You win some...you lose some!

Today the couponing continued...after work, I made a quick stop by Super Target to check out the deal on the Monopoly & Connect Four games. Sure enough, nothing on the shelf -- but that was okay, I picked up rainchecks to come back and get them for the sale price. You could also go to Walmart, price match with your ad and use your coupons. But that will depend if they carry the same game and whether or not they would allow you to do both.

Later on in the evening, I made my way to Smith's. The same Smith's I went to last night. I went by the bin that had the Emerald peanut jars and guess what? They already replaced it with their items for their sale beginning tomorrow. I also went by the cereal aisle to pick up more Kellogg's coupons and the dispenser was empty. Yup, nada..zilch. Glad I picked up a few extra coupons yesterday. Actually my kids did.

Here's what I picked up today:

2 24-pack Arrowhead water $2.99 (part of the buy 8, get $4 off promo)
1 12-pack 700 mL Arrowhead sport bottles (FREE with $.80 overage - IP - internet printable coupon)
9 bags of Robin Eggs $1.00 each ($2/3 MC -- see explanation below)
4 Butterfinger Crisp candy bars FREE ($1/2 MC - found these at the gas station)
4 Crunch Crisp candy bars FREE ($1/2 MC - same Q as the Butterfinger Crisp)
3 Reese's Dark candy bars $.24 ($.55 off MC)
8 Crunch candy bars $.25 each (B1G1F MC)
4 Revlon nail clippers $.61 ($1 off MC)
4 Ken's salad dressing $.49 ($1 off MC)
4 Lunchables FREE with $.01 overage ($1 off MC)
4 Oscar Mayer hot dogs $1.45 (No Q -- see below for explanation on this purchase)
2 Tostito's $2.25 (also see explanation below)
3 Lay's All Natural potato chips $2.25 (also see explanation below)
3 Tostito's dips $1.25 each ($1 MC also part of explanation)
2 Frito-Lay cheese dips $.67 each ($1 MC also part of explanation)

How much did I pay? $48.76 - a savings of 63% plus earned a 10 cent fuel reward and a couple of catalinas (FREE redbox rental code compliments of Frito-Lay, Pepsi-Cola, Orville Redenbacher's & The Hershey Company; 20% off any purchase at Payless Shoe and a coupon for $19.99 oil change plus at Midas - also include free tire rotation)...not bad aye?

It should've been less -- a lot less! I had coupons for the tortilla and potato chips $5 worth. The cashier argued with me that the $1 off any dip when you buy any Lay's chips covered both the chips and dips and that's why the computer would not allow her to override it. That's a bunch of bull! She did an override on my $2/3 coupons for the Robin eggs. It also didn't help that there was an older gentleman with his wife behind me adding his two cents. Of which I really didn't care for, but figure I should just tune him out. He was trying to tell me that the computer never lies. I wanted to tell him, "and it's not always accurate". But like I said, just kept my cool and ignored him.

As for the hot dogs, I read on PYP that there is currently a catalina promo that prints a $2 off your next shopping order for every two you buy. Well, nothing printed. So that would've been an additional savings of $4.

The Hershey's candy -- if you buy $15 worth, you get a $5 off your next shopping order catalina. I bought 9 bags which totaled $15.03 before coupons -- and no catalina.

My shopping should've been $5 less with an additional $9 in catalinas. In all, my total would've been $34.73. But like I said, with couponing, you win some and you lose some!

On a side note -- while shopping, I ran into my Turbo Kick instructor while shopping at Smith's. She's a health nut, but that would explain why she looks the way she does -- built arms and a fit body. Anyhow, she saw me, came over and peeked inside my cart. She just shook her head. I just laughed and said, "I know, my cart is the DO NOT buy items". I looked in her cart and she had skim milk, low fat yogurt, and a couple other "healthy items" plus a Fitness magazine -- I said to her, "and your cart is the what to buy to stay fit". Too funny!!!

I'll try to get over this -- I do have one more option and that is to call the catalina company, but we'll see. Like they say, it doesn't hurt to try! I'll keep y'all posted!