Don't Throw Those Coupons Away

There are a bunch of coupons that will expire on July 31st. Instead of throwing them in the trash, join us in donating expired coupons to our adopted Army base in Schweinfurt, Germany. Sleeping Beauty and I will be sending a package of coupons on Monday, August 9th.

Coupons Accepted:
Manufacturer coupons found in newspaper inserts, magazines and blinkies

Coupons Not Accepted:
Internet coupons, catalinas, store coupons, restaurant coupons and coupons expired more than two months

If you are interested in donating your coupons, please send us an email at qponswithclass@aol.com. We need to have all coupons by Thursday, August 5th. We are asking each participant to donate $2 to help cover the cost of postage.

To everybody that has already joined us..."My mother thanks you. My father thanks you. My sister thanks you. And I thank you."

**Pinch**

My Budget Is Broke

I went to Harris Teeter Wednesday and Thursday, and I broke my budget. But there were some good deals that I just couldn't turn down. Eggs, bread, orange juice and milk are some of the eVIC specials this week. There are some awesome deals on the clearance rack for John Frieda conditioner, Slim Fast bars, Pantene, Turtle candy and jelly. Coupons and clearance rack...a match made in heaven. Cubed steak and London Broil are B1G1. I went a little overboard and spent $2.72 over my budget. The horror!!

Shelf Price and Tax: $55.38
Coupons Used: $25.45
Rewards Spent: 0
Cash Spent: $29.93

Week To Date Totals -
Shelf Price and Tax: $158.36
Coupons Used: $83.66
Rewards Spent: $21.98
Cash Spent: $52.72

Cash Left To Spend This Week: -$2.72
Rewards: $7 +UP (Rite Aid); $4.99 ECB (CVS)
Rebates To Be Mailed: 0

I got a rebate check this week for $7.99 and $10 in Staples rewards.

Even though I am over budget this week, I am still going to the Farmer's Market tomorrow for some fresh veggies.

(Disclosure: I promise your milk will not be almost empty when you buy it. Those pesky kids have drunk a lot of milk since Wednesday. And the meat will not be frozen. I was a little busy and couldn't take a picture until today.)

**Pinch**

"Yes, Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus"

My Dear Daughter,

Santa sent me a picture of the stocking he plans to give you this year. I'm sorry to spoil the surprise for you, but Santa really wanted me to share this with my friends.

Since you are a grown adult, I think it is time to talk to you about the facts of life. Santa sends me a bill every year for the things he leaves in your stocking. This year's bill is about $5. I know you are worth more than that, but there is an economic crisis occurring in this country. And I'm sure Santa will leave more goodies for you in your stocking. He tells me the elves are busy shopping...oops, I mean, making your other things. If you don't want to further ruin your Christmas, don't look at the picture below because it shows EVERYTHING in your stocking.

Just so you know, Santa and I are not implying that you have bad breath, your hair is greasy, your legs are hairy, you smell or your skin is dry. We just thought it would be nice to give you things that you use.

It is probably time to let you in on a few other family secrets...Uncle Sam really isn't your uncle, Lady GaGa really isn't a lady and the Tooth Fairy, well, don't get me started on her. If you can handle the truth, next week I promise to tell you where those pretty eggs come from that the Easter Bunny leaves you.

Call me after your therapy appointment,
Mommy Dearest

P.S. Santa really needs to make a bigger stocking.


shaving cream, razor, socks, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, body lotion, wind chimes, Neosporin lip therapy, toothbrush, hairspray, hair gel, toothpaste, floss, deodorant, foundation, nail polish, chap stick, mascara, concealer, lip gloss, face moisturizer, face wash, arch supports, soap, emery boards, hand sanitizer and contact lens solution

Right On Target

I made a trip to Target yesterday to pick up a few things like free Bic pens and free Ivory soap. There were good deals on Bagel Bites (.24 each), Wonka chocolate bar (.29), Chef Boyardee (.23 each) and kid's Aquafresh toothpaste (.17). Target has a lot of things on sale this week. I wanted to look around some more but I ran out of time. Which only means...I will probably be back at Target sometime later in the week.

Shelf Price and Tax: $52.05
Coupons Used: $38.71
Rewards Spent: 0
Cash Spent: $13.34
Rebates To Be Mailed: 0

Week-To-Date Totals -
Shelf Price and Tax: $102.98
Coupons Used: $58.21
Rewards Spent: $21.98
Cash Spent: $22.79

Cash Left To Spend This Week: $27.21
Rewards: $7 +UP (Rite Aid); $4.99 ECB (CVS)
Rebates To Be Mailed: 0

I called Rite Aid Customer Service about the $2 +UP rewards I didn't get on the Pepsi products. The representative was very nice. I am being sent a $2 +UP reward and should have it in a couple of days. The manager at Rite Aid called me later in the afternoon. (He had been contacted by Customer Service.) The manager just wanted to make sure that everything had been resolved to my satisfaction. What great customer service!!

**Pinch**

"The New Letter Box"

Dear Sleeping Beauty and Pinch,

I did the sour cream thing with DD on Saturday. Oh my! Monday we went to FL to get one spray butter. That stuff lasts forever and I didn't want a bunch in the fridge, anyway! We do the self checkout a lot and when the computer said, "Your total is one cent", DD's head spun around. I told her to come on and she said, "No, let's do that again!" I laughed at her and gave her the other coupon and a penny. I think we could be creating a monster.

Blessings,
A Satisfied Customer

Dear Satisfied Customer,

Gotta love that penny butter! What a great thing your DD is learning...how to stretch a dollar. Plus couponing is fun! Keep up the good work.

##########
(The following letter is a follow-up to "Gift Of A Letter".)

Dear Sleeping Beauty and Pinch,

Thanks for "Pinch"in me! I took back my $10 toothpaste. I did get the $1 back for the coupon that I used. Then I went down the aisle armed with the flier and two more coupons (thanks!). I found the toothpaste, it was not marked in anyway to indicate that it was what was in the paper. I got two. When I did the return, I told the cashier that I was taking a class and had gotten the wrong thing. She is usually really nice, but she said, "Coupons aren't all they're made out to be", and looked at me like you poor gullible thing. Anyway, I did two transactions and ended up with 2 tubes to donate and $3.02 in profit (1 from the refund and 2.02 from the RR).

