Virtual Savings

I love to shop with coupons. I love to shop sales with coupons. But there are those days when you really, really want (or need) to do a little online shopping. Sometimes you can get a fabulous deal, other times a little help is necessary. Enter Retailmenot.com.

I can consistently find coupon codes for free shipping, a percentage off an entire purchase, or a free gift. I NEVER buy anything offline until I have checked with this site first.  

Publix Trip 9/02

Pepsi products are Buy 2, Get 2 Free so we picked up the following:

2 12 packs of Wild Cherry Pepsi - $4.75
2 12 packs of Pepsi - $4.75
2 12 packs of Mountain Dew (2 $1/1 Target Qs) - $2.75
2 12 packs of Dr. Pepper - $4.75

2 Uncle Ben's Ready Rice (2 $1/1 Man Qs) - $.67

2 20ct bottles of Excedrin Gel Caps (Rain Check for 2 @ $1.49, 2 $1/1 Man Qs) - $.98

2 50oz Bottles of Wisk Laundry Detergent @ $4.49 (2 $3/1 Man Qs, 2 $1/1 Target Qs) - $.98

1# of Ground Chuck (Earth Fare Q: Free pound of ground chuck with a $5 purchase) - FREE

Total Before Couons: $38.29
Used: $10 off a $30 purchase World Market coupon

Total after all coupons and sales tax: $9.40

This Week's CVS Purchases - Money Back!

This week I bought:

2 Schick Hydro 3 Razors
2 Schick Hydro Shaving Creams
2 Nivea Shaving Creams
1 Dulcolax Balance (14 dose)
2 Arm & Hammer 14lb boxes of cat litter


I spent $10 even on all of the above and saved $54.73 (84.55%).

I am getting MIRs equal to $17.94, which means...

I EARNED $7.94 on my CVS shopping!

Publix Trip 8.12

We kicked Publix's butt yesterday. Here's how:

4 packages of Del Monte Fruit cups (BOGO @ 2.79) $5.58 - 4 $1/1 Target Qs, 1 $.75/3 Man Q: $.83

2 22ct packages of Stay Free pantyliners $1.99 ea - 1 B1G1 Man Q, 2 $1/1 Man Qs: Free

4 packages of Orville Red. popcorn (BOGO @4.89) $9.78 - 1 $1.50/4 Congara Products Q and 2 $.40/1 Man Q: $7.48

2 Kashi cereals (on sale 2/$5) $5 - 2 $2.50/1 BJs coupons: Free

4 Kelloggs Mini wheats cereals (BOGO @ $4.19) $8.38- 2 $1/2 Man Qs, 4 $1/1 Target Qs: $2.38

1 Kelloggs Granola Bars $3.19 - $.70/1 Man Q: $2.49

4 boxes HonestKidz Fruit drinks -not pictured(BOGO @ $3.49) $6.98- 4 $1/1 World Market Qs, 4 $.75/1 Man Qs: Free

2 bags Tyson Chicken Nuggets (BOGO @ $6.59) $6.59- 2 $2.50/1 BJs Qs, 2 $1/1 Man Q: +$.41

2 Smart Balance Spreads (BOGO @ 3.09) $3.09 - no Qs :(

2 packages Barber Chicken (BOGO @ $4.99) $4.99 - 2 $1/1 Man Qs: $2.99

4 packages Aunt Jemima waffles (BOGO @ 2.39) $4.78 - 4 $1/1 Target Qs: $.78

6 packages of BIC mechanical pencils (3/$3) $6- 3 $1/2 Man Qs, 3 $1/2 Target Qs: Free

2 Pilot Pens ($.99 ea) $1.98 - 2 $1/1 Man Q: $.02

4 packages Papermate pens (2/$1) $2- 4 $.50/1 Man Qs: Free

3 Herbal Essences Products ($1.99 ea) $5.97 - B1G1 (up to $3.28) -$3.28: $2.69

1 Aussie Styler product $3.49 - B1 Herbal Ess, G1 Aussie (up to $3.28): $.11

1 Publix Medicated Shampoo: $4.99 no coupons :(

4 bags Friskies Cat Food (BOGO @ $4.09) $8.18 - 4 $.75/1 Target Qs, 3 $1/1 Man Qs: $2.18

2 bags Purina cat treats ($1.69 ea) $3.38 - 1 B1G1 up to $1.89 Man Q, 1 $1/2 Purina treats Target Q: $.49

Frank's Hot Sauce $2.39 - $.50/1 Man Q: $1.89

Apples ($1.49/lb) $2.07 -$1/1 Produce item Target Q: $1.07
Bananas ($.69/lb) $.81 - $1/1 Produce item Target Q: $.19

6 Eggs: $.75

1 package Perdue boneless skinless chicken breast: $4.01

1 package Chuck Steak: $3.29

1 Half Picnic roast: $4.81

1 $5/50 Publix coupon : $5

1 $10/30 World Market coupon: $10

3 $5/20 Save-a-Lot coupons: $15

Total after coupons: $17.96

But, wait - it gets better. I bought 5 Kelloggs products at one time and have sent a MIR for $5/5 Kellogg products to the manufacturer.

