurricular and would not have done dance had this opportunity for a trade out occur.  So, we were like YAY free dance!  By the end of the year, we paid more than $1000 for our naivete. Free dance did not mean Free dance class uniform, free tap shoes, free ballet shoes, two free costumes, free "cheapest" dance class photo package, free souvenir book from the recital, free venue fee, free tickets to the recital or even free teacher gift at the end of the year.  Also, the gas, time and of course, fast food trips after class (I promise my kids love veggies).  No, we paid for each of those things. It was more like we got the monthly tuition waived for the work my husband did.  Had we realized the real cost up front, we would not have done that trade out that year.  $1000 so a 3 yr old can have an extracurricular is too steep for my couponing heart.  Now, if she had been older and begging for class.. that's one thing. And while she did have fun, she didn't become BFFs with anyone in class and doesn't remember a lick of dance now.

The main point here is to follow your money. Follow it and it might lead you down the magical path to moneymaking scenarios.  But don't get hooked on what looks like a good deal upfront.  And, calm down when you see a deal you are excited to work.  Don't waste the gas and time. Work such things into your route.  I have learned that rookie mistake. :)  Work Smarter, Not Harder too!

Turn Catalinas Into Cash

Got a Bunch of Catalinas You Can't Use?

Put Em on Ebay!

Recently, every time I went in to Target, the Catalina (randomish coupon printing machine at the checkout) would spit out one or two coupons (manuf) for $5 off ANY PediaSure product coupons.  

 

I worked the "Try Me Free" rebate (and made $5 in profit) about a month ago. My kids did not dig the PediaSure SideKicks drinks. So, I almost threw these 4 $5 off coupons out. But then, I searched Ebay on a whim to see if folks buy these.  And guess what? They do.

As coupons are general and it is the information on them that is important, I did a Free Ebay Listing for my time to collect and list and then mail the PediaSure coupons.  I did not even take the time to take and post a picture. Why bother? It doesn't matter what they look like, and I have positive feedback ratings as being honest... so I just made a quick and easy listing describing the coupons. I started them at 75c +S/H.  They got bid up to $1.25 + S/H.  Ok, so that isn't a LOT of money. But it took less than five minutes to list them.  And, that is $1.25 more than I had two days ago.  If I did this every week, I would bring in about $52 a year (after Ebay/PayPal fees) on items that I would otherwise throw out.

 

It all adds up.

Trial/Travel Sizes- Don't Pass These Freebies Up

Change Your Perspective:

"Buy" Trial/Travel Sizes

Many times I have come across folks, in conversation or otherwise, that seem to have an automatic aversion to buying Trial and Travel sized items.  The arguments are usually the same:  They run out faster. They aren't good value for the money. They are hard to store versus a traditional sized item that stands on its own more easily. ETC.

I say those of you that automatically dismiss the travel/trial sizes are missing out on some really nice deals in the long run. Should you waste that $1 or $2 off coupon on the smaller size? Sometimes, yes. It is totally to your advantage to do such a thing.

Why You Should Buy Travel/Trial Sizes:

• They can be moneymakers. If the trial size is 97c, and you have a $1 off coupon, most stores have the policy to "value the coupon down" to 97c, making the item free.  However, a lot of time, I have found clerks that don't care or pay attention (even after I make sure to point it out to them. I like to coupon with integrity.) and they accept the $1 off. You just got a 3c moneymaker.  Ok, so 3c doesn't do it for you? I just bought 2 Secret Clinical Trial sized, and one 1 load Tide. I used manuf and store stacked coupons worth $7.25. The items cost $6.12. The clerk accepted the coupons' full amounts, and these items ended up to be moneymakers for me.
• They fit more neatly on your shower racks or in drawers. You can also get bins to put in your closet to hold them.
• If you find yourself with an overstock of these items, shelters, etc accept them easily as donations to hand out to those in need.
• Certain kinds of product have readily available coupons without size exclusions that make getting them free every week a reality. This means you may never have to pay for deodorant again.
• When you are too tired to work a drugstore deal, or your coupons you have been holding "just in case" are about to expire, turning them into actual product by buying trial/travel sized is quick and easy.

