Outlet malls have coupons!!

So my family took a little trip down to the Lake of the Ozarks this weekend and of course, we visited the outlet mall!!

Before we left, I made sure to print my coupons - that's right - OUTLET MALLS HAVE COUPONS!!

I don't know that I got any "Super Amazing" deals, but I did get deals. The outlets often have some good prices and add additional coupons/discounts to that and I did pretty well.

So if you are planning a trip to the lake check out http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/attractions.asp?id=57/

Click the VIP link and sign up. You will get occasional emails about sales (they don't come too often) but you also get the ability to print out coupons/discounts - one of which is a voucher to pick up MORE coupons/discounts for free at the information desk when you arrive!!! They normally charge $5 for this booklet.

I did notice that some of the stores I knew I would be making purchases at were not included such as Carter's and Children's place - so I just did some searching on my own (and I sign up on their websites for coupons) and got 20% coupons to use at each store.

HAPPY SHOPPING!!

Target deal for cold season

I came down with a major cold and it has turned it's ugly head into a full blown sinus infection. So I went out in search of medicine to help me feel better today and found a GREAT deal at Target.

Target has Vicks medicine on sale for $4.99. I had a $4 coupon for Vicks Sinex and $1.50 coupon off any vicks product.

I bought a daytime Sinex and a NyQuil, along with $1 stickers for my little tornado and $1 kleenex for my ever running nose :) and paid $6.90 after taxes.

I saved a total of $6.95!!

Early Christmas Shopping

I was shopping at WalMart today and happened upon this deal in the toy aisle.

They had Chucks Stunt Park Playset on sale for $29.00.
I've seen these regular price at $39.99.
I had a $10 off coupon from one of the Sunday paper inserts, bringing this toy down to $19.00. HALF PRICE!!
I know my little guy will be excited to see this under the tree Christmas morning. He LOVES Chuck!!

SO OVERDUE

I have not stopped getting deals - I just seem to have trouble keeping up on the blogging. So here is one I did today.

BIG LESSON on this one - coupons are good for more than what they state!!

Went to CVS this morning - scanned my card when I first walked in and got several coupons. Only 2 that I will use, but you never know what you may get. 1 I used today the other I will go back for.

Today I got:
2 boxes of Nabisco wheat thins 2/$4
1 brach candy corn (this was the coupon I got when I scanned my card) $0.99
2 Dawn dish soaps $0.97 each
1 Colgate total toothpaste. $2.99

I paid $4.19 after taxes!!! AND I got $2.99 ECB, which is basically a $2.99 coupon for my next visit.

So, the brach candy corn was FREE because they had it on sale for .99 cents and when I scanned my card it printed of a coupon for .99 cents off.

The Dawn dish soaps were FREE because I had 2 $1 coupons for dawn. They were for the soothing essentials or something like that, but they worked for the regular dish soap.

Here's that lesson I was talking about - what I've learned is that OFTEN a coupon is good for several different items as long as they are in the same category. I did the same thing with the Wheat thins.

The Nabisco Wheat Thins were 2/$4. I had 2 $1 off coupons for the new wheat thin stixs, but the coupon worked for the regular wheat thins!

I also had a $1 off coupon for the Colgate and I earned $2.99 ECB for purchasing it - so I actually MADE $1

So if you have a coupon you want to use, but the store doesn't have that specific product or it isn't included in the sale, try it anyway!! As long as it is in the same category - it will probably work and if it doesn't just tell them you don't want the item then.

Finally, the other coupon I got when I scanned my card was $6 off any 2 Garnier skincare moisturizer or treatment.
I searched the internet and found more coupons. One I know will work for $2 off and another possible $2 off. But if the second $2 doesn't work I found a $1 that will.
These can be combined with the CVS coupon and my $2.99 ECB which will give me between $11.99 or $12.99 off 2 Garnier skin care.
Should bring them pretty darn close to FREE!!!

Proof

Okay so here is some more proof that clipping coupons is TOTALLY worth the time and effort.

My shopping trips this week (these deals are good till Sunday!)

What I bought and what it cost me vs. what it SHOULD have cost me.

Walgreens:
$7.99 - Childrens Walitin (no sale here, but my son needed it) - used my $3 register rewards from last week)

$1.99 - Starbucks espresso shot - on sale for 4/$5 and had 2 buy 1 get 1 free coupons I printed off a link from http://www.stlmommy.com/ Wouldn't normally buy these but for about 25 cents a piece it's an indulgence I'm willing to "splurge" for :)

$5.49 - Cottonelle wipes refill - on sale 2/$5 with coupon in their ad and I had an additional coupon for 50 cents off. BTW - these are a MUST if you are potty training a child!

My total (before taxes) should have been $26.93
But I paid (before taxes) $10.51 saving myself $16.42!!

CVS:
$1.79 - 2 liter Mt. Dew (my husband is addicted to this) - on sale 4/$5 and I found 2 $1 off two coupon tags in the store PLUS a mail in rebate for $5 when you buy 4. So after the rebate I actually MADE $2!!

$7.99 - Bounty basic paper towels - on sale for $5.97 and I had a $2 off coupon

$7.99 - Purex 3 in 1 - on sale for $5.99, I had a $3 off coupon AND I got $2 extra bucks (CVS version of register rewards - a coupon to use on my next visit.)

