Update on Wgs Shopping Scenario

I made it to Wgs today. Went to the one that usually has more of a supply. I didn't do the best shopping I've ever done, and I didn't get everything I wrote about here (because they either didn't have it or it wasn't the price I thought it was going to be), but I still think I made out good, and still made out under my $5 challenge.




Transaction #1

• Colgate Visible White toothpaste $4.49=$4.50RR
• Skintimate Shave Gel $1.99=$1RR
• Right Guard Deodorant Professional Strength $5.99=$5RR
• Kraft Macaroni and Cheese .69 with in ad coupon (2/$3 regular)
  

Total before coupons:
$18.47

Coupons I used:

• $1/1 Colgate (printed this one and the register didn't want to take it, but the cashier was really nice and he made it work somehow)
  
• .75/1 Skintimate from the 4/26SS
• $1/1 Right Guard from the 4/19SS
• b3g1 FREE for Kraft (made sure he scanned this coupon BEFORE scanning the ad coupon so that it will take off the full $1.50 instead of just 69¢) This coupon also says that it will take off up to$1.30, so I wasn't sure what the store would actually take off.
• .69 in ad Kraft Mac and Cheese (takes off the right amount for all 4, even though it says limit of 3 and it already took off the $1.50)

Total after coupons: $10.98

• Pay with $8 RR from last week.

Final cost $2.98 + tax or $3.67

Transaction #2

• Edge Shave Gel $1.99=$1RR
• Right Guard Deodorant Professional Strength $5.99=$5RR
• Binder Tab Dividers on clearance for $.64 and needed for filler item
  

Total before coupons:
$8.67

Coupons I used:

• .75/1 Edge from 5/17 I think (now I can't remember)
  
• $1/1 Right Guard from the 4/19SS

Total after coupons: $6.87

• Pay with $6 RR from last week.

Final cost $.87 + tax or $1.30

Total Spent Today OOP: $4.97 ($.03 left to spare!)
Total RR used: $14
RR for next visit: $16.50

Not bad! How did you do?

Halfway Thru No-Spending May

We are halfway through the month and it is going great! I love not spending money. I mean, I love finding deals and using coupons and spending as little as possible, but I am really loving NOT spending as much as we possibly can!!!
So here is an update on how we are doing, and what we are doing to try and spend as little as possible:

• I love that I have gotten really good at finding the deals at Target and the drugstores, but I can often go a little overboard at these stores as well. I have limited myself to spending less than $5 a week at Target, Walgreens and CVS, combined, as I wrote about here. Week 1 I spent $.90 and week 2 I spent $3.16. Doing great so far!
  

• We (I say we, but really it is just my husband) have been working on planting the garden, including tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, and cucumbers, and our peach tree is starting to produce fruit. I am so excited for the money we will save on all this produce this summer!

• We got our second shipment of Boca Java coffee. We got 4 1/2 lb bags for only $4.95, and the coffee is really good. We (again, this is mostly my husband since he is more the one at fault here) decided that we should not be making coffee (a full pot I might add) twice a day! This will help our coffee last longer.

• We also just did another deal with Gevalia yesterday, which means we spend $10 we didn't need to this week but also means we will get 2 more bags of coffee. And a coffee maker. And a carafe. And a travel mug. That's a lot for $10!

• I made a menu plan for the whole month so that I could make sure I was making enough, but not too many meals, for us. And also so I could watch for deals better at stores, knowing what meals were coming up soon.

• We decided we were not going to eat out at all this month. Not at all! Not $1, not the dollar menu, nothing. And we have stuck to this. Also helps that I had the menu plan and have stuck to it, so we have had plenty to eat in the house at all times.

• I have put every receipt into a spreadsheet I have (for all spending I do, to track spending and saving) right when I get home. This helps me because I know exactly what I have spent this month and it is making me really thing hard about each item that I buy.

• As much as I love coupons and love saving money, I have spent extra time at the grocery store in order to spend less money. Gotta spend more time to make sure that I am getting the best deal, even if that means not using a coupon because the store brand is still cheaper.

• There are many other things we (again, husband here) have thought about buying this month. I told him it seems like now that we are NOT spending money he is coming up with everything we need. But ultimately, we are both trying REALLY hard to not spend any unneeded money this month, and from here on out, to make this more of a lifestyle. Our simple lifestyle.

I know there is more, but this is a good update, and I feel good about how we are doing. Stay tuned for more the come. This is FUN!

New Budget Weekly Goals

I thoroughly enjoy finding great deals at CVS, Walgreens and Target. And I really enjoy trying to use the ECB's, RR's and gift cards that I accrue buy purchasing items in these stores to then purchase more items that will give me more ECB's, RR's and gift cards, and so on...
So with this new month and my new budget (and knowing that many of the things I get at these stores are not always needed at the moment but are always used eventually) I have decided that I will allow myself to spend no more than $5 in a week out of pocket (oop) at all of these stores. combined.
So here is how week 1 is going for me (and I am pretty sure I am done unless I see another amazing deal that just can't be passed up): I got everything pictured below, plus my non-pictured Aveeno travel pack valued at $9.99 (since it is advertised but was not sent to stores in my area...frustrating) for $.90. Yep. 90 cents oop this week.


I got the 3 Aveeno lotions at Walgreens on sale for $2.63 and I used the printable (don't have the link) coupon for $2 off each one. With this purchase I was supposed to get the travel bag, but they did not get them and I had to persuade the manager to give me a rain check showing that I had bought what I was supposed to get without receiving my gift! Weird that I had to ask for it and convince him!
The aluminum foil was my filler, on sale for .59.
I also used a $2 RR. Total oop was .90. I did not walk away with any RR, but still have $11 RR from previous visits.

I got the 2 glade candles (again this month! since I miraculously had 2 SS inserts in my one paper yesterday! yay!) on sale for $5.99 with 2 $4/1 coupons. I used my $5 gift card from the Special K deal last week.
Then I did the Fiber One deal at Target, buy any 4 and get a $5 gift card. I got 3 of the cereals on sale for $2.39 and used 3 $1/1 coupons. I also got 1 of the toaster pastries on sale for $1.79 and had .50/1 coupon for this. I used the rest of my $5 from the Special K deal and then my new one from the glade deal, and walked away with .11 still on one card plus a new $5 card.

I don't think I will get anything at CVS this week, but have $4 ECB for future trips.

I'm happy with week 1.

April Budget Roundup

Another month gone.

Crazy, huh.

Another month gone! Where did it go?

I have been trying to keep track of my spending meticulously again this month. I think some receipts may have gotten lost through my husband, though...it happens. We'll get better next month. We use Mint.com and it works great for us and keeps even better track of every single penny we spend (well, not cash, but we hardly use cash). I know mint has transactions that I don't have in my spreadsheet from receipts I collected, but I know I am fairly close to our actual totals and I know it is much better than last month all around! Yay!

Last month was my first time doing this, and you can see my results and explanations here.

What I would have spent if I actually bought everything at retail cost (granted, I wouldn't have bought many of these things if I weren't getting superb deals, but just to look at the numbers): $766.97 (I did not buy as much this month, by far...did much better at waiting for the best deals instead of just going for a good deal.)

What I saved using coupons, store sales, and rebates: $454.93

What I actually spent OOP:$353.61 (Much better this month, but again, I think I am a little off)

Percentage of savings in April: 64.60% (BEautiful! Last month I was happy to be over 50%, so I am even more excited about this!)

With each month I will gain knowledge and experience, and I will thus be able to spend less. I posted yesterday about our "spending fast" this month, so my May totals should reflect this. Looking forward to a challenging month!