2013 Grocery Challenge

[constanz22]

Nov 28, 2013 7:27:17 GMT -5 marvholly said:

DONE IT! Went online early Tday morning & ordered bday gifts for 1 DGD & 2 DGSs. Already have most of what I want for the other DGD. No rushing home tonight. NO running around in the COLD on Fri. PLUS my order is big enough for FREE shipping. I do still have a couple dollar store/dollar spot items want BUT I can easily avoid the mob scene tonight & Fri. I still want a watch for the 5 y/o to be girl as I have one for each of the boys. I also should buy a large pack of AA batteries for each of the boys.

Lowes.com has a 30 pack of AA batteries for 4.97.  You can order online to pick up at store, or free shipping when you spend $19.

[dancinmama]

I'm going out today to get (2) of the $50 Home Improvement GCs at Rite Aid.  DH will also get (2) on his card as well as DS.  That's gonna give me $60 in UPs to use. 

RITE AID SHOPPERS:  Are UPs card specific yet like EBs, or can I combine these UPs and redeem them on one card to get something semi-expensive (thinking Polo cologne for DH). 

[dancinmama]

Nov 28, 2013 7:55:25 GMT -5 constanz22 said:

Nov 28, 2013 7:27:17 GMT -5 marvholly said:

DONE IT! Went online early Tday morning & ordered bday gifts for 1 DGD & 2 DGSs. Already have most of what I want for the other DGD. No rushing home tonight. NO running around in the COLD on Fri. PLUS my order is big enough for FREE shipping. I do still have a couple dollar store/dollar spot items want BUT I can easily avoid the mob scene tonight & Fri. I still want a watch for the 5 y/o to be girl as I have one for each of the boys. I also should buy a large pack of AA batteries for each of the boys.

Lowes.com has a 30 pack of AA batteries for 4.97.  You can order online to pick up at store, or free shipping when you spend $19.

Thanks for the info.  We need AA, but DH wants Duracell (if I'm going to buy a bunch).  I'm hoping Staples will have them with rewards or rebate soon.  In the meantime, I am going to get him the freebies at CVS.

[constanz22]

Nov 28, 2013 8:45:00 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

I'm going out today to get (2) of the $50 Home Improvement GCs at Rite Aid.  DH will also get (2) on his card as well as DS.  That's gonna give me $60 in UPs to use. 

RITE AID SHOPPERS:  Are UPs card specific yet like EBs, or can I combine these UPs and redeem them on one card to get something semi-expensive (thinking Polo cologne for DH). 

Ups didn't used to be card specific, but, I really don't know if this changed or not.  I'm not really in the loop about that stuff anymore.

I was going to do the HI gift card deal but I did the iTunes one yesterday ($10 off $50) and don't really want to put out that much more cash right now.  I am going to stop at RA today for a few of the freebies.  There is one right along my route to BFF's where I go for dinner.  I have $9 Ups so will just roll it on some of the freebies.  

I was also going to run to Dollar General quick, again, it's on my route.  They have BOGO Pedigree dry dog food and it's usually around $4.50 a bag for the small bags.  I have 1 $1/1 coupon so I will at least grab 2, may grab 4 and drop it off at the animal shelter, also on my way today.  They also have Maxwell House kcups BOGO and I have 2 $1/1 IPs.  And Energizer batteries are $1 after $1 Q.  Should be able to get right in and out, except this store is always a nightmare with coupons at check out.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

[dancinmama]

Nov 28, 2013 9:36:32 GMT -5 constanz22 said:

Nov 28, 2013 8:45:00 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

I'm going out today to get (2) of the $50 Home Improvement GCs at Rite Aid.  DH will also get (2) on his card as well as DS.  That's gonna give me $60 in UPs to use. 

RITE AID SHOPPERS:  Are UPs card specific yet like EBs, or can I combine these UPs and redeem them on one card to get something semi-expensive (thinking Polo cologne for DH). 

Ups didn't used to be card specific, but, I really don't know if this changed or not.  I'm not really in the loop about that stuff anymore.

