Payge Maker's Proverbs

Since it's Christmas, I have done quite a bit of coupon shopping and I can't share the details or else it may ruin a surprise for someone who might read this - so these are vague recaps :) Target was awesome this week - so I had to do this transaction twice this week :) Purchased - $20.55 worth of items.  After coupons my total was $10.50.  I used my AMEX $10 GC from CVS and my Target card brought the total down 2 cents more (hahaha) - so OOP 48 cents AND they gave me $10 in Target GC.  That really is a savings of 98% The second day I did this I added a few things (milk, sugar, flour, and 10 yogurts) - so my total was $11.96 OOP for $36.42 (after paying with the $10 GC from the previous day and getting another $10 GC) I didn't have a coupon for milk, sugar, or flour - but did for the yogurt!)  savings of 67% which isn't bad considering that's basically the price for the sugar, milk, and flour.  The yogurt was on sale 10/$6 and I had $1/10 Target Q and 60ce...

Somewhere I have my receipts from a Target and Walmart shopping trip - but I just got back from Walgreens which I have a running spreadsheet on my savings there, so i always know where those receipts are.  Current Walgreens percentage is 73.28% savings (OOP total $81.77 for $306.08 worth of items since October 3, 2011). Today was chocolate day at Walgreens! 2 boxes of Nestle Pot of Gold on sale 2 for $10 + $2 RR 4 bags of Hershey's Kisses on sale 4 for $10 + $5 off next purchase of Hershey's (2 manu Qs $1/2) 3 Butterfingers on sale 3 for 75 cents! and I had $12 in RRs that expire this Saturday that I had to use... and why not on chocolate? OOP - $7.93 for a savings of 79%, and if you count RRs then a 95% savings - but I think that inflates savings, since you end up double counting the RRs.  First you count when you get them, and then again when you use them?  That's faulty math... so I'll stick with the 79% 1 Pot of Gold is a gift and the other may end up bei...

So, made a big shopping trip today after work - Victoria's Secret, CVS, Target, and Walgreens.  Was supposed to go to Rainbow for Double coupon day, but since I worked an hour and a half late, I just wanted to get home. We went to Target Sunday night - but due to the screw up at Target - I still can't figure out how it ended up - I have 3 receipts for the one transaction and it was a mess that took about 20 minutes to try and fix since I paid with 3 forms of payment (2 Target  $5 gift card, AMEX $10 gift card, and Target credit card).  Multiple forms of payment make refunds and adjustments very difficult there!  In the end I was charged $20 on my Target card, but they gave me $4 cash and credited $10 back onto the AMEX GC...  so my OOP should have been just $6 for the $50 worth of stuff (8 six packs of Mountain Dew bottles and TGI Fridays Entrees.  The TGIFs were on sale for $1.99 and B3G1 - and I had Target $1 Qs and manu $1 Qs which I ended up paying $0...

So, I just got back today from a 9 day vacation and missed out on my usual day after Thanksgiving shopping.  I had Walgreens RR expiring today - so I had to go shopping to spend it! 2 4-packs of Kleenex (sale $4 each - 2(wags $1 off - 50 cents off manu)), 2 3-packs of razors (sale 2/$6 - 2 ($2 off manu + $4 RR), 2 toothpaste (sale $2.50 each - 2 ($1 manu) + 2 ($2.50 RR), and 2 18-packs of hair ties (sale 2/$3 + $3 RR).  $11.21 OOP and received $12 RR. 72% savings! If you count the RRs - better than 100% savings :) Not bad since we were out of Kleenex and I was down to 2 hair ties :)

I've been sick so didn't get a chance to go shopping until now - which I'm still sick, but the sale was ending! Wasn't a major purchase, but lots of savings! Target - 2 12 packs of MEGA rolls Ultra Strong Charmin on sale for $1.90 off each + coupons ($1 off 2 manu and $1 off 2 target) + $5 gift card free when you buy 2 3 Covergirl eyeshadows on sale for .17 off each + coupons ($2.50 off 2 and $1 off 1 manu and $1 off 2 and $1 1 target) + $5 gift card free when you buy 3 (total comes to $3.44 for all 3 - so after gift card you 'earn' $1.56) Cascade Trial Pack + coupon (.75 off 1) Before sale and coupons = $42.41 After sales and coupons AND 5% off with Target card = $26.97 + $10 gift cards and a free fountain pop check out coupon (which I got a Dr. Pepper with!) So after gift cards and what not - a savings of 60% and a free pop (didn't include that since who knows how much it would have been)... Basically - needed toilet paper, which our preferred brand is nev...

