Comedy in Couponing

Well...I've just started using coupons and already I've had my fair share of HORRIBLE experiences.  I actually try not to post too many bad experiences because I am an optimist at heart and don't want to discourage anyone from couponing because I love it.  It is super fun and helps my family (the best of both worlds).  My friends all make fun of me for being the crazy coupon lady who takes her binder of coupons in the store with her.  (But they don't seem to mind to much when I whip out a coupon for what they are about to buy or bring them free goodies!)  

Anyway, this week I actually had a lot of fun shopping at CVS.  Not only did my favorite cashier help me score some awesome deals (see it here), but I found a new cashier who I love.  This is great news because my cashier is leaving for college shortly! :(  

Well this story starts by me going in and looking at the candy isle (for my B1G1 Lifesavers).  I am quietly shopping, when out of no where this head pops up over the top of the shelves and says can I help you find anything?  She scared me half to death!!  She was really tall and really peppy, so something about her popping up suddenly just startled me so bad (and I honestly don't scare that easily).  We were both laughing so hard at how high I jumped.  I was so embarrassed for jumping and she was so embarrassed for scaring me!

So we finally stopped laughing and I got busy shopping.  When I got ready to check-out, I couldn't find my favorite cashier. Boo-hoo!  I go to my new friend, but I definitely have the "new check-out girl" jitters.  I start out with my "I am sorry, I have a couple of transactions and a lot of coupons" story.  And believe it or not, she was actually extremely excited that I had coupons! She goes into this spill of how she just started using coupons and how much she loves it!  Yeah!! I had a coupon for a One Touch that made it free and she could not get it to go through.  She tried and tried every way she could. I told her it was ok, I didn't have to have it.  I was just getting a back up for my grandfather.  Long story short, she took my coupon and the meter and told me she would have the manager make it work and I could just come by and pick it up later. How sweet is that?  

So I came back later to get it and of course had to do more deals.  While I was making my DVD (which my favorite cashier gave me a $5 off coupon for!) my new cashier comes up to do some deals herself.  After everything rings up, she digs in her pocket and pulls out this huge wad (and I do mean wad, like sweaty, crumbled up mess) of coupons.  I almost died!  (I mean seriously, how dare you disrespect those coupons!  Ha! Ha!)  I just had to help her!  I went to my car to get my binder that I just put together (yes, I actually left it in the car this time)!  I was so proud to show off my new baby! (Oh my gosh, I am such a dork!)  Anyway, I hope she got some good ideas to get herself organized and give those coupons the good home they deserve!

Before I left, she decided that I needed to start a local club and teach people how to do this.  I am no where good enough for that, but I thought it was funny!

(I got home and was telling my husband all of this and he knocked some stuff off of the table including a dime.  He just shrugged like "oops!"  I picked up the dime and said, "Are you just going to leave this here, I mean, this is highly valuable!  Do you know what all I can get at CVS with this dime?  At least 2 shampoos & conditioners, 3 sure deo, makeup, facewipes, toilet paper, soap, and some toothpaste!!) 

Want to read more fun couponing stories?  Check out the Tuesday Tee-hee at Moms Need to Know.  Add your own funny story for a chance to win a Coupon Companion.  

Hidden CVS Deal! Small Money Maker!

I have personally confirmed that this deal!  The ad states you must buy mascara and expensive eye roller and earn $10 ECB.  I heard the rumor that you could buy two mascaras (5.99 each) and the $10 ECB's would print.  Use 2 $2/1 coupons and it's a money maker!  Well, I was really nervous about this deal and didn't want to do it if it wouldn't work because I would be wasting my ECB's to pay for it and I still have mascaras from a couple weeks ago.  As I was debating if I was going to try, in walks my favorite cashier, who loves me and my couponing self.  I asked her if she thought it would work and she said let's try it and if it doesn't I'll refund you your money!  Yeah! I love her!  So I did it, and out pops my $10 ECB!!  So excited!  

Not only did she do this, she also gave me a huge handful of $5 off Kodak DVD coupons!!! Enough for me and everyone in my family!  I wish I would have gotten them earlier in the week because I could have shared them with all of you, but there is no way they would get there in time now!  Sorry!  Isn't it great to have a cashier who loves when we do this?  Too bad she's leaving for college soon!  I take her treats every once in a while and I told her she definitely earned some treats!!  

