2011 was a rough year for many coupon-lovers like myself.  Thanks to the coo-coos on Extreme Couponing, lots of retailers cracked down on the amount of deals they offered and tightened up their coupon policies.  Even my beloved Kroger now limits the number of like coupons they will double to five. WAAH!

But anyhoo, between having a new baby and dealing with Sophie’s delays, I didn’t have time to coupon as well as I would have liked.  Oh, I still did my very best, but I had to give up the old coupon binder for awhile.  I still carefully planned my grocery trips every week and clipped what I needed, but  I just felt like the opportunities to save just weren’t there.  And since the sales just weren’t there, our grocery and household items budget went up by quite a bit in 2011.  It was discouraging!

Now that Jonah is older and Sophie is back on track, I have more time to devote to my coupons again.  So, if the stores will just cooperate, I want to slash my budget again!  SO far in 2012 I’ve done pretty well.  I’ve got my binder back up and running, and a recent mega-event sale at Kroger really got me on a great savings path!  Today I hit both CVS and Rite Aid for a couple small deals, which reminded me that:

So, I think I am going to try to start posting my shopping trips again. I shall try to revive the “See Jenny Shop” page, and hopefully I’ll have something good to put there! To get me going, here’s what I got at CVS today:

I likes me some Suave! CVS had a deal, buy $12 worth and get $4 extra care bucks.  And the Zarbees cough syrup was free after ECBs.

2 Suave Professionals shampoo/conditioner $4

3 Suave body wash $6

1 Suave deodorant $1

2 Suave kids shampoo/conditioner $3

Zarbees cough syrup $6

total = $20

coupons:

$1/2 Suave Professionals

$1/2 Suave Kids

Buy 2 get one free Suave body wash -$2

8 extra care bucks

=$8.40 including tax, got back 4 ECB for the Suave and 6 ECB for the Zarbees, so 10 total for next time!  Let’s just hope there are some decent deals next week so I can keep regaling you with pictures of my shampoo and my brother’s lady deodorant!

This week marked a new milestone on my path to Drugstore Diva-hood: Rite Aid came out with a loyalty card.  Their wellness + program is sort of  (but not really) like CVS’ ExtraCare program.  And since I am a faithful user of Rite Aid’s Single Check Rebates, they sent me one a couple of days before the program became effective (this past Sunday, 4/18) so I would be ALL READY to hit the store with my wellness + card!  And they even emailed me some special wellness + coupons to use WHEEEEEEE!!

Sunday was a busy day, so I had to wait until Monday morning to hit Rite Aid.  Here’s what I got:

U by Kotex tampons $3.49

2 GE lightbulbs $3 each

Huggies $8.99

Tugaboos (Rite Aid brand) diapers $6.99

total = $25.47

Coupons: $5/$25 wellness + coupon from my email

$1 off U by Kotex manu q

$1 off Kotex Rite Aid video values coupon (from last month I think. I’ve been saving it!)

Two $1 off GE light bulb printables

$3 off Huggies printable

$2 off Huggies Rite Aid video values coupon (also been saving this one)

total = $11.47 and I will get back $9.49 in rebates!  $3.49 for Kotex, $4 for the light bulbs, and $2 for the Tugaboos. WOOHOO!

Best of all? Most of this stuff wasn’t even for my family.  Thanks to coupons & rebates, I can afford to be generous!

*And then* BONUS because I used my wellness + card, the register printed me out some coupons on my receipt!  Yaaaaay!  With wellness+, Video Values, and the Single Check Rebate program, Rite Aid is really becoming nearer and dearer to my heart!

Woohoo!!