Still wondering about the Peachtree Sage software 2010; buy item and receive full refund. Anyone work at Staples that can help me out? I can't find the rebate form on Staples.com

Thanks, Beryl

My poor van is out of commission, so I've been sending the husband to get things for me before or after work. We made a great trip to CVS last week and the Husband is bursting with pride about it--

1st trip:

Tide, Bounce dryer bar, bounty towels, duracell batteries

total: $43.36
OOP: 15.91 plus 10ECB

2nd trip:
6- 12packs of Coke

total: $31.08
OOP: 10.10 plus coupon for $15 off Monsters Vs Aliens DVD

3rd trip:

2 hearing aid batteries, Monsters Vs Aliens DVD

Total: $37.38
OOP: $ 6.89 (movie was free!)

Grand total: $141.82
OOP: $32.90-- savings of $108.92

I'm happy with that! :o)

CVS
************************************************
Total Before Savings and Coupons: $89.60
Total Spent: $13.38
Total Saved: $76.22 or 85%
************************************************

Walgreens
************************************************
Total Before Savings and Coupons: $31.66
Total Spent: $12.46
Total Saved: $19.20 or 61%
************************************************

9/27-10/2 Shopping

Publix

Total before savings: $162.13
OOP: $45.83

Kmart

Total before savings: $167.04
OOP: $16.24

CVS

Total before savings: $67.54
OOP: $15.13

Wags

Total before savings: $40.88
OOP: $7.55+1rr= $6.55

Weekly Total: $437.59
Weekly OOP: $83.75

My biggest deals this week came from Walgreens...2 trips and doubled up some of the month-long specials...$86.45 retail with $14.76 oop. I did have to buy a few things I didn't have that were here and now necessities. Most everything else was free and I still have several RR's in my wallet.

Total for the week was $196.60 and my oop for everything was $74.64 plus $10.35 in baby food and bread which isn't reflected in my total because I didn't add my big lots reciept in with the rest originally.

I wish I could do better but it seems like with homeschooling, my kids and I (and a growing toddler) are here all day and we go through LOTS of food every week.

Hey! Don't feel bad about your week. You did really well! Individual success can't be judged by the totals or percentages that others post. It's based on your personal goals, and the pattern that you develop over a period of time. If you are spending less, or if your family has more of an abundance now than before, then you are ahead of the game and you ARE winning.

I HS, too, and know what you mean about food consumption. My core crew of 6 *kids* are all teens and young adults, now. Even though several of them are in college, they still eat at home and carry plenty with them to get through the day. The biggest differences are that they now eat more and have fancier standards for what they deem acceptable. Plus, I have to stay stocked with soft drinks so they can avoid vending machines, and "little kid food" for the two or three days a week that the wee ones are here.

I've always been a thrifty spender. If I were to consistently spend at the level I have for the past few weeks, then we'd be spending only about 30% less than before switching to this mode of shopping.

That doesn't sound like a very high percent reduction, but the weeks when I spend less are becoming more and more frequent as we have fewer immediate needs. Even though I know I could be spending less right now if I had to, I'm still successful because my baskets are, for the first time in almost 40 years of shopping, filled with WANTS (still at great savings) as opposed to bare basic needs.

In the beginning, I spent more than I had before switching. It was part of building the stockpile, but also because I was giving too much away. WAGs was my main weakness. I was buying useful things. The rolling RR game was fun. But seriously, how much shampoo, toothpaste, bodywash, and chapstick can one family use and give away? I eventually realized that there really WOULD be more toothpaste sales before we ran out, and that even small OOP + tax adds up when repeated over and over.

So, whatever your goal is, whether it's to increase your stockpile, reduce your expenditures, have more to give, or live with more abundance, if you have made strides toward any of these then you ARE making a big difference for your family and you are very successful.

Well, I spent $20, saved $20 at Kroger, spent $30, saved $30 at BiLo.
Not that great.
Getting ready to go to Publix in the morning. I made a quick run for the bagels on Wednesday and saved a lot...time to go back!

Jenny,
Thanks to you and working the ECB thing... I rolled to $24 and used $12 and a $5 off $25 coupon on Guitar Hero 3 for my hubby's bday next month! It was a great deal at 49.99....but with ECB's and coupon even better and the BEST part....I won't be scrambling to get something in November or fretting over the $$ of it all...! He will be so surprised and I'm so proud of myself! Thanks for your help....it's a blessing and so so so priceless!
God Bless!

