CVS week of 1/31/12

This week I did my CVS trip at a different store then normally because My Store has a tiny parking lot and scheduled 3 different deliveries all at once! The new store is a lot bigger and I LOVE the self-check out even though it gave me a lot of trouble. Two different clerks helped me and now that I know the self-check out tricks I'll be better prepared next time!

I also did my trip in 2 transactions to "roll" the Skintimates deal. Below is how each transaction works:

1st Transaction:

2 Hellmann's Mayo on sale 2/$6
-used $.40/2 coupon

4 Pringle's Chips on sale 4/$5.96
-used $1/4 coupon
-Got $1 ECB

2 Ragu & 1 Bertolli Sauce on sale 3/$5
-used $1/2 coupon
-got $3 ECB

2-3pk Irish Spring Bar Soap on sale for $3 (was going to get 3 but they only had 2, I just realized I never pulled out the third coupon and the clerk entered them manually)
-used 3 $.50 off 1 coupons

2 Softsoap Foam on sale $3 (planned 1 but had to replace the Irish Spring they didn't have)
- used 1-$.40/1
- got $6 ECB

2 Dawn Dish Soap on sale $.98
- used $1/2 coupon

Tom of Maine Deodorant $3.99
- got $3 ECB

4 Hershey Milk Chocolate $1.19each
3 Hershey Air Delight Free w/buy Milk Chocolate get Air Delight coupons
2 Resses Peanut Butter Cups Free w/CVS buy2get1free deal

3 $.99 Hallmark Greeting Cards
-got $3 ECB

2 Skintimate Shave Gel $4.29 each
- got $8 ECB

I used $19 in ECB's from last week and the $10 Gift Card from last week.

I paid $18.80 OOP
I got $24 ECB's


Transaction 2:

6 Skintimate Shave Gels @$4.29

I used the $24.00 ECB's
I paid $3.90 OOP
I got $24 ECB's for next trip!

My Biggest CVS Trip Yet!!!!!!!

So I have had this BIG CVS trip planned since I got a sneak peek of the ad last week! I've been so excited to execute my plan but was held back because my income tax hadn't come in yet! It finally came in this morning and I went straight to CVS!!!! I had to drag hubby along because I needed someone to push the other cart(I dont know why they make them so small, widen the aisles) which meant we had Lilleebean too.

My plan was to spend $69 and get back $29 in ExtraCare Bucks. However, when I got to my CVS they never got half of their Valentine's Day Candy in and they had no Bounty Basic paper towels. I must say the manager was very nice and was going to give me the regular Bounty towels at the sale prices but they wouldn't have counted towards the Buy $30 Get $10 deal so I didn't get it there and got it at the store down the street. In New Rochelle there are litterally 6 CVS in a 3 mile radius(Im not kidding). I ended up not being able to use $7 in coupons because the size was wrong or they didnt have the item and I had to buy 4 sets of 2/$6 items instead of 2/$5 items and an extra Bounty because the M&M's didn't count towards both deals so my total out of pocket was $81.44 and I got back $29 in ExtraCare Bucks!

So here's what I got and how:

Spend $30, Get $10 Deal

Bounty Basic 8pk Paper Towels on sale for $5.99, I got 2 and had a $1/1 coupon

Wrigley's 3pk Gum on sale for 2/$3.00

Coke 12pks on sale for 2/$5.00, I got 2 deals for $10 plus tax and deposit

Snickers/Twix on sale 2/$6.00, I used a $1.50/1 coupon


Hershey's/Hallmark Spend $15/Get $5

M&M's on sale 2/$6.00, I used $1.50/1 coupon

Hershey's Kisses on sale 2/$5.00, I used 2 $1/1 CVS red machine coupons, I got 2 for my sunday school class :)

Hallmark V-Day Cards $.99, I got 2


Shick Spend $20, Get $10 Deal

Shick Quttro on sale for $11.99, I used $2.00/1
Shick Disposables on sale for $9.99, I used $2.00/1

ExtraCare Buck Deals

Frito Lay's Munchies 2/$6, get $2 ECB

Lay's Chips 2/$6, get $1 ECB

Kleenex Tissue 3pk $2.99, Get $1 ECB and I used a $.50/1 coupon

I also used $8 in ECB's towards this purchase.


Total Before Sale/Coupons: $142.84
Total Out of Pocket: $81.44
A Savings of: $61.40
ECB Earned: $29.00

CVS Trip 1/18/12

Just a small trip this week but I good one! I saved $47.67, spent $22.42 and got $8.00 in ExtraCare Bucks to spend this week!

Here's how:

Herbal Essence/Aussie/Pantene products are normally $4.99 each. This week they were on sale for 3/$9.99

I got a Herbal Essence Hair Spray and Pantene Shampoo and Conditioner for the 3/$9.99 deal and used a $3.00/2 Pantene and a $1.00/1 Herbal Essence coupon.

Axe Deodarant are normally $4.89 each. This week they were on sale for 3/$13. I used 3 $1.00/1 coupons.

