Rebates, Walgreens and CVS

On the rebate front: I should be getting $7.98 back from Kraft LiveActive, making my aforementioned cheese purchase free.   

The following items from Walgreens are also free after rebates:

1 Garnier Fructis Conditioner $3.99
1 Softsoap Spa Radiant Body Wash $3.74 (w/ $.45 coupon)

Walgreen’s TOTAL = $7.73

OOP TOTAL = $0

And although my CVS purchases are NOT free after rebate, I got some pretty good deals:

1 Garnier Fructis Shampoo +
1 Garnier Fructis Conditioner = $10 ($5 in ECB)
1 Stayfree Item = $3.29 ($3.29 ECB)

1 $1.00 Stayfree Coupon
$2 CVS ECB

= $10.77 w/ tax — $8.29 ECB

CVS OOP TOTAL = $2.49 

It just goes to show that while there is nothing inherently wrong with buying the least expensive generic-brand shampoos, being frugal doesn’t necessarily mean limiting oneself to them. In fact, with the right combo of store deals and coupons, the name-brand items end up being better deals.

Just an example: The cheapest priced toothpaste in my area is arguably Aim, at $.99 a box. I have purchased about 7 tubes of Colgate and Aquafresh Advanced in recent weeks and while I can’t give you the actual breakdown in price — they were combined with other deals — the cost was nominal: far less than $.99 per box.

I Lied

Contrary to my previous post, I did end up shopping at CVS this week. It turned out that some Extra Bucks I had on hand were about to expire, and I wasn’t about to let that happen.

The deals really weren’t that great, but here’s what I picked up:

Trip #1

1 personal hygiene product: $3.69
1 box CVS brand tissue: $1.15

=$4.84

—$3 ECB
—$1 hygiene product coupon

Out of pocket total = $.84

Trip #2

1 3-pack Colgate 360 Toothbrushes: $6.99 ($2 ECB back)
1 2-pack Aquafresh Advanced: $4.99

=$11.98

—$2 Aquafresh advanced coupon
—$2/10 CVS coupon
—$4 ECB

+tax

—$2 in ECB back

Out of pocket total = $2.34

OVERALL OUT OF POCKET = $3.18

Free Cheese

Cheese enthusiasts should visit the Kraft website for a $9 mail-in rebate on LiveActive cheese.

January 2007 vs. January 2008

About a year ago, I stumbled upon a wonderful website called Frugal For Life, which launched my interest and participation in the simplicity movement. Since then, I have implemented a number of healthy changes, especially where my spending habits are concerned.

I was reviewing my credit card expenses this month and thought it would be fun to pull out the statement from one year ago, to see how much I spent on my grocery bill and takeout food, and contrast those figures with expenditures from this month, in January 2008. What makes January 2007 and 2008 ideal contrasts? In January 2007 I had just started cutting back on a few unnecessary expenses. 

Let’s see what I spent:

January 2007:

Takeout food (including coffee and liquor): $74.06
Grocery: $116.46

January 2008:

Takeout food (including coffee and liquor): $38.53
Grocery: $100.61

To summarize: I spent $35.53 (%48) less on takeout meals and $15.85 (%14) less at the grocery store. My grocery expenditure has remained fairly consistent, although I am shopping at less expensive stores.

It doesn’t appear to be a significant difference at first glance, but keep in mind that the statements in question overlap with the last half of December. Despite the holidays, a time when one might be inclined to overspend, I still managed to curb my expenses and spent less money this time around than a year ago in 2007.

And although I don’t have an official record of the number of purchases for which I paid cash in either month, I do have records of several trips to the bank in January 2007. This month, I have visited only once — to open a Roth IRA.

Conclusion? It looks like progress to me! I feel like celebrating with some takeout pizza…

…just kidding.

An Unhealthy Deal

I just can’t get excited about this week’s deals at CVS.

