Although I didn’t participate in Friday’s sales after Thanksgiving, there were still things that needed to be purchased or great prices that couldn’t be passed up for stockpiling. When making purchases I try to focus on items that my family can use. I try to avoid purchases that my family can’t use in a timely manner like twenty bottles of ketchup, even if I get a good deal on it. We use about one bottle of ketchup in a year, but I know that every families needs are different.
While getting items for free or nearly free is great, there are simply times that purchases have to be made where just getting the item on sale is worth it. One of the products that we purchase regularly at our house , are Nature Made vitamins. They have such a wide range of items available that I can find nearly any item I need in their line of vitamins. The bonus about purchasing Nature Made vitamins is that they frequently go on sale for buy one get free at CVS and Walgreens. In addition to the vitamins being on sale, I can use one coupon for each bottle of vitamins, plus I accumulate the rewards codes from each bottle of vitamins to add to my Nature Made Wellness Rewards account.
While my total spent was $39.40 my total savings was $72.40 which included sale prices, and coupons. My Nabisco cracker purchases will be used for a $10 Rebate, and I was completely bummed when I realized that the Lutein vitamins I purchased also qualified for The Caregivers Marketplace Rebate, but they were purchased on the same receipt so I opted for the larger $10 rebate instead of the $2 rebate value of the vitamins.
While my total seemed high for the items purchased, the items that drove the total high were the Breathe Right Nasal Strips ($13.49), cat litter ($8.99), and Lutein ($14.99). These were purchased at the lowest price possible, but still accounted for more than half of my total. I was able to bring my total down with a $5 off $25 purchase at Walgreens that was available earlier in the week, and manufacturing coupons for nearly every item I purchased. Super Savings doesn’t mean that everything has to be free, although that would certainly help, but with the use of some great coupons combined with sale prices I was able to purchase items for my family’s needs at the lowest price possible.
Not pictured is the cat litter I purchased at Target.
Tags: Super Savings Saturday

I have tried something similar but for different reason this year. Got out my tree Thursday night to put up and when I got it all together I heard a crack. I looked and it was fine. 10 seconds later a snap and over goes the tree. We have had it 9 years and I guess the base had all it could take. My 4 year old wasn’t happy at all so to make him happy and get some lights up I improvised. I used the branches on my mantle and decorated them with lights, bell garland and tapered candles. He was satisfied until he realized I had many more sets of lights so up went another around the front door and more branches of the tree on the entertainment center with a large hurricaine candle holder filled with red and silver Christmas bulbs similar to your picture as the center piece. I used another strand of silver bell garland and green lights instead of red like on the mantle. Granted i’m no Martha Stewart, but I think it looks very nice for a broken Christmas tree LoL.. I will be getting a pre-lit tree instead of just buying a new base. I think after 9 years it’s had plenty of use and I can get one that I have been wanting for a while now. I might even keep the branches and use them every year since it looks pretty nice. I am suprised I even came up w the idea of re-purposing them in the first place. I am glad I did though and my children are also. Now if only I can find a pre-lit tree with red or green lights. I would be a very happy woman.
Umm, I am not sure why my comment was posted on this blog, but when I wrote it I was reading your ornament blog.. Weird.. Hmmm…
Yep, that was weird…. : )
First I am so sorry this happened to you. Second, I’m thinking Martha Stewart would be proud of you. Of course she would have spent a few thousand dollars on everything, not even thinking to repurpose. I don’t like it when something breaks at our house, but I love when I can repurpose it for something else. And girl I want a new tree too. I’ve had mine for several years now and it just doesn’t seem to fluff like it used to.