On January 11, 2012, I won $12 by playing the 50/50 raffle at my TOPS meeting. For most people, $12 will not go very far. But, I decided to s-t-r-e-t-c-h that $12 to the max and buy as much stuff as I possibly could!
For the next two months, I kept track of exactly how I spent that $12. The list below shows you everything I got, and they links will take you to see how I got it.
I decided that when I found coins in the parking lot while shopping for this challenge, I would put them in the pot in honor of my father (see why here). I added 44¢ of heaven sent money to the total (14 pennies, 2 nickels, 2 dimes).
I quickly realized that my $12 Challenge might go on forever, so I decided to end it when I hit $1,000. As you can see, I went over that mark. All this was done in just over 2 months!
Total value of purchases before tax is $1170.82
Total OOP including tax is $11.83 (this was mostly tax)
I started with $12.00
I still had $.17 cash plus $4.00 ExtraBucks for CVS, so I had $4.17 total left to spend.
Below is everything I got so far for just $11.83 and that was mostly tax. Seeing it listed like this BLOWS MY MIND! I knew I was getting a lot for very little, but this is crazy! It just goes to show that you can really save money if you are a savvy coupon shopper!
What I got 1/11 through 1/14 (see breakdown and coupons here)
12 boxes Mueller’s pasta
5 packages Johnsonville sausage
1 bag onions
1 whole buttercup squash
8 boxes Skinny Cow chocolates
1 Carmex lip balm
1 bag Huggies Pull-Ups
3 Coke 2 liters
1 Kashi cereal, single cup
1 quart Half & Half
4 bags Pennsylvania Dutch noodles
1 bag Fresh Express salad
3 Oscar Mayer Lunchables
2 boxes Grain Berry cereal
1 box Silver Palate oatmeal
2 boxes Nescafe Taster’s Choice coffee
2 bananas
2 oranges
What I got on 1/15 (see breakdown and coupons here)
3 boxes Mueller’s pasta
2 HeluvaGood dips
2 Hood cottage cheese
2 bags Fresh Express Harvest Peach Kit salad
1 packet Kool-Aid
1 package (.60lb) beef bologna
1 package chicken hearts
3 cans Hannaford brand dog food
1 can My Essential cranberry sauce
What I got 1/16 through 1/17 (see breakdown and coupons here)
6 egg rolls
16 boxes Mueller’s pasta
3 bags Fresh Express cole slaw
1 whole buttercup squash
4 sweet potatoes
6 tomatoes
What I got 1/19 through 1/20 (see breakdown and coupons here)
4 bags Fresh Express salad
1 Cool Juice 64 oz
10 packs UP2U gum
4 jars pasta sauce
2 Hood sour cream
2 fresh lemons
3 bananas
12 egg rolls
1 lb ground beef
6 rolls Duck brand packing tape
1 tube Colgate toothpaste
12 boxes Nabisco cookies
4 travel size tubes Aquafresh toothpaste
7 packages Reach dental floss
What I got 1/21 through 1/25 (see breakdown and coupons here)
1 box Silver Palate Oatmeal
8 Fresh Lemons
9 Egg Rolls
2 Hood Creamer
1 Hood Pineapple Cottage Cheese
2 Sorrento Mozzarella Cheese
2 packages swiss cheese
2 boxes Taster’s Choice coffee
4 packages Sun Bird seasonings
1 can tomato sauce
1 package turkey pastrami
1 package muenster cheese
1 package olive loaf
1 package pickle loaf
What I got 1/26 through 1/28 (see breakdown and coupons here)
4 travel packs Band-Aids
1 Reach dental floss
4 boxes Wheat Thins
4 boxes Chips Ahoy cookies
4 boxes Oreo cookies
5 4-packs Rayovac AA batteries
6 rolls Duck brand packing tape
6 cans Goya juice
2 fresh lemons
5 bag Fresh Express salad
1 whole buttercup squash
about 1/2 lb ground beef
Greek salad
What I got 1/29 (see breakdown and coupons here)
4 bags Fresh Express salad, cabbage & coleslaw mix
