Another one!! Frugal Mom is on FIRE!!!

While you are visiting Frugal Mom over  here make sure you sign up for the Uprinting .com giveaway!!
They have some amazing products and I bet you will find something that you can  use while you are WINNING free stuff!!
Good luck!

Lookie Lookie!! A new contest at Fugality is Free!!!

Our friend, Frugal Mom, is having a great giveaway this week!! It is a Max and Ruby pack!!
My kids LOVE Max and Ruby! They used to walk around the house saying, "Dragon Shirt" and "Maaaaaaaax". Too fun!

She has a million ways to enter, so head over here:

http://www.frugalityisfree.com/2010/08/rosemary-wells-collection-featuring.html

And enter!!
If you win, come back and let me know!!

Publix: Saved 55% (not great, but necessary!)

276.58
So, this week at Publix was kind of a mish mosh of things I needed and things I just wanted. My husband and I  have 3 kids ages 6, 9 and 17. They like to eat... ALOT!! Since fall soccer has started, I feel like all they do is run and eat! There are worse things.. lol!
I made 2 trips this week covering the 2 sales. I had to clean out a few older Q's and reel in some newer ones for the new sale. My Publix only considers Target a competitor, so I am out of luck on the CQ's, but I do pretty well!! I have been out of several things, and I think I am finally caught up! I am only going to hit the high points here...

2 weight watchers yougurt .60ea
used 1, B1/G1 Q  cost:  $ .60 for 2.
4 Tornados 2/$5
used 2, B1/G1 Q and 2 $1/1 Q cost: .75 each.
 5 glade 2 pk plug ins refill. reg $5.99, sale $3.99.
Used 5, $2/1 Q. cost: $1.99 each!
1 Kelloggs Cinnabon Cereal  sale: $1.99
used $1/1 Q  cost: .99!
2 Mini Wheats reg. 4.19 sale BOGO
used 1, $1/1 MQ and 1, $1/1 TQ
Budiig Deli Cutssale 2/$5
used 2, $1/1 cost $1.50 each!
Tyson chicken fingers reg 6.59 sale BOGO
used 1, $1/1 Q cost: $2.29!!
2 Barber Stuffed Chicken Breast  Reg $4.99ea. sale BOGO. used 2, $1/1 Q
As usual.. I had no Q's for flour, milk... things like that. But, I needed lots of things! On to the next trip... not nearly as profitable, but I saved more than I spent!

So the high points for this trip are...
Hunt's tomatos, BOGO@ 1.39
9 qty  for $6.21 minus 3- .45/3 Q = $4.41 or .49/can!!
1 Chips ahoy BOGO 3.49 used $1/1 MQ 
cost:  .79!
Hefty sinch saks BOGO 6.49
used 2- $1/1 MQ from fbook, 2.44 each!
sure deoderant,  $2.39. Used $1/1 MQ and
$1/1 PQ.  ONLY .39!!
3 neosporin wound cleansers 3.99ea (11.97)
used $5/3 PQ and $3/3 MQ paid 3.97  (1.32 ea!)
Lysol 4 in 1 BOGO 2.69. Used 2- .50/1 MQ paid .69/2 or .35 ea!
Lysol Nutrair BOGO 3.59. used 2-.50/1 MQ paid .79 can!
Glass Plus BOGO 2.49 used 2-.50/1 MQ paid .49/2 or .25 ea!
Overall, my savings was 55%  (got $276.58 in groceries for $124.97)  which is not as good as I usually do, but I am NOT complaining!! how did you do? Leave me a comment and let me know!!

CVS... saved 87%, Rite Aid saved 68%, Wags saved 65%! Total saved... 68%

I went on a round robin tour of my drug stores today! I kida purged my coupon book and restocked some dwindling supplies! Overall, between CVS, RiteAid and Wags I spent $36.85 and saved $75.79 or 68%. I will take it and smile!

Let's start with CVS!  I really didn't need anything in thier ad until I saw the dawn and I remembered my August P&G  inserts!
The Dawn was on sale .99 and I had 4, $1/1 Q's from the insert! I needed a filler, and the pretzels were only .79!  So, After tax and Q's my total was $1.04!
I saved $6.88 or 87%! Gotta love FREE!!!

Next Stop, Rite Aid!!  now, don't forget @ Rite Aid you can use your card and get extra discounts as you earn points!!  Over all at Rite Aid I spent $14.19 and Saved $29.61 or 68%!
I did 2 transactions.
T#1:
2 Pantene shampoo reg 4.99 sale 2/7.00
used $1.50/1 and $1.00/2 vocalpoint Q's 
and got $3 UP reward!! 
1 Cheer detergent reg. $6.99 Sale $4.99
used 1- $2/1 Q and got $1 UP reward!

