How I bought $135 of stuff for $2.96!!

Boy, was I proud of this trip to CVS!! Unfortunately, not everyone can do this trip, but it worked out perfect for Mary and me!!

When you walk into the CVS store, there is a price scanner there and you can scan your CVS ExtraCare card and get coupons. When I scanned my card, it gave me a coupon for $10 off your $50 purchase. I already had $11.47 in ExtraCare Bucks with me, so here's how I did the purchase:

• Bought 1 Garnier Fructis -- regularly $4.29, on sale for $2.99
  Used $1/1 coupon from 1/4 RP
  Received $2 ECB's
• Bought 2 Crest toothpastes -- regularly $2.99, on sale for $1.99
  Used 2 $1/1 coupons from 4/5 PG
  Received $2 ECB's
• Bought Band-Aid Comfort Flex @ $3.29 (full-price, but needed to get ECB's)
  
• Bought 3 Viactiv Multivitamins -- regularly $8.49, on sale for $6.00
  Used 2 $2/1 coupons (all I had was 2!) from 3/1 RP & 4/19 RP
  Received $10 ECB's for purchasing $20 of healthcare items
• Bought Bayer Contour Meter -- regularly $79.99, on sale for $14.99
  Used $14.99/1 coupon from 3/22 SS
  (I bought this item to get me above $50 purchase, and it's free after coupon!)
• Bought All Small & Mighty laundry soap -- regularly $7.49, on sale for BOGO
  Used 2 $2/1 printable coupons

Total purchased = $135.00
CVS Sale savings = -$84.26
ECB's used = -$11.47
Coupons used = -$26.99
CVS Coupon used = -$10.00
Final price = $2.28 + tax!!

It wasn't free, but Mary sent me to the store to get the Viactiv and All Small & Mighty anyway, and I would have paid well over $30 anywhere else!

$10 off at JC Penney!

JC Penney is offering a $10 off your $10 purchase coupon code again on their website! Just use coupon code MOMSGR8 when you're checking out. I love it when they do these. I get to buy something small (boxers, socks, etc.) without using any of my clothing fund! Shipping starts at $4.50, or you can choose to pick it up at the store. You will have to pay sales tax, but that's worth it to me!

Don't forget! If you shop at JC Penney through Ebates, you get 4% back off your purchase, too!

The 529 Plan and Upromise

Several months ago, I wrote briefly about upromise accounts, but I think I should explain further. upromise is a website where you can register your CVS card and your grocery store card (Meijer for me), and if you buy certain products, they will contribute money into your child's 529 plan. This is a great way to fund your child's education with items you were going to purchase anyway!!

A 529 plan is a tax-advantaged savings plan for college. 529 plans are run by the state where you live, and there are two kinds: pre-paid tuition and college savings.

In a prepaid tuition plan, you pay for all or a part of your child's college costs at today's prices. This saves you the headache of wondering how much college will cost, and sparing you from the major tuition increases we've seen lately.

In a college savings plan, you put your money into investments and the money grows tax-free. I strongly recommend this plan for two reasons: on average, the stock market has grown faster than college costs (I know it's difficult to believe today!), and second, some states have had to reneg on their promise of the prepaid tuition costs because of skyrocketing tuition and the collapsed stock market.

No matter which plan you choose, all the money growth in your 529 is tax-free so long as you use the funds for qualified higher education tuition and fees, room and board, textbooks, or computers used for education. And while your contributions are not deductible for federal income tax purposes, most states allow you to deduct your contributions.

This is why upromise is a great way to fund your child's education for things you would have bought anyway! For me, I've only been able to fund about $20 over the past six months. I know others fund well over $100 a month! But if you're going to buy the items anyway, why not fund your child's education at the same time?

CVS Freebies -- 4/26/09 - 5/2/09

Here are the freebies at CVS this week:

• Buy Band-Aid brand bandages @ $1
  Use $1/1 coupon from 3/15 SS or 4/26 RP
  Final cost = FREE!!
• Buy Garnier Fructis Shampoo or Conditioner @ $2.99 -- Get $2 ECB's
  Use $1/1 coupon from 1/4 RP
  Final cost = FREE + $0.01 overage!!
• Buy Crest Cavity, Tartar, or Baking Soda & Peroxide 6.4 oz @ $1.99, limit 1 -- Get $1 ECB
  Use $1/1 coupon from 4/5 PG
  Final cost = FREE + $0.01 overage!!
• Buy Bayer Breeze2 Blood Glucose Monitor @ $14.99
  Use $14.99/1 coupon from 3/22 SS
  Final cost = FREE!!
  

