Not Extreme...but still good!

5 cans of coffee (only paid $1.79 each), 2 Motrin PM, 1 toothbrush, bread, 2 Head and Shoulders, 2 Kotex, 5 pantyliners, 6 boxes of Kleenex, 3 candy bars, 2 Covergirl foundations, (2) 6 double rolls of toilet paper, 6 decorations for Kelsea's wedding shower and $1.76 in UP's to use on my next trip.

I was actually disappointed today when I tallied up what I spent versus what I saved.  Had I paid full retail price this trip would have cost me $118.14.  I paid $45.11 but earned a $1.76 UP so I brought my total down to $43.35. 

And...I was disappointed because I only saved 63 percent.  But then ~ I got a grip.  Not so long ago I would have paid $118.14 for this and not thought a thing about it.  Now I do think about it, spend a bit of time preparing and save $75.00. 

My goal from the beginning was to save 50 to 75 percent off of my grocery bill...and I am consistently achieving that goal.  I may not have a garage full of items but I am down to spending about $300.00 a month and am trying really hard to get that down to $250.00 in May.  One step at a time!

No Coupon Inserts Tomorrow

I cannot believe that I am saying this ~ but I am SO happy to finally have a break from the Sunday coupon inserts.  Last week each paper had four coupon inserts...so I cut and organized 20 inserts.  I am glad to have a break!  Now I can focus more of my time finding some awesome deals!  

Here is a link showing ~ 10 Days to Become a Krazy Coupon Lady ~ 

http://thekrazycouponlady.com/beginners/

I credit the "krazycoupon" website with getting me into couponing ~ in a respectful and non-hoarding kind of way!  This site sends out daily emails outlining deals that are available in the local stores.  I just copy/paste the ones that I am interested in, get my coupons, then make my rounds.  Sometimes I don't get every deal I go after...but 9 times out of 10 ~ I succeed.  I have literally saved hundreds of dollars the past few months...and haven't spent hours and hours shopping.  I highly recommend this site.

Yesterday's Couponing Adventure

Yesterday I did my weekly rounds.  I only saved 71% overall but did buy some high ticket items.

On my lunch break I started off at Walgreens.  Had I paid full retail for the items below...it would of cost me $20.45 but I only paid $7.59:

(2) 4-packs of Scott toilet paper (these are some heavy duty rolls ~ $4.