Sunday, September 7, 2008

What a Weekend

This was so me this weekend - sorry again honey! Ugh, this was one of those weekends where if it could go wrong, it was gonna. It started on Saturday when DBF and I went to Pathmark. They have a promo going now where you spend $30 in General Mills stuff, you get back $10. So off we went with my coupons in hand. I had planned on buying cereal, cookie mixes and brownies. Well, the first store was totally out of brownies and I didn't plan well and have alternate Q's with me. So DBF and I headed over to another store. They only had 4 brownies, so I bought some other stuff that I didn't have coupons for. Sigh, now the problems began. All but two of my Cheerios Q's were expired (oops! totally didn't realize this), I totally forgot about limits on certain items so only some items rang up the sale price and rest rang up regular price, other things rang up the totally wrong price and my $10 Q didn't print. I had expected to spend around $13 and get back $10. Instead, it cost me $25 - ouch! I ended up returning almost everything today and that was a hassle too. But I just couldn't stomach spending $25 on stuff I didn't need. I should have just voided the order last night, but oh well. I'd been such a hassle at that point, I felt bad asking her to void the order, but I really should have. Sigh, here's what I actually ended up keeping:

  • Chock full o nuts coffee $1.88, had $0.75 coupon that doubled (printed from coupons.com a while back - wish 'd printed more!) = $0.38
  • Totinos pizza rolls 10 for $10, used two $1 coupons = FREE
  • 5 Warm Delights $1.39 each (forgot to put in pic), used two $0.55 coupons or here - doubled to $1.10 each and three $0.50 coupons - doubled to $1 each (7/13 SS) = $0.39 and $0.29 each
  • Total was $2.13

So along comes Sunday and I'm thinking, ok today should can't be worse than yesterday. Hmm, shouldn'ta said that! :)

CVS - DBF and I were checking the papers (like we always do) to make sure all the coupon inserts were in them. When I checked out, the cashier/shift supervisor questioned me about it and had a tone to his voice like I was trying to steal something or do something shady. I told him I was just making sure all the inserts were there (we did find one paper that didn't have all of them, which is why I always check). That was strike one.

Then I was buying Revlon nail polish and using a $2 coupon good on any Revlon color cosmetic item. The coupon beeped and he would not override it (strike two). His logic was that there was no picture of nail polish on the coupon. I could not talk sense into him and was ticked off at this point so I just kept the coupon. He then scanned my Soft n Dri coupons which also beeped - but these he overrode without a problem. Explain me that! And he jipped me a dollar (strike three!) so I had to back after the transaction was done to get my money back. Grr, frustrated was frugalsuz! Anyway, here's what I ended up buying:

Transaction 1:

  • 5 papers $10, used $2 off $10 coupon and $8 in ECB = $0

Transaction 2:

  • 3 Soft n Dri deodorants $2.99 each, used three $1 coupons (8/10 SS) and got back $6 ECB ($2 each, limit 5) = FREE
  • Revlon nail polish $3.99, used $2 Revlon coupon from scanner and shoulda used $2 Revlon Q (GRR!) from 7/24 or 8/24 SS and got back $3 ECB = $1.01 profit *Sunday & Monday only
  • Loreal Skin Genesis face wash $5.99, used $1 coupon (7/20 SS) and got back $5.99 ECB = $1 profit
  • 2 Honey Bunches of Oats cereals, BOGO sale and used freebie coupon from MIR - ended up paying $0.79 because the cereal was $4.58 each and the coupon was only good up to $3.79
  • 2 Malt o Meal cereals $1 each, used two $1 coupons = FREE
  • Coupons used: $2 off $10, three $1 Soft n Dri, $2 Revlon, $1 Loreal, Honey Bunches freebie, two $1 Malt o Meals, $5 ECB and $4 ECB
  • Total was $3.03 (ouch! that seems so high to me for a CVS purchase) and got back $6 for Soft n Dri, $5.99 for Loreal and $3 ECB for Revlon

Was planning on buying these items again on DBF's card but since I knew he wasn't going to accept the Revlon coupon, I said forget it and we left. I'll figure out a new scenario and go to a different CVS during the week.

Walgreens

  • 3 Scrubbing Bubbles Action Scrubbers $3.79 each, used three $2.75 coupons and will get back $3.79 for Try Me Free rebate (7/20 SS)
  • 2 Windex $2.49 each, used two $0.75 coupons (7/20 SS)
  • 2 Scrubbing Bubbles cleansers $2.49 each, used two $0.75 coupons (7/20 SS)

So I spent $10.08 on cleansers (really $6.29 after the rebate) and I got back a $10 RR

  • Crest Pro Health rinse (500 ml) $4.49, get back $4.50 RR = FREE
  • 4 puddings and small Lindt chocolate (fillers so I'd have enough items to use my RR's) = $1.73
  • Coupons used: five $3 RR's, plus cleanser Q's from above
  • Total was $3.14 and I got back a $10 RR for cleansers and a $4.50 RR for Crest

6 comments:

Lisa B. said...

I hate it when I have days like this. It happens to the best of us.

I didnt make it to CVS, planning on going tomorow. I hear the $1 revlon coupons dont beep and go through fine... we'll see what my store says about that tomorow.

Melissa said...

I have a ton of days like that.. most of my transactions wind up like that I and I wind up very frusterated. glad to know I'm not the only one who has bad experiences!!

Lindsay said...

I had the same problems with the Revlon & deodorant coupons!! GRR!!! And the same thing happened! (Pushed through deo's but not Revlon.) i even tried the $1/1 and she wouldn't take that one either. I want to go back tonight with DH's card but a little nervous & fed up with CVS's crap! :(

Anyway HI! I just found your blog and I love it already!

frugalsuz said...

Hmm, I wonder what's up with the Revlon coupons beeping for everyone? Its not my fault the CVS registers have been programmed wrong - I should still be able to use the coupon. Grr!

Lindsay - welcome to my madness! :) I still don't understand why it was ok to push through the deo coupons but not the Revlon. Sigh, I'm moving on. :)

Queen said...

of course you had to check the papers! there's nothing worse than getting home and realizing you paid for the chance to recycle your empty, useless newspapers....

frugalsuz said...

Queen - thank you! I absolutely hate when that happens. One time my boyfriend and I were shopping and I bought 5 papers. We checked 4, then said, forget it - let's just grab the last one and get out of here. Guess what happened? Paper #5 had only one insert out of three! Lesson learned. :)