Plastic Storage Love

Plastic storage is an addiction to me. I joke with E that when we go to target he should keep me away from the storage/organization section of the store because I will want to buy everything. It's an affinity I can't really explain, except for I like to keep things organized. One of my very favorite movies as a child was Mary Poppins and not so coincidentally, in both Mary Poppins and the Sound of Music Julie Andrews was a lovable a neat freak! "A place for everything and everything in it's place".

Anyway, enough background story. I was walking the growl box today when I happened upon a sign that said, "recycle or free". I did a double take then immediately started scooping up as much plastic storage as I could hold while walking the dog. Luckily it was in my next door neighbor's "yard" (cement area)so I made a second trip. I recently bought a bunch of shoe box size containers (and now wish I hadn't), but holy cow I'm more then thrilled at this find. If I wasn't headed to work I'd wash all of them now so I could start organizing my stash of drug store purchases right away. In total there are about 40 different size boxes and baskets and organizers.

Most of the shoe box size containers still have the Bed Bath and Beyond sticker $1.99!! SCORE

Rite Aid John Frieda Money Maker

This weekend I persuaded E to make several Rite Aid runs with me. Here's what the transactions looked like:

Bought:
4 John Frieda Root Awakening Products

Coupons:
1, $5.00 off $20.00
1, $1.00 off $10.00 hair care wellness
4, $3.00 off John Frieda Root Awakening (bought $20 for $1.99 on ebay last week)

Paid:
Paid with a $2.00 UP reward from buying Colgate last week
OOP was $ZERO! tax was $0.98
The pringles are in there because E had to have them and I had one $3.00 Up that I needed to use because I ran out of $2.00 rewards. They were $1.50 ekk

Got back $10 Up Reward on each transaction

Rinse and Repeat 5 times- for a money maker of $45.00!

Disclaimer: We went to different stores so we wouldn't wipe out any one store's stock. We do actually use this shampoo/conditioner and now will be fully stocked for the rest of the year. I have Rubbermaid containers (a little larger then shoe box size) that I put all of my alike products in...one for shampoo, one for toothpaste etc. To keep myself from going overboard and buying quantities too large for us to use, I give away and donate any products that can't fit in the containers. This week several toothbrushes, bodywashes and shampoos made their way to our local men's shelter.

Side note: Word on the street is that Rite Aid will now be coding all of it's $5.00 off $20.00 coupons and tying them to the new wellness card. I'm going to check with my local store this week as I had previously asked them about the coupon and they said there was no limit to the number I could use. I shop for my grandma, so it looks like I might need to sign her up for a separate card and videos account and watch the videos twice, bummer, but you know what they say about deals that are too good to be true!

Rite Aid's Back on My Good Side

After a few frustrating Rite Aid trips, I'm happy to say that Rite aid is back on my good side after this week's hassle free transactions.

Bought:
5 Puffs with Lotion @ $0.99 each
1 Zegrid 14 ct $11.99 rang up $10.79 after wellness discount
(is Wellness throwing off your totals too?)
1 Colgate toothpaste $2.99
1 Everlast Energy shot 2pk $5.39 after Wellness
4 Reeses PB cups @ $0.88 each bogo (yes one is missing from the shot..hmm where could that have gone ;)

Coupons:
1, $5.00 off $20 RA
1, $3.00 off Zegrid RA
1, $4.00 off Zegred Man
1, $1.00 off Colgate
1, $10.00 off Everlast RA pdf valid through 12/31!
5, $0.50 off puffs with lotion vocal point mailer

Paid:
$0.38 woo hoo

Got back $2.00 from the colgate and will submit for the Zegrid rebate for a $12.41 Moneymaker!

The wellness discounts are really throwing off my totals, I had figured the total out before checking out and thought I was A-OK, as I was watching the cashier scan the coupons I noticed that I had a negative subtotal. I quickly grabbed another two candy bars to "solve" the "problem". The cashier was very nice this time and I didn't have any problems with their acceptance of my coupons.

Rite Aid $4.76 Money Maker!