I'll list all of the deals she helped me do in a bit!

DIY Wednesday

I have decided to start doing a DIY Wednesday post weekly (I hope!).  I definitely believe in making anything you can instead of buying it.  A lot of things you see in the store can be made at home and usually pretty simply.  I love buying things at thrift stores and repainting them to make them new again.  I hope to show you some ideas of things you can create on your own at very cheap prices.  I would also love for you to share any DIY ideas you have or anything that you would like to create and are not sure how.  I will try to help you figure out how to do it.  I would also love any suggestions of what to write about each week.  Here are some things I have made myself and plan to share:  headboard, furniture, pergola, artwork, mosaic table, etc.  

CVS July 20-26

I had a great week!  I went on Sunday to take advantage of the $3/$15 coupons I had.  I ended up there several times (took my sister and cousin) and then went back on Thursday (when truck comes) to get some items they've been out of!  Here's the quick run-down of the other trips.  (You can see my first visit this week where I got $240 stuff for $7 and increased my ECB's here.)

Veet Bladeless Razor 8.79 (-$2 coupon)

Veet Gel 4.99 (-$2 coupon)  (ECB's earned $5)

4 All B1G1 6.49 (4  $1/1coupon)

2 Sure 2.89 each (2 $1/1 coupon)

2 CVS Baby Powder 2.00 (2  $2 CVS skincare coupon)

CVS Baby Lotion 2.00 (-$2 CVS skincare coupon)

CVS Bedtime Baby Wash 2.00 (-$2 CVS skincare coupon)

CVS Hair Detangler 2.00 (-$2 CVS skincare coupon) (ECB's $5 after $15 baby)

Bic Razor 6.99 (-$4 coupon) (ECB's $5 since had bought one before) 

2 Bic Cartridges (2 $4/1 coupons) (ECB's earned $5)

Mike & Ike's .99 (filler)

This is a few transactions combined with a few $3/$15 I used Sunday totaling:

$4.22  OOP

Went with $17 ECB's left with $16 ECB's

My sister did not care for the Pepsi deal or Clean & Clear deal, so I built both of those in her transactions and got to keep that stuff (she got baby stuff in return)!  I will not be buying any face wash for a long time!  And I should definitely be pimple free!!

My weekly totals are:

$326.94 stuff (+ tax) (not including stuff my sister gave me)

$11.52 oop (including 9.99 MIR)

Started this week w/$14 ECB's and finished w/$16!!

Want to see more people do this and learn how to do it??  Check out The Centsible Sawyer.  She will teach you how to do this and save you tons of $$$!!!

Plastic bags!

I just read this email and it really got me thinking.  It is about all of the plastic bags we use.  Since I've been doing so much shopping (uhhh...freeing!) I've brought home a  lot of bags.  I usually keep and reuse them for other stuff, but eventually they do end up somewhere, right???  I've seen on the news about taking your own bag, but never seriously thought about doing it myself.  After seeing this, I think I'm going to.  You should see the slideshow here.  It says that if 1 in 5 people in our country did this we would save 1,330,560,000,000 bags in our lifetime.  And that's only counting if we saved 6 bags a week.  I know I come home with way more than six bags a week!  In my search about this I've found several sites that show you how to make your own out of stuff you already have.  Here and here are examples.  I'm gonna give it a go!  I'll post pics later!

If you already do this, or have a question or tip, please leave a comment!  Thanks!

More CVS Scores!

So I took my dad to CVS with me to show him how cool it is (I've also taken my sister and cousin, it's going to be a family thing!), but when I got there to make my photobooks I realized I had forgotten my camera!!  URG!!!  I was so mad at myself!  I did some other deals and had my old camera so I made one photobook with some older cake pictures.  It turned out so cute!  Here 's what I got:

More freebies!

Here is a great coupon booklet that you can have mailed to you.  It's got some great brands in it. Find it here.  It includes $27 in savings on brands like Swiffer, Dawn, Cascade, Febreze, and Mr. Clean!