And a couple good deals:

• Buy All laundry detergent original 2x or small & mighty 3x @ $7.49 BOGO
  Use $2/1 internet printable coupons (no longer available)
  Or use $1/1 printable coupon
  Final price = $1.75 - $2.75 ea.
• Buy $20 of certain products -- Get $10 ECB's
  Scenario:
  Buy 3 Viactiv women's chewable vitamins @ $6
  Use 3 $2/1 coupons from 3/1 RP & 4/19 RP
  Buy 2 Band-Aid brand products @ $1
  Use 2 $1/1 coupon from 3/15 SS or 4/26 RP
  Final cost = $2 total!!

Walgreens Freebies -- 4/26/09 - 5/2/09

Here are the freebies at Walgreens next week:

• Buy Bayer2 or Contour glucose meter @ $14.99 -- Get $5 RR
  Use $14.99/1 coupon from 2/1 SS
  Final price = FREE + $5 overage!!
• Buy Bayer Quick Release Crystals @ $2.49 -- Get $2.49 RR
  Final price = FREE!!
• Buy Ecotrin 45 ct tablets @ $2 -- Get $2 RR
  Use $2.25/1 printable coupon
  Final price = FREE + $2 overage!!
• Buy Nivea Body Wash @ $4.99 -- Get $4.99 RR
  Use $1/1 printable coupon
  Final price = FREE + $1 overage!!
• Buy Rembrandt Toothpaste 2.6 - 3.2 oz. or mouthwash 16 oz. @ $5.99 -- Get $5.99 RR
  Final price = FREE!!
• Buy 2 Listerine Mouthwash @ $4 -- Get $4 RR
  Use 2 $2/1 printable coupons
  Final price = FREE!!
  

2009 IRS Federal Income Tax Brackets

As part of my Thursday routine, I am going to try and provide tax info along with my frugal posts.

The chart below shows how much of each dollar you earn will be taxed and at what rate:



How do you determine your taxable income?

• First, add up all your taxable income. This includes your wages, your traditional IRA withdrawals, bank account interest, dividends, gambling winnings, unemployment compensation, stock gains/losses, rental income/loss, etc.
• Second, subtract any adjustments. The IRS allows several adjustments. The most common are student loan interest, traditional IRA contributions, moving expenses, educator classroom expenses, health savings account contributions, half of self-employment taxes, and college tuition and fees (if you didn't take the credit).
• Third, subtract personal exemptions. This one is easy. In 2009, take the number of people you are claiming and multiply it by $3,650. If your child was born on or before December 31st, he or she counts for the whole year! This exemption is phased out beginning at $250,000 for married-filing-joint returns and $125,000 for single filers.
• Finally, subtract your itemized or standard deduction. Single filers get a $5,700 standard deduction ($11,400 for MFJ filers). But if your itemized deductions (medical expenses, taxes paid, mortgage interest, charitable contributions, casualties and losses, and miscellaneous itemized deductions) are larger, you get to subtract the larger number.

Whew! After all that math, you now have your taxable income (can you see why people pay me to do this stuff for them?)


So take a look at the chart above, and you can get a good idea of how much your federal tax bill will be. Of course, you're still not done yet! Now you have to subtract or add to your tax bill with tax credits or additional taxes, penalties, or interest! But we'll save that for another week...

Earth Day FREEBIES tomorrow

Reynolds Wrap is offering free 100% recycled aluminum wrap tomorrow at 4:22 EST on their website. Just fill out your information and they will email you a rebate form.

The Disney Store is giving away a free reusable water bottle (an $8.50 value) to any customer who brings in 3 empty plastic bottles. It's the “Recycling is Magic Project.”

Ben & Jerry's is giving away free ice cream cones between 12:00 and 8 pm TODAY. It's not necessarily for Earth Day, but it's a freebie, so I thought I should list it.

Earth Day -- FREE reusable shopping bag w/ any Purchase at Target -- Sunday only

Today only, Target is giving away free reusable shopping bags w/ any purchase. I know Mary loves this store, so it won't be difficult to make a purchase. Plus, each reusable bag has a coupon for $2 off of a GE energy efficient lightbulb.