A trip to Rite Aid this Sunday yielded the following:

2 Rolls of Bounty Basic $0.99 each
2 Purex 3-in-one laundry sheets $3.00 each
1 Motrin $3.00
2 Pantene shampoo/conditioner $3.50 each
1 Colgate toothpaste $2.99

Coupons:
1, $5.00 off $20 RA coupon
2, $1.00 off Purex printables
1, $2.00 off Purex VV (May)
1, $1.00 off two Bounty towels
1, $3.00 off Motrin PM
1, $1.50 off pantene from home mailing
1, $1.00 off colgate

Paid:
$6.24 OOP, Got back $3.00 Up reward on Motrin, $2.00 Up on Colgate, $3.00 Up on Panteen. Plus I got back a $3.00 SCR on the Pantene (this has to be e-mailed to you or you won't receive credit for it). For a Money Maker of $4.76. For some reason the Up reward did not print on the Purex, but it's only a dollar so I let it slide.

What's with the New Title/page?

Well, come to find out City Saver is a registered trademark (whoops, never even occurred to me to check into that sort of thing) and the folks at City Saver don't like to share.

No biggie, I'm happy to change my title/blog address. I was trying to think of something more creative, but under pressure to take the old site down, I'm now going with Couponingwithkari.blogspot.com for at least now. Thanks to all of my readers for sticking around and check back late this evening/early tomorrow for my latest Rite Aid deals!

Corporate Calling...I'm Bringing Coupons Back!

So I took the day off Friday to for a little R&R. During the day I made a "quick" trip to Rite Aid to pick up some of last weeks deals. Everything was going smoothly as planned until...the cashier looked at my two $10.00 Everlast coupons and told me, "you can only use one".

Now I frequently need to "educate" cashiers about their own corporate coupon policies, but this particular cashier wouldn't not hear it (or see it, as I bring my own copy of the policy for exactly this reason). The cashier called for the manager who also told me (even after seeing the policy)that her district manager said they were "losing too much money" so they are "cutting back on coupon use". She then told me that "they"(district manager) don't "interpret" the policy to mean that customers can use two coupons on a bogo sale.

I stayed calm while the manager went to the back to call her district manager. I explained "in a calm and appropriate manner" that it doesn't really matter what the district manager says, as I have a copy of Corporate's policy, but she was not able to hear this. While she called, I called corporate from my cell phone. Once I got the CSR I told her the situation and handed my phone to the cashier who then handed the phone to the manager.

They were gone for about 5 minutes, but when they came back the manager apologized (after both the cashier and manager repeatedly acted like I was trying to leave the building with a flat screen TV in my pants). The cashier even said to me, "You'd be getting 5 items for $0.76". I responded, "Exactly, that's why I use coupons". She then asked me if I worked for corporate, I didn't say anything, just smiled.

Long story short the manager told me that I was right and she was sorry for the "confusion". I concurred and responded, "I'm glad we're all on the same page".

I don't like to argue, but when I'm right I will be aggressive assertive until I make my point. I left the store with everything in the photo for just $3.20 (two transactions). Plus I'll get back a $10.00 scr on the sunglasses and a $3.00 scr on the secret for a moneymaker of $6.80! The moral of this story is, be assertive, if you know you're right, don't let cashier bully you into feeling like you're doing something wrong. The whole ride home poor E had to listen to me singing my best rendition of "I'm bringing coupons back..." Yeah I Lame, I know.

I Heart Hood!

Being a New England girl, I've always loved Hood dairy products. Growing up we had a Collie named Morgan who loved Hoodsie cups (for those of you who aren't familiar they are little cups with half vanilla and half chocolate icecream, not swirled, literally half of the cup is chocolate and half vanilla. They touch but are not mixed). To eat one you must unwrap the wooden "spoon" and peel back the paper "lid". Summer just isn't summer without at least one Hoodsie cup.

Recently, I "Liked" Hood dairy on facebook and signed up for a free milk coupon. Yesterday I received a letter from Hood stating that my state doesn't allow free coupons. Inside the letter was a coupon for a chocolate milkshake (apparently milkshake isn't milk?) and a check for $5.00!! You read that right, Hood sent me a check for $5.00! I certainly would have been pleased with the milkshake coupon alone, but the check was above and beyond my expectations.

Just another reason to love Hood Dairy!

Sunday Rite Aid Money Maker!

Took a trip to Rite Aid this afternoon to "get in" on the 3 day body wash sale. Unfortunately nobody in my family/extended family, except my dad (and how much can one man really use?), uses men's body wash, so all of this will be donated. Fortunately, everyone in my family uses deodorant (smile) so these secret's will go to good use.

