Adventures in Couponing: Ulta

Today was a day like any other. Hang out with Brad, get something to eat, find portals to hack (Ingress), etc. Then we decided to stop by a Best Buy and Ulta, just for shits and giggles. I was about ready to leave until I saw that a lot of the tools and accessories were Buy One Get One 50% off. Remembering I had a $3.50 Off coupon, I decided to grab a few things.

Ah, the infamously bright and noisy Ulta bag.

Here is the where the fun begins. As you probably know, BOGO 50% is really only worthwhile if you get two items of equal value. So I thought this was a perfect time to grab a couple of Real Techniques items. The main thing I wanted was the Miracle Complexion Sponge. Tricky thing is the sponge costs 5.99. And there was nothing else I wanted worth 5.99 in the Real Techniques display. So I was all "hell with it" and grabbed two.

Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge, $5.99

As I was doing the calculations on my phone, I suddenly realized- the $3.50 Off coupon only works on purchases with a $10 minimum. I start panicking a little. See, the subtotal before the BOGO 50% would be $11.98. That's above the minimum, right? But the thing is, they only apply the coupon AFTER all discounts. Since the sponges were on sale, their subtotal after the BOGO 50% discount would be $8.99. That's UNDER the minimum to qualify for the $3.50. As Brad and I are in line to checkout, he tells me to just settle for the $8.99 since it's still discounted anyways. I start to accept my small defeat. Then I saw it: a $1.19 packet of those spongetip eyeshadow applicators. I know. When the hell will I ever use those? But you see, that $1.19 would bring my discounted subtotal of $8.99 up to $10.18, JUST over the minimum coupon requirement. I grab them and ask the cashier if she could ring just the two RT sponges together to see if the coupon might still work (you never know, right?). After she told me no (and that my total was $9.82), I handed her the little $1.19 packet and ask her to ring that up, also. She (and Brad) gave me a confused look and rang it all up- the two RT sponges, the applicators, AND that damned $3.50 Off coupon. My new subtotal? $6.67 ($7.29 after tax). I think that's the most victorious I've felt in a while (LOL@me).

My Ulta haul lol. Mon Image applicators, $1.19

The best part about this (other than saving money) is that I pretty much got my second RT sponge for free. If I just add the one sponge and the packet of applicators together, that subtotal would have been $7.18 ($7.84 after tax), $0.51 MORE than my subtotal of $6.67. So because I took advantage of the BOGO 50% Off AND the $3.50 Off coupon, I saved a total of $6.50 (that subtotal difference of $0.51+$5.99 for the second RT sponge). Needless to say, I was gleefully waving the receipt in Brad's face once we got in the car. I'm sure he was equally excited for me but he was pretty worn out at that point.

I can totally see how people can get addicted to couponing. I mean, I only had this small purchase and started freaking out. Can't imagine how others do it with multiple shopping carts. But I'll just leave that for the big dogs.

Here's the Ulta $3.50 Off coupon I used.

xx May.