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**