Check back later this week as a lot of stores and manufacturers are giving away free Earth Day products.

Earth Day -- FREE CFL lightbulb at Home Depot -- Sunday only

I'm a big fan of these CFL lightbulbs. Not sure how much they save me on electric costs, if any, but if they last longer (and so far, they have), then that's worth it to me! Some people complain about having to recycle these CFL's -- you can't throw them away because of the Mercury. But it's pretty easy -- just take them to Home Depot, and they'll recycle them for you!

That's why I'm so happy to see Home Depot is handing out free 14-watt CFL lightbulbs on Sunday, April 19 only.

Walgreens freebies -- 4/19/09 - 4/24/09

Some sad news to report: April is the last month that Walgreens will be offering the rebates. Rumor has it that they will be switching to a Register Rewards system similar to CVS.

Here is the monthly freebie at Walgreens this month:

• Buy one-a-day multivitamin drink mix @ $1.49
  Submit for $1.49 ESR
  Final cost = FREE!

And the freebie at Walgreens this week:

• Buy Edge Infused Comfort or Hydrate shave gel @ $2.99 -- Get $2.99 RR
  Final cost = FREE!
• Buy Skintimate Shave Gel @ $2.99 -- Get $2.99 RR
  Final cost = FREE!

And some good deals, too!

• Buy 2 Reach Dental Care (Floss or Toothbrush)
  Use in-ad coupon for $0.99
  Use $1.50/2 coupon from 3/15 SS
  Final cost = $0.24 each
  
• Buy Mitchum @ $2.99 -- Get $2 RR
  Use $0.75/1 coupon from 3/22 SS
  Final cost = $0.24
  

CVS Freebies -- 4/19/09 - 4/24/09

Here are the freebies at CVS this week:

• Buy Bayer Aspirin Quick Release Crystals 4 ct. @ $2, limit 1 -- Get $2 ECB's
  Final cost = FREE!
• Buy Edge Infused Comfort or Hydrate shave gel @ $2.89, limit 1 -- Get $2.89 ECB's
  Final cost = FREE!
• Buy 6 Tresemme products @ $3/10, limit 2 -- Get $5 ECB's wyb 3
  Use 6 $1/1 Tressemme 24-hour body printable coupons
  Use $4/20 beauty purchase printable coupons emailed to some CVS customers (check your CVS email account)
  Final cost = FREE!

And a few good deals:

• Buy Act Rinse 18 oz. @ $3.79 -- Get $2 ECB's
  Use $1/1 Act Total Care 18 oz. from 4/19 SS
  Final cost = $0.79
• Buy Crest Pro-Health toothpaste 4.2 oz., Rinse 250 mL, Oral B floss 27-55 yds, or SuperFloss 50 ct., limit 2 @ $2.88 -- Get $2 ECB's
  Use $0.75/1 coupon from 4/5 PG
  Final cost = $0.13
  
  

I'm back! Energy Tax Credits are, too!

After a long, busy tax season, I'm back to posting! Sorry for the hiatus. I simply don't have time for both! But now that I'm back, I've had requests to post some of my tax knowledge along with the frugal news, so I'll try to mix this in.

After taking a hiatus in 2008, the energy efficient tax credit for improvments you make to your house will be back for 2009 and 2010. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 passed on February 17, 2009. Here are the details:

Get a 30% credit on the cost of your energy efficient improvements to your exisiting main personal residence, up to $1,500 total.

You may have noticed this is a much more generous tax credit than the previous 10% credit!

So what energy efficient improvements count?

• Exterior windows & skylights
• Storm windows
• Exterior doors
• Storm doors
• Metal & asphalt roofs
• Insulation
• Central A/C
• Air source heat pumps
• Natural gas or propane furnace
• Oil furnance
• Gas, propane, or oil hot water boiler
• Advanced Main Air Circulating Fan
• Gas, Oil, Propane Water Heater
• Electric Heat Pump Water Heater
• Biomass Stove
  

Special notes:

Not all “Energy Star” labeled products qualify. Make sure you check before making your purchase.

Equipment must last 5 years. A two year warranty should be sufficient to prove this.

Save your receipts and warranties.