I really need to learn how to put pictures on here. It’d be so much more impressive if I had a big panoramic picture of all this stuff. Here’s what I’ve gotten free or really cheaply lately and how I did it…

1 single serving box Total with cranberries (total.com)

1 11.5 ounce can Maxwell House coffee (You have to sign up with First Taste through Kraft. Every month you get a choice of two products to sample and review.)

1 six pack Jello Sugar Free Rice Pudding (Also First Taste.)

2 boxes Kashi cereal bars – one peanut butter, one chocolate cherry (One box was $3.00 – 30¢ employee discount – $2.00 coupon = 70¢. Second box on sale $2.50 – 25¢ employee discount – $2.00 coupon = 25¢.)

1 box Crunch and Munch ($1.00 – 10¢ employee discount – 50¢ coupon = 40¢

1 free Glad ziptop bag (Walmart.com)

2 four pound bags Purina Friskies Cat Food (Go to give-a-bowl.com. Answer a few questions about your new pet and you can print a coupon for $4.00 off any Purina pet food. Hit back on your browser and print a second coupon. This program also donates $1.00 to the pet charity of your choice for each coupon used. Friskies – Kamilah’s fave – is $4.00 at BBM. $4.00 – 40¢ employee discount – $4.00 coupon = -40¢ Yes, that’s negative 40¢! So I made 80¢ on two bags!

tote bag  from Nature’s Bounty (Just asked for it pretty please on their website.)

9 packs of Wrigley’s gum (Coupon for free pack from 2/22 Smart Source newspaper insert. This was another money maker for me: 97¢ – 10¢ employee discount – 97¢ coupon = -10¢. After tax I get paid 3¢ for each pack of gum. When you do a coupon deal to make money, make sure you have another item or small filler, like cheap candy, to absorb that overage.)

Tomorrow I’m going to try to play the CVS game. You buy one thing cheap, get Bucks back to buy more stuff. You use the Bucks to buy more stuff that earns Bucks, and so on.

I’ve tried to do this before and always have problems. Usually, CVS is out of what I want or need. Also a lot of the items that earn CVS Bucks Michael and I simply don’t use. I also feel squiffy making the cashier do 14 separate transactions so I can get and use the Bucks the best way.

So, cross your fingers for me as I give the CVS game another try.