Frugal Fun Shopping on the Fly!

Yesterday we left Loudoun County and drove down to Virginia Beach for a few days to visit with my parents. Normally when I travel, I just bring along UP Rewards from Rite Aid, ECB's from CVS, and RR's from Walgreens, along with coupons for department stores and restaurants. I used paper envelopes when I first started couponing, but they didn't hold up well, so I graduated to these plastic ones that I got for free from Staples. Each envelope is for a different store, and this way I keep my things organized and just take what I need when I shop.

However, since Super Doubles is going on this week, and I missed it last time while we were vacationing, I devised a system for bringing all of my coupons along.

I have made it a practice never to spend money on couponing, since the purpose of couponing is save money. I don't pay for coupons or storage systems, but instead try and repurpose things that I already have.

I already had my Super Doubles binder - I actually found the baseball card inserts at the recycling center:

But I wanted to bring along my inserts as well. I don't cut coupons out unless I know I will use them for a deal. I mark the date on my inserts when they come and stack them in my office.

Anyway, I found this old accordian file folder in my basement......

 

...and it did the trick!

After we arrived, we had dinner with the relatives, then went to Harris Teeter here, which is open 24 hours.  Here is a pic of my shopping trip, which totaled $4.67:

This trip should have been completely free, but the cashier told me that my Belvita coupons said "Do Not Double".  I asked her to scan them anyway, and they doubled - but after totalling my transaction, she had the manager come over and add $3.00 back on to my bill!  So, the stores here are stricter than the stores in Loudoun County. The cashier also said that my $2.00 catalina coupon should not have doubled, but she let it slide.

I left with another $2.00 catalina from the Classico pasta sauce, and I now have enough credit with Saving Star to get back $5.00 for spending $15.00 on Classico!

While we were at dinner last night my Aunt Betty mentioned that she had been to a big, annual fundraising sale here and gotten some great deals on designer clothing. She told me that they would be selling off everything today for $5.00 per bag. The sale was down the street from my mom's house, so the daughters and I headed out this morning.

We filled up 2 bags with clothes, shoes, picture frames, a CD and a thermos for $10.00:

They were also selling books by the box for $1.00:

My favorite find was a robe for my son, who goes off to college next week and will need it for dorm life:

I'm pleased to report that the total for all of my shopping since our arrival here is under $15.00!  And, of course, we used those Shell gift cards to pay for our gas!!