Okay CVS people.....here is a post just for you!

Last Friday, I went to CVS and got the following:

1 Garnier hair masque treatment
2 bags dark chocolate m&ms (SO addicting)
2 bottles (?) hand soap
1 shea butter body wash
2 deodorants
1 box kleenex
1 Venus Embrace razor
1 package peanut butter crackers
1 bottle Purell w/aloe sanitizer
1 Precision Xtra blood glucose monitor



I used a $9.99 coupon for the monitor, a $1 coupon for the sanitizer, a $1 for the body wash, and a $1 for the deodorants. I also had a $10/$50 purchase that had printed on the bottom of my CVS receipt. I stupidly forgot to use the $6 ECB I had remaining. Oh well.



My total OOP (out-of-pocket) was $32.81. Granted, that sounds like a lot, and it is. But before Christmas, money was a little tighter, and I purposely used up all my CVS bucks. Now I've spent a lot up front, but that transaction gave me 41 ECBs to use! For the next several months, my OOP should be less than $1 every time. (Those of you who know me, I'm not becoming diabetic - the monitor was on sale for $19.99 last week and gave $19.99 ECB back. Coupled with the coupons I had, I got it for free, got $19.99 back, and I'm going to donate it to someone at church. See how fun this is? :)

Fast forward to this past Monday, when I went to CVS again. Now here comes the fun part, where you can join in if you've kept your coupons from the Sunday paper! (P.S. ALWAYS do that ;). The paper had a $4 off coupon for the Gillette razor and a $1 coupon off of the Colgate toothpaste. Go to CVS and buy:



1 razor ($9.99)
1 toothpaste ($1.88)


This equals $11.87 + tax.
Then hand them your $4 coupon and your $1 coupon.
Your new total will be $6.87 + tax.
You pay that, and you'll receive a $6 ECB from the razor and a $1 ECB from the toothpaste. Basically, you broke even....and now you have $7 to start playing the game.....


My husband loves these razors (they're battery-powered), and because CVS has promotions on them all the time, we currently have 4 in our home - and I've basically gotten all of them for free.









So, I got my razor and toothpaste for 83 cents. (The downside to the ECB is that you have to use the exact amount listed on the ECB. So if you have an ECB for $2, and buy $1.15 worth of gum, CVS won't accept the $2 ECB. You'd THINK they would, since they just gained 85 cents, but I guess they figure you'll overspend. To keep my sanity (and because I'm horrible at quick math in a register line), I usually just let myself spend some change if its under $1.) All together, I now have $48 in ECB to use.



So, what are you waiting for? GO PLAY THE GAME!!!

*For more info, check out Crystal at moneysavingmom.com. CVS info is listed on her sidebar.

Ahhhh....the weekend. Last night was fun. I made what is fast becoming our Friday Night Staple: my very own Bacon, Onion, and Tomato pizza*. Then I made brownies and we went to my brother and sister-in-law's house to play Cranium Turbo (one of the best presents I received from my bridal showers, I might add). Today I slept in and now its snowing and beautiful and I just made a huge breakfast and I. love. Saturdays.


As a totally random note, I'm reading Barack Obama's The Audacity of Hope, because I want to actually know what the man says and not just repeat the rumors everyone spreads about him. He talks about the shockingly low scores that many high schoolers in this country test at (considereing the fact that we're the richest and most powerful country in the world) and says there is no reason why great, qualified teachers in this country shouldn't be making $100,000 a year. After the day I spent yesterday substituting (aka babysitting a high school French class), I think this man is on to something.


*You need:
a bag of Wal-Mart pizza crust mix
a can of diced tomatoes
one onion, chopped (I throw mine in the food processor)
7 or 8 pieces of turkey bacon (this is a staple in our house!)
pizza sauce
mozzarella cheese or whatever you like
olive oil

Preheat oven to 450. Make the dough and set aside for 5 min. Cook the bacon in a skillet. Roll out the dough and brush crust w/olive oil. Top dough w/sauce, then cheese, then onions and bacon and tomatoes. Sprinkle with a little more cheese. Cook until golden. YUM. :)

*Sigh* Why can't all holidays be pink?









Speaking of Valentine's Day, Sandy is doing another Giveaway. I've seen pictures, ladies, and she gives away wonderful things! This one is Valentine's Day themed. I'm linking here so that I can enter the drawing twice. Go check out her website - it is fabulous!

This blog has been so boring lately - sorry! I have been so busy this past week, and then for the past few days I've had a head cold. My head could explode into little bits at any moment. Did you catch the hyperbole? As in, "an exaggeration for effect?" Haha...I finally got to sub today (first time in a public school since May - hooray!) and that was what I taught 5 rotations of fourth graders. I was in a special education classroom, and for part of the morning, my job was to teach 4 fourth graders who struggle in reading. FOUR. As in 1, 2, 3, FOUR. Last year I had 744 students. This woman has it made, I tell you. I had a good time!

Also....

Does anyone else get Rachael Ray's magazine? Because I made her "Nacho Spuds" last night (from the insert in the middle) and they were FAB-U-LOUS!!! SO easy, and wicked good. In fact, I just had some more about half an hour ago when I got home from work, and I dare say they're better a day later. In my world, you just can't go wrong with Mexican.

First of all, I just want to thank all of you who either wrote here or told me in person that you were praying for me. I had two serious issues last week, one medical and one private, that were just weighing so heavily on my heart. Praise God, the doctor thinks I am fine medically and does want me to have one more test, but everything looks okay. The other issue is still pretty serious but I am slowly working through it. Things always seem so much darker when they first occur, you know? I have talked to people about it and while the situation is not resolved, my will to work it out is a lot stronger.

God is so clever, though, isn't He? It's as if He was saying, "Jess, seriously, you need to be closer to me than you are right now. So, __________ is going to happen, and then you will cling to me. Not my fault you're an idiot!" hahaha His thoughts are not mine, that's for sure.


In other news, sometimes the only cure for a depressed girl is to go SHOPPING! Right?! Understand, I can't even tell you the last time I went shopping for myself (and no, CVS doesn't count!) So that's what I did yesterday. Now, understand that when I say shopping, I spent about $90 or less. I got about 31 various items, including household items, jewelry, and clothes. AND I DIDN'T SPEND MORE THAN 9.00 ON ANY ONE THING! Isn't that marvelous?! I hit up Old Navy and got some AMAZING deals, then I went to Goodwill, Target, and CVS. Some of my favorite finds?
.89 jewelry at Old Navy (p.s. I always fill out those ON online surveys that come with your receipt sometimes, and they give you 10% off your whole purchase for doing it - attach it to 75% off sales, and you've got it made)
a fabulous ON black blazer (perfect for work!) for $8.54
adorable pink polka-dotted pj pants for $9.01 (okay, a penny over $9 :)
a big plastic football bowl at Target for $1 - perfect for the Superbowl
2 red and 2 clear glass heart candle holders from Target (love it for Valentine's Day!) - $2 for all four

It's a good day when you can go on a spree and get tons of stuff for very little. Ahhh, retail therapy.

I need prayer, please. I know some of you don't know me personally, but this week I have had to confront two different serious issues that I can't discuss here. Those who are Christians, I ask that you pray for me and that I will have the strength and the wisdom to know how to deal with them. Thank you.