Since I don’t use many of these products — and the ones I do are cheaper at Wal-Mart — the most useful ECB sale item(s) on the list involves buying $20 of Pepsi products (aka junk food) for $10 ECB. This doesn’t strike me as a frugal purchase. Ditto for the Dove candy and misc. chocolate products. The fact that is it inexpensive/free doesn’t amount to much when one considers its ramifications on an otherwise healthy diet. Therefore, making this purchase is akin to eating at McDonald’s every week because many of the food items are priced at $.99. How much is that by-pass going to cost you? And how much pain are you willing to suffer? I’m not against an occasional treat, but $20 goes a long way. Too long, in my opinion.

I’d rather spend that money on naval oranges, which are delicious treats at this time of year.

Looks like no CVS for me this week.

Thoughts on the Entertainment Book

A copy of the 2008 Entertainment Book came into my possession this afternoon. No one gifted me the item; I purchased it myself, just to take advantage of a significant discount in an upcoming expense. Otherwise I would never have bothered: I’ve heard that the quality of the deals therein depend upon your geographic region, many individuals complain that the ratio of useful items is grossly misproportioned, and that the savings, in and of themselves, aren’t really worthwhile.

Upon examination of its contents, I must affirm the veracity of these statements. Some claim these books offer better deals in other regions — this is not the case here. My copy contains too many BOGO coupons for junk/fast-food and eateries that fall outside my purview (in distance and taste). As a healthy lifestyle — part of which involves dining out as little as possible, if at all — dovetails with my current outlook on frugal living, I don’t see an opportunity to put those KFC coupons to use. The same goes for the other commodities listed in the book. I look for used items when I purchase music and books. I don’t play mini-golf, nor am I going to drive thirty miles to the advertised batting cage to use the coupon for one free token. And I do not foresee an occassion to use any of the discounted car rental coupons this year. We’re striking out here.

I did detatch a few coupons that might be useful at some point. But utilizing the bulk of these coupons would involve paying more out of pocket for goods and services that I do not need and would ordinarily not consider. The ends do not justify the means. So, what to do with the rest of the book? It does have proper heft to make a lovely doorstop…

On Craving a Little Lot of Spice

A cold has made its untimely appearance. Rather than risk bronchitis, I decided to forgo a skiing trip I had planned to attend this weekend. However, being sequestered indoors just leads to listlessness and hunger,  so naturally my thoughts turn to foods noted for their high levels of heat and spice. Carrot Ginger soup (recipe courtesy of a search on the Food Network) certainly fits the bill. I’ve made it twice already: The most recent batch was consumed last week and I am currently entertaining requests for a third pot. This recipe sounds like a keeper to me. And it is such a welcome departure from bland, quotidian side dishes.

Now that I am sick, it sounds even better — only now I’m hoping that someone else makes it for me.

Carrot Ginger Soup2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup diced onions
1/2 cup diced celery
1/4 cup minced ginger*
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 pound carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
4 to 6 cups chicken (or/and vegetable) stock
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup heavy cream or evaporated milk (healthier option)
A few dashes of nutmeg, celery salt, onion salt
1/4 cup sour cream
Chopped chives, for garnish

Instructions
Set a 4-quart stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the butter and olive
oil to the pot. Once the butter is melted, place the onions and celery in the pot. Sweat the vegetables until the onions are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic to the pot and cook for 30 seconds. Place all of the carrots in the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are lightly caramelized and start to soften, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add the stock, salt, pepper and bay leaf to the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook the soup until the carrots are tender, about 20 to 25 minutes. Add a few dashes of nutmeg, celery salt and onion salt to taste.

Remove the bay leaf from the pot and using an immersion blender puree the soup directly in the pot or in batches in a bar blender. Adjust the seasoning, add the heavy cream to the pot.

To serve, garnish with 1 tablespoon of sour cream per serving and a sprinkling of fresh chives.

(*too spicy for some people’s tastes — reduce this amount or make a double batch)

Weekend Links Theme: Pinched!

A recent Business Week article indicates that economic worries have finally caught up to the affluent. High-end retailers like SAKS, Neiman-Marcus and Nordstrom have reported notable sales slumps in recent months. Not surprsigingly, Wal-Mart continues to thrive. There is a great disparity, however, between the news I read and what I witness in real life. Despite an economic slump, the weekend crowds at local stores and shopping malls continue to intimidate me. Everyone seems to be loading up on a plethora of items. Either they’re expert bargain-hunters, ridiculously wealthy, or maybe these are the folks who keep spending themselves into debt and denial. I don’t know.

