FREE Samples!

How did I not discover FREE samples before now?

I have been using a few FB pages and websites to find free samples and have received quite a few over the past couple weeks!

They say that the samples will take 4 weeks or more to "show up" but so far, most things have been arriving faster then "advertised".

I'll start posting links to freebies as I find them, but you have to act fast, most freebies only last a few hours (at most) before they are all gone!

Nearly Free!

I paid a total of 46 cents plus tax for everything pictured :)

Kroger has the Schick disposable razor packages on sale this week B1G1F. Reg price for these 4 packs would have been $24.92, with the sale price they came down to $12.46. I used 2 coupons I had for get $6 off 2 packages and that brought it down to just 46 cents (plus tax) for ALL FOUR packs (that's a savings of 98.2%) :D

Kroger has a policy called (Scan Right Guarantee) where if the product you're purchasing rings up for MORE than the shelf price, you get ONE of that item for free... Hubby needed an ACE bandage for his ankle (injury from today's ruck march) and the shelf price said $2.99 but it rang up on the screen as $3.29 so we got it FREE! (Thus why it ALWAYS pays to check the screen for the price of EACH item you're buying!!!)

All items in this photo were either on sale OR I had a coupon for it (in some cases BOTH). My "best guess" in looking up "comparable" prices at "civilian stores" is that the "retail price" of this haul (before any taxes) was $279.18. Sale & Commissary pricing brought that down to $159.75, then my coupons took off another $38.90 (yes that's nearly $40 in COUPONS)... Add on the surcharge (they don't call it a tax but it's almost the same darn thing) of $7.99 and our total "out of pocket" was $128.84!!! (a whopping savings of nearly 54%!!!)

I think the best "deal" of the day were the 2 packs of huggies... Commy has them $5 off "civilian retail" & I had a $2 off coupon on each one so I got them for $7 off per package!!! :) Although 25 cents for each package of popcorn came in a close 2nd... LOL

‎2 52-ct packages of size 4 huggies, 1 8 pack of scott natrals "select a size" paper towels, 10 cans hunt's pasta sauce, 12 cans healthy choice soup, FREE aunt jemima pancakes, nature valley trail mix bars, 2 fiber one bars, FREE ziploc bags, brown gravy (6 pack), fusion shave gel, skintimate shave gel, spongebob toothpaste, colgate total, schick quattro 3 pack razors (got them for $1 after coupon), fusion proglide 3 pack razors (got for $2 after coupon), tide stain release duo packs (18 count), wisk 32 load bottle

‎10 pizzas, 20 frozen dinners, 2 boxes pizza rolls, 2 boxes cheez-its, 8 packages chex mix, 12 4-packs pudding, 12 boxes of popcorn (3 packages each inside), cocoa pebbles treats, pam spray, mustard... oh yeah and the red baron mini pizzas on top that I got for 23 cents

FABULOUS Hyvee Cereal Deal!

Hyvee had select kinds of Kellogg's Cereals for $1.38 (2 day only sale).

I had a couple coupons for $1.00 off of 2 boxes & 1 for $1.00 off of 3, so we bought a total of 9 boxes of cereal.

$1.38 x 9 = $12.42
-$1 off 2
-$1 off 2
-$1 off 2
-$1 off 3

net cost = $8.42

$8.42 - 5% mil discount card (this discount card is available at the customer srvice desk) = $8.00

got 3 coupons for "free milk" (up to $3.59 per gallon - you get 1 coupon per 3 boxes if Kellogg's cereal you purchase)

$3.59 * 3 = $10.77

coupons rec'd - cost of cereal = net GAIN + $2.77 :D

** NOTE: the above calculations do not include tax **

Christmas Shopping Expedition!!!

We went out to ToysRUs & Barnes & Noble yesterday and bought Christmas presents for 6 kids and birthday presents for 2!

We split it into 3 transactions to maximize the gift card promotion on the Hasbro games and to use 2 coupons for $10 gift card with $75 purchase.

Here is what we bought:




Transaction 1:
2 Playskol dinosaurs, 2 4-packs of Playdoh, Grow Your Own Elm Tree, Crystal Growing Kit, Candyland, Chutes & Ladders, Candyland Sweet Celebration, & Planet Earth Glaciers.

