So, I had to take a break for a few days because we had a busy weekend of costumes and the Halloween party we went to. First off, I'm excited that I spent a total of $5.00 on my costume, and by recycling some older items for hubby's, I spent $3.00 on his! By using my own makeup and two tubes of red and brown makeup from Target ($1.80 for both), We came in under $10.00, and we won a prize for scariest costumes! I will post some pictures later on in the week. We have another party this weekend and I want to make sure the costumes stay a surprise until then!
This week, there's not much on sale at Rite Aid. There is a $2 printable coupon here for Zicam cold remedy, which is on sale for $7.99, with a $7.00 +Up Reward. This is a $1 money maker!
There are also some +Up Rewards on certain food items. When you buy $12, you get $3 +Up. Some of these items are priced much higher than Walmart, so you would have to work out a scenario with whatever coupons you have to make this work best for you. I used most of the coupons I had on these items at Shaw's, so I'm not hurrying out to grab much this week. Something might pop out at me later on, but I'm not super excited about this deal.
A few other deals are Arm and Hammer Toothpaste, and Orajel kids' toothpaste. There are printable coupons, along with +Up Rewards, which vary your savings (depending on the coupon value). There is also a Scott toilet paper and paper towels deal. They are $7.99 (12 ct TP, 8 ct towels), with a $3 +Up Reward. There was a $1 coupon for each of these items in the paper this weekend, so they end up being $3.99. I also noticed the pain reliever/vitamins +Up advertised that has a lot of coupon matchups from this weekend's inserts. Aleve, Midol, Alka Seltzer, Bayer, and Centrum, to name a few, and they are Buy One Get One 50% off. You get a $10 +Up Reward when you buy $30. I quickly scanned the shelves and the average price on these was between $5.50 and $8. So depending on what you wanted to stock up on, you might be able to walk away with some REALLY cheap medicines.
My favorite deal this week is the Xtra Laundry Detergent. They are normally $3.79 for 48 loads. I don't usually buy this brand, but since I'm going to start making my own detergent this week anyway, I figured I won't be picky anymore! The Xtra is on sale for 3/$6. When you buy 3, you get $2 +Up Rewards. So they are essentially 3/$4, or about $1.33 each. I have paid $20 for a jug of Tide this year, and it had 96 loads. The same number of loads of Xtra were $2.66. I bought 6 jugs (there is a limit of 2 +Ups on this ). So the bottom shelf of my newly built stockpile shelving is half full of detergent (including some Gain I picked up in last week's sale.)
Hopefully someone finds a better deal than I did this week. I haven't had the energy to really dig deep into the flier to find any hidden gems. If I get around to that tonight, I will try to post any new findings tomorrow!
Monday, October 24, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Cutting the Coupon Clutter
So, you've started out on your couponing adventure. You've been working the sales, buying your newspapers, getting all kinds of good deals... now, what do you do with all of those other coupons you haven't used yet? You can't leave them scattered on the kitchen table (I mean, you COULD just eat right on top of them, but who wants to risk a spill and ruin those good coupons? Or.... not.)
There are two main methods for organizing. First, I would like to share with you my personal preference, for the time being.
The Filing System
I spent an hour or so yesterday gathering up all of the coupon insert strays that had been placed on shelves, in my desk, on top of the microwave, on the piano... ya, it's been coupon chaos around here. I needed to feel like I am in control of my house again, and after furiously finding deals for everyone for the last few weeks, my home has been seriously suffering. So, everything got put back where it belongs, but there was no place for the coupons. So, while cleaning out my hall closet to make room for new shelves, I found a small pink crate that I had purchased specifically for my coupon storage a long time ago, and figured I would finally get around to making use of it!
My crate holds hanging files, and I tabbed each file, but didn't write on the actual labels. Instead, I used a dry erase marker to write the flier dates on the outside of the plastic tab. This way, I can erase them and reuse them when all of the coupons in those inserts have expired and I no longer need them. Now, I have a simple organization for all of my coupons, so when I search on the coupon database (here), and it tells me that there is a coupon in a specific insert that came out on a specific date, I can go right to that file, pull it out, and find the flier the coupon is located in. This is going to make my life easier because now, as soon as I get my inserts, they will be sorted into like inserts, then filed into these folders.
