A Drugstore Couponing Tutorial

I started couponing a couple of months ago and I have had a ton of people curious about how I do it. I post pictures of my goods on Facebook and every time, I get at least one person asking me to teach them. So, I decided to put together a little how-to using this weeks sales.

I go to Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid on a weekly basis. I use a mixture of printable and paper coupons. I usually go to the Krazy Couponing Lady site to match my coupons with the sales. I also can find some good deals at Kroger and Target, but the best freebies I have found are at the drugstores.

These three drugstores all have some sort of money back rewards program. Each week they run specials on certain products where you get a gift certificate type coupon to use during your next visit.

Walgreens- The trickiest drugstore to coupon at- but they have some great sales. Walgreens is the only drugstore where you can get rewards back and not have to have a membership card. This means that even though they limit the number of rewards per person, you can come back the next day if you want and get a repeat deal. Walgreens also prints a coupon book that you can pick up in store. You can combine 1 Manufacturer coupon with 1 store coupon on each item.

Heres what I got at Walgreens this week:

Mitchum Deodorant (2) on sale for $3 and when you buy 2, you get $4 register rewards. I had a bunch of 75cents off 1 Mitchum Deodorant coupons so I combined them with the sale.
I paid $6- 1.50 (2 coupons)-4.00 Register rewards good off my next purchase= .50 for 2, or .25 each

Dove Men+care soap 6 pack (2) on sale for $6 and when you buy 2, you get a $4 register reward. We got a $4 off MF coupon in the paper a couple of weeks ago, so when I combined the coupon with the rewards, I got 2 6 packs for free. $12-$8 (2 coupons)-$4 register rewards= $0 for 2

Chex mix (2) on sale for $1. We got a .50 cents off 1 coupon in last weeks paper. So I got 2 of them for 50cents each.

Schick Slim twin disposable razors (12 pk) on sale for $5.99. When you buy 1 you get a $2 register reward. You can also print a 3.00 off 1 coupon from the Schick facebook page. Combine these 2 things and pick up a package for 99 cents (12 razors!)
5.99-3.00 coupon from facebook- $2 register reward= .99cents for a 12 pack

Milka Chocolate bars on sale for $1.50. The walgreens booklet has a coupon for $1 off 2 bars and you can print 2 1.00 off coupons from bricks.coupons.com to get these for free!
I paid 3 - 2.00 (2 online coupons) - $1 walgreens coupon= free

This week they also have some great deals on school supplies... .19cent mechanical and regular pencils. .9cent folders and .9cent highlighters :)


CVS- There are a couple incentives to couponing at CVS. First of all, if they are having a really good sale, but are out of stock on the item you want to purchase, you can get a raincheck for that item to purchase it at a later date for the same price (including Register Rewards). Another great thing about CVS is the coupon machine. Scan your CVS card and get additional in store coupons that you can combine with MF coupons.

This is what I got this week at CVS:

Oral B indicator toothbrushes (2) On sale for 1.99. We got
a 2.00/2 indicator toothbrushes coupon a few weeks back in the paper. You also get a 1.00 register rewards when you buy 1 (limit 2). SO, I paid:
3.98-2.00 coupon - 2.00 register rewards = -.2cents for 2 toothbrushes!

Crest toothpaste- 1.99. We got a 75 cents off 1 crest toothpaste last week in the paper. You also get 1.00 rewards when you buy 1 (limit 2) This would make them 24 cents a tube.

Pantene Prov- on sale for 3.49. Get $2 register rewards when you buy 2. We also got a 3.00/2 coupon in the paper a while back. Combine these to get 2 bottles for 99 cents each. I just so happened to have another CVS coupon for 2.00/2 that printed at the register a while back, so I got mine completely FREE!

Cottonelle Fresh Wipes 1.99- you can print a coupon from Cottonelle  for 1.00 off and get these for .99 cents!

Rite Aid- My favorite thing about couponing at Rite Aid is the surveys. With every purchase, you get a code to fill out a survey online. For every survey you fill out (max 3 per month) you can print a coupon for $3 off a $15 purchase. Rite Aid gives "UP" rewards to use towards your next purchase just like the other drugstores.

