What I love about Sundays!

We interrupt this program to bring you an important announcement:  My big sister (and best friend and coupon mentor) had a baby boy!

Welcome, Isaac Brady Lanoue!

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming...

I've decided: Sundays are better with savings.  For the past two weeks I've been over budget on groceries and I need to get back into financial shape.  So, I told myself I'd only spend $25 this week and guess what?  I spent $24.31!  First, I went to Weis because I needed the coupons from this Sunday's paper (though now I can't remember why...).  Since I've been getting a lot of meat deals lately, I didn't need a whole lot of the expensive staples.  I did, however, need baby food (still haven't gotten "ahead" on that front) and cake for Jesse's birthday on Wednesday.  Here's what I got:

Highlights include $0.50 Cheerios, free cake mix, and BOGO bread.  All total, I spent $22.21 and saved $16.82, or 43%. 

"How", you may ask, could I have spent $22 at Weis and only $24 total?  That, my friend, is the magic of CVS.  I'm pretty dern excited about my trip (can you tell?).  Here's what I got:

Here's how I did it:

Transaction #1
(1) Newton's thins $2.50
(1) Softsoap body wash $2.99
(1) Huggies jumbo pack diapers $8.99
(1) CVS allergy medicine 5 ct. $3.69
(1) Rephresh Brilliant pH balancing (...weird...beggars can't be choosers...) tampons $6.79
(2) Summer's eve wipes (16 ct. BOGO @$2.69)

Used:

-8 ECBs (from last week)
-$5/$25 CVS coupon
-FREE Huggies jumbo pk. (CVS coupon center machine from buying 6--8.99)
-FREE Newton’s thins (CVS magic coupon machine coupon--go scan your card!--$2.50)
-$0.75/1 Softsoap body wash
-$1/1 Rephresh (money maker on tampons!)
-$2/2 Summer’s Eve products

Total: $0.11 (negative subtotal)

ECBs received: 2 (body wash), 1 (diapers), 3.69 (allergy), 6.79 (rephresh)


Transaction #2

(4) Coke 12 pks.

Used:

-9.79 ECBs (I should have used the 6.79 and 3.69 since this week's goal was to minimize "out of pocket" expense but oh well...)
-(2) $1/1 Coke product (recyclebank coupon)

Total: $1.99 ($1.21 subtotal)

ECBs received: 3

So, I spent $2.10 out of pocket for $61.27 in products. I started with 8 ExtraBucks and ended up with 6.69--it's like I paid $3.41 a.k.a. 6% of the "shelf price."  Between Weis and CVS, I got $102.40 worth of groceries for $24.31 or a savings of 76%!! I don't think I've ever had such a productive job/hobby. :D