Today is going to be an “off” day for me, for the most part. This week ended up being a bit hectic, and with what feels like a cold {or something} coming on, I may have pushed myself a bit too hard rather than letting myself rest. Since I have two big wedding shows coming up at the beginning of January, and plenty still to do, I thought this would be my last opportunity at a recuperation day before wedding season hit….and I do not want to be full-blown sick for the next few days with so much to do!
However, that will not stop me from going to Walgreens today! Why? On Friday, a $10 off a $35 purchase coupon printed out when I stopped to pick up my stock up items for the week. This couponing gem has been printing out for me about once every two or three weeks. I haven’t figured out why they print {if it is because I am purchasing a certain item or because I am using my Balance Rewards card}, but frankly I do not care. This coupon rocks!
The only catch is that when they print out, they are usually only good for the next day or two. I held on to the one that printed on Friday until today {Sunday} so that I could take advantage of this week’s new specials, but since it expires today, I have to go!
Another really great “feature” with this coupon is that the $35 total can be BEFORE any additional coupons that you would have. Just make sure to give this $10 coupon to the clerk first, just to be safe.
With this coupon, and the items I have picked to stock up on at Walgreens this week, here is how my shopping trip will go today:
Buy (2) Coffee Mate Creamers @ 2/$3
Total before coupons = $3.00
Use (2) $1.50 off Natural Bliss Coffee Mate Creamer
= FREE after coupons!
*Note regarding this coupon: I actually printed this coupon out a couple of weeks ago and held on to it. It is the perfect example of why I print out coupons when I see them, when I know I will use them eventually…..this particular coupon is actually no longer available to print {due to overwhelming response}. So, that is my tip for today: While you are printing coupons, if you come across another coupon for a product you know you will be buying anyways {on sale or not}, print it out! For instance, Graham and I go through A LOT of creamer with our coffee every morning. I never have more than a couple weeks worth on hand. So, whenever I see a creamer coupon available, I print it out. Then, I wait for a sale to arrive {such as this one at Walgreens}, or when we run out completely, I know that I can at least save a little bit of money. I do the same for cereal coupons, but other good coupons to print would be for diapers, wipes, and other items that are very quickly consumed in your household.
Buy (1) TUMS Freshers 50ct. @ $4.50 {Register Reward Item} Total before coupons = $4.50
Use $1/1 Tums, any printable OR $1/1 Tums Freshers, exp. 1/11/13 (RP 11/11/12) OR $1/2 Tums Product, exp. 1/11/13 (RP 11/11/12) Get $4.50 Register Reward
= $1 MONEYMAKER after coupons and register reward!
Buy (2) Listerine Pocket Packs {B1G1 Free Thru 12/29} @ $4.79 Total before coupons = $4.79
Use (2) $0.50 off (1) LISTERINE Pocketpaks
= $3.79 ($1.90 per pack) after coupons
Note: Yes, at Walgreens, you can use a coupon on the item you are getting for free in a Buy One, Get One Free sale. That is why in the above scenario, you would want to use two coupons!
Buy (4) Hershey’s Holiday Candy @ 4/$10 {Balance Rewards Item} Total before coupons = $10.00
Use (2) $2/2 Hershey's Various printable And use $2.00/2 Hershey’s Bliss Chocolate, 8.6 or 9.6 oz, Walgreens Store Coupon from Walgreens December Savings Book Get 2,000 Balance Rewards Points
= $2 ($0.50 per bag of candy) after coupons and balance rewards points!
Note: Remember that you can use both a manufacturer’s coupon AND a Walgreen’s store coupon on any item {which is why in the above scenario, I used both types of coupons on the candy}. The Walgreens Store coupon booklets can be found right by the doors next to the sales ads.
Buy (2) Select Kellogg's Cereal 8.7 to 13.7 oz, $1.99 ea Use (2) of any of the following coupons {coupon choice depends on what your store has}: $1/2 Kellogg's Raisin Bran, Crunchy Nut or Smart Start printable
$1/2 Kellogg's Special K Cereals printable
$1/2 Kellogg's Cereals printable
$1/2 Kellogg's Frosted Flakes printable
$1/2 Kellogg's Crunchy Nut Cereals printable
$1/2, $1/3 Kellogg's Cereals, exp. 12/23/12 (RP 11/11/12)
$1/2 Kellogg's Cereals, exp. 1/20/13 (RP 12/09/12) = $5.96 ($1.49 per box) after coupons!
Buy (2) One Gallon Milk @ $2.69 each {great price and no coupons needed!}
So, have you been keeping track? Here is how my total purchase will look today:
Total before coupons: $35.63 Less $10 {from special coupon} Less $13 from regular coupons Total Out of Pocket = $10.63 {Plus I will receive $4.50 in Register Rewards to use on my next purchase AND 2,000 (~$2) in Balance Rewards Points!}
I will take home two coffee creamers, a package of TUMS, two packages of Listerine Pocket Packs, four packages of Hershey Kisses, four boxes of cereal, and two gallons of milk!
Now, you may be thinking, “You saved $23 plus $6.50 on future purchases, great!” But, that is incorrect thinking; I actually saved more than that! Why? Well, all of the items I am using coupons on are also on sale this week {that is the ticket to your biggest savings while couponing; use coupons on items when they go on sale}. Therefore, if you were to go in to the store next week and buy the same items, you would actually be spending even more.
Or, you can think of it this way: I have to buy milk for the week regardless of whether I am couponing or not {Graham and I go through two gallons a week}. At my local grocery store, milk is currently $3.59 per gallon. Had I just gone there to pick up milk {and totally forgotten about couponing or Walgreens}, I would have spent $7.18 just on milk for the week! By taking some time to coupon, I got all the rest of the items at Walgreens for only a couple more bucks! And they are all things I could use this week as well!
Also, technically I have enough Balance Rewards points saved up already to pay for this entire purchase, but I am not going to use them. Why? Because then I wouldn’t earn the 2,000 Balance Rewards points from this transaction. Remember, if you use Balance Rewards points to pay for your purchase, you do not earn any points that you would have otherwise.
Good luck couponing this week!
No comments:
Post a Comment