Small Target trip

I headed out to Target, with a stack of coupons in hand.  I left having used only a few of those coupons, but I still consider it a decent trip.

Spent: $1.29
2x Up & Up Ibuprofen, 24 count ($1.09 each)
Used 2x $1/1 Up &Up pain reliever from HERE = .09 cents each
Travel sized toothpaste ($1.07)
Used $1/1 from HERE (.07 cents after coupon)
Soft Soap $1.04
(No coupon!  There is .35/1 floating around, but I don't have it)

OK, ummmm.  I just realized I made a mistake (as is the norm, right?).  The coupon I used was for Aquafresh Extreme clean.  It specified no restrictions,  so I was good to get the trial size.  Which I needed (my toothpaste stockpile is in storage, apparently.)   I thought, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I had grabbed the Aquafresh Extreme Clean.  Apparently, I had grabbed the Arm and Hammer.  And somehow, the cashier also didn't notice, and pushed the coupon through...whoops!  If you do this deal, be sure you actually get the correct item, unlike me. 

Sadly, I was unable to do the other planned deals.  The target I went to is in the middle of a Fresh Grocery remodel, so they did not have the Ore-Ida Easy Fries for .99 cents, and although I found several Mossimo shirts on clearance for $3.74, none of them were items I would ever wear.  I saw lots of super cute clearance shirts at higher prices, so I will check back and see if they get marked down any further.  ( if you have no idea what I am talking about, there is a $3/1 Mossimo apparel item coupon at target.com, and if you use it with a clearance item, you can get it super cheap.  There are some items marked to $3.74, making them .74 cents after coupon!)   

All in all, Target is not really my favorite place to coupon right now, but I feel pretty OK about the deals I got today.

My Weekly Grocery trip

I decided to start posting my weekly grocery trips, in addition to coupon trips.  The truth is that I am not an "extreme couponer" and I do need to do supplemental shopping trips for my groceries.  How much can a single girl on a budget get for her buck?  I tried to keep this trip under $20.  I do have some groceries on hand from my Doubler Trip to Albertsons, and a few things from my weekly trip last week, as well as things in my stockpile from the last year.

This was mostly Fred Meyer and a little Trader Joe's.  Total Spent $19.44.  Yes!  Just under the wire.

Foster Farms Whole Chicken (Sale .99 cents/lb - $4.07)
Ground Pepper from Bulk Spices (.84 cents)
Organic Broccoli ($1.29/lb - $1.84)
Organic Baby Carrots ($1.50)
Organic Fresh Herbs Poultry Mix ( Clearance .99 cents)
Fuji Apples (.99cents/lb - $1.81)
Lemon (.59 cents)
Garlic (.34 cents)
Bell Pepper ($1.79)
Fred Meyer English Muffins ($1.39)
Total - $15.16
( A note about the organic stuff.  I love to buy organic, but often can't afford it.  I will buy it if it is the same or cheaper than conventional - which does happen sometimes.  In this case, Fred Meyer only had organic available in the broccoli, carrots, and herbs.)

Trader Joe's Pizza Dough ($1.29)
Charles Shaw Pinot Grigio ($2.99)
Total: $4.28

Yes, there were a few splurges here.  The herbs were not on my list, but I grabbed them since I was going to roast the chicken, and they were marked down, so it was kismet.  The bell pepper was also a "splurge".  Yeah.  It's fun when you are so broke that a $1.79 bell pepper is considered a splurge.

Obviously the wine is a splurge.  See above.

What am I going to do with this?  Well, as I type I am roasting that little chicken, which will be my late dinner tonight.  Since I am only feeding myself, I can usually get about 3 meals out of one of those babies (Sometimes 4!).  So, I plan to make a stir fry one night and a BBQ chicken pizza another.  I will post my meals another time, maybe.  I also made myself a nice little appetizer:

I have a confession.  I love happy hour.  After a long day at work, I love a good nosh and a nice glass of wine.  Plus, happy hour prices are usually pretty good.  However, happy hour is another rare indulgence since I became broke girl.  I present to you...homemade happy hour!  Quick, easy, and only about $2.25.  Wine - $2.99 for the bottle, so about .75 cents a glass.  Apples .99 cents a lb, so that particular apple cost about .50 cents.  The goat cheese I bought on Friday when I was feeling rich ( payday, the only day I feel like I have money to burn).  It was about $4.99 (Yikes!) so about $1 an ounce. This same setup would have probably cost me $10-$14 bucks at a wine bar.  Granted, the wine probably wouldn't have been 2 Buck Chuck, but.... still, not too shabby.  You gotta treat yourself right, even when you think you can't afford it.

Rite Aid 5/15

$5.87 OOP - This is more than I normally spend on a drug store trip, but I didn't have any +Up rewards.
Transaction #1
Rimmel Products Priced BOGO
Used 4x $2/1 Rimmel Products ( From coupons.com NLA and Facebook)
Purex Laundry Detergent ( Sale $1.97)
Used $1/1 Purex from 5/1 RP
Used $3/$15 purchase from doing a Rite Aid Survey
Paid $5.13
Got back $5 +UP reward for spending $15 on Rimmel ( Before coupons)

Transaction #2
2x Ziploc Storage bags 2/$4
1 20 oz Diet Coke $1.69 ( I needed a filler and also I needed a coke :)
Total $5.74
Used $5 UP rewards from Rimmel
Paid .74 cents OOP
Got back a $1 UP reward for Ziploc

There was also a coupon for Ziploc but I didn't have it.  Still, I needed baggies, so I got them.  I normally won't do a deal if I have to pay more than a few dollars out of pocket, but I've let my drug store game slip and I decided to spend since I was going to have to anyway.  Now I have some free makeup, and I would have spent a few bucks on baggies anyway.  Plus I have a $1 UP reward for next week.