Regular Price would have been: $130.29 (including tax)
Sale Price was: $107.83 (including tax)

We received 2 $10 TRU gift cards with the transaction (1 GC for $25 in Hasbro games, other GC from coupon - GC w/ $75 purchase)
We will receive $6 in Hasbro rebates on the games
Earned $3.30 in "RUs" Bucks (TRU Rewards Program)

Total Transaction 1 Savings: $51.96 (40%)

Transaction 2:
iCarly DS case, iCarly DS Game, LIFE (game - PINK version), Don't Spill the Beans, Don't Break the Ice, Cooties, Disney DVD Pictionary, & Pictionary Man.

Regular Price would have been: $163.99 (including tax)
Sale Price was: $117.59 (including tax)

We received 2 $10 TRU gift cards with the transaction (1 GC for $25 in Hasbro games, other GC from coupon - GC w/ $75 purchase)
We will receive $9 in Hasbro rebates on the games
Earned $3.63 in "RUs" Bucks (TRU Rewards Program)

Total Transaction 2 Savings: $79.03 (48%)

Transaction 3:
Bakusphere, 7in1 Bakugan Helios, Master Brawler Bakugan DVD, 4 Tag Reader books, Don't Break the Ice, Don't Spill the Beans, Cooties, 4 Cars (movie) cars, 2 4-packs of Playdoh, Operation, Apples to Apples Jr, & Monopoly (PINK version - in the fancy box).

Regular Price would have been: $268.59 (including tax)
Sale Price was: $201.69 (including tax)

We received 1 $10 TRU gift card with the transaction(for $25 in Hasbro games)
We will receive $8 in Hasbro rebates on the games
Earned $6.23 in "RUs" Bucks (TRU Rewards Program)

Total Transaction 3 Savings: $91.12 (34%)

TOTAL OF TOYSRUS TRANSACTIONS:

Regular Price would have been: $562.07 (including tax)
Sale Price was: $427.11 (including tax)

We received 3 $10 TRU gift cards
We will receive $21 in Hasbro rebates on the games
Earned $14.24 in "RUs" Bucks (TRU Rewards Program)

TOTAL TOYSRUS SAVINGS: $221.19 (39%)

Barnes & Noble

Baby Signs DVD Program $39.99 (fullprice)
2 American Girl Cookbooks $7.98 each (reg price $15.96 each)

Regular Price would have been: $77.63 (including tax)
Sale Price was: $60.40 (including tax)

Total Barnes & Noble Savings: $17.23 (22%)

Today's Commissary Trip

Ok so it took me a little bit of time to figure out the "regular" price of these items (at a "civilian" grocery store) so the beginning price is approximate.






Civilian Store Regular Price: 146.46
Commissary Price: 84.47
MFG Coupons: -12.25
Surcharge (Commissary charges this but no tax): +4.22
Total OOP: $76.44
Savings: $74.24 (50.7%)

Beginner Shopping Expedition

I figured I'd start a new blog for my new hobby - saving money! :)

I'm still new to this so I'm not saving the BIG bucks just yet.

Dillon's (equivalent to a Kroger)

Before sale: 62.27 (13 12-packs @ 4.79 each)
After sale: 25.87 (@ 1.99 each)
Tax: +1.89
Total OOP (out of pocket): $27.76
Savings: $36.40 (58.5%)

Walgreen's - TRIP #1

Before sale: 15.47
After sale: 13.99
MFG Coupon: -1.00
Tax: +1.02
Total OOP: $14.01
Savings: $2.48 (16.0%)
Register Rewards Earned: $7.00

Walgreen's - TRIP #2

Before sale: 37.93
After sale: 25.94
MFG Coupons: -7.00
Register Rewards Used: -7.00
Tax: +1.89
Total OOP: $13.83
Savings: $25.99 (68.5%)

HyVee - Grand Opening was today - I really think I'm going to LOVE this store!

Before sale: 50.23 (approximate - they don't put reg price on receipt)
After sale: 23.75
MFG Coupons: -6.00
Tax: +1.85
Total OOP: $19.60
Savings: $32.48(64.7%)

OVERALL Before sale: $165.90
OVERALL Sale Savings: -76.35
OVERALL Coupons: -14.00
Register Rewards Used: -7.00
OVERALL TAX: +6.65
OVERALL OOP: $75.20
OVERALL SAVINGS: $97.35 (58.7%)

NOTE: even without utilizing the coupons or register rewards today, I still would have saved $76.35 (46%) just from buying items that were on sale.