This crate was about $5 at Walmart during a back to school sale a couple of years back, and the hanging files I think were about $10, but I bought a large box of them, and they may have smaller boxes at bigger stores with more stock. It's an investment for sure, but will make your life much easier!
The Binder
Another method of organizing, which I have used in the past but have a hard time keeping up on, is a coupon binder. A lot of people like to use this method because it allows you to keep all of your coupons with you when you shop, so you never miss an opportunity to get a great deal. Many stores have clearance sections that you can find amazing things for already cheap prices, and a coupon can often make these items free or pretty close to it.
A binder is a relatively easy concept. Just clip ALL of your coupons (whether you think you would use them or not), and organize them into a simple 3 ring binder. I used baseball card holders, and tucked all of my like coupons into each slot. The clear plastic sheets have about 9 pockets per side (3x3) and allow you to see what coupons are in each slot. If you organize your coupons into categories, you can easily flip to that category to find out if you have a coupon for an item that is on sale or clearance, and could walk out of the store with an unexpected freebie. I found this was slightly high maintenance, but I definitely did find some amazing deals using my binder, and may consider going back to this method again, once I get better at this again.
Another bonus to having a coupon binder is that you can be well prepared for any coupon trip. All coupons are stored right in the same place. Many binders have storage in the front for things like pens and a calculator, which are vital tools when shopping and figuring on the fly. You can also keep a notebook with your shopping lists hooked right into the binder so there are no surprises when you get to the store (I have misplaced my shopping lists many times and it can cause a major meltdown!) You can also keep extra envelopes tucked inside so when you find a good deal, the coupons you will use can be taken out and held in a safe place until you get to the checkout.
Whichever method you choose will definitely make life a lot easier for you. I know that chopped up bits of paper all over your house can be discouraging and lead to frustration. I don't want anyone giving up because they just can't take the clutter! Keep everything organized and it will make it so much easier for you to plan your trips and reap the rewards!
There are two main methods for organizing. First, I would like to share with you my personal preference, for the time being.
The Filing System
I spent an hour or so yesterday gathering up all of the coupon insert strays that had been placed on shelves, in my desk, on top of the microwave, on the piano... ya, it's been coupon chaos around here. I needed to feel like I am in control of my house again, and after furiously finding deals for everyone for the last few weeks, my home has been seriously suffering. So, everything got put back where it belongs, but there was no place for the coupons. So, while cleaning out my hall closet to make room for new shelves, I found a small pink crate that I had purchased specifically for my coupon storage a long time ago, and figured I would finally get around to making use of it!
My crate holds hanging files, and I tabbed each file, but didn't write on the actual labels. Instead, I used a dry erase marker to write the flier dates on the outside of the plastic tab. This way, I can erase them and reuse them when all of the coupons in those inserts have expired and I no longer need them. Now, I have a simple organization for all of my coupons, so when I search on the coupon database (here), and it tells me that there is a coupon in a specific insert that came out on a specific date, I can go right to that file, pull it out, and find the flier the coupon is located in. This is going to make my life easier because now, as soon as I get my inserts, they will be sorted into like inserts, then filed into these folders.
The Binder
Another method of organizing, which I have used in the past but have a hard time keeping up on, is a coupon binder. A lot of people like to use this method because it allows you to keep all of your coupons with you when you shop, so you never miss an opportunity to get a great deal. Many stores have clearance sections that you can find amazing things for already cheap prices, and a coupon can often make these items free or pretty close to it.
A binder is a relatively easy concept. Just clip ALL of your coupons (whether you think you would use them or not), and organize them into a simple 3 ring binder. I used baseball card holders, and tucked all of my like coupons into each slot. The clear plastic sheets have about 9 pockets per side (3x3) and allow you to see what coupons are in each slot. If you organize your coupons into categories, you can easily flip to that category to find out if you have a coupon for an item that is on sale or clearance, and could walk out of the store with an unexpected freebie. I found this was slightly high maintenance, but I definitely did find some amazing deals using my binder, and may consider going back to this method again, once I get better at this again.
