Saturday, July 26, 2008

My best bargain day ever



Walgreens paid me $97.59 to take $539 of merchandise off their hands today. Seriously. It was awesome.

Some of you know that for about four months I have been bargain shopping with coupons at drugstores, known online as the "drugstore game," because many people challenge themselves to see how much stuff they can get super cheap or free. You get the best deals by combining store sales, rebate programs and manufacturer's coupons to get stuff free or even MAKE A PROFIT (!) for buying certain products.

This week's awesome deal at Walgreen's was (drumroll, please.......) DIAPERS! So with two munchkins in diapers, you can guess how thrilled I was! I don't usually post the little deals I get with my bargain-hunting, but I couldn't resist today. I am so thankful to be able to take advantage of this deal. It is going to help Lucas and I budget-wise so much over the next few months! I really do think it is just a gift from God.

Here's how we came out after a day of shopping:

Items purchased: 

57 Jumbo packs of diapers
4 Baby Einstein teethers
4 Sippie cups
3 packs of string cheese
1 Baby Einstein rattle
1 Aveeno shaving cream
1 2 pack of Binky pacifiers
1 Scrubbing bubbles action scrubber
1 Pert Plus shampoo
1 Baby teething beads
1 Disney playdough
1 CountryTime lemonade mix
2 Coke 2L
2 Ramen noodles
1 Pack mechanical pencils
1 small keychain

And the totals (Can you believe this?!?):

Total money spent out of pocket: $8.19
Register Rewards (can be used like cash at Walgreens) received: $95
Rebates to receive cash back: $10.78
Total shelf price of items purchased: $539.63

Thank you, Lord!!

P.S. I just had the thought that I really should thank my dad for instilling in me the love of a bargain. Although it probably mortified me at the time, those childhood trips to triple coupon grocers where we left with 5 carts full of free toilet paper likely inspired my love of a good bargain! 

11 comments:

Kristen said...

Cherissa -- I think you need to post the "how" for those of us with two kids in diapers -- and paying for them! ;0 HELP!

Mom Keena said...

You and Sarah S crack me up! I, too am a Walgreen's coupon shopper. Sad news is, there are no Walgreen's in Bozeman! I'll have to learn a little more about CVS. I think Sarah said she does the same thing there.

Jonathan said...

This is awesome, Cherissa! I did this in grad school a lot because we had Walgreen's, Eckerd, and CVS all on the way to/from the school where I taught. But I NEVER got a deal like this. Awesome!

Amy

Trish said...

Cherissa! I didn't know you were a Drugstore junkie like me! It's like this wonderful little club that I try to welcome people to join...but when I tell them about it, their eyes sort of glaze over. I was like that until about 3 years ago, when it finally "clicked". I did a little class for the homeschool group. In the last year, just in Walgreen rebates alone, I've gotten back over $500. That doesn't count all the hundreds of $ in Register Rewards. AND, I scour the ads every week and then pricematch at Walmart so I don't have to go to every single store in town! A few weeks ago I pricematched an ad that had ground chuck at 1.69 a pound! I went to Walmart and bought about 15 pounds...I came home and squeezed it all into hamburgers. We grill out a lot, but even if I just need a pound for hamburger meet, I just grab one or two hamburger patties and I'm good. You go girl!!!!

the schilps said...

are you kidding me?! you got 57 packs of diapers for free?! my brother in law would be so proud. he LOVES walgreens, for the exact reason that he can get stuff for cheap, if not free. well done, my bargain shopper friend. we have a walgreens within walking distance.... i should get some tips from you.
love you.
abbe

Stephanie said...

I love how excited Maggie is!!! Too cute!

Smits Family said...

I LOVE the picture! What a fun idea! GREAT JOB! I am so glad to know you are a Walgreens person too.... only 24 packs for us, but that is pretty good considering my hubby did them all as I sat on my bottom in the hospital! :)

Brandy Roebuck said...

You will have to tell me how I can do this. I have no idea how this works.

Kerwin Dees said...

Cherissa,

I am proud of your thriftiness and your hard work. It takes a lot of research, preparation, and organization to do what you did.

I am curious if you have to pay sales tax on free merchandise or is that another hidden cost savings?

Proud that you are helping provide for your family. It is never wasted time to play or pray with your small kids along with making a peaceful home for you family.

Dad.

Anonymous said...

yahooie!! you struck oil!!

Amazing shopping spree!
Congrats,
Aunt Carol

Anonymous said...

I love the picture of the kids. They are precious!

Aunt Carol