Shop, Shop, Shop

Walgreen's
So for the first time I actually had a successful Walgreen's trip. I never thought it would happen. The store was nearly empty. Derek was happy. The cashier was patient and very helpful. I found every single item on my list...
At first I thought I was in the twilight zone.
I ended up with four different transactions. Each Register Reward printed and I was able to roll them over to my next transaction. My scenario was modified from this one at Saving A Bundle. I had a higher value coupon than one listed for the Colgate but it had expired since I'd organized my q's for the trip and I had to dig another one out of my binder. I spent $5.74 including tax.

CVS
Giddy with success I went over to a new CVS that just opened in my shopping radius to check it out and get some more great deals. As soon as I walked in the door I nearly did a little heel click because they actually had mini carts with cars. Derek was way excited but I might have been more so. This is my new fave CVS.
They were all out of my Stove Top Stuffing though. It is on sale this week for .88 a box and I have some lovely coupons that would have scored me 5 boxes for a buck fifty. Yum. I should have asked when they planned to restock. I'll give them a call later. They were also out of the shave gel I was going to get Bryan and score some Extra Care Bucks with, but I did end up getting 3 free reach floss and two bottles of Head and Shoulders for $3.19. I also earned 2 Extra Care Bucks for my next trip.

Target
Last night I took the boys with me to Target. Bryan handled damage control with the little man while I shot around grabbing my coupon deals. My savings at this store are never what I want them to be. Usually because there is either some item I get that I don't have a coupon for or it just is a big ticket item (at least what I would call a big ticket item, you know like five bucks) and it throws my total. I get really upset about that. Last night it was the Charmin Moist Wipes for $4.99. Sigh. They never have good coupons for those things. I ended up with:
2 Degree men's deoderants, free after coupons
1 Kandoo wipes .42 (any one else looking forward to potty training in the near future?)
2 Girard's Caesar salad dressing 1.52
2 Cool-Whip 1.98 (sadly no q's for these)
2 Halls cough drops .19 (I'd found a BOGO tear pad at schnuck's a couple weeks ago. Sweet!)
1 dozen plastic Easter eggs .65
1 Charmin 4.99

I'd remembered reading an article about Target's coupons not always working like they should so I was watching closely as each q was scanned and I caught when one of the Target coupon's scanned for 0.00. The cashier told me that meant I was getting the product for free but I had to point out to her that then it would have listed the price of the item, not a bunch of 0's. She rescanned the coupon and I was credited my correct coupon savings of .50. So my total was $11.28. Minus the Charmin I would have paid more like $5 plus tax which would have made me much happier. *sigh* Still a good trip though.

Wal-mart
Right before Target I'd run into Wal-mart to price match my Toys R Us ad for Chutes and Ladders. On top of the matched sales price of $4.99 I had a $2 coupon so I got the game for $2.99 plus tax. I was hoping to score the Buzz Light Year Operation game that Wal-mart had for $5 and use my $3 off coupon and Hasbro rebate to score a game and a pizza for 2 bucks but they were all sold out. I'll have to try and check out another Wal-mart for that deal. I also grabbed some meat, black beans, tomato sauce, and maple syrup. Again the meat and syrup killed my total. I walked out paying $21.12. Good thing I only buy meat once or twice a month or my budget would be shot.

After my two day shopping spree I've spent $41.33. My weekly budget goal is $40. I'm hoping that adding regular trips to Walgreen's and CVS to earn RR and ECB will make my budget go farther. Especially since organic milk is $5 a gallon and the meat is pretty pricey as well. Don't even get me started on what happens when I walk into Costco...
It seems weird to me to post something private like a budget and my grocery list but I've seen the accountability of it working for some of my friends so I'm going to give it a try. I love insights on how to get good deals too and I wouldn't know what I do if others hadn't shared their experience with me.

