I used my register rewards today and did relly well. I made a couple of mistakes and ended up spending almost three dollars, because the walgreens money has a lot more rules to follow than CVS money. I can usually get out of CVS without spending anything.

I did manage to use some product coupons with the rewards, which is great, but that also means you have to add more products to the checkout! I usually grab packs of ramen noodles to cover the extras, but then i go over a little bit in terms of money.

In any case, I was able to pick up a free $12 item using RRs; i got a Flat Fix It for my car. I have it now in the jeep with me in case i have a tire blow out (on the many dirt roads here). This makes me feel safer driving, and i would not have been able to afford picking this up without acquiring register rewards to do so.

The key is to buy things you need, but wait until there is a register rewards sale (or CVS sale) to do so. Then use the RRs on things you would like to have, or on the things that never go on sale.

I hope this is coming across in a way that makes sense. I don't want to write an article on how to shop at Walgreens until I feel i can explain the rules properly.

In other news, I did manage to only buy things at CVS today that would earn me Extra Bucks and I used a red machine coupon that gave me $4 back. So i spent nothing, got a bunch of things I needed, and earned another $8 in extra bucks for next week.

Hopefully next week they will go back to having the gas card freebies.

Do you need to spend money everyday? Then will you calculate everyday?

Yesterday I spend $13.50 on gas. The kids' have multiple activities everyday that they need taken to. It is too far for them to walk plus it wouldn't be healthy for them to be out in this heat for that long. Hopefully the gas will last me for 5-6 days.

Hi Vintage! Yeah, gas is one of those things. It costs too much, but we need it to get around. It's really my hardest thing to budget. If I had kids I don't know how I'd deal with it. And yes, it is too hot to walk right now - you don't want to be dealing with heat exhaustion!

For me, i try to drive as little as possible, combine errands, walk when I can (when not over 100 degrees out - yuck), try to conserve the gas while driving (experimenting with hypermiling)...and stay at home a lot.

I also have a little errand trailer set up for my bike, but it is also too hot to be cycling!

Today I stayed home, like I do a lot, so I spent nothing. It's fun to work on eating up my perishable foods, instead of buying more all the time.

Bummer. I had saved up eighteen dollars, which for me is about all the money I have to spend in a month. And someone stole it out of my wallet.

I am grateful they left behind the wallet and purse, but that is low. Stealing from someone on food stamps with no income.

Sorry about the theft >:-(
It is pretty disheartening when things like that happen. But, maybe that person needed it more? Or maybe Karma will get him/her for being a meanie.
carleen

It was a couple who I was telling about how nice the pizza was at the bar I was at. They also stole the menu, which is just weird. I hope my 18 dollars makes them happy.

I was really looking forward to picking up some Hot Spot, to get the urine and poop out of my fabrics here (the kitten I am taming has digestive issues). I also needed some containers from the dollar store. I could have gotten a whole bunch of needed things with that money.

Okay, I feel better about the theft now. It could have been worse. Moving on.

I haven't spent anything all weekend. I didn't actually leave my property.

I have some errands to run in town this week, so I'll report on my expenses then.

Okay. I found out this week i have to use my debit card ten times a month to make POS purchases. Or i get a ten dollar fee. WTF?

Does anyone else know about this? I have Wells Fargo and have been with them since the early 90s.

In any case, I have been trying to make tiny debit card purchases. I am up to four. I bought - a 9 cent folder at walgreens, a decaf coffee, a can of cat urine enzymes, and a bottle of seltzer water.

This really is silly.