Another shopping trip today since my RRs were expiring today from Walgreens. 2 bags of Kit Kats, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a peppermint patty - $3.30 OOP and received $6 in RRs... so basically made $2.70 on that trip. ($15.48 for $3.30 = 79% savings before RRs, 100% after RRs) Then we went to Walmart to get me a set of circular knitting needles and they didn't have the right size :( So we got 8 cans of Cream of Mushroom soup, 2 packs of lunch meat (using a Cub price match) and then my husband threw in his MtnDew to skew my savings :P $9.28 OOP for $15.50 is only 40% savings. You take his Dew out and then we'd been at $7.78 for $14 and a 45% savings. Lots of coupons expiring tomorrow and I didn't really find any super great ones this week in the paper. Once again (for the second time in 4 weeks) the Pioneer Press didn't arrive at my house this morning. Debating calling and cancelling and demanding a refund.

Today was a shopping day! I ended up with $137.31 worth of merchandise and paid $54.03 OOP. It gets better as I also received a $10 American Express gift card, $2 off my next Rainbow purchase, and $1 ECB. That brings the total down to $41.03 for a savings of - 70%. This included trips to 5 stores. Note: It was double coupon day at Rainbow and double coupon week at Kmart - and in Oakdale they just so happen to be right next to each other making it easy to go to both! Staples (52 cents for $10.52) - 95% savings Victoria's Secret ($0 for $9.50) - 100% savings CVS ($23.55 for $52.58 + $10 AMEX GC + $1 ECB) 55% savings (76% if you count the OYNO) Kmart ($6.12 for $12.08) - 49% savings Rainbow ($23.84 for $52.63 + $2 catalina) - 55% savings (59% if you count the OYNO) Should have been higher savings, but our FAVORITE Fuze (Strawberry Guava) was on sale at Kmart and I didn't have a coupon for it and no stores closer to us carry that flavor. If you take out the Fuze my Kmart tota...

It's Friday! My tips for today are... Be organized! For those of you reading that know me personally - stop laughing! Yes, I am probably the most unorganized person you'll ever meet, but there is an organization to my coupon madness! Whether you have a little coupon organizer (usually $5 or less - even a note card case works) or a zipper binder or a filing cabinet full of coupons - they are of no use if you don't know what's where and can find what you need for what you plan to shop for. Figure out a logical order for your coupons that works for you! I have mine in order of aisles at the local grocery store. This, of course, does not correspond with ANY other store I've ever been in - but it's what I know. Even though I don't shop there much anymore, since I shopped there for 10+ years, to me it's how a store should have their aisles ordered. Also, find match up web sites for your area. There are lots of match up web sites out there to match up ...

Just a quick list of before buying tips... Have rewards cards! Staples, Kmart/Sears, Roundy's, County Market, CVS, etc... Staples has many items rebated back with your card and they give you rewards for recycling ink cartridges ($2 each with a max of 10 recycled a month). I save them up until I have 9 or 10, since rewards are issued in $10 increments monthly. You also get a 10% rebate back on ink and paper purchases. If you're smart and don't go crazy - store credit cards - Victoria's Secret and Kohl's. Victoria's Secret sends out lots of coupons and freebies to card holders. Kohl's sends out up to 30% off your total purchase coupons a bazillion times a year - PLUS you can get Kohl's cash back, which sometimes is valid over a 30% off coupon time as well! Example - this week I got an email from Staples for a bonus $5 rebate reward. I also had an ad coupon for $5 off a $25 purchase. This was great because I'd just run out of ink! I had 9 cartri...

Just setting things up and figuring things out a bit - so the panoramic of Duluth's pier I took last year is only temporary :) I hope to keep track of my savings safari and see if it really makes a difference! For now though - it took longer than I thought to figure out my old info. I claimed this piece of internet land 5 years ago and didn't remember! So, when i went to set this up - I was shocked that someone had already taken paygem.blogspot.com and then I find out it was me!