What I Bought At CVS 10/23/2011

Transaction 1

1 Skittles $1.19 each

1 Skittles $0.50 each

2 Starburst $0.50 each

2 Right Guard Deodorant $2.99 each

Huggies Baby Wipes $2.99

Price Before Tax and Coupons $10.97

Coupons Used 

$1.00 off 2 Skittles (Coupon Network Coupon NLA)

$1.19 off Free Lifesavers Gummies, Skittles or Starburst coupon I won from The Non-Stop Fun contest

$1.00 off 2 Right Guard Deodorant (Printable coupon may still be available check here Print Coupons)

$0.75 off Huggies Wipes (SS Insert 10/23/11)

Total After Coupons Before Tax $ 7.72 after tax $8.42 (Paid with Amex gift card earned on this CVS trip)

Earned $3 ECBs ($1 Skittles- had to be manually printed, $1 for each Right Guard Deodorant)

Transaction 2

Glade Room Spay $3.00

Glade Sense & Spray $5.00

Glad Lasting Impressions Plug In $5.00

Total Before Tax and Coupons $13.00

Coupons Used

$2.00 off Glade Lasting Impressions CVS Coupon from a previous shopping trip receipt

$2.00 off Glade Sense & Spray Starter Kit (9/25/11 SS Insert)

$3.00 off Glade Sense & Spray Starter Kit (Parade Magazine 10/9/11)

$0.75 off Glade Room Spray (9/25/11 SS Insert) 

$1.00 ECB from transaction 1

$2.00 ECB from transaction 1

Total After Coupons Before Tax $2.25 after tax $3.18 (Paid $1.58 with Amex gift card earned on this CVS trip) and $1.60 cash

Earned $4 ECB

Transaction 3

(2) Garnier Moisturizers $8.79 each

Aquafresh Kids Toothpaste $2.87 (My little one will be turning 2 in a few weeks so it is just about time to use toothpaste.)

Total Before Coupons $20.45

Coupons Used

(2) $2.00 off Garnier Moisturizers (RP 10/9/11)

$1.25 off Aquafresh Kids toothpaste CVS coupon from a previous shopping trip receipt

$4.00 ECB from transaction 2

Total After Coupons Before Tax $10.20 after tax $11.71

Earned $6.00 ECB

Total Out of Pocket $13.31 Value of Products $44.42 

~70% Savings

What I Bought at Rite Aid 10/17/2011

Transaction 1

(2) Conair Vibes Hair Brushes $2.69 (price with 10% discount)

(1) Conair 2 pack Hair Brushes $6.29 (price with 10% discount)

Total Before Coupons $11.67

Coupons Used 

$1.00 off Rite Aid Video Values Coupon (Video Values Coupon)

$2.00 +UP Reward from last week's shopping trip

Total before tax $8.67 after tax $9.57

Earned $9.00 +UP Reward ($2 for each Vibes Hair brush and $5 for Conair spend $10 get $5)

Transaction 2

(2) Stayfree Pads $3.00 each

Total Before Coupons $6.00

Coupons Used

(2) $1.00 off Stayfree products (8/21/11 SS)

(2) $2.00 +UP rewards from transaction 1

Total before tax $0.00 after tax $0.47

Earned $3.00 +UP reward

Transaction 3

Sunsweet Prune Juice $4.49

Blistex Cold/Allergy Lip Balm $1.49

Organix Cough Drops $1.50

St. Joseph's Aspirin $4.99

Total Before Coupons $12.47

Coupons Used

$0.75 off Sunsweet Prune Juice (SS 9/11/11)

$1.00 off St. Joseph's Aspirin (SS 9/11/11)

$3.00 +UP reward from transaction 2

$5.00 +UP reward from transaction 1

Total before tax $2.72 after tax $3.34

Earned $7.99 +UP reward (Prune Juice $1.00, Blistex $1.49, $1.50 Cough drops, $4.00 St. Joseph's Aspirin)

Transaction 4

Neli Med Nasal Drop To Go $7.00

Total Before Coupons $7.00

Coupons Used 

$4.00 +UP reward from transaction 3

$1.50 +UP reward from transaction 3

$1.49 +UP reward from transaction 3

Total before tax $0.01 total after tax $0.55

Earned $7.00 +UP reward

Transaction 5

(2) Welch's Grape Juice $3.00 each

Saline Soother's Wipes $1.00

Similasan Kids Cold Medicine $3.99

Rite Aid Purse Tissue $0.35

Total Before Coupons $10.99

Coupons Used 

$1.00 off Welch's Grape Juice (SS 9/25/11)