Sincerely,
Amateur Hour

Dear Amateur Hour,

So glad things turned out well with the refund. As for the cashier, I guess coupons aren't much fun on her end. You will always come across a "Debbie Downer" but don't let that bother you. Coupons ARE worth it! You know it, we know it, and maybe one day she will know it!

##########
Dear Pinch,

When are you going to tell us about the razor deal? Is it too late to do that deal now?

Sincerely,
Curious

Dear Curious,

It is too late to do that particular deal. But deals just as good as that one come along all the time. And I will tell everyone the details when I have 10 comments. Come on people, start posting comments. You know you are curious, too. Leaving a comment is very simple. You don't have to leave a name...you can post anonymously. It is very simple to do. Let us hear from you. We know you are out there....our blog is getting lots of hits everyday.

##########
Dear SB and P,

What are the classes about? Could you give me more info?

Sincerely,
I Want To Save Money

Dear I Want To Save Money,

Our classes are store specific. We teach you the ins and outs of couponing at each store...different stores, different rules. We also give you tips on where to find more coupons, how to get store coupons, how to get organized and ideas on helping others through couponing. We have a rebating class which is another way to make money on the products that you have already bought. We can give private one-on-one classes, or you can invite others into your home, church or workplace and make it a party. (We give discounts to our hostesses.) Each class is only $10 per person and you will more than make your money back after one trip to the store. We don't sell anything at our classes...no coupon binders, no grocery lists, no fancy do-dads. If you would like to come to one of our scheduled classes or hold a class for your friends, email us. We would love to help you save money at the grocery/drug store. Our classes are fun, and couponing is fun!!

##########
Keep the letters coming. We would love to hear from YOU.

==Sleeping Beauty==

**Pinch**

Oh Schick

Mr. Pinch and I like this razor. We have several. He likes it because it glides smoothly over his face and doesn't give him nicks. (That's a true confession...I just asked him.)

I have a different reason. I liked this razor when I "bought" it on June 14th. But like has turned into love. Today I LOVE this razor. When I have 10 comments begging me for details, I will spill my guts.

**Pinch**

"Holy Batmania"

Sunday was a wonderful day at Rite Aid. I started with $11 +UP and left with $11 +UP. Funny how that happened!!!

Total OOP in three transactions was $4.13 with tax ($1.23 without tax). I still have $11+UP, so I was paid to shop again. Holy crap Batman!

Transaction #1
1 Soft Soap $1
1 Dove body wash $8.99
1 Dove shampoo $3.99
1 Colgate toothpaste $3
2 Nivea body washes $3.98
2 Stayfree pads $6
2 Renuzit Pearls $6.98

Total before Qs and sales: $33.94
Qs used: $21.20
+UP used: $9 ($7 and $2 from previous week)

My total was 25 cents + $1.58 tax = $1.83 OOP

+UP received: $9 ($1 Nivea, $1 Nivea, $2 Dove, $2 Stayfree, $3 Colgate)

Now you wonder how that happened? If you are one of those people that adds things up and the math doesn't work out, I will tell you...My total of $33.94 minus coupons of $21.20 = $3.74 but alas I only paid $1.83. This is why we teach classes so you can be informed and do what we do!!

Transaction #2
1 Colgate toothpaste $3
2 Nivea body washes $3.98
2 Stayfree pads $6

Total before Qs and sales: $12.98
Qs used: $8
+UP used: $4 ($2 Stayfree and $2 Dove from transaction #1)

My total was 98 cents + 85 cents tax = $1.83 OOP

+UP received: $7 ($1 Nivea, $1 Nivea, $2 Stayfree, $3 Colgate)

Transaction #3
2 Stayfree pads $6

Qs used: $3
+UP used: $3 ($3 Colgate from previous transaction)

My total was zero + 47 cents tax = 47 cents OOP

Holy Body Wash, Batman! I love Rite Aid!!

==Sleeping Beauty==

"Stand Straight, Walk Proud"

One of our students emailed us a picture along with this message:
7.45 OOP :) 20.70 in coupons and +UP Rewards

You have made us proud!!!

==Sleeping Beauty==

**Pinch**

Week 2: The Challenge

Sleeping Beauty and I almost had a heart attack this afternoon as we pulled into the Rite Aid parking lot...there were seven cars in the parking lot. Jeepers Creepers, Batman, they were busy!! This could only mean one thing...the shelves were empty. Usually there are only two cars in the parking lot...the employees' vehicles! We were worried. Fear not, my dear friends, Rite Aid was fully stocked. As we exited the car, we looked across the street at Walgreens. The parking lot was almost empty. Walgreens is usually very busy. I thought the Walgreens ad was very weak this week...I guess others thought the same thing.

Today I started out with $50 cash, $11 +UP (Rite Aid), $3 ECB (CVS) and zero RR (Walgreens). This is what I bought today at Rite Aid.



Shelf Price and Tax: $28.34
Coupons Used: $14.00
+UP Spent: $11.00
Cash Spent: $3.34
Rewards Received: $7 +UP ($1, $1, $2, $3)
Rebates To Be Mailed: 0

The Pepsi products $2 +UP rewards did not print. I will be calling Rite Aid Customer Service tomorrow. The Rite Aid employees have indicated that only one +UP reward per product will print for each Wellness card. That wasn't the case today...I got an +UP reward for each of the Nivea body washes. I was only expecting one. Rumor has it that starting August 1st, each Wellness card will be limited to one reward per product. I may go back this week and get more body washes, toothpaste and Stayfree pads since those are great deals. I was hoping to buy a couple of newspapers with my +UP rewards, but Rite Aid did not have any papers.

Sleeping Beauty and I left Rite Aid and headed to CVS. As we passed Walgreens, we noticed there were only two cars in the parking lot. What is up with Walgreens??



This is what I bought at CVS in two transactions. I got two ECBs ($4.99 and $2.99) in the first transaction that I used in the second transaction.

Shelf Price and Tax: $19.36
Coupons Used: $5.50
ECB Spent: $10.98
Cash Spent: $2.88
Rewards Received: $4.99 ($2, $2.99)
Rebates To Be Mailed: 0

No newspapers at CVS either. Sleeping Beauty and I now head to Walgreens. There are still just two cars in the parking lot. WHAT IS UP WITH WALGREENS!!