When to Use a Coupon on a Trial/Travel Sized Item:

• When the item is free or a money maker, use the coupon.
• When you are working a rebate deal that does not exclude trial/travel sized items, use the coupons. For example, I recently worked a rebate offer that said "Buy $50 worth of P&G product, get a $20 rebate check." The rebate took the full pre-coupon amount towards the $50 you had to purchase. I bought TONS of trial/travel sized items for FREE.  If it was a 97c item, it took 97c off the $50 I had to purchase, even if I got the 97c item free after coupon. I spent less than $5 out of pocket working that deal, and got my $20 rebate check in the mail.
• When you have a decent coupon without size exclusion and it is about to expire, go ahead and buy a travel/trial sized item.
• When you do the math and it is really cheaper. For example, when I am stocked up with laundry detergent.. enough to last two months... I will take every $1 off any Tide coupon I can find and go buy Tide 1 load in the travel area.  Sometimes, this sized Tide is $1.12. The couponer's stock up price on detergent is 20c or less a load. $1.12 is WAY too pricey. But, if you have enough laundry detergent on hand already, go ahead and "burn" those $1 off Tide coupons on the travel size. That leaves about 12c or less, depending. 12c a load is an AMAZING stock up price! 
• When you can get nicer products that last a while FREE... and you would have to pay for generics. Every time I get a $1 off any Olay Bar, Wash, etc coupon, I take it to the travel section and get 1 bar of Olay Soap for free. Soap lasts a while, so this is one of my fave finds in the travel section.

Things to Consider When Buying Travel/Trial:

• Make your life easier:  point your travel/trial sized items out to the clerk when they are checking you out.  Most coupons "beep" when you try to use them on trial/travel sized items. Pointing the items out can save you time and aggravation later when the coupon beeps and the clerk has to verify whether or not you have the item(s) on your ticket. They have to verify by scrolling through your purchase on the computer, or they (you) have to dig through all the bags to find those small items to prove you bought them.  Most clerks are so happy that you saved them time and aggravation that they will usually just automatically accept your beeping coupons after this.
• Make sure you KNOW what the coupon states in the fine print. Make sure it does NOT exclude the trial/travel sizes or specify a larger size.  
• Know and carry the store's coupon policy with you.  When you are using coupons on trial/travel sizes, it is very important to know the store's policy ahead of time. Most stores will value the coupon down if it is worth more than the cost of the trial/travel item.  Some stores, like Walmart now, will allow coupon overage, thus ensuring a few moneymakers in your buggy. When I was really green at couponing, I went to use a $1 off Johnsons coupon on a 97c Johnson's Buddy Soap.  The clerk REFUSED my coupon, stating that the purchase had to be MORE than $1 to use the coupon. I was annoyed, but didn't know the policy for sure. So, I went and grabbed another Soap and bought both for 49c ea after the coupon. Still a decent deal. But when I got home and called my coupon mentor, she laughed at me a teensy bit.  I should have known the policy and stood my ground. Their policy was to value the coupon down and give me the item free at 97c off. The clerk was wrong. Often, especially since then, I have found that the clerks really don't know their own policy. 

WHEN YOU GET A CLERK THAT DOESN'T KNOW THE POLICY AND/OR GIVES YOU A HARD TIME:

1. Explain their policy to them nicely. THEN
2. Offer to SHOW them their policy. THEN
3. Politely Beg to Differ when they say they know the policy. THEN
4. Ask for a manager to come clarify the issue so you know the actual policy for in the future. (See, you are being nice and putting it on yourself. We all know YOU know the real policy. While the manager is walking over, pull out your copy of the policy. The manager will come get the story on the issue. 9 times out of 10, they will tell the clerk you are right. Because we know you are. Couponers study the policy better than clerks most times. If you stay nice and pleasant, it will be easy to get your coupons accepted. Or easier, anyway.  You do coupon with integrity, after all.  If you get an attitude, no amount of being in the right will help you. The manager will go along with the clerk if you tick them off.)

