I finally tallied the totals from my spendings spreadsheet for 2009. The "spent" total includes all groceries and household items, but does not include eating out. The "saved" total includes all coupon savings as well as "buy 10, save $5 promotions," etc.
January:
Spent $84.99
Saved $1352.92
February:
Spent $52.30
Saved $990.90
March:
Spent $58.12
Saved $465.59
April:
Spent $61.53
Saved $63.70
May:
Spent $95.33
Saved $123.04
June:
Spent $143.83
Saved $275.85
July:
Spent $112.02
Saved $197.31
August:
Spent $65.23
Saved $410.75
September:
Spent $88.84
Saved $187.93
October:
Spent $82.79
Saved $537.83
November:
Spent $55.86
Saved $40.45
December:
Spent $127.41
Saved $10.68
Total 2009 spent: $1028.25
Total 2009 saved: $4656.95
That represents an average spending of $85 per month and total savings of 78%! Not bad considering I had a baby this year, so there were a few bad morning-sickness months and a few home-bound months.
I can already tell that most things in life will be a little more challenging this year with a new baby, so I'm really going to have to prioritize and make good use of my time.
Goals for 2010
- Make weekly meal plans
- Stay under $100 per month
Print a $5/50 Kmart coupon HERE.
4/$6 General Mills Cereals
-$1 MFQ Cheerios HERE and HERE x 4
= $2.00/4
Get a FREE Green Works product (up to $3.79) when you buy any Green Works Natural Laundry Detergent. Use the $3 MFQ HERE also for a slick deal.
2/$4 Wet Ones Wipes
-$1.50 MFQ HERE x 2
= $0.50 each
There's also word of a Unilever coupon booklet with $45 in savings found in-store, so keep your eyes out!
Boy, this mommyhood business has been keeping me busier than I expected! When the little babe was brand new, she slept a lot so it was easier to find time to blog and do the other things I need to do. Now that she's getting a little older, she sleeps less and wants to play more when she's awake. It makes me feel a little guilty to work on deals instead of give her the attention she wants, but we're doing our best.
Now that she's 7 weeks, I can start taking her out in public a little more. I'm going to start taking her with me on my drugstore outings on Monday mornings, and I think that will help me get back into the swing of "real" life. (I've been going through some serious Rite Aid withdrawals!)
Upcoming Excitement:
- While I nurse the baby-cakes and I'm forced to sit still, I've been catching up on some reading -- namely my Martha Stewart and Real Simple magazines that have been stacking up! I've got some useful tips and cool websites I've found while reading that I'll pass along in the next little while.
- If you have any products or companies you love and would like to see sponsor a giveaway here, let me know and I'll be happy to contact them!
Target has changed their system for printable coupons -- they are now each able to be printed twice per computer. Bring a reusable bag and get $0.05 credit per bag at checkout!
Some people have reported finding catalina machines at their Target!!! Has anyone seen this in Utah yet?
{Print the Target coupon policy HERE.}
$1.00 Sobe Lifewater x 10
-$5 Target GC wyb 10
-$0.25 MFQ HERE x 10
= $0.25 each wyb 10
$5.00 Vaseline Skin Care x 2
-$5 Target GC wyb 2
-$1 MFQ (RP 12/13) x 2
= $1.50 each wyb 2
$4.49 Clean & Clear Morning Burst cleanser
-$2 MFQ HERE
= $2.49
$2.39 Special K Bars or Crackers x 2
-FREE Special K Fruit Crisps wyb 2 of the above
-$1 TQ HERE (or $1/2 TQ from RP 1/10) x 2
-$1/2 MFQ (RP 1/3)
= $1.78/3 == $0.59 each
$5.49 Special K Protein Shakes, 4 pack x 2
-$1 TQ (RP 1/10*) x 2
-$1/2 MFQ (RP 1/3)
= $3.99 each wyb 2
(*Yay! It's been so long since we've gotten a Target insert coupon!)
$2.75 Kashi GoLean Crunch Cereal
-$0.75 TQ HERE
= $2.00
$2.00 GE Reveal 60 Watt Lightbulbs, 4-pack
-$1.50 TQ HERE
= $0.50
$2.00 Juicy Juice
-$1 TQ HERE
= $1.00
$1.84 Barilla Plus Pasta
-$1/2 MFQ (SS 1/3)
= $1.34 each wyb 2
$2.99 Jennie-O Lean Ground Turkey
-$1/2 MFQ (SS 1/3)
= $2.49 each wyb 2
$2.49 Tyson Chicken Breast Nuggets
-$1/2 MFQ (SS 10/18, SS 10/11)
= $1.99 each wyb 2
$3.00 Kashi frozen entrees
-$1 TQ HERE
= $2.00
$1.88 Lean Cuisine Frozen Entrees
-$1/3 TQ HERE
= $1.55 each wyb 3
$2.94 Tide To Go Pen
-$1 MFQ (P&G 12/27)
= $1.94
$1.14 Blistex Lip Balm
-$0.25 MFQ (SS 11/15)
= $0.89
$2.50 Cascadian Farm Organic Granola x 2
-$1 MFQ HERE x 2
-$1/2 TQ HERE
= $1.00 each wyb 2
$1.57 Wonka Gummies
-$1 TQ HERE
= $0.57
$1.49 Green Giant Fresh Broccoli
-$1 TQ HERE
= $0.49
$2.00-ish Archer Farms Ham Steaks
-$2 TQ HERE
= FREE
$2.49 Nivea Lip Balm x 2
-BOGO Lip Care MFQ (RP 11/1)
= $1.25 each
$0.58 Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup
-$1/4 MFQ HERE
= $0.33 each
$1.57 Rolaids, 3 pack
-$4/2 MFQ (RP 10/4)
= 2 FREE
Find more Target matchups at ATS!