As soon as we entered the store, the manager told us that the Register Rewards were not printing due to a computer glitch. So that's why there are no cars at Walgreens!! I bought my two newspapers...at full price. OUCH! I was hoping to buy something, use coupons, pay almost nothing, get some RRs....and then buy my papers with a RR. Sometimes things just don't go according to what I have planned.

Shelf Price and Tax: $3.23
Coupons Used: 0
RR Spent: 0
Cash Spent: $3.23 (Note to self: buy newspapers at BP...tax is not charged)
Rewards Received: 0
Rebates To Be Mailed: 0

Sunday's Totals -
Shelf Price and Tax: $50.93
Coupons Used: $19.50
Rewards Spent: $21.98
Cash Spent: $9.45

Cash Left To Spent This Week: $40.55
Rewards: $7 +UP (Rite Aid); $4.99 ECB (CVS)
Rebates To Be Mailed: 0

Plus I have $2 +UP rewards pending a call to Customer Service.

I want to point out a couple of things...
...Out of the $9.45 that I spent today, $2.51 was tax.
...I spent $9.45 in real money but got $11.99 in store reward money. (Hopefully, I can add $2 to that store reward money total.) Today, I just traded real money for store money.
...I bought $50.93 worth of merchandise for $9.45. That's an 81% savings! Amazing!! Absolutely amazing!!

And speaking of amazing, just wait until Sleeping Beauty posts her Rite Aid adventure. It will knock your socks off! (She can't post right now because she's getting her beauty sleep.)

I hope the grocery store sales will be good this week. I have lots of money to spend!

**Pinch**

It's Not What You Know...

...It's how you use your coupons! This is the last day of my $50 challenge. I went to Walmart on Friday and spent $1.92 on a dry eraser. Now all I have left to buy for school supplies is a lunchbox for Princess Pinch.

To recap the challenge...I started with $50 cash, $2 RR (Walgreens), $1 +UP (Rite Aid) and zero ECB (CVS).

This is what I spent -
Shelf Price and Tax: $106.69
Coupons Used: $46.43
Rewards Spent: $11.50
Cash Spent: 48.76

Cash Left: $1.24
Rewards: $11 +UP (Rite Aid); $3 ECB (CVS)
Rebates Mailed: $19.98 ($10 Zegerid; $6.99 Renpure; $2.99 Sure)
Rebates Received: $3.99 Staples

I found a rebate form this week for the Sure deodorant, which I bought in May. The deodorant was free after coupons so this is a moneymaker. I'm glad I kept my receipt!! I am still waiting on $65.93 in rebates in addition to the ones listed above.

And...I even lent the Tooth Fairy a dollar to put under Young Jedi Pinch's pillow since he lost a tooth this week.

This challenge was so much fun...I think I will do it again next week!!

Coupons and Rebates..."The stuff that dreams are made of!!"

**Pinch**

"The Gift Of A Letter"

Dear Pinch and Sleeping Beauty,

I have a sad sad tale to tell. After our last class, I made a plan. One with pretty good intentions. I did the homework that was assigned and pulled it off perfectly. With this success and the previous one under my belt, I made my plan.

The Plan: (Walgreens)
Purchase a Colgate toothpaste (that I don't use) and donate it since it's free. And then use the RR toward a film developing purchase. (I guess that is allowed, if not someone let me know). I also wanted to get a pack of gel pens. I did get a rain check (that I have to use before the end of the month to use the coupon to get the pens for $.19).

I found the toothpaste, the coupon that I had was for 4 oz or larger. I missed the size limitation for the RR (5.2 oz). MISTAKE!! I also missed the RR limit of 1. MISTAKE!! So I purchased 3 (4 oz) tubes (my coupon was $1 off of 3) and paid a total of $10.28 and didn't get any RR. I was planning on spending about $4 total on this adventure. I left the store after paying $17.49. So, I overpaid by $13.49!!!!

The lunch menu for tomorrow is CROW, right after I return my $10 toothpaste.

Signed,
Amateur Hour

Dear Amateur Hour,

Everybody makes mistakes. It is very easy to correct this mistake. First, take a deep cleansing breath. Next, hop in the car, take everything back and get a refund. By the way, you will get cash back for your coupon. Let us know if you have any trouble with your return.

Let's talk about the things you did perfectly. Asking for a rain check for the gel pens was a very smart move. (Note to self...get a rain check tomorrow.) Next, getting something for free that you will eventually donate is very admirable. And yes, you can use RR on film processing.

Now let's talk about the things that went less than smoothly. Since you can only get one RR, you shouldn't have bothered with that coupon. And you shouldn't have purchased three toothpastes (but you know that now). We purchased that toothpaste last week and it was very hard to find. If we remember correctly, there wasn't a sale sign near the toothpaste so picking up the wrong one is an honest mistake. (Note to Walgreens...please put up the signs for your customers.) Also, trust your gut. If you feel your receipt is wrong or feel you have paid too much, take the time to go over your receipt in the car before you leave the parking lot.

We will leave you with this quote from Ornette Coleman..."It was when I found out I could make mistakes that I knew I was on to something."

By the way...we will be over tomorrow for lunch to eat crow with you. We hear crow goes well when smothered in free butter, sour cream and cheese.

**Pinch**

==Sleeping Beauty==

And The Winner Is...

...Schweinfurt, Germany (U.S. Army)

The Army base won by a narrow margin. There were six comments posted on this blog, and we received several emails whose comments we failed to post. A big thank you to all that voted.

We are adopting this base through the Overseas Coupon Program (www.ocpnet.org). If you would like to participate, please contact us at qponswithclass@aol.com and we will make arrangements to get your coupons. We will be sending a coupon package on Monday, August 9th. We are asking each participant to donate $2 to help cover the cost of postage.

Manufacturer coupons found in newspaper inserts, magazines and blinkies will be accepted. Please cut the coupons as whole inserts will add to postage. Coupons that have not expired (but ones that you do not want) will also be accepted.

Coupons that cannot be accepted are internet coupons, catalinas, store coupons and restaurant coupons. Also, coupons expired more than two months cannot be accepted.

We will be sending a package the second Monday of each month. Let's all do our part in helping the men and women who are serving our country overseas.

**Pinch**

==Sleeping Beauty==

Christmas In July

Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas! Christmas will be here before we know it. I have been picking up things here and there.