Another bonus to having a coupon binder is that you can be well prepared for any coupon trip. All coupons are stored right in the same place. Many binders have storage in the front for things like pens and a calculator, which are vital tools when shopping and figuring on the fly. You can also keep a notebook with your shopping lists hooked right into the binder so there are no surprises when you get to the store (I have misplaced my shopping lists many times and it can cause a major meltdown!) You can also keep extra envelopes tucked inside so when you find a good deal, the coupons you will use can be taken out and held in a safe place until you get to the checkout.
Whichever method you choose will definitely make life a lot easier for you. I know that chopped up bits of paper all over your house can be discouraging and lead to frustration. I don't want anyone giving up because they just can't take the clutter! Keep everything organized and it will make it so much easier for you to plan your trips and reap the rewards!
Creamy One-Pot Pasta
I wanted to post this recipe that I found in a Pampered Chef booklet. I have modified it here from the original (which included sun dried tomatoes in oil, which are about 5.49 a jar) to make it less expensive, and my family likes it a lot better this way!
Creamy One Pot Pasta
1 lb Penne pasta (.97 Store brand)
1 tsp minced garlic (1.49 Store brand minced garlic, small jar, so a fraction of that for 1 tsp)
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, cubed (1.79 store brand)
3 cans Chicken Broth (.74 cents each, College Inn brand, so 2.22 total)
1 16 oz pkg frozen crinkle cut carrots, or 2 cups chopped fresh carrots (.99 for store brand frozen)
1 16 oz pkg frozen broccoli florets (1.79 store brand)
Heat Oil in large stockpot. Add minced garlic and cook until golden brown. Do not overcook. Remove from heat and immediately add chicken broth. Heat to boiling. Add pasta and carrots. Set timer for 5 less minutes than package directions. After timer goes off, add broccoli. DO NOT STIR IN. Let Broccoli sit on top of the pasta and carrots (so it will steam, not boil). Cook for remaining 5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese until well incorporated. Continue to simmer until sauce is creamy and broccoli is fork tender.
This meal costs $9.25 the first time you make it (if you don't already have minced garlic on hand, $7.76 if you do). If you wanted to, you could add grilled chicken on the side, or slice it up and mix it into the pasta. Precooked chicken breast would add about $5 to your total, and depending on the kind of deal you find on fresh chicken, it could be cheaper because a little chicken goes a long way when you mix it in. This also is AMAZING as leftovers. I fed a family of 6 with this recipe, and we had enough for two lunches leftover. I've never tried freezing my leftovers (I still need to get some tips on how best to do this) but I'm sure this would keep in the freezer and still be delicious!
I hope you enjoy trying this recipe as much as I did!
Creamy One Pot Pasta
1 lb Penne pasta (.97 Store brand)
1 tsp minced garlic (1.49 Store brand minced garlic, small jar, so a fraction of that for 1 tsp)
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, cubed (1.79 store brand)
3 cans Chicken Broth (.74 cents each, College Inn brand, so 2.22 total)
1 16 oz pkg frozen crinkle cut carrots, or 2 cups chopped fresh carrots (.99 for store brand frozen)
1 16 oz pkg frozen broccoli florets (1.79 store brand)
Heat Oil in large stockpot. Add minced garlic and cook until golden brown. Do not overcook. Remove from heat and immediately add chicken broth. Heat to boiling. Add pasta and carrots. Set timer for 5 less minutes than package directions. After timer goes off, add broccoli. DO NOT STIR IN. Let Broccoli sit on top of the pasta and carrots (so it will steam, not boil). Cook for remaining 5 minutes. Stir in cream cheese until well incorporated. Continue to simmer until sauce is creamy and broccoli is fork tender.
This meal costs $9.25 the first time you make it (if you don't already have minced garlic on hand, $7.76 if you do). If you wanted to, you could add grilled chicken on the side, or slice it up and mix it into the pasta. Precooked chicken breast would add about $5 to your total, and depending on the kind of deal you find on fresh chicken, it could be cheaper because a little chicken goes a long way when you mix it in. This also is AMAZING as leftovers. I fed a family of 6 with this recipe, and we had enough for two lunches leftover. I've never tried freezing my leftovers (I still need to get some tips on how best to do this) but I'm sure this would keep in the freezer and still be delicious!
