Insane Walgreens Deals

I have to admit, when I first started couponing, I stayed the hell away from the drugstores. The whole Register Rewards thing seemed way too complicated. Man, I was soooooo wrong. Check out these insane deals. Remember, they're only for this week so hurry up and stock up!

This week, the Keri Lotion is on sale for $5.99. I usually don't but this lotion because it's insanely expensive. But if you still have your Keri Lotion coupons from last week's inserts, check this out:

Keri Lotion

Buy 1 at $5.99

-$2.00 coupon

= $3.99, Get $5.00 Register Reward back. That's a $1.01 money maker and you can use the $5.00 Register Reward for something else. 

Buy 4 Degree Women's Deodorant, Get $4.00 Register Reward

Buy 4 Women's Degree Deodorant Trial Size, 0.99, Get $4.00 Register Reward

Use 4 0.75/1 Degree Deodorant, any from RP 7/31

Pay $0.94,  Receive $4.00 Register Reward

$3.04 Money Maker

Thanks again to The KrazyCoupon Lady.com for the head's up! I used my $5.00 Register reward to buy the Purex that's on sale. I have a secret obsession with laundry detergent. Seriously.

Wheelin' and Dealin',

P. Manolos

The "Someday" Newspaper

Sunday morning is almost like Christmas morning to me.  I wake up and dive out of bed in my pjs, and rush downstairs to see what the newspaper man has left me. I say newspaper man because unfortunately we no longer live in the age of the cute little newspaper boy who would  ride around on his bike throwing out papers.  Between the Newspaper guy and the mailman, I'm having a tough time figuring out who pulls at my heart strings more these days.

Future Looking Brighter? No, but I do like the inserts this week :)

My Weekly Christmas gift I guess you could say. Except it's just for the coupons... and the ads... and I already know what inserts I'm going to get before I even get the paper...... Did I mention I pay for 3 of them each week.


I pay for three... but I don't always get three. It's been a war lately with the newspaper man over how many papers I "should" get. The past four weeks had been uneventful. He's stopped by, delivered three papers, and left. Rinse and Repeat. Great job! Totally tip worthy.

But this Sunday I woke up with only that guy pictured above all by his lonesome self.  Well, where the hell are your friends? I ordered THREE SUNDAY NEWSPAPERS DAMMIT. It irritates me to no end to have to call the Dispatch. Did I mention they are located in NEW HAMPSHIRE? I have to ask them almost every month to get their butts in gear and deliver my freaking newspapers.  Thankfully, the automated system worked this week and a very irrate newspaper man stomped on my steps and mumbled profanities under his breath while he handed over the other missing copies. Every time he misses a delivery, he comes back red-faced asking me why the hell do I need three of the same paper. I just smile, thank him, and close the door as quickly as possible. I don't know if he is testing me to see if I would notice I only got one paper or what. Ohh I do notice buddy, and I will be calling your supervisor to give him hell too.

Bad customer service. There are no words for how mad I get when someone does sloppy work and expects me to put something in the tip jar. Also, why the hell are there so many tip jars in the first place? A few weeks ago I went to a self-serve restaurant and they had a freakin' tip jar out at the register. WTF? So I'm tipping you to go get MY food? I have all the respect in the world for waiters/waitresses. They work damn hard and deserve the tips they earn from patrons who come to bitch about their food. The guy who sits there and presses a few buttons for me? I. Don't. Think. So. But I digress from my original diatribe...

Why the hell do you need 3 copies of the Sunday Paper?

I order three of the same Sunday newspaper because I use every single insert to save on my grocery and shopping bill. I know, I know what you'll say next. Well,  doesn't that cost alot of money?  When you factor in the savings from shopping with coupons during a sale, my newspaper ALWAYS pays for itself. I pay $27.00 per month for my Sunday newspaper service. I typically save over $200.00 every single shopping trip.  I also sell my services as a coupon clipper on eBay to recoup get rid of any coupons I don't plan to use. I haven't had a lot of time to work on this b/c of the bar exam, but now that it's over I'm running on all cylinders.

So here's some newbie couponer tip about the newspaper. Start with just ONE. I know it's tempting to go out and get a stack of papers, but trust me, when you're starting out, you need to just keep it simple. One Sunday newspaper each week for two or three weeks to start out with. Look online to see what inserts will be available each week. Typically, there are NO inserts in the Sunday paper if it's a holiday weekend. You'll find 1 Procter & Gamble insert per month, and on a rotating basis a Smart Source or Red Plum insert. It's very important to subscribe to the paper because the ad system places a priority on home subscribers. Therefore, you are more likely to get all of your ads if you subscribe than if you go to the store to buy the paper.  If you end up only getting one and realize you need multiple stacks of the same coupon, then you can always order it online .... errr.. from me (::: devious smile::) or another trustworthy coupon clipping service.

