CVS | 5/25/2014 - 5/31/2014

Find out how my mom and I got over $60 worth of products for under $15! Great deal on Crest mouthwash this week!

Transaction #1 [Me]

Crest Pro-Health Rinse (1L) on sale $4.99 ea.

used $1 Crest Rinse coupon

used $1 ECB from previous shopping trip

Value: $6.29

Total OOP: $3.17

Got $4 ECBs back

Transaction #2 [Me]

Crest Pro-Health Rinse (1L) on sale $4.99 ea.

used $1 Crest Rinse coupon

used $4 ECB from Transaction #1

Value: $6.29

Total OOP: $0.00

Got $4 ECBs back

Transaction #3 [Me]

Garnier Fructis Products on sale for $2.99 ea.

used (4) $1 Garnier coupons

used $2/$10 Garnier Purchase from CVS Coupon Center

used $4 ECBs from Transaction #2

Value: $18.16

Total OOP: $2.08

Transaction #1 [Mom]

Tide on sale $6.00 ea.

used $2/2 Tide coupon

used (2) $2 Tide CVS Store coupon (from CVS mailer)

used $6 ECBs from previous shopping trip

Value: $18.58

Total OOP: $0.00

Got $3 ECBs back

Transaction #2 [Mom]

Crest Pro-Health Rinse (1L) on sale $4.99 ea.

used $1 Crest Rinse coupon

used $3 ECBs from Transaction #1

Value: $6.29

Total OOP: $1.05

Got $4 ECBs back

Transaction #3 [Mom]

Crest Pro-Health Rinse (1L) on sale $4.99 ea.

used $1 Crest Rinse coupon

used $4 ECBs from Transaction #2

Value: $6.99

Total OOP: $0.00

Got $4 ECBs back

Transaction #4 [Mom]

L'Oreal Ever $6.99 ea.

Buy 2 participating L'Oreal Haircare items, Receive $4 ECBs

used (2) $2 L'Oreal Haircare product coupon

used $6 ECBs ($4 from Transaction #3, $2 from previous shopping trip)

Value: $13.98

Total OOP: $4.22

Got $4 ECBs back

Transaction #5 [Mom]

Head & Shoulders on sale $5.00 ea.

used $2/2 Head & Shoulders coupon

used $4 ECBs from Transaction #4

Value: $12.58

Total OOP: $4.24

CVS Beauty Finds | 8/18/2013 - 8/24/2013

I wanted to stock up on some face wash and moisturizer before heading back to school and I had some Extra Bucks to use up. Ended up finding better beauty deals than I was anticipating! I got all this for only $4.61!!!

 

Transaction #1

Buy 2 Bioré cleansers, Receive $3.00 Extra Care Bucks [Unadvertised deal?]

Bioré Cleansing Towelettes $8.29 ea.

used (2) $3/1 Bioré coupons

used $2 off any $10 facial cleanser purchase (coupon from CVS Red Coupon Machine)

Olay Fresh Effects on sale $6.49 ea.

used $1 Olay Fresh Effects coupon

used $4/$20 total purchase (coupon from CVS Red Coupon Machine)

used $6.00 ECBs 

Value = $24.87

Total OOP = $4.31

Got $3.00 ECBs back

Transaction #2

Olay Moisturizer $8.99 ea.

used $2 Olay Facial coupon 

Sally Hansen Nail Polish $3.29 ea.

used $2 off any Sally Hansen purchase (coupon from CVS email)

used $5 ECBs (CVS Beauty Club coupon for accumulated spending of $50 of beauty items)

used $3 ECBs from Transaction #1

Value = $12.28

Total OOP = $0.30

Contacting Companies for Coupons

Have you tried contacting your favorite companies for coupons? This is an easy way to get great money-saving offers delivered right to your mailbox! No clipping required! Recently I contacted a few companies: Ore-Ida, McCormick, Chobani, Bigelow, and Turkey Hill.  Within a week I had gotten response emails from some and coupons in the mail from all of them! Success! Here's what I got:

