A penny pinched

is a penny earned.

Category : CVS

Delegating

I was busy this past week, so I delegated the grocery shopping. All in all, it wasn’t too bad, although a few small mistakes were made. I’m such a control freak, and this was a good experience in letting go and learning to be appreciative.

Walmart
Ken’s salad dressing, 16 oz: $2.24 – $1.00 coupon = $1.24 (this is what happens when you delegate)
Yakisoba noodles: $0.62 – $0.50 coupon = $0.12
Degree travel size deodorant: $0.97 (coupon didn’t scan. grrr!!)
Spent: $2.67


Walgreens
Walgreens aluminum foil, 20 sq ft: $0.69 – 20% off coupon = $0.55
2 bottles Renuzit, 13 oz each: $2.99 – 15% off coupon – two $1.00 coupons = $0.54
Spent: $1.37
Saved: $5.44


Hen House
Post Honey Bunches of Oats Raisin Medley, 17 oz: $2.00 – $1.00 coupon = $1.00
Lipton tea, 29 ct: $3.99 – $0.60 coupon = $3.39 (messed up)
Spent: $4.87
Saved: $3.29


CVS
5 Pepsi bottles, 2 liters each: $4.40
Skintimate shaving gel, 7 oz: $3.49 – $0.55 coupon = $2.94 (generated $2.50 ECB)
2 Clean & Clear shower gels, 16 oz each: (2 x $2.99) – BOGO coupon – $2.00 coupon = $0.99
Used $7.99 ECB from a previous transaction
Spent: $2.06
Saved: $24.69


Price Chopper
2 Tony’s four cheese pizzas: ($1.69 x 2) – $1.00 = $2.38
2 mangoes: 2 x $0.69 = $1.38
Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers: $$0.69
2 Yoplait Greek yogurts: (2 x $0.99) – $0.60 = $1.38
4 lbs oranges: $1.69
0.77 lbs green beans: $0.77
1.06 lbs asparagus: $1.05
Spent: $10.24
Saved: $10.16


Costco
36 flour tortillas, 63 oz: $3.99
Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches, 20 ct: $9.45 – $2.75 coupon = $6.70
Organic baby spring mix, 1 lb: $4.29
Kirkland Signature Parmigiano Reggiano, 1 lb: $14.99
Kirkland Signature wheat bread, 4 lbs: $3.79
Spent: $37.01

GRAND TOTAL: $58.22
TOTAL SAVED: $43.58

Groceries 3/27/11 and weekly recap

Hy-Vee
Peter Pan peanut butter, 3 pack, 48.9 oz total: $2.98
Spent: $3.25

Hen House
2 lbs strawberries: $1.38
Green Giant honey glazed carrots, 10 oz: $1.25 – $0.50 coupon (doubled) = $0.25
Roberts sour cream, 16 oz: $1.29 – $0.30 coupon (doubled) = $0.69
Spent: $2.60
Saved: $9.63

TOTAL: $5.85

All I really needed at Hy-Vee this week was the 3-pack of peanut butter, but I made up for it with a quick trip to Hen House. I love shopping at Hen House, and I get some of my best deals there. I should make more of an effort to pay attention to the sales they’re having because I don’t shop there nearly enough.

I also got a couple of things at CVS and Walgreens earlier this week.

CVS
Head & Shoulders shampoo, 14.2 oz: $4.99 – $1.00 coupon = $3.99 (generated $2.50 ECB)
Spent: 3.44
Saved: $2.89

Walgreens
2 Dove chocolates, 1.3 oz each: $0.98 – $0.75 coupon = $0.23
Spent: $0.32

TOTAL: $3.76

GRAND TOTAL FOR THE WEEK: $18.81 (including my earlier trip to Price Chopper and Costco)

That’s a pretty low total. I’ll gladly pocket the difference or use it to stock up next week.

Week ending on 3/20/11

This past week I shopped at SEVEN stores on two different days. I’m crazy, I know.