I hope you enjoy trying this recipe as much as I did!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Rite Aid Ad Scan 10/23 - 10/29
Here is the flier for the upcoming sale at Rite Aid. I borrowed this from another site, and the sales may not 100% apply to your store (I noticed some freezer stuff that our store wouldn't carry). But you can get a general idea of what's going to be one sale and start researching coupon matchups. Once I have a list made, I will post them as well. I do know that there isn't much for +Up Rewards this week, but there may still be some good cheap stuff! Enjoy!
New Rite Aid Flier 10/23 - 10/29
New Rite Aid Flier 10/23 - 10/29
Trial Sizes
This isn't really about a shopping trip, but I figured I would give everyone a heads up on an easy way to stock up on things for free. Most coupons indicate a specific product or size that you need to buy to use the coupon on your purchase. However, occasionally a manufacturer will sneak a little gem into the inserts and we can get freebies! Two weeks ago (10/2), Proctor and Gamble (P&G) put out its monthly insert. I bought 4 papers that week because in addition to Gillette coupons that I could use at Rite Aid, there were many BOGO coupons in another insert that paired well with the Rite Aid sale. I clipped my Gillettes, CoverGirls, and Dove coupons, and left the rest in the flier. I thought the $1/1 Old Spice product coupon was slightly insulting considering there were $2/1 Gillette Body Wash, Deodorant, and Old Spice Body Spray coupons on the same page.
I was checking out the regular prices on Gillette products at Walmart in case I wanted to use any of my coupons there, and as I walked past the trial size bin, I realized there were Old Spice body washes for 97 cents. I thought, wow, it would sure be nice if those useless Old Spice coupons would work on those! Then I realized, I didn't remember seeing any size restriction on the coupons. They just said "$1.00 off ANY Old Spice item". So of course, I raced home to find these potentially amazing coupons that I had left in my inserts. I had 4, and sure enough, they were good on any item, no size restrictions indicated.
Immediately, I went to ebay, found a Buy It Now for 20 of these babies, and they were in my hand within a few days. I only paid 99 cents for them, including shipping. That is 5 cents per coupon. Since they are only 97 cents at Walmart, and our store (and judging by what I have read online, other stores too) does not mark coupons down to the shelf price, I made got 3 cents for every bottle I bought. Some stores allow for what is called Overage. It means our item is free, and we can use what's left to help bring the rest of our order total down.
So, watch for these coupons in the inserts because every now and then you will find a free or extremely cheap trial size item. I have gotten deodorant, laundry detergent, fabric softener, pain reliever, baby wipes, soap, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, and even feminine products using these awesome coupons! So keep watch!!!
I was checking out the regular prices on Gillette products at Walmart in case I wanted to use any of my coupons there, and as I walked past the trial size bin, I realized there were Old Spice body washes for 97 cents. I thought, wow, it would sure be nice if those useless Old Spice coupons would work on those! Then I realized, I didn't remember seeing any size restriction on the coupons. They just said "$1.00 off ANY Old Spice item". So of course, I raced home to find these potentially amazing coupons that I had left in my inserts. I had 4, and sure enough, they were good on any item, no size restrictions indicated.
Immediately, I went to ebay, found a Buy It Now for 20 of these babies, and they were in my hand within a few days. I only paid 99 cents for them, including shipping. That is 5 cents per coupon. Since they are only 97 cents at Walmart, and our store (and judging by what I have read online, other stores too) does not mark coupons down to the shelf price, I made got 3 cents for every bottle I bought. Some stores allow for what is called Overage. It means our item is free, and we can use what's left to help bring the rest of our order total down.
So, watch for these coupons in the inserts because every now and then you will find a free or extremely cheap trial size item. I have gotten deodorant, laundry detergent, fabric softener, pain reliever, baby wipes, soap, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, and even feminine products using these awesome coupons! So keep watch!!!
