CVS Trip 02/05/13

My CVS trip this evening!  I had some vitamin coupons expiring today and I wanted to use them since CVS had an awesome Buy 1 Get 1 sale on Coenzyme Q-10 (one of the most expensive vitamins!) 

I bought:

(2) Nature’s Bounty Coenzyme Q-10 100 mg 75 softgels @ $36.99 ea. (Buy 1 Get 1 FREE)

(1)Lady’s SpeedStick @ 1.99 (sale price)

(2) CVS Aspirin 80 mg 300 coated tablets @ $10.99 ea. (Buy 1, Get 1 50% Off)

(1)  Nature Made Full Strength MINIS Multi Complete 60 softgels @ $14.99

Total Bill was $114.64.

With sales, CVS printable online coupons, CVS Redbox coupons, manufacturer coupons and ECBs, my total out-of-pocket expense was $38.95.  I saved $75.69!  That’s a 66% savings which is exciting for a vitamin and aspirin purchase!

Coupons Used:

$10 Off Nature Made Full Strength MINIS Multi Complete (printed off of cvs.com)

$3 Off Nature Made Full Strength MINIS (Manufacturer’s printable)

$1.00 Off printable CVS coupon sent by email for Lady’s SpeedStick

$0.50 Off Manufacturer’s coupon for SpeedStick (from last weekend’s newspaper inserts)

$3.00 Off $15 vitamin purchase (CVS printable at Redbox machine)

(2) $2.50 Off Nature’s Bounty Coenzyme Q-10 (manufacturer’s coupon)

$3.00 Off CVS aspirin 80mg 300 coated tablets (printed off of cvs.com)

$5.00 Off (Beauty club rewards printed from CVS Redbox)

$1.00 ECB from an earlier purchase last week

I pass a CVS every day in my travels, so I always stop in to scan my card at the Redbox.  It pays off, that’s for sure!  Lots of coupons have printed during the past 3 or 4 days (can’t wait to use more!).  Always check your email.  If you have signed up for CVS daily alerts, you will receive lots of great printables sent directly to your email and these can be stacked with any manufacturer’s coupons that you have.  Also, make sure you check the cvs.com website daily and sign in.  This is how I found the $10 coupon for Nature Made Full Strength MINIs.  I was able to stack a $3 printable manufacturer’s coupon with this so that the vitamins were only $1.99. 

My year-to-date savings total as of 02/02/13 is $343.91!!  This does not include tonight’s savings!  I LOVE CVS and I love my coupons!!

CVS - Cosmetic Clearance of 50% to 75% Off..and Other Beauty News

Every year about this time, CVS offers a phenomenal clearance on cosmetics.  Some are 50% off.  And some are 75% off!  That's my kind of deal!!  I usually stock up on cosmetics to last me the year.  This year, I still have some left over from what I purchased last January.  So, I did not really need much other than mascara.  I lucked out and found Almay mascara in my color for 75% off.  I also picked up an Almay foundation and a Revlon blush.  Both were also 75% off.  I should be supplied enough for the year, unless, of course, a hot deal where makeup is almost FREE or it is FREE comes up during the year.  I had $7.00 in ECBS, so I used it towards my purchase. 

For (3) Almay mascara, (1) Almay foundation, and (1) Revlon blush, my total (without tax) was $6.23.  That's approximately $1.25 per item of good quality makeup!  And, I am good for the year!  With sales, I saved a total of $46.72!  That's an 88% SAVINGS!!!

When you visit your CVS, look through all the makeup aisles.  The 50% off stickers are yellow and the 75% off stickers are red.  They are mixed in with the regular priced makeup, so you have to look carefully.  Most stores are stocked well the first few days of the year.  

Remember, too, that whatever you purchase, the total (after sales & coupons) is added to your Beauty Club spending.  For every $50 worth of makeup you buy (it is accumulative), you receive $5 in ECBs.