So, give Trial/Travel sizes a chance!
I haven't had to pay for Head and Shoulders, Secret, Olay Soap, etc in a very long time!

My Trip To CVS This Week: I Saved More Than $37, Spent About $3

Last Night At CVS I Saved More Than 92% 

And I Only Spent  $3.10

My husband needed some hair gel, so I decided to head out to CVS. Since I was going to spend about $3 on the hair gel, anyway, I figured I might as well make that $3 go further. As in more than $40 worth of product further... Yep, I did have to do it in 4 transactions. And, Yes. I did start with $5 in EB made in last week's run to the store. (Remember? I bought a Schick Hydro Razor for less than $2 and got $5 EB back...which I used last night.)

Here's what I did:

Transaction Number 1:

• Herbal Essences Shampoo- Bought one at the 2/$5.97 price

• Aussie Hair Gel- Bought one to go with Herbal Essences 2/$5.97

           Used a BOGO Coupon and saved $2.99. Then, got $2 EB.  So, It was like paying 98c for BOTH, or   49c EACH for the Gel and Shampoo.

• Irish Spring Bodywash, 18oz- Bought one at $2.99

            Used a 50c off coupon, and got $2 EB.  So, it was like paying 49c.

Then, I paid using my $5 EB from last week.  This took my total down to 47c! After Tax, my total was $1.10 and I received $4 EB.

Transaction Number 2:  

Glide Clinical Floss-  $3.49

             Used a $1 off Manuf Coupon

             Used $2 EB from previous transaction

I paid 73c after tax, and got $2.50 EB back.  Depending on how you look at it, I got paid $1.76 to own floss.

Transaction Number 3:  

Crest Pro Health Complete Mouthwash-  $3.49

              Used a $1 off Manuf Coupon

              Used $2 EB from first transaction

I paid 73c after tax, and got $2.50 EB back. Depending on how you look at it, I got paid $1.76 to own mouthwash.

Transaction Number 4:

Dr. Pepper 2 L- $1

              Used a 25c peelie coupon I found in the store, so it was 75c.

Purex 3in1 Sheets, 20 loads-  On sale for $3.99

              Used a $1 manuf coupon, so $2.99

Chex Hot and Spicy Snack Mix-  $1 (a splurge!)

CANDY DEAL:  2 Snickers, 1 Dove. They are on sale for 99c ea, buy 2, get 1 free

               The magic coupon kiosk in store gave me 50c off 2 Snickers store coupon, and a coupon for 25c off a Dove candy bar.  At 99c each, buy 2 get one free, that made the candy bars about $1.25 for 3 after these CVS store coupons. BUT I also had a BOGO manuf coupon that took another 99c off. So, about 25 cents for 3 candy bars, or 8c a bar!

I used the $5 worth of EB I got in the Floss and Mouthwash transactions. After the coupons I listed here, and the EB I used, my pre tax total was a NEGATIVE 2 CENTS!!!!!  After tax, this transaction was 54 c for everything!

To recap:

$3.10 got me 3 full sized candy bars, 2L Dr Pepper, 20 load Purex 3in1, Chex mix, Glide Clinical Floss, Crest Complete Mouthwash, Herbal Essences Shampoo, Aussie Hair Gel, and Irish Spring Bodywash.

All items were FULL SIZED.

To those of you that think couponing is not worth it, please reconsider. I am always telling folks I cannot afford generics. This is a good example of why.

Rite Aid: Free Edy's, Anyone?

My Trip to Rite Aid:

Free Edy's Ice Cream,

and $10.50 Out Of Pocket, with $6 +UP 

to Use Next Week!

