Wal-Mart savings

Normally, I am not a huge fan of Wal-Mart. Before the days of the self- check outs, I found that there was almost always a line at Wal-Mart that could not be conquered in under a 20 minute wait. If I went to Wal-Mart looking for something specific I could never find it. But if I went in with nothing in mind to find, I almost always left with something (not exactly the kind of shopping you need to be doing on a fixed budget). However, in recent months, I have been comparison shopping between my two local grocery stores, Zellers and Wal-Mart. I pay close attention to each stores fliers and I have a growing list of prices from each store of things I normally buy with some regularity. With Sobeys and Zellers being in the same "mall" and Extra Food on the way, as long as I have my list I can do the shopping in one trip. Wal-Mart is actually the closest to me and until it snows, as long as I don't need a lot of things from there, I can walk with the boys and the double stroller.

On Tuesday when our paper came, there was a Wal-Mart flier advertising an anniversary sale. As I looked at the flier I noticed quite a few things that were great deals and I would like to get. I even pointed them out to Brad that night. Unfortunately on Wednesday, Ryan and Adam both had congestion (a combination of teething and possible colds) and it was a cool day so I didn't want to take them out. Thursday was much of the same but once we finished supper I convinced Brad we should all go out to Wal-Mart and see what (if anything) was still available on these deals.

Imagine my surprise to be able to find just about everything. The only thing was that none of it was marked on sale. Oh well, I said to Brad, if the sale prices don't come up I will just show them the flier (because I was so well prepared that I had it folded in my purse with the items I wanted starred with black sharpie). Brad asked to see the flier and that is when I realised why I was able to find so much of what I wanted on what I thought was the last day of the sale... turns out the sale didn't start until the next morning. So we put the things back and Brad encouraged me to come back first thing in the morning.

But Friday is playgroup morning so I took the boys to playgroup first, where I shared my embarassment from the night before. When we left playgroup, I overheard a bunch of othermoms from the pre-school talking about the sale as well. A few had already gone that morning, some were headed there right away. I knew then that I had NO CHOICE, but I would have to go right away in order to try to get all the things on my list.

I came out with everything I wanted (plus a couple of other things as well...it was lunch time after all and the snacks onsale were SCREAMING at me). I got:



3-pack handi-snacks (crackers and cheese) 5@ 97 cents
**plus two 50 cent off vendor coupons
Delisso frozen Pizza's 3 @ 4.97
Q-tips (500 count) 2 @ 2.45
4 pack Dove Soap 3.50
Dove Body Wash 3.50
Shampoo and Conditioner 5@ 4.87
**One for Brad that is a combo shampoo and conditioner and two each of shampoo and conditioner for me
Box Diapers for Ryan 26.97
Box Diapers for Adam 19.97
Box Wipes (7 pack refills) 2@ 7.97
**Wal-Mart and Pampers have a promotion on right now where if you buy a box of diapers and a box of wipes and submit your receipt you get a $15 dollar gift card to Wal-Mart. So once I submit my recipt I will get 2 $15 gift cards.
Household cleaning wipes 2@ 2.97
*70 count containers
Large bottle of Cheese Whiz 5.97
Hot Wheels cars (for the boys for Christmas) 6@ 68 cents
*we started collecting cars for Ryan when he was just a baby and are doing the same for Adam plus at this price they make great stocking stuffers (reg 1.22 each)
Little People Garage (for Ryan for Christmas) 19.93
*regular price is 39.97
Uncle Bens Chinese Fried Rice 6@ 88 cents
*we only just discovered that Wal-Mart sells this for less normally than where we usually buy it, but this price is a steal!
Tostidos Tortilla chips 2@ 2.97
*we bought two huge jars of salsa last week when they were 2 for $7
crunch n munch 1.00
Pringles twin pack 2.00
twix 4 pk 2.00
3 muskateers 4 pk 2.00
*the crunch and much is usually close to $2 regular price and a single pringles is again close to $2. Regular sized choc. bars are $1 or more in some places now. Only the little thin 100 calorie choc bars are under a dollar anymore. So those were good deals to have some munchies in the house

The total was quite high $172.03 but I will get two $15 gift cards for buying the diapers and wipes, I now have some Christmas gifts for the boys, we have stocked some personal care items and bought some food that we will not need to buy more of for a while (although I am tempted to go back and buy some more rice...and cars...) and maybe have a deeper look to see if there are more instore specials that are not advertised.

And just because: