As part of this new grocery-budgeting thing, I am also working toward being a better steward of our money and not "wasting" money. I think by doing this I will be wasting money ... chasing good money with bad, if you know what I mean.
I could go to Walgreens today and buy 4 bottles of Garnier shampoo and conditioner (that Kyndal actually does use) for 99 cents a bottle, Electrosal dishwasher tabs for about a $1 after the coupon and get $1.65 rebate to use later, a 165-count bottle of Motrin for about $1 after coupons, and various boxes of South Beach Diet cereal bars for about 50 cents a box. That all sounds good, right? What if I told you I have spent many minutes, maybe hours, figuring out all of the ins and outs of accomplishing this. Was that time well-spent? To feed an obsession? I have to think "no". The whole South Beach Diet bars things is the one that has caused stress (yes I said stress) because somehow a whole bunch of women were able to print 6 coupons, instead of my 2, to allow them to buy 6 boxes for a total of $3 and get a $16.50 rebate to use at a later shopping trip. I have tried everything I can figure out to get an additional 4 coupons, to no avail. Is it worth it? Seriously? Sure, $18.15 of total free money to spend at Walgreens seems so tempting .. but to then turn around next week and do this all over again .. scouring blogs and websites, spending lots of time, stressing over it? I have to think not, because ....
With the coupons I do have, I can get all 6 of the South Beach Diet bars for free if I just go to Walmart and ad-match the Reasor's deal of 2 for $4 and use the coupons I do have. I just won't be able to get the 6 designated boxes to get the rebate at Walgreens. So, I get 6 boxes for free, instead of spending $3 to get $16.50 in rebates. WHEW! See what I mean? And, I can still use that $2.50 coupon for Electrosal and buy it at Wal-mart, where it may be cheaper than $3.49 anyway (which is the price at Walgreens) and forgo the rebate of $1.65.
What I think I will do is stop stressing and just get a good deal if I can. I don't think I have any plans to play the Walgreen-rebating game. So far I have been unsuccessful and more stressed than necessary "failing" at the game I'm trying to play.
So, today I will go to Walgreens and buy the Garnier shampoo, because it's a good deal and we will use it, and buy the Motrin, because it's a good deal and we will use it. I may do the Eletrasol thing to get the $1.65 rebate that I can use on a future purchase of vitamins, because we always take vitamins, and it's a no-brainer.
But I WILL NOT continue to stress about trying to make rebate deals work, by spending money to get money, especially when I can go to another store and just get them for free easily.
Told you I'm obsessed. You have to take the good with the bad when following my blog! :)