Counterfeit Coupons

After couponing the past couple years I was surprised how much I didn't know about counterfeit coupons. I think there is more awareness at stores right now because of shows like TLC's extreme couponers. Interestingly Kroger (which owns Fred Meyer, King Soopers, Dillons, Food4Less, Bakers, City Market, Fry's, Hilander, JC, Gerbes and various other grocery market/department store chains ) is where most of the couponers on that particular show shop. I read about one of the participants in the show being a fraud and since then I've been doing some research. Today one of my favorite coupon blogs posted this link.

I've learned that stores DO NOT get reimbursed for illegit coupons. I hadn't thought much about it before because I've always assumed the coupons I get were legitimate. I guess I always assumed that the manufacturer bore the burden of these coupons but apparently there is a way to detect coupons that are not credible even when they are printed via internet from home computers. The manufacturers do not honor the coupons and the store/pharmacy you shop at does not get reimbursed.
With Kroger already tightening their scrutiny of coupons I think it is important that we spread the word to our fellow coupon users to watch out. Printable coupons are so prolific these days that my guess is they will be the first to be denied at local stores. Just in the short time I've been couponing I've seen stores change their policies about printable coupons numerous times. I've already experienced two local Walgreens that turned away my printables for several months because they had been inundated by counterfeits. Now when they do accept printables they only accept a couple at a time.
I would say the majority of my savings and free items come from printables and it has been such a blessing to my family. Lets take care of our local stores so they can be properly reimbursed and thus continue to accept all types of coupons. They don't have to accept coupons at all and we are the ones who will suffer if they stop.

57 Free Boxes of Pasta!

*sigh* Just look at them. Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE couponing?
This is by far the best pasta deal I've ever gotten and it just so happened to come while we are assessing our food storage. I have a hard time with the idea of paying for pasta in bulk containers when I can get so much for absolutely nothing. This is good stuff too. Tri-color rotini, penne, and whole wheat linguine. I'm just bummed the lasagna and egg noodles weren't part of the deal. Otherwise I would be in complete pasta bliss.
Though pasta was the star today, I did get several deals on my Kroger trip.

57 Boxes Ronzoni Smart Taste, Healthy Harvest, and Garden Delight pasta
   FREE

1 Gallon Private Selection Organic Milk (so excited to buy gallons of organic milk in my regular store for such a great price!)
   $5.29

12 cans Red Gold Tomatoes
   $1.00
1 Philly Cooking Creme
   Overage of .26

1 Organic Ground Beef
   $4.44

2 Dozen Large Eggs
   $2.20
1 Country Crock
   $0.49

1 32oz All-Natural Dannon Yogurt
   $1.49

Veggie Wash
   $3.99
Sunflower Seeds
   $1.99
Dove Men's Deoderant
   $0.99
Gillette Satin Care Shaving Cream
   $0.79
2 16 count StayFree Long w/Wings
   $0.49 (I would like to point out that these numbers are the total for the product listed, not price per piece)
Bananas
   $1.52
4 Classico Pasta Sauce
   $6.00
French's Spicy Mustard
   Overage of  .21

I paid a total of $24.09 plus tax out of pocket. I saved $155.63 or 86%. For the most part the prices listed above reflect my coupons except for my Entertainment Book $5/75 purchase which came off the total.
I do buy organic or all natural animal products (milk, eggs, meat, yogurt etc.) when possible so that does increase my total a little bit. If I had opted for regular milk and meat at this trip it would have saved me an additional $6.00 or so. Because I coupon and stock pile at sales like the current mega event our grocery budget is still tiny even with the organic products.

Last weekend I stocked up on produce at Costco. I also went to Walgreen's last week for the first time in forever because I just couldn't pass up on the PediaCare deal.

I actually went twice.
This is the first trip where I made $0.15 cents after getting the Always register reward. The second trip I got three more PediaCare free. Every time I checked out I got more coupons and ended up having to give them away. As hard as it is to pass up on free stuff, especially when medicine is so expensive, I couldn't jinx our family by having so much on hand. You know?

It's great to be back in the swing of things.

Great day at Kroger

I was behind on my coupons for a while. I always feel overwhelmed if I don't get them cut out and sorted ASAP and I'll admit I let them stack up for way too long. Well I've got things in order now and I'm totally stoked about my latest shopping trip at Kroger. Check out a great coupon/sale match-up here.