Monday, October 17, 2011
Rite Aid 10/17
Today's trip, I wanted to get my razors because that's the one thing I envy in other people's stockpiles. Having a husband who could grow a beard in a day, it's nice to not have to go out and buy refills or new razors, and since he prefers manual to electric, stocking up on these is going to save me a TON.
So, today I had 12.99 in +Up Rewards to start.
I bought:
#1
Duract (6.00)
Sinus Buster (8.00)
Organix Cough Drops (1.49)
Subtotal: 15.49
Coupons:2.00 peelie on Sinus Buster (I dug to the back because I found one on the one I bought the other day and I found another box with a coupon on it!)
Up Rewards: $12.99
OOP After Tax: 1.29
I got back $15.49 in +Up Rewards for this transaction.
#2
4 Gillete Custom3 4ct (7.49, 3.74 BOGO50%, so 22.46)
2 Gillette Simply Venus 4ct (7.99, 3.99 BOGO50%, so 11.98)
Subtotal: 34.44
Coupons: 4 $2/1Gillette Mens, 2 $2/1 Gillette Venus
Up Rewards: 15.49
OOP After Tax 8.67
I got back $10 +Up Rewards for hitting $30 for the P&G promo.
Total OOP today, I spent 9.96 and I left the store with $10 +Up Rewards for next time! =)
My presale, after tax total would have been $75.82 I saved a total of $65.86, which ends up being 86.9%
So, today I had 12.99 in +Up Rewards to start.
I bought:
#1
Duract (6.00)
Sinus Buster (8.00)
Organix Cough Drops (1.49)
Subtotal: 15.49
Coupons:2.00 peelie on Sinus Buster (I dug to the back because I found one on the one I bought the other day and I found another box with a coupon on it!)
Up Rewards: $12.99
OOP After Tax: 1.29
I got back $15.49 in +Up Rewards for this transaction.
#2
4 Gillete Custom3 4ct (7.49, 3.74 BOGO50%, so 22.46)
2 Gillette Simply Venus 4ct (7.99, 3.99 BOGO50%, so 11.98)
Subtotal: 34.44
Coupons: 4 $2/1Gillette Mens, 2 $2/1 Gillette Venus
Up Rewards: 15.49
OOP After Tax 8.67
I got back $10 +Up Rewards for hitting $30 for the P&G promo.
Total OOP today, I spent 9.96 and I left the store with $10 +Up Rewards for next time! =)
My presale, after tax total would have been $75.82 I saved a total of $65.86, which ends up being 86.9%
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Rite Aid Trip 10/16
I took a couple of trips to Rite Aid today. I started out this week with $17.00 in +Up Rewards from last week's sale. I chose not to use them on anything non-sale related so I could roll them into this week's P&G $10 +Up. Here are my trips:
Transaction #1:
Duract Cold Relief: $6.00
Sinus Buster: $8.00
NeliMed NasaDrops: $7.00
I found a peelie coupon on the Sinus Buster for $2.00 off (Yay for extra unexpected coupons!)
Subtotal: $21.00
Coupons: $2/1 Sinus Buster
+Up: $17.00
Total OOP: $2.20
I received $6, $8, and $7 ups making each item free (with a $2 MoneyMaker on the Sinus Buster because of the coupon that was on the box!). So this transaction ended with $21 total in +Up Rewards.
Transaction #2:
5 - 8 Roll Bounty Basic $6.00 each.
Subtotal: $30.00
Coupons: 5 - $1.00/1 Bounty
+Up: $21.00
Total OOP: $5.50
I got a $10 +Up Reward from the P&G offer (Buy $30, get $10 +Up).
So, out of pocket on that trip, I paid $7.70. My total before sales and coupons, after tax was $81.92. So My total savings was 91.2%! I didn't include my remaining +Up Rewards because those will be calculated into my next transaction, and I don't want to include that twice.
I went back a while later to get the other freebies in the flyer and to check some prices.
