Accompanied a nervous friend/reader to the Wheaton store to pick up her pre-ordered Almay.  While she was running her fifty, I decided to pick up some “stuff” that looked good and free.  I ran two transactions, exactly the same:  One Huggies 184 pack refill; 4 Air Wick spray things; 4 Reach toothbrushes.  The Huggies are on sale for $5.99, so used the $2/1 Wags coupon in the Infant book and a $5 coupon I received from Kimberly-Clark for screwing me out of my Jewel gc (overage was applied to the Air Wicks); 4 $3/1 Air Wick Compact Freshmatic coupons (2/20 r) and 4 Reach toothbrushes (10/10 r).

Each total was $2.55, of which $2.22 was high tax.  Got back two $4 RRs for the Reach.

Call me a cynic, buttttt, I decided to see just how coupon-friendly the Lisle Wags was really going to be. I went back and ran a couple of Reach transactions, together with a couple of Tena packages, clearanced at $4 each. Well, no RRs printed for either the Reach or the Tena, on either transaction. Went over to Photo, where the asst mgr rerang just the Reach and each time I got the $4 RR. No stupid comments about using coupons means you don’t get…you know the drill. We tried the Tena separately, but nothing printed. Not certain, but the clearance packages were smaller than the $9.99 ones; perhaps it only prints on the larger packages.  Who knows, who cares.  If it’s not gonna make me money, it’s not going home with me.  Hmmm, sound like a pimp…

Turned right around and bought one of the Tena $9.99 packages. Used two Reach RRs, the $2.50 Tena pdf coupon and two cow tales for fillers; OOP was .89.  Had I used slightly cheaper fillers, I could have gotten it down a few more pennies.

So why do this transaction? First place, it’s better to have a few of the high value RRs; having a ton of the $3 and $4 ones can be a pain. Since I didn’t pay for the Reach coupons, here’s the math: $.29 for each set of 4 (.58); add the .89 for the TENA and you can say that my $10 RR cost me $1.47 for one package of  Tena pads, 8 Reach toothbrushes and 2 totally useless Cow Tales.  Had I stuck with just the Reach, I would have been OOP .89 less.  I think it was a good trade.

I highly recommend running this Tena deal using the Reach RRs.  Having to attach a coupon to each item in a transaction can be a royal pain.  This way I’ll eliminate more filler items in future purchases and have high value products for either donation or garage/stockpile sales.

I stopped at the Lisle Wags today to pick up some money to spend at Jewel; all prior RRs went towards my facial yesterday. Figured I’d run two sets of four Reach, take my $8 RRs and go shopping. Well, imagine my shock when I see an entire Almay display set up with info on making money, using the coupons, etc. The cosmetic person said that the store mgr is trying to attract the business that Steve is getting and has been in talks with him. While they in no way have the sheer volume of product Steve ordered, if you were unable to make the Wheaton deadline for pre-orders, go to the Lisle store on Rte 53 and Maple Avenue. They have about 200 products in stock (looked like mostly the big MM make-up removers), and maybe 100 or so Reach in a large bin by the front register. I’ll be updating on this situation as I learn more, because two stores willing to work with us is even better, especially for those driving up from Joliet, Homewood and Matteson (saves about 20 minutes driving).

Update on the Reach:  Steve asks that anyone picking up their Almay orders limit themselves to 20 or so toothbrushes (5 or 6 transactions); he hopes to get another large order in, but that won’t be until Wednesday.  If the good Lord’s willing and the creek don’t rise, peeps picking up after won’t be limited.

I stopped by to visit my Almay money-makers; don’t worry, kids, you’ll be geting a new home real soon.

On the Reach toothbrushes:  Steve will let me know tomorrow afternoon whether he can get another large load in from the warehouse before the sale ends.  If the warehouse has stock, but can’t get the delivery out in time, rain checks will work fine.  We tested the $1/1 coupon and the $3/3 multiple items coupon from the 1/09 S2; both work fine.  However, Steve was concerned that the bold print on the $3/3 states that it can’t be used on multiple (identical) items and, while accepting one or two coupons won’t matter, a sizable number could trigger an audit.  He said that if a store is found guilty of coupon fraud, its ability to accept coupons is removed (I did not know this – ugh!).  Therefore, his cashiers will be instructed to deny the $3/3 coupon from 1/9 S2.

Another thing of note:  While Wags did discontinue the Purex Complete 3-in-1 sheets, it was only the plastic cases – the new packages (with new UPCs) are cardboard.  So those of you who got rain checks for the last sale and never used them, the $3/1 coupons expire on 3/19.

Meant to post this earlier, but please, next time you’re in a Wags, check the aisles for the huge number of products being clearanced out the door.  Not every store operates on the same schedule, so if it looks sad today, tomorrow might be the winning lottery day.  These shelf prices seem to be following a closer pattern than the variation in the freezer deals.

The Wheaton Wags has Clairol Natural Instincts and Perfect 10 on clearance to $2.24.  Use the $2/1 any one Clairol hair color in the P&G Everyday Savings booklet (mailer) or the $1/1 (3/13 r).  Natural Instincts also generates a $1 RR, so a little MM.

