My Dollar General Halloween Finds!

Some people don’t mind paying full price for the products they use everyday, but that’s just not my thing. I would be known as the crazy lady if I didn’t track down the deals. Would I?
I could have waited for the sales to get better, but I didn’t know how long that wait would be and I just couldn’t pass up these deals.
I don’t know exactly what this trip would have cost at full price, but I will attempt an educated guess. I would think around $24. Am I weird to admit that makes me cringe and it’s not even that much money.
I’ll break it down for you though and heads up…I spent under $10. 🙂

I used the $3/$15 Digital Coupon on this transaction which I will include in my breakdown.

6 Pillsbury Halloween cake mixes $1 each
-used (6) $.35/1 Pillsbury baking mix or frosting printable
PLUS $.19 off each box w/ DG Digital
Final price $.46 per box, $2.76 for all 6

1 Pillsbury Halloween frosting $1.31
$.25 off w/ DG Digital Coupon (my digital coupon didn’t come off for $.35 😞)
Final price $.96

1 Planner for 2015 $1
$.19 off w/ DG Digital coupon
Final price $.81

2 Haribo gummy bears $1 each
-used (2) $.30/1 Haribo products printable
PLUS $.19 off each package w/ DG Digital coupon
Final price $.51 for each package

Halloween baking cups $.50
PLUS $.09 Off w/ DG Digital
Final price $.41

3 packages of Halloween Oreos $2.25 each
-used B2G1 free DG Digital coupon
PLUS $.44 off 2 packages w/ DG Digital Coupon
Final price $1.81 per package

I paid $9.81 total with taxes on all of this. Did I really need all this stuff though? I may not need it, but we will enjoy it. The girls will love to bake cupcakes, the hubby will enjoy the gummies (they’re all gone), and snack time will always welcome Oreos into their day.

Have you scored any Halloween clearance deals the past few days? Feel free to share and I will make a post and show everyone else your great savings too!

Throw Back Thursday: Before I was The Crazy Coupon Lady of OC

Throw back Thursday!

I decided to do a TBT and share my very first couponing trip. I was a hot mess on this trip, but I thought it was a very successful first attempt at couponing. Take note, I didn’t have anyone to teach me anything at this point and I was still very new to EVERYTHING. This trip dates back all the way to 10/25/11. A few other things to note about this trip: Coupons never used to say ETS, I spent hours upon hours planning this trip to make sure I didn’t forget a coupon or do the math wrong and it was the most intense couponing trip I had made at that point.

The great thing about this trip though, I was successful! And look at me now!

I never would have said, “In two years I feel like I’ll have my own blog site and be able to help dozens to hundreds of people save money each week!”

Thank you to everyone who follows my blog and has continually given me support and encouraged me to keep sharing the deals. Just knowing I can help at least one person every day is motivation enough for me to make my posts.

Last night (10/25/11) I went to shopping at Wal-Mart. I had to make sure not to check out before midnight because I had 4 items that needed to be ad matched with the local grocery stores!

(4) Bottles Arm & Hammer Laundry Detergent-Wal-Mart price $4.97, price matched it for $2.99
Used (2) $1/2 Any Arm & Hammer products
Final price $2.49 each

Viva 6pk paper towel rolls-Wal-Mart price $8.97, price matched for $6.99
Used (1) $2 off Viva 6pk paper towels
Final price $4.99

Bottle 32ct Airborne Dietary Supplement-Wal-Mart price $5.87, price matched for $4.99
Used  $1.50 off any Airborne Product
Final price $3.47

(10) Cans of Campbell’s tomato and chicken noodle soup-Wal-Mart price $.60 per can, price matched for 10/$5 or $.50 per can
Used (2) $1/5 off cans Campbell’s chicken noodle or tomato soup
Final price 10 cans for $3, only $0.30 each

(2) Axe snake peel shower gels-$3.47 a piece
Used BOGO FREE on any Axe body wash product
Final price was $3.47 for both

(4) Travel size Axe shower gels-$.97 each
Used (4)  $1.50 off any Axe shower gel product
Final price was overage of $.53 each!!

(6)Travel size Aquafresh Extreme Clean toothpaste-$.97 each
Used (6) $1.00 off any Aquafresh Extreme Clean Toothpaste
Final price was overage of $.03 each!!

(2) Nesquick 7 servings chocolate powder-$1.00 each
Used (2) $.75 off Nesquick milk powder
Final price just $.25 each

(2) Kotex U Liners 18ct-$1.24 each
Used (2) $1.00 off any Kotex U product
Final price just $.24 each

(2) Idahoan 4oz pack Farmhouse fix’ns cheesy hash brown potatoes-$1.25 each
Used (2) FREE Idahoan Farmhouse fix’ns cheesy hash brown potatoes
Final price… FREE!!!!

 

Before taxes, coupons and price matches I would have spent $64.34. After applying the coupons and price matches to this trip I only spent $ 23.59 which turns out to be a 63% savings! I only started couponing at the beginning of this month so this is a pretty big feat for me!

This was my first trip and those were the words I typed back then, making sure to save it in a word document. (Because I’m a nerd like that.)

