First try - Couponing

This weekend has been filled with lots of fun! Friday and Saturday I worked a little each day putting my coupon binder together and making a shopping list and then finding extra coupons. Yesterday I tried my hand a couponing for the first time ever. And I have to say, I am pretty proud of myself. I gathered my 'personal care' coupons after browsing through the CVS weekly add in my Sunday paper.

Tara spoke to us about finding the best deals around and gave us many tips on how she shops. So, I drove to my 24 hour CVS before I went to church last night. I had three coupons, and after a purchasing mishap, desperately needed shampoo. The shampoo was my emergency buy; so it was the only item I bought without a coupon. CVS does 'Extra Care Bucks' which are rewards card members get when buying... So, I enrolled in Extra Care, and with my first purchase started building ECBs.

Pledge products were on sale, two for $6, and I had two coupons for $1 off a pledge product. Also, skintimate shave gel was on sale and I had a $0.55 cent off coupon. :)

Pledge furniture polish -lemon scent (for my Mom) regularly $5.79 on sale for $3
<$1 coupon makes it $2.00>
Pledge fabric sweeper - pet hair (for Donna) regularly $6.89 on sale for $3
<$1 coupon makes it $2.00>
Skintimate 10oz $3.39
<$0.55 coupon makes it $2.84>
Shampoo 4.99

With tax I spent $13.12... and saved $9.23. Not too bad for my first buy. I also got $2.50 in ECBs.  So, granted, if I only had to buy the pledge products that makes my total $1.50!!I think $0.75 for two pledge products is pretty great!

This week, as I said, was my first time gathering coupons and trying to see what would happen at the store. I am sure the more I do this the better I will get at it and I am excited to continue to learn and work to save more money. As I went throughout the rest of the night I began thinking after church how I could have done my transaction differently to save more money... and there are ways, but hey.. you have to start somewhere. :)