2/$6 Oral-B Cross Action toothbrush
-$2 RR wyb 2
-$0.75 MFQ (P&G 12/27) x 2
= $1.25 each
3/$9 Kotex products
-$4 RR wyb 3
-$2/2 MFQ (SS 1/10)
= $3/3
$4.99 Nivea Hydrating Shower Gel
-$2 RR
= $2.99
$2.49 Thermacare Heat Wrap (trial size)
-$2.50 RR
-$1 MFQ HERE
= $1 profit
$2.99 Colgate MaxFresh or MaxWhite Toothbrush or Toothpaste
-$2 RR
-$0.75 MFQ MaxFresh HERE (or SS 1/3)
= $0.24
2/$10 Bic Disposable Razors, 3 or 4-pack
-$5 BOGO MFQ (SS 1/10)
-$3/2 Walgreens coupon (in-store)
= 2/$2
$0.79 Kleenex Facial Tissue x 3 (with in-ad coupon)
-$0.50/3 MFQ (SS 12/6, SS 1/3) or HERE
= $0.62 each wyb 3
Buy $20+ of Loreal face, lip & mascara products and get $5 RR good on your next Loreal purchase. Use Loreal MFQ's from (RP 11/8), (RP 1/3) and (RP 1/11) or HERE.
All Clean & Clear and Aveeno facecare are BOGO50% this week. There are $2 MFQ's for Clean & Clear and Aveeno in (SS 1/10) and HERE.
Don't forget to use the $5/20 or $5/25 coupon this week.{Print the Rite Aid coupon policy HERE.}
$4.99 Contact Cold + Flu
-$4.99 SCR
-$2 MFQ HERE or (RP 1/10)
= $2 profit!
$4.99 Theraflu, select varieties
-$3 SCR
-$2 MFQ HERE and HERE
= FREE
$2.00 GE Soft White Longlife Lightbulbs, 2 pack
-$2 SCR
= FREE
$3.33 Tresemme Haircare
-$2 RAQ HERE
= $1.33
$8.99 Huggies jumbo pack diapers
-$1 SCR
-$1 MFQ (home mailers*)
-$1 RAQ HERE
= $4.99
(*No current insert or printable coupon right now! So unusual.)
$4.99 Dove Bodywash
-$1 RAQ HERE
-$1 MFQ HERE (page 38)
= $2.99
2/$5 Aunt Jemima Syrup
-$1/2 MFQ (RP 1/3)
= $2 each wyb 2
$4.89 Maybelline Great Lash
$2.45 Maybelline Great Lash (BOGO50%)
-$1 MFQ (RP 1/10) x 2
-$1 RAQ HERE x 2
-$2 SCR wyb 1 Maybelline mascara
= $0.67 each wyb 2
$1.99 Post Cereal
-$1/2 MFQ (SS 12/6)
= $1.49 each wyb 2
$1.99 Olay Bar Soap, 2-pack
-$1 MFQ (P&G 12/27)
= $0.99
$1.99 Zest, Ivory or Safeguard Bar Soap, 4-pack
-$1 MFQ (P&G 12/27)
= $0.99
$12.99 Duracell Batteries (20 AA + 5 Free)
-$0.75 MFQ (RP 12/13)
-$3 SCR
= $9.24
$4.99 Pedialyte
-$1.50 MFQ HERE or (SS 11/8)
= $3.49
Revlon cosmetics are BOGO. Use the $2 RAQ for Revlon foundation and the $2 MFQ (SS 12/13) for cheap cosmetics.
Almay cosmetics are BOGO. Get a $2 SCR (limit 1) when you purchase.
Sally Hansen products are BOGO50%. Use the $1 RAQ for Complete Nail Enamel for cheap nail polish.
Scenario #1:
$4.99 Contac
$4.99 Theraflu
$8.99 Huggies
$2.00 GE
-$5/20 RAQ
-$2 MFQ Contac
-$2 MFQ Theraflu
-$1 MFQ Huggies (home mailer)
-$1 RAQ Huggies
= $9.97 + tax
(And get back $10.99 SCR)
Scenario #2:
$3.33 Tresemme Shampoo
$3.33 Tresemme Conditioner
$4.99 Dove bodywash
$1.99 Ivory soap, 4-pack
$1.99 Ivory soap, 4-pack
$2.50 Aunt Jemima syrup
$2.50 Aunt Jemima syrup
-$5/20 RAQ
-$2 Tresemme RAQ x 2
-$1 Dove MFQ
-$1 Dove RAQ
-$1 Ivory MFQ x 2
-$1/2 Aunt Jemima MFQ
= $6.63 + tax
(And get back $1 SCR.)
Click HERE for a coupon preview of inserts coming tomorrow.
