Triples, CVS, and FREE water

I just updated my totals to include my shopping trips this last week. Having a vehicle again is a really nice thing. I ended up with 60 bottles of FREE Propel flavored water (well, I paid $1.50 in tax) which doesn't include the 50 or so bottles I gave my sister last weekend, a bunch of free Reese's and Coca-Cola products (thanks to ECBs at CVS), and $56 worth of groceries for $12, thanks to triples at Harris Teeter.

I'm almost at the halfway point with my budget, however, we're NOT almost at the halfway point of the year. I was initially concerned that I wouldn't be able to meet my budget, but then I remembered two things. 1) I've already made $200 in rebates this year, which would have been more if I'd been more on top of it and 2)I could comfortably stop buying any shampoo, soap, razors, toothpaste, toothbrushes, conditioner, body wash, and laundry detergent and have enough to last the rest of this year and JUST buy food, which I also have a good stockpile of. I probably have enough mustard, peanut butter, jelly, Pasta Roni, pasta noodles, and spaghetti sauce to last the rest of the year as well.

I will continue to get what items I can for free and I will also continue to support a few local charities. I've also been known to give my friends stockpile stuff, too. I just wanted to throw that out there so no one thinks I'm a greedy hoarder, LOL.

So, to sum up, I'm happy with how this year and my budget is going so far. For May, I'm getting back into shopping at Walgreens, which will be a HUGE test since they are usually the most ANTI-COUPON (other than Walmart... must be the "Wal..." stores, hehe) of all the stores. I will, of course, continue to write about my exploits! :)