Dillon's & Walgreen's Deals 5/23

HI! I LOVE to share pics of my deals!! Even though this one is posted a few days late, I just had to share. Here's my "haul" from Dillon's and Walgreen's:

4 pks of Wet-ones (FREE after coupons)

2 bottles of Joy dish soap

3 pks of pads (1 FREE after rebate, other 2 nearly FREE)

2 cans of Edge shave gel ($.49 each after coupons)

1 bottle of Orajel plaque rinse (FREE after rebate)

4 Oral B toothbrushes (FREE)

4 Crest toothpastes (FREE)

12 bxs of Eggo Waffles (yes, more waffles but how can you pass 'em up at $0.22 each)

4 bxs of Life cereal

1 bottle All laundry soap

6 pks of Ball Park Beef franks (BOGO)

2 pks pantiliners ($1.28 for both)

1 jar of Miracle Whip

2 bxs Kraft Mac & Cheese (not a deal, but my family would make me sleep in the garage if we ever ran out!)

My out-of-pocket was $32.43 (after rebates) with TOTAL savings of $112.65 ($71.86 of that was from coupons)!!! WOOHOO!!!

That's all for today!!

Blessings,

Amy

Recent Dillon's and Walgreens Savings - 5/20

HI!! I don't have a picture to share this time (sorry!), but just had to share my list with my savings:

3 Brita water filters (FREE with coupons)
13 boxes of Eggo waffles ($.22 each after coupons)
5 pkgs of breaded chicken strips (FREE after coupons)
4 loaves of bread
4 half-gallons of milk ($1.50 each on sale)
6 cans of Pringles ($0.70 each after coupon)
3 lbs of bananas
1 box of Teddy Grahams (FREE with coupon)
5 boxes of Barilla dry pasta ($1.19 each on sale - this is my favorite kind)
3 boxes of Betty Crocker brownie mix ($0.20 after coupons)
2 big bottles of Juicy Juice (had $1/1 coupons for each)
1 box of Electrosol (had $1/1 coupon)

That is 48 items for a total of $41.95!!! A total savings of $81.95 with $59.96 of that from coupons!!!


I then went to Walgreens and purchased:
6 boxes of Lucky Charms
3 cans of Pringles
1 bottle of Jet Dry

That is 10 items for $14.33!! A total savings of $15.64 with $6.88 of that from coupons!! PLUS 1 item will go toward the monthly rebate program!!

My hubby was SHOCKED when he saw how full the back of my van was and that we'd only spend that little amount!!

Happy savings!
Amy

What if your store doesn't double coupons??

One other question that has come up is... what if my area stores don't double or triple coupons?

In my area I have one store that doubles coupons up to $1 so I am lucky there and have not had to question the value of couponing based on face-value only coupons. My sister is in the same situation as you and here’s what she does: look at the sites where you can buy coupons to see what coupons you can buy that have a greater face value that you do not get in your area (again, those are: www.ebay.com, www.thecouponclippers.com, www.thecouponmaster.com ). I suggest keeping a coupon wishlist handy when you visit those sites so that you can remember what coupons you specifically want to look for (otherwise I forget and sit there with a blank look on my face as if I have no idea what I even buy – LOL!). I also suggest becoming more savvy with printable coupons (assuming you can get them to print on your computer). I am getting better at finding internet printable coupons (it’s really just sheer persistence) as they generally have higher face value than do the coupons in inserts. My sister has snagged many good deals even without doubled coupons, it just takes a bit more work. I would think it would be trying. Perhaps you could keep track of the time you spend either internet searching for printable coupons and/or browsing the clipper sites (mentioned above) as well as the cost of the coupons you purchase to see if the cost of your time and coupons is worth what you are saving. There are times that I KNOW I invested WAY MORE time in research and organizing than I did on the actual savings and am working really hard to not repeat that very often!! But only you can decide if it is worth it!!

I hope that helps!

Blessings,
Amy

(p.s. A good source for printable coupons is to signup for the e-newsletters for the companies/products you purchase. )

Further info on coupon savings...

I have had a couple of people ask some questions about my couponing blog from earlier ths month. I thought I would address them here. I hope I can shed some light on your couponing questions!