The Pictureka and Monopoly were both free after coupons at Target. The card games were 24 cents each. The socks were free after RR at Walgreens. The total cost of everything in this picture was less than $5. It is never too early to think about Christmas.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at my house. Pinch and I will be posting more pictures soon.

==Sleeping Beauty==

The Challenge Continues

Goodies from Harris Teeter
I didn't shop on Monday or Tuesday. The sale ads came out today for HT, FL and LF. One word comes to mind...terrible. I didn't see very much in any of the sale ads but that didn't stop me from getting a few things.

I passed by Target this morning so I decided to stop for milk. Milk is $2.19 a gallon there (cheaper than the grocery store). And if you take your own bag, Target will give you a discount of 5 cents per bag. So after adding the tax and deducting the bag discount, I actually paid $2.18 for the milk!

Shelf Price and Tax: $2.23
Coupons Used: 0
Target Bag Discount: $.05
Cash Spent: $2.18
Rewards Received: 0
Rebates To Be Mailed: 0

Later in the afternoon, I passed by Harris Teeter. I got a few things (pictured above.) The highlights of this trip were:

Mission Tortillas: 2.89 - 1.39 VIC = 1.50 (.75 internet coupon doubled made this FREE)
Kraft Cheese and Dairy Catalina: Buy 5 participating products and get $5 OYNO catalina AND Kraft will donate 5 meals to Feeding America. I bought the Philly Cream Cheese and Sour Cream in the first transaction and spent $6.45 after qs. I used the catalina on the second transaction.

Shelf Price and Tax: $41 - $11.16 VIC = $29.84
Coupons Used: $7.69
Catalina Spent: $5
Cash Spent: $17.15
Rewards Received: 0
Rebates To Be Mailed: 0

Mr. Pinch informed me tonight that he needed 2 bags of ice. So I headed out to Food Lion. It wasn't really out of the way since I had to pick Princess Pinch up at Vacation Bible School and a Food Lion is nearby. I bought 2 bags of ice, spray butter, cantaloupe and bananas. The Bestlife spray butter was free after a store coupon. I have plenty of these coupons if anybody wants one. Let me know.

Shelf Price and Tax: $10.17 - $2.25 MVP = $7.92
Coupons Used: $1
Rewards Used: 0
Cash Spent: $6.92
Rewards Received: 1 Food Lion lottery ticket (waste of paper)
Rebates To Be Mailed: 0

Week-To-Date Totals:
Shelf Price and Tax: $104.77
Coupons Used: $46.43
Rewards Spent: $11.50
Cash Spent: $46.84

Cash Left To Spend This Week: $3.16
Rewards: $11 +UP (Rite Aid); $3 (CVS)
Rebates To Be Mailed: $16.99 ($10 Zegerid; $6.99 Renpure)

Just in case anybody is wondering, this is what we have eaten this week for dinner: Sunday night was steak, green beans and baked potato; Monday was homemade vegetable soup (yeah I know it's hot but we had a craving for soup); Tuesday was egg, bacon, cheese and onion omelets; tonight we had roast beef, broccoli and potato wedges. Tomorrow I plan on fixing chicken and pasta; Friday night we are going to a cookout; Saturday night will be tacos, rice and beans. And the freezer is still full of meat. Plus we haven't eaten out at restaurants or fast food places. My dinner menu is already planned for the next three weeks.

**Pinch**

"She Works Hard For The Money"

Rite Aid - "Whoever said money can't buy happiness
simply didn't know where to go shopping.”

Okay I'm not Donna Summer and Pinch worked harder than I did at Rite Aid for me. I couldn't come up with a movie quote so I had to go to songs. "Take The Money And Run" sounds like a robbery! That was my next choice, so tell me what you think.

Sunday's Shopping Trip 7/18

As Pinch has told you we went to Walgreens, Rite Aid and CVS on Sunday. The following is what I purchased and paid.


At Walgreens I spent 34 cents two times. I got 2 packs of Pilot G2 pens (love these pens) and 4 packs of Bic brite liners. The liners were 49 cents per pack on sale and the G2 pens were $1.19 per pack. There is a coupon in the July Walgreens coupon booklet (found in the store with the sale ad) for $1 off of the G2 pens. So the G2's cost 19 cents per pack. I used a $1 RR from last week on each transaction. My subtotal was 17 cents, tax 17 cents, total OOP 34 cents times 2 = 68 cents total.

Next stop Rite Aid. I purchased 3 Air Wick motion activated air refreshers, Zegerid, Motrin, 2 bags of Chex Mix and 2 candy bars. I had to buy the candy bars because my subtotal was negative after coupons. The subtotal stayed negative $1.75 even after the candy bar purchase. Tax was $2.15 and the negative $1.75 made my OOP 40 CENTS! Plus I got $7 +UP reward and $2 +UP reward to spend on future purchases. I can send in a rebate on the Zegerid to add more money in my pocket.


Rite Aid...my new BFF
Last stop CVS. I purchased paper towels (had to have them) and 6 bags of M&M's. The paper towels were on sale. I should have bought them at Rite Aid with my +UP rewards but was so excited about my 40 cent bill that paper towels were not important at that time and they were on sale at CVS. Anyway I spent $8.38 at CVS and got $1 in ECB.

My total OOP on Sunday's shopping spree was $9.46 for everything at all 3 stores and I have $10 in store rewards to spend next week. Don't forget, I will send in the rebate on Zegerid for $10.

It sounds like we hard for the money, but it was so much fun to be paid to shop.

==Sleeping Beauty==

"Surely You Can't Be Serious"

"I am serious. And don't call me Shirley." Seriously, I've been challenged...to only spend $50 in one week at the grocery and drug stores that we teach about and where we shop. We don't include Aldi, Walmart, Staples or Office Depot in our coupon classes, but I am going to add those stores to my challenge as well as dining out.

Since I have been using coupons and stockpiling for a while, I have enough food for several weeks worth of meals. The food that I am buying now at the grocery store will be for meals to be prepared later. FYI...there are 2 adults, 2 children (ages 5 & 6) and a dog in the Pinch house. Sleeping Beauty and I typically shop the drug stores on Sunday and the grocery stores on Wednesday or Thursday.

I am starting with $50 cash, $2 RR from Walgreens, $1 +UP from Rite Aid and zero ECB from CVS.

