Good shopping trip at Rite Aid

My Rite Aid purchase 3/11/2011

In this picture there are (2) 32 oz Ready To Feed Similac, (1) 8 pack of 2 oz Ready To Feed Similac infant bottles, (1) 15 oz Keri lotion, (2) 10+2 count Ester-C To-Go packs and 1 Thermacare back heat pack 1 count.

I stacked a Rite Aid discount coupon (I'd earned a 10% off regularly priced merchandise coupon) with in ad Rite Aid coupons ($2 off any Similac, $3.99 off Thermacare), Rite Aid Video Values coupons ($2 and $1 off on Ester-C) manufacturer's coupons (2 $3 off Ester-C, $2 off Keri), and used 3 Similac formula checks for $5 each.

I have a baby, but he doesn't drink Similac.  Similac still mails me checks from time to time.  I keep them in the hopes of finding a way to get nearly free formula so I can donate it.

My total came to 19 cents.  I did not pay using any +UPs.

I received back $2 in +UPs, though I'm not entirely certain why.  There is also a $6 Single Check Rebate on the Keri lotion.

I paid 19 cents.  They're giving me back $8.

This is not the first time I've purchased Similac and Thermacare at Rite Aid this week.  My last trip did not generate +UPs.  None of the items had signage to indicate I would earn a +UP.  I think it was for the infant bottles, which I had not purchased before.  The +UP says it's for purchasing "Dsny kids."  That rules out the Ester-C and the Keri.  I had planned to have low OOP and make money, I just made more money than I expected.

And, in other weirdness, there is a Single Check Rebate on 32 oz Similac Concentrate.  I did not buy the concentrate, since it was more expensive and I would have had to pay a couple of bucks more, even after accounting for the rebate, for each bottle.  However, the store shelf signage showed that all 32 oz Similac was eligible for the rebate.  It's a $2 rebate per bottle, limit 4.  If I get it, wonderful.  If I do not, I still made money.  I've entered my receipt at the Rite Aid website for the Keri lotion.  In a few days they'll update my rebates and I'll know, one way or the other, whether I'm getting any more back for buying the formula.  Edit: I submitted my 3/11 and 3/10 receipts on Rite Aid's website last night, both having 32 oz RTF Similac, and the 3/10 receipt updated today showing I'd earned $2 for each of that day's 3 Similac.  It's a limit of 4, so with the 3/11 purchase shown here I won't get $2 for each, just for one more.  Still, that adds $2 to how much money I made on this trip.  I made money by thinking about those in need.  That's just awesome!  I'll use it to cover tax on other freebies I score here and there to donate.

Now, I appreciate that you may not have formula checks laying around, buying formula to donate may not be a free proposition for you and you might not be sitting on a 10% off discount.  That's OK.  With the same Video Values, in ad and manufacturer's coupons, and without +UPs to spend, you would have paid about $2 + tax in cash and had a SCR to submit for $6, which is more than you paid.

Using the 10% off discount, the Thermacare, which is normally $3.99, rang up for $3.59.  The in ad coupon took off $3.99.  I have friends who have earned a 20% off discount everyday on regularly priced merchandise and they've been ringing in at $3.19 - $3.99 in ad coupon, and they're getting 80 cents overage toward the rest of their basket every day.

I aspire to have an every day discount.  I'm at around 300 points.  At 500 points, you get 10% off every day on regularly priced items.  At 1000 points, you get 20% off.  We all should have something to aspire to.