Total Stats:
Items purchased 79
Total before coupons: $181.85
What I paid: $44.80 plus tax
Total Savings of $131.28 or 74%
Total Earned: $9.50 in catalinas for $ off my next shopping trip.

A lot of people I've talked to about couponing think that in order to get the deals you have to buy a lot of junk food. Since I was in a rush to put everything away I don't have a picture but I'll do a list of what I bought to give you an idea of where my money went.

4 - V-8 Fusion juice
2 - Pillsbury Grands biscuits
2 - Pillsbury Crescent rolls (these were a bonus buy because they were on manager's special for 75 cents!)
1 - Welch's grape jelly
4 - Old El Paso 10 count tortillas
4 - Pillsbury Toaster Strudel ( These were a splurge for Grammy who is with us right now)
1 - Oscar Meyer Deli Fresh lunch meat
1 - Hormel pepperoni
1 - Domino brown sugar
10 - 24 count Crayola crayons (No I don't particularly need that many crayons but they were on sale for 25 cents and you get a $4 catalina = $1.50 money maker and a great donation item)
5 - Cheerios (total for all five boxes combined = 35 cents)
2 - Ronco bow tie pasta
2 - Ronco shell pasta
1 - Kroger tortilla chips
4 - Fiber One granola bars
3 - Hamburger Helpers (Love having these on hand for dinner on super busy days)
2 - Kroger canned peas
8 - Progresso soups
6 - cans Del Monte fruit
2 - cans Bushes kidney  beans
1 - Edge shaving cream
1 - Kroger wipes
4 - Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers
2 - Kroger large eggs
1 - Chex Mix (free)
3 - Betty Crocker Warm delights (All free, for my emergency sweets stash)
1 - Pillsbury Sweet Moments (also free)
1 - Doritos (again, free)

I'm not picky about brands (except when it comes to peanut butter and mac and cheese) but I'm always excited when I get the brand name stuff cheaper than generic so I thought I'd include the names just to give those who aren't familiar with coupons an idea of what you can get. The cool thing I've noticed is I get most of our snack/junk food for free so when I don't have a deal to get it free I don't buy it. This has actually cut out a lot of snack food in our house.
Another Kroger trip a couple weeks ago I saved 103% on toothpaste and body wash. Wahoo! I bought eight bottles of Gillette and Old Spice body wash for Bryan (I get him brand name only and almost always for free) and five large tubes of Crest toothpaste (my target price for toothpaste is also free). How do you save 103%? Well at Kroger they actually let your coupons cover taxes if there is overage. So I ended up paying taxes only minus over a dollar of coupon overage. Who doesn't use body wash and toothpaste?
I'm telling you, coupons are for everyone.

Consignment Shopping

I went to a consignment sale about a week ago. I love consignment sales. There is something about going to a giant room full of fun stuff at great prices that makes me giddy inside. We really don't need anything for Derek. I mean, what do you really need for a baby? Diapers, wipes, bottles, clothes, and burp clothes make the short list. Bryan would say having a diaper genie is a life or very stinky death necessity. He's terrified of the day I seriously switch to cloth diapers. And I'm sure everyone has a list of things that make life so much easier.
I justified the trip because I was out and about as usual and the convention center where the sale was being held was on my way home. I didn't even bother looking at the clothes. We've got plenty. This trip was all about toys.
I have toy envy. We've been to some places where the children have these neato, flashy light, pop, spin, twirl, thump, jump, squeal, change your life kind of toys. Do I exaggerate? Perhaps. Only a little though. I grew up with tons of toys. My mom got them from work and I had toy boxes. Plural. And I don't think I really appreciated any of them. I remember losing pieces, digging in boxes, and ultimately stealing Mom's measuring cups to play with instead. I really want Derek to realize that he doesn't need to have every dohicky that he sees as he gets older. As a result when people asked what to buy him for Christmas we asked for things we needed like a bigger car seat. Mom insisted she wanted to get him a toy so I told her I would love to have some Fisher Price stackable rings (I also have the Tupperware shape toy I remember from when I grew up because that's how I keep it old school). Well Derek likes it and I liked it until we went to other people's houses and I saw some pretty cool toys.
Sure Derek liked those too, but lets me honest, he tries to eat paper. It doesn't take much to make him happy. So all my fine principles aside I entered the toy wonderland of the consignment sale and immediately started playing with the toys. Derek was hanging happily in the K'tan trying to play too. I didn't share. Only because I was worried about germs, of course. I bought two magical, lights, sounds, actions kinda toys and some books (again a set I remembered from when I was growing up) and made it out of there paying only 18 bucks. I was pretty happy with my grabs. And I've justified them as first birthday presents since that is coming up in the not nearly distant enough future. After consulting with Bryan (who never likes to wait to give gifts) we gave him one toy to play with now and the other will be wrapped up for his birthday. Now that he has some fun techie toys in his old school arsenal I think I'll have to find another reason to head out to the next consignment sale. I'll take suggestions. Ummm...they don't have to be good reasons either :).

