$9.01 money maker + 11 free boxes of crackers at Safeway!

I had 9 more 1/1 Nabisco MQs from the 11/8 SS and 2 1/1 Wheat Thins IPQs from becoming a Wheat Thins fan on Facebook. The MQs expire today (along with a ton of other Qs) so I grabbed some more free crackers that I will send in for a $10 rebate on. I wasn't paying attention, so I bought 11 boxes instead of 10- so the Cheese Nips were not $1 like they should have been. You have to buy in multiples of 5 to get the discount. Oh well, .99 for 11 boxes of crackers + $10 rebate is okay with me.

1.00 Wheat Thins (6) FREE
1.00 saltines (3) FREE
1.00 Better Cheddars FREE
1.99 Cheese Nips .99
No tax, so I paid .99 on a giftcard.

Happy New Year!

Target, CVS, & Safeway = $5.02 profit!

Whew, I am tired! First, I headed to Target to get the 6.99 Luvs for 1.99 (thanks for the reminder Desert Deals Diva!) with my $5/1 home mailer Q. Then, I remembered, I had a baby Target Q book I got in the mail, so I put together a little run of baby items.

6.99 Luvs diapers 1.99
8.99 Pampers diapers 4.99
4.99 Method baby wash .99
2.19 J&J baby powder .19
2.59 Pampers wipes 1.09
25.75 subtotal
-5/25 baby purchase Target home mailer Q
-1.50/1 Pampers diapers Target Q
-2/1 Pampers diapers 12/27 PG
-2/1 Method Target Q
-2/1 Method IPQ
-1/1 J&J Target Q
-1/1 J&J IPQ
-1/1 Pampers wipes Target Q
-.50/1 Pampers wipes 12/27 PG
-5/1 Luvs home mailer MQ
4.75 + 1.07 tax = 5.82 total paid with giftcard

CVS
I had a hard time getting my total to $10 for the 2/10 CVS CRT because all CVS brand items are BOGO 50% off. I would have planned better if I knew about that sale before hand. But I'm happy with this run- we needed paper towels & trash bags.

.99 Dawn soap (3) .01 overage
5.88 Bounty 8 pk 4.88
4.99 Nature's Bounty BOGO (4) 10.02 overage
4.99 CVS trash bags BOGO 50% off (2) 3.74 each
.99 CVS candy BOGO 50% off (2) .74 each
.99 CVS baby wipes .99- grabbed these to get to $10 for the 2/10 CRT
1.75 Reese's Christmas candy- grabbed these because my total went negative
30.53 subtotal
-5/20
-2/10 CVS purchase
-1/1 Dawn Home Made Simple home mailer MQ (3)
-1/1 Bounty MQ - inside Pampers diapers box
-5/1 Nature's Bounty IPQ (4)
-1/2 CVS Candy CRT
-1.47 total + 1.63 tax = .16 paid on giftcard
Earned $6 EB from vitamins
SUMMARY = 5.84 profit!

Safeway
One more Chinet + $5 giftcard deal = $5 profit ... see yesterday's post for more information.

TOTAL SUMMARY = $5.02 profit!

Chinet overage at Safeway - 5.82 profit!

I found the mythical blue Chinet plates peelies today on Chinet plates at Safeway! I have been searching high and low for those so I could pair them up with the orange Chinet cups peelies for major overage! I didn't find them until I hit the second Safeway, so my first two transactions were more of the same Chinet deal I had been doing.

