Saving money sure feels good!

This was a good week!  Here's the breakdown...

CVS
     Spent $ 1.73     Saved $15.00 

Rite Aid
     Spent $ 7.49     Saved $ 26.54

Walgreens
     Spent $ 14.18   Saved $18.10

Publix
     Spent $ 62.65   Saved $ 83.02

Walmart
     Spent $ 3.98      Saved $ 0.50
     (All You magazines for coupons!)

Bi-Lo
     Spent $35.31     Saved $48.89

Overall-
     Spent $125.34   Saved $192.05

Percent Savings........ 60%

I love that we are saving this much money.  Yet, I feel like I am always shopping ; )

64 % Savings (including RR/ecb's/MIR

This week I didn't do any major shopping, but I did buy more than just milk and vegies.  Here is the weekly breakdown:

Farmer's Market
     Spent  $10       Saved -0-
      But I did make homemade strawberry jam with it!  YUM!
Walgreen's
     Spent  $35       Saved $35
       (earned $16 RR and $10 mail-in rebate)
Bi-Lo
     Spent  $49       Saved  $27
Food Lion
     Spent  $6         Saved  $2
CVS
     Spent  $17       Saved  $37
      (rec'd $12 ebc to use next time!)

Overall:
  Spent $117  Saved  $101 
  Total Bill before savings  $216

Percent Saved.... 47 %

Percent Saved including RR/ecb/MIR.... 64 %

53.5 % savings! I did it!

I feel like I've been shopping all week. YUK!  Here are my savings...

Staples      Spent  $ 43.68      Saved: $ 10
   I will be receiving $24 in rebates also!

Publix         Spent  $ 38.94      Saved:  $ 40.39

Shoe Dept   Spent  $ 30.00      Saved:  $ 15.00

Bi-lo           Spent  $ 143.16    Saved:  $ 109.70

Food Lion   Spent  $ 25.25      Saved:  $ 12.54

Walgreens   Spent  $ 11.78      Saved:  $ 14.20

CVS            Spent  $ 23.32      Saved:  $ 16.59

My total bill would have been $ 497.77.  I saved $ 266.42 ($242.42 + $24.00 rebates) and only spent $ 231.35. 

** I also received $10 register rebates from Walgreens and $9 ecb's from CVS to use on my next shopping trip!

The only shopping I'm doing this coming week will be for milk and, maybe, fresh vegetables!

How are your saving money for your family?

Couponing to a better life

Now that I'm feeling a bit better (back and neck problems), I'm off to the stores again.  I spent over 3 hours last night sorting and filing the coupons which had accumulated.  Then, I sat down with the sale ads and set up my shopping day.  Here we go...

CVS
     Spent  $ 11.97    SAVED  $ 14.88
Food Lion
     Spent  $ 55.78    SAVED    $ 25.88
Bi-Lo
     Spent  $ 106.05  SAVED  $ 86.43
Walgreens
     Spent  $ 7.49      SAVED  $ 13.99

Total Spent $ 181.29  SAVED $ 141.18

Percent Saved:  44 %

Not at or above 50 % which is what I'm shooting for, but savings none-the-less.

This week's savings... so far!

Since throwing my back out 2 weeks ago, I'm still trying to get back into a routine.  So far this week I have been to Publix and Bi-Lo.  Here are my savings....

Publix
     Spent  $ 23.90  SAVED  $ 26.21

Bi-Lo
     Spent  $ 97.10  SAVED  $ 83.28

Overall Percent Saved: 48 %

My goal is to save 50 % or more each week. 

If I returned the head of cauliflower-which was not on sale- maybe, just maybe, I would have had my 50 %.  But then I wouldn't be enjoying my home-made Chicken Pot Pie!

How many stores can one shop in a 2 hour time slot...

FIVE... SIX.... Ok, one store twice!  Not fun for someone who really doesn't like to shop.... but I do like saving a ton of money!

Today's Savings...

CVS           Spent $ 29.44   SAVED  $ 20.88
Target        Spent $ 15.89   SAVED  $ 4.75
Publix        Spent $  4.44    SAVED  $ 2.00
Publix        Spent $ 38.19   SAVED  $ 33.62
Bi-Lo         Spent $ 8.81     SAVED  $ 13.51
Food Lion  Spent $ 23.35  SAVED  $ 16.23

Bill Totals (before coupons, etc) $ 211.11

Total Saved $ 90.99

Total Spent $ 120.12   

Percent Saved 42%

Can  you say AWESOME!

Savings abound!

After falling behind on my coupons, I was able to get caught up this afternoon.  I then set up my store runs and was off to the races.  Here are my savings...

CVS...
     spent $ 1.35   SAVED $ 7.00
Walgreens...
     spent $ 4.54  SAVED $ 8.07
Food Lion...
     spent $ 12.72  SAVED $ 5.30
Bi-Lo...
     spent $ 35.49   SAVED $ 36.82

Total Spent  $ 54.10 
Total Saved $ 57.19
Percentage Saved 51 %

Savings like this keep me motivated to keep this program up!

How are you saving at the food stores?

Coupon Savings...

As much as I despise to shop, I am saving a lot more money.  If I can do this, so can you; just ask me how!  Here's today's shopping whirlwind:

Target
           2 Scrubbing Bubbles Power Sprayer w/ 2 refill
               bottles $ 23.96
              - 2 $5 off coupons, 2 buy sprayer get refill free
           1 Dove antiperspirant   $1.87
              - on clearance, missing inside cover (orig. 3.89)
              - $1 coupon used
           1 Vaseline lotion $5.99
              - $1 Target coupon, $1.50 manu coupon
  TOTAL bill: $34.01     SAVED $23.18     SPENT $13.53 + tax

CVS   
            2 Head and Shoulders    $14.98
                (used BOGO coupon; rec'd ecb's)
            1 Colgate Toothpaste  $2.99
                (rec'd ecb's, used $0.75 coupon)
            1 3-pack Ivory Soap      $0.99
                (on sale and used coupon)
            1 CVS Green bag tag  $.99   (rec'd free after ecb)
              - scan this tag and use a reusable bag, after every 4
                 scans, receive $1 ecb!
  TOTAL bill: $19.95        SAVED $8.49   
      USED $5.00 ECB           SPENT $6.46 + tax

Walgreens
             1 Kotex U     $3.49
                  (used $1 coupon and rec'd RR)
             2 Distilled Water  $2.38 
                  (on sale for $0.78 each w/store coupon)
             2 Ajax cleaners 2 for $1 with store coupon
             1 Dawn dish soap        $0.99  
                  (w/store coupon and used $.25 coupon)
             2 Walgreens reusable bags $0.66
                  (w/store coupon)
   TOTAL bill $10.62       SAVED $4.14     SPENT $6.48 + tax

How are you saving money in your family budget?