$0.75 off Welch's Grape Juice (print here Welch's Coupon)

$0.50 off Saline Soother Wipes (print here Saline Soother Coupon)

$1.75 off Similasan (SS 9/11/11)

$7.00 +UP reward from transaction 4

Total before tax $0.24 after tax $0.65

Earned $1.00 +UP reward

Earned SCR $3.99 Similasan (Single Check Rebates)

Earned SCR $1.00 Saline Soothers (Single Check Rebates)

Total OOP $14.58 minus SCR of $4.99 equals a total cost of $9.59 with $2 in +UP rewards left for next week.  Without coupons all this would have cost  $48.83

What I Bought at CVS 10/16/11

Transaction 1 

1 Schick Hydro 5 Razor $8.29

Total before tax and coupons $8.29

Coupons Used

$5.00 off Schick Hydro Razor Printable Coupon NLA (No Longer Available)

$3.00 ECB from this CVS trip

Total after coupons before tax $0.29 after tax $0.70

Transaction 2

 

(4) Raisin Bran Cereal $2.00 each

(3) Rice Crispies Cereal $2.00 each

(3) Wisk Detergent $4.99 each

(1) Advil PM Capsules 20 Count $5.89

Total before tax and coupons $34.86

Coupons Used

(2) $1.00 off 2 Raisin Bran RP Insert 9/11/11

(1) $1.00 off 3 Kellogg's cereals RP Insert 10/16/11

(3) $2.00 off Wisk detergent RP Insert 10/16/11

(1) $5.89 off Free Advil Coupon can on the front of my paper last month sometime, you had to enter a code online and then you would receive the coupon in the mail.

$3.00 ECB from this CVS trip

$15.99 ECB from this CVS trip

Total after coupons before tax $0.98 after tax $1.62

Earned a $10 American Express Gift Card for buying $30 worth of qualifying products (CVS weekly deal)

Sent in a Mail In Rebate for $10 Prepaid MasterCard. You mail in 10 proofs of purchase from 10 qualifying cereals. I already had 3 boxes of Raisin Bran Cereal so I cut those UPCs as well as the new ones from this trip.  You can view the details of the rebate here Kellogg's Gas Rewards Card.

OOP (Out of Pocket) today was $3.30 and Made $20.00 in Gift Cards

Lesson 2 - Organize Your Coupons

There are many ways to organize your coupons.  I currently use a plastic box with a snap on lid.  I purchased the box at Staples with Staples Rewards of course.  I used to used the coupon binder method and found that too difficult to keep up with so I switched to the box method.

This is how I organized my coupon box there really is no right or wrong way to do this.  You can get as detailed as you like.  Here is what I did.

I made dividers using some thin cardboard paper I had.  These dividers are the main sections to break out the coupons into.  Below is a list of the sections I created:

• Baby
• Frozen
• Cold
• Snacks
• Cereal
• Canned
• Food
• Hygiene
• Paper
• Cleaning
• Misc
• Medicines
• Store

For each main section I have envelopes labeled to further separate the coupons in each main section.  I used envelopes that were free after Staples Rewards.  Here a list of each main section with a listing of the individual envelopes that I made.

Baby:  Diapers and Wipes, Medicines, Food, Lotions & Diaper Cream, and Miscellaneous

Frozen:  Ice cream & desserts, bread, Breakfast Foods, Mexican Foods, Meat, Fruit - Vegetables - Potatoes, Meals, and Pizza

Cold Foods:  lunch meats - hot dogs - bacon - Lunchables, Meat, Produce & Cold Salas Dressing, eggs - tofu, butter & whipped cream, cookies - rolls  breads, pudding & yougurt, beverage, and Cheese/cream cheese/sour cream

Snacks: Cookies, Candy, Chips, Crackers, Fruit Snacks, nuts - popcorn - beef jerky, and granola bars - protein bars - Pop Tarts

Cereal:  General Mills, Kellogg's, and Other

Canned:  Tomato Products - Spaghetti Sauce, Meat, Vegetables - Olives - Beans - Fruit, and Soup - Chilli 

Food:  Pasta - Rice - Hamburger Helper - Potato Mixes, Condiments, Asian Foods, Bread & Tortillas, Breakfast, Mexican, Spices/Seasonings, Jelly - Peanut Butter, Salad Dressing - Salad Add Ins, Baking, and Beverages.

