Thursday, September 29, 2011

Why the drugstores?

Or, "I like WalMart, why should I shop at the drugstores? I don't use Alli weight loss, Depends, Poise, Polident, or any other random products that I have to buy to get a 'good deal'."

Well, here's the answer: drugstores sell products you do use on a regular basis. Toilet paper, health and beauty items like shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, even food items like cereal, soda, canned fruit, and staples like sugar. With the reward deals offered by drugstores, many times you actually make money in these deals. The offer might be, say, for a "Free after rewards tube of Crest", but if you have a $1 coupon for the product, you actually make a dollar to purchase the item. That dollar can be used toward something you need.

You might think drugstores are more expensive than WalMart, and that is true if you walk in and buy it at non-sale, shelf-pricing. But if you use your coupons on sale items, you can do very well indeed. Then that saved money can go into things you can't buy at drugstores, like produce, meat and so forth.

In addition, you might not use Polident, but someone somewhere does, and they would love a gift of that item. If you don't know anyone personally that is in need, do a little research on the internet and you will quickly come up with dozens of charities that will gladly take donations of this type.

Walgreens: Getting Started: Week of 9/25-10/1

Walgreens looks good this week. Since it's the middle of the week, unless you're in a low-couponed area, you might find some items out of stock, but if not, then you're in luck.

I am going to assume if you're starting out, you don't have a multitude of insert coupons, but if you are interested in the game, you should at least get your hands on two sets of inserts a week. Buy two papers, ask a relative or neighbor to give you their unused coupons, etc. BOGO deals are almost always good with two coupons, so you always want multiples. Some of these scenarios are based on you having at least two sets of inserts.

Here's the deals, and what I recommend:

Zarbees Nighttime Cough Medicine $5.99, earn $6rr
-$1/1 inside box

Colgate Optic White Toothpaste 2/$7.98 ($3.99/ea), earn $6rr wyb 2
-$1.50/1 mq 9.11 SS

Schick Quattro Razor System or cartridges $8.99, earn $5rr
-$4/1 mq Schick refill 9.25 SS
-$2/1 mq Schick Quattro Razor 9.25 SS

Remington Razor System $4.99, Earn $5rr

Walgreens Regular or Overnight Maxi Pads, 14-24ct, $2, earn $2rr

Balance Bar $1.59, earn $1.60rr (This might ring uup $1.50 instead of $1.59)
(some areas got coupons in the 9.11 paper, but we did not, so I have not included them)

Theraflu $5, earn $5rr wyb 2
-$2/1 mq 9.25 SS

Least Oop Scenario (more transactions)
Transaction 1

Balance Bar $1.59 ($1.50)
=$1.59 +tax

Use Balance Bar coupon if you happen to have one from 9.11 SS
Earn $1.60rr

Transaction 2
Walgreens Maxi pads $2
Halloween plastic tumber/gift bag ($.16 with in-ad coupon)
=$2.16+tax

Use
$1.60rr from Trans 1
Wags in-ad coupon for Halloween cup/bag
=$.56+tax

Earn $2rr (also you will probably get a coupon for a Walgreens pads, which may or may not apply to this product if you want to buy more. Registers alternate printing a $.50 coupon that applies, and a $1 coupon that is only for bigger packages. If you get the $.50 coupon, and want to use it on another transaction, it will make your pads a $.50 mm)

Transaction 3
2x Colgate Optic White Toothpaste 2/$7.98
Halloween plastic tumber/gift bag ($.16 with in-ad coupon)
=$8.14

Use
2x $1.50/1 mq Colgate Optic White 9.11 SS
$2rr from Trans2
Wags in-ad coupon for Halloween cup/bag
=$3.14+tax

Earn $6rr (Colgate)

Transaction 4
Schick Quattro Razor $8.99
Halloween plastic tumber/gift bag ($.16 with in-ad coupon)
=$9.15

Use
$2/1 Schick mq 9.25 SS
Wags in-ad coupon for Halloween cup/bag 
$6rr from Trans 3
= $1.15 +tax

earn $5rr (Schick)

Transaction 5
Remington razor $4.99
Halloween plastic tumber/gift bag ($.16 with in-ad coupon)
=$5.15

Use

Wags in-ad coupon for Halloween cup/bag 
$5rr from Trans 3
=$.15 +tax

Earn $5rr

Transaction 6
Schick Refill $8.99
Halloween plastic tumber/gift bag ($.16 with in-ad coupon)
=$9.15


Use
$4/1 Schick mq 9.25 SS
Wags in-ad coupon for Halloween cup/bag 

$5rr from Trans 5
=$.15 +tax

Earn $5rr

Transaction 7
Zarbees $5.99
=$5.99

Use
$5rr from trans 6
=$.99 +tax

earn $6rr
(check your box for a coupon, you can use it on another box, or save it for Rite Aid's sale next week!)

