This week at CVS

It was a good week at CVS. Not my best ever, but certainly nothing to be ashamed of. All of this cost $1.49 out of pocket. Here's how. . .

Transaction #1
Adidas deodorant 4.99
Speed stick 24/7 deodorant 3.99
South Beach Living granola bars 2.50
Coupons: $2 off $10 purchase, $1 off Adidas, $1 off Speed Stick, $2 off SBL bars
Subtotal: $12.16
Paid with $5 of Extra Care Bucks (ECB) and $0.60 out of pocket
Got $6 ECB back

Transaction #2
Opti Free Replenish Contact solution $7.99
True North Almond Clusters $3.00
Coupons: $2 off $10 purchase, $3 off Opti Free, $1 off Almonds
Subtotal: $11.64
Paid with $4 of ECB and $0.99 out of pocket

Transaction #3
Jumbo Pack Playskool diapers $10.99
South Beach Living granola bars $2.50
Coupons: $2 off $10 purchase, $2 off Playskool diapers, $2 off SBL bars
Total before coupons: $14.29
Paid with $7.49 of ECB, no cash required

I've noticed something interesting about paying with the Extra Care Bucks. I think of them as CVS cash, but they're actually a little better than that. They're rung up as coupons and reduce your pre-tax total. That in turn reduces the amount of tax you're charged. So, if the total is $2.50 and you give them a $2 ECB slip, the new total is $0.38, not $0.50 like I would have expected.

It was a good week, in that I only spent $1.59 out of pocket for $38.09 worth of merchandise (At least that's what CVS charges for it. Whether it's actually worth that much is debatable!). It wasn't as good as far as ECB's go. I used up $16.49 of those and only got $6 back. I'll have to work on replenishing my stock of these over the next few weeks.

My year-to-date CVS savings: $612.48!

In Praise of Naps

J is learning to read and write. He's very much into writing words. He likes to copy words and sentences he sees written elsewhere. He also likes to ask us how to spell things so he can write them. Yesterday, he asked me how to write a song he'd heard.

J: "How do you spell that nappy take song."

Me: (Silent, confused look)

J: "You know, that nappy take song from church."

Me: (Even more confused look)

J (a little frustrated with his slow Mama): "You know, Oh nappy take, you washed my sins away!"

Me: (Finally realizing what he's talking about) Oh! That's Happy Day!

It did make me think, though, the day someone decides to lead us in a song praising nap-taking, I will be right there singing out with all my heart! And I suspect quite a few other Moms would be joining in as well!

That's some old hair

Overheard this morning while I was combing J's hair:

J: Hey, I can see the skin on my head!

Me: Do you know what the skin on your head is called?

J: What?

Me: Your scalp.

J: Yeah, and you have fossils on your scalp!

Me: You have what?!

J: Hair fossils!

Me: Oh -- you mean follicles!

So THAT's where that went!

Yesterday after church, the kids were admiring the steeple from the backseat.

J, with all his 4 year-old wisdom, explained to his little sister, "H, the place where Jesus died was called Calvary."

I thought this was shaping up to be a theological discussion.

He continued, "After they took Jesus down from the cross, they built Calvary Bible Church."

Well, yes, technically that's true. A couple thousand years after.

"Then they put his cross up on top there!"

We do strive to be authentic. Those other churches may have crosses, but we've got the real deal!