Week In Review: Saving Money Challenge--My Shopping Trip

This was my first shopping trip since participating in the Saving Money Challenge (of Watch.Every.Penny.) Here's what my shopping trip looked like this week:

Wal-Mart - Return
~Returned a pair of Nathan's shorts that didn't fit and found two coupons I didn't use on a previous trip that they gave me $$ for.
Total Cash Back = $5.78

Target - Return
~Returned 2-10pocket shoe storage hangers as they were too small for what I needed them for.
Total Gift Card Credit = $21.38 (I purposely had it put on a gift card since I knew I was using it that day. Easier than juggling money.)

Target - Transaction #2
~Bought 4 Boxes of Fiber One bars
Total Cost = $4.24
Total Out-Of-Pocket = $0 (Used return gift card.)
Earned = $5 Gift Card

Target - Transaction #1
~Bought 2-6 pocket closet storage hangers (These weren't there when I had originally bought the other ones!)
~Bought 2-13 pocket expanding file holders (One for coupon class & one for giveaway)
Total Cost=$25.64
Total Out-Of-Pocket = $3.50 (Used rest of return gift card and $5 gift card from above.

Staples
~Bought 2 packs of 12 BiC pens (Will pass these out to use at Coupon Class)
Total Cost = $2.14
Total Out-of-Pocket = $.14 (Used 2 - $1/1 printable coupons)

Babies R Us
~Bought 2-2oz. tubes of Balmex
Total Cost = $5.28
Total Out-of-Pocket = $1.28 (Used 2-$2/1 coupons from Baby Talk/American Baby Mags)
Total Earned = $2 in Caregiver's Marketplace rebate $$

CVS - Transaction #1
2 Adidas Action3 Intensive Deodorants (My Dad loves these!)
2 Tomato Plants
2 Chicago Tribunes
Total Cost = $12.06
Total Out-of-Pocket = $1.06 (Used $10 in soon-expiring ECBs, $1/1 Adidas Q)
Total Earned = $6 ECBs

CVS -Transaction #2
4 Pepper Plants
3 Tomato Plants
Total Cost = $12.33
Total Out-of-Pocket = $6.33 (Used $6 ECBs that I earned above)

Jewel
40 lbs of Top Soil (Not Pictured)
1 Bag of Onion Sets
2 Strawberry Plants
1 Cilantro Plant
Sweet Onions
1 gallon of milk
2 containers of grape tomatoes
1 bag of carrots
Sweet Potatoes
Total Cost = $21.47
Total Out-of-Pocket = $5.47 (Used soon-expiring catalinas)

When I got home, I noticed they didn't scan my preferred card and also rang up my sweet potatoes as sweet onions, overcharging me. Rich went back the next day and we got the difference back on the preferred savings and they refunded the ENTIRE price of the sweet potatoes, since they technically charged us wrong. Talk about SWEET!

Total Refund: $5.57

He then made a stop at our local grocery store and got:

Local Grocery Store(Not Pictured)
10 Yoplait Yogurts
1 Loaf of Bread
Total Cost = $9.76
Total Out-of-Pocket = $3.86 (Used store coupon to get sale price on yogurt and then a $1/6 manufacturer's coupon)

So My Grand Totals Look Like:
Total Spent: $21.64
Minus Refunds: $11.35
Total Out-of-Pocket for the Week: $10.29 PLUS I earned $2 in mail-in-rebates.

What Did I Get For My $10.29?
~Basic Foods Needed for the Week & Snack Items
~Sweet Potatoes for Kaydi's Baby Food
~Giveaway Items for Coupon Class & Site
~Everything needed for Salsa Garden, Extra Tomato Plants & Strawberry Plants (This will save us so much later!)
~Items for Family, Baby Item & One for Baby Basket Giveaway
~Storage Hangers for the Kid's Closets (Will tell you about these later)
~Two Sunday Papers Full of Money-Saving Coupons!! (1 for us, 1 for coupon folder for Coupon Class)

Not too bad of a trip! ;) Now, if I could get away with $10 every week, that would be a beautiful thing!

Side Note: I also stopped by Wags to get a Thermacare but the RRs didn't print so I just got my money back. Bummer, as I wanted to send them to my brother.