The first stop Sunday was Walgreens. I did two transactions and bought the following:


4 Pilot G2 pens
2 Sunday newspapers
2 Pencil boxes
2 Eraser packs
1 Colgate toothpaste

I spent $5.50 RR and $2.16 in cash. (I already had $2 RR and received $3.50 RR in the first transaction and spent it in the 2nd transaction.)

Shelf Price and Tax: $14.66
Coupons Used: $7
RR Spent: $5.50
Cash Spent: $2.16
Rewards Received: 0
Rebates To Be Mailed: 0

Sleeping Beauty and I left Walgreens and went across the street to Rite Aid. I don't want to steal Sleeping Beauty's thunder about her trip to Rite Aid, but it was a shopping experience that will go down in the history books! If I remember correctly, people were applauding!! Okay, maybe I was the only one applauding, but the cashier and manager were impressed. (She will brag later!)

I did one transaction at Rite Aid and bought the following:


3 Clorox wipes
2 Chex Mix
1 Pantene hair gel
1 Motrin PM
1 Zegerid (heartburn OTC which will be used in the Pinch household)

I spent the $1 +UP and $4.21 in cash.

Shelf Price and Tax: $29.91
Coupons Used: $24.70
+UP Spent: $1
Cash Spent: $4.21
Rewards Received: $11 +UP ($2, $2, $7)
Rebates To Be Mailed: $10

Then Sleeping Beauty and I left Rite Aid, drove through the Walgreens parking lot and went across the other street to CVS.

I did one transaction at CVS and bought the following:


2 Sunkist 12-pack
1 7-Up 12-pack
1 Renpure Organics shampoo
1 Renpure Organics conditioner
1 CVS hand sanitizing spray pen

I spent $14.22 in cash.

Shelf Price and Tax: $20.21
Coupons Used: $5.99
ECB Spent: 0
Cash Spent: $14.22
Rewards Received: $3 ECB
Rebates To Be Mailed: $6.99

I probably will not be making any more trips to the drug stores this week. I am bummed that my source was wrong about triples this week at Harris Teeter. I have $29.41 to spend at the grocery store. With my coupons, I should be able to get a fair amount of food. Wish me luck!

Also, we don't plan to eat out this week. Every meal will be eaten at home. And we do eat meat, fresh vegetables and produce. (Some people assume since I use coupons that we only eat boxed, frozen or processed foods.)

Sunday's Totals -
Shelf Price and Tax: $64.78
Coupons Used: $37.69
Rewards Spent: $6.50
Cash Spent: $20.59

Cash Left To Spend This Week: $29.41 (from my $50 challenge)
Rewards: $11 +UP (Rite Aid); $3 ECB (CVS)
Rebates To Be Mailed: $16.99 ($10 Zegerid; $6.99 Renpure)

In case you haven't noticed already, the Rewards and Rebates equal $30.99, which is more than I spent on Sunday.

"Th-Th-Th-Th-Th-That's all, folks!"...until the next shopping trip.

**Pinch**

"Excellent!"

Excellent news...North Carolina tax free weekend will be here soon!

When:
starts August 6 (12:01 am) to August 8 (11:59 pm)

Items tax exempt:
clothing, footwear, and school supplies of $100 or less per item
school instructional materials of $300 or less per item
sports and recreation equipment of $50 or less per item
computers of $3,500 or less per item
computer supplies of $250 or less per item

For more information: http://www.dor.state.nc.us/taxes/sales/salestax_holiday.html

**Pinch**

School Supplies

I'm almost ready for the kids to go back to school. The school mailed out the supply list in early June. For the past month, I have been getting school supplies for two kids (kindergarten and 1st grade). Between the two lists, I have accumulated:

1 refill pack of baby wipes
1 pack of pencils
1 pack of pencil-top erasers
1 pencil box
1 spiral bound notebook
1 pack of colored pencils
1 pack of highlighters
1 box of band-aids
1 box of gallon-size zipper bags
2 bottles of hand sanitizer
2 packs of dry erase markers
2 packs of Clorox wipes
2 packs of markers
2 boxes of baby wipes
2 rolls of paper towels
3 pairs of scissors
3 Mead primary journals
4 boxes of tissues
5 packs of crayons
9 folders
40 glue sticks

40 glue sticks??? Is this how you get a kid to sit still...you glue him to the seat? Just wondering!!

I got additional supplies just in case extras were needed during the school year. I still need to buy a dry board eraser. I used RR, coupons and watched for great store sales. I spent less than $10 OOP for everything (or $5 per child).

Since I have done so well on school supplies, I promised the kids they could get the book bag of their choice. (They didn't want the B1G1 plain book bags at Walgreens.) Young Jedi Pinch picked his out at Walmart last night...How To Train Your Dragon...which came with a lunchbox. Princess Pinch picked out iCarly and it was on sale (that's my girl!!). She is still trying to find the perfect lunchbox.

Next on the list...school uniforms. There goes the budget!

**Pinch**

Hidden Treasure

The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators may be holding some money for you. Go to http://www.missingmoney.com/ and claim your forgotten treasure.

Although I don't have any unclaimed money, my daughter does. I wonder if she will give me a loan?

**Pinch**

We Need Your Help

Q-pons With Class is adopting a military base where we will send manufacturer coupons that we do not need or coupons that have expired. An overseas Commissary and PX will accept manufacturer coupons that are six months expired. We can make a difference in the lives of our military families by helping them save money and stretch their budget.

We need your help. We are inviting you to vote on which military base we should adopt. Simply leave a comment with your vote. (Voting ends 6:00 pm on Saturday.)

Our choices are:
1) Iwakuni, Japan (Marine Corps)
2) Incirlik, Turkey (Air Force)
3) Schweinfurt, Germany (Army)
4) Gaeta, Italy (Navy)

You are also invited to join us in sending your coupons. We will give you more details in the next few days. If you would like to participate, please leave a comment below or email us at qponswithclass@aol.com.

Let's help the men and women who are serving our country overseas.

**Pinch**

==Sleeping Beauty==

"School's Out For Summer"

The kids are out for summer vacation. But you need to be in class -- a coupon class. We have store specific classes to teach you how to save money using coupons. Each store has different policies, store coupons and rewards. We will explain the best way to get the most out of your shopping dollars. We also offer tips on how to organize your coupons.