That brings my total spending to $13.43! Total Savings on Sales: $84.32, Savings from Coupons: $90.55 for total savings of $195.30 or 93.57%!

CVS $5 Challenge

This is my first true attempt to take the CVS $5 challenge. I'm a little confused about the rules, but I'm going to jump in anyway. This is my plan:

Transaction 1:

1 Schick Hydro Razor @ $8.97 + 4 ECB
- $5/1 Schick Hydro (SS 8/8/10)
- Free Razor (up to $10.99) after MIR

1 Schick Hydro Shaving Cream
- Free Shaving cream peelie on razor package

2 Nivea Men's face lotions, B1G1 starting at $2.99
- $4/2 Nivea face lotions

Total: $1.28 (including tax), earned 4 ECB

Transaction 2:

1 Schick Hydro Razor @ $8.97 + 4 ECB
- $5/1 Schick Hydro (SS 8/8/10)
- Free Razor (up to $10.99) after MIR
- Use 4 ECBs from above

1 Schick Hydro Shaving Cream
- Free Shaving cream peelie on razor package

Total: $.89 (including tax)


Transaction 3:

1 Dulcolax Balance, 8.3oz @ $9.99 + $9.99 ECB
- $3/1 Dulcolax Balance

Total: $7.68 (including tax), earned $9.99 ECBs


Transaction 4:

2 14lb cases of Arm & Hammer Cat Litter @ $5.99
- 2 $1/1 any Arm & Hammer Cat Litter
- Use $9.99 ECBs from above

Total: $0

Grand Total: $10.85 out of pocket. I will receive $17.94 from MIRs giving me EARNINGS of $7.09! Not too shabby!

Shopping Trip 8/05

The top picture is of our CVS shopping trip. As you can see, we bought 4 Sobe drinks and a bottle of Dawn Hand Renewal dish soap. Sobes were B1G1, and we had 2 B1G1 manufacturer coupons - Free drinks. The dish soap was on sale for $.97 and we had a manufacturer coupon for $1/1 any size. So... we got everything in the first picture for sales tax - $.30. The only other thing I can think of that nears that price is a gumball.

Picture number two is our Publix shopping trip:

8 bottles of Ragu (BOGO at $2.53), we had 4 Publix $1/2 Qs as well as 2 man. $1/2
6 bottles of Mott's Medleys Juice (BOGO at $2.99), we had 6 $1/1 Food Lion Qs
2 bottles of Vlasic pickles (BOGO at $2.89), we had 2 $.75/1 blinkies
1 bag of cat food (on sale for $2.99), we had a $1.50/1 man Q
2 Coffee Mate creamers ($2.50 ea.), we had 2 $.75/1 man Q
2 Progresso broths (BOGO at 2.59) - no Qs :(
4 packs of healthy harvest noodles (BOGO at $1.79) - 2 $1/2 man Qs
2.03 lbs of Georgia peaches (on sale for $.89/lb) $1.81
2 Nabisco variety packs (BOGO at $5.99), we had 2 $2.50/1 BJs Qs, and 1 $1/2 man Q (FREE!)
1 bottle of Publix cocoa butter $3.49, Publix coupon for a free one
1 bottle of Publix rubbing alcohol $1.49, Publix coupon for a free one
6 packs of BIC mechanical pencils (on sale 3/$3), we had 3 $1/2 Target coupons

This brought our total up to $52.42 before Qs

That same day Hubby Dear went to get the mail and came back elated to find a $5/50 Publix coupon in this week's mailer. (He also grabbed 4 other mailers that other people in our complex had thrown away, enthusiastically stating "It's like their throwing away $5 bills!" Ah... I am so proud.) Hubby Dear poured over the mailer to see if there was anything else "good" while I organized the coupons for our trip. Lo and behold, but he finds a World Market coupon for $10 off a $30 purchase. Well! Isn't that nice! We weren't sure if Publix accepts WM as a competitor, but fortune favors the bold and they took it. :)

After Qs we paid $6.94 plus $.67 in sales tax. Oh Beautiful Day!

At Publix we saved : $53.49 by shopping sales
$45.48 by using coupons
_______________________________
$98.97 Total Savings or Savings of 93.44%

Overall (both Publix and CVS) we got $113.24 worth of groceries for $6.94 plus tax.
Grand Savings Total - $106.30 or 93.87%

Our best week yet!

IHeartPublix.com - Next Week's Deals

Here they are! All the dirt you need to get the planning for next week's shopping trip underway:

Weekly Ad (7/15-7/21)