Glade Sense and Spray and Glade Plug Ins are normally $12.49 each. This week on sale for $5.00!!! I used 2/$3.50 off the Sense & Spray and 1/$3.00 off Plug Ins making them only $2.00-$2.50 each!

I also used the $4.00 & $.075 ExtraCare bucks from last week making my total Out of pocket $22.42.

And I received $4.00 in ExtraCare bucks for buying the Glade products and $4.00 in Extra Care bucks for buying the Axe products!

Oatmeal Apple Muffins

Makes 12 Muffins

Muffins
1 1/2 cups oats (quick or OF)
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 egg white
1 small apple


Topping
1/2 cup oats (quick or OF)
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons melted margarine

Directions:

Heat oven to 400.

Spray muffin tin with non-stick spray

Mix oats, flour, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda.

Add applesauce, milk, brown sugar, oil and egg white.

Mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Fill muffin cups almost full.

Cut apple into very small pieces and sprinkle over muffin batter.

For topping combine remaining ingredients. Sprinkle evenly over batter.

Bake 22-24 minutes until golden brown.

Save tons with Homemade Laundry Soap

I LOVE this laundry soap and even have used it for cloth diapers with great results!

Here's what you will need:

4  Cups - hot tap water
1  Fels-Naptha soap bar
1 Cup - Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
½ Cup Borax

Here's how to make it:
- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled.

-Top Load Machine- 3/4 Cup per load (Approx. 150 loads)

-Front Load Machines- 1/3 Cup per load (Approx.  525 loads)

Shoprite

I must say I had a great time shopping at Shoprite today! I had several issues including an item that was advertised incorrectly, an out of stock item and I forgot a coupon! But the customer service I received was great! They figured out the mistake with the item that was advertised incorrectly and gave me the item at the advertised price, gave me a rain check for the out of stock item and even refunded me $5 cash for the coupon and all without an attitude! In NY that's a miracle.

So here's what I got:

10 Mondo 6pk Fruit Drinks @ 10/$10

6 boxes of Teddy Garahms @ 2/$5

4 Jello 6pk pudding cups @ 2/$6

2 Doritos @ $2.37each

5 Starkist White Albacore Tuna @ $.79each

2 Prego Spaghetti Sauce @ 2/$5

8 Campbells Chicken Noodle @$.65each

4 Campbells Condensed Soups @ 4/$5

3 Colgate Full Size Toothpaste @ 3/$3.99

1 Colgate toothbrush @ $1.00

5 12pk Cases of Coke products @ 5/$10

4 StayFree Maxi Pads @ $1.99each

Coupons Used:

B1G1 StayFree Pads x2

$3/2 Nabisco coupons x2

$1/2 Jello coupon x2

$.40/2 Campbells Coupons x4

$.50/2 Campells Coupons x2

$.50/1 Prego Coupon x2

Shoprite doubled all Campbell coupons and I just noticed on my reciept the Prego coupons never came off, grr!

Retail Value:$151.13
I paid:$68.14

Stop&Shop Trip

Today at Stop&Shop I paid $38.99 for $78.63 in groceries! Almost a 50% savings! Here's what I got and how I did it.

Kraft Phillidelphia Cream Cheese 2/$4

Suave Body Lotion 2/$5

Oscar Meyer Luchables 10/$10x2

Ken's Salad Dressing $1x3

Scott Toilet Paper 20pk $10.99

I used these coupons:

Scott TP Save Now on bag $1 off

Ken's Dressing $1 off from this Sunday x2

Suave Lotion $1off from this Sunday x2

Sorry didn't take any pictures!

Babies "R" Us Diaper Deal

So the diaper deal didn't work as was originally posted but I still got a great deal! Please note this deal is best when done in multiple transactions. Please check your box of diapers to make sure they are the box that says it contains coupons. Also please check to make sure the box isn't tampered with! Unfortunately my first box was slit on the side and the coupons stolen.

Here's How:

1st Transaction:

Babies R Us 72ct Diapers
Retail:$26.99
Sale Price:$10.00

Babies R Us 432ct Wipes
Retail:$14.99
Sale Price:$9.99

Instantly receive $10 off when you buy the two together!

Pay only $9.99+tax!

You now repeat the transaction using the coupons in your first box. Now you will have a $2.00 off coupon for wipes and a $5.00 off coupon for diapers from your box of diapers. Some stores will take both, some are only taking the wipe because the diapers zero out when the $10 comes off instantly.
You can repeat this over and over!

I paid $10.43 for my first transaction and $$8.43 for my second.

Retail Value:$54.97
I paid: $18.96 and got $100 in Babies R Us coupons

Detailed CVS Trip

Today's trip to CVS was small but great deals on things we needed! So here's a list of what I got and their retail value. Then I'll show you what coupons I used.

6 Suave Kids 2 in 1 Shampoo retail:$3.19 each

2 Listerine Advanced Mouthwash
Retail:$5.99 each

3 Suave Invisible Solid Deodarent
Retail:$1.34

1 3 Muskateers Bar
Retail:$1.19

Retail Value:$37.52
I Paid:$13.30

Here's How:

Kid's Suave on sale 3/$5 a got 2 deals and used 3 $1/2 coupons from today's Red Plum

Listerine Advance on sale for $3.99 I got 2 deals and used 2 $1/1 coupons from today's Red Plum plus I got $4.00 in Extrabucks to use next week!