Transaction #3:
1 Saline Soothers Wipes $1.00
1 Blistex Cold/Allergy $1.49
1 Organix Cough Drops $1.50
Subtotal: $3.99
Total OOP after tax: $4.19
I got $1.49 +Up for the Blistex, and $1.50 +Up for the Cough Drops, making these items free after +Ups. The Saline Soothers had a $1.00 Single Check Rebate (SCR), so they will be free after rebate! I didn't use any previous +Ups on this order because the one I had was $10, and I only had $3.99 in merchandise, so I will roll the +Ups from this transaction with the $10 +Up from my Bounty transaction and use it on my next trip. So I will start off with $12.99 in +Up Rewards!
My next trip is to go figure out how to get some good razors, but I will post that one once I figure out how I will do it!
Transaction #1:
Duract Cold Relief: $6.00
Sinus Buster: $8.00
NeliMed NasaDrops: $7.00
I found a peelie coupon on the Sinus Buster for $2.00 off (Yay for extra unexpected coupons!)
Subtotal: $21.00
Coupons: $2/1 Sinus Buster
+Up: $17.00
Total OOP: $2.20
I received $6, $8, and $7 ups making each item free (with a $2 MoneyMaker on the Sinus Buster because of the coupon that was on the box!). So this transaction ended with $21 total in +Up Rewards.
Transaction #2:
5 - 8 Roll Bounty Basic $6.00 each.
Subtotal: $30.00
Coupons: 5 - $1.00/1 Bounty
+Up: $21.00
Total OOP: $5.50
I got a $10 +Up Reward from the P&G offer (Buy $30, get $10 +Up).
So, out of pocket on that trip, I paid $7.70. My total before sales and coupons, after tax was $81.92. So My total savings was 91.2%! I didn't include my remaining +Up Rewards because those will be calculated into my next transaction, and I don't want to include that twice.
I went back a while later to get the other freebies in the flyer and to check some prices.
Transaction #3:
1 Saline Soothers Wipes $1.00
1 Blistex Cold/Allergy $1.49
1 Organix Cough Drops $1.50
Subtotal: $3.99
Total OOP after tax: $4.19
I got $1.49 +Up for the Blistex, and $1.50 +Up for the Cough Drops, making these items free after +Ups. The Saline Soothers had a $1.00 Single Check Rebate (SCR), so they will be free after rebate! I didn't use any previous +Ups on this order because the one I had was $10, and I only had $3.99 in merchandise, so I will roll the +Ups from this transaction with the $10 +Up from my Bounty transaction and use it on my next trip. So I will start off with $12.99 in +Up Rewards!
My next trip is to go figure out how to get some good razors, but I will post that one once I figure out how I will do it!
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Shaw's Trip 10/15
so i am disappointed with this trip. i could have done way better but last minute second guessing and having some of the stuff i had coupons for be out of stock i dont know how i could have done much better. i did get a lot for a little so it wasnt a complete loss. so here is a pic of what i got. dont be fooled by the smallness of the pile lol
The list:
16 cans of progresso soup
4 pkgs refrigerated cookie dough
3 pkgs chex mix
10 boxed muffin mixes
4 boxed brownie mix
16 boxed potatoes
24 cans vegetables
16 boxes toaster strudels
12 boxes gogurt
6 boxes fruit snacks
14 totinos pizza rolls
16 boxes fiber one granola bars
2 bounty basic 8 roll packages
and what isnt pictured is a giraffe halloween costume i bought for topher.
I had a lot that didn't have coupons. My Presale/Coupon price was 415.91. I spent 97.83. I saved 76.5%!!!
The list:
16 cans of progresso soup
4 pkgs refrigerated cookie dough
3 pkgs chex mix
10 boxed muffin mixes
4 boxed brownie mix
16 boxed potatoes
24 cans vegetables
16 boxes toaster strudels
12 boxes gogurt
6 boxes fruit snacks
14 totinos pizza rolls
16 boxes fiber one granola bars
2 bounty basic 8 roll packages
and what isnt pictured is a giraffe halloween costume i bought for topher.
I had a lot that didn't have coupons. My Presale/Coupon price was 415.91. I spent 97.83. I saved 76.5%!!!
Friday, October 14, 2011
Shaw's Trip 10/14
So, I was up late last night trying to perfect this deal, but failed miserably due to a huge migraine! I did get a few starter orders put together, but it kind of fell apart from there. Remember, I'm still a newbie to this so I learn as I go, just like you!