T#2
2 Marathon Bars reg. $1.94 sale $1.49
used BOGO Q
1 Cheer reg. $6.99, sale $4.99
used $2/1 Q  and got $1 up reward
4 Pert reg. $3.99 sale BOGO
used 4, $1/1 Q's
used $4 in UP from  T#1

I know that this seems excessive in the shampoo area, but we were out! I don't know how I let it happen, but it did! AND we were out of  detergent! I have not been doing well! lol

Finally, it was a stop at Wags! I had some trouble with the Catalina  machine and the receipt. They both ran out of paper and I missed some Cats and didn't get a full receipt! The store was super nice and accomodating, but I am gonna do what I can from memory!

I did 3 transactions, but this is what I ended up with....
8 Right Guard deoderants. Reg. $4.49  sale BOGO!
Used 4, B1/G1 Q's PLUS 4 $1/1 Q's ... Free plus overage!

2 Head and Shoulders shampoo reg. $5.99 sale 2/$8.
Used 1, BOGO Q and 1, $1/1 Q And got $2 is bucks back!

2 Herbal Essences Shampoo reg. $3.99 sale $2.99 w/ $1 back!
2 H E styling gels reg. $3.99, sale $2.99
Used 2 BOGO Q's  and got $2 back!

I box Kotex  reg. $5.25 sale $5
used $2/1 wags Q and $1/1 MQ

Chips reg. $8.99  sale $5.99
used rebate bucks plus pocket change to pay for them!

Well, that is it for my drug store adventures!!  See you next week!

Shout outs to those who help me shop wisely and efficiently!

I just wanted to take a minute and tell you all about my favorite websites. You will hear them mentioned by me alot, but here is a concise list of all things coupon-y... Morgan-style!

http://www.iheartpublix.com/  and http://www.iheartsavingmoney.com/ are both run by Michelle and she is the reason that I am able to save the way that I do. Both of these sites have amazing info and easy to follow instructions for couponing. If you have babies in diapers, Michelle puts her personal shopping list deals for the drug stores on the iheartsavingmoney site! It is the best way to get what the kiddos need!

http://www.savingyourcents.net/ is a wonderful site that i receive emails from daily. It has all kinds of info that I would never be able to dig up!

http://www.totallytarget.com/ is the haven for all things Target!  And truthfully, I love me some "Tar-zhay"! The lists are well put together and full of good info!

And a new friend is http://www.frugalityisfree.com/ . She and I are facing similar challenges! Having to feed a family of 5 with one parent in school! I am hoping to learn alot from Frugal Mom!!!

Hope this list helps!

Shopping ... Part 2!

I needed a few things from Dollar general (a bag, some tissue and some hair bows) so I went to the one near a different Publix than my usual! And lucky for me... they had alot of what my Publix was out of! And no, I don't chew this much gum!! I am stuffing a birthday bag for a  a party!! 

I got everything pictured here for $11.26!
And then I submitted my Schick Try me free rebate and I will get $5.99 back on that one! So, after rebate the net OOP is $5.27!!

I won't go into a long explanation... so here's a short one!
FREE:
Merzetti pepperoncini sale .99 x 2 = 1.98 (-2, $1/1 MQ)  -.02!
Shick Hydro shave cream peelie on razor
                       $2.50  -  $2.50 MQ peelie = free!!
Sweet moments brownie  B1 cookie / Get 1 sweet free!= FREE!
Granola Thins B1 Granola /G! thins FREE!   
That was all free.. not bad.

Here's the breakdown on the rest!
Ronzoni pasta  BOGO 2@ 1.39  (no Q)   :(
Shick Razor: sale! $5.99  - $5/1 MQ   =  .99
Mentos gum: sale!  5/$5. bought $6/6 used 3, $1/2 Q  so 6@  $3.00.
Five Gum :  $1.49 (no sale) used .50/1 MQ   (DOUBLES!!!)    $.49
Cookie dough: $2.89, used .55/1 MQ for dough and $1/1 MQ for sweet moments!   $1.34
Granola bars: $3.19, used $1/1 MQ for Granola and $1/1 MQ for thins! = $1.19

So, $8 ish plus tax = $11.26!!
If I can do this, you can do this!



            

My $5 challenge!!