#1
5.97 Chinet cups (3 @1.99 wyb 3) 3.03 overage
7.50 Chinet plates (3 @2.50) $1 each
7.98 Nestle water (2) FREE - No cat printed either time, $2 OYNO is dead
.96 tax
22.41 subtotal
-1.50 for $2 Chinet Safeway in-ad Q
-Free Orange Chinet peelie (3) auto deducted $3 each
-1/1 Chinet plate blinkies (3)
-Free Nestle MQ (2)
-.03 + .96 subtotal = .93 paid cash

#2
5.97 Chinet cups (3 @1.99 wyb 3) 3.03 overage
7.50 Chinet plates (3 @2.50) $1 each
2.22 Progresso soup (2 @ 1.11) 3.28 overage
7.98 Nestle water (2) FREE - Different Safeway, no cat. Deal is definitely dead.
1.57 bananas
6.88 ground beef 2.88
2.11 tax
26.25 subtotal
-1.50 for $2 Chinet Safeway in-ad Q
-Free Orange Chinet peelie (3) auto deducted $3 each
-1/1 Chinet plate blinkies (3)
-.25/1 Progresso MQ (2)
-1.50/2 Progresso Safeway Pharmacy Q
-2.00 EQs for Progresso (4 .50/2 EQs)
-Free Nestle MQ (2)
-3.00/1 Safeway ground beef IPQ from signing up at Safeway.com
-.50/1 ground beef IPQ - just realized these expired last month :(
3.25 total paid cash

#3 & #4 - This is where I found the blue peelies...
5.00 Safeway giftcard - to eat up overage
5.97 Chinet cups (3 @1.99 wyb 3) 3.03 overage
7.50 Chinet plates (3 @2.50) $3.00 overage
.57 tax
19.04 subtotal
-1.50 for $2 Chinet Safeway in-ad Q
-Free Orange Chinet cups peelie (3) auto deducted $3 each
-Free Blue Chinet plates peelie (3) auto deducted $3 each
-.10 subtotal

SUMMARY = 5.82 profit!

The best part is I was looking at the in-ad $2 Chinet Q and it doesn't expire until New Year's Day, so don't throw away that ad! The shelf tag prices on the Chinet are good through New Year's also. I plan on making money with this Chinet deal until the last minute!

An Unexpected GREAT trip to Safeway! $2.14 total

Originally, I just went in to grab a couple of gallons of milk. As I walked by the dairy department, I noticed lots of clearanced cheese and yogurt. I had some .30/1 Real CA cheese/dairy product Qs, so I matched those up with the 1.25 clearanced cheese and snagged 25 cent cheese! I will make a couple of italian dinners this week and use it up no problem. What a great find! I also put the $2 Chinet in-ad Q to good use.

1.25 clearanced cheese (4) .25 each

2.19 milk (2) 1.19 each

1.99 Chinet cups (3) 3.03 overage

2.50 Chinet plates (3) 1.00 each

.79 tax

23.64 subtotal

-1.50 deducted for $2 in-ad Chinet Q

-.30/1 Real CA dairy IPQ (3)

-.30/1 Real CA cheese peelies (3)

-1/1 Chinet plates blinkies (3)

-BOGO Chinet tearpad MQ (3) auto deducted $3 for each Q

4.14 total - piad with $2 Nestle water cat and 2.14 cash

If I had planned this trip out, I would have grabbed a couple more cases of water to get another $2 OYNO. That cat stops printing on Thursday and I have a few more free MQs to burn through. I'll be back at Safeway tomorrow for some more free plates before that in-ad Q expires.

Disney Movie Rewards!

Do you have a Disney Movie Rewards account set up yet? If not, get started today- its free! In just the last month, I have redeemed enough points to get these 3 DVDs for free! Sorry about the glare...

I collect all the Disney rewards codes from the DVDs my family purchases (thanks Mom & sisters!). I redeem the highest value codes on Double Points Days and had enough codes to order 3 DVDs! What a great program! All 3 of these were waiting in my mailbox when I got back from vacation- what a great freebie surprise!

One more Safeway run...

I am typing this from California where we will be spending Christmas. I made one last Safeway run on the way out of town yesterday.

