Light Week 1/10 - 1/16

(did I say light?) What I meant to say was, it started out as light but everyday, it seems there's another deal popping up to contradict my title. Its a conspiracy I tell you!

As always, my deals all come from the wonderful folks at HCW, Slick Deals and Erica at iheartcvs.com, iheartriteaid.com and iheartwags.com.

Office Max

• BOISE X-9 10-Ream Case Paper $34.99, get back $35 in MaxPerks Bonus Rewards (Limit 2) = FREE
• Sharpie Fine Point Permanent Markers (12 pack) $5.99, get back $6 in MaxPerks Bonus Rewards (Limit 3) = FREE
• Ascend Recycled Peel-to-Seal No. 10 Envelopes (50 count) $3.99, get back $4 in MaxPerks Bonus Rewards (Limit 3) = FREE

You can also purchase these online and if you spend $50, you get free shipping. You can order online or sign up for the MaxPerks card here. You'll receive the MaxPerks rewards in February.

Staples - more freebies this week! For the offers below, you don't have to fill out any paperwork. Just use your Staples Rewards card when you check out and they'll mail you a rewards check sometime in February.

• M by Staples Perforated Writing Pads (letter size, 6 pack) $7.99, get back $7.99 in Staples Rewards (Limit 1) = FREE
• Bankers Box Letter/Legal Size Boxes (6 pack) $9.99, get back $9.99 in Staples Rewards (Limit 1) = FREE
• Staples Heavyweight File Folders (manilla, 50 count) $8, get back $8 in Staples Rewards (Limit 1) = FREE
• Staples #10 Pull & Seal Envelopes (100 pack) $7.99, get back $7.99 in Staples Rewards (Limit 1) = FREE
• Zebra Sarasa Retractable Gel Pens (medium, 5 pack) $3.99, get back $3.99 in Staples Rewards (Limit 1) = FREE
• Staples Small Binder Clips (40 count) $3.99, get back $3.99 in Staples Rewards (Limit 1) = FREE

CVS - $5 off $30 coupon available here NEW $5 off $20 coupon Exp 1/16

• Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Care - spend $15, get back $5 EB (Limit 1) $1 coupons in 10/11 RP or 12/6 RP
• CVS Green Tag and/or CVS Reusable Bags - buy two and get back $1 EB (Limit 1). If you don't have a green tag, you get back $1 EB for every four times you use it, so it pays for itself pretty quickly.

Bonus Packs - They can usually be found in a promo aisle somewhere in the store. The deals are good until 2/14. Here's a list of all qualifying items.

• Glade Fabric & Air Spray $3.99, get back $3 EB (Limit 6) - also qualifies for $5 SC Johnson rebate (WYB 3, Limit 3 offers per household) = $2.03 profit for every three bottles you buy. I bought UPC 0 46500 70475 8 and I was able to use bottles from the regular air freshener aisle. *Be sure to buy no more than three bottles at once. Although you can do the SC Johnson rebate three times, you have to submit each rebate separately.
• Oust Surface Disinfectant & Air Sanitizer $3.99, buy two and use $2 off 2 coupon or BOGO coupon (1/3 SS) and get back $3 EB (Limit 3) = $0.02 profit or $2.01 profit depending on coupon *Also qualifies for $5 SC Johnson rebate (WYB 3, Limit 3 offers per household)
• Soyjoy (last year this was a specially marked box) $6, use $2 off 10 coupon (you'd have to buy 2 boxes to use this, 1/3 SS) get back $6 EB (Limit 6) = $2 profit or FREE without coupon

Rite Aid - use $5 off $20 coupon or $5 off $25 coupon or $5 off $25 coupon (Exp. 12/31/10)

• Contact Cold & Flu (24 or 28 ct) $4.99, use $2 coupon (1/10 RP) and get back $4.99 SCR (#33) = $2 profit
• Thermaflu Caplets (24 ct), Packets (6 pack) or Warming Relief (8.3 oz) $4.99, use $2 coupon (or 12/6 SS) and get back $3 SCR (#38) = FREE/$0.01 profit
• GE Soft White Longlife Light Bulbs (2 pack) $2, get back $2 SCR (#89) = FREE