I was going to do the HI gift card deal but I did the iTunes one yesterday ($10 off $50) and don't really want to put out that much more cash right now.  I am going to stop at RA today for a few of the freebies.  There is one right along my route to BFF's where I go for dinner.  I have $9 Ups so will just roll it on some of the freebies.  

I was also going to run to Dollar General quick, again, it's on my route.  They have BOGO Pedigree dry dog food and it's usually around $4.50 a bag for the small bags.  I have 1 $1/1 coupon so I will at least grab 2, may grab 4 and drop it off at the animal shelter, also on my way today.  They also have Maxwell House kcups BOGO and I have 2 $1/1 IPs.  And Energizer batteries are $1 after $1 Q.  Should be able to get right in and out, except this store is always a nightmare with coupons at check out.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Thanks constanz.  I have to check every time I do a deal at RA cuz I don't shop there regularly anymore either.  Maybe someone else can answer the question.

Ya, I can totally understand how you feel about putting out the $$ for the HI GCs.  Since DH has retired he seems to be in Home Depot for something about once a week, so I figure I might as well get the UPs and find something to do with them.  I am going to get them today on the way to my sister's and then go to my Rite Aid tomorrow to see if I can roll them into some of the freebies.

[rubyslippers]

I use UPs interchangeably among cards at Rite Aid, so they are not card specific.

Constanz: There's a rebate on the Energizer 4 pk. batteries at Dollar General when you buy 3.  There's a red label on the front of the package with info.

I had a great run at Rite Aid this morning.  I spent $.70 and saved over $47.00 and went from $25.00 UPs to $31.49.  I got a lot of things we'll use here, the food items, and the rest will be stocking stuffers.  It has been fun shopping there this week.   

[dancinmama]

Nov 28, 2013 13:53:19 GMT -5 rubyslippers said:

I use UPs interchangeably among cards at Rite Aid, so they are not card specific.

Constanz: There's a rebate on the Energizer 4 pk. batteries at Dollar General when you buy 3.  There's a red label on the front of the package with info.

I had a great run at Rite Aid this morning.  I spent $.70 and saved over $47.00 and went from $25.00 UPs to $31.49.  I got a lot of things we'll use here, the food items, and the rest will be stocking stuffers.  It has been fun shopping there this week.   

Thanks soooo much for the info.  I have only been doing Rite Aid when they have these HI GC deals which is Xmas and Father's Day so every time they come around, I have to ask to see if anything has changed.  It's not something that would come up on WUC cuz you're not allowed to talk about such things. 

[FreeSalsa]

Nov 28, 2013 9:36:32 GMT -5 constanz22 said:

Nov 28, 2013 8:45:00 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

I'm going out today to get (2) of the $50 Home Improvement GCs at Rite Aid.  DH will also get (2) on his card as well as DS.  That's gonna give me $60 in UPs to use. 

RITE AID SHOPPERS:  Are UPs card specific yet like EBs, or can I combine these UPs and redeem them on one card to get something semi-expensive (thinking Polo cologne for DH). 

Ups didn't used to be card specific, but, I really don't know if this changed or not.  I'm not really in the loop about that stuff anymore.

I was going to do the HI gift card deal but I did the iTunes one yesterday ($10 off $50) and don't really want to put out that much more cash right now.  I am going to stop at RA today for a few of the freebies.  There is one right along my route to BFF's where I go for dinner.  I have $9 Ups so will just roll it on some of the freebies.  

I was also going to run to Dollar General quick, again, it's on my route.  They have BOGO Pedigree dry dog food and it's usually around $4.50 a bag for the small bags.  I have 1 $1/1 coupon so I will at least grab 2, may grab 4 and drop it off at the animal shelter, also on my way today.  They also have Maxwell House kcups BOGO and I have 2 $1/1 IPs.  And Energizer batteries are $1 after $1 Q.  Should be able to get right in and out, except this store is always a nightmare with coupons at check out.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

About a two months ago you could use UPs on any card.  That's the last time I tried it.  But the item limits are per card.

I went to CVS yesterday just for the batteries and DH helped me get 6 free packs of batteries.  Yay!  I may go back later in the weekend for more toothbrushes, but on Turkey Day I wanted to keep it simple and quick, since we were on the way to our friends' with warm food in the car.

I love the city during the holidays.  Half the city leaves town and it becomes the place it should be every day.  I had never seen the grocery store (needed a few last minute items yesterday) or the CVS parking lot so empty and traffic was a breeze!

I'm going to get one HI card, since we don't use those stores too much and one or two GAP cards.  There's a GAP on my way to the parking lot from work and every few months I'll stop in and find one item I like and buy 6 of them and spend $75-100.

I'm so happy to see some hounds writing in this week.  Finally, there are deals to be talked about!!

[constanz22]

I went out this morning and traffic and crowds weren't bad at all.  The only place I wanted/needed to go was Bath and Body Works.  Had a horrific experience at check out and was going to go back another time and return everything I bought, but I called customer service when I got home and shared my experience and they are sending me a $25 gift card...so...I guess I'll keep what I bought.  Walked through Old Navy but it was a zoo.  Spent a few minutes browsing Home Goods.  I can get in so much trouble there, so I usually stay away bit was waiting for BFF.  They were giving away really nice shopping bags so I got one of those and a cute winter candle holder for 14.99.  Then I stopped at Lowes to pick up an online order and walked right in, got it, and right out.  I decided not to bother with RA or CVS today.  I stopped at RA yesterday on my way to BFF's and got most of what I wanted.  I did buy 1 HI gift card after all.  The $10 will be nice to put toward printer ink with the $5 RA Facebook coupon, will be close to "free".

[saveinla]

Freesalsa,

Just for today everything is 50% off at Gap if you order online - use coupon code: BLKFRIDAY at checkout today only 11/29

[FreeSalsa]

Nov 29, 2013 14:41:45 GMT -5 saveinla said:

Freesalsa,

Just for today everything is 50% off at Gap if you order online - use coupon code: BLKFRIDAY at checkout today only 11/29

Thanks!

[emhalf]

I made a brief trip to walmart yesterday. I wasn't trying to get in on any of the "events", so I got there around 7 PM after they opened at 6. We saw all of the barricades out front where people had been waiting in line for hours, and inside the registers were crazy packed. I was mainly after the $10 foreman grill, and I thought I was going to be disappointed. There were no more sitting out and none in the section where they usually go. I was wandering around randomly and saw ONE sitting on top of a pile of crayola toys  I have no idea how it ended up there, but it was a lucky break for me. I also picked up an art kit with a case for our toy drive at work, and that was it. I actually might have liked to spend a little more time watching the craziness, but we had to go meet someone. 

Today I picked up a sweater for my sister at Macys and hit up RiteAid. I had much better luck finding today's sale items than I had earlier in the week, but I'm still looking for a couple more things. We have several stores, so maybe I'll be able to get them tonight/tomorrow.

[constanz22]

Rite Aid shoppers, check your snail mail.  I had a large white envelope that didn't say who it was from in the mail today.  There are four $4/40 coupons.  Better than nothing....lol...actually, there is something around $35 I was going to buy there, so, that will help.

I had a horrific shopping experience at Bath and Body Works.  I had to call CS twice today.  I supposedly have two $25 gift cards coming.  We'll see.  Otherwise I will just return everything I bought.  And I might do that anyway just on principal!

[rubyslippers]

Rite Aid has been good to me this week, the best in a long time.  I am going to go back and get a few of the things I didn't get yesterday.

My sister and niece took two $10/10 Kohls coupons and got me a scarf and a shower curtain liner.  I gave her two $10/10 coupons to another store.

I got in and out of Walmart last night but wouldn't want to repeat it again--too many people.  I've only done BF shopping there twice and the good part was driving out back to pick up my TV instead of carting it around in the store.  Actually, carts were pretty scarce last night.  I also went there this morning to get a few groceries and they had a lot of the minor items left.  And there were no crowds.

I plan on using my ECB's from CVS on some rain check grocery items next week. 

[dancinmama]

I went to RA yesterday in the middle of the day and dragged DH with me to roll some UPs.  I used $20 on each card and got $10 back on each card.  I could have probably done better, but there wasn't a whole lot that was giving UPs that I needed or wanted.  They were out of the one item that would have been a MM for me - Carmex.  That's okay.  I have plenty of lip balm in my stockpile.

The owner of the liquor store says they are trying to stretch escrow out until after the new year so I'll get inserts for a couple of extra weeks.

Now, I'm holding UPs and EBs.  It's been a very long time since that happened.

[skubikky]

Nov 25, 2013 15:57:39 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

I went to CVS yesterday and picked up the Sparkle and the candy/gum items.  Black Friday ads at the drug chains are not even close to what they used to be, but I guess it's better than nothing!! 

Will be getting the Home Improvement GCs at Rite Aid on the way to my sister's home on Thursday.  Are UPs still not card specific?

Got the 4 Sparkle PTs, Orbit, 5Rain, Colgate TP, GUM TBs, 2 Purex(RC),  Listerine mouthwash and 2 M&Ms for $0 OOP using MCs, EBs, CRTs and gift cards.....felt like the old days.

Went to test drive a Hyundai and got a $10 Wegmans GC on BF.   made my day.

[rubyslippers]

By price matching at Walmart and using coupons worth $12.50, I spent $21.93 for 2 Crisco oils, 2 PAM sprays, 2 Post Cereals, 1 Maxwell House coffee, 1 Pillsbury pie crust, 4 Tollhouse morsels, 1 sugar 4 lb., 1 flour 5 lb., 8 Betty Crocker cookie pouches, 6 Betty Crocker frostings, 1 bunch of bananas and 1 Breakstone sour cream.  I want to figure out what the cost would've been had I not price matched, but I wouldn't have bought the cookie pouches or frostings except they were so cheap.

At Dollar General, I bought 3 Energizer batteries @ $2.00 each.  I used 3 MQ's $1.00 and 2 Dollar General MQ's $1.00.  I spent $1.00 plus tax and will submit for the $8.00 rebate.

I got DS1 a pair of dress socks and our local clothing store.  They were $6.00 regularly with 20% off, which was $5.15.  I got to pick a tag from the Christmas tree and got a free bottle of men's cologne.  I also got a cup of coffee and a donut.

I am almost done with my Christmas shopping!!!

[constanz22]

ruby-  what is the Energizer rebate?  I bought three packs cuz mine had a $6 gas card offer wyb/3.  Is the $8 rebate something else?  I didn't have any DG Q's for them either . Oh well.

I, too, purchased my last Christmas present today!  I have always shopped early, but don't think I've ever been DONE quite this early!  Now to resist the temptation to keep buying more when I see deals...lol!

I still have $140 in Victorias Secret reward cards (at least...I have 14 to use and all are guaranteed at least $10 but could be $50, $100 or $500).  I will probably just stock up on lotions and body wash type stuff that I can give for birthday gifts throughout the year.

Oh, and I have $30 Kohls cash to use...sigh...

[dancinmama]

Nov 30, 2013 16:27:34 GMT -5 constanz22 said:

ruby-  what is the Energizer rebate?  I bought three packs cuz mine had a $6 gas card offer wyb/3.  Is the $8 rebate something else?  I didn't have any DG Q's for them either . Oh well.

I, too, purchased my last Christmas present today!  I have always shopped early, but don't think I've ever been DONE quite this early!  Now to resist the temptation to keep buying more when I see deals...lol!

I still have $140 in Victorias Secret reward cards (at least...I have 14 to use and all are guaranteed at least $10 but could be $50, $100 or $500).  I will probably just stock up on lotions and body wash type stuff that I can give for birthday gifts throughout the year.

Oh, and I have $30 Kohls cash to use...sigh...

Am I sensing that getting/using the rewards is getting to be a PITA?

It is for me.  It was awesome when getting them meant getting items that we REALLY NEEDED while providing a HUGE MM - it was worth jumping through the hoops to get them.  I have the UPs from buying the Home Improvement GCs at Rite Aid.  I am using them/rolling them, but not for anything that I can get REALLY excited about.  They are offering them again on 12/8 and I'm wondering if I even want to bother with it.  I sure wish RA had a better grocery section.

[rubyslippers]

Constanz: The Energizer max 4 packs has a red tag that says, "get an $8 Gas Reward MasterCard Card valid on any gas or non gas purchase when you collect Three (3) codes from specially marked packs of Energizer Brand batteries.  The limit is 3 rewards cards per person/household valid until 8/30/14.

I'm saving my rewards for a sale on Neutragena moisturizer, Scott TP and photos.  I can also use UPs to get eggs/dairy products at our Rite Aid.  A lot of the items I bought this week were food items like cereal, nuts, Goldfish crackers, M&M's, Ghiredelli squares, Beef links and some of the items I dropped off at the food pantry.  I didn't get the HI deal this time around.  I might wait till the 8th to see if there is a better sale the week after.  

My Rite Aid manager told me since the manufacturers have put a halt to the really great deals, their front end store sales have slumped.  Another Rite Aid manager from a different store told me she is working with a skeleton crew since their sales are down.  They agreed that it goes back to that stupid show on TLC.

 

[constanz22]

Thanks ruby!  Mine had that offer.  I thought it said $6.  Lol.  One of the two I bought Thursday had a toy rebate so fortunately when I went to DG today, they had several of the one I needed so I just exchanged the one.  I also spent probably $40 today on toys there.  They were all buy1, get 1 75% off.  Made for some cheap toys to donate to Toys for Tots!  And they had Dial and Tone gift sets for $8.  I had $3/1 IP'S, so I grabbed those too.  I may break them up, use them, donate, or sell.  I don't know yet.

It is a PITA to use rewards, partly because none of the stores are near home, only work.  And I've bought SO MUCH STUFF the last few months, I'm drowning in "stuff".  More rewards just means more stuff, stuff that I don't really need.  I have probably $20 ish Ups.  I am going to use one of the $4/40 coupons that came in the mail to get a new heating pad I want from there (36.99 before my discount) and HP ink, usually about $16 after my discount.  Use the $5/1 IP, and be done with Ups for the rest of this year probably.  This will be the first year since they started Ups that I won't hit gold level.  Oh well...shows how much less I shopped there this year.

[FreeSalsa]

I COMPLETELY forgot that you can't roll Ups until the next day until this morning so today I bought the GAP GCs and got $20 Ups.  I'll have to use them another day on something else.  It's ok.  I could use things other than what was offered this week.  

So I went back to CVS and picked up a few more toothbrushes, Cheerios, canned nuts, and a rain check for the paper towels.  

I also grabbed a rain check at Wags for the Jack's pizzas.  I had a few expired Qs but there might be some more out there.

[rubyslippers]

Nov 30, 2013 19:47:28 GMT -5 constanz22 said:

Thanks ruby!  Mine had that offer.  I thought it said $6.  Lol.  One of the two I bought Thursday had a toy rebate so fortunately when I went to DG today, they had several of the one I needed so I just exchanged the one.  I also spent probably $40 today on toys there.  They were all buy1, get 1 75% off.  Made for some cheap toys to donate to Toys for Tots!  And they had Dial and Tone gift sets for $8.  I had $3/1 IP'S, so I grabbed those too.  I may break them up, use them, donate, or sell.  I don't know yet.

It is a PITA to use rewards, partly because none of the stores are near home, only work.  And I've bought SO MUCH STUFF the last few months, I'm drowning in "stuff".  More rewards just means more stuff, stuff that I don't really need.  I have probably $20 ish Ups.  I am going to use one of the $4/40 coupons that came in the mail to get a new heating pad I want from there (36.99 before my discount) and HP ink, usually about $16 after my discount.  Use the $5/1 IP, and be done with Ups for the rest of this year probably.  This will be the first year since they started Ups that I won't hit gold level.  Oh well...shows how much less I shopped there this year.

I don't have a CVS near me either so I have to stop in when I go out of town to do my grocery shopping.  I have a rain check for Hellmann's mayo that I plan on getting to use up my $7.00 in ECB's.   Rite Aid is closer so I shop there more often and usually find a way to roll my UPs.

[dancinmama]

Nov 30, 2013 19:29:20 GMT -5 rubyslippers said:

My Rite Aid manager told me since the manufacturers have put a halt to the really great deals, their front end store sales have slumped.  Another Rite Aid manager from a different store told me she is working with a skeleton crew since their sales are down.  They agreed that it goes back to that stupid show on TLC.

Yep, the couponers that agreed to do EC thought they were going to make big bucks off the increased volume in traffic it would bring to their blogs and websites.  It worked for about (5) months; or that was the case for WUC (which was started in 2008 or 2009).  Nathan Engals (Mr. Coupon from WUC) appeared on EC in December 2010; the traffic to his website peaked in May 2011 and has dropped by almost 80% since.  By late 2012 or early 2013, he was forced to get a "real job" to support his family.  As a result of his shortsightedness and that of every couponer that appeared on that show, couponing has been changed forever.     

As far as the manufacturers are concerned, I can't blame them for pulling back.  I have to think that they knew that thousands of us (maybe even tens of thousands) had figured out ways to shop for free from time to time , but when it went out to millions via EC, they had no choice but to take steps to curtail it.  Those first coupon restrictions by P&G were only a foreshadowing of things to come.

On the other end of the equation, it always surprised me that some drug chain managers had a negative attitude toward couponers, the catalyst to what I can only believe were massive increases to their front end sales.  I'm sure that the smart ones saw us as a blessing (high sales volume) and a curse (the cause of complaint by normal customers for lack of stock).  Those not-so-smart managers did not completely connect the dots and looked upon us as "trying to get away with something" without considering how our sales helped their bottom line.

Since EC aired, the manufacturers as well as all three drug chains have taken various steps to eliminate the onslaught of freebies that many of us took for granted.  I have not been in the thick of it for almost a year now; but from what I have read over the last year, coupon policy continues to get more restrictive.  There are still savings, but it is no longer what I would describe on the whole as "lucrative".

[hopetoberich]

I have been in a slump and on.y got the $150 PayPal card. I didn't do any bf shopping, I don,t want to deal with the rewards right now. 
On the plus side I have been working alot more, but that's probably why I have no energy for chasing deals. Nothing was on offer that I needed so I sat it out. The $50 ecb will be used on food at CVS. I am out of tea bags and food is needed more than the usual stuff that I still have loads of.

Glad you all seemed to have a good time with the deals. 

[marvholly]

I have perused the Cyber Monday ads and found………..nearly NOTHING I want or need for either me or the grands. The things I got for the spring bdays are still the best deals out there and ‘approved’ by their Moms. All I still need is 16 AA batteries (have 8 on hand). I might do a restaurant.com deal.

I am a bit disappointed w/CVS. There is nothing I want/need on this week’s ad. Same for next week.
I did make a note of a few items on the WAG ad.

[constanz22]

Dec 2, 2013 7:19:47 GMT -5 marvholly said:

I have perused the Cyber Monday ads and found………..nearly NOTHING I want or need for either me or the grands. The things I got for the spring bdays are still the best deals out there and ‘approved’ by their Moms. All I still need is 16 AA batteries (have 8 on hand). I might do a restaurant.com deal.

I am a bit disappointed w/CVS. There is nothing I want/need on this week’s ad. Same for next week.
I did make a note of a few items on the WAG ad.

If you didn't get the Lowes deal on batteries I mentioned here, there is a good Kohls deal right now too.  Everything ships free this week, no minimum purchase, and there is a 20% off code.  I saw the batteries mentioned on a blog.  It was a large pack, maybe 24, for under $5 shipped.

[murphath]

Got back from our trip to San Diego at 3 a.m. this morning.  DS was fabulous in his role in the play which was well received by the audience.  Such a proud mom, I am.  It was fun staying with him and his GF.  We took them out for several meals and she cooked us a typical Hanukah dinner last night.  Never had one before and must say, it was very tasty.

As a result of our trip, I didn't get out to the stores too much:
Did the $150 gift card deal at Safeway (bought Lowe's gc) and rec'd the $25 CRT.  Used that for Thanksgiving/this weeks     groceries.  Also gave 4x pts on gas rewards so I got @ $7 off my fill up at SW gas.
Did the RA HI gift card deal.  Stupid for me not to as I practically live at Home Depot/Lowes these days
Used the 30% off q at Michaels and bought DH 2 basketball display boxes for his two championship balls.  Normally $50 each
    but they were 40% off.  The 30% q was good on sale items (very rare at Michaels) so @ $46 for the two.
Used the $10/$10 Kohl's q on pair of suede boots which was sale priced $19.99.  With extra 15% it came to $9.23.
Used the HI gift cards at Home Depot on Black Friday (before we left for San Diego) and bought
    1 poinsettia plant .99 (gave to DS's GF); new ceiling fan for our bedroom for $59.
Used $10 UP plus coupons at RA to buy 2 M&M's, 2 cereal, 1 scunci hair bands, 2 small snack almonds, 3 Carmex and 2
    Scotchbrite sponges.  Got a raincheck for the Yardley soap and will get that after Tuesday when they restock.  Still have a $10 Up, plus $11.99 UPs for above items.  I'll probably use the $12.99 toward a good deal on paper towels/toilet paper.

We took DS and GF to Hillcrest for lunch on Saturday.  It's such a cute little area in San Diego with all kinds of shops/restaurants.  The gorgeous weather made me remember why I love SD so much.  I spotted an ACE hardware and we went in.  I had 4 of the 50% one item $30 or less q's and wanted to get a new fireplace grate.  I gave everyone a q so they could pick something out.  They didn't have the grate so I bought a gallon of primer.  Saved $10!  DH bought a cute little key hook with a picture of the Eiffel Tower--he paid @ $9.  DS bought a clock and his girlfriend bought a crockpot.  They enjoyed their 50% savings so much that we went to another ACE closer to their apartment.  They had the grate so I got that (saved another $10) and DS bought a new PUR faucet filter and his GF bought some Brita filters.  Even though the q seemed to require a rewards card number, you didn't need to have one. I think I've turned the GF into a coupon shopper now.

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday and enjoy December and all that it brings your way.  I'm taking it easy today--not working on my house projects at all.  May go out for a walk later.  Being out and about all day Sunday and then driving 8 hours to get home that night has wiped me out a bit.  I don't rebound as well these days, I guess.

Cheers!

[rubyslippers]

My sister let me use her rebate rewards at Menards so I got my two sons each furniture movers and palm pizza cutters, which would've cost me $22.00.  I filled out the rebates and stamped them for her to mail.  What a great sis!

Murpath, your family couponing excursion sounds like it was fun. 

Since DS2 moved out, we've been redoing the bedroom and bathroom.  I was able to go through my stockpile and furnish the bathroom with all the toiletries needed for my first house guest next month.  I have everything but toothbrushes so I need to find a good sale on those.        

[marvholly]

Safeway (Dominicks) has already TOTALLY written off metro Chicago shoppers. For at least the last month we are NOT getting the personalized offers on J4U that bloggers in other parts of the country have posted about. My offers have gone from 2 pages to a single, short page. Oh well, plenty of other fish in the sea-which is EXACTLY what killed them here in the first place. My independent places FREQUENTLY have the same/comparable item on sale MUCH cheaper. Why pay $9/lb for deli meats if I can get it for $5-6?, or $1.50 for 1 lb of pasta if I can get it for 0.50-0.89?

Marianos has bought several more of the available Sominicks stores BUT none of the ones near me. However, I did not expect them to grab any of those stores. My local store have NOT been updated in YEARS and the ones I know of that they bought had been remodeled within the last 5 years.