This is my haul. lol (The picture is grainy because I took it with my cell, but until I figure out where Topher put my digital camera, I'm stuck with this!)
Things to know about this sale. When you buy $25 worth of certain General Mills items you will receive a $10 coupon for your next order. I split my orders into several different transactions. There was some question about how they add up the $25. My experience was that it came off the shelf price (regular Shaw's price that you would pay if the item was not on sale, or if you didn't use a Shaw's card). However, this didn't work on two transactions, which totalled over $25 (shelf price). The CSM did give back a $10 coupon (this was on my mom's transaction) since the register didn't print it, but not without lecturing us about manipulating the coupon policy, which we were not doing in any way according to their coupon policy. I reviewed and studied it before I even started planning my shopping trip.
So be careful if you go buy the shelf price. I know that the chex mix goes by shelf price, as does the Totinos Pizza Rolls, Gold Medal Flour, and Betty Crocker Cookie Mix. The Yoplait and Green Giant frozen veggies did not go by shelf price and were the transactions that did not print out a coupon. I am very surprised that the CSM gave my mom her coupons since the ad does say AFTER manufacturer's coupons. The sale, however, does not work the way the ad says. Yay for us! =)
I started my trip off by testing the shelf price theory. I just got a Kitchenaid mixer and wanted to stock up on flour so I can use the crap out of it! So I grabbed 8 bags of Gold Medal Flour (3.69 shelf price, 29.52 total) at $2.50 a bag ($20 total). I had no coupons so I grabbed another order to try out, which was 12 Totinos pizza rolls boxes (2.19 shelf price, 26.28 total), at $1 per box ($12 total). I had coupons for $6 toward my 12 boxes, which brought my total down to $6.00 OOP (Out of Pocket). I received a $10 OYNO (On Your Next Order) coupon for purchasing $25 worth! =) So I "rolled" that coupon over onto my next order, which was the flour. Since the flour was $20 sale price for 8 bags, and I used my $10 OYNO, it came to $10. I received another $10 OYNO for buying $25 worth of flour! =) So, I kept that momentum going. I took these orders out to the van and came back in to get shopping, with the knowledge of how the sale worked!
I don't feel like going over my receipts right now (still a little shaky from the migraine, being sick this morning, and the rush of flying to Bangor and back in a 3 hour window to purchase all those goodies!). However, I will tell you what I bought, how much it ALL should have come to, and how much I paid. I might break the orders down later for you, but I still need to research tomorrow's trip so I can go back and use up all the coupons I didn't get to use today. And there are A LOT! =)
My List:
12 Hamburger Helper
10 Betty Crocker Instant Potatoes (Mashed and Au Gratin varieties)
12 Bags of Chex Mix (all one flavor cause I'm picky and don't like the other ones.. there were more! lol)
4 boxes Betty Crocker muffin mix
12 boxes frozen Green Giant veggies
8 bags Gold Medal flour
6 boxes Nature Valley Granola Bars
16 boxes Totinos pizza rolls
13 bags Betty Crocker cookie mix
2 12 roll Charmin Basic
1 20 oz Pepsi Max
1 bag Bugles
The subtotal for these items was $255.35
****I had coupons for every item except for the Pepsi Max and Flour. I used my last $10 OYNO coupon to buy 2 pkgs of Charmin basic (4.99 on sale) with a $1/2 coupon (it was only 8.98 after coupon, before tax) and I threw the Pepsi in there as a filler to hit a $10 subtotal. ****
I paid $55.59 total OOP.
I saved 78.2% =) Not bad for being rushed, having a migraine while preparing this, almost not getting out of bed this morning because I was still sick (eating Excedrin and Immitrex for breakfast helps the head, but didn't do much for the rest of my body lol), and getting an hour late start!
This is my haul. lol (The picture is grainy because I took it with my cell, but until I figure out where Topher put my digital camera, I'm stuck with this!)