Walgreens

There is an J&J rebate available on coupons.com for $10 when you spend $30 on any Ambi, Aveeno, Clean & Clear, Purpose, Lubriderm or RoC products. You have to buy products from at least two brands and trial sizes and cleansing bars don't count. Aveeno, Clean & Clear, Lubriderm and RoC are all BOGO 50% off this week. The receipt will list the second item as the 50% off price, so you have to be sure you have $30 worth in total, including sale prices. Here are some items that are on sale with coupons available:

• Lubriderm $2 coupon and $1 WAG coupon from Diabetes and You magazine (found near Pharmacy),
• Aveeno Body or Baby Care $2 coupon, Facial Care $2 coupon or Hair Care $2.50 coupon
• RoC $3 coupon
• Clean & Clear $2 coupon or also here
• Ambi skincare $2 coupon or $3 coupon *Be sure to use this coupon trick to print it
• Purpose skincare $2 coupon

Hopefully there will be a way to make this deal a moneymaker. I'm going to go for it to use up some RR's.

• Triaminic Thin Strips $5, buy two and use two $3 coupons (12/6 SS) and get back $5 RR (WYB 2) = $1 profit
• Thermacare Heat Wrap Arm/Neck Single (trial size) $2.49, use $1 coupon and get back $2.50 RR = $1 profit or FREE without coupon
• Colgate Max White Soft Toothbrush or Max Fresh Beads Toothpaste (6 oz) $2.99, use $1 coupon (or January All You magazine) and get back $2 RR = FREE/$0.01 profit
• Dozen eggs $0.99

Walgreens Month Long Deals 12/27 - 1/30

• Bayer Breeze 2 Blood Glucose Meter $14.99, use freebie coupon (10/25 RP) and get back $5 RR = $5 profit
• Bayer Contour Blood Glucose Meter $14.99, use freebie coupon (10/25 RP) and get back $5 RR = $5 profit *Don't buy the meter in the green box or the one with a free attached ac1 (whatever that is) - they won't print the RR's

*Its reported that if you buy these both together, you'll get the $5 RR for each plus a $3 RR for buying 2 Bayer items = $13 profit overall. Or if you add on a third qualifying item, you'll get back $6 RR for buying three items.

• Bayer Quick Release Crystals (20 ct.) $4.19 each (clearance price on iheartwags, YMMV), buy three and use three $1.50 coupons (10/25 RP) and get back $6 RR (WYB 3) = $2.07 *But may be a moneymaker when combined with buying the meters
• Neosporin Lip Health $4, buy two and use two $3 coupons and get back $3 RR (WYB 2) = $1 profit
• Pepsi/Tostitos - spend $20, get back $10 RR. Wait until the week of 1/17 when they'll be on sale. Combine with the Coors rebates below...

General Printable Rebate Offers

• Caregiver's Marketplace - many rebates for a variety of items
• #1 Coors Light or Coors Banquet Beer 12 fl oz. (18+ pack) AND $30 of Tostitos Chips/Dips, Pepsi, Condiments, Plastic Cups, Ice, Paper Plates and/or Deli Items - Get back $15 Exp. 2/8/10. Valid only in following states: AK, AZ, CA, CO, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, KS, MA, MD, MI, MS, MT, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, TN, WI and WY.
• #2 Coors - Tostitos Chips, Pepsi, condiments, plastic cups, paper plates and/or deli items. Spend $30, get back $10 (Exp. 2/8/10). NO BEER PURCHASE REQUIRED. Valid in AL, AR, CT, HI, LA, ME, MN, MO, NC, NJ (YEAH BABY!!!), NY, SD, UT, VA, VT and WV.
• # 3 Coors Light or Banquet Beer AND $20 worth of Tostitos Chips, Pepsi, condiments, plastic cups, paper plates and/or deli items (Exp. 2/8/10). Valid in AK, AZ, CA, CO, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, KS, MA, MD, MI, MS, MT, ND, NE, NH, NM, NV, OH, PA, RI, SC, TN, WI and WY.
• #4 Coors - Tostitos Chips, Pepsi, condiments, plastic cups, paper plates and/or deli items. Spend $20, get back $7.50 (Exp. 2/8/10). NO BEER PURCHASE REQUIRED. Valid in AL, AR, CT, HI, LA, ME, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NY, SD, UT, VA, VT and WV.