Remember my recent post about how rain checks can be a really good thing? (Go HERE for a refresher, if you like.) This trip to Rite Aid was so awesome.  Cashing those rain checks I got for Edy's Ice Cream in really made the difference. More on the details of that later. 

First, here are the highlights of my trip:

• I spent $10.50 Out of Pocket 
• I received $6 in +UP rewards after my final transaction today. I can use them on the next trip to Rite Aid.
• I got 6 1.5 quarts of Edy's Ice Cream Free

How I did it:
I worked two separate transactions, doing my rain check transaction first. As a refresher, I had $7 worth of +UP rewards to cash in today from the Colgate deals I worked the other week.

Transaction 1:
6 Edy's Ice Cream,$2 +UP WYB 2,        99c ea*
1 Sucrets Wild Cherry Lozenges, $2+UP, 2.99

I used the $7 in +UP I came in with.
I used a Sucrets Manuf coupon for $1.50 (which made the Sucrets a 50c Moneymaker!)
My Subtotal was .43!!!, After tax it was $1.06.  AND, I got $8 in +UP BACK!


*I bought 6 1.5 qts of Edy's Ice Cream.  I had a rain check that made them "like paying 99 cents each after +UP Rewards."  To honor the rain check, the clerk overrode the price of each ice cream as she rang it, so that the price would reflect 99c ea.  THEN, today's circular states you get $2 +UP rewards WYB 2 Edy's.  So, I got $6 +UP rewards for buying this ice cream today.  I bought $6 in Edy's Ice Cream, I got $6 in +UP Rewards, per the current circular.

Transaction #2:

Huggies Jumbo Diapers, $2 +UP,  8.99
Huggies Jumbo Diapers, $2 + UP,  8.99
Johnson and Johnson Baby Powder 15 oz, $2 +UP,  2.99


I used:
$8+ UP I made in Transaction #1
$2 Manuf Huggies Coupon
$2 Manuf Huggies Coupon
$1 Manuf Johnson's Baby Item Coupon


My total was $9.44, I received $6 in +UP rewards to use next time!

All in all, I spent $10.40 out of pocket, got $6+Up  to use next time, and bought 6 1.5 quarts of Edy's Ice Cream, 2 Jumbo packs of Huggies, 1 Sucrets, and 1 Johnson's Baby Powder.  

A note:  The Sucrets was a moneymaker. The diapers came out to less than $5 a pack, the ice cream was free, and the baby powder was a 1 c moneymaker.  Be patient, do the math, and always stay pleasant. The bummer of not getting the ice cream on sale a couple weeks ago and having to wait ten minutes to get a rain check really turned into a sweet deal. Pun intended.

 
 

2 Drug Stores, 45 Minutes, And Getting Paid to Own Things I Need

This Week, I Broke Tradition 

and Went to 2 Drug Stores: 

Rite Aid and CVS 

Usually, I go to one drug store a week.  Usually, that store is CVS. This week, I went to both CVS and Rite Aid.  I am trying to work some good Rite Aid deals so I can use Register Rewards to pay for a really amazing deal I have in the works.  That will come later.. but for now, here is a summary of my trips:

RITE AID: 

As per the cicular, Rite Aid has 87 c Gain Dish Soap this week, and they have select Colgate Toothpastes on sale. These toothpastes are on sale for $3.50 this week (down from the regular $4.99). ALSO, you get a $3.50 +Up Reward to use on a future transaction with each participating Colgate you buy, limit 2.

This is my transaction:

Gain Dish Soap    .87

Gain Dish Soap    .87

Gain Dish Soap    .87

Colgate Sensitive  3.50

Colgate w/ Bonus Free Tooth Brush  3.50

• Then, I used 3 Gain coupons, valued at $1 each.  (From the P&G brands rebate coupon book I submitted for a few months ago). The computer TOOK OFF THE WHOLE AMOUNT! It didn't beep to let the clerk know to value the coupon down to 87c.  Therefore, I got PAID 13c each dish soap to take it out of the store.

