my Great Deal at Babies R Us

I promised to tell you about my deal at Babies R Us.

I haven't really written that much on here about my deal-finding obsession. It truly is an obsession. It's actually more like an affliction, really, if I were to be honest. We usually get "the best" stuff. But, I never, ever pay full price for anything. I always use coupons. I seek out ways to get a good deal, and I get a deal on EVERYTHING.

I'm not kidding, it borders on obnoxious quite frequently.

So, when I got an email for 20 percent off one nursery item at Babies R Us, and knew that we needed mattresses, I told Carlos that we had to go that day. It was a Wednesday and it was a one day only sale for Rewards R Us members.

He obliges me in my quest for deals quite frequently, and actually I've trained him quite well. He uses the credit cards with the best rewards, He always asks if we have gift cards for stores before he goes, and always remembers to give the loyalty number when he shops, even when the loyalty card is registered in my (former) last name and not his. For the sake of my deal-making happiness, he endures being called Mr. Gabby. No, you can't have him. He's mine.

So, I print two coupons, thinking we will each use one in a separate transaction. And trust me, they won't even try to say we can't use two coupons with the same Rewards number. I'll be ready.

So, we go there and after we find the mattresses we want and have them sent to the front of the store, we decide to look at car seats. I'm thinking at this point, "How am I going to get the multiples discount, if I have to do two different transactions?" My wheels are turning. But I digress..

My mom had already told us she wanted to buy us car seats, so I just wanted to make sure they would definitely be in stock. We planned to come the morning of the shower, (three days later) and she wanted to be able to take them to the shower. So, we go to the car seat section and start looking around. So, just to be clear, my deal-making attitude does not mean i always buy the cheapest, no, almost never. Carlos and I (and really, especially Carlos) like to have the best. So, yeah, we were getting the Chicco KeyKit 30. I just like to get it cheaper than everyone else.

So, we're looking at the car seats, and of course, since we are buying two, I ask about the multiples discount. All of a sudden, this salesclerk transforms herself into a version of me right before my very eyes, and we go sit down together to try to figure out how to get the BEST.DEAL.EVER on these carseats. This is also the point where Carlos dismisses himself to go to Williams-Sonoma, the other errand on our list. He can tell this isn't going to be quick. Yes, Williams-Sonoma. My husband is a gourmet cook. With no brothers.

I'll skip all the ensuing back and forth where I get so excited at the thought of stacking all these discounts, and just share what we did.

So, of course, we leave the mattresses there that night, and plan to buy them when we come back. What a rookie i was to think that a one-day coupon at BRU had any value whatsoever.

So, here's what we do.

We use ALL of the following discounts on every item:

1. 15 percent off registry completion discount off all transactions for an entire day. She says, i'll let you use your registry completion discount as long as your due date is within one month. We check. I had put May 14th, which is my official 40-week due date. She says immediately, ok, well just change this to APril 15th. Cool. You can always change it back. I am loving this woman.

2. Then we talk about the credit card. I'm opening one for sure. 15 percent off everything. All transactions for an entire day. At toys r us and babies r us.

3. Then I mention that I heard that you can use competitor coupons there. I confirm with her, and decide right then and there that I will never again go to BRU without a 20 percent off Bed Bath and Beyond coupon. Yes, those count.

4. Oh yeah, multiples discount. 10 percent off when you buy two of the same thing in gear, furniture, etc (basically big ticket items) I'm having twins and need two. But this discount on a big ticket item could make me find another mom that needs the same thing I need and go in together. (I told you it was an obsession.)

Ok, so anyway... my receipt... shoot, can't find it right now, but my total was like 370 something, and at the bottom is says, You saved 280 something. Score!

So, I decide right then and there that we are getting everything left on our registry in another shopping trip, when I apply for a credit card for Carlos and have a coupon for each item again.

Seriously, this is my passion. If you have any questions about how to get stuff cheaper - anything, doesn't have to be baby stuff (really I'm pretty new at the baby stuff - let me know.