(4) $.75 off any Ore-Ida product
(2) $.75 off any McCormick Grill Mates item
(1) $.75 off any McCormick item
(4) FREE 6 oz Chobani Greek yogurt
(1) $1.00 off any box of Bigelow tea
(10) various Turkey Hill beverages and ice cream product coupons

The company links above will take you directly to the company's online contact page where you can write them a short complimentary note. Here's a few tips on contacting companies for coupons:

1. Be honest and friendly. Never lie or give false praise to a company; it's dishonest and rude. However, if you truly have a complaint about a product, let the company know! They have those contact pages for a reason! Just do it with kindness.
2. Thank/praise the company for the products that you use and like.
3. Try to note a specific product (or flavor, size, package, edition, etc.) that you especially enjoy. Chances are, they will listen to your input and keep that product on the shelves!
4. Kindly inquire about sending you coupons.*
5. Provide your mailing address.
6. Re-contact the company every month or so. From my research, I'm finding that most companies allow you to contact them every 30 days for coupons. I know for a fact that Turkey Hill does this.

*Some blogs will tell you not to specifically ask for coupons, but rather wait to be "rewarded" with them for your kind comment. Well, I do not follow that rule! I come right out and ask if they would provide me with any money-saving coupons! I've studied some marketing in my courses at college, and from what I'm learning, I believe companies would love to have you ask for coupons if you ask in an honest, gracious manner. A consumer has greater odds of buying a product if he has a coupon for the item...sorry, I don't have the stats for that one readily available ;) ...so why wouldn't a company want you to have a coupon for one of their products that you already love? They're pretty much guaranteed the sale!

CVS | 7/21/2013 - 7/27/2013

I did some other deals this week, but these are some of the best ones I found! I got the sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner for less than $2.50 a bottle after coupons!!

Just The Basics Single Roll Paper Towel @ $0.79 used $0.79/1 Just The Basics Single Roll from CVS Coupon Center Week of 7/21
FREE

Colgate select products @ various prices
Spend $10.00, Receive $5.00 ExtraBucks, Limit 2 [I did the deal twice]
used $2.00/1 Colgate Mouthwash
used (3) $0.75/1 Colgate Toothpaste
used $3.00/2 Colgate Toothpaste from CVS Coupon Center Week of 7/27
$15.11

Organix Haircare on sale @ $4.99 ea.
used (4) $2/1 Organix product
used $3/$15 Haircare Purchase from CVS Coupon Center
$8.96, or $2.24 ea.!

CoverGirl select products, Flamed Out mascara @ $7.49 ea.
Spend $12.00, Receive $4.00 ExtraBucks, Limit 6 
used (3) $1.00/1 CoverGirl Flamed Out Mascara
or from here: $1.00/1 CoverGirl Flamed Out Mascara
used $4/$20 Cosmetics Purchase from CVS Coupon Center Week of 7/27 
$15.47

Value = $77.98
Total OOP = $42.54 [It was actually less than this because I used other dollar-off CVS Coupon Center coupons and ECBs that I had]
Got $14.00 ECBs back!

Target | 7/21/2013 - 7/27/2013

My sister is heading out to college in the fall, so we got to shop for the "fun" stuff for school! We saw that most of the dorm stuff was on sale this week, and we just got a Target flyer in the mail with great Target store coupons for dorm supplies! It looked like a great week to start stocking up!

I also recently discovered Target's mobile shopping app, Cartwheel. You click on the offers you want to use, bring your smartphone or printed Cartwheel to the store (you don't have to use the app; you can just use it from online at home), and have the cashier scan the one barcode for all the items you selected! It's a pretty easy app to maneuver and figure out. So, before our Target trip, I selected all the offers I wanted to redeem such as, 10% off dorm bedding and 10% of Schick razors. The cashier scanned the barcode from my phone, but for some reason the offers didn't come off. I took my receipt and phone over to the customer service to see if they could help me out! They were extremely friendly and helpful, and didn't know why it didn't work (I'm hoping it works in the future!!), so the Target dude from customer service graciously figured out all my Cartwheel savings manually and handed me over $8.00 in cash!! Woohoo! It's totally worth it to take the 5 min trip to customer service when you have a coupon dilemma ;)

So, enough blabbing.....here's how we did! [Note: I will calculate the Cartwheel savings after each item, although we got the cash back in a separate "transaction," and ignore my cat's ear in the photo...]

