CVS: No Extra Bucks, No Problem!

When I went to CVS last week, I used all my Extra Bucks. It was by accident, you see. I tried to buy the Paas Easter Egg Kits to roll some Extra Bucks, but the deal ended on Monday. I THOUGHT it was Monday, but in actuality, it was Tuesday! So the kind lady did a return for me and put the money on a gift card...it's all the same to me!

I made a return trip to CVS yesterday to do the great Diaper Deal! But me, not feeling well and tired from pregnancy #2, made some simple mistakes. My OOP could and SHOULD have been much lower, but I did things a little backwards. I did get 1 ECB from my quarterly spending, so I did have that to start with. Here are my 3 transactions:

#1
Easter Baskets 2 x $1.99
Easter Grass 2 x .79
-1 EB
TOTAL $4.88 on GC, nothing OOP
Earned 3.98 & 1.58 EB

#2
Huggies Gentle Wipes 3 x $5
Huggies Gentle Diapers $10
-$5/$25 from email
-$15 Gentle Care PRODUCT printable (no longer available)
-$5 Gentle Care DIAPER product printable (no longer available)
TOTAL (tax only ) $1.40 on GC, nothing OOP
Earned 10 EB

#3
Coke 3/$11
Mentos 3 x $1.69
-$2 Coke coupon from Kroger mailer
-$3 Mentos Coupons
-10 EB
TOTAL $1.49 on GC, nothing OOP
Earned 3 & 1 EB

SO, I have quite a few Extra Bucks left. Now I know it looks like some great transactions, but my OOP could have been lower. How?? Well, let me show you! The order you do transactions COULD save you some money!

#1
Huggies Gentle Wipes 3 x $5
Huggies Gentle Diapers $10
-$5/$25 from email
-$15 Gentle Care PRODUCT printable (no longer available)
-$5 Gentle Care DIAPER product printable (no longer available)
TOTAL (tax only ) $1.40 on GC, nothing OOP
Earned 10 EB

#2
Coke 3/$11
Mentos 3 x $1.69
-$2 Coke coupon from Kroger mailer
-$3 Mentos Coupons
-10 EB (from Trans #1), 1 EB from quarterly
TOTAL .42 on GC, nothing OOP
Earned 3 & 1 EB

#3
Easter Baskets 2 x $1.99
Easter Grass 2 x .79
- 4 EB (from previous trans)
TOTAL $1.67 on GC, nothing OOP
Earned 3.98 & 1.58 EB

My total OOP for my actual transactions was $7.77, and I have 9.56 EBs. If I did my order differently, my OOP would have been $3.49, and I would have $5.56 EBs. So I would have saved $4.28 , but I would have less EBs for next time*. I guess it all comes out in the wash, but none of it was "my money," so I'll just let it go and do better next time!!

*If you noticed, my difference in EBs is $4. Add 7% tax to that and it is $4.28!! There you go!

Now, if you need a little help learning the ropes of CVS, The Thrifty Mama has a great series going on right now. She taught me what I know, and has saved me LOTS of money. So go visit her series on From The Ground Up, and you'll learn all you need to know!

Money Maker at Kroger!

Have I mentioned I *heart* Kroger?? I stopped by to get some milk for my boys, but I always do a quick run through for bargain's sake. As a quickly walked up and down the aisles, I came across one of my "favorite" deals. Pillsbury 5 count Cinnamon Rolls, Crescent Rolls and Grands are on sale for $1.00. I never get the cinnamon rolls because they can be pricey, but check out my deal:

Buy 5 Cinnamon Rolls at $1.00 = $5.00

Use 5 .30/1 coupons, doubled - $3.00

Total OOP $2.00

BUT WAIT! I got a $3.00 OYNO Cat!! I made $1.00!

The Crescents are a pretty good deal too:

5 Crescents at $1 = $5.00

5 .25/1 doubled = $2.50

Total OOP $2.50

Get a $3.00 OYNO Cat!

The only Grands coupon I have is .40/3, so not AS good, but still pretty good!

If I did my math right, it's .40 for 6 AFTER the OYNO Cat. You have to buy 6 to use 2 coupons.

The sale on the Pillsbury items is through March 3rd, so if they are sold out be sure to get a raincheck because the Catalina special runs through March 22nd. New coupons may be out before then! The catalina special is buy ANY 3 Pillsbury products, get $1.50, buy 4 get $2 or buy 5 and get $3.00 (refrigerated products).

Have fun getting paid to shop!!!

Kroger Loves Me

I went to Kroger yesterday with the intention of being lucky enough to find some marked down meat. The meat is fine, just close to it's sell by date. I found a few things, but it was the other markdowns that really got me!! Now, I spent a little more than usual, but I got so much that will last a long time! Here's the run down from 2 transactions:

4 Community Coffee $4.99 ea

8 Fruit Rollups $1.69 ea (I could eat the whole box in a day, okay, an hour- SERIOUSLY)

2 Grands Biscuits $1.27 ea

1 Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls $1.79 (not on sale, but I'm pregnant!)

1 Kroger Tortillas $1.29

14 Tropicana Pure Orange Juice .99 ea (Manager's Special- AWESOME!)

6 Whole Milk, half gallons .99 ea (Manager's Special!)

4 2% Milk, half gallons .99 ea (Manager's Special!)

1 Eggland Eggs $2.52

1 Danactive Yogurt, 14 pack $1.99 (Another Manager's Special)

1 Kroger Sour Cream .99

1 Lettuce $1.29

3 Sanderson 100% Natural Chicken, $3.61 ea

2 Whole Chickens $2.75 ea

1 Oscar Meyer Lunch Meat $6.29 (Free after Kroger Loyalty Coupon)

1 Carrots $1.99

6 Loaves of Lewis Whole Wheat Bread $1.79 ea

4 Tunas .72 ea

Bananas $1.16

Kroger Diapers $3.99 (After Kroger printable)

I froze the excess O.J. and milk. And what about my coupons? I am not going to list all the coupons, but here are the best from what I used:

• $1.00/2 Tropicana Pure Juices (That means I got them BOGO!)


• .50 Fruit Rollups (Doubled to $1) This was actually a Money Maker because if you buy 5, then you get a $3.50 Cat OYNO.


• .50 off Lewis Bread (doubled to $1)


• $2 Community Coffee (coffee for only $2.99!!)


• .40 off 2 Grands Biscuits


• $3 off for getting 10 of select items- included was the Fruit Rollups and Grands. So that's .30 off each item, the Grands were .57 after discount and coupons, the Rollups were .39 per box!! THEN I got the $3.50 cat. I spent $3.12 on the rollups, so I made .38! Almost a free box! YAY!


• $3.50 cat from Rollups deal

TOTAL after coupons: $44.10!!!!!!!!! My total was $85.55, but I had a gift card, so I didn't count that as part of my total. One of my coffee coupons didn't scan, and the cashier huffed when I said something. SHE noticed a rollup coupon didn't scan. She tried again, but it still didn't. What did she do? Nothing! So I went back to Kroger that night (2nd transaction), went up to CS, explained the situation and that also 2 of my O.J.'s rang at regular price. Since I am in there ALL THE TIME, really, I am, they went ahead and refunded me the coupon amounts (usually you are out of luck) and the full amount of the O.J. I included the refund in my total.

SO, there it is! My great Kroger run! I am trying to prepare for the new arrival, so getting deals like this is definitely going to help!