I kept to our budget, clumsy as I may have been.

Without couponing I managed to have just over $3 left from our household budget.  Having cash really helped me to not spend more money than I planned to.  I was even able to put together a small gift for a friend who had a baby Thursday evening.

Next week I will need to be a little more cautious about where the budget goes.  My plan is to get back into couponing and see if we can’t eat from the pantry next week.  We’ll see how well that works out.

Before I get into all that I bought I want to publicly praise my children on their behavior at Walgreens.  They were polite, obedient and over all big helps to me.  I am so proud of them.

It really makes a big difference in a shopping trip if the children are be helpers and not hinders.  I found quite a few deals yesterday, but I did fall into a frugal shoppers worst nightmare in that I didn’t go into the store knowing exactly how much I was going to spend.  I know, I know, never go into a store unprepared, but I did and paid a price for it.  Without going into the gory details, just know I should have spent about $8 less than what I was charged.

That said let me show you what I bought.

• 6 boxes of Kleenex tissues
• 3 bottles Ocean Spray cranberry juice
• 2 bottles Ocean Spray pomegranate cranberry juice
• jumbo pack of Huggies
• jumbo pack Pull-Ups
• 4 boxes Jell-o
• 2 cans evaporated milk
• 2 cans sweetened condensed milk
• 2 cans Betty Crocker frosting
• 3 Glade spray air freshener
• 2 Walgreens coloring books (for the coupons)

All for a total of $22.45 out of pocket!!  AND…I will be sending in a $5 rebate on the Glade from here.  I was so excited till I started looking at my receipt and realized the mistakes that cost me $8.  It is a good reminder for me to be certain of how much I am spending before going to the store.

I get so excited when I score some awesome deals.  I can talk for hours on the subject, as seen by my husband on a few of our date.  And since Tony loves it when I save money, just doesn’t want to hear every single, little detail, well I thought I would post it here and maybe get it all out of my system.

Today I went to Walgreens while the children played at a friends house.  First let me tell you what I got:

• 2 bottles of witch hazel
• a two pack of Robitussin on the go
• a small bottle of Beano
• a bottle of Dulcolax
• and a ChapStick, fresh Effects

I know, not things most people “just have to have”.  And if I had not had 10 register rewards that were due to expire tomorrow, I might not have bought the stuff either.  (Well with the exception of the chapstick…mine is missing. )  But hear me out.  I spent a total of $4.28 out of pocket.  (My out of pocket is after the register rewards and other coupons.)  I got back 12 register rewards and will send in for a $5 rebate check via USPS tomorrow, which I will consider “Laundered Money” so it can either go into savings or be respent without coming out of pocket.

All in all, I say that’s a good find.