Grocery Trip 2/19/10

What I Got

I made about $3.10 in mistakes but I am way excited about this shopping trip. I had free coupons for a few things and a $5.00 coupon from the entertainment book. I saved 63% ($67.66) and paid $37.59 plus tax. This is more than I normally spend for a week but I bought chicken and fancy eggs that will last us the whole month.

What I Got Free

Rebates, Points, and Bucks oh my!

So I did something this week that I rarely do. I bought clothes. I know clothes are a necessity but I actually bought things that I didn't need. *deep breath* This is a big step for me and, yes, I am not ashamed to admit that I called my mother for encouragement. The conversation went something like this:
Me: Mom I'm having an emergency.
Mom: Oh really?
Me: Yes. Is $24 too much for a bra? I mean they have a buy one get one deal and then I'm shopping through a rebate site. I can't get it cheaper in the store with all these deals but is 24 too much?
Mom: I think that sounds great sweetie.
Me: Well I just think I really should take advantage of these sales and I don't spend money on this kind of stuff very often. And, well, lately I've just felt like everyone else has cuter clothes than I do.
Mom: Hmmm.
Me: I'm getting some skirts too. I should buy pants. I mean I could really use pants but these skirts are so cute! There's one that Bryan saw on the Big Bang Theory and he commented on how he liked it and I figure I'd buy it and if it doesn't look good on me I could always send it back, right? Wait, they have a store in the area I could just return it to the store.
Mom: Well that's convenient. I'm sure it will work out fine.
Me: Ok, Mom, well I'm going to do it. Wait let me check one more place to make sure I can't get a better deal.
(Silence)
I think this is the best I can do. I'm going to buy it. Ok. It's done. I bought it. I hope I didn't spend too much. Thanks Mom.
(End of Conversation)

My poor mother. Even I am impressed by my level of neurosis when I spend money on anything besides groceries. The good news is I don't pay full price for anything. I took advantage of big sales at three different stores. I shopped through ebates, mrrebates, or shopathome (all of which have sign up bonuses of $5.00 for new shoppers), and I got to those rebate sites by searching in swagbucks or my points. Sounds complicated but I compare my savings to the bliss of having chocolate ice cream, then adding brownie bits, and topping it all with hot fudge.
It's like a great fishing story. I found a sale that was this <-----------------------------------> big!
Of course there are major drawbacks to shopping online. I'm not one of those shapes or sizes that I know what will look good on me. I have to try things on. So there is always the possibility that it will go back to the store. Then there is the loss of instant gratification. I don't get to order my prize and then wear it that night. Or the next. Or the next. You better believe after all my savings I'm not paying extra for shipping. Ha! Speaking of which you have to be careful about shipping costs. I have found myself in danger of thinking I was getting a steal and then going to the checkout screen and realizing that all my discount work was for not because the shipping is outrageous and I'm not really saving anything. And the last big bummer potential? Today I checked my email and discovered one of the items I ordered ended up being out of stock. That, of course, would be impossible if I'd walked out of the store with it in my hand. Que sera sera. I guess if you look at that from the flip side. I got all my discounts even though I lost one item so I saved more than I thought. So there you online computer inventory ordering system. Sit on that!

Shopping Trip 1/18

I went to Walgreen's to get olives. Yes, olives. Trust me before I started couponing I did not buy food stuffs from drug stores or convenient stores for that matter. There just seems to be something sketchy about one aisle of food next to motor oil and bathroom cleaner.
Well today is a new day for me and I go where the deals are. This week's deals for Walgreen's can be found here. Saving a bundle does this weekly for Walgreen's and other Memphis area stores. I highly recommend following her blog if you're looking for a deal. All I really needed out of the current deals was olives and what a great price! My Walgreen's had black and green olives, yum.
What I got:
2 Wet Ones (I've never used these before but Derek is crawling now and they were free after Register    Rewards)
3 cans black olives
1 jar green olives
1 Bayer Aspirin (We don't normally use Aspirin but it was on sale super cheap and I just kept thinking I should get it for our 72 hour kits.) This was a bonus buy because it was packaged buy one get one free so I actually got 48 tablets instead of 24 for the same price. This happened on my last Walgreen's trip too. I got four toothbrushes for $0.28.
1 grape soda (cause it is the drink of champions)
1 pack of peanut M&M's for my mister (not pictured because while I was taking pictures Bryan was scarfing them down).

And I paid, I just love this part, $0.64 plus tax. That works out to be about 7 cents an item! I made Bryan ooh and aah over my amazing feet of savings. I can't believe just a few months ago I just walked into whatever store was convenient and paid whatever they were asking for what I wanted. Is it worth the time? Absolutely. The better I get at finding deals (following blogs makes it soooo easy) the more time efficient I become and the more money I save. It's like a game to me now, how cheap can I get X for? And Bryan sure loves the money I'm saving. I took him shopping with me last week to get six cans of Progresso soup for free (he didn't believe they really let me use coupons to get things free so I decided to take him along to prove it to him). All I paid was $0.35 for tax. Six cans of soup! I could talk about this stuff all day.

Free Stuff Extravaganza

I've discovered the joy of finding free stuff online. I don't know about you but I hate spending money on something that ends up not working out. As I've started checking out more blogs and deal websites I've already gotten free samples of diapers (like three days worth, amazing), medicine, food, restaurants, and books. As well as several free movie rentals and coupons galore. It's like Christmas! Of course I feel like I'm the last person on the planet to figure this out but it is a blast. My friend Steph has been catching these amazing deals for years and for some reason it never rubbed off on me. I've been a total convenience shopper just paying what the asking price was when I needed something. Then of course there are those horrible times when I shop on impulse, ugh! Thankfully Bryan is a researcher who typically searches out good deals ahead of time, but neither one of us is patient enough to wait for a sale when we're really ready to buy.
I'm changing my ways.

Cool Site of the day:

This is a site where people post all the amazing deals they get. I've been specifically checking out the free offers. You could get lost on here with all the information there is. I've found it is important to stay focused and set a time limit or you could spend your day looking at posts and not getting anything accomplished. You can, of course, sign up for updates when new things are posted but if you are like me you are probably already inundated with more information than you can possibly read in your inbox. I prefer to set aside a time I go to check sites I'm interested in. Of course that means I'll miss out on some deals but I'm fine with that.
I'm interested in sites other people have gotten good deals on or good deals they get from trying slickdeals. Let me know! Happy hunting.

The Power of the Coupon

I've been inspired by my friend Natasha to start couponing. She has started a blog about the amazing savings she gets. I must admit it is a baffling art to me. I'm not really a patient person and I want to see the big bucks in savings piling up right now. I'm working on it though. I had a pretty good shopping trip this weekend where I saved $40. The trouble is that a lot of the coupons I had were for products that were still more expensive than the generics so it wasn't an advantage to use them. I finally broke down and got the Sunday paper, in spite of my former objections, and I'm starting to understand how to keep track of sales and match them up with coupons. We're totally stocked for now. This week I'm going to work on freezer dinners and making baby food.