3.99 Nestle water (2) $2 profit
1.99 Chinet cups (4) .04 overage
.99 Nabisco crackers wyb 5 (5) .05 overage
1.69 Safeway brown sugar FREE item of the day
22.58 subtotal
-Free Item in-ad Q
-Free Nestle MQ (2)
-1/1 Chinet MQ (2)
-Free Chinet MQ (2) auto'd at $3 each
-1/1 Nabisco MQ (5)
-.04 total + .64 tax = .60 OOP
Received $2 OYNO from Nestle

I'm trying to use up all of my free Nestle water MQs at Safeway before the end of the year because they have a $2 OYNO when you buy 2 packs. I may as well make a profit while I'm getting free water. Plus, it helps me get to my $20 subtotal quickly for the free items of the day.

If I find any good coupon deals while I am here, I will post about them. If not, have a Merry Christmas!

Safeway & Albie's

SAFEWAY
I keep getting sucked into Safeway with the free item deals every day! It's like a trap. Here's how I got to my $20 minimum purchase today (before coupons, of course):

3.99 Nestle water (2) -Free Nestle MQ from summer promotion FREE

1.99 Chinet cups (4) -1/1 Chinet IPQ (2), -Free Chinet item tearpad MQ (2) .01 profit each

2.19 milk (not pictured)

3.50 Hillshire little smokies FREE item of the day

Total before Qs = 22.37

Total after Qs = 2.89

Paid with $2 Nestle cat, received another $2 Nestle cat

SUMMARY = .89 cost

.

I realized today the free item of the day does not count towards the $20 minimum purchase total. The coupon scanned at $0, but customer service gave me the cash back. I will note this for future purchases. In case you are wondering, the 2 extra Nestle waters in the picture are from my Safeway trip yesterday.

.

ALBIE'S

I had one more $5 Holiday RR to use before 12/19, so I headed to Albie's. I bought a 3.98 clearanced bouquet of roses for my sister who graduated nursing school today. (Shameless plug- if anyone knows of a hospital hiring new RNs, please let me know!) I also grabbed some Hostess donuts. They were on sale for 1.99. I used a .45/1 IPQ which tripled to $1, making the donuts 99 cents. I paid with the $5RR and .37 change for tax.

.

I officially have converted all of my RR to giftcards and/or groceries. I don't see a ton of great sales coming up at Wags in the next few weeks and I am going out of town for Christmas, so I don't want to have to worry about expiring RR. It was so nice to have the RRs as a back up reserve for Christmas gifts. I am so grateful I have learned this new way of life so I can afford to keep my pantry and food storage stocked, regularly donate to people in need, and have a Christmas while my husband is out of work. Thanks to all of my couponing friends!

Safeway & Walmart- .80 profit

I spent some time today matching up my EQs with MQs to see what was free or profitable at Safeway. As usual, not all the EQs came off that were supposed to, but it was still a profitable trip.

.99 Kleenex (4) -2/4 in-ad Q, -2/4 pharmacy book, -.50/3 MQ, received $1 OYNO = $2.04

.99 cheese (3) -.30/1 IPQ (3) = $.03 profit

1.99 Chinet (4) -6.00 (FREE peelies wyb Chinet product), -1/1 Chinet IPQ (2) = $.04 profit

1.99 Chex cereal (3) -1/2 MQ, -$3 in EQs = $.67 each

2.00 GoGurt (2) -.35/1 MQ (2), -.80 EQ = $.60 each

1.00 bananas at .39/lb.

1.00 clearance Hershey's (2) -1/2 MQ = $.50 each

1.49 eggs FREE item of the day

1.69 BC frosting -.50/1 MQ, -2.00 in EQs = $.81 profit

3.99 Nestle water (2) Free with free MQs, received $2 OYNO

2.99 PB Cookie Dough (2) -1.99 in-ad Q, -1/1 Pillsbury IPQ (2), -$3 in EQs=$1.02 profit

I paid $2.59 OOP and received $3 OYNO = .41 profit

.

Walmart

1.87 Snuggle (3) -2/1 MQs (3) = .39 profit

The cashier actually handed me 39 cents. I told him he didn't have to, but he insisted.

