If you are like me, you look for everyway that you can to save money these days with the spiraling of gas prices and the cost of just the basics to keep a household running all the while being thankful to not be among the many homeless souls we have here in Land of Plenty that we call America. I do feel blessed to live in this country with all the freedoms we enjoy but sometimes I feel like the "Land of Plenty" refers to the ones that have "plenty more than they really need". So totally out of character I went to a "How to Coupon" Party given by my friend Samantha. Of course I dragged my sidekick and cohort Shane with me (Shane's a Mama like me, always strapped for cash) I mean really what's so glamorous about cutting paper..I don't even do that when I scrapbook..it's all digital. And who really can get $100 worth of groceries for like $25 or for mere pennies like the morning talk shows always show us. Seriously folks...it's great to see someone do that..but who can really do that in real life? So all in all I went thinking it was going to be SUPER LAME~This is ONE time I am glad to say how glad I am that I went and how happy I am that I was ever so WRONG. Couponing has come a long way since the days my oldest was little and I gave it a shot. I learned that you could stack a manufactures coupon with an ecoupon that you load on your shopping card...who would have thought. I don't do any shopping at CVS, RiteAid or Walgreens because we don't have one in our small town and to drive for just one or two items is not cost effective but I learned about CVS ECB's (basically CVS money you get back to shop again) and well just all sorts of things that made me go WOW! So I just completed my 1st trip to CVS but my 3rd real serious coupon adventure.

Here's how I have done so far...
1. Brookshires
Spent $92 ~ Saved $65 ~ total would have been about $157 (numbers were rounded)
I stacked eCoupons with Manufacturers coupons + it helped that the stored triples to 39 cents and doubles and includes up to 50 cents

2. Walmart
Spent $53 ~ Saved $14 ~ total would have been $67 (numbers rounded)
I didn't think it was too shabby since Walmart doesn't double coupons.

3. CVS ~ my first CVS trip ever to try to work the sales to get the most ECB's and split my purchase so that I could collect some and use them in conjunction with my coupons to pay the least amount of money.
I ended up spliting my products into 3 purchases.
1st purchase ~ Paid $24.33 ~ Saved $21.24 ~ would have paid $45.57 ~ I had no CVS money but I did have awesome coupons.
What I got
2 Fun size bags of MM's $1 off/2 bags @1.50 a bag = 2.00
2 Boxes Cinnamon Toast Crunch 2/$6 + $1/2 boxes = 5.00 ( 2 ECB toward next purchase)
1 Colgate Total Advantage toothpaste 2.99 - 1.00 coupon =1.99 ( 2.99 toward next purchase)
1 Revlon lipstick $ 7.89 ~ 2.00 coupon stuck to the lipstick = 5.89 (that was a bonus Ididn't expect)
1 Revlon nail enamel $4.99 Buy the lipstick get the nail polish free so -4.99 = 7.89 ( 4 ECB toward next purchase since I made a purchse totaling at least $10 and it included a Revlon product)
Purex 3 in 1 laundry sheets ~ 7.99 a piece ~ BOGO free though + 1.00 coupon = 6.99
tax 2.46


2nd purchase ~ Paid $29.99 ~ Saved $22.68 ~ would have paid $52.67 ~ I used the 8.99 ECB's from the previous purchase and matched coupons.
What I got
1 Revlon lipstick $7.89 - the bonus 2.00 off coupon that was stuck to the lipstick = 5.89
1 Revlon nail enamel $4.99 ~buy the lipstick get nail polish free so -4.99 ( 4 ECB's toward next purchase since I made a purchase totaling at least $10 and it included a Revlon product)
Colgate Total Advantage toothpaste~2.99 - 1.00 = 1.99 (earns 2.99 ECB's toward next purchase)
2 Covergirl Simply Primers @15.99 apiece = 31.98 - $5 off/2 Covergirl products = 26.98 (earns 6 ECB's toward next purchase)
tax 4.12


3rd purchase ~ Paid $21.25 ~ Saved $28.98 ~ would have paid $50.19 ~ I had 12.99 ECB's and matched coupons.
What I got
Bounty 8 roll pack ~6.99 (reg price 9.99)
average 88 cents a roll
Downy Liquid 51oz size ~ 5.97 - 1.00 off coupon = 4.97
Gain Liquid 100 oz size ~ 10.97 - 1.00 off coupon = 9.97
Charmin ultra soft 16 Big Rolls ~9.99- .25 off coupon = 9.74
tax 2.57
And because I spent $25 on Procter and Gamble products I get $10 back in ECB's toward my next purchase.

So I am quite proud of my purchases. I I had not used my ECB's and coupons I would have spent $148.57. Instead my total spending was $75.57 and may savings was $73.00 and if you add in the 10 ECB I will have to spend like real money next visit that brings my savings up to $83.00.

If I wasn't so tired I would share a photo of all my goodies....I might come back tomorrow when I get some rest and add one to the bottom of the post.

Thanx for popping by!
Balinda