My couponing goals for this year include:

• Take advantage of more rebate offers.
• Take advantage of more Target gift card offers.
• Have most of Christmas shopping done by the end of summer.
• Stockpile more paper products and food items.
• Only buy items I have more than a year's supply of if they are free, MM, fillers, or needed to roll ECBs.
• Do more coupon trades on HCW.
• Enter more contests.
• Write more companies for coupons and samples.
• Inventory and photograph stockpile for insurance

...

I haven't couponed in several months, so I started over with no coupons, no ECBs, and no RR at the beginning of August. My first trip was to CVS on August 5th. I decided to spend quite a bit (for CVS) OOP to get going again.

My transaction was:
2 EOB hand sanitizers $3
2 Colgate toothpaste $5.98
1 Gillette razor $9.79
1 Bandaids $4.49
1 Neosporin $5.79
1 ice cream $2.19
Total: $29.26
-$5/$25 CRT
-$4 razor q
-$2 off EOB purchase...

Sent in the last payment today. This card was technically paid off last week with a $2,000+ payment, but I had some computer problems and we put the cost on this card along with some other things. It was paid off today with a $194.00 payment. WooHoo! I am using this month to pay cash for Christmas gifts and possibly add some money to savings. I'm not sure what debt will be targeted next, but I'm looking forward to it.

Amount paid off since June 5, 2009: $12,037

Paid $400 to the CitiDiamond card on 10-13-09 and $1200 today. This card is set to be paid off next week. WooHoo!

I'm getting excited for Christmas, and have done some shopping throughout the year. I put the final touches on a gift basket for my sister-in-law today. The total amount spent on the basket and items inside is under $20.00. The items from Bath & Body Works were from my own stockpile of items that I've purchased over the last few years at their semi-annual sales, so I didn't actually spend any money on them this year. The bath towels were purchased last year and have been in my gift closet waiting...