Ah, Jenny, that's why I seldom go to Wags or CVS anymore. I got tired of being disappointed and frustrated over finding so few of their advertised specials in stock. At least CVS gives rainchecks that include the ECB's. I don't feel like Wag's RCs even offer the actual sale price, since they don't allow for the Rewards.

You did great this week! We use lots of oats here, both oatmeal and in baking. During cooler weather, we go through one of the big canisters in about two weeks. Sometimes less.

I actually did intend to get to both CVS & Wags this past week, but Life decided there were other priorities. I did get to Publix, Bi-Lo, and Food Lion, but there was nothing urgent enough to draw me to Kroger.

Food Lion -
I bought - 20 lbs baking potatoes, 6 lbs bnls/sknls chkn brsts, 2 pks hot dogs, 1 ea. hot dog and hamburger buns, gal OJ, 2 pks bacon

Orig. price - $57.55
Spent - $21.55
Saved - $36.00 - ~63%

Bi-Lo
Purchased - 16 pkgs of the premium BirdsEye veggies, 5 pkgs Aunt Jemima pancakes & waffles, milk, a roast, 3# gold new potatoes, a roast and a bunch of leeks.

pre-savings - $89
GC - $18 (gift card purchased w/previously earned OYNO's)
OOP - $0
Savings 100%

Publix -
My total percentage savings at Publix doesn't quite do the store justice this week because my purchases included more packs of GoodNites and an unanticipated "emergency" purchase of AAA batteries that my DD gave me a panic call for. Her calculator batteries died right before a math exam. Of course, as soon as I came home, I found our supply that she insisted we didn't have.

I bought 2 mega pks GoodNites, 1 8pk AAA batteries, 3 Tornados, 2 New York garlic bread, 12 Bird's Eye Voila, 4 BE Steamfresh, 5 bottles syrup, 4 Old Fashion oatmeal, combo of 10 Quaker cereals and breakfast bars, 4 more Sabra hummus, J&J baby wash, J&J lotion, 4 pks Lender's refig. bagels (RC), diced tomatoes, green beans, sports bottled water.

Pre-savings - $194.48
OOP - $79.34
Savings - $115.14 ~59%

Weekly -
Pre - $341.03
OOP - $100.89 ($12.62 per adult this week)
Savings - $240.14 ~71%

My freezers are all seriously full now. I had to *make* the kiddos eat a container of ice cream and pull out bread to use this week so that I could fit all the veggies. Then I had to put a heavy rock on each end of the deep freeze to prevent a gap.

A week ago, I thought that my weekly expenditures would probably level off to a little higher than what I spent this week, and I'd be satisfied with that because we would regularly be eating in a fancier style than I've ever been able to allow. I'm surprised to realize that I may spend considerably less in the coming weeks without loss of enjoyability. I don't know. We could still use some broths, tomato and cream soups, and still need a better supply of several non-food items. No matter what, it seems like there is always *something* besides perishables that's running low. We'll see what the comings weeks bring.

I love no bake cookies as well, here's the recipe I have:

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup cocoa
3 cups oats

Mix together the sugar, cocoa, milk and butter and bring to a boil in a pot for two to three minutes, add vanilla, peanut butter and oats, stir all ingredients together. Drop on wax paper by the spoonful, let cool for a little while until they harden, or if you like you can eat them while they are still gooey.

They're my favorite!!

I haven't done much shopping this week, just one small trip to my local Ukrop's store (in Richmond, VA), but I plan to go to Food Lion this weekend before the sale is over to grab some deals!

Yes, please share the no bake cookie recipe! :) I have heard there is one out there but haven't 'seen' it. Someone local called them cow patties.........makes you really want one, huh! ROFL

I had $100 in advertised savings from Publix, $121 in Coupon Savings and I only spent $21.42 out of pocket. I saved around 91%!!!!

First trip to publix this week

Total before coupons: $129.93

After coupons: $20.21

I saved $109.72!!!

For my CVS trip, I got 12 high valued items including Tide detergents, stain remover, Chunky soup, Covergirl comestics etc., for only $2.80. Saved 95%!

I had a great day, too. Total between Bi-lo and Publix was $322, I paid $121! WooHoo!

:o) Jenny - my husband is obsessed with no-bake cookies too!

Share the recipe please. I am fully stocked on oatmeal too!

I had a great week too: total btwn Kroger and Publix $356, after coupons and mail in rebates only $116 !!

I had a FAB week at Publix!!!!
Total Before Sales and Coupons: $221.58
Total Spent: $50.16
Total saved: $171.42 or 77%
My husband fell in love with me all over again...for today!
CVS tomorrow, we shall see...LOL!

Jenny, your hard work has blessed our family... THANK YOU!