$29.99 - Move Free Advanced joint pill - on sale buy 1 get 1 free and I had 2 $5 off coupons

&4.99 - Pepsi 12 pack - on sale 3 for 9.99 and got a bag of Doritos FREE

$.99 - Green bag tag - Scanned my CVS card at the machine when I walked in and got a coupon for 50 cents off this tag. Every fourth shopping trip that I use it I earn $1!!

$5.49 - Crest toothpaste - Had a $1 off coupon

My shopping trip should have cost me $117.55 before taxes
But I paid $49.41 - got $2 easy bucks AND $2 over after my rebate for a total savings of $72.14


The little tornado just awoke. I'm outta time. I'll try to post tomorrow the savings I got at Target today!!

Happy shopping!!

Break it Down

Okay so here is the breakdown of how I "robbed" Walgreens and how to put coupons to use!

1. Dial body wash - on sale for 3.99. I had a $1 off coupon and at the register I received a $3 register rewards (which is something Walgreens does - it is basically like a $3 coupon you can use on your next shopping trip). So I pretty much got this for free - after I use of the $3 coupon.

2. V8 Fusion Juice (2) - $4.49 each but 2 for $5 with coupon in Walgreens ad. This coupon is a Walgreens coupon which can be combined with a manufactures coupon which I did - I used 2 of them for $1 off and got both juices for $3

3. Nivea body wash (4) - $5.99 each. They were on sale buy one get one free. I used 2 coupons printed off the stlmommy website for $4 off 2 body washes. So I got all four body washes for $3.98

4. Lysol toilet bowl cleaner (4) - $2.99 each. They were on sale buy one get one free. I had 4 $1 off coupons from a mailing that had come to my house. I can use all four even though 2 were free because the free item is a store promotion. So I was able to get all 4 for $1.98

5. Ziploc bags (2) - On sale 2 for $5. Walgreens keeps a little booklet of coupons by their ads in store. These are Walgreens coupons so they can be combined with manufacture coupons. In the booklet they had a $1 off 2 coupon which I combined with $1 off 2 coupon I had. I got both boxes for $3

6. Mentos Gum (4) - $1.69. Walgreens had a coupon in their ad that reduced the cost to .99. I then combined that with coupons I had for $1 off 2 making each pack of gum .49 cents.

7. Kotex tampons - These were on sale for $3.50 and I had a coupon for $1 off 1 so I paid $2.50

8. Pilot Pens - These were on sale for $1.99. In their in store coupon booklet Walgreens had $1 off 1 coupon which I combined with a printable coupon for $1 off 1 - making it FREE!!

9. Aquafresh toothpaste - On sale for $2.99. In their in store coupon booklet Walgreens had $1 off coupon which I combined with a manufacturer coupon for $1 off making it .99 cents.

As I typed this I realized I forgot to use the ad coupon for the V8 juices - which is a bummer. I still got a great deal, but I could have saved myself even more. So make sure you have ALL the coupons you need before heading to the store!

Remember you can always combine a store coupon with a manufacturer coupon. They say on the coupon what they are.

If the store is offering a promotion such as buy 1 get 1 free - use 2 coupons if you have them! That way you get the free item PLUS extra money off the one you pay for.

Hope this helps!!

How I robbed Walgreens (AGAIN)!!!

So I realize that I promised in my budget blogs that I would share some of my couponing tips and ways I save money. I've really slacked on that - but yesterday I had a FABULOUS trip to Walgreens that has inspired me to share.

Now, I will preface this with - THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN EVERY TIME!! But, it does happen, and when it does it is SO FUN!! I do however, on average, save about $20-$30 each shopping trip.

Yesterday I went to Walgreens and purchased $77.70 worth of items for $24.37 (before taxes).
No, that is not a typo - I only spent $24.37 - that is a savings of about 68%. I purchased 20 items and the price I paid was the total of about 5 of those items. So I essentially got 15 items free!! - See isn't this FUN!!!

Here is a picture of what I purchased.

And a list:

1 - Dial body wash

2 - V8 Fusion Juices

4 - Nivea Body washes (these alone are 5.99 each at full price)

4 - Lysol toilet bowl cleaners

2 - Boxes Ziploc bags

4 - Mentos Gum

1 - Box Kotex Tampons

1 - Package of Pilot pens

1 - Aquafresh Toothpaste

So how did I do it? I have several resources I use to make this happen.

1. If you don't know about it yet, and/or haven't tried it sign up for http://www.stlmommy.com/ It is free and she will send you updates on your email (you can also sign up via facebook) about freebies available AND most importantly she goes through the drug store and grocery store ads and finds the deals for you. Basically, she does the hard work and you reap the rewards.

2. Clip coupons. Sign up for the Sunday paper and clip any and all coupons that you think you may use. If you use stlmommy.com she will give links to coupons you can print out - but some are ones you have to clip out of the paper. Sometimes you can get the coupon both ways (out of the paper AND through a link to print from) which means MORE savings!

3. Double check the ads yourself for deals on things you may need at the time. She didn't have the mentos deal posted, but I had coupons and Walgreens had a coupon.

4. Stock up on items when you can get great deals. I didn't NEED 5 bodywashes - BUT you rarely find them as cheap as I was able to get them and now I won't need to buy any for a long time.

5. Only buy things you will use. It's not a deal if it will go to waste.

6. Be patient. When I first started using the website and clipping coupons I almost gave up. I didn't feel like I was saving much. But, I kept it up and now I regularly save us LOTS of money. You just have to hold on to the coupons and wait for sales and store ads to match up with the coupons you have.

Check out the website - start clipping coupons and I'll be back to let you know the best ways to put those coupons to use. Let me know how it goes!!