Safeway & Wags

I headed to Safeway today with my Free Item IPQs for signing up for the Just For You program on Safeway's website (see details here at Desert Deals Diva's blog). I grabbed bananas and my free items. I used free Qs for pasta sauce, pasta, & eggs. None of them scnaned correctly; they all rang up as .01, so they were adding a penny. Strange. The cashier didn't know what to make of it either, so I went over to customer service where they gave me the cash back. I also had planned on grabbing the Betty Crocker cake mix (free item of the day promo), but my total wasn't above $20, so no go there. If I had more time to plan it out, I would have done better because a ton of EQs are expiring today, but oh well.

I have a few $5 holiday RR to burn up before 12/19, so I went to Wags today to grab milk and stamps. I also converted $25 of RR to a giftcard with the help of the super cheap votive candles (.17 each with in-ad Q). The milk was 1.99 and the stamps were 8.80 (geez Louise!). I used a $5 holiday RR and paid $5.xx on a gift card.

UPDATE - Do not use RR (regular or holiday) on postage stamps. I knew regular RR restrict purchasing postage, but for some reason, I thought the Holiday RR didn't specify that. Turns out they do, I looked more closely at one today. Sorry for the bad example!

Last minute Wags run - $6.19 profit

I went to Wags an hour before they closed tonight and had 7 transactions planned out with an estimated profit of $50. Everything was going so well during the first 2 transactions ... and then the $5 Holiday RR wouldn't scan. I was going to roll the $5 RR into my other transactions, so once I figured out the $5 holiday RRs weren't scanning, I left after the first transaction.

9.99 Renu contact solution $2 profit
9.99 Glade Lasting Impressions (filler) FREE
6.99 Just For Men $2 profit
.13 bags (3) w/ in-ad Q (fillers)
27.36 subtotal
-2/1 Renu IPQ
-9.99 Free Glade MQ
-2/1 Just For Men IPQ
13.37 paid with $12 in RR + 3.81 on gcard ($1.37 plus 2.44 tax)
Earned $22 in RR
SUMMARY = 6.19 profit

Wags = $17.42 profit!

There is a LOT going on at Wags this week! $5RR when you spend $25 and tons of FARR (free after RR) items! Sales like this make my head spin.

#1
5.00 Triaminic strips (2) 5.00 profit
7.99 Sudafed .99
5.99 Comtrex 1.99
2.00 Conair clips FREE
.13 Christmas bag w/ in-ad Q (fillers)
25.98 subtotal
-3/1 Triaminic MQ 12/6 SS (2)
-4/1 Sudafed IPQ (not available anymore?)
-2/1 Comtrex MQ 11/1 or 12/6 SS
-2/1 Triaminic Wags Q from Healthy Savings Book (2)
This is where things went south. The register wouldn't take the second Triaminic Q (I think the registers are getting smart, because these both worked last month), so the cashier adjusted the price of each Triaminic down by $2. I appreciated the effort, but it made my subtotal drop below $25, thus eliminating my $5 RR! Darn it.
-2/1 Comtrex Wags Q from December Savings Book
-3/1 Sudafed in-ad Wags Q
5.11
Paid with $4 in RR, 1.11 + tax paid on gcard
Received $5 RR, did NOT receive the $5RR for spending $25
SUMMARY = Cost .11

#2
9.99 Glade Lasting Impressions FREE
6.99 Just for Men Touch of Grey $2 profit
7.99 Sudafed .99
1.99 Stayfree $1 profit
2.00 Stim-U-Dent FREE
.26 Christmas bags (2) fillers
29.22 subtotal
-Free Glade MQ
-2/1 Just for Men IPQ
-4/1 Sudafed IPQ
-1/1 Stayfree IPQ
-3/1 Sudafed Wags in-ad Q
9.23 total paid with $9RR, .23 + tax on gcard
Earned $16 RR
SUMMARY = 6.77 profit

#3- different store that had Renu in stock & Wags Triaminic Q worked!
9.99 Renu contact solution $2 profit
5.00 Triaminic (2) $5 profit
7.99 Sudafed .99
.26 Christmas bags with in-ad Q (2) fillers
28.24 subtotal
-2/1 Renu IPQ
-3/1 Triaminic MQ (2)
-4/1 Sudafed IPQ
-3/1 Sudafed Wags in-ad Q
-2/1 Triaminic Wags Q from Healthy Savings Book
9.24 total - paid with $9RR, .24 + tax paid on gcard
Earned $20RR
SUMMARY = $10.76 profit

I think I'm starting to get the hang of this week's deals. The transactions improved as I went along. I have more Qs, so I'll be back at Wags tomorrow!