First, if you are having problems printing coupons and are using internet explorer, you might want to try downloading Mozilla Firefox (www.mozilla.com/firefox/ ) as that helped me (and several others that I know) print coupons. It is free and I have had no problems using it on my system combined with internet explorer! AND I have been successful at printing coupons that I couldn’t get any other way. As far as printable coupons are concerned (which are often a higher value), consider swapping printing with a friend? I have an aunt who lives near me and we swap printing coupons for each other. For example, she prints cereal and diaper coupons for me, and I print shampoo and yogurt coupons for her.

Second, I think I can explain my $100 of groceries for $20-$30… I often do my coupon shopping separate from my “regular” (bread, milk, eggs, fresh produce, etc.) shopping. When I combine all of my shopping together, I usually only get a 50-60% savings (give or take). It is fun to do the coupon shopping on a separate trip or at least in a separate order because it is fun to watch the total drop and drop and drop and drop!!! I think many other people with similar savings are doing the same thing.

To continue on that thought, the other way that I can see such significant savings is to have several of a particular coupon for a sale item. For example, right now Eggo waffles are on sale at my local store for $1.22 for a 10-count box (regularly $1.99). Well, I had purchased some coupons online that were for $.55/1 which my store doubled to $1/1, so I purchased the waffles for $.22 per box – WOOHOO!!!! (I can’t make tasty homemade waffles to save my soul, so this is awesome for me! LOL!!!) That is a savings of 89%!!! I then traded with someone online for some similar coupons and enjoyed the same savings again! My freezer is pretty packed full of boxes of waffles!!

I also purchase approx. 5 newspapers each Sunday and also get inserts from some friends, so I have approx. 8-10 of each coupon each week. If I do not have coupons from local papers for sale items, I also purchase coupons online (www.ebay.com, www.thecouponclippers.com, www.thecouponmaster.com ) to get some great deals – some parts of the country get different coupons (bigger cities get higher value coupons due to often higher prices)! I think that is part of the trick to getting a good deal – have lots of coupons to match up with good deals! I also try to focus my shopping for the week based on what is on sale. This week diapers and breaded chicken are on sale so I am buying more of those than anything else. The week before I was getting good deals on chicken thighs, laundry soap, ketchup and cheese.

(On a side-note, I buy a lot of my meat at Sam’s Club where I get the best deal and great quality (I also try to go early in the morning when the marked-down red-sticker meat is available – they also sell their meat in bulk prices, i.e. save approx. $.50-.60/lb. when buying 80 lbs. of ground beef which I then split with friends)).

Another thing I have found is that Walgreen’s usually has 4 different kinds of cereal on sale each week. Last week Honey Bunches of Oats was on sale for $1.99 per box and there are several spots online to get coupons for $2/1 box so the cereal is FREE!!! A previous week had Shredded Mini Wheats for 4/$10 and I had 2 coupons for $1/2, so I got each box for $2 each (normally $3.69 even at Wal-Mart and higher at other stores) and earned a $2 coupon on a future purchase (a Register Reward). I only buy cereal when it is on sale and have purchase lots of name-brand cereal for free or for less than $1/box. I have a stock-pile area in my basement with over 40 boxes of cereal. Walgreen’s often has other good deals on some grocery items as well as health and beauty items. I watch the www.moneysavingmom.com and http://centsibleshopper.blogspot.com/ for good Walgreen’s deals; they also post good CVS deals – we don’t have CVS here but if you do that is also a GREAT place to get some deals! Also, on www.hotcouponworld.com there is advance notice given of the weekly sale flyers so you have a little bit of extra time to stock up on coupons.

Target also has some good deals. The other benefit to watching the deals at Target is that they have store coupons available on their website which you can combine with mfg coupons for additional savings. To see Target coupons, visit www.target.com and scroll to the very bottom of the page to “Super Target Coupons and Specials.” You can use the Target coupons at regular Target stores, not just the Super Targets.

I will try to summarize this way… if you need something that is not on sale, only buy as much as you need at the time (need Cheerios but they are not on sale, only buy 1 box – the one with the best unit price; if your store doesn’t put that on the shelf with the price then carry a calculator and do the calculation), then wait for the sale and stock up on coupons. When there is a sale buy as much as you will need and can afford before the next sale. I am pretty stocked up right now (and it does take some time to do that) so I am pretty much able to focus on what’s on sale this week. I really scour my sale flyer each week to ensure that I am getting all the deals that work for us. Again, I don’t buy things just because they are on sale and I have coupons (unless I can donate it to a local food bank or shelter); I only buy what my family will use otherwise it’s not a good deal. If you have major grocery store chains in your area, you can check http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/grocery-stores/ for some advance notice of sales as well as people posting the deals they found at that store.

