finds

Just wanted to share a couple finds I made today!

I found a Christmas present in an unexpected place today and it was free! The library offers a box of magazines "free - take some" and I found a very old one dated the same month and year of a loved one's birth. AND, it is an uncommon magazine in his or her field of interest. That is all I can say...family will have to wait until Christmas....

OH, and another Christmas present I got today for FREE....Do you know about CVS' wonderful, generous customer rewards program? Well, just by scanning my CVS card, I got a coupon for a FREE $25 CVS gift card with a new or transferred prescription. Wehhhelllll, between the four of us we probably have eight prescriptions that I could choose from, so I did, and I got it. I can either give the gift card "as is" or I can use it to buy a restaurant gift card, AMEX gift card, etc. I was going to use it for myself, but this another way I can help us take a dent out of our Christmas spending.

Finally, I made an edible discovery in the yard (I'm ALL about food, you know!). We have these shrubs in a little patch beside the old shed. I had no idea what they were, just that they produced little fuzzy flowers. But they ARE something....Hazel Nuts! Filberts! And they are Ripe! Not enough to make fruitcake or anything, but I sure won't be cutting them down (or letting DH cut them down!) like I had planned! Love it.

It smells like winter outside: its cold and there are heavy dark clouds. Its 42 degrees and supposed to drop to 35 tonight, with snow showers and/or sleet tomorrow. Can't wait!

CVS trip

I am still pretty new at this, so I am SURE that this wasn't my best, but it was still pretty good for me. I bought all of this in 3 transactions, and spent a total of $6.04.

Transaction #1: Extreme Energy $4.99 + tax = OOP: $5.27 , Earned 4.99 ECBs


Transaction #2: 4 Pert Plus (BOGO) @ 3.99 each; 2 Excederin @ 2/$5, Dawn soap $.88.
Used: 4.99 ECB from previous transaction

$2 Pert coupon
$2 Pert coupon
$2 Excederin coupon
$.50 Dawn Coupon
$ 2/10 CVS coupon ($2 off a $10 purchase)


Total OOP: $.77

Earned: coupon for free asprins


Transaction#3: CVS adult low dose asprins - FREE!


OOP= Out of Pocket BOGO=Buy One Get One Free ECB=Extra Care Bucks



Sooooooooooooo, even though I did not QUITE make it $5, I wonder if this is helpful and/or encouraging to you. See, I had to get that second transaction over $10, but not too far over. When I gave the cashier the coupons, I had done TOO well, and she couldn't (or wouldn't) take my last coupon for $2 because my total was $.77 or something. So I just told her to ring up another Excederin and I'd use that. They were on sale anyways, so it cost me $3 for two. I needed them, so no biggie. I know that veteran CVS'ers would frown on this, but the OOP overage came out of coins from the bottom of my wallet!!

Check out other scenarios at Keeping the Kingdom First blog.....

Oh, one more thing. I didn't qualify for KKF challenge because I didn't "grow" my ECBs for use later. But I will, OH YES, I will next trip!!

AND, I could have made the entire purchase under $5, and alas, the REASON for my agitation and distraction is pictured in the photo above. I get rattled at the checkout and lose confidence when I am being badgered! On the way home I lectured her for 4 miles that "Mama will NEVER EVER EVER buy you anything at the register or the checkout line, so you NEVER EVER need to ask." "Do you understand?" "Yes." A moment later: "Mama, when I get big, I am going to buy LOTS of candy with my OWN money!"