Free Cheese at Safeway!

Here's how you can get your free cheese...

Lucerne (Safeway brand) cheese is on sale for 99 cents through next Tuesday, limit 3. This sale price includes both 8 oz shredded and bar cheese. Some of the bags and most of the bars have the Real California cheese symbol on the packaging. Grab those and pair them up with this .30/1 Real California Cheese IPQ which will quadruple to $1 and give you .01 overage!

Disclaimer- This is a YMMV deal because the coupon states the minimum price has to be 1.25. No one questioned me, but I wanted to make you aware of that in case you are questioned. If you wanted to, you could give the coupons first and scan your card last so the price shows the 2.49 price, but you have to do what feels right in your couponing heart. :)

A couple of things...
1. Try to enlarge these before you print them. They come out kind of small and didn't scan at one of my stores.

2. Try to buy these along with something else so your total is not -.03. Not sure if your cities are the same as mine, but Mesa does not charge tax on food items. It scares cashiers when the total is negative, so try to avoid that if possible.

Also, I am planning on heading to Wags today for some serious money makers! I will report back.

Bashas & CVS

I feel like the sales have been lacking the last week or so. I haven't seen enough of an amazing sale that has drawn me out of my warm home into this deliciously seasonal cold weather. I ran to Albie's & grabbed some rainchecks for these free after coupon items = .50 Libby's canned veggies, 1.00 Hefty plates, & 1.00 GG Steamers.

I was in need of peanut butter and garlic toast though, so I headed to Bashas to copy Desert Deals Diva and grab some .58 Skippy. No luck. My MQ was a $1/2, not a .50/1. Oh well, 1.01 is still a good deal.

1.58 Skippy PB (2) 1.01 each
2.50 Mamma Bella garlic toast 1.50
0 tax
5.66 subtotal
-1/2 Skippy PB MQ
-.55/1 Mamma Bella's peelie MQ
3.66 paid OOP

A light bulb turned on for me while I was going through self check-out tonight at Bashas. You scan your own coupons, so there is no cashier to suppress doubles and/or limit you to 3 like coupons. Hmm.... I think the Bashas self check-out line is my new best friend.

CVS didn't go exactly as planned, but it was still a good run. I had one of the $4 EB Qs from the Catalog of Savings (found near the registers). I thought it was a 4/20, but it was actually a $4eb when you spend $20. No problem, I just used a $5EB and received the $4EB at the end of my receipt.

3.49 Huggies wipes -2/1 CRT, -.50/1 MQ = .99
.99 J & J first aid kit -1/1 MQ = .01 overage
.99 CVS tissues (2/.99) = .01 overage
1.99 CVS eyeshadow applicators - so I could use my 2/10 CRT
3.99 Merry Brite santa hat (2) Free after EB
4.49 Christmas candy for the office, filler so I could get to $20 - not pictured
.78 tax
20.71 total before Qs
14.22 total (paid with 8.99 EB & 5EB (adj to 4.45) + .78 on gcard
Earned $11.98EB
SUMMARY = $2.24 cost

Fry's Coupon Event ends Tuesday, 12/8! :(

I heard some rumors online that Fry's is ending the competitor and everything's a $1 coupon event this coming Tuesday. Turns out, these are not rumors. My fears have been confirmed! There were signs everywhere announcing the end of the coupon event on December 8th. So sad. Well, I panicked and decided I needed to make a trip today so my $5/20 Fresh & Easy Qs didn't go to waste. They expire tomorrow! It was not very well planned out, so I ended up with OOP expense and things kind of went haywire. I'll probably make another run on Monday or Tuesday.

