$2.68 @ Wal-mart ~ 8 packages Pamaper wipes, STP fuel treatment, Armourall, 3 Crystalight, Nivea body wash, Sugar in the Raw (from Maui)

purchased Tuesday July 6

$ 15.76 8 Pampers wipes @ $1.97 each
$ 1.77 STP fuel treatment
$ 2.47 Armorall
$ 5.91 3 Crystal light @ $1.97 each
$ 3.00 Nivea body wash
$ 2.88 Sugar in the Raw, a product from Maui, one of our favorite places
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$31.79
-16.00 8 manufacturer coupons @ $2 each, Pampers
- 2.00 manufacturer coupon, STP
- 2.00 manufacturer coupon, Armorall
- 6.00 manufacturer coupons, Crystal Light
- 3.00 manufacturer coupon Nivea body wash
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$2.68

I received samples & coupons for $2 off a new Crystal Light naturally sweetened drink from Vocalpoint. Vocalpoint is a company that encourages you to register, read articles and answer surveys. They will then send you high value coupons and samples of products. I read online that Walmart had the new Crystal Light drink on sale for $1.97, so that it would be free after the coupon. Based on my online research, I had several other coupons I thought I could redeem at Walmart for free items, but the real reason for this trip was because I really wanted the Crystal Light drinks!

When I got to Walmart, I was able to find almost everything that I had the coupons for. If you look closely at the figures above, you will see that most of the coupons I redeemed were for a few cents more that the products I purchased. Walmart is able to obtain the full amount of the coupon from the manufacturer, plus a handling fee. Sometimes at Walmart, the coupon will be reduced to the amount of the item. And, sometimes at Walmart, the coupon will be redeemed at the value of the coupon, even if it is higher than the price of the item.

I did some quick math and figured out that even though the Armoral cost $.47 more than the coupon, I would still have a few cents to spend in the case that the coupons were redeemed for the full amount. That is why I made sure that I had a non coupon item in my buggy - the Sugar in the Raw. This is a product we enjoy in our coffee at home each evening, and we buy it without coupons. If you examine the figures above, you can see that the total I paid for these items (this is without sales tax) was less that the price of the Sugar in the Raw. I have only once actually received a few coins back from the register after all my coupons were deducted, but I personally find it a better practice to always end up owing at least a few cents at the end of a transaction, before sales tax.