Gettin' a Discount-Great Weekend!!

Life is expensive. We are in a recession. Money is tight, and the cost of necessities are going up.

I can't believe how much the cost of

grocery and HBA items has risen.

So, I've taken the plunge....to be more thrifty, to conserve, to budget, and to use coupons.

I've always considered myself a good shopper, I use store coupons, but I've never really used coupons for

food or HBA.....until now!

And, I always thought that shopping at a Pharmacy-type store, ie Walgreens, Rite Aid, and CVS would break the bank on something like razors, or shampoo, for the simple explanation that they are "convenience" stores.

(I think of them as the HBA 7-11!)

I've been following blogs, watching morning talk shows, and reading tips online and in magazines about the best deals, and this weekend, I really took advantage of using coupons!

Here are a couple of pictures of my "Deals"

COASTAL CONTACTS

These are my brand new FREE

(except for shipping and insurance) prescription glasses.

They are adorable!! They retail for $330.

Coastal Contacts sells them for $128..

but I paid $17  Dollars!!

Here is the link to Coastal Contacts.

Become their fan on FaceBook

and pay attention to their updates.

From my understanding,

they offer the free glasses multiple times throughout the year.

SPANX

On Saturday, FEDEX dropped a box off on my porch.

It was from SPANX. It was my FREE SPANX thong!!

I found out about this deal from Tia's Freebies, and I was one of the limited group that got in on this deal.

The box was packaged really nice, and when I opened the box the lid read,

Get your SPANX on

1) Twirl and check yourself out

2) Jump for joy!

3) Do the Spanx wiggle and feel no jiggle.

4) Flash a friend

5) Get compliments

Now what are you waiting for?

Enjoy!

Sara and your friends at Spanx

The thong was on a hanger, wrapped in plastic and pink tissue paper, with the $22 price tag attached!

Very nice- Thanks SPANX!!

Personal note:

When I read the message from the box out loud,

E said..

"Mommy, please don't put them on in front of me!!

 OMG!!! As if !!

(I would never...

poor kid he would be scarred for life if he saw that!)

Here are some more pictures of deals that I got this weekend... Items are mixed from purchases at

 Target, Rite Aid, and Walgreens.

I'll just mention the really really good deals, but just an fyi, my total out of pocket for ALL of the pictured items, including 4 bottles of Purex laundry detergent (32 loads), another Always pantiliner pack, and another Olay Face wash was less then $20!!!

SHOP RITE

Intl' Delights Flavored Creamer, sale price 99 cents each, - (3) .50 off coupons, doubled= FREE

Here are a few explanations for some of the above items:

RITE AID

3 Air Wick Single Oil Warmers Sale .88 minus (3) Airwick $1 off = FREE

2 Soft Scrub Total Cleaner 25.4 oz Retail $4.99 each Sale 2/$5

minus 2/$1 off Softscrub mfg coupons = 2/$3

$1 UP Reward Printed at register

Total cost $1.00 each

2 Old Spice Shower Gel Sale 1/$2.99

minus mfg coupon for B1G1 Free

$2 UP Reward for each printed at register

$1 Moneymaker

6 NYC Nail polish Sale price .59each

minus 3/$1.50 off 2 =

.46 Moneymaker

3 Spic and Span Kitchen Brushes, found on Clearance for .25/each

2 M&M minis .99 each minus $1/2 mfg coupon = .99

2 Cadbury Creme Eggs .50 each minus Rite Aid Video coupon for .50/2 = $.50

Reeses Peanut Butter Eggs 2/$1 minus  Rite Aid Video coupon for .50/2= $.50

And, I have Surveys on the bottom of two receipts that will give me $3 off a future $15 purchase!!

And I have a $2 Up Coupon

WALGREENS

(4) Purex Laundry Soap $1.99ea minus (3) $1/1 mfg coupon (1) $2/1 mfg coupon= $3 out of pocket

(2) Crayola Color Explosion On the Go Sets Sale price 2/$3...when I got to the register, they ended up being on clearance for .49 each, so I got 2/$1

(2) Wrigleys 5 gum Sale .99 each minus B1G1 coupon = .99/2

Saturday

Walgreens was giving a Free Go-Go toy just for asking for it, no purchase was required.

We went to 4 stores, and ended up with a total of 10 FREE GoGo's

Our stores gave 1 per person, I've heard that some stores were giving 1 per family.

(I bought my Purex at each store that I visited, so I didn't feel bad about getting multiple free GoGos)

TARGET

(2) Olay Face Wash $4.99 each

minus 1$1/Target coupons

minus 1 $2/Olay coupon

$7.00 out of pocket

Free $5 Target Gift Card

(Total Deal $1.00 each!!)

Free items (between Target and MFG coupons)

(2) 8ct Band Aid

(1) Purex Crystals

(1) Airwick Double Oil Dispenser

(1) 5ct Zyrtec

(1) Visine (Travel Size)

(1) Degree Men's Deodorant

Deep discount Items

Carefree Pantiliners .49

(2) 4' lightbulbs for the garage clearance $1 each

(1) Treseme Hair Spray .67

Also, I went to The Children's Place on Sunday,

they were offering a 25% discount for friends and family if you printed the coupon

Thanks For the Mommas for posting this coupon!

I got the following for E for $52.00

3 solid t-shirts

1 printed t-shirt

1 v-neck sweater

3 polo shirts

1 pair of navy Chinos

1 pair of boxer shorts

1 hat

I had a VERY SUCCESSFUL Shopping Weekend!!!

I still need to stop at Walgreens before Tuesday to get the B1G1 Hot Wheels Cars

And

I need to stop at CVS for theBic Razor Deal and the Airwick Deal!

How do you think that I did????