I mentioned before I am going on a trip. This trip has had several incarnations, but the final one is 4 days in Chicago.
I have to fly. I haven't flown in over 9 years, when I went on my honeymoon. I used to love flying. I would fight for the window seat and press my face against the glass loving the view. It just took one bad flight home from the Bahamas in a storm to make me a little nervous about flying. Also I haven't flown since 9/11, so things are really different with security and all.
I have asked everyone I know a million questions about packing and what you can and can't bring, flights, airlines, and gone on every website in the world looking up the same things. All that is left is wrap up some errands this weekend and pack. We leave Wednesday and come back on Saturday.
I'm a chronic worrier, so I guess this is just my latest thing to worry about. But I am looking forward to seeing Chicago when I get there.
So since I get all this free or very cheap stuff from CVS and the stores from all this couponing, I thought you would like to know if any of this stuff actually works. Being brand loyal is not a feasible option in couponing. You have to get what is on sale, so you have to be willing to try new products.
There are a few products that you seem to get very cheap and therefore amass quite a collection; deodorant, toothpaste, and razors. I have actually put a ban on getting any toothpaste or deodorant unless it is absolutely free. I won't even pay 50 cents. I have enough.
But razors, I was quite impressed by how many I have accumulated, but I won't stop yet. I really like getting new ones for some reason.
I had this bag of disposable razors from Target before I started couponing back in March, and I just finally finished them about two weeks ago. Finally time to break out the new ones from CVS. My first choice was the Schick Quattro For Women High Performance Razor, regularly retails for about $7.99. It has four blades, yes four blades. The most I had ever used was 2 so this was a pretty big step up for me. I was worried it was going to rip the freckles right off my legs.
So I took my first sweep on my legs with the Quattro and it felt like nothing. No hair pulling, no nicks, nothing. In fact I was pretty convinced it wasn't taking anything off my legs including the hairs. But I did a couple more passes. Then I rinsed off and felt my leg. Smooth as a baby's butt, I'm not kidding ya. I was convinced this thing was dull as a butter knife, when in fact it was just gentle but completely did the job. I have used it a few more times and it kept its performance every time and left my legs very soft and smooth. It comes three in a pack and I highly recommend. No more need to steal your man's razor.
You may have never heard of CVS'ing. If you haven't you must check the link at the bottom of this post to see how it is done. Its basically using coupons, comparing sales, and using Extra Care Bucks (ECB's) which are reward dollars you get from CVS for buying certain things. The combination of using these discounts can get you tons of toiletries and households products for incredibly cheap and many times free.
When my friend introduced me to CVS'ing, she told me "You will never go to Target or Walmart again for all your household and body needs". I was skeptical but went right to it next day researching all I could about couponing and the deals at CVS. I caught on pretty quick.
I started in March, and I only go to CVS about twice a week for the new deals. But I have amassed a great deal of the products I need. I have also stretched my couponing into my trips at the grocery stores. I have saved a ton. I highly recommend it.
I went twice today as its just god awful hot out today and I don't want to have to make several trips during the week.
1st Trip
2 Clean and Clear Steam Soft In Shower Facials $5.99 each = $11.98
1 Clean and Clear Morning Burst Cleanser $5.99
2 L'Oreal Vive Shampoos $4.99 each (buy one get one free) = $4.99
1 pkg of Hefty One-Zip Travel Bags (going away soon, but that's another post) = $1.49
Total $24.45
Coupons
$1.00 off Vive
$1.00 off Vive
$2.00 off any Clean and Clear product
$3.00 off any 2 soft Clean and Clear products
$3.00 off any purchase of $15.00 at CVS
ECB's used = $14.45
Total out of pocket paid = .39 cents
And made $5.00 in ECB's
Yes, 39 cents for all that. I did use more of my extra care bucks that I like to, because I don't have a printer at home and I was short 2 coupons and I didn't make a profit. But I have plenty of face wash to last me quite while.
2nd Trip
I decided to go back again today because on my first trip I found a great deal on clearance.
3 Glade Scented Oil Candle Refills $2.49 each = $7.47
1 Glade Oil Candle Holder $5.49
1 Glade Oil Trio Candle Holder $5.00 (on clearance, was originally $9.99)
1 CVS Makeup Remover Wipes $2.99
Total = $20.95
Coupons
$2.49 Buy two get one free on Glade Candle Refills
$3.00 off any purchase of $15.00 at CVS
$2.00 off any CVS Skincare
$3.00 off any Glade Candle
$3.00 off any Glade Candle
ECB's Used $7.00
Total Out of Pocket with tax $1.09
And made $4.00 in ECB's
Again not a moneymaker but I got a nice stash of beautiful smelling candles for the house or I can put them away for Christmas presents.
If you want to get into CVS'ing and couponing in general check out this link.
Hot Coupon World
I had another blog for about a year and a half. It was a blog about the things I baked. I have an insane addiction to sugar and baking was my way of making that addiction constructive.
But unlike most blogs where you just type down what you are thinking or something you like or saw, this involved making a product every post. Most of my creations took at least three to four hours, with buying ingredients, making the dessert, taking pictures, editing pictures and then writing out the whole recipe and posting the blog. I had a few challenges that took 8 to 9 hours and even a few that took 2 to 3 days. It became very time consuming. I couldn't keep up with other sites that would post new creations sometimes 2 to 3 times a week. I have a full time job and house full of pets to take care of when I get home.
It started to become more of an obligation than fun. And if its something you ain't getting paid for and don't have to do, then it better be fun. So that blog came to a sad yet understandable end. I still wanted to blog yet didn't want to be restrained by having to have a product every time I made a post. Hence Nice Pumpkins is born.
I'm 35, married, living in New Jersey and I have an wonderful love of anything that falls in the month of October, especially Halloween, the greatest holiday of the year. So when it came time 2 years ago for me to go and get a tattoo, something Halloween related was obvious to me. I wanted something not gory but not too cartoonish. My lovely tattoo guy, Bobby, came up with my three pumpkins and added a few bats for good measure.
I know, its on the lower back and I'm a girl. But I don't think this type of tattoo was what people had in mind when they came up with the term Tramp Stamp. Its not tribal or roses with vines going through it. Its me, and I love my little pumpkins back there. I don't regret them for a second.
Have no clue where this blog will take me. For right now I am just going to post about what I want to and we will see where it goes.
