Backwards

My friend text me and asked if I had any coupons for ‘5hr. Energy’. I could not find any. I asked her how much money she was preparing to drop on a week’s supply of this stuff.  She said $20. “Well”, I said, “I can take your $20 and turn it into 2 detergents and some female products, as well as the 5hr. Energy. Best I can do. Do you trust me with your 20 bucks?” She gave me the green light.

First trip to Rite Aid: 2 pkg. Carefree liners, 1 box Playtex tampons, (like you wanted to know) 2 Arm and Hammer detergent, after coupons, $9. Up+ rewards earned = $5

Second trip: 2 more Carefree liners, 1 box Veet facial wax strips, and (4) 2 packs of 5hr. Energy (at BOGO half off.) After coupons and rewards Total OOP = $11.

Total Retail- Approx. $45

Total OOP- $20

Long Story short, if she had walked into any store blindly, she might have paid as much as $22 for just the energy shots. (They are approx. $5.50 for a 2 pack.) You have to think outside the box sometimes. Some of these products are a means to an end, and they are things you use anyway. If you are going to part with $20, would you rather have half this list, or the whole thing?

Don’t tell her but I kept a couple things for myself  ;)

I Just Won 10 Swag Bucks on www.swagbucks.com

I Just Won 10 Swag Bucks on www.swagbucks.com

Binder Lovers

Many people take their binders everywhere they go, including into the store. While I understand this theory, I personally choose to leave mine in the car for a couple reasons. The first of which is binder theft. Pathetic as though it may seem, people steal binders. Especially since TLC planted the notion of F-R-E-E in everyone’s brain, some people don’t want to do the work that is takes to accomplish F-R-E-E. And as you know, nothing is really free. Newspapers cost money, paper and ink cost money, your binder, and all of the baseball card inserts cost money. Some people straight up don’t want to do the work, and if your binder is in an unlocked car, or a grocery cart, and your back is turned, forget it baby. And wouldn’t you be FUMING!! Stealing Newspapers out of the box is bad enough. Anyone who would pay $2 and take ALL the Sunday papers is not going to have a conscience about your binder.

The second, and actually most important reason for me is basically privacy. No one needs to know that I am a couponer. (Well, maybe my cover has been blown for a while.) But seriously, case in point. A friend of mine wrote to me and complained that she and her friend were shopping, binders and all, and that upon checkout, they were met by the store manager and SECURITY! No lie. Were they stealing? NO!! They were just apparently advertising that they knew what they were doing and many store managers resent it when people score (albeit legitimately.) They were even told that they could not use a couple of their coupons because the coupon value outweighed the sale price of the item, even though it is their policy to reduce the coupon.

Now, is this profiling? Yes. Is it discrimination? Ahhh, YES!! Do you want to deal with it or avoid it? I chose to try to avoid it. But, if this DID happen to me, oh Lord, you better step aside!!

Long story short, no one needs to know your business, and I feel that bringing the binder in the store advertises your business. But that is just me.