 I have a game I like to play called the $5 game. I take a 5 dollar bill and see what I can get for it. This morning I came out a winner!! Everything you see pictured, I purchased for $3.90! That's right, $3.90! How?? Lemme show you! We will keep a running total!
Ronzoni pasta: BOGO 1.39,  4@            2.78
minus 4, $1/1 Smart taste Q'a                - 1.22
Plus 3, 1 sub notebooks sale 3/$1             -.22
plus 2, lady speed stick 2/$4                    3.78
minus 2, .50/1 Q's (double!!)                   1.78
plus 2, nature valley granola 2 @ 3.19      8.16
minus b1/g1 free Publix Q                       4.97
minus $1/1 MQ                                       3.97
minus .50/1 MQ (doubles!!                    2.97
Plus tax brings you back up to $3.90!!
There were other things on my list that would have made this  more impressive, but Publix was out of the products! See the next post for the continuation of my shopping excursion!

IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER...
At Publix, each item can have one publix Q (PQ) and one
manufacturer Q (MQ). So, in the case of the granola, I can use a $1/1 MQ and the get one free PQ off of my original box and then use the $.50/1 MQ off of the second. It sounds crazy, but it is the way it works.

Each publix can decide it's own coupon policy, so when in doubt, go to customer service and ask! They will always give you an answer that is true. You will also find that you have your fave cashiers! And soon after you have your favorites, you will know how they like to get thier Q's together.
As long as you are honest and fair, they will be the same!

So... take the $5 challenge and let me see what you got!

Beautiful Benefits coupon flyer expires today!!

Don't forget! The Beautiful Benefits flyer Q's expire today! I went in and scored 3 Q-Tips (170 packs) for $.64 each!
How??
Q-Tips   $1.99 ea                                             3@  $5.97
minus    3 publix BB flyer Q's @ .75 ea.            3@  $2.25
minus 3 manufacturer's Q's from paper  .30 ea   3@  $1.80
(Don't forget! Publix doubls MQ up to .50)

So the end product is $1.92 for all three!!

I love love love a good deal!

CVS... saved 85% BEFORE the rebate!

So... at CVS today, I made a killing!! My total before sales or coupons (called Q's) was $33.61 my total out of pocket (called OOP) was $5.29 AND there is a try me now rebate here:

http://www.schickhydro.com/freehydro/america-default.asp

This rebate is good up to $10.99, Mine was only $8.99 reatil. Even if I only get the purchase price (including coupons) back, It will be a steal! It would mean I got all that for  $1.32!! If I get the full amount of $8.99 back, I will have MADE MONEY!!! $3.68 to be exact! So, here is how I did it!
Transaction #1:
Schick Hydro reg priced @ $8.97. Peelie Q on the package for Buy this item, get a free shave cream! I  also used a $5/1 Q on the Razor. PLUS I got $4 Instant CVS money  (called EB) for buying the razor!  So, That is $8.97 +$3.34 -$3.34 - $5.00. So, $3.97 +tax = $5.01 Plus the $4 instant CVS cash...
Transaction #2
Bic Soleil regularly $6.69, on sale buy 1, get 1 half price ( B1/G1 1/2).
I used  a B1/G1 Free Q AND a $2/1 ($2 off of 1) Q. This meant that the cashier took off $6.69 for the free item and $2 off! So, That is $6.69 + $3.34 (on sale 1/2 price, remember?) + $.99 + $.99 (I had to get over $4 so I could use my EB's) = $12.01 - $6.69 -$2.00 -$4.00+ tax = $.28!!!

I would call this a successful trip!
Thanks to iheartsavingmoney.com  for the always amazing advice!

Hi There!! Pleased to meet me!!

I just wanted to take a minute to introduce myself. My name is Morgan and I live in Alabaster, AL. I went back to school a few years ago, and last year found myself in a peculiar place.
"If you want to graduate on time, you need to quit working and take a full load."
OH NO!!! We needed my income (despite it's smallness) so I had to come up with a way to control the bugdet!! What to do??
I ran into a lady in Publix with a TON of coupons. Sure, I had used coupons before, but she had a huge pile! So, I asked her, "What's the deal with the coupons?"
She answered me, "All I am going to say, is go to iheartpublix.com, spend half an hour and change your life." So, I did. And she was so right!! It has changed my life in ways I cannot explain! So, I am going to share with you as I shop (which is often!) the deals I get and refer you to the websites that I use!!
I hope that this site and information helps you as much as it has helped me!!
Save lots of money!!
Morgan