• I also had  a coupon for $1 off the Colagate, and 50c off the other Colgate.  Since I received $7 in +Up Rewards for buying these items, it is like I got PAID $1.50 to take these out the store.  

Summary:  I spent $5.11 out of pocket, after coupons and tax. I got $7 in Rewards to use like "cash" on my next trip to Rite Aid.  
*Ok, so WHY did I not ROLL the transactions? Why did I not buy one toothpaste, then turn around and use that $3.50 to pay for the next toothpaste? I could have done that. The thing is, you have to have $3.50 in the transaction to get the full$3.50 value.  AND, I wanted to use all my coupons. IF I had bought one toothpaste, and gotten a $3.50 UP Reward back, I could have used it to buy the other toothpaste. However, the dish soaps took off more than they were priced with the coupons. So, that would have left just the toothpaste on the transaction. The toothpaste was $3.50, but I used at least a 50 c coupon. Which made the transaction, had I done it that way, go below the $3.50 pre tax amount. I still could have used the +Up Reward, but I would have lost the extra value on it. They don't give cash back or another Reward when you use one for less than face value amount. I chose to use my coupons and get paid to own the toothpaste, rather than not use the coupons, use the +Up Reward and come out even.

CVS:

I needed some Pull Ups and Diapers. As per the circular, CVS has Huggies Pull Ups or Diapers, Jumbo packs, on sale for 2/$17.98, with $4 EB back.  (Target usually has these on sale every week for $8.99, so the CVS deal is a good one!)  I decided, IF I had to spend the $17.98 anyway, I might as well spend the same amount of money and come home with a lot more product/value by browsing the circular and working some of the other EB deals. Then, I would roll 4 transactions to get the best values for the least out of pocket cash. I went to the store at 8:20PM on a Tuesday, when it isn't busy and the cashiers are chatty. They don't mind doing 4 transactions back to back for you when it is slow! :)

1. In Transaction 1, I bought some clearance heart lollies for the girls for 50c. AND, I bought the Listerine Total Care Mouthwash from the circular. You Pay $3.99, You get $2 EB back. Also, I had a $2 off Listerine coupon (printed from Coupons.com a while back).  So, it was like I got the Listerine FREE!  Spent$2.79 OOP, after tax and coupons, got $2 EB.
2. Colgate Total Advanced Toothpaste was Buy 1 at $3.79, get $3.79 in EB.  I used the $2 EB from Transaction 1.  Again, this was like FREE, or even getting paid to own as I spent $2.06 OOP, and got $3.79 EB back. 
3. Worked the Colgate Deal one more time, as the limit was 2.  I bought one at $3.79. I used the EB from the previous deal, $3.79 EB. My total was .27 c for tax.  I got $3.79 EB back. So, again, FREE toothpaste. 
4. The transaction I came to actually "do".  I bought one package of Jumbo Pull Ups, one package of Overnights diapers (both Huggies).  These were $8.99 each. Also, I had two $2 off coupons for these.  So, they were $6.99 each after coupon. THEN, I used the $3.79 EB from the last Colgate deal to pay for them.  My total came out to $11.45 for both "diapers", post tax and coupons, or  $5.72 each pack!  Pretty nice! AND, I got $4 in EB back!

Total Summary:  
I spent a total out of pocket amount of  $22.35 at both stores.  I have $11 worth of rewards to spend next week.  I saved $33.86 in in-store deals and coupons combined. It took me about 15 minutes to decide which deals to work at the drugstores and which coupons to pull out to work them.  IF you did not have any coupons and worked these deals you could have rolled the Rite Aid savings into each other. AND, once you work a deal or two like these "Rewards back" deals, you will always have some Rewards in your wallet to keep for the next week's deals. The goal is to always have some to work with so that your original money spent working the first deal keeps getting rolled forward into more savings and value with less out of pocket expense.  


