CVS makes it ALL better

It's already been a morning here. If it was only Monday you'd probably find me in the corner curled up rocking back & forth. Between a child who was being the least cooperative & another with a possible stomach bug who needed a surprise bath before trying to get the other 2 out the door for school... thank goodness it's Friday!

After a quick bath & getting the other 2 to school I needed to run to CVS. I have a box to mail the Mr & I ran out of tape! I also had $20 ECB burning a hole in my pocket. Don't want to let something like that expire!!

My CVS also has a machine that you scan your card under & it spits out coupons. I scored a $5 off $25 coupon.

All of the above (2 boxes of tissues, 2 Gatorades, dog treats, Christmas cards & scotch tape) plus the packaging tape I just noticed is MIA I got for $3.50 before tax. Between sales, ECBs & a coupon I save $28.

TURKEY Time!!!!

Got the last of my turkey points at Food Lion today & turned them in for this 24.64lb sucker for FREE! It'll feed us for a while even with having Thanksgiving guests. Mmmm!!

Transaction 1 (#6/final for turkey points - Spend $45/per transaction, once a week, get points.)
French's Fried Onions: $3.99x4 = $15.96; $1/ea for sale, -0.50/ea q = -$6 ($2.49/ea)
Ritz Crackers: $3.79x2 = $7.58; BOGO sale -$3.79, -$1/2 = -$4.79 ($1.39/ea)
Duncan Hines mix: $1.39x2 = $$2.79; BOGO sale -$1.39= $1.39 (0.69)
FL gallon milk: $3.99, FL q Free gallon milk
Roasting pan: $3.49 sale $2.99
Wisk: $6.99x2 = $13.98, sale $3.99/ea, $1qx2 = $5.98 ($2.99ea)
Marcal paper towels: $1.19, -$1q = 0.19

Total before discounts & tax: $48.98
Total after discounts (pre-tax): $23.28
Received FL q for $15 (aka free turkey & what ever else)

Transaction #2 (to get that turkey. Also, FL has some turkeys 0.39/lb if in the same transaction you spend $35.)

Oreos: $3.49, sale $2.99
Turkey: $36.71, sale 0.39/lb ($9.61)
Cesar wet dog food: 0.99x30 = $29.70, sale 10/$7.50x3 = 22.50 (0.75/ea)
Breyers ice cream: $5.19x2 = $10.38, sale BOGO = $5.19 ($2.59/ea)
Philly cream cheese block: 3/$5.65x2 = $11.30, sale 3/$4x2 = $8 ($1.33/ea)
**FL -$15q**

Total before discounts & tax = $91.58
After discounts (pre-tax) = $33.29

GRAND TOTALS!!!!!!!!!

Before discounts: $140.56
After discounts: $56.57
Savings of about 60%

More cheese!!! Literally

Cinnamon Toast Crunch: $3.26 x 3 = $9.78 (BOGO -> -$3.26, -$1.63; Q -> -0.65, -0.65, -0.55 = -$6.74)..... $3.04 (~$1.02 each)

Shredded cheese: $2.79 x 2 = $5.58 (BOGO -> -$2.79)..... $2.79

Block cheese: $2.79 x 4 = $11.16 (BOGO -> -$5.58)..... $5.58

Sliced cheese: $2.19 x 4 = $8.76 (BOGO -> -$4.38)..... $4.38

TOTAL FOR KRAFT Products: $12.75 - $10 (2 - $5/5 q's) = $2.75 (~0.27 each)

TOTAL before BOGO & coupons: $35.28 (pre-tax)
AFTER: $5.79
SAVINGS: $84% savings

Freebies and cheapies

I have not been inspired at all with coupons & sales since moving out here. The local grocery store is over priced, imo. California is over-rated & over-priced but at least I could get a good deal on what I needed, fresh fruit that lasted long & wasn't over priced & there was no food tax (except fast food type food). I could get a gallon of milk for $2.50 or less (aimed for $1.99). It's just under $4.00 here. I had at least 6 different grocery stores in a 10 minute radius out there but here it's 1 then the commissary but that is our choice in location so I can't complain too much there. The commissary does have food cheaper & no sales tax (but a surcharge which usually comes out to about the same) but you can't get some of the same "stock pile worthy deals". Also, I wasn't going to really touch this blog until after Christmas to post deals I got. Today I was inspired & motivated. This is why...
(not pictured - bag of dog food)

Food Lion has started their free turkey promo (last week, I think?) & they are have BOGO right now on certain items (until tomorrow). It's an 8 week window for the turkey promo. You need to shop at least 6 of those 8 weeks & spend $45 (pre-deals & coupons). My total pre-deals & coupons was $$48.54 plus tax (2% for food, 8% for non-food, so $51-ish). After deals & coupons (pre-tax) total was $21.xx ($22.xx after tax). So a $20+ savings.

Beneful dog food (14lb bag ?): $15.49 on sale for $13.99 - $2q = $11.99
Campbells kids healthy soup: $1.69x5 = $8.45 (need 3 for Beauty & the Beast or Toy Story 3 rebate of $5.), -$1 off 3q, -0.40 off 2q, -$1 off 5 FL coupon = $6.05 ($1.21 each)
Kraft cheese BOGO (limit 2 free of each, You don't need to buy 2 at FL. They ring up at half price):
Shredded cheese: $2.79 x 4 = $11.16/2 (BOGO) = $5.58
Block cheese: $2.79 x 3 = $8.37/1.5 (BOGO) = $4.18
Sliced cheese: $2.19 x 3 = $6.57/1.5 (BOGO) = $3.28
________
$13.04
Kraft q $5/5 x 2 - $10.00
_________
$3.04 (~0.30/each)

Here's a picture of freebies I got Friday & today in the mail. Just a little sample of my free magazine subscriptions. Spin, Maxim (for the Mr.), Soap Opera weekly, OK, & Kleenex tissues.