These rebates will be awesome when combined with Walgreen's month-long sale on Tostitos and Pepsi items (spend $20, get back $10 RR). Its even better during the week of 1/17 when the qualifying items will be on sale. I can't wait!

• J&J - Spend $30 on 2 or more of the following brands - Ambi, Aveeno, Clean & Clear, Purpose, Lubriderm or Roc (no trial size or cleansing bars) and get back $10. Valid 1/10 - 2/5/2010
• Just for Men Touch of Gray Haircolor TMF up to $9.50 Exp. 12/31/2010
• Naked Juice (15.2 or 32 oz) Buy 10, get back $10 Exp. 2/1/10 $1 coupon available here
• Olay Quench Lotion TMF Exp. 1/29/2010 Limit TWO rebates!
• Olay Regenerist Moisturizers, treatments and/or cleansers - buy two, get back $15 Exp. 1/24/2010
• Pantene ProV Satisfaction Guarantee - 2x your purchase price (up to $12) Exp. 6/30/2010
• SC Johnson - Buy three, get back $5 (Limit 3 rebates per household) Exp. 6/30/10 ***Although you can do this rebate three times, each $5 rebate has to be mailed separately (yuck). Be careful how you purchase your items so you have enough receipts.

Ready to Roll!

The Bayer coupons I ordered on ebay came in today. You know what that means right? Lots of Walgreens shopping to do! I bought 20 coupons for $39.95. That will buy me 20 meters and I'll get back a $5 RR for every one that I buy, plus a $3 RR when I buy two together. That works out to $130 in RR's, so $90.05 profit when I subtract the amount I paid for the coupons. The nice thing about this deal is that since I can buy two meters together, its only going to take me 10 trips to use these up. The deal is good all month, so that should be a breeze. I've been itching to get going on this deal and I'm so psyched the coupons arrived!

More of the same at Walgreens today:

• 2 Glade Fragrance Collection Candles (2 oz) $2.50 each, used $3 off 2 coupon (11/22 SS) and got back $3 RR (WYB 2, monthly deal I think) = $1 profit *Also counts for $5 SC Johnson rebate (WYB 3, Limit 3 offers per household)
• Total was $2.35 so $0.65 profit after tax

Repeated once

What's That I Smell?

Could it be the first of this year's fabulous deals on Glade products? Sniff...sniff. It might just be! If you've been hanging around here long enough, you might remember some of the fabulous Glade deals from last year. Ok ok, technically they weren't from last year, but close enough. I even persevered through a car accident to score some. Its true! Here's the evidence. And here.

Walgreens

• Electrosol $3.49, used $2.50 coupon (1/3 SS) and got back $1 RR = FREE/$0.01 profit
• 2 Glade Fragrance Collection Candles (2 oz) $2.50 each, used $3 off 2 coupon (11/22 SS) and got back $3 RR (WYB 2, monthly deal I think) = $1 profit *Also counts for $5 SC Johnson rebate (WYB 3, Limit 3 offers per household)
• Total was $3.59

Bought 2 Glade candles by themselves five more times, so $10 profit total. I'll also combine these with the Glade sprays I bought at CVS earlier in the week to send away for the $5 SC Johnson rebate at my address and DBF's address, so another $10 in my pocket. I have two more coupons to use for the candles, and I'll use those to submit for the rebate at my parent's address - another $15. Don't you just love rebates? :)

CVS - will send away for this rebate at my parent's address

• 2 Bioluxe sham/conds $9.99 each, BOGO sale, will send away for TMF (tag is on the bottle, valid until 5/31/10 and will come back as a Visa prepaid gift card) = two for FREE
• 5 CVS scrubber sponges $2.49 each, had planned on using a $2 off $10 CVS purchase coupon but it wouldn't scan along with the $5 coupon I used. Bummer. With the BOGO 50% off sale and the $5 coupon, I paid $4.96 for all five, or $0.99 each
• Used $5 off $20 coupon (exp. 1/9) and $12 EB, total was $3.99

