Year-End Summary: $1,167.51

I started this blog on June 18 of this year. It began as something to fill my free time between working and getting ready for baby Jonah, and also because I was curious to see how much I could actually save by couponing.

Since June, we've "saved" $1,167.51. I use quotation marks because we don't have that money in an account anywhere, and we didn't use it for a specific purpose. Some of it was money that we would have spent on the products we bought anyways, so we were just able to get more bang for our buck. Some of it was on products we would not necessarily have bought (like extra snacks, candles and air fresheners, and hair products, to name a few), but they were such good deals that we were able to get them many times for under a dollar or free. So, this year we got $1,167.51 worth of products that we would not have gotten without coupons/searching for deals.

This year I've also started entering more contests, and have joined several survey panels that have helped us earn a little extra money. This year was financially tight - I quit my second job, Jesse switched schools, and we had a baby. The extra we were able to save and earn was what helped us to live by the same standards (and sometimes better) while spending less money. We still made many financial mistakes, some of which we are working on fixing right now, but we are starting the new year with a plan and the tools to achieve our goals.

I am incredibly proud of some of my shopping trips, and I have learned a great deal about smart shopping this year, but I know that I will have even more opportunities to learn and to save next year.

I don't know the women who write these blogs personally, but each has introduced me to a world of savings I didn't know about, and I read their blogs regularly:

• Deal Seeking Mom
• Stretching a Buck
• Common Sense with Money
• Money Saving Mom
• Freebies 4 Mom
• Coupon Cravings
• Coupon Saving Game
• Northern Cheapskate
• Be Centsable

Since this year's "savings" total only occurred in the second half of the year, my goal for next year is $2,500. I think it's very doable, and I'm looking forward to sharing all of my great finds in 2010. Happy New Year!

Kohls Clearance Sales!

Kohls.com is having some pretty good clearance sales right now. I got this pretty top, originally $36.00 plus tax and shipping, for $5.76.


And I got this adorable onesie for Jonah ("A hug waiting to happen"), originally $9.00 plus tax and shipping, for only $2.88.

I spent $8.64 total. I used the code "extra20" for an additional 20% off each item and "nocharge" for free shipping. Without sales and codes, this order would have cost $49.68. I saved $41.04!

Thanks to BeCentsable for this great find!

Savings this post: $41.04

Savings so far: $1,167.51

Walgreens Deals

I had to go to Walgreens today to use my $5 RR that I got last time for spending $25 before coupons, since it expired today. Here's what I got:

• 1 Jumbo pack Huggies diapers: $8.99, get $2RR - paid with my $5RR and a $2/1 printable coupon (also got 6 votive candles for $1 using the Walgreens ad coupon since the RR counts as a manufacturer's coupon so I needed some filler) - paid $2.99 for diapers and candles. I didn't get the $2RR, but I'm guessing that's because I paid with my other one. Oh well - still cheap diapers.
• 2 General Mills cereals: on sale for $1.99 each (used two $1/1 printables) = paid $1.98/2
• 4 Kashi cereals: on sale 2/$5 (used two $3/1 and two $1.50/1 Vocalpoint coupons) = paid $1/4! (some stores will adjust the coupon price down per item, but Walgreens generally just rings them all through, so as long as you have enough to pick up the overage, it counts)
• Puffs tissues: $0.89 with ad coupon (used $1/1 from mail sample) = FREE!
• 4 Hershey's kisses: on sale 2/$6 (used B3G1 free from Sunday inserts and $1/2 Walgreens coupon - took off $2) = paid $7.29/4 (because she only took off $2.71 for my free one and not $3 since they rang up kind of funny with the sale - I wasn't going to argue over 29 cents since she was really nice)
• Total spent: $14.10. Total saved: $38.03.

Also, because I never posted it, I did the standard grocery shopping at Walmart the other day, and with coupons, took my total from $47.01 to $33.06. Sweet!

Savings this post: $51.98
Savings so far: $1126.47

Grocery Shopping

Here's the shopping from last week, right before we left on our weekend trip (makes perfect sense, I know).