What I purchased at Rite Aid this week:

U by Kotex liners- .99cents. You can print a 1.00 coupon from Kotex and get these for FREE!

Oral B CrossAction toothbrushes 2.99. You get a 1.50 Up Reward when you buy 1. Combine this with the 2.00/crossaction toothbrush coupon we got in the paper a while back, and MAKE .50cents on these!

Excedrin 20 ct (including Migraine) 1.99- use the .75cent coupon we got a while back in the paper and pick these up for 1.24 each.

WELL, thats it! Sounds complicated, but once you get the hang of it, it doesn't take long at all. If your just starting out, you will want to get a couple copies of the paper every week to build your coupons up. I put mine in a binder with trading card inserts.

Yeah, yeah..I know. I AM one of those crazy coupon ladies with their binders in the drugstore :/ I get a lot of free stuff though! If you all want me to keep passing along the weekly coupon deals, let me know and I will. Or you can visit the Krazy Coupon Lady website for the weekly deals.

Used Cloth Diapers: $2 Econobum's on Craigslist!

Occasionally I look on Craigslist to see if anyone locally has any diapers for sale. Not like we need any more..just curious really. A couple of weeks ago, I found a sweet deal on Econobum's. They were barely used and a lady sold me 4 of them for $10! They are the new ones with colored trim, too. Plus she gave me 5 old Bumgenius OS diapers for free! Yeah, thats right...FREE! She said that the BG's had been through 3 kids, but still had a lot of wear left in them. Perfect to use as backup diapers. I gave some to a friend who had just started cloth diapering, and kept a couple for myself.

Now, I have never used prefolds before, but I just couldn't pass up $2 diapers. And they were in perfect condition. Barely used, really. They aren't that much different to use than pockets or all in ones. You just have to fold the diaper and lay it inside the cover. I did find that it was a little difficult getting it folded right, but I think I just about have it figured out. They are very absorbent and even work well at night.

I realize that buying used cloth diapers sounds really gross, but you can clean them really well. I let mine soak overnight in Rockin Green. Then, I washed them in hot water several times without any soap. After I washed them I let them dry out in the sun for a couple of hours. If they have any stains, this will get rid of them. Then you are good to go! Buying used is a very economical way to get started cloth diapering or to help build your stash. The more diapers you have in rotation, the longer they will last.

A couple of great websites for purchasing used cloth diapers:
- Craigslist 
- Diaper Swappers 
- Ebay
- The Diaper Jungle Forum 

9 Month Check Up: Conjunctivitus and Logan's First Tooth!

We had Logan's 9 month well visit today. He has had a blocked tear duct since he was born, but this past week it has been particularly bad. His left eye has been stuck shut every morning and his lid is red and swollen. Turns out, he has Conjunctivitus (Kind of the same thing as pink eye, but not contagious). The doctor is also concerned that his tear duct has not opened up by now, so she wants us to see a specialist to talk about surgery! We couldn't get in to the Opthamologist until October, so hopefully it will heal up by then. 

As the doctor was checking his mouth, she spied his first tooth coming through. It must have come through during the night because I didn't notice it yesterday. His bottom left. We all thought he would cut his top teeth first, even the doctor. And he is almost 20 pounds! He is growing up so fast! 

We took Logan on his first boating adventure at the lake this weekend..He loved it! We will be going to the beach in the next month or so and I am looking forward to letting him splash in the ocean for the first time. 

Daddy's Boy

Yesterday was Tyler's first fathers day. I am so proud of the Father and Husband he has become this past 9 months. He truly loves Logan with all of his heart and it shows in every interaction he has with him. I couldn't ask for a better Father for my child. And Logan loves him so much. He has turned into such a Daddy's boy. He cries when Tyler leaves the room and lights up when he comes in from work. It is so sweet.

Yesterday at church we had a guest speaker- One of my favorite authors, Donald Miller. He has wrote several best selling books including Blue Like Jazz and A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. I was so stoked to meet him and have him sign my book. Blue Like Jazz is one of my all time favorite books. I have like 5 copies and I give them to everyone as gifts. If you haven't read it, you should! I am currently reading A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. Check out his website here.