Things to know about this sale. When you buy $25 worth of certain General Mills items you will receive a $10 coupon for your next order. I split my orders into several different transactions. There was some question about how they add up the $25. My experience was that it came off the shelf price (regular Shaw's price that you would pay if the item was not on sale, or if you didn't use a Shaw's card). However, this didn't work on two transactions, which totalled over $25 (shelf price). The CSM did give back a $10 coupon (this was on my mom's transaction) since the register didn't print it, but not without lecturing us about manipulating the coupon policy, which we were not doing in any way according to their coupon policy. I reviewed and studied it before I even started planning my shopping trip.
So be careful if you go buy the shelf price. I know that the chex mix goes by shelf price, as does the Totinos Pizza Rolls, Gold Medal Flour, and Betty Crocker Cookie Mix. The Yoplait and Green Giant frozen veggies did not go by shelf price and were the transactions that did not print out a coupon. I am very surprised that the CSM gave my mom her coupons since the ad does say AFTER manufacturer's coupons. The sale, however, does not work the way the ad says. Yay for us! =)
I started my trip off by testing the shelf price theory. I just got a Kitchenaid mixer and wanted to stock up on flour so I can use the crap out of it! So I grabbed 8 bags of Gold Medal Flour (3.69 shelf price, 29.52 total) at $2.50 a bag ($20 total). I had no coupons so I grabbed another order to try out, which was 12 Totinos pizza rolls boxes (2.19 shelf price, 26.28 total), at $1 per box ($12 total). I had coupons for $6 toward my 12 boxes, which brought my total down to $6.00 OOP (Out of Pocket). I received a $10 OYNO (On Your Next Order) coupon for purchasing $25 worth! =) So I "rolled" that coupon over onto my next order, which was the flour. Since the flour was $20 sale price for 8 bags, and I used my $10 OYNO, it came to $10. I received another $10 OYNO for buying $25 worth of flour! =) So, I kept that momentum going. I took these orders out to the van and came back in to get shopping, with the knowledge of how the sale worked!
I don't feel like going over my receipts right now (still a little shaky from the migraine, being sick this morning, and the rush of flying to Bangor and back in a 3 hour window to purchase all those goodies!). However, I will tell you what I bought, how much it ALL should have come to, and how much I paid. I might break the orders down later for you, but I still need to research tomorrow's trip so I can go back and use up all the coupons I didn't get to use today. And there are A LOT! =)
My List:
12 Hamburger Helper
10 Betty Crocker Instant Potatoes (Mashed and Au Gratin varieties)
12 Bags of Chex Mix (all one flavor cause I'm picky and don't like the other ones.. there were more! lol)
4 boxes Betty Crocker muffin mix
12 boxes frozen Green Giant veggies
8 bags Gold Medal flour
6 boxes Nature Valley Granola Bars
16 boxes Totinos pizza rolls
13 bags Betty Crocker cookie mix
2 12 roll Charmin Basic
1 20 oz Pepsi Max
1 bag Bugles
The subtotal for these items was $255.35
****I had coupons for every item except for the Pepsi Max and Flour. I used my last $10 OYNO coupon to buy 2 pkgs of Charmin basic (4.99 on sale) with a $1/2 coupon (it was only 8.98 after coupon, before tax) and I threw the Pepsi in there as a filler to hit a $10 subtotal. ****
I paid $55.59 total OOP.
I saved 78.2% =) Not bad for being rushed, having a migraine while preparing this, almost not getting out of bed this morning because I was still sick (eating Excedrin and Immitrex for breakfast helps the head, but didn't do much for the rest of my body lol), and getting an hour late start!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Day one: quick post =)
Hey there. I'm starting this blog to help out some friends and family so they can get started with their couponing efforts. I'm pretty new to couponing myself (having done it in the past, and just jumping back into it in the last couple of weeks). So far I have saved enough to convince me that it is worth the effort I've put in to keep going. I've started a good HBA stockpile, and tomorrow I am heading back to Shaw's for my first big trip in about 2 years to get my grocery stockpile going. I will keep everyone posted with my deal finds, and my trips and totals.
Check back soon for my Shaw's trip, and for some info on the next Rite Aid finds!
-Becca
Check back soon for my Shaw's trip, and for some info on the next Rite Aid finds!
-Becca
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)