Rite Aid

• Listerine Original, Fresh Burst, Vanilla Mint or Cool Mint (500 mL) $3.50, used $1 coupon (12/6 RP) and will get back $3 SCR (#6) = $0.50 profit
• 6 packages Stayfree pads (16 - 24 ct) $3.99 each, BOGO sale and used three BOGO coupons (1/3 RP) = FREE
• Lypsyl lip moisturizer $2.99, used $1 coupon (10/25 SS) and will submit for $2 rebate (10/25 SS - also valid for Finesse, but those were more expensive at RA) = FREE/$0.01 profit
• Domino sugar $1.99
• Used $5 off $25 coupon, total was $1.48

A&P

• 4 Suave deodorants $1.39 each, used four $0.75 coupons (10/25 RP) = $0.86 profit on each or $3.44 profit overall
• 2 Suave men's deodorants $1.39 each, used $0.75 coupon (10/25 RP) = $0.53 - would have used 2 coupons but my total was too low and it would have made me negative. At this store, there's nothing quick to grab near self checkout and there was a line, so I skipped the last coupon
• Nature Valley Dark Chocolate w/nuts granola bars $3.39, will send away for TMF rebate (Exp. 1/15) = FREE
• Perdue Chicken $2.93
• Total was $2.00

Lots of Rebate Forms to Fill Out

Rite Aid

• Listerine Original, Fresh Burst, Vanilla Mint or Cool Mint (500 mL) $3.50, used $1 coupon (12/6 RP) and will get back $3 SCR (#6) = $0.50 profit
• 6 packages Stayfree pads (16 - 24 ct) $3.99 each, BOGO sale and used three BOGO coupons (1/3 RP) = FREE
• Lypsyl lip moisturizer $2.99, used $1 coupon (10/25 SS) and will submit for $2 rebate (10/25 SS - also valid for Finesse, but those were more expensive at RA) = FREE/$0.01 profit
• Milk $2.29
• Holiday wrapping paper - 75% clearance $1.49 (was $5.99)
• Used $5 off $25 coupon, total was $3.27

CVS - my card

• 2 Bioluxe sham/conds $9.99 each, BOGO sale, will send away for TMF (tag is on the bottle, valid until 5/31/10 and will come back as a Visa prepaid gift card) = two for FREE *If your store doesn't have these, be sure to get a raincheck since the rebate is good for so long. Hopefully you'll be able to find some by then!
• 2 Soy Joy packages $6 each, got back $6 EB for each (monthly deal until 2/14, Limit 6) = FREE
• Used $5 off $20 coupon (Expired 1/2 - but I followed Queen's advice and this worked for me! YMMV), $12 EB, total was $5.53

CVS - DBF's card

• 2 Bioluxe sham/conds $9.99 each, BOGO sale, will send away for TMF (tag is on the bottle, valid until 5/31/10 and will come back as a Visa prepaid gift card) = two for FREE
• CVS Disinfecting Wipes (big container) $4.99 and two smaller containers $2.99 each - one was $1.49 with the BOGO 50% off sale on CVS items this week, used $2 off $10 CVS purchase CRT = $7.47 total
• Used $5 off $20 coupon, $3.98 EB and $9 EB, total was $0.35

A&P

• 4 Suave deodorants $1.39 each, used four $0.75 coupons (10/25 RP) = $0.86 profit on each or $3.44 profit overall
• Nature Valley Dark Chocolate w/nuts granola bars $3.39, will send away for TMF rebate (Exp. 1/15) = FREE
• Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta $1.99, used $0.75 coupon (12/6 SS, doubled only to $1.99) = FREE
• 2 No Yolk egg noodles $1.94 each, used two $0.75 coupons = FREE
• 2 Healthy Ones lunch meats $1.67 each, used two $0.55 coupons (1/3 SS) = $0.02 each
• 4 Betty Crocker potatoes $2.19 each (bought the wrong size!), used four $0.35 coupons (12/6 GM) = $1.14 each
• Got $2.30 employee discount, total was $1.82. When I get back the Nature Valley rebate, that's an overall profit of $1.57 for everything

More Moneymakin' Glade

CVS - bought these on Saturday. The $5 off $20 coupon expired then. I wish I'd caught that one sooner and gotten some more mileage on it. Oh well, I have been super busy with work and the holidays lately, so I took a break from hounding. I'm feeling refreshed and ready to roll again!