We have a Crawler

We have had some technical difficulties around here, so I haven't been able to blog lately. During a storm last week, lightning came through the electrical lines and fried our computer and router. So not only did we not have our desktop, but we couldn't use the wireless either. We got it fixed, though AND I finally got my laptop fixed after about a year of it being broken...So hopefully I will be able to blog much more frequently. I just hope all of my pictures were not lost in the process. Thank goodness I have the hospital pics backed up and a lot of the others on my facebook.

Logan has finally started crawling on Sunday! He is still doing the army crawl thing, but he can pretty much get wherever he wants now. He has also learned how to sit up by himself. I went to get him up the other morning and he was just sitting in his crib playing. He is growing up so fast. In just a few short weeks he will be 9 months old. I could almost have another one by now...I would be crazy...but it is possible. We really want to wait probably at least another year or so before we start trying again. Logan is keeping me on my toes as it is.

People keep asking me if he is talking yet...He makes noises constantly, but no real words. My husband told me the other night that he was going to say "dada" first ....Logan looked at him right after he said it and said "dadadada"... Coincidence I am sure :) He is such a Daddy's boy. When Tyler comes in during the day he smiles and reaches for him. He cries when he leaves the room. They say boys normally love their Mama's more, but I don't know about it...

On the business front..I have started making earrings! I want to expand beyond baby things and make other gifts as well. Here is my favorite pair, made from Michael Miller's Birds of Norway material. Adorable and one of a kind.

You can purchase a pair in my Etsy shop for just $6!

June Kelly's Closet Coupon Codes

Right now, Kelly's Closet is offering a FREE one size diaper with $79 purchase..Guaranteed value of at least $23, which could mean a free Rumparooz, Tots Bots or Kissaluvs. I have a couple Rumparooz and they are fantastic! I'm all stocked up right now, or I would definitely be placing an order. Just enter the code HONEYSUCKLE at checkout. Limit 1 code per order and 2 per customer.

They also have some $ off coupons running right now as well.

$6 off a $36 purchase... Enter the code JUNE6

$12 off a $112 purchase... Enter the code JUNE12

or $36 off a $236 purchase....Enter the code JUNE36

These coupons can expire any time, so get them while they last!! Click my Kelly's Closet link to the left to let them know I sent ya :)

The past 3 weeks....

I can't belive it has been 3 weeks since I have posted...I am such a slacker. In my defense, though, we have been crazy busy.

Logan is finally over his ear infections and virus. I am keeping my fingers crossed that he will stay well for a while. It seems like we are in the doctors office every month for something or the other. His teeth seem to be bothering him today. He has a runny nose and is super fussy. Teething is the worst.

He is growing up so fast. He wants to crawl so bad he cant stand it. He can get up on his hands and knees, but just doesn't know what to do after that. But he can pivot and roll all the way across the room. Over these past few weeks he has also learned to hold his own bottle, drink from a sippy cup, and has started eating meats. I really can't believe it.

This week we have really been working on our landscaping and garden. I have a little vegetable garden on the side of the house. Before last summer, I had never grown a thing in my life. I guess it was part of my nesting kicking in, but I really wanted to grow one. So i had my brother in law till me a little patch of land and I planted some things. We didn't really eat much from it last year, but I have high hopes for a better garden this year. I now know what we will actually eat and what we will not. I also hope to use it to make some of Logan's food. We shall see. This year, I planted onions, tomatoes, carrots, green beans, green and red peppers, sugar snap peas, lettuce, spinach and cucumbers. We also planted a little herb garden right outside of our bedroom window. I will post pictures in a few weeks when things are actually starting to grow.

I am also oh-so-excited to announce that my best friend, Amanda, has finally started cloth diapering!! And she loves it! I have a couple other people that I am trying to convince as well...I really feel like if people knew how easy it was and realized how much money they could save, everyone would cloth diaper. If you have questions about it, feel free to email me. I love to talk about it :) Here is sweet Lylah Anne  in her new BumGenius Artist series cloth diapers:

Isn't she adorable?