**I want to note that I needed the Pull Ups and Diapers. To buy both at normal Target cost, sans coupons, it would have been about $18.   My CVS total was $16.57 for EVERYTHING! AND, I have $4 EB to use next week.

 

  

PediaSure or PediaSure SideKicks Try Me Free Rebate

PediaSure/PediaSure Sidekicks Rebate Offer

Have a picky eater? Not sure your child is getting enough protein, fiber, etc in their diet? PediaSure and PediaSure Sidekicks have this great Try Me Free rebate going on right now.  Just go HERE to view the official rebate rules and print a copy of the rebate form.

 

Basically, you will buy a 6-pack of PediaSure, or a 4-pack of PediaSure Sidekicks and submit your receipt for a full rebate. Minimum purchase must be $6.47, maximum rebate check value will be $13.99.  Also, there was a $5 off manuf coupon in the paper this past week. Depending on how the company decides to value the rebate, this could be a possible moneymaker.   When you submit this rebate, do not forget to write the UPC from the drinks on the receipt when you mail it in.  Rebate request must be received by 4/3/11, and receipts must be dated between 1/23/11 and 3/6/11.

 

This is such a wonderful rebate. These items are so pricey. When you have a picky eater, you don't want to invest more money into trying to get nutrition into their bodies, just to have them turn their nose up at the drink! This way, you can let your picky eater try the drink free and then make an informed decision about whether this will suit your child's nutritional needs. Pretty great.  My child wants to be a vegetarian. Not because she thinks it is "mean" to eat animals. But, rather, it is because she just really enjoys her broccoli, apples, and salads. I can't wait to see if she likes this drink so I can get more protein in her!  

Why You Should ALWAYS Scan Your Extra-Care Card at the Kiosk in CVS

Scan your Extra-Care Card at the In-Store Coupon Kiosk at CVS

If You Get the Listerine Coupon, You Have a Potential Money-Maker Deal!

Couponing to Disney just posted a really great scenario! Apparently, some folks are getting a very valuable coupon for Listerine when they scan their Extra-Care card at the in-store coupon kiosk. You should ALWAYS scan your card as the first thing you do as soon as you walk into a CVS Pharmacy Store.  

In this case, Listerine Mouthwash is on sale with an Extra Buck deal attached. When you stack two of your manufacturer's coupons with the kiosk coupon, you pay about 98 cents and get a couple of EB's back! That is a Money Maker!! 

Go HERE for all the deal details and Couponing to Disney's strategic coupon scenario. 

Thanks, Kristin!  

Hmmm.. I am getting kinda low on mouthwash. I only have one bottle of it left in my personal "store".  And, I did notice some good toothpaste, etc deals. I think I will head to CVS for sure this week! I will keep you all posted on the deals that I work, as I work them so that you will know how to do them too!

Physician's Formula Rebate Might be a Moneymaker!

Physician's Formula "Try Me Free" Rebate Offer

Physician's Formula is offering a "Try Me Free after Mail-In Rebate" deal. You must have the peelie/tag off the qualifying item to mail in with your original cash register receipt or they will not honor the rebate request.  These rebates require you to circle the purchase price of the item(s), pre-coupons.  Go HERE for official information and downloadable rebate form.

*This might be a moneymaker scenerio. Several people have received up to $10 off in CVS coupons for Physician's Formula products when they scan their Extra-Care card at the in-store kiosk.  This means that you would get the full ORIGINAL cost of the item back through the rebate offer. If you used a $10 coupon, and let's say the product was $20, you will pay $10 out of pocket, but get credit for the whole $20. The rebate check would come back to you as $20. That is getting paid $10 to own Physician's Formula product in this hypothetical scenerio. I say it's worth hopping over to CVS and seeing if you get the coupon! Just make sure the item you buy has the "try me free" label, tag, peelie on it otherwise it isn't a qualifying, limited quantity item.