Smart Shopping

I've posted on our 4livingstons.com site in the past about this, but I was so proud of myself yesterday for the great bargains I got, I decided to write about it again today.  I've been so frustrated with the rising cost of living lately that I've really been thrifty about my spending habits, particularly when it comes to groceries and household items.  Since March, I've been clipping coupons weekly, scouring the Sunday paper's ads for deals & looking for ways to cut back on expenses in general.  So let's get down to the nitty gritty of my shopping trip yesterday.

Can you believe I got all of this stuff for $14.74?!?!?!  

Here's what I bought:

Price Chopper

$5 (2) boxes Raisin Bran

$4 (2) boxes Froot Loops

$4 (2) boxes Apple Jacks

$4 (2) 2 packages Keebler cookies

$4 (2) packages Keebler cheese/crackers

$2 (1) box Crest toothpaste

$4.99 (3) boxes Puffs Tissues

$3.99 (1) Lysol spray + wipes

Rite Aid (all FREE after rebate)

1 Gillette Fusion Razor

1 package Old Spice Disposable razors

1 bottle Gillette shampoo

1 Revlon Nail polish

So here's the catch, my out of pocket expense was $40.21 but I will be getting back $25.47 in rebates in the next few weeks, which is how I arrived at the total final cost of $14.74.  The first 10 items on the list are part of a promotion through Kellogg's.  If you purchase 10 Kellogg's/Eggo/Keebler products on one receipt, you get $10 back by mail in rebate.  I had coupons from this week's paper which brought my initial cost for each of these items down from $21 to $17.  Then, Price Chopper is running an additional program where if you purchase those 10 items, they also give you a coupon good toward $10 off your next purchase at Price Chopper.  So I turned right around and bought the 1/2 gal milk, 3 Oikos yogurt & 2 frozen lemonades..... basically, all for FREE!!!   The Crest ended up being FREE as well after I doubled my $1 off coupon, the Puffs 3 pack was $2.99 after I doubled my $1 off coupon and finally, the Lysol spray + wipes was $1.99 by using a $2 off coupon.  Most of the coupons I used I found in this past Sunday's paper.