Bargain(s) of the week and another reason I like coupons...

Through couponing we've had the opportunity to try out several products for free or nearly free.  Before marriage I was very set in my ways of what products I used and my husband didn't really care one way or the other.  While I remain loyal to certain products (Colgate toothpaste, Charmin or Cottonelle toilet paper, Secret deodorant, Venus razors, etc....) I have been able to try new products and find that quite comparable to my old favorites.  This comes in handy when coupons are abundant for the new products.  For example, I've always been a Cascade fan when it comes to my dishwasher--but I recently got Finish dishwasher tabs for less than a $1 a box and we are really enjoying them!  Tide (and the Costco equivalent) is usually what fills our washing machine, but Purex has been winning here when we're able to get bottles so cheap after coupons.

On Sunday my husband and I made our way around to three stores to stock up on some necessities & use up some coupons for free/nearly free items.

Our first stop was Walgreens.  I hadn't shopped here in months and I went in last week to purchase some cereal for $2.83 that produced $4 in register rewards.  Forgive the photos, these were taken right after our camera screen broke and I had no way of knowing what exactly I was taking a photo of...

Purex on sale for $2.99-$1 off coupon

Fragrance Free Dryer Sheets $2 (never tried these--but wanting to try them for Lucy's laundry)

Right Guard deodorant, on sale for Buy one, get one free.  Used buy one, get one free coupon to get both for free!

2 Chapstick--.99 a piece

Total out of pocket after coupons and $4 in register rewards=$2.96

Next stop was CVS for two separate transactions.

The first:

3 packages of Charmin--on sale for $10 a piece and part of a "Spend $25, get $10 in Extra Care Bucks"

3 packages of M & M's (not pictured)--on sale, buy 2, get 1 free.  Used a buy 2, get 1 free & a .25 off coupon to get all three packages for .75

Purex fabric softener (never tried this, but we're almost out of fabric softener)--on sale for $4.00, used $2 off coupon

Total out of pocket after coupons and previous Extra care bucks=$25.59  (we "earned" $10 in this transaction)

The second

4 packs of Diet Coke--on sale for 3/$13 and part of a "Spend $15, get $5 in Extra Care Bucks)

used 4 $1.50 off coupons and the $10 in Extra Care Bucks from the previous transaction

Total out of pocket=$2.84

...and I still have $5 in extra care bucks to use

It was more out of pocket than we usually spend at CVS, but we also were buying lots of toilet paper---which is not cheap in stores!  We've started to only buy toilet paper at CVS & only when it's a part of an extra care buck deal because the prices are much better.