• 6 Glade Fabric & Air Sprays $3.99 each, got back $3 EB for each ($18 total, monthly deal until 2/14, Limit 6) and will submit for $5 SC Johnson rebate (WYB 3, Limit three rebates so I'll get back $10) = $4.06 profit
• Used $5 off $20 coupon (Exp. 1/2), $1 EB, $1 EB, $5 EB and $10 EB, total was $2.78

I picked up one Glade bottle from the air freshener aisle. The UPC's were the same (0 46500 70475 8) and it printed the EB's. :) So even if your store doesn't have the bonus items out yet or they're out of Glade, you can get the regular bottles with no problem.

Second transaction - DBF's card

• 3 Glade Fabric & Air Sprays $3.99 each, got back $3 EB for each ($9 total, monthly deal until 2/14, Limit 6) and will submit for $5 SC Johnson rebate (WYB 3, Limit three rebates so with the three bottles I bought the other day, I'll get back $10) = $2.03 profit, $4.06 profit overall
• 2 Soy Joy packages $6 each, used $2 CRT and got back $6 EB for each (monthly deal until 2/14, Limit 6) = $2 profit
• Used $5 off $20 coupon (Exp. 1/2), $0.50 EB, $1 EB, $5 EB and $9 EB, total was $1.91

Staples

• 2 Avery Heavy Duty View binders $8.49 and $10.99, will get back these amounts as Staples Rewards in February (you don't need to fill out any paperwork, just scan your Staples Rewards card when you check out and they'll mail the Staples money to you) = FREE
• Avery Sample Pack of Note Tabs $0.01, used freebie coupon (DBF got this coupon in the mail) = FREE
• Total was $20.84

Pathmark - still doing the $0.99 papers in DBF's neck of the woods, I love this!

• 7 papers $0.99 each (bought one for DBF's mom, I got her leftovers) = $6.93

What's this grey blob on my armchair?

Let's go in for a closer look.

Its the Gigi, curled up into as small a ball as possible. The apartment is pretty cold, but she usually faces out so she can see what's going on. I guess she was feeling anti-social.

" Mom, leave me be. I snoozin."

Surprise Moneymaker!

Isn't this cute? I found this wreath at A&P of all places and it was clearanced from $12.99 down to $3.25. After factoring in some overage from other items I bought, I only paid $2.18 for it! :)

A&P - triples, baby! There isn't too much so far, but I have faith in those HCW folks to find some more deals. There's a $0.35 coupon coming out in Sunday's paper for Softsoap which will make that free. BC potatoes are also free with the $0.35 coupon from the 12/6 GM, but this store was out of the ones I wanted.

• 2 loaves Nature's Pride Bread $2 each, used two $0.75 coupons (doubled fully) = $0.25 profit on each, $0.50 profit overall
• 4 Ronzoni Smart Taste pastas $1.99 each, used four $0.75 coupons (12/6 SS, doubled only to $1.99) = FREE
• Holiday wreath $12.99 - clearanced to $3.25
• Got $0.80 employee discount, total was $2.18

CVS - I hadn't planned on doing any deals today, but as I was cleaning out my coupon organizer, I found a $2 CVS coupon for Soy Joy on both cards, so I decided to head out.