Two transactions yielded:

4 secret, $2.49 each
4 Old spice body wash, $2.99 each
2 Herbal Essences shampoo, $2.49 each
2 Herbal Essences conditioner, $2.49 each
1 Style Science kids sunglasses $7.99
1 Schick Hydro 5 blade $6.99

Coupons
2, $5.00 off $20.00 Value Video coupons (1 per transaction/account)
4, $1.00 off Herbal Essences
2, $1.00 off secret when you buy 2
2, BOGO old spice bodywash
1, $4.00 off style science kids sunglasses
1, $5.00 off schick hydro
1, $1.00 off schick hydro value video
Tried to use 2, $1.00 off $10.00 skincare but they wouldn't scan so the cashier wouldn't take them, the Rite Aid near me has really touchy scanners, I wish they would upgrade.

Paid
$17.45 OOP, will get back the following SCRs:
2, $2.99 SCR on the old spice (one for my account and one for mom's)
4, $3.00 SCR secret (two me, two mom)
4, $3.00 SCR herbal essences (two me, two mom)
1, $10.00 SCR sunglasses (already bought one, needed one more for this rebate)

For a Money Maker of $10.53 yay!

Gotta Love the $5 off $15

It's been a while since CVS's magical coupon machine has produced any of those wonderful "money off money" coupons for me. For several weeks a few months back I was consistently getting the $4 off $20 coupon and making lots of great purchases. But since Christmas CVS hasn't really given me much to work with...until now!

Bought:
1 Prevacid 24 hour $12.49
6 Dove Deodorants $2.50 each
1 Gilette Fusion pro razor $9.97

Coupons:
1, $5 off $15 cvs
1, $10.00 prevacid cvs
1, $4.00 prevacid man.
1, $4.00 gilette from the 6/6 P&G
3, $2.00 off dove bodywash or deo. printable (would have had 4 but my printer froze ugg)
1, $3.00 off 2 dove deodorant printable (this one stated it was good on the ultimate type so I wasn't sure if it would work, but it did, no beeps) Had I known I would have printed off another $1.50 off 1 coupon to use, oh well.
1, $4.00 cvs ECB
1, $1.00 cvs ECB

Paid:
$1.97 ($1.51 of that was sales tax)

Got back:
$5.00 ECB on the Dove, $5.00 on the Gilette razor, $1.00 for using my green bag tag for a money maker of $4.03!

CVS- Sunday Snags, Everything Below just 90 cents!

I was lucky enough to snag two awesome coupons the last time I scanned my card at the magic coupon machine. They were $5 off $15!! and $10.00 off any size Prevacid.

I bought:
1 Tampax pearl $2.97
2 Dawn Hand Renewal Dish soaps $0.97 a piece
1 Prevacid 24 hour $12.49
1 Little Tikes teething Ring set on clearance for $1.49
3 Father's day cards $.99, $.99 and $2.59

Coupons:
1, $5.00 off $15.00
1, $10.00 prevacid cvs cat
1, $2.00 tampax 6/6 PG
2, $1.00 off Dawn hand renewal from home made simple mailer
1, $4.00 off prevacid printable

Paid:
$0.90 OOP ($0.44 was tax) and I didn't use any ECBS!

I'm Still Around and Still Shopping

Took a little break from posting (not shopping), because I've been so busy with work. Isn't it horrible when your job takes away time from your hobby? But I've still been managing to get a few great deals. Last week I was able to snag the Olay products at Rite Aid for a money maker and today I made trips to ShopRite, CVS, and Rite Aid.

Below's a photo of everything I picked up a ShopRite My receipt reads as follows:

Total On Sale Savings $33.36
PPC & Mfr Coupons $55.71 (yes that's right I had $55.71 in coupons!)
Total Savings Today $95.27!!

With coupons each of the following items were FREE:
pasta (5 boxes)
croutons
Chevre goat cheese, yum! ($5.49)
relish
Kitten chow (I'll be donating this since we don't have a kitten)

Under 50 cents:
Reynold's recycled foil
Muir Glen organic pasta sauce
Wheatable Crackers (4 boxes) These has bogo peelies, score!
Wise ridges chips
Blue Bunny ice cream cones (like drumstick)
Al Fresco chicken sausages (5 packages). These retail $4.49 a package!

Under $1.00
everything else in the photo (except olive oil and cereal-full price, E had to have it ugg). I'm especially excited to try the "food should taste good" olive tortilla chips. They retail for $2.66 and I got them for just $0.66 a bag.

Total paid $11.34 for everything in the photo!