Once you get to know the sale ads and how to work the system, then you can be a crazy coupon lady like myself and order three at a time. Or four at a time. Four is a good number because many of the coupons are limited to "four like coupons per shopping trip." I don't order four because my parents send me their ads every week. But for now, just start with one and then work your way up to three or more m'kay?

Money doesn't grow on trees, but it does come in the newspaper,

P. Manolos

Today's Obssession

Nom nom nom nom nom. Mr. Chicken loves his Beggin Strips. I bought 16 bags the other day (I had some awesome coupons but we'll chat about that later). We're having trouble eating our dog food so I'm glad he's at least able to muster enough of an appetite to eat some fake bacon (can you smell the sarcasm?).

I'd write more but I'm exhausted. Just got back from plundering CVS and now I've got an hour drive back to Dayton to visit my family this weekend. Woo hooo.

P. Manolos

Coupon 101- Generics Suck

Shut Up. Class is in session. LOL j/k. I'm never rude like this in real life. Just pay attention, ok? I'm going to spend the next few days talking about all the myths brainwashed consumers like yourself have about coupons. This will be quick and painless.

Errr. I'm all ears, what's up?!?!

Myth #1- "The Generic Brand is Always Cheaper "

EPIC FAIL. That's what stores want you to think. Stores began to capitalize on consumer laziness by creating their own generic brands. They typically price them 25% less than the brand name and place both of them next to each other. An everyday consumer who is concerned about their budget will naturally pick the generic brand because it's cheaper. However, with a coupon AND a sale price on the brand name, you often end up spending less money than you would for the generic. Let's take an example of something we all use everyday: Razors. (And if you don't, might I suggest taking this blog as a sign from heaven that you should start?)

My beau usually buys the cheapest generic package of razors to save money. He's a no frills kind of guy. He's the type of guy who wants to be in and out of the store quickly.  In his haste to save and skip out, he reaches for those ugly flimsy packets of razors that typically cost around $2.00. He looks over at the brand name, specifically the Gillette ProGlide and thinks, wow, $9.99 for one freaking razor? I'll just go with the generic and save eight bucks. Good deal, right?

WRONG. First of all, the cheap ones always sacrifice safety for convenience (come on guys, how many of you have been nicked by a cheap razor?) and they end up costing you more in the long run because you will have to replace them more often.  So, put some toilet paper squares on all those cuts on your face and let's think twice about that Gillette ProGlide coupled with a deal.

For example, I'm going to CVS this week to capitalize on the Extra Bucks program. I plan to grab my boyfriend more of his new favorite razor (thanks to me of course, he's hooked and sniffs around the stock pile closet looking for more when he's out of them). Here's the math:

CVS Special Gillette ProGlide Razor: $9.99, buy 1 receive $5.00 Extra Care Bucks (ECB) back.
- $4.00 coupon
Pay $5.99, get back $5.00 ECB
Total Spent = 0.99 for a great Razor

Generic Brand: Still $2.00, and you just end up nicked, cut, and just busted looking.

You know you want me :)

Some of you skeptics are saying well hey, you still had to spend $9.00 and you just got back store credit. Well, think about this. How often do you go to the same store? Once you're at the store, how often do you buy other purchases besides what you actually need? Or if you're a casual couponer, how often do you end up needing something you don't have a coupon for? Wouldn't it be nice to get those other purchases that DO NOT have coupons for free? The $5.00 in ECB I just got from the razor, I plan to put that towards other stuff I need AND get them for free (I am out of packaging tape right now, thank goodness they have a B1G1 special). It's as if you are recycling the same money over, and over, and over again.

Awesome lesson huh? Not bad for your first day at Pink Manolos School of Saving.  So throw away that nasty disposable razor and get your man something his handsome, chiseled features can trust.  If you're a girl, who freaking cares if it's a razor marketed for men? If it's good enough to glide smoothly across a man's face without a nick, imagine what it will do for you legs!

Save $$, put it towards a new Louis Vuitton bag,

P. Manolos

Today's Obsession (And probably for the rest of my life...)

Do you know what THIS is?

Deodorant is always free.

For those of you who guessed it was a coupon, you will receive a special, limited edition Pink Manolos pat on the back. I'm sure you are all puzzled as to why someone who professes an obsession with couture and designer fashion would post a picture of a coupon on her blog. Well, give me a chance to explain.

I used to clip coupons after I graduated from College. Not aggressively or with any rhyme or reason. I would just cut a few and then stick them in a coupon index somewhere. I laughed a few weeks ago when I found a random coupon from 2007. Oh the nativity.  I didn't really understand the power of a coupon until a few months back in Jan. (yes, even before the Extreme Coupon show).