My card

• 2 Soyjoy packages $6 each, used $2 CRT and got back $6 EB each (Limit 6) = $2 profit
• Stamps $8.80
• Used $5 off $20 coupon (Exp. 1/2), $2.49 EB and $10 EB, total was $1.31 - paid with egift card I bought a while ago and got back $1 EB for using my green bag tag

DBF's card - this store didn't have any Soy Joy, so I bought the Glade instead. I was thinking about waiting until later in the month, hoping a coupon would come out for the Glade. But the stores I went to today only had about 6 bottles of Glade each. With these bonus items, once they're gone, they're gone. I'm happy I bought the Glade because when I looked at those stickers on the package, I found out that these qualify for the SC Johnson rebate! I'm doubly happy that I never got around to buying the Glade candles at Target for this rebate a while ago. I'd much rather have the spray than more candles. Happy day!

• 3 Glade Fabric & Air Sprays $3.99 each, got back $3 EB each (Limit 6) and will submit for $5 SC Johnson rebate (WYB 3 SC Johnson items, Limit 3 rebates per household) = $2.03 profit
• Stamps $8.80
• Used $5 off $20 coupon (Exp. 1/2), $1 EB, $5.98 EB and $7.98 EB, total was $1.41 - paid with egift card I bought a while ago, got back $1 EB for using my green bag tag and $0.50 EB for my fall spending (didn't get this on my other card though, weird)

2009: A Year in Review

I just had a thought. At this point, when I'm entering my info into my spreadsheet, I pretty much do it on autopilot, so I don't really think about it anymore. But I was just pondering what some of these numbers really mean. For example, if I spend $5 cash on a transaction, but get back $6 in rebates, that transaction was an overall profit of $1 and would be recorded in my profit category as $1. If I spent $4 in another transaction and get back $3 in rebates, that transaction cost me $1. Basically, these two transactions would then cancel each other out and overall, I'd be at zero. Does that make sense? Some transactions are profitable, and some aren't. So...(if I'm thinking about this correctly, and I like to think that I am), I can take the "Total Cost to Me" category, subtract the "Total Profit" category to see how much my goodies actually cost, right? (I should probably rename these categories so they are clearer)

So......in the year 2009, my Total Cost to Me category was $1,171.69 and my Total Profit was $1,909.79. If I subtract $1,171.69 from $1,909.79, that gives me an overall yearly profit of $738.10. Holy shnikes! That means I was PAID over $700 to take over $21,000 worth of merchandise out of the stores! Man oh man, you can't tell me coupons don't pay! :)

December Monthly Totals

• Merchandise Total (before coupons): $994.70
• Value of Coupons & Store Sales: $217.54
• Rewards/Gift Cards/EB's Used: $394
• Rewards/Gift Cards/EB's Earned: $605.39
• Rebates: $101.44
• Total Cost to me (after rewards earned and rebates): $107.23
• Total Profit: $128.76
• # of Items: 209, # of Free Items: 96

Rebates Received

• $2.78 Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers
• $10 Kraft/Nabisco crackers rebate
• $39.67 Rite Aid rebates in DBF's name
• $42.66 Rite Aid rebates in my name

Renewed my Tivo service for next year. I pay on a yearly basis, which saves me $26 versus paying monthly.

eBay profits - getting back into selling some stuff here. I'd been on an ebay hiatus for a while.

• $45 - sold a $50 iTunes gift card that I got at CVS. I paid $50, got back $10 EB and sold it for $45. Not too shabby.
• I also sold two $30 iTunes gift cards I bought at ShopRite. I paid $60, got back $10 as a catalina and sold them for $58.50 - so $8.50 profit (minus ebay and paypal fees).

And now, let's see how I did for the year, shall we?

2009 Yearly Totals

• Merchandise Total (before coupons): $21,240.28
• Value of Coupons & Store Sales: $12,700
• Rewards/Gift Cards/EB's Used: $6,329.27
• Rewards/Gift Cards/EB's Earned: $6,313.66
• Rebates: $1,502.41
• Total Cost to me (after rewards earned and rebates): $1,171.69
• Total Profit: $1,909.79
• # of Items: 5,672, # of Free Items: 3,739

This has been a great year for me financially. I've been able to pay off my car early and pay off all my remaining credit card debt. It feels wonderful! My goals for the upcoming year are to continue to boost my savings accounts. I've made great progress the past several months and its fantastic to finally have a cushion for myself.