what has Annette been doing?

Well its about time I reveal my secret life. The life of a girl that loves to save money, so I can spend it on more important things. Not just stamps of course, we have a big family! The way I figure it, anything I can keep in my pockets is a good thing. So this is my big reveal. I shop at places that pay you for shopping there. Pay attention here, I can save you a LOT of money! And if you think its just for things that I buy, and that you dont buy? Much of this I shop for now I use because its free or very close to it. Again its my creative life, and its about time I shared it ALL with you!!!

Ok, starting out here with this photo of todays trip to CVS pharmacy. Its like a Walgreens if you have those nearby but here is the cool thing for me. They have a card you use that saves you on the deals of the week, and pays you back on items they choose for that week. Its called an Extra Care card and its free to get. Hey if I handed you a $50 bill would you throw that out the window? I think not:)

I started by purchasing a Soy candle from Glade at the hefty price of $6.99. Now I dont actually need the candle but it will make a nice gift or can be brought out when we have guests. ( remember, 6 kids and a cat). I used my ECC ( Extra Care card) and a manufacturers coupon for $3 off the candle. When I paid my $4.50 for the candle, the cash register spit out a coupon for $6.99 ( the original price of the candle) that I can use on a future purchase. This is an EB or Extra Bucks which works like cash. NICE! So the candle I didn't really need, just got me paid $2.49 to bring home with me. Get it?

Next, since the rest of my purchases today were future purchases from the candle, I started out by basing a savings of at least $6.99 (EB, remember from the candle?). I ALWAYS go to the clearance shelf, and to the ones in each store since they are different. There I found two bottles of automatic shower cleaner ( usually $5.29 each) for 75 cents each, and I had a coupon for $2 off two bottles. They cant give you more than the cost so I got them free at $1.50 savings. I also purchased two cans of OUST sanitizer spray for surface and air ( regular price $3.99 each)
to de-stink the kids being in the car ALL SUMMER! The cost on clearance was just 50 cents a can, and I had a BOGO ( buy one, get one free) coupon. Total cost for these was 50 cents/two cans. Then I moved onto hair color. Ok, I colored it ash brown last week and guess what? It came out totally black! The price for the coloring was $4.99, I had a coupon to save $2 and got EB for $2 making it a total of 99 cents. Hope it works this time! Now, the razor. I would never spend $9.99 for a razor but it was on sale for $8.99 less a coupon for $2 and $2 more in EB making the cost for this just $3.99. WAHOO! Are you getting all of this? Next lets go to the pantene. I love really good shampoo!!! My girls do as well. Pantene is my all time fave too. It was on sale from $4.99 to $3.49, with an EB of $1.50 and my coupon for $1 off. Total cost for this was now just 99 cents which is less than buying the cheap stuff that I dont like anyway. YAY! I want more more more of them:) Let move into the laundry room ok? Bounce has this new dryer bar. I have no idea if it works or not but with 40 loads a week or so its worth a try. The price was $5.49, on sale for $3.99 less $1 coupon and $1 EB making it a cost of $1.99. That I can do. It says its good for two months, I doubt that but if one little box of dryer sheets costs more than this I am happy.
It takes a bit to do, but here are a couple more cool things about CVS. First, if you bring in a prescription and a coupon from another place like Walgreens that says they will give you $25 to transfer there, CVS honors this and will give youa gift card worth the coupon to keep you business. Last month I did that and it was extra extra money in my pockets. Next, they do honor your competitors coupons, if it has a bar code so I took in my Walgreens cash coupon today for an additional $1 savings. YAY! And there is at the pharmacy a coupon book through the 15th I think of September so I saved another $4 off a $20 purchase. I bought a couple goodies for the kids, two packs of Reeses at 77 cents each, and my hubby loves these little weird wax bottles he had as a kid so I thought I would treat him. Total for the day was $5.20.

To measure it up? I spent $74 this summer there ( besides prescriptions) and with my discounts etc I have saved $603.31 ( it prints out on your receipts)
Hmmm...one more to make you think? Go to CVS.com and do the little presentation on easy fill prescriptions and you get to print out another $5 coupon!
Does it take time? Sure about 1 hour a week to cut coupons each Sunday and print out extra ones I find online, and make a list from the circular ( which you can also see online) at a regular savings of $50-$70 per trip ( which takes me about an hour too, ask my kids) so I am basically getting paid about $25-$35 an hour to shop this way. I am cool with that:)

I am off to make dinner early. Matt, Maddie and Adam have open house at the school tonight, and I have Stamping Night Out right after that. Everyone will be playing when I get there. I dropped off my make and take earlier so everyone can do that if they want before I arrive. Have a great day!
I usually spend a lot of time each week to do this.