RE Comforter @ $19.99
Sale, $5 off
Cartwheel, 15% off
$12.74

(2) RE Pillows
$8.08

RE Mattress Pad @ $9.64
Sale, $2.65 off
Cartwheel, 10% off
$6.29

RE Sheet Set @ $19.99
Sale, $3.99 off
Cartwheel, 10% off
$14.40

RE Pillowcases @ $9.99
Sale, $2.00 off
$7.99

(6) RE Assorted Towels @ $21.98
Sale, $2.48 off
Cartwheel, 15% off
$16.58

RE Body Pillow @ $9.99
Sale, $1.99 off
Cartwheel, 10% off
$7.20

RE Body Pillow Cover @ $9.99
Sale, $1.99 off
$8.00

(2) Mead Pocket Folders @ $1.94
used $1/2 Mead Five Star school supplies Target store coupon 
used $1/2 Mead Five Start products [coupon not available as of 7/25]
FREE, $0.06 overage

Venus Embrace Razor @ $5.99
used $5/1 Venus razor coupon from insert
$0.99

(2) Schick Hydro Silk Razors @ $18.98
used (2) $4/1 Schick Hydro Silk razor coupons from Target flyer and Target website [expired?]
used (2) $4/1 Schick Hydro Silk razor
Cartwheel, 10% off
$1.08

(4) Suave Professionals Shampoo/Conditioner @ $7.96
Used (2) $1.10/2 Suave Professionals products
$5.76
Received $5 Target gift card for purchasing 4 select Suave products

Value = $134.53
Total OOP [before tax] = $84.70
That's roughly $50 in savings!!!!

CVS | 6/30/2013 - 7/6/2013

It's like I got all this for only $4.24!! Check out the deals this week at CVS!

 

Pantene $3.00 ea.

used $2/2 Pantene product coupon

used (2) $1 Pantene styling product coupons

used $2/$10 any hair product purchase (coupon from CVS Red Coupon Machine)

$6.00

Colgate Total $2.99 ea.

used (3) $1 Colgate Total mouthwash coupons

used $2/$8 any oral care purchase (coupon from CVS Red Coupon Machine)

got 2 ECBs back

$1.97

Dial Body Wash $4.00 ea.

used (2) $1 Dial body wash coupons

got 2 ECBs back

$4.00

Nature Made BOGO FREE; prices vary (Vitamin C = $7.29 ea.)

used (2) $1 Nature Made vitamin coupons or here with zip code 90210 (coupons.com)

used $3 any vitamin purchase (coupon from CVS Red Coupon Machine)

$2.29

Speed Stick $2.99 ea.

used (2) $1 Speed Stick deodorant coupons

used $1/$5 deodorant purchase (coupon from CVS Red Coupon Machine)

got 1.50 ECBs back

$1.48

Value: $67.87

Used 9.50 ECBs

Total OOP: $11.74

Got 7.50 ECBs back

Great Rewards From Pampers Gifts To Grow

Are you a member of the Pampers Gifts To Grow rewards program? Even if you aren't a mom, you can still earn points towards great prizes with Pampers G2G. Typically, you earn G2G points by redeeming 15-digit codes found inside specially marked Pampers products. However, for those of us who do not buy these products, Pampers randomly puts out free codes that any member can redeem! I've received some very nice prizes just by accumulating the free codes!  

Sign up today and start earning great prizes such as this P&G sample pack:

Here are some free codes to get you started! 

FBMEM5DPE7QW613 (10 points/expires 5/31)
NLMAYFLOWER2013 (10 points/expires 6/4)
GTGWELCOME10PTS (10 points/ongoing)
JOINNOW4REWARDS (50 points/ongoing)