Frugal Friday!

Today we have a tip about coupons from my dear Facebook friend Kathy-Dawn Hevelka. I suspect that she is a Fun Freedom, because I don’t think any type but a Fun would have the wherewithal to follow through so tenaciously on these bargains. Plus, more than any other type, Funs LOVE A BARGAIN…and they hate paying retail. I didn’t know that you didn’t have to pay retail until I met my first Fun friends. (And I tend to have a lot of them, because Organic Freedoms and Funs are all woefully remiss in staying in touch or being on time, and so are easy to forgive this shortcoming!) But this would also be helpful for Classics as well. Smarts and Organics? No. Just no.

Here’s a household tip – we call it the triple whammy. I cut coupons. Yes, this is a pain in the butt. Yes, this is probably how I will be spending evening. I cut as I go, but mainly due the big cut at the end of the month. (Yes, you guessed it, anal person cuts pretty much all of them out – have some to file, a “probably-not category”, an “other” persons category, a “husbands” category) (So, like, whyTF do I cut out dog coupons? don’t have dog – oh, friends have dogs, you get it, its bad) Anyway, it is worth it.

We are fans of Rite-Aid, Walgreens, and CVS. Personal fave is Rite Aid, because they have a monthly mail-in rebate catalog. (i.e. if you see something you are interested in, DONT just buy; wait, eventually it will be advertised at lower cost). Once a month, I submit my rebate online, and, like, clockwork, my check comes. In the extremely rare case that I have a problem, it has actually been very easy to rectify. You MUST fill in a few numbers on the submission form, and PAY ATTENTION to rebate rules, but if you do, there should be no problem. I have been an avid mail-in rebater since Iowa, so I guess since the late nineties.

Now, for those of you who are brand conscious, this may not always work, but do you really give a hoot about what you are using in your toilet? (I would say the primary products we buy from these stores are health/beauty, cleaning, household, and some grocery). My cabinets are filled with brands like, Palmolive, Pantene, Herbal Essences, Dove, Crest, (you get it, right? – even the brand conscious should find SOMETHING.)

Instead of doing rebates in the form of cash, CVS and Walgreens do rebates in the form of coupon dollars. The only thing I don’t like is that these coupons DO expire, but, yes, pile person has them on a magnet on my fridge to look at every day so I don’t forget – we’re probably at about 2% error rate, which isn’t bad – occasionally we do forget, but husband doesn’t care, he’ll make the cashier do two separate receipts, up to you)

So, the Triple Whammy is when you buy something on sale, with a coupon, and get a rebate or coupon cash. Tonight sent husband to CVS for toothbrushes and shampoo/conditioner. We ended up MAKING $3.00 on the toothbrushes, and paying 47 cents for the shampoo and conditioner (Pantene). Making $ is not uncommon, you aren’t getting rich or anything, it’s usually between .01 and $1.00, on average. Yes, we have coupons we can’t forget, but I’ll need diapers, and I do need a buff-puff actually . . . 

Best for Funs and Classics. Organics and Smarts leave well enough alone in good conscience.