Hygiene:  face/make up, feminine, lotion, soap - body wash - hand soap, Toothpaste, Toothbrushes - Floss, Mouthwash, Deodorant, Hair, and Shaving.

Paper Products:  Cups/Plates/Ziploc bags/Trash Bags / Foil / Plastic Wrap, Paper Towels - Napkins, Tissue, and Toilet Paper

Cleaning:  Laundry, Air Fresheners, Dish washing, Greenworks & Other Green Cleaners, Pest Control, Lysol Products, Scrubbing Bubbles, Windex, and Miscellaneous

Misc:  Clothing, Batteries, Light bulbs, Water Pitchers, Dog Food, and Office Supplies

Medicines:  Cold & Allergy, Fiber & Stomach Remedies, Pain Relievers, Misc, First Aid & Itch Remedies & Creams, Vitamins & Other Supplements, and Eye Care

Store:  Target, Ralphs, CVS, Vons, Babies R Us, and Rite Aid

So once you have made a box you can cut coupons from your newspaper inserts or print from my coupon page or my coupon sources page and fill your coupon box.

Here is a list of a few helpful hints about cutting and organizing your coupons:

• You do not have to cut every single coupon from the newspaper inserts you get.
• You can cut only the coupons you know you will use.
• You can store your inserts by date (see pictures below for how I do this).
• You can search for a particular coupon by using my Coupon Database page.
• You can visit Coupon Cleanout website to see if all the coupons in your insert have expired.  Expired coupons can be used by Military families for up to 6 months past the coupon's expiration date. This website has links to sites where you can find out about donating your expired coupons.

Write the date on each insert

One Folder Per Date

Inserts Stored by Date

What I Bought At CVS 10/09/2011

This is a slow week at CVS. I only did one transaction today. I started with $10 ECBs that I earned on this shopping trip plus when I went to pick up my prescription I had earned a $1 ECB (from using my Green Bag Tag) and $5 ECB (from the Beauty Club).

Transaction 1 

pur-Absorb Iron Supplement 28ct. $15.99
L'Oreal Studio Line Mouse $5.79
L'Oreal ProVive Conditioner $4.99
Total Before Tax and Coupons $26.77

Coupons Used
$0.75 off L'Oreal Vive (RP Insert 9/11/11)

$1.00 off L'Oreal Studio (RP Insert 9/11/11)

$5.00 off $25.00 Coupon from CVS sent via email

$1.00 ECBs from Green Bag Tag

$5.00 ECB from Beauty Club

$5.00 ECB from last weeks CVS trip

$5.00 ECB from last weeks CVS trip.

Total Before Tax $4.02 with Tax $5.24

I earned a $15.99 ECB and a $3.00 ECB to use on another shopping trip.  Additionally I will also get a $1.75 rebate back from SavingStar. (Sign up at this link SavingStar).  So my real out of pocket was $3.49.

Getting Started With Coupons Lesson 1- Get Coupons

If you are interested in saving money then keep reading.  I am going to outline some steps to help you get started with coupons.  This first lesson is all about how and where to get coupons.

The first thing you need to do in order to save money with coupons is get coupons.  There are many ways to get coupons. Here is a list of some common ways you can get coupons:

• Get your local newspaper on Sundays (no coupons on holiday weekends)
• Print coupons from your computer
• Find coupons on product packages
• Find coupons at the store
• All You Magazine (can purchase at Walmart or subscribe online)
• Contact companies and and ask for coupons
• Sign for Electronic Coupon websites

Here is more detailed information about these options:

The Sunday newspaper 

In my experience this is the best place to get coupons because most weekends there will be anywhere from 1 to 4 coupon inserts.  In my area the newspaper costs $1.50 if you pick it up at the store. You can also get some newspapers delivered to your home at a discounted rate by visiting this website Discounted Newspapers.  I just paid $62.10 for a year subscription to the Orange County Register.  Last year I saved around $6,000 with coupons so paying $62.10 for a newspaper subscription is worth it.  So far this year I have saved $2,729. If you don't want to get a subscription ask around maybe your friends, neighbors or family get the Sunday paper but don't use the coupons.  I have found coupons at the car wash and even Starbucks.

      Main Insert Brands in the Sunday Paper

• Red Plum (RP for short)
• Smart Source (SS for short)
• General Mills (GM for short)
• Proctor & Gamble (PG for short)

Printing from your computer

There are many sources for printing coupons from your computer.