Stores are also dumping the Listerine Cool Agent mouth wash for a little over a buck.  A $1/1 coupon is in the 10/10 insert we’re all using with the Reach toothbrush coupons, with another one in 1/9S.  I saw an Oral B package of two toothbrushes on clearance for $2.49; lots of coupons in the 2/27 P&G insert.

There is an unadvertised sale on Dickinson’s 100% all natural witch hazel facial toner.  Shelf price is over $5, so make sure to scan and verify the $2.99 price.  Use the $3/2 coupon here stacked with the $1 Wags coupon in the Spring Beauty Guide and you’re down to .49 each.  A very sweet price!  You can either register to receive future Dickinson’s promotions or just print the coupon as a pdf, since the coupon numbers are all the same.

Here is a picture of the $4RRs that printed when I tried the following this morning:  Buy 4, use 2 BOGO Total Care toothbrush coupons; buy 4 use $/1 toothbrush and/or floss, etc. coupons; buy 4 use $1/1 Smart Rinse and/or kids Reach toothbrush coupons(10/10 r).  All coupons worked, Unless you have no coupons at all, I’d recommend against eBay, since the prices are high, quantity is low and you may or may not get them in time for the sale.

Update:  Steve spent hours also on the phone with this.  Catalina confirmed it was working with Wags and the Reach toothbrushes (he checked all the UPCs), AND he also rang up four toothbrushes and got back a $4 RR. He also now wishes to be referred to as The Coupon God. give a guy an inch… Unfortunately, he was unable to secure more than 500 toothbrushes, so asks that anyone coming to the Wheaton store honor his request that only 20 brushes (five transactions) be run at a time/day.  He has no problem with multiple purchases over each day (but that would be rather time and gas inefficient).  If he has stock remaining by the end of the week, my guess is he’d allow some larger numbers…

I’m posting this now just to let you all know that I’ve been spending most of my day on this potential Wags MM.  The Catalina site shows a cat for Reach toothbrushes between 3/6/11 and 3/29/11:  Buy 2 get $1; buy 3 get $2; buy 4 or more get $4.  Since there are wonderful $1/1 coupons in the 10/10 r, we’re looking at some serious money.

Unfortunately, couponing life isn’t always so simple.  While people on MUM commented that they were receiving the RRs last week, purchases made Sunday did not receive anything.  I tested this earlier today, using 4 Reach toothbrushes, purchasing $10 worth of Reach toothbrushes, nothing printed using any combination.  No mention of this promotion is shown in the 3/20 ad, nor was Steve able to locate anything on his store computer, no matter how many frantic calls I placed to him.  He’s been unable to find any store display showing this promotion.  He left a voice mail at Catalina for clarification, because if the RR is supposed to be printing all month, Walgreens has already got a problem.  Throw in the sale next week?  Ouch… No mention of this RR has been made on iheartwags, only wild for wags.  Since the latter posts from Florida, maybe it’s not running around here?   It’s also shown up on hip2save as the deal I listed above, I just read the entire post and realized that it was taken from wild for wags!  sorry…

My best advice?  Wait.  I know it’s hard (for me too) and you worry you’ll miss the deal and pots of money if you don’t order the coupons NOW, but Steve assured me that he will be able to order large amounts through a private warehouse, so no problem with missing a warehouse order/delivery date.  And since we’re talking about a deal that runs through the 29th, we can all get rain checks if necessary; another day or two won’t hurt and might save some wasted coupon purchases.

Just quick run-through here, folks.  Picked up eight of the Right Guard body wash and four anti/deod. on the Wags BOGO sale using the BOGO coupons in 3/13 s.  Overage on deodorant meant I couldn’t use the $1/1 coupon on the Skinny Cow clearance ice cream, but since we’re only talking tax here, I’m not complaining.  I like to use the men’s body wash on the boy Moosies (makes them smell studly, even if the equipment’s missing…if you catch my meaning, if you get my drift…).

Steve’s Wags has a clearance on the Robitussin to go products:  .50 each.  Unfortunately, there are no coupons out there, but if you use this, grab it.  Note that this is a store-specific clearance, so don’t bitch when it’s not at your Wags.  Speaking of different Wags, I dropped in at the Lisle one to check out the clearance freezer items.  The same pasta and chicken items I bought yesterday for a quarter are priced at .79.   Yeah, like I’m gonna buy one for the same price I paid for three.  puhleez!  Other freezer items seem to be similarly priced by people high on drugs (which explains why they still have freezer items).

Diaper Deal

This week’s ad has the Premium Jumbo packs of diapers and training pants on BOGO for $8.99.  In the Walgreens Infant Care Booklet are store coupons for $2 off the diapers, so $4 will come off immediately and leave you at $4.99 for two jumbo packs of diapers.  Since this is a store coupon, you can use those RRs you’ve been accumulating to bring your total down to tax!  Since there’s no RR being issued, buy lots on the same transaction and use the same store coupon.   Note the coupon does not work on the training pants.  (If you can’t find the booklets anywhere in the store, the coupon code to enter is 2844)