Frugal Friday

Deals this past week:

CVS #1
3 playtex starter pack 8 oz nursers
3 king size kitkat candy bars (bad impulse buy for nutritional AND value reasons)
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$8.15 out of pocket
$12.12 saved
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CVS #2
4 12-packs of diet pepsi
2 boxes Kellogs Raisin Bran Crunch
1 newspapers
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$16.08 out of pocket
$15.65 saved
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Rite Aid #1
5 12-packs of diet pepsi
2 18oz Jif peanut butter
1 Duck EZ start packing tape
2 oust surface/air clean
1 4-pack Duracell D batteries
2 3-pack Schick Quattro razors
1 Pert Plus shampoo/conditioner
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$30.96 out of pocket
$18.48 saved
Anticipated rebates of $4.50
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Rite Aid #2
1 Gillette Body wash (with free face wash trial)
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$3.77 out of pocket
$1.00 saved
Anticipated rebate of $2.00
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Walgreens
2 bags Brach's candy corn
5 12-packs diet pepsi
2 12-packs angel soft double rolls
2 boxes (60) puffs
2 Glade scented oil refills
4 crest w/scope toothpaste
2 glade scented oil plug-ins
2-pack Lysol wipes
2 10.3oz Dawn dishwashing detergent
1 suave aerosol antiperspirant
2 8-pack crayola crayons
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$51.47 out of pocket
$39.62 saved
Anticipated rebates of $6.50
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CVS #3
2 36-count Stayfree Ultra
2 Colgate 360 toothbrushes
1 CVS mouthwash
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$4.32 out of pocket
$20.61 saved
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CVS #4
1 100-count Playtes drop-ins liners
1 Huggies newborn wipes (mega)
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$8.72 out of pocket
$8.80 saved
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Grocery store
$144.44 out of pocket
$53.59 saved
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Total out of pocket $267.91 (almost half of which was groceries)
Total saved $169.87 (another trip to the grocery store with extra left over)
$13 earned in rebates (delayed savings)

Lessons learned...
1. Pay attention to coupon expiration dates.
2. If you see a sale and you have the coupon, go for the deal. Next week may be better...but it probably won't.
3. Take ALL your coupons with you when you shop, even if they're not part of your planned deal. You never know when you'll see an unadvertised special and think, "I have a coupon for this that would make it a killer deal...but it's at home."
4. Rather than planning a menu each week and shopping for the menu, adjust your grocery store shopping mentality to stock up when there is a good sale and then plan your menu from what you already have in the freezer/pantry. Use fresh veggies and fruits to add variety. Stock up on non-grocery items too...deoderant, toothpaste, etc. Nothing ruins a budget more than that, "Hey, honey, I'm almost out of shampoo and deoderant." But it on sale and keep it in the cupboard so you're not stuck paying full price when he runs out.
5. Shop small deals more often. You save more money than trying to do all your shopping in one trip. Gas cost is a consideration, but I'm usually in town two or three times a week anyway, so I just plan to shop then.
6. COMPARE PRICES. A deal at CVS is only a deal if it beats the deal at Rite Aid on the same item.
7. Baby formula is crazy expensive. So stock up when it's on sale. This is part of what caused the high grocery bill this week...and I suspect it will be similar when I stock up on diapers.

Read and follow other peoples' tips for saving money.