Do you remember your first couponing trip?

A reader’s Stockpile Images

These pictures were sent to me a couple days ago, but my allergies have turned into a massive cold leaving me slow to respond to anything “normal”.

She informed me her products are a little disorganized at the moment, but she is going to be investing in some products to help her get organized. 🙂

 

Either way, I am very happy for her because I am a strong believer in a back stock/stockpile. You never know when money may become an issue and all of a sudden you can’t afford things the way you use to. Luckily, with a stockpile, you don’t have to worry!

Do you have any pictures you’d like to share? Or tips or tricks you have used to create your stockpile? Please feel free to share your stories and deals to make it on the Wall of Fame as well!

(Thanks a bunch for sharing Amy!)

A reader’s Freebie deal at K-Mart

This deal was shared with me a couple days ago, but I am just getting to it now because we were out celebrating my hubby’s birthday yesterday. I took him to Omaha. 🙂

Anyway, this post isn’t about him or myself, it’s about an awesome reader’s score at her local K-Mart.

As a lot of you know, K-Mart was running a double coupons promotion last week for their card members and were doubling up to $2!!! That’s intense. AND. Awesome!

Gillette Fusion shave gel $3.99
-use $2/1 Gillette shave gel from RP 6/15 (x 7/31)
Pay nothing after K-Mart doubles the MQ!

As far as I know, this double coupon promotion is over, but if you shop at K-Mart at all, I would definitely rush in and become a member before they run another promotion so you can take advantage of great deals like these too!

(Thanks for sharing Ann!!)

My Personal Success Story for the Week

I like to make posts about my life occasionally, just because I want people, I want you, to be able to relate to me. To be able to feel like I am just another person you’d pass on the sidewalk downtown and say hello to.

In all reality I am, if you live in Orange City. 🙂

I make posts like this though to show everyone that I am a real person and even though I coupon, I still have a life full of challenges and complications. I’d be lying if I told you that I didn’t and I don’t intend on lying to anyone, that’s not my M.O.

Anyway, I wanted to share what I felt was my big success of the week. I am aware that it’s only Monday, but after having no life since last Wednesday and basically being bed-ridden, you can see that anything would really be a success when it involves me leaving my house!

Today, I feel as big as these guys! 🙂

Here is goes.

My husband wears contacts and he needed more. Last week I called down to the eye office and placed an order and within a few days they were here. Well, I actually received the call last Monday, but since I had so much to do before my wisdom teeth epidemic, I put it on the back burner. This isn’t really how I do things, like ever, but I figured my husband’s eyes still worked and he wasn’t dying without the extra pairs so it would be fine.

I’m glad I did.

On Friday, I sold a few items on swap and was able to obtain a little bit of cash that way. Then, Saturday, I received my EASY Rebate back from Staples for my reams of paper that are ultimately FREE now since I got the cash back. I had $4 show up in a check form which I deposited into our bank account, and then $34 came in a Visa pre-paid card.

I put little Ollie in the stroller, tied up Kaylinn’s shoe laces and off we went on a trek to downtown.

We got into the shop and I asked for his prescription and was told the bill was $104.

OH. MY. GOSH.

Eyes are expensive. (Glad I have 20/20!)

I handed her my cash, which totaled up to $45.
Had her run the Visa pre-paid card, another $34.
Then finally had her add the last part to my debit card. She charged $25.

In all reality though, since I deposited that $4 check from my rebate, I actually only spent $21 on his contacts…that’s an 80% savings!

When I say savings, I mean, that’s $83 that I didn’t have to spend from my bank account AND that is exciting to me! I didn’t even have to dip into the savings account.

This was a total success for me and it definitely gave me a motivation to keep my head up after the obstacles I have faced this past week.

What obstacles have you overcome lately, or what is something that you have achieved that you are proud of? What was able to put a smile on your face when you least expected it?

 

A Fellow Couponer’s BAD Day

Have you ever had one of those days when it seems like the world is against couponers?
A friend of mine shared this story with me of a fellow couponer who was shopping at a West Union, Iowa store.

She was simply shopping at the Dollar General when this happened to her…

Have to share this craziness, sorry it’s blurry. I was so angry I was shaking!  I went to the Dollar General and took some coupons off a display to purchase the items. The crazy manager come up and grabbed me and the coupons saying that I couldn’t have them! I said they are there for anyone to take. She said no. I hung onto them. She called the darn cops! Lol. Had me banned from the store and wouldn’t let me have the coupons! The cop even said she was crazy. She also told me I’m not aloud to take pictures in the store because its illegal and that having my phone in the store is illegal! She said that it’s in policy and that’s when I called her bluff! I told her I want to see that policy and she said no! Ha! I know store policies so this lady was completely crazy!

 

I wanted to share this story because it’s really upsetting, the fact that an employee, let alone A MANAGER, acted this way towards a customer. Most people understand coupons, what they have been created for and what not, but some people just don’t seem to get it. I don’t know if this gal is going to contact corporate but if I were here, I most definitely would.

With that being said, I want to ask, have you had a bad couponing experience? Feel free to share your stories, I’m sure there are plenty of us who can relate!

 

Achievement of the Day!

This is the second time I’ve made it on her page. It’s such an accomplishment. 🙂

I’m sure it’s totally stupid to be all giddy about this, but it’s still a big deal to me! Totally makes my day too!!

I went to Wal-Mart again. At the Same Time as Hy-Vee and the Other Wal-Mart, not now.

I went to Wal-Mart, it’s obvious by my last post, but I hit up the two local stores. LeMars didn’t have the tree I wanted but they had some other deals. 

I got 3 Axe Gift Sets which during the holidays were $9.88. Umm…NO. At 50% off it went down to $4.94…I had a coupon for $2 but I wasn’t willing to pay $2.94 for something that I didn’t need. Makes sense? I don’t have a logic sometimes. Anyway. Went back today. 75% off. Actually. After doing the math, it was more than 75% off because it would have been $2.47, but it only rang up at $2. 

Their error not mine. I used the coupon. Got all 3 for FREE! Coupon said limit 2 per transaction so I had to do 2 transactions. 

The M&M’s, which I paid $0.44 for when it was on sale at 50% but since it went on sale each bag rang up at $0.72 each. Use the $1/1 printable…made $0.28 on each bag :). yep. BTW. We tried these, they weren’t bad. It kind of tasted like champurrado, but I could only eat a few at a time. Not bad though. 

I got more hair color. Check this month’s P&G for Vidal Sassoon coupons and Clairol coupons! I’d rather pay $1-$1.50 per box than go to a salon and pay upwards of $40+. I can afford $1.50 plus sales tax. Scissors were also marked down to $0.50 and for some reason my kids seem to lose or break theirs too often. Plus, when I was over on the food side, they have this cart that has stuff on clearance too, weird but exciting. I was out of nutmeg, it was marked down to $1.75 for the expensive canister which is at least $2 off. Pie season’s over, no reason to have an over abundance. My win.
 
Another thing pictured…Francesco Rinaldi pasta sauce. This is a great sauce. It’s gluten free, and some are even dairy free. Really good for allergies. And Wal-Mart has the cheapest price when no one else is having a sale…$1.38 per jar. It’s delicious. I bought one more thing but Ollie took them the minute he set eyes on them. Some new slip on shoes for $5. His feet are growing so fast I didn’t want to spend $12 on a pair of shoes he’ll wear for a week. 

It’s fine. 

I ended up spending around $20 after coupons but I’ll be able to color my hair for almost an entire year, FREE body wash and hair products to donate, possibly use, M&M’s for my hubby’s work party (even if he told me not to bring anything), scissors for who knows how long, nutmeg until next pie season, plus my random recipes that call for it and shoes to fit Oliver for a week or two if I’m lucky.

I would love to know any great deals you’ve come across since Christmas is over. Everyone else wants to know too. XD

My Black Friday DG Trip

This morning I went to the Dollar General, not for an extreme amount of things but I liked their deal on Glade candles and I really wanted some M&M’s. Those are the only things I got.
The candles were $3 but paired with a sale promotion: buy 2 get 1 FREE. So for every 3 you purchased,  a discount of $3 was taken. I bought 6. After the cashier hit total, a discount of $6 was automatically taken off. Then came the coupons of course.
I used 3 $2/2 Glade products, that printable I had mentioned. After coupons and discounts I paid just $6 for all 6, only $1 each!!!! With the M&M’s, on sale for $2.50 for the next 3 days, I used the store coupon for $1 off as well as a MQ for $1, which means I only paid $.50 for a 12.5oz bag of peanut M&M’s!
My total OOP was only $7.45 with a savings of $14! A 65% savings as well. 🙂
Happy Black Friday shopping, I know most won’t be buying candles though lol.

My Three Day Sale Triumph.

We went to Fareway this morning, just my Ollie monster and me and had to get a few things. I had some coupons that expire today, for products that I actually NEEDED to purchase. Bob’s Red Mill gluten free pancake mix and flour.

So what did I buy? I got:
1 gallon of Land O Lakes milk on sale for $2.68
4 boxes of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies $2 each
2 bags of C&H sugar 4lb each $2.49 each
4 packages of Bob’s Red Mill pancake mix $4.49 each
2 packages of Bob’s Red Mill all-purpose flour $8.38 each

My total minus any coupons was $51.57

Then I busted out my weapons, the coupons.
I had $2/1 milk WYB 3 Kellogg’s cereals printable
Store coupon for $4 off Kellogg’s Rice Krispies
Store coupon from weekly ad plus store coupon from 3 day sale ad for sugar at $1.68 each (I asked a manager if I could do this before I did)
plus used that with 2 MQ for $.50/1 bag (Expires today)
Had B1G1 FREE Bob’s Red Mill products up to $4.99

Milk–>$.68
Rice Krispies–>$1 each
C&H sugar–>$1.18 each
Pancake mix–>$8.98 for all 4
Flour–>$11.79 for both

My total OOP (out of pocket) after coupons was $28.58 and I had a total savings of $22.99 a 44% savings!