I hope that this wasn’t too confusing or too long! If you need any clarification please feel free to post a comment!

Happy Savings and Many Blessings!
Amy

Dillon's Savings!!

I just had to share with you ANOTHER GREAT DEAL from Dillon’s!!!

Here’s what I bought:
8 – boxes of Huggies wipes
3 – jumbo pks of Huggies diapers
2 – Aussie shampoo
2 – Triaminic cough strips
3 – Pringles
2 – Cover Girl eyeshadow trios
2 – Always pads
3 – Scotch-Brite toilet scrubber sets

TOTAL SPENT: $28.27 (with total coupon savings of $57.08 PLUS a $20 prescription transfer credit)
(without the diapers, my out-of-pocket cost was $5.01!!!)

WOOHOO!!! I was excited!!

How to Maximize Coupon Savings

In the past week there has been some discussion on a forum I am a member of about the Grocery Game (http://www.thegrocerygame.com/). I thought I would take this opportunity to share some of my feelings on ways to grow your coupons savings while grocery shopping.

First, let me say that I have also used the Grocery Game on and off for the past couple of years. I have recently returned to AVID coupon shopping and have saved $841using coupons since mid-March (net savings - reduced by the cost of GroceryGame, add'l newspapers and coupons I have purchased online). I like theGrocery Game because it reminds me of any sales I may have missed while doing my own research. However, I dislike that they only update the site on Sundays when the new coupon inserts come out, which only gives me 3 days to work with their list (as my local grocery store starts sales on Wednesday). I also dislike the fact that they consistently leave items off the list that are on sale; for example, this week Eggo waffles are on sale at my local grocery store but it is no where on the list. Like I said, I do not count on them for all the deals but merely for things I may have overlooked.

My best couponing info now comes from http://www.hotcouponworld.com/ as it has forums that give advance notice of the sales at a variety of stores (grocery stores, drug stores, etc.) as well as regular discussion by other couponers on good deals they have received. They also have a coupon database where you can look up coupons to see when they were in an insert or where you might be able to find a printable coupon online. This site is also good for coupon newbies as there are LOTS of helps for getting started and how to maximize your savings with coupons!! I have learned much there!! Oh, and there is also an area to trade coupons.

The other thing I have learned with couponing is that you need to have more than 1 coupon to truly maximize your savings. The trick is to buy several of an item that is on sale and store it away (aka stockpile) until you need it. If cereal goes on sale every other month, you should use coupons and buy as many as you can reasonably afford and will use until the next sale (use 7 boxes in 2 months, then buy 7 if you can afford it); otherwise, if you only buy 1 box of cereal when it is on sale but then have to buy 6 more at full price before the next sale you haven't maximized your savings. To help with this, I have a couple of friends that give me their coupon inserts from their Sunday paper plus I have the my own paper that I get; I also purchase a couple of newspapers from Kansas City (the nearest big city to us) as they have more coupons in their paper than we do in our local paper. I pay approx. $7.50 for newspapers each week but I save well above and beyond that so it is worth it.

Also, when there is a good deal at the grocery store, I order coupons from http://www.thecouponclippers.com/ and http://www.thecouponmaster.com/ where you can buy coupons for approx. $.08 to $.10 each (minimum order of $3 plus approx. $1 for handling and postage fee); while that may sound funny to some, I can assure you that it is ALWAYS a good deal for me as long as I am ordering coupons that I will actually use. Recently I placed an order where my total cost for the coupons was $7.46 and for that I received 60 coupons with face-value savings of $51.25 (and even more for the coupons that will be doubled by my grocery store) - and that is well worth it to me!! I have also purchased coupons on ebay but they tend to be a bit pricier however it is a good source if you are looking for something specific that you cannot find elsewhere!

Other resources that have been very helpful to me are:

1. http://www.couponmom.com/ as they have a database of coupon inserts where you can either look up coupons or look to see what coupons will be in the next inserts (they post Sunday's coupons on Saturday afternoons so it is a great way to know if it is worth your money to purchase additional papers). PLUS they also have a list of deals at stores such as Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Rite-Aid, CVS and Target as well as some grocery stores (depending on the area you live in) which include the sale price and any available coupons from recent inserts.