Suave Deodarant on Sale for $1 I got 3 deals and used 3 $.75/1 coupons from today's Red Plum

The 3 Muskeeters Bar was on sale for $.75 and I got a $.75 Extrabucks for next week!

I also used $3.00 in Extrabucks from last week to pay for this purchase so my out of pocket was $13.30 and I got back $4.75 in Extrabucks to use next week.

A Mommy Revelation

So last night was our first reinvented Soaking & Seeking night at church. It was a late night event, 9 p.m. - 1 a.m. I had spent tons of time the last two days helping to prepare for it and was so excited!

I let the kids stay up super late the night before half because we were at the church doing prep work till midnight and half because I was hoping they would sleep early the next night. Of course, last night came and no one wanted to go to bed so instead of being in the sanctuary with everyone I was stuck in the children's room yet again. We played, watched movies and read books from 9 till well after midnight with several bedtime attempts in between.

After a few bedtime attempts filled with tantrums and crying I began to realize I wasn't making it in and got frustrated. I was asking God why things always have to be so difficult and just working myself up. I then looked over at my babies and realized, these are the best times and I'm thankful for them.

There are many moms that have to go right back to work after having kids and someone else raises their kids. God has provided for us in an unusual way so that we are home with our children in these most important years. I am so grateful to have had those few hours last night with my kids even though I didn't get to go inside the sanctuary.

Sometime after midnight the kids finally feel asleep and thanks to the wonderful technology God has blessed us with I was able to access the playlist for the night. So I sat there in the dark children's room and had my own mini soaking session while the kids slept.

God is so good. Even when we think things aren't going right God has us right where we need to be!

Shoprite Can Can Sale/ Coupon Trip

I didn't take pics but I got great deals at Shoprite today with their Can Can Sale and Stock Up sale. I did use a few coupons as well!

12 cans of Shoprite corn
12 cans of Shoprite green beans
2 Boxes of lil Debbie snack cakes
12pk Shoprite ice cream sandwiches
4 bags of Goldfish crackers
2 half gallons of Friendlys ice cream
1 large bag of Doritos
1 Disney gummie vitamins
1 Shoprite chewable vitamins
13 cans of assorted Chef Boyardee
1 tub of Helluva Good Dip
1 half gallon Shoprite OJ
2 tubs of Lysol Wipes
2 Lysol all purpose cleaners
1 Capri Sun Juice Box
1 large Shoprite ketchup
2 Pasta sauce
2 Shoprite whip topping
1pk playtex replacement valves
1 Crest toothpaste
4 Ajax laundry soap
4-12pk assorted nabisco snack packs
12 Ronzoni Pasta
3-24pk Poland spring water

Retail Value: $237.49
I paid: $126.89

Savings Include:
On Sale Savings:$53.42
Manufacture Coupons:$33.16
Store Coupons:$25.02

CVS/pharmacy Coupon Trip

So these was my first coupon trip after starting couponing again. I figured I'd start small since I haven't couponed in a while and I had the hubby and both kids with me!

Here's what I got:

4 Packs of Ricola Cough Drops
2 Always Pads
3-pk of Ivory Bar Soap
1 Dawn Dish Soap
1 Oral-B Spin Brush
1 pack of Always Infinity Pads
1 Colgate 360 Toothbrush

Retail Value: $45.26
I paid: $19.33
CVS Cash Back: $3.00

Creamy Chicken Bake

INGREDIENTS

2-3lbs of chicken breast, cubed
3/4cup Italian dressing
1 bg frozen mixed veggies, thawed and drained
1 Sm can of cream of chicken soup
1 Sm can of cream of celery soup
2/3 cup sour cream
1 package of instant stuffing, prepared as directed on package

PREP WORK

Marinade cubed chicken in Italian dressing overnight if possible or for as long as you can.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400. Spray a 13x9in pan with cooking spray. In a large bowl mix all ingredients minus the prepared stuffing then put into sprayed pan. Spread prepared stuffing over top of mixture. Spray a piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray and cover pan, spray side down :). Bake 35 minutes then remove foil and bake additional 10 minutes.

VARIATIONS

Replace cream of celery with any creamed soup such as mushroom or asparagus.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Serve over rice or mashed potatoes

Serve with side salad and dinner roll

The 1st Day of 2012

We spent the first day of 2012 the way we would spend any Sunday, at church. God is already answering prayers! A girl came to church that I had been praying would come back. I'm praying that she continues to come!

In children's church we spoke about Jesus' childhood. The kids learned that Jesus knew he had a calling when he was only 12 years old. They understand that even though they are kids God can speak to them and use them to do His work as well.

We are now home and I am preparing dinner. It is a last minute throw together but I believe I've seen the recipe on the box for Stove Top. Hope I'm doing it right! I'll look it up and post the recipe and pics later!