Lessons in Domesticity

This weekend I made homemade dryer sheets.

I also clipped and organized my coupons into a nifty new system that I think is going to work great. It's based off of this idea. After that I took the coupons to the store and cashed them in on some deals. I saved $35 at Kroger and $20 at Walgreens. It felt wonderful. My stockpile of shampoo had officially run out, and my cabinets were dangerously close to lacking any toothpaste. I can now say I haven't paid full price for either of those things in over a year. Nice!

Tonight I did a taco bar for the family and a friend that Jon had over. I made Katie's guacamole, which was great! (Recipe to follow.) I also made homemade taco shells for the first time, I usually get the pre-made junk in the box. But never again, it's so bad to fry up the corn tortillas, but no more than I eat tacos I figure it's an okay treat. So tasty!

The weather as you all know is just fabulous. I did all of my errand running today while wearing flip flops! Mark the calendar: February 8, 2009 and I'm already sock-less. I can only imagine my mood will plummet when it chills back up though.

Finally I leave you with my vacation short list, because I need opinions. I have no idea which beach to go to.

-Hilton Head, South Carolina (or another SC beach, suggestions welcome)
-Outer Banks, North Carolina
-back to the panhandle of Florida
-St. Simons Island, Georgia (or Jekyll Island)
-St. Augustine, Florida
-Orange Beach, Alabama

P.S.

The Guacamole:

2 ripe avocados
the juice from 1 lime
(mash the avocado with the lime juice together before stirring in the rest)
some diced red onion
chopped habanero pepper
2 cloves garlic (feel free to use a teaspoon-ish of that pre-diced stuff you keep in a jar in your fridge)
handful chopped fresh cilantro
pinch of salt

stir it together and then nom nom nom! :)

My note: the nom nom nom part is especially vital when consuming this guac. ;)

CVS Booty

CVS is a bit complicated to learn. Or at least it was for me. In the end, once I figured out how to work it I discovered it was both simple and completely awesome. And proof that this couponing thing is really and truly a valuable budget saver to learn. Why spend money on that laundry detergent you need when you'd rather buy a new pair of shoes? (Not that I would advocate blowing money on shoes or anything. ;) )

So a great place to really find the info on CVS is to read this primer: http://www.moneysavingmom.com/2007/09/cvs-101.html

Aside from that the easiest way for me to explain it is this:

CVS offers "Extra Care Bucks" on specific items in their ad each week. You'll purchase something for X amount of dollars and in return you'll get a printed coupon on the end of your receipt for X amount of dollars to use the next time you come in.

Once you spend an initial amount on your first trip you then start "rolling" your ECBs. If you are interested in learning, I promise that above link explains it better than I do.

I just got back into the CVS habit last week. I purchased: 18 count Alavert, Crest Pro-Health Mouthwash, and Garnier Hair Product last Thursday. I spent $9.71 and got $8.49 in ECBs in return.

This week I returned with the $8.49 in ECBs and a $4 off $20 purchase coupon from CVS that I received in an email. I bought:

2 Glade Air Fresheners--.99 each *minus* $1 off coupon
1 Glade Candle--$2.99 *minus* $1 off coupon
1 Glade Wisp Flameless Candle--$7.99 *minus* $5 off coupon
1 Fab Laundry Detergent--$1.99
1 Bic Soleil Razor--$5.99 *minus* $2 off coupon
2 Plastic Easter Egg Bags--.99 each
TOTAL: $13.92
MINUS: $8.49 ECBs
MINUS: $4 off $20 purchase

Total Spent after tax and deductions: $2.06
ECBs for next week: $7

Makeup Deal

I'm always looking for new makeup to try. Even if I rarely wear any of it. I didn't have an opinion of Jane Cosmetics. Granted it's just drug store stuff, but I'm not discriminatory so I thought I'd give it a shot. Especially when I figured out this deal.

All Jane products on Buy One, Get One Free this week at Walgreens. This coupon gets you $2 off of each product you buy. Walgreens will attach one of these coupons to each Jane product, even the free one. Which means if something is 3.99 you would get it for free!! You can print as many of these coupons as you'd like or need and it's perfectly ethical to use them in this manner.

I got tired of printing and only used 4 coupons for 8 products. Which means I attached one to each set of BOGO.

Before the sales I had $36 worth of makeup.

$18 was subtracted from the $36 for the free ones in the BOGO sale.

Then $8 off in coupons.

Which means I got all of this makeup for $10.

While I didn't play this one as well as I could have I would still consider this a pretty good deal.




Especially when those eyeshadow sets are usually $6.99 each when not on sale.

Slightly Insane, but Cheaply So

Before I started couponing last year I thought all you did was clip what you might buy from that weeks inserts and maybe save 50 cents here and there. I had all of the misperceptions about it, that it doesn't save you much and that you end up buying things you don't need.

I was so wrong.

An evening of watching Food Network led me to The Grocery Game where I learned couponing means saving the coupons until they expire and maximizing their value in conjunction with sales and other store offers. I'm not lying when I say it was all a concept that never crossed my mind before.

I don't have much luck with couponing food items. We are fairly picky and often never wanted to eat what might be on sale that week. Which is why I've learned to save in other ways with food, like having a well stocked freezer or cooking from scratch more often.

However, I have tons of luck with couponing at drug stores, namely Rite Aid and Walgreens and the occasional CVS. Not to mention couponing for me works as a great endorphin kicker, I love the rush of saving money. It's sounds utterly ridiculous, but I'm not known for being uber cool so it's okay I guess.

Here is this week's booty:

Rite Aid:

• Milkbones
• Aussie Shampoo and Conditioner
• Kitchen Sponges
• 2 Oral B Pulsar Toothbrushes

Total Before Coupons and Sales: $30.63
Total After Coupons and Sales: $11.55

Walgreens:

• 3 boxes of Puffs Tissues
• Box of Kotex
• 2 bags of Chex Mix
• 1 Garnier Haircolor
• 2 packages of Trident Gum

Total Before Coupons and Sales: $23.53
Total After Coupons and Sales: $4.95