Fun with doublers

I decided I missed the rush of the coupon game, it's been awhile since I had a good doubler run.  Although it took me FOREVER to plan this trip, I have no idea why.  Well, it's partially because my coupons are in complete disarray.  I plan to organize them soon and will post about that fiasco, I'm sure.  But, on to the savings. 

I did this in two transactions:
Transaction #1
Jello Temptations x2 (Sale 2/$5)
Morning Star Farms ($3.50)
Used 2 x $1/1 Jello Temptations from Facebook
Used $1/1 Tearpad from the store ( language on coupon stated one coupon per visit)
Doubled all three:
$1.50 OOP
(Should have been $2.50, but I just noticed on my receipt that the cashier somehow gave me an extra dollar off)

Transaction #2
Yoplait Greek 4-pack x2 ( Sale $2.99 each)
Morning star Farms ( $3.50)
Used $1/1 Yoplait Greek 4-Pack from 3/27 SS
Used $1/1 Morning Star Farms Printable
Doubled all three
Total: $3.48

Grand Total: $4.98!
Saved $17.16!

PS - can I tell you how happy I am to have the mini corn dogs back??  Thanks Morningstar Farms!

Also thanks to The Krazy Coupon Lady, Coupon Connections NW, and Happy Money Saver for helping me get my own shopping list together!

10 Pack of Duracell Batteries for $2.24 at Rite Aid!

I saw this on Hip2Save earlier, so stopped by Rite Aid to check for myself.  Yep!  The 10-packs of Duracell batteries are ringing up $2.24!

  They are marked at the regular price which is $8.99.  I used the $1/1 Duracell 8-pack or larger from the P&G Everyday savings booklet that I requested on Facebook a few months ago. 

So I paid $1.24 for a 10 pack!  Sweet!

Thanks, Hip2Save!

Cool Freebies I've been getting

Sometimes, you just have an awesome mail day.  Or mail week, in this case.  I've been getting something cool almost every day!  It really is worth it to sign up for those freebies when you see them.  You won't get them all, but you can still end up with some really cool stuff!

Brew Over Ice Tumbler (From Facebook, No Longer Available)
Coupon for FREE International Delight Coffee House Creamer from Vocalpoint (Arrived in the cutest coffee cup package - I suggest you join Vocalpoint asap!  They send out great free coupons)

2x Secret Natural Mineral  Antiperspirant/Deodorant .5 oz ( From Secret's Facebook Freebie Friday - I have absolutely no idea how I got 2.  They came a day apart, and I don't know if I somehow requested 2 or it was a company glitch?  Either way, I'll take it :)
Physicians Formula Eye Booster 2 in 1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner + Serum (No Longer Available)

Wow!  These are awesome freebies, the Physicians Formula is a full sized product.  It's true that these particular freebies are no longer available.  But don't get discouraged!  When you see a posting for a freebie, and you have time to request it, do it!  You will soon see fun presents in the mail on a regular basis.  You won't be able to get every freebie, and that's OK.  But I find that these little things brighten my day!  Plus, you never know when you are going to find a product or a company that you never knew you loved.

For example - my Brew Over Ice cup arrived damaged.  I was so excited, and then so bummed out.  I decided to write a short message to the company on their facebook page ( it was the only way to contact them, since I had requested the freebie on facebook and no other contact info was included in the package).  I wrote a message thanking them for the awesome freebie, and letting them know that it had arrived damaged.  I also was sure to reiterate how much I appreciated this awesome freebie!  ( I REALLY hate those people that think they are entitled to a freebie.  You aren't entitled.  Get over it)  Anyway, they were so nice, and contacted me within about 24 hours to let me know that they were sending me a replacement cup!  How nice is that?  Sometimes, when you are broke and things are hard, it's the little things that make your day :) 

Target Easter 75% off

I actually got this stuff on Friday, so chances are there is even less Easter stuff at Target, and it may have moved to 90% off, if there is any left.  When I went on Friday the candy was 50% off and the other Easter stuff was 75% off.

Easter Socks (2pk) - $1.25
Fuzzy Easter socks ($1.25)
Easter M&M's ($1.44)
Reeses and Snickers eggs ( .24 cents each - I plan on eating the candy and saving the empty eggs for next year!)
Adorable Spatula ( .99 cents!)

Sweet Score on Murad!

I love Murad products, but wow, they are expensive.  I was lucky enough to stumble upon an awesome sale at Trade Secret this weekend.  They are discontinuing their Murad products, and so they were a part of their Buy 1 get 2 FREE sale!  I was able to score $142.50 worth of products for $50.50!  Now, keep in mind that the 6.75 oz cleanser alone sells for $26.  I was able to get 5 - 2oz bottles of cleanser (10 oz), 2 - 1oz bottles of perfecting lotion (2oz - the 1.7oz bottle sells for $33), 2 - .5 oz bottles of Hydroquinona Lightening gel ( 1 oz - the 1 oz bottle sells for $60) And a 2 oz Pomegranate Moisturizer (Sells for $33).  Actually, if I had purchased all of these full sized products at Sephora I would have spent $152.00!

OK, so here is the catch.  When I got home and opened my products, almost all of them were expired.  Some not by much, some by ALOT ( like 2 years).  I have been really busy since then, but plan on dealing with that tomorrow.  I'm not sure if it will be made right or not, but I will be contacting both Murad and Trade Secret.  So, I would recomment you check out the Trade Secret Clearance Sale, because there are good deals to be had!  BUT I will advise you to check your expiration dates BEFORE you leave the store!  I'll write an update on this when I have more info.  Also, the girl at Trade Secret told me the sale had been going on awhile, and they had no idea when it would end.  So if you are interested, don't wait!