First, I ran to Walgreens and CVS last Sunday, and those were by far my most impressive shopping trips of the week. I’m pretty well stocked up, and I don’t need lots of things from the drugstores anymore, so I’d forgotten just how great it can be to walk out of there with a cart full of things for which you paid only a couple of dollars. It’s even better when the cashier can’t believe you’re getting such a good deal, and she asks to see the flyer before she lets you walk out of there with all those things.

Friday was my regular shopping day, and I went to Hen House, Hy-Vee, Price Chopper, Aldi, and Costco. I could’ve skipped Hen House and Aldi since I only went to each of them for a single item. Sometimes it makes sense to go a little out of your way if the savings are worth your time and money, but not always. Even when the savings justify it, make sure you grab the right item so that you don’t wipe your savings by overpaying.

All in all it was a great week. I was only slightly over my initial budget of $50/week, which I have actually upgraded to a more realistic $75/week. I figured that $50 was much too restrictive, especially since I use that money not only for groceries but also for cleaning supplies and personal care items. Moreover, even the thrifty USDA food plan for a family of 2 is $82.60/week as of January 2011. More often than not, I hover around $50/week anyway, but I no longer feel like I’m constantly failing whenever I go above.

Walgreens

Spent: $0.40
Saved: $8.98

CVS

Spent: $3.93
Saved: $42.42

Costco

Spent: $26.03
Saved: $3.00

Price Chopper

Spent: $12.98
Saved: $16.40

Hy-Vee, Hen House, and Aldi

Spent: $10.08
Saved: $9.36

GRAND TOTAL: $53.42
TOTAL SAVINGS: $80.16

CVS 3/13/11

This was only my second time doing multiple transactions at CVS. I even walked out with my first purchase and came back in for the rest. I’m such a wimp when it comes to these things. I started out with $9.79 in ECB, and I wasn’t about to let that multiply to double digits. Please ignore my moving boxes and unused aquarium.

Transaction 1
Tena ultra thin pads, 32 ct (donation): $9.99 – $2.50 coupon – $6 ECB = $1.49 (generated $9.99 ECB)

Total: $2.38
Saved: $11.80

Transaction 2
1 trial size Theraflu: $0.99 – $0.99 coupon = FREE (generated $0.99 ECB)
15 Coke bottles, 2 liters each: $15.00 – $14.78 ECB =  $0.22 (generated $5.00 ECB)

Total: $1.55
Saved: $30.62

When all was said and done, I walked out of there having paid only $3.93 out of pocket, and I will have $5.99 to spend during the next month. Not bad at all.

Week ending on 7/18/10

I was slightly under budget this week. I would’ve been quite a big under budget had I not shopped at Walmart yesterday. I had bought some steak at Hy-Vee and I was all set for my birthday, but then Walmart came around with a deal I couldn’t pass: $0.98 bacon wrapped beef filets. Naturally, I picked up some more stuff while I was there, and that brought my total for the week up to $48.07. Not bad at all. Here’s where the money went:

Costco
I only got some Romaine hearts.
Spent: $3.91

Walmart

Spent: $5.65

Hy-Vee

Spent: $25.66

Walgreens

Spent: $1.84
Saved: $8.38

Hen House

Spent: $3.17
Saved: $6.14

CVS

Spent: $3.96
Saved: $17.37

Target

Spent: $3.88
Saved: $4.48

TOTAL SPENT: $48.07

CVS 7/14/10

2 x Campbell’s tomato soup – $1.00
2 x Head & Shoulders shampoo – $4.99 after Buy 1 Get 1 Free coupon (generated $2.00 ECBs)
Papermate pens (10 pack) – $0.99
Small scissors – $0.99
TOTAL: $3.96 after using $5.00 ECBs
SAVED: $17.37

Week ending on 7/11/10

I ALMOST stayed under budget this pas week. Almost. I spent a total of $52.19 and shopped at Target, Hy-Vee, Hen House, Walgreens, CVS, and Costco. I know that sounds like a lot, but four of them are lined up on the same street, fairly close to each other. In fact, CVS is right next to Hy-Vee and Walgreens is across the Street from Hen House. The only reason I mention this is because it’s not as big of a hassle as it sounds. The only store that was out of the way is Target, and I may or may not continue to shop there in the future. In any case, it was a pretty good week. Here’s a breakdown of where my money went.