And as an aside, I’ve been hearing some distressing news at Money Saving Mom about the future of internet coupons at CVS. I learned awhile back that Wal-Mart does not accept them. If this is true, I hope it takes them awhile to implement. CVS might lose some business if consumers lose out on savings.

But if you’re feeling pinched, there is hope. It is never too late to join the voluntary simplicity movement, either officially or unofficially, and take control of your financial health before (more) debt sneaks up on you.

On Eating Out (of House and Home)

During my brief tenure as a reader of personal finance websites, I’ve enjoyed many articles and blog entries devoted to the subject of frugal living. Many posters like to ruminate on specific topics; others share a plethora of bulleted lists, tips, or DIY’s — all of which provide suggestions on trimming weekly/monthly expenditures. After awhile, however, many of these tips run together. And above all, one suggestion seems to be universal: Decrease (if not eliminate) your eating-out activities.    

Had I stumbled upon this suggestion as recently as one year ago, it would have been a bitter pill to swallow. Dining out is a pleasant activity, one that I enjoy very much. Growing up, my family and I used to eat out every Friday night. In our high school years my friends and I similarly welcomed the weekend at bustling restaurants, prior to taking a movie.

This activity still holds warm associations with the weekend’s arrival, but, for me, the rate of frequency reached levels of absurdity throughout college and into my mid-twenties. Despite living in an area that boasts a mediocre selection of quality eateries, I do have certain favorites, ones I used to frequent at a startling rate. As a young adult I indulged in the art of solo dining, all too frequently. 

Now, my generation regards this as a shameful activity, this dining alone in public. Many view eating as a purely social activity than a necessity required of living, much less an art. Perhaps the idea of eating alone hearkens back to school-days, where the image of social outcasts munching their lonely viands at empty tables burns brightly. Maybe you were that kid. Some acquaintances of mine would rather skip a meal than risk being observed dining alone. I’ve never been overly self-conscious about it. To me, the sublimity of dining in elegant solitude overruled any slight misgivings I felt. Yes, I am without company this evening: what of it? Must I also be deprived of a good dinner?

But I digress. There came a time when I deemed all of this eating out a danger— to my health and wallet alike. It helped that this realization came in tandem with my participation in a local hiking group, where I experienced difficulty climbing steep hills. Soon my penchant for eating out-of-home withered. Instead, I cooked. (Unlike certain fellow post-baby boom females, I do not feel any particular aversion to cooking.) And whenever I feel like going simple, one can make many-a meal out of warm oatmeal, salad greens and fresh fruit, without much difficulty. In addition to reducing my weekly food expenditure from dollars to pennies, I also have enjoyed significant improvements in my overall health.

But quitting anything cold-turkey is hard. And frankly, it offends one’s sense of balance. Tonight, after finding myself especially hungry and having little on hand to constitute a decent meal, I ventured out to procure food from a restaurant I used to frequent. Prior to today, I hadn’t eaten out in a month. And how was tonight’s experience? It fulfilled its function, having sated my appetite and spared me of a sinkful of dirty dishes. But, I admit, it was expensive and not as a healthy as I am used to. The experience didn’t awaken any pangs or pining for my old habit. Thus, I may safely assume that takeout dinners are, thankfully, a thing of the past.

Paid to Shop

CVS deals continue to be lucrative. 

This week:

4 Palmolive Dish Detergent (13 oz.) = $1.49 w/ card; $1 ECB 
1 Garnier Fructis Conditioner (13 oz.) = $2.99; $2.00 ECB
1 Oral-B Toothbrush (non-sale item, but I needed it)
_______________________________________

TOTAL = $11.94

—CVS $2/10
—Palmolive .40
—CVS $4 ECB
_______________________________________

TOTAL out of pocket = $5.90 after tax
_______________________________________

CVS ECB’s earned = $6.00
_______________________________________

ACTUAL TOTAL = —.10
_______________________________________