1 Hood coffee creamer
1 Daisy cottage cheese
1 loaf bread
1 can dog food
2 packs sliced green peppers
1 package salami
What I got 1/30 (see breakdown and coupons here)
2 bags Fresh Express salad
2 tubs Wholly Salsa
1 big Florida avocado
4 packages sliced green peppers in deli
2 packages sandwich meat from Meat dept
2 My Essential mustards
4 cans Hannaford dog food
What I got 1/31 to 2/4 (see breakdown and coupons here)
1 ream of paper
1 half gallon Silk
5 packs Tena pads
11 rolls Duck tape
7 packages sliced green peppers
5 packages sliced onions
5 packages sandwich meat
5 donut holes
1 package pork
1 loaf My Essential bread
12 cans Hannaford dog food
What I got 2/4 to 2/7 (see breakdown and coupons here)
2 Welch’s Ocean Spray juice, 64 oz
1 box baking soda
1 bag dog treats
1 can broth
1 package gravy mix
1 yogurt
1 reusable shopping bag
8 French’s spicy brown mustard
4 Kikkoman seasoning packets
8 packages sliced onions in deli dept
4 packages sandwich meat from meat dept
4 donut holes
What I got 2/8 to 2/9 (see breakdown and coupons here)
6 Welch’s Ocean Spray juice, 64 oz
4 boxes Wholly Guacamole
2 bags pizza cheese
1 package sandwich meat
1 shaker of parmesan cheese
1 can dog food
What I got 2/11 through 2/17 (see breakdown and coupons here)
28 boxes Mueller’s pasta
1 bag chips
1 dish soap
1 can pasta
1 can veggies
4 yogurts
1 stalk celery
3 yellow squash
34 liters Super Chill sparkling water
1 star fruit
2 lbs red potatoes
1 loaf bread
7 cans dog food
6 quarts milk
about 1/4 lb ground beef
4 pouches Starkist tuna
1 Simply Lemonade, 89 oz
2 Colgate Total toothpaste, full size
6 Snicker’s chocolate hearts
1 can kidney beans
1 can baked beans
2 cans spaghetti & meatballs
about 1/2 lb shaved steak
1 bag M&M Pretzels, 9.6 oz
What I got 2/20 through 2/25 (see breakdown and coupons here)
4 Kozy Shack puddings
2 loaves bread
5 cans dog food
3 cans kidney beans
2 cans soup
3 packages ground beef
3 cans chunk light tuna
1 quart milk
8 small tubs margarine
Nestle ice cream cone
3 Snickers chocolate eggs
3 Milky Way chocolate bunnies
What I got 3/2 through 3/6 (see breakdown and coupons here)
2 gallons milk
3 bananas
8 yogurts
1 6-pk applesauce
1 jar grape jelly
1 loaf bread
2 big cans peaches
2 big cans soup
2 boxes pudding
2 Kozy Shack puddings
1 bag McCain Purely Potatoes
1 package chicken gizzards
1 package sandwich meat
2 cans pinto beans
2 boxes pudding
2 boxes 2lb sugar
2 bottles 32oz Hunts catsup
2 big cans soup
2 cans dog food
What I got 3/7 through 3/17 (see breakdown and coupons here)
1 bag Gold Emblem jelly beans
22 6-packs applesauce
6 Kozy Shack puddings
14 jars peanut butter
27 packages Ramen noodles
4 cans peaches
2 jars strawberry preserves
2 jars orange marmalade
2 loaves giant white bread
8 packs UP2U gum
16 Sanford News newspapers
4 small chocolate bunnies
4 cans cranberry sauce
4 Marzetti Dip
8 Egg Lands eggs 6-packs
6 6-packs applesauce
10 boxes General Mills cereal
3 HeluvaGood dips, 24 oz
5 lb bag potatoes
6 boxes Baking Mix
8 big cans tomato sauce, 29 oz
6 canisters old fashioned oats
12 small cans tomato sauce
6 cans spaghetti & meatballs
4 jars pickles
24 cans tuna
4 cans biscuits
4 big cans tomato puree
8 Maruchan noodles
3 lb bag of apples
3 Yoplait Greek yogurts
3 bananas
5 bananas
1 Yoplait yogurt
1 package cole slaw mix
2 cans non-stick spray
3 big cans diced tomatoes
3 big cans whole tomatoes
3 bags popcorn kernels
1 bottle PediaCare
12 bars Irish Spring soap
2.25 lbs ground beef
The End!