Also, if you are lucky enough to hit the store at the right time, pick up the latest copy of Reinventing Beauty.  It usually has a tear-away sheet of coupons as well as some found throughout the magazine. There are some manufacturer coupons and some CVS coupons.  The magazine is published every quarter, which means one is due out soon!  These magazines are so hot that they disappear off the racks very quickly, so keep your eyes peeled.  I will try to post when they are out.

If you are in need of makeup or want to stock up at awesome prices, NOW is the time.  In the past, the 75% off products run out the first week of the year.  So, hurry!  

Happy Savings!!!

Happy New Year 2013! - To New Beginnings

For the past few days, like so many of you, I have been thinking about what my goals for 2013 will be.  As the years move on, health is always at the top of my list.  And, I am always pondering what I can do to improve my health.....I am not getting any younger, so I have to work harder at it as each year quickly passes by!  

I do not like to make a list of new year's resolutions, as I do try to practice living in the moment, day-by-day, in the present......you know, all the things that the master philosophers preach.  It does work, by the way!  I tread lightly through the negatives and savor the positives.....waking up to each morning as a fresh new start.

While listing specific goals for the year can be encouraging for some, for me it sets up failure and disappointment.  Neither of which I like.  So, I looked to my favorite bloggers for inspiration.  And, in my search, lo and behold, I found the PERFECT words to add to my new year's resolutions.  No long list.  Just two words.  And, these two words sum it all up for me.....words to live by, so to speak!  

These two bloggers have eloquently expressed my very thoughts for this coming year. Please take a few moments to read their blogs.  They are both inspiring and thought-provoking.

One word, one goal, many paths by Dan Garner of Zen Presence - A New Voice

Rejoice! {One Word 2013} by Kayse Pratt.  If you sign up for Kayse's newsletter, you will receive a copy of her first eBook Getting it Together.  It includes printables and great ideas to help you get more organized in 2013.  

So, my two words for this year are AWAKEN and REJOICE.  I will incorporate these two words into my everyday living in 2013.  

I pray for many blessings in the coming year to all my readers.

My CVS Trip 12/30/12

I see it has been quite a while since my last post……not my intentions at all when I started this blog.  Life gets in the way (more on this later).  BUT, we are about to approach the end of this year and bring in the new!  I plan to start being more active in posting my life as a thrifter/minimalist.  My hope is to share enough to inspire you into freeing up your time so that you may live the life you always dreamed of while still saving.

I want to start by sharing more of my fun shopping experiences using sales, coupons, and store deals.    While I am not a huge stockpiler like some extreme couponers,  I will take the time to stock up on items I use often with the hopes of having enough on hand until the next great sale.  I do live the minimalist lifestyle, so stockpiling gives me hives!  I only want to purchase that which will be used before the next deal.  And that’s, of course, if I have the room to store it.  What I like to avoid is running out of an item and being forced to pay full price on a moment’s notice.

Today’s newspaper only included one coupon insert.  BUT, it was a biggie!  P&G came out with some great coupons.  Coupled with the great P&G sales going on at just about any store you shop at, it’s a fantastic weekend to scoop up some really exceptional savings.  I stopped by CVS this afternoon to take advantage of the sale on Tide.  They were offering $10 ECBs when purchasing $30 worth of P&G products pictured in their weekly ads.   I was only able to find 3 newspapers, so I did the best I could do with the limited amount of coupons.

Here’s a recap of my trip:

(3) Tide@5.94 each (sale)

(3) Dawn Hand Renewal @.99 each (sale)

(3) Dawn @.99 each (sale)

(1) Pantene Shampoo @2/$7 (sale)

(1) Pantene Conditioner @2/$7 (sale)

Coupons Used:

(3) $1.50 Off Tide

(3) $0.50 Off Dawn Renewal

(3) $0.25 Off Dawn

(1) $3.00 Off 2 Pantene products

Between sales and coupons, I saved $24.46.  OOP (out-of-pocket) $22.74 (including tax). 

Total 54% savings (without tax)

I am happy with anything over 50%, especially when that includes Tide!!

I also received $10 in ECBs back for purchasing $30 worth of P&G products.  While some subtract this from their total bill, I will count it in my next transaction where I truly reap the benefits!  What I like to do is to roll these ECBs…..meaning I purchase items that generate more ECBs when I use this one.  The nice thing about CVS is that they will keep track for you a running total of everything you spend for the year and also keep a tally of what you SAVE!  Love this!

TARGET: Starbucks Coffee Deal...SWEET!!

Target has a SWEET gift card deal on Starbucks coffee! Purchase (2) 11 or 12oz bags of Starbucks coffee for a total of $15.98 and use (2) $1.50/1 coupons (SS 6/17 ) to pay $12.98 OOP and earn a $5 gift card!

Printable Coupons Expiring August 31

The following printable coupons will be expiring the end of this month (08/31).  Take this opportunity to view the list and click on the links for coupons you may possibly need to score a sweet deal:

• $0.75 off Butterball Deli Meats
• $0.50 off Yoplait Light with Fiber Yogurt
• $0.75 off 2 select Betty Crocker products
• $0.40 off six Yoplait Yogurts
• $0.50 off select Bisquick products
• $0.75 off 3 Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks
• $0.50 off Fiber One Chewy Bars
• $0.50 off Fiber One 90 Calorie Brownies
• $0.40 off Fiber One Chewy Bars
• $0.50 off 2 boxes Nature Valley Granola bars
• $0.50 off Cereal Treat Bars
• $0.75 off three Pillsbury Toaster Strudel
• $0.75 off any Cascadian Farm product
• $0.75 off ONE Yoplait Frozen Smoothie
• $0.50 off ONE BOX Original Cheerios cereal
• $0.75 off ONE BOX Total cereal
• $0.75 off 3 any flavor Hamburger Helper mixes
• $0.50 off ONE BOX Lucky Charms cereal
• $0.75 off ONE BOX Fiber One cereal
• $0.50 off Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
• $0.40 off two Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
• $1.00 off 2 Pillsbury refrigerated Cookie Dough
• $0.55 off Frozen Pillsbury Egg Scrambles™
• $0.75 off 3 Totino's Rolls Snacks
• $0.40 off 2 Pillsbury of Grands! Sweet Rolls
• $1.00 off 5 Totino's Crisp Crust Party Pizza
• $2.00 off renu fresh multi-purpose solution
• $1.00 off 1 LISTERINE Kids Rinse or 1 REACH Kids
• $1.00 off any TWO (2) REACH Floss Products
• $1.00 off any LISTERINE WHITENING Rinse
• $2.00 off one package of GOODNITES Underwear
• $1.00 off (1) GARNIER FRUCTIS Shampoo, Treatment
• $2.50 off 2 Simple cleansers and moisturizers
• $1.50 off Simple cleansers and moisturizers
• $2.00 off one (1) Similac Prenatal Vitamin
• $2.00 off EAS Recovery/EAS Lean 15 Protein Powder
• $4.00 off Double Dare Snare™ or Hot Wheels track
• $1.00 off U.S.A. Kids Cups Product
• $5.00 off Centrum ProNutrients Supplement
• $1.00 off On ANY Vitamin item in Disney or Marvel
• $1.00 off Nature's Bounty Vitamin or Supplement
• $1.00 off Sundown Naturals Vitamin or Supplement

BIG LOT Savings on Cookies!

Do you like Girl Scout cookies?  Check out BIG LOTS "Fresh Finds" brand of goodies and you shall be pleasantly surprised!  I found my favorites for just $1.40.  Now, you don't have to wait all year long for Girl Scout cookies and you can also enjoy the BIG savings!


Hubby and I perused the shelves of goodies at BIG LOTS yesterday and found some yummies at unbelievable prices!!!!  The cookies were absolutely scrumptious and you can not tell the difference between these and the real thing!