• You can visit my coupon page to print coupons.
• You can also visit my coupon sources page this page has links to Red Plum , Catalina Network, Kellogg's coupons and electronic coupons (more on this later).
• Facebook pages for products (usually only available for a limited time)
• Company Websites (usually only available for a limited time)
• Target Website has coupons as well go to this page Target Coupons
• If you are looking for organic product coupons you can visit Mambo Sprouts and sign up for their newsletter.

Find coupons on product packages
Sometimes you can find coupons on the inside of packages or even on the outside of packages (these are often called peelies).


Find coupons at the store
Coupons can be found in dispensers attached to the shelf. Sometimes people leave coupons on the shelf if they decide not to use them.

All You Magazine (can purchase at Walmart or subscribe online)
You can subscribe online by going here All You Magazine.

Contact companies and and ask for coupons
If you really love a product contact the company and let them know.  Sometimes they will send you coupons for your comments or even if you have had a problem with a company they will send you coupons for your troubles.


Sign for Electronic Coupon websites 
If you visit my Coupon Sources Page you can sign up for Savings Star and Cellfire.  These sites allow you to add coupons to your shopper loyalty card.  They work with a variety of store loyalty cards like CVS (my favorite store).  Saving Star Coupons can also be used with paper coupons on the same item so they can really help you save.  In my experience Cellfire coupons can not be used with paper coupons but this policy may vary by store.  You can also visit Shortcuts this is another website that offers electronic coupons that can be loaded to your shopper loyalty card.  If you are not interested in clipping coupons these sites were made just for you.

If you are looking for a particular coupon you can visit my Coupon Database page and search for the coupon you are looking for.

This post may contain affiliate links please see my disclosure policy page.

What I Bought At CVS 10/02/2011

Transaction 1

 Reach Floss $3.99

Schick Hydro 5 Razor $8.29

Total Before Tax and Coupons $12.98

Coupons Used

$5.00 off Schick Hydro Razor (No Longer Available I had printed it at my coupon page)

$2.00 off Reach Floss (found at my dentist office)

$1.98 ECBs (from last week's shopping trip)

$1.00 ECBs (from last week's shopping trip)

$1.00 ECBs (from last week's shopping trip)

Subtotal Before Tax $0.30 Total After Tax $1.25

ECBs earned 

$2.00 Reach floss

$3.00 Hydro Razor

Transaction 2

Lucky Charms Cereal $3.00 
Lucky Charms Cereal $3.00  
Total Before Tax and Coupons $6.00
Coupons Used

$0.50 off Lucky Charms (you can print this at my coupon page)

$2.00 ECB from Reach floss transaction 1

$3.00 ECB from Hydro Razor transaction 1

Subtotal Before Tax $0.00 Total After Tax $0.00 (In California we don't have tax on food)

ECBs earned 

$1.00 General Mills Cereal  

Transaction 3

Oral B Floss $3.00

Oral B Floss $3.00

Total Before Tax and Coupons $6.00 

Coupons Used

$2.00 off one Oral B Floss found in the 9/11 SmartSource insert (I could have used 2 coupons but I only had one coupon)

Subtotal Before Tax $0.30 Total After Tax $1.25

ECBs earned 

$2.00 Oral B Floss

Transaction 4

(9) Lipton Teas $1.00 each ($9.00)

Fritos Chips $3.00

Cheetos Chips $3.00

(4) Bags of M&Ms candy

Butterfinger Snack Size $2.50

Nestle Crunch $2.50

Total Before Tax and Coupons $30.00

Coupons Used

$0.50 off M&M's CVS coupon from the CVS coupon machine

$1.50 off 2 M&M's coupon printed from Walmart Site

$1.50 off 2 M&M's coupon printed from Walmart Site

$1.00 off 4 Lipton teas (SmartSource Printable coupon)

$1.00 off 4 Lipton teas (Moments to Save Pepsi Insert 10/2/11 newspaper)

$1.00 off 2 Cheetos or Fritos Chips (Moments to Save Pepsi Insert 10/2/11 newspaper)

$1.00 off 2 Nestle Snack Size Chocolates 

$1.00 ECB from General Mills Cereal
$2.00 ECB from Oral B floss
$17.00 ECB from Fall Spending 

Subtotal Before Tax $2.95 Total After Tax $2.95

ECBs earned 

$5.00 Lipton/Fritos/Cheetos

$5.00 Halloween Candy

Total Out of Pocket (OOP) $5.45 with $10 ECBs for next week.