Target
Spent: $5.13
Saved: $10.75

CVS
Spent: $2.31
Saved: $16.74

Hy-Vee
Spent: $13.30

Hen House
Spent: $17.01
Saved: $25.10

Walgreens
Spent: $4.48
Saved: $24.56

Costco
Spent: $9.96

TOTAL SPENT: $52.19
TOTAL SAVED: $77.15 (does not include savings at Costco and Hy-Vee)

CVS deals on 7/8/10

2 x Cascade dishwashing gel, 45 oz each – $5.24 after coupons ($0.25 and $0.50, also generated $1.00 ECB)
Head & Shoulders shampoo, 23.7 oz – $5.99 (generated $2.00 ECB)
Total: $2.31 after using $10.00 ECBs
Saved: $16.74

I also got $2.00 ECB for my spending this past quarter, so that means I have a total of $5.00 ECBs to use next time.

Week ending on 6/27/10

4 peaches – $1.16
4 nectarines – $1.16
5 plums – $1.45
1 flower bouquet – $3.99
12 pack diet citrus twist soda – $1.99
TOTAL: $10.51

I messed this deal up. The body wash wasn’t included in the promotion. Oh well.

Gillette clinical strength deodorant – $6.99 after $3.00 coupon
2 x Gillette body wash – FREE after 2 “Buy deodorant, get body wash free” coupons
2 x Gillette deodorant – $5.98 after $4.00 coupon
TOTAL: $14.29 (generated $4.50 register rewards for next time)
SAVED: $17.98

1 Colgate toothpaste, 4 oz – $1.99 after $1.00 coupon (generated $2.00 ECB)
2 x Post Honey Bunches of Oats – $2.76 after $1.00 coupon
1 CVS women’s shave cream – FREE with emailed coupon
TOTAL: $2.90 after using $1.99 ECBs from a previous trip. I got $2.00 ECB to use during the next month.
SAVED: $12.50

2 x dozen large eggs – $1.00
Hy-Vee apple juice, 64 oz – $0.99
Wonder whole wheat bread, 16 oz – $1.00
3 x Midwest Country Fare paper towels – $1.00
Hy-Vee shredded mozzarella cheese – $1.00
Hy-Vee shredded colby jack cheese – $1.00
2.4 lbs tomatoes – $2.33
1 cantaloupe – $1.38
2 Dole iceberg salad mixes – $1.00
6 oz raspberries – $1.67
TOTAL: $3.36 after using a $10 gift card received for emailing them about the previous weeks’ errors.
SAVED: $17.63 even before the $10 gift card

1 gallon skim milk – $2.25
2 jars Pace salsa, 38 oz each – $3.39 after $2.00 coupon
2.38 lbs feta cheese – $7.59
3 lbs Kirkland tortilla strips – $3.39
1 pair Unionbay cargo shorts – $15.79
TOTAL: $35.17
SAVED:
I’m honestly too tired and busy to keep figuring this out every single shopping trip. I know I saved, but I’m not about to scour the web and my pricebook trying to figure out the cost of salsa down to the ounce. It’s a good price, let’s just leave it at that. I’m not so sure about the feta, but I can splurge a little bit if I want to.

GRAND TOTAL: $49.17!!! Under $50 again!
TOTAL SAVED: $48.11 even without counting Aldi and Costco.

CVS deals on 6/25/10

1 Colgate toothpaste, 4 oz – $1.99 after $1.00 coupon (generated $2.00 ECB)
2 x Post Honey Bunches of Oats – $2.76 after $1.00 coupon
1 CVS women’s shave cream – FREE with emailed coupon
Total: $2.90 after using $1.99 ECBs from a previous trip. I got $2.00 ECB to use during the next month.
Saved: $12.50