I was planning on using 3 $5/20 Qs in one transaction. Silly me, I forgot the Fry's close to my house is NOT coupon friendly like the one by my office. I had to split everything up into different transactions at the register and things went a little awry. I was planning on walking out with no OOP and a $15 giftcard. Somehow, I ended up paying $5 OOP (on a Fry's gcard) and no gift card.

#1
1.00 Idahoan potatoes (4) FREE
7.49 Scotch Fur Fighter .51 profit
1.50 Dial hand soap .50 profit
2.41 Lysol toilet bowl cleaner 1.41
1.27 Totino's pizza (2) Just realized I bought Totino's instead of the $1 Tony's :( That's why my Tony's coupons wouldn't work.
3.79 tortillas 2.79
.99 18 ct eggs - with Safeway in-ad Q
1.10 bananas - .33/lb with Bashas shocker home mailer Q
24.59 subtotal
-5/20 Fresh & Easy Q
-.40/1 Idahoan IPQ (4)
-4/1 Scotch Fur Fighter MQ
-4/1 Scotch Fur Fighter EQ (cellfire)
-1/1 Safeway Dial hand soap Q (pharmacy booklet)
-.40/1 Lysol MQ
-1/1 Guerrero tortillas IPQ
.50/1 Tony's pizza MQ looks like she forced one of these through
$3.59 on Fry's gcard

#2
5.04 5 lbs ground beef - with Bashas shocker home mailer Q .99/lb.
.99 Kraft shredded cheese (2) - with Bashas shocker home mailer Q
1.00 PB crescent rolls (3) 1.00 profit
2.37 Clementines 1.37
1.00 Progresso soup (5) 1.00 profit
2.50 milk (2)
22.44 + .23 tax
-5/20 F&E Q
-.25/1 PB Crescent Roll MQ (3)
-1/2 PB crescent roll EQ
-1/2 Kraft MQ
-.55/1 Clementines IPQ
-.25/1 Progresso soup MQ (5)
-1.50/2 Progresso soup Safeway Q (2)
-.50/2 Progresso soup EQ (2)
-.50/1 MQ I have no idea what this Q was for... maybe the other Tony's pizza MQ?
$1.62 paid on giftcard

I paid $5.21 on a Fry's giftcard for $73 worth of groceries - not too bad. I think I got tripped up because I forgot about the EQs coming off would affect the subtotal for the $5/20. I will have to plan better next week. Hopefully, there are some comp Qs to use on Monday & Tuesday.

Hurry up and get to Fry's before the coupon event ends!

Walgreens - 4.88 profit!

My profit should have been much higher but wasn't because...

#1 - I did not have the awesome $10/3 Ecotrin MQs everyone else has. I was in CA that weekend and their papers did not get them. :( Oh well, I get plenty of other deals.

#2 - My $5RR I had planned to use to bring my subtotal to 12 cents was expired.

1.50 Band-Aids (3) .50 overage each

7.99 Complete contact solution 1.01 profit

5.99 Glade Lasting Impressions $2 profit

2.50 Quaker pancake mix (2) .50 profit each

2/1.50 Reese's PB trees (2) .67 each

.29 chocolate Santa (filler)

25.27 subtotal

-$3RR

-.50/1 Band-Aid MQ (3)

-5.99 Glade Free Lasting Impressions MQ

-1/1 Complete MQ

-2/1 Quaker pancake mix IPQ (2) - printed this a LONG time ago

-4.50 taken off for $2/1 Band-Aid Wags CAB Q

-.16 Wags in-ad Reese's Q

5.12 subtotal (should have been .12 if my $5RR wasn't expired)

Paid 5.12 with Wags gcard, received $13 RR

4.88 profit

I was also going to grab some free Toblerone chocolate and a free Bic candle lighter, but I didn't have the Toblerone Qs & I couldn't find a Bic candle lighter.