2. http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ and http://centsibleshopper.blogspot.com/ and as they regularly list deals from CVS and Walgreens as well as other deals that they comes across. This has been a great source for great deals as well as freebies.

3. For those that have the stores close to them, CVS and Walgreens are great places to get some amazing deals. They regularly have cereal on sale as well as beauty products, etc. I do not have a CVS locally but do shop at Walgreens regularly now to stock up on their deals. I have researched prices at my local stores so that I will know if somethingis really a deal or not.

4. Other sources for coupons: http://www.coupons.com/, http://www.coupons.smartsource.com/;
http://www.bettycrocker.com/coupons-promotions/coupons/default.aspx ; http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/healthycoupons/; as well as visiting company websites for products you purchase regularly as they sometimes list coupons on their sites.

No coupon discussion would be complete without the reminder that you need to use coupons correctly. For example, use the coupons for the item(s) stated on the coupons, do NOT copy coupons printed off the internet, using more than one coupon for the item purchased (i.e. purchased one box of cereal so can only use one mfg coupon), etc. as this is coupon fraud. For additional info on this, you can read this thread: http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/user-agreement-terms-conditions/109-coupon-fraud-what-how-does-apply-me-here-hcw.html.

Let me encourage anyone who is looking to save money on their groceries toconsider coupons. At first it will take some time to set up a system for coupons that works for you, but once you do you will find that it doesn't take a lot of time and it is really quite exhilarating to leave the grocery store with $100 worth of groceries for $20 or less and to know that several of the items you purchased were FREE!!! As I said, I have saved well over $800 in less than 2 months using coupons plus my grocery spending was down from what we usually spend. I have a great stockpile started and my cupboards, freezer and fridge are full with items we use regularly (I NEVER buy something just because I have a coupon, I only buy when it is a very good deal and then stockup). I also have a big box of free things that I will be donating to a local food bank.

Sorry for the LONNNGGGG essay on coupons but it is a passionate topic for me!!

Happy Savings!
Amy

Great coupon savings but still too much on groceries!

Hello! I have been looking at our April spending and am pleased as well as frustrated all at the same time! I am pleased to say that in April our family had $615.19 in net coupon savings (after adjusting for the cost of coupons bought online as well as additional Sunday newspapers purchased throughout the month)!! That is so awesome!!! Before March I could easily show that I had saved MAYBE $3 a month in coupons!! However, I am frustrated that I still spent way too much on groceries for our family of 6 (I'm too embarrassed to share the total) - although it is lower this month for the first time in over 6 months. I remind myself that my total grocery spending does also include items that are going into our stockpile not just our regular cupboards; not to mention that my freezer and cupboards are full and we have a nice stockpile in the basement. I also remind myself that I have only been seriously couponing for approx. 2 months and I am guessing that it does take some time to see the overall grocery spending go down but I still wish that I were seeing greater savings! SIGH!!!

Grocery savings from 3/16

HI! I just had to share… a friend of mine has been a great encouragement to me and has returned me to focusing on saving money on my grocery budget by wisely using coupons. Well, by saving my coupons, watching the Dillon’s and Walgreen’s inserts, taking advantage of some online resources as well as my friend’s research on deals, etc., I really got some bargains today and I had to share!!! Attached is a pic of what I bought today, but here is a list along with the savings:

12 boxes of Nature Valley granola bars
3 boxes of Kix cereal
1 box of Cheerios cereal
6 rolls of Bounty Basic paper towel
6 boxes of Kleenx tissue w/lotion
3 boxes of Betty Crocker AuGratin potatoes
3 boxes of Reynolds Slow Cooker liners
9 rolls of Scotch brand tape
12 Easter pencils
1 tube of Crest Pro-Health toothpaste (not a true bargain, it was just something I needed)
1 box of Electrasol dishwasher soap (again, not a true bargain, it was just something I needed)

My net total spent was $43.32 for a total savings of $74.04 or 63%. I was pleased! If I removed the toothpaste and dishwasher soap (again, they were not deals but something I needed to purchase), then my total spent would have been $37.42 with savings of $71.28 or 66%!!

Again, I just had to share!