I was out with a girlfriend shopping at target and I had casually clipped a few coupons from the paper and brought them with me. Nothing strategic, just a few coupons here and there to go with what I had already planned to buy at full price. I went up to the cashier and as soon as she said "you saved $30 dollars" I became hooked on coupons.

My coupon obsession began to grow like a snowball rolling down a steep wintry hillside. I went from a casual clipper to a strategic shopper in less than three weeks. I no longer find myself paying $100.00 for groceries. I cringe to think about all the money I wasted walking into the grocery store with no plan, no list, and worst of all, an empty stomach. You couldn't pay me to go into a grocery store without a plan, coupons, or even a chance to look at the weekly savings ad. At the same time, I refuse to buy more than what I can use in 6 months and when I have extra freebies, I plan to donate them to the YWCA downtown where there are a lot of needy families who would be able to use them.

Many of my friends at law school make fun of me, but I take comfort in the fact that they piss away their paychecks spending money on essentials I get for free or get paid to buy (will explain the process later). So, in honor of my new Obsession of the Day (and a lifetime) I'll include a few coupon posts here and there.  I'll always love designer couture. Now that I save so much money grocery shopping, I can turn the deodorant pictured above into something more chic, like this:

Delicious Pearl Chanel 5159 Black Women's Sunglasses.

My Life So Far

Blogging. Sometimes you have to take a break from it in order to find something really provocative to say. I took a five month break to work on everything else in my life- school, the boy, friends, and the bar exam. If you haven't read my blog, or just started reading because I've suddenly started blogging again, consider this entry your crash course into all things Pink Manolos.

Vitals: I'm a 26-year old female living in the Midwest. I have two siblings (1 brother, 1 sister) and two fantastic parents that literally made me who I am today. My Dad is the epitome of the All-American man, hard working, stubborn, and loves his spot on the couch. My Mom is a RN who spent most of her life taking care of others without thinking about her own needs.  I also have a dog, who you will find, is a gift and a curse at the same time:

This is Zimba. AKA Mr. Chicken (Don't ask about the nickname) AKA Sugarbutt. He likes to sit on the vent after a long, hot summer walk. Who knew I adopted a genius?

Here's my house, errrrr, at least the deck. I'd study outside for the bar just so I could get a little Vitamin C in my system. Not to mention the fact that I would do anything to keep myself focused on studying.  I would put a pic of my front yard up, but it's an absolute mess and I haven't had the time or the patience to do any weeding. Did I mention I LOATH yard work? Luckily for me, Brown Eyes came and cut down the grass in the backyard with a mower and his bare feet.

Speaking of Brown Eyes, did I mention that I love to love?  In the past, my blog was my own way of grieving over a bad relationship. I was trying to get over it, but now I'm over it and on to something much better. Brown Eyes and I have been together for almost 2 years now and things just keep getting better between us. He's a very private person, so I won't mention his name or blog about him frequently. Just know that I've never met someone more intelligent, passionate, and dedicated than him. Yet, he still farts a lot. I guess that just comes with the territory when you're dating a man. Ah well.

Sooo the first rule of blogging is to be brief..... On that note, I'm out !

P. Manolos

Back to Black

Well, it's not like I ever left when you think about it ;). I'm back to my blog after a long hiatus dealing with the graduating from law school/taking the bar exam and now frantically searching for a job.


I don't know what is worse, waiting to take the bar or the wait to find out your results. So many of my friends tried to warn me about the whole process and I took their warnings seriously, but I never knew what an emotional toll the whole process can take on a person.

Listen, law school is no joke. Neither is taking the bar exam. So many of us try to convince people not to go to law school because frankly, if you don't devote 110% of your time to school, then you will find yourself with a ton of student loans and no way to pay it off.  Law school isn't undergrad. You aren't going to sneak by through studying the night before the exam. And don't think that you can spend the last two weeks before the bar exam studying for the test. I started studying May 15 (I graduated two days earlier) and I still feel as if I had no clue what I was doing.

The legal career is a field where your self-worth is very much tied to how well you do in school, out of school, and on the job.  It isn't a profession where you leave work at the door when you come home. Work comes with you through the blackberry, in your email, and over the phone. You're late to work if you don't get into the office by 7AM and you don't have weekends off. Unless you feel in the very fiber of your being that death will become of you if you don't go to law school then by all means, go out there and pile up $100,000 in student loan debt and gamble that you will outstudy, outmanuever, and work harder than that guy who sleeps in the law library for weeks on end. Otherwise, find a new career.

That being said, I wouldn't have changed a thing. I hated the egos in law school, but I sure do love the law. I adore helping people solve their problems and I relish the fact that I am able to use my skills to help my family. I hope I pass this thing because I have a lot of work to do and very little time to get it done.

Guess who's bizzack?

P. Manolos

P.S. Regardless of whether I pass/fail on Oct. 28- don't contact me. I'll contact you if and when I'm ready.