You can sign up for one of the classes already offered. Or you can have a class in your home or at your church and invite your friends. We offer special discounts to the hostess.

Harris Teeter is our next class. And triples at HT is rumored to start July 21st. If you want to save money, this is the class you need to attend.

Email us at qponswithclass@aol.com for more information.

==Sleeping Beauty==

**Pinch**

Rebate Form Giveaway

Save $10 when you purchase any beef/pork/poultry product. No beer purchase necessary.

I have several mail-in rebate forms I will give away. I will give these away to the first five people who email me at qponswithclass@aol.com by Wednesday 10:00 a.m. I'll put your rebate form in the mail Wednesday afternoon.

All you have to do to qualify for the rebate is buy beef/pork/poultry products valued at $10 or more before Thursday, July 15. Then send your receipt, UPC code and rebate form to Corona. So easy -- buy $10 worth of meat, get a $10 check from Corona.

This offer is only good in North Carolina and Alabama (their rules, not mine). Offer needs to be postmarked to Corona before July 30, 2010.

**Pinch**

Feel The Love

The love affair continues with Walgreens. I went shopping today for school supplies and newspapers.

I bought:
4 Nabisco Ritz Bits - .50 cents each (.50 x 4 = $2.00)
3 Fiskars scissors - .99 cents each (.99 x 3 = $2.97)
3 packs of index cards - .59 cents each (.59 x 3 = $1.77)
2 Crayola markers 10 pk - .99 cents each (.99 x 2 = $1.98)
3 Sunday newspapers - $1.50 each (1.50 x 3 = $4.50)

Coupons used:
Nabisco crackers $1/2
Nabisco crackers $1/2
In-ad coupon for index cards .60
RR $3
RR $3
RR $3
RR $1
RR $1

Total before tax - .62 cents
Tax - .86 cents

Grand Total OOP $1.48

Instead of paying for all of this with Uncle Sam's government issued green stuff, I used my Register Rewards. I usually roll my RR into something else that pays RR, but there was nothing I needed or wanted this week. I still have $10 left in RR to use next week.

Okay...the Ritz Bits are not for school, but they were free after coupons.

**Pinch**

Reach For The Stars

Here is a story for ya! I just made $2.65 for buying 4 Reach toothbrushes.

Cost for each toothbrush was $1.59 ($1.59 x 4 = $6.36)

Coupons used:
$1.50 off 2
$1.00 off 1
$1.00 off 1
$2.00 RR from last week

Sub Total = 86 cents
plus tax of 49 cents
Total OOP was $1.35, less than the cost of one toothbrush!

Now you wonder how I made the $2.65? I got a RR for $4.00 to spend on something else.

Thank you Walgreens for paying me to shop!!

==Sleeping Beauty==

"You've Got Mail"

Office Depot sent an email with a sneak peak at next week's ad. I didn't think the ad was all that great BUT there is a printable coupon for $10 off a $25 purchase. Since Staples will honor a competitor's coupon, I have now revised what I am buying at Staples on Sunday.

2 packs of paper - 2 x 4.99 = 9.98
2 packs of pencils - 2 x .01 = .02
10 folders - 10 x .01 = .10
1 black ink cartridge - 1 x 17.99 (I am out of ink again!)

Total 28.09
minus 10.00 Office Depot coupon
equals 18.09 OOP

I will send in the rebate of 9.96 for the paper.

Final cost $8.13 (after rebate, not including taxes)

Not too bad for 2 packs of paper, 2 packs of pencils, 10 folders and printer ink.

**Pinch**

Pennies From Staples

Penny sales are starting this Sunday at Staples. Hopefully Staples will add more products to their penny sale in the next few weeks. This sale is sick compared to last year's sale.

There are only 3 penny sales this week.

8-pack #2 pencils - 1 cent each (limit 2)
2-pocket folder - 1 cent each (limit 10)
Staples multipurpose paper (500 sheets) - $4.99 minus $4.98 easy rebate = 1 cent after rebate (limit 2)

Now for the Staples fine print -- pencils and folders must be with a $5 minimum purchase. The sale is good Sunday through Wednesday or while supplies last.

I plan on buying 2 packs of paper, 2 packs of pencils and 10 folders.
OOP (before tax) = $10.10; easy rebate = $9.96

Final cost after rebate for 2 packs of paper, 2 boxes of pencils and 10 folders = 14 cents

The easy rebate is just that...easy. You can fill it out on-line. I have never had any problem with the easy rebates and a check is usually sent within a couple of weeks. It is an actual check (not a credit to be used just at Staples).

There are several $1 deals...glue sticks, photo paper, envelopes, dry erase board, Scotch tape, Rose Art colored pencils, Post-it notes, Westcott scissors, highlighters, pencil box, mini stapler, and Bic ballpoint pins.

Also included in the ad are several 25% off coupons for construction paper, poster board, calculators, sharpies, shredders and other supplies. Book bags are also on sale.

I received an email from Staples today with a $5 off $30 coupon. There is also a $5 off $30 coupon in the Staples flier.

See you at Staples on Sunday.

**Pinch**

Food Pantry: Round 2

This is what I donated to the Maple Springs UMC food pantry yesterday. I stayed at the food pantry all morning with my cousin Jane, a volunteer there. Everything that I took was gone in the first 45 minutes. I am glad that I am able to help out others by using coupons. Everything in the picture was free with coupons or just a few cents. Remember the Capri Suns that we told you about earlier? They were only 23 cents (after tax) for each 10 pack. I plan on getting some more and taking them next week. Thanks Pinch for sharing that info with everyone. The Twizzlers were 50 cents after RR at Walgreens. Other than the Capri Sun and Twizzlers, everything else was free. So, for less than $1.00, I was able to donate everything in the picture. Such an experience to be able to do this! See ya next time!

==Sleeping Beauty==

"Nobody Puts Baby In A Corner"

The Good News -- Walmart has Pampers Baby Wipes (72 ct) for $1.97 each. There was a $2 coupon in the newspaper a few weeks ago....

You know what that means!!! FREE wipes.

The Bad News -- The wipes rang up at $2.37 at the register. After a trip to Customer Service, I was refunded the difference. Be sure to check your receipts.