Walgreens:

• 1st transaction: 1 package Stayfree liners: $1.99 with $1.99 RR back. Used $1/1 printable. Paid $0.99 and got $1.99 RR. Everything else was a 2nd transaction.
• 4 Kellogg's cereals: $1.99 each. Used $5/4 printable = $0.74 each!
• 2 Chex mix: $0.99 each. Used two $0.50/1 printables = $0.49 each!
• 4 Ragu sauces: 2/$3 with in-ad coupon. Used $1/2 printable = $1 each!
• 2 Pert Plus: $1.99 each. Used two $1/1 printables = $0.99 each!
• 2 Walgreen's liners: 2/$1 with in-ad coupon = $0.50 each!
• Revlon tweezers: $4.99. Used $3/1 printable and $1/1 in December coupon booklet = $0.99!
• 1 Stayfree liner: $1.99. Used $1/1 printable, and as I suspected, since I used the $1.99 RR to pay for part of the 2nd transaction, no new one. But I broke even on the liners, so no big deal.
• Total paid: $12.40. Total saved: $42.34

Target:

• 2 Cheez-its and 3 Keebler cookies: $2 each, get a $5 gift card when you buy 5. Used two $0.75/1 Cheez-it printables, one $1/2 Keebler printable, and one $0.55/1 Keebler printable. Paid $6.95/5 and got $5 gift card.
• Wheatables crackers: $1.99. Used $1.50/1 printable = paid $0.49!
• All-Bran crackers: $1.99. Used $1.50/1 printable = paid $0.49!
• Honey Nut Cheerios cup: $0.99. Used $1/1 coupon from mail sample = FREE!
• 2 Swiss Miss: $0.97 each. Used two $1/1 Target printables = FREE!
• 2 Betty Crocker frostings: $1.35 each. Used two $0.50/1 printables = $0.86 each!
• 1 Fiber One Toaster Pastries: $1.75. Used $0.75/1 coupon from mail sample = $1!
• 2 Amps for hubby for the trip: $1.99 each.
• I used the $5 gift card toward a big box of diapers, as well as a $2/1 printable.
• Total spent: $14.92 (+$22.99 on diapers). Total saved: $23.35

Walmart:

• Snuggle dryer sheets: $1.87. Used $2/1 Sunday insert coupon = FREE!
• Kotex liners: $1. Used $1/1 coupon from mail sample = FREE!
• 2 Wishbone dressings: $1.78 each. Used two $0.75/1 printables = $1.03 each!
• Body wash for hubby (not shown): $2.77 - more expensive than all my other stuff :)
• Total spent: $5.04. Total saved: $4.50.

Savings this post: $70.19
Savings so far: $1074.49

Walgreens

This week I made 2 trips to Walgreens, although the second one was mostly because I needed to pick up a prescription, but I rolled some RR's for it too, so that was nice.


1st trip: 2 transactions. The first transaction I got all of the Glade products. The rest is from the second transaction.

• Sense & Spray: $5.99, with $2 RR. Used $4/1 from inserts = paid $1.99 and got $2 RR
• 4 Fragrance Collection candles: 2/$5, with $1 RR on each pair. Used two $3/2 from inserts = paid $4/4 and got $2 RR.
• I am also submitting this for the $5 SC Johnson rebate, making this a $2 money maker!
• 6 votive candles: 6/$1 with in-ad coupon
• 2 Nestle Jingles candy: on sale 2/$5, used two $1/1 printable coupons and $1/2 from December coupon booklet = $1 each
• Pantene 2-in-1: $2.99 with in-ad coupon, used $2/1 from Vocalpoint = 99 cents
• Gillette Fusion razor: $8.99, with $4 RR. Used $4/1 from inserts, paid $4.99 and got $4 RR.

• 1 Glade Scented Oil Candle holder and 3 refills: 2/$5 with $1 RR on each pair. Used 1 Buy 2 Get 1 free refill coupon and 1 Buy 1 holder get 1 free refill coupon. Paid $5/4. I think I should have still gotten at least $1 RR, even if I'm not supposed to get them on "free" products, but I didn't get any. I was in a rush, and the cashier was rude, so I didn't argue over it.
• 2 Toblerone candy bars (1 missing from picture since hubby took it to work): 2/$3. Used two $1/1 coupons from inserts and $1/2 from December booklet = FREE!
• Tree topper (not pictured): $1.99
• Prescription (not pictured): $3.00 (I love our cheap copay!)
• I am also submitting this transaction for the $5 SC Johnson rebate, because you can do it 3 times per household, meaning this will be a $1 moneymaker!

Total spent: $22.43. Total saved: $34.14.

Savings this post: $34.14
Savings so far: $1,004.30 - we've saved over $1,000 since June!