Transaction 8
2x Theraflu $5/ea
Halloween plastic tumber/gift bag ($.16 with in-ad coupon)
=$10.16

Use
2x $2/1 Theraflu mq 9.25 SS
Wags in-ad coupon for Halloween cup/bag  
$6rr from trans 7
=$.16 +tax

Earn $5rr

Now: results: all of the above items for a grand total of $7.89 +tax and you have a $5rr leftover.  If you're concerned about your rr expiring before you get back into walgreens, go ahead and use the $5 to buy something you need. Tuf trashbags are a great price this week: $2.99, and they are just as good as Hefty or Glad in my opinion. 4lb bags of Domino sugar is a great price (check the 8.28 RP for a coupon, varying values, depending on region), and something always needed, and I love the Indiana Popcorn at $.99 (after the $1/1 coupon from 9.25 SS)


More Oop Scenario (less transactions)
So, you want to save money and get the deals, but you don't feel comfortable with, or don't have time for a gazillion transactions? Here is a scenario for you. You still save the same money as above, you just have more up front out of pocket, and more rr's at the end.

Transaction 1
2x Colgate Optic White Toothpaste 2/$7.98
1x Schick Refill $8.99
1x Balance Bar $1.59 ($1.50?)
=$18.56

Use
- 2x $1.50/1 mq Colgate Optic White 9.11 SS
- $4/1 Schick mq 9.25 SS
=$11.56+tax

Earn $6rr (Colgate), $5rr (Schick), $1.60rr (Balance Bar)


Transaction 2
2x Theraflu $5/ea
Remington razor $4.99
Walgreens Maxi pads $2
Halloween plastic tumber/gift bag ($.16 with in-ad coupon)
=$17.15+tax

Use
$6rr, $1.60, and $5 rr from Trans1
Wags in-ad coupon for Halloween cup/bag 
2x $2/1 Theraflu mq 9.25 SS
=$.55+tax

Earn $5rr (Theraflu), $5rr (Remington), $2rr (Wags pads)

Transaction3
Schick Quattro Razor $8.99
Zarbees $5.99
2x Halloween plastic tumber/gift bag ($.16 with in-ad coupon)
=$15.30

Use
$2/1 Schick mq 9.25 SS
Wags in-ad coupon for Halloween cup/bag 
$5rr, $5rr and $2rr  from Trans2
= $1.30 +tax

earn $5rr (Schick), $6 (Zarbees)


Grand Total: Spent $13.41 +tax, with $11 of rr's left

Free Cereal at Publix through tomorrow

Today and tomorrow, you can get free cereal at Publix. Or, get paid to buy Fiber One 80  Calorie cereal.

Fiber One cereals, Total cereal and Oatmeal Crisp cereal are 2/$5.00
Use the $1/2 General Mills coupon from the 9.25 Smartsource insert along with the $2/1 Publix coupon from the yellow advantage buy flyer (expires tomorrow), to get two boxes for free.

If you don't have the insert coupons, there is a printable available. Here

Then, there is a Fiber One 80 Calorie Cereal printable here that is $1 off 1 ($1/1), which, if you use two, and two of the Publix coupons, will give you $1 overage to apply to the remainder of your purchase.

Monday, September 26, 2011

I'm back! sort of.... starting with Rite Aid

I really missed posting! I don't even know if anyone is still reading, but I have a few friends who asked if I could help them get started with some scenarios, so that's what I am going to try to do for a bit. :)

Let me start by saying that I know there are people who don't have time or the inclination to do a bunch of separate transactions. If you want to buy everything in one swoop, that's totally up to you. Your out of pocket will be higher up front, but then you'll have more rewards to roll or use at the end, but the bottom line will be the same. :)

So, without further ado:

Rite Aid:
You must do this by tomorrow! There is an overlapping deal with the weekly and monthly deals, but the monthly ends tomorrow, 9/27 ( I know? It's not the end of the month? Who knows why they do it this way)

Make sure you have a Wellness Card (loyalty card) and that it's scanned before any items are rung up, ensuring you will get your discounts and rewards.

I am going to do this without any coupons but printables, then list the insert coupons at the bottom, which can further reduce your out of pocket (oop).

Buy
1  Crest Pro-Health $2.69
1 Periobalance GUM OR 1 Doctor's Nightguard $24.99
= $27.68

Use $5/1 printable for GUM here or printable for Nightguard here
=$22.68 +tax

Get back Crest $2.69 +up, $20 Nightguard +up, $5 Oral Care +up (the Oral Care up is the one ending tomorrow)

*If you have insert coupons, go back to the week of 8.28 and pull the $1/1 Crest coupon and save an additional dollar.


You could then purchase the Softsoap body wash, if you are in need, as it's either free or $.24 (depending on the coupon you received in your paper)

Buy:
Softosap Body Wash $2.99
Arizona Tea $.50 (for a filler)
=$3.49

Use
$.75/1 mq (from this weeks paper)

$2.69 +up from first transaction
=-$3.44

=$.05 out of pocket +tax

Receive $2 Softsoap +up

Some areas got a $1/1 Softsoap coupon, so if that's the case, buy something for your filler that will cover the extra. Something you need or want, a drink, candy bar, carton of eggs, loaf of bread, etc.