**Pinch**

Stockpiling: What and How

What should you stockpile? Any product you use that is free (or close to it). Matching manufacturer and store coupons with sales will get you a ton of things for free.

How can I stockpile when there are never any coupons for things I use? Oh really! You don't use toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, a toothbrush, razors, shaving cream or make up? You don't need mayonnaise, ketchup, mustard, salad dressing or barbecue sauce? You don't like yogurt, ice cream, cheese or cereal? You never clean your house, wash your dishes or do laundry? Then maybe there aren't any coupons for you. But if you do use these items and more, there are plenty of coupons out there that you can use.

Just remember, you shouldn't be brand loyal or store loyal. Your loyalty should be to any store that has a good sale and to any brand that is free/cheap. Be adventurous. Try new things. Some things you will like, some you won't.

I only eat organic foods? Good, there are lots of coupons for organic products. Even if you only eat organic foods, you still need toilet paper!

How do I start stockpiling? First, make a list of things you use regularly.
1. Personal care items
2. Paper products
3. Baby items
4. Cleaning supplies
5. Make-up
6. Non-perishable food items
7. Perishable food items
8. Anything else you can think of

Next, break each category down. Let's focus on personal care items.
Shampoo, conditioner, hairspray, body wash, shower gel, soap, deodorant, shaving cream, razors, toothpaste, toothbrushes, floss, mouthwash, contact solution, facial cleaner, lotions, feminine products....

Believe it or not, just in this category, there will be something every week for free or just pennies. I got each of the items in these pictures either free or ridiculously cheap. And some of these products I was paid to take! These pictures show just a sampling of my personal care stockpile items.


Am I hoarding? I don't think so. I have never cleaned off a store shelf. I always leave products for other shoppers. I, or a member of my family, will use these products. If we can't use it, I give it away to a food pantry, food drive, or to someone I know that needs it worse than I need it. I am not a compulsive shopper. I don't spend money just to spend money (mainly because I don't have extra money to spend). I plan my shopping trips, and I try not to buy impulsively. I am also not a super-organized person. I am busy, just like each of you. But I make the time to cut coupons (and it really is not that much time). And I do have interests and hobbies other than couponing. This is not the only thing I have to do.

Using coupons has made a difference in my budget. We have more food and cleaning products than ever and I have spent less money getting them.

I buy three newspapers every week. I usually buy my papers at Walgreens with Register Rewards. I will stockpile faster than someone who buys one newspaper; but not as fast as someone who buys six newspapers. How fast you stockpile is a personal choice. What you stockpile is a personal choice. But there is something out there for everyone. A stockpile is not built overnight, in a week or in a month. It is built over time, one item at a time

If you have never used coupons or are unsure how to take advantage of the great sales, contact us at qponswithclass@aol.com and set up a class. We will teach you how to save money using coupons, store coupon policies, how to organize your coupons, building your stockpile, and tips we have learned in our coupon journey.

By the way, I also stockpile dirty laundry...I'll spare you the pictures!

**Pinch**

Disclaimer: Some stores require that you pay tax on free items.

"It's Complicated!"

NOT!!!

This is my shopping trip to Target on Monday. I had it all planned out but got sidetracked on the baby items. I'll just give you a quick rundown of what I did.

My total was $22.55 including $3.24 in tax -- $19.31 before tax. The things I bought with manufacturer and Target coupons were Huggies diapers, refill bag of Huggies wipes, 2 Olay body washes, 1 Air Wick freshmatic and 2 ten-bar packs of Ivory soap (that is 20 bars of soap to donate). The things I bought without coupons were the milk ($2.29...cheaper than the grocery store), the onesie, the rattle and the hairbows. Charlotte Rhys and Savannah have enough hair for those!

Here is the rundown:

$19.31 before tax
minus $12.26 for milk, onesie, rattle and hairbows
equals $7.05 for diapers, wipes, 2 Olay's, 20 bars of soap & 1 Air Wick

Works for me!

==Sleeping Beauty==

69 Cents TOTAL!!

Sweet!!

Kim took one of our coupon classes several weeks ago. She went to Food Lion today and paid 69 cents (including tax) for everything in this picture!

For a little perspective -- one box of Capri Sun at Food Lion is $2.07 without tax. AND KIM PAID 69 CENTS FOR 3 BOXES OF CAPRI SUN AND 5 TUBS OF COOL WHIP.

We are proud of you, Kim.

==Sleeping Beauty==

**Pinch**

Turn The Lights On

"Can You Dig It?"

This coupon was enclosed in my Duke Power bill. Yeah...free light bulbs (boo...tax charged). It can only be redeemed at Walmart.

==Sleeping Beauty==

"Well, Nobody's Perfect"

Mark this date down on your calendar...today I am publicly admitting I was wr--wro--wron--wrong.

No triples this week at Harris Teeter.

**Pinch**

I'm In Love

This week we love Food Lion. Two bags of Kraft shredded cheese, a block of Kraft cheese, two Oscar Mayer deli meats, five containers of Cool Whip and five more boxes of Capri Sun was a total of $4.74 (purchased in multiple transactions). Once again, it is amazing what coupons can do. Just in case you are wondering, it would have cost over $27 without coupons! The Cool Whip and deli meats were the only items on sale.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute. You ain't heard nothin' yet!"


We love Lowes a little bit this week also. I bought four boxes of Suddenly Salad, a 5-lb. bag of "real" potatoes and six packs of Idahoan instant potatoes at 9 cents per bag with coupons and sale price. ( I really like these.) If you bought the "real" potatoes, you got a jar of Marie's potato salad dressing for free. (The shelf price for Marie's is $3.49.) I have never tried it but for free I will let you know how it is. Total OOP was $5.19, but to make it even better there is $1 off OYNO Catalina WYB four of the instant potatoes. So my cost was $4.19 if you want to count it that way. Total without coupons or sales would have been $23.90. Couponing has really made it fun to shop.

I did not visit the drug stores today, but don't worry I will before the week is out! I still have $8 in RR from Walgreens left from last week. :)

Tune in tomorrow......

==Sleeping Beauty==

Stockpiling: The Basics

Sleeping Beauty's stockpile of Capri Sun -- 7 cents each at FL

Stockpiling allows you to have needed products on-hand and it also helps you to save money. Let's talk shampoo...you need to wash your hair and you are out of shampoo. You have two choices. One, go to your stockpile and get another bottle (that you got for free) and wash your hair until it is squeaky clean. Or, two, go to the store and buy a bottle for FULL PRICE. That, my friend, is the beauty of stockpiling -- having products on-hand when you need them AND that you got for free or just pennies.

How many of us have gone to the grocery store, spent $100 and, once at home, realize that we have bought very little food? If you could get all (or most) of your non-food items free, you would have more money to spend on food at the grocery store.

The moral of the story is stockpiling saves you money. For every product that you get for free (or super cheap), that is money saved from having to purchase that product at full price.

You should stockpile items you use and can get for free. For example, at Food Lion this week there are some great deals on Kraft cheese, Kraft mayonnaise, Capri Sun and Cool Whip, among other things. If you don't need Cool Whip or no one in your family likes Cool Whip, it may be foolish to get it even if it is free. So no matter how great a deal a product is, if it will not be used or eaten, it just takes up space. However, if you do like Cool Whip and will use it, then this is the perfect time to stock up on Cool Whip. This is true for any product.

Several years ago, when I first started seriously using coupons and stockpiling, I got four bottles of Frank's Hot Sauce for free. We have never used hot sauce on anything before, and didn't use it after I got it. I recently went through my stockpile. All four bottles of Franks Hot Sauce expired a year ago. What a waste! I should have left it on the grocery shelf for someone who would use it. Or I should have donated it before it expired. Lesson learned...don't stockpile things you will never use or things you will not donate to a food pantry.

Another mistake I made was stockpiling too much of just one thing. The very first thing I stockpiled was Gold Fish crackers. I bought a bunch of it because it was just pennies a bag. The kids love it, but they soon got sick of it. But my thought process was that Gold Fish was never, ever going to be on sale again, so I had better get all I could. The truth is everything goes on sale again, sometimes for a better deal (and sometimes not).

There are lots of stores within a four mile radius of my house...Food Lion, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Harris Teeter, CVS, Lowes Foods and Target. Between one of these stores, something I use will be free each week. For example, if dish detergent is a good deal at Target this week, chances are dish detergent will be a good deal at another store next week. This is especially true for soft drinks. When CVS has Pepsi products on sale, Walgreens will have Coke products on sale the same week. The next week...CVS and Coke...Walgreens and Pepsi. So if you miss a deal this week, don't worry...it will be on sale somewhere else soon.

I'll leave you with a story. When I was young, my mother would buy a lot of Christmas wrapping paper after Christmas -- usually when it was 75% off or more. She would save this wrapping paper for the next year's gifts. I always wondered why she bought Christmas paper AFTER Christmas, that is until I had to buy it myself and realized how expensive it was. But that is stockpiling. Buying something you will use when it is cheap. That is also good money sense. Why pay full price for anything?

I hear you screaming..."I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore." You should be mad...you shouldn't be paying full price anymore. Start cutting those coupons! Start saving money!!

**Pinch**

Pinch's stockpile of freebie unmentionables

Say Cheese!

How did you do at FL today? I got the 5 cheeses. Paid $3.71 for all, little less than 75 cents each.

I should do that again.

"Somebody stop me!"

==Sleeping Beauty==

Roar Like A Lion

You can get great buys for your stockpile even at grocery stores that do not double and triple coupons. Food Lion has some great stockpiling deals running through Tuesday, July 6.

Buy 5 participating "Sweet Deals" in a single transaction, get $5 off instantly.
Buy 5 participating Kraft products in a single transaction, get $5 off instantly.

The participating Sweet Deals and Kraft products are listed in the store ad. A Sweet Deal and a Kraft deal can be done in the same transaction. But you cannot do two Kraft deals or two Sweet Deals in the same transaction. You can do multiple transactions on any deal.

For example:
1 Sweet Deal and 1 Kraft Deal in the same transaction - will give you $10 off
2 Sweet Deals in the same transaction - will give you $5 off
2 Kraft Deals in the same transaction - will give you $5 off
1 Kraft Deal in a transaction - will give you $5 off
1 Sweet Deal in a transaction - will give you $5 off

This is what I bought today:
5 Cool Whip (Sweet Deal)
3 Kraft Sandwich Spread (Kraft Deal)
2 Kraft Mayonnaise (Kraft Deal)
1 Capri Sun
1 Package of Cube Steak

I used the following coupons:
2 .20/2 Cool Whip
3 $1 Kraft Sandwich Spread
1 $1.50/2 Kraft Mayonnaise
1 $2 Capri Sun FLIP
1 $1 off Butcher's Brand Beef WYB Kraft Mayonnaise

Total OOP: $1.53 (includes 26 cents tax)

I am planning more trips to Food Lion. "After all, tomorrow is another day!"

**Pinch**

"Houston We Have A Problem"

There are several websites listing a special 4 Day Sale at Walgreens starting Wednesday, June 30 to Saturday, July 4.

North Carolina WAGS are not included in this sale. Although the sale prices are NOT being honored, the Register Rewards ARE printing.

This little tidbit from other sites was definitely a YMMV.

**Pinch**

Learn to Speak Coupon 101

This lesson is a must for any serious traveler who dares to visit Coupon Land.

B1G1 - Buy 1 Get 1 Free
BOGO - Buy One Get One Free
DND - Do Not Double
ECB - Easy Care Bucks (at CVS)
FL - Food Lion
FLIP - Food Lion Internet Print
HT - Harris Teeter
IVC - Instant Value Coupon (in Walgreens monthly Easy Saver Catalog)
IP - Internet Print
LF - Lowe's Foods
MIR - Mail In Rebate
OOP - Out Of Pocket
OOS - Out Of Stock
OYNO - On Your Next Order
P&G - Proctor & Gamble (newspaper coupon insert)
POP - Proof Of Purchase
RP - Red Plum (newspaper coupon insert)
RR - Register Rewards (at Walgreens)
SCR - Single Check Rebate (at Rite Aid)
SS - Smart Source (newspaper coupon insert)
TMF - Try Me Free
WAGS - Walgreens
WYB - When You Buy
YMMV - Your Mileage May Vary (or results may vary)

Who needs Rosetta Stone when you have me!?!

**Pinch**

Rumor Has It....

...Harris Teeter -- triples -- starting July 7th.

We will keep you posted.

**Pinch**