Maximum Prices Paid for Products

After I started couponing this last January, I noticed that I mentally started developing price points that I would not exceed for certain products.  For example, I use Colgate toothpaste.  During my first coupon deal, I managed to get a tube of toothpaste for free!  I thought that was just one of the most amazing things that I had ever done!  Okay, so now you know that it does not take much to make me happy these days!  :-)  Anyway, little did I know at the time, that getting a free tube of toothpaste was something that I could do quite often.  Since January, I have "purchased" five tubes of toothpaste (none are travel size), and I have paid nothing for them. This week, I will get two more tubes (6 oz) for free.  In fact, I think I will actually be paid $1.00 for each tube to buy them.  Now that is amazing - being paid to buy something for free!  If you are wondering how I will manage this common feat, it is simple.  For example, this coming week (5/1/2011), CVS has Colgate toothpaste on sale (using one's Extra Care card) for $2.77 with a limit of two tubes per person.  For each tube, I will use a $1.00 coupon that I will clip from the May 2011 issue of All You magazine, which is told at Wal-Mart and Amazon.com (I'll do a posting about that magazine in a few days).  That coupon brings the price down to $1.77 per tube.  Since I will have the cashier scan my Extra Care card, I will end up getting back $2.77 in Extra Care Bucks (ECBs).  That brings the price down to $0, and gives me $1.00 of extra buying power at CVS.  When you coupon, you have to re-arrange your thinking when it comes to calculations for free things.  When I purchase these tubes of toothpaste this coming week, I will actually pay $1.77 per tube plus tax, but I will get back the ECB for $2.77, which I can use on a future purchase at CVS.  Of course, by using your Extra Care card without the $1.00 coupon, you can get the toothpaste for free; you just will not get the overage.

With that explanation out of the way, below are just a few products with the maximum prices that I will ultimately pay:

Toothpaste:  $0
Men's body wash: $0 (I donate this to a senior citizen's group)
Manual toothbrush: $0
Dental Floss: $0
Shampoo (full size): $ .50
Conditioner (full size): $ .50
Hair Color: $2.99
Sprite (2 litre bottle): $1.00
Blood glucose monitor: $0 (I donate this to a senior citizen's group)

As I said, these are just a few things.  Gas prices continue to rise, and that will impact the price of products.  Therefore, my maximum prices may have to be adjusted slightly, but not much.  :-)

This Week's Purchases (Week of April 10, 2011)

Today, I completed my shopping at CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens.  Below is the complete list of the things that I ended up with.  I thought about separating the items according to store, but decided against it since in the whole scheme of things, it only matters that I saved money.  In front of each item is the quantity that I purchased of that particular item.

1 - Gatorade G-Fit Series

4 - Finish Gelpacs (20 count box)

2 - Finish Jet Dry

2 - Lysol Neutra Air Sanitizing Spray

4 - Air Wick Freshmatic  Ultra Automatic Spray Refill

2 - Wet and Wild Lipstick

2 - Garnier Nutrisse Nourishing Color Creme Hair Color

2 - Garnier Fructis Style Body Boost Volumizing Gel

2 - Old Spice Body Wash

1 - L'oreal Vive Pro Shampoo

1 - L'oreal Vive Pro Conditioner

1 - Essence of Beauty Antibacterial Hand Sanitizer

1 - Visine Original (with bonus of 30% more)

3 - Betty Crocker Cornbread and Muffin Mix

6 - Nestle Butterfinger Eggs

1 - Russell Stover Caramel Egg

The total cost of these items were $94.65 (without sales tax), but I did not pay that much.  Based on rebates, coupons, store rewards cards, and cash-equivalent register certificates, I ended up paying only $28.95 (without sales tax).  That is a savings of 69%!  Granted, it is a far cry from the individuals on the Extreme Couponing show, but I am very happy with the savings that I managed to snag this week.  The one thing that I really need to emphasize is that the 69% savings is based on the sale prices of the items.  If I looked at the regular price, the savings would be so very much greater!

One of the other great things about this week's haul is that I am going to put the two containers of Old Spice Body Wash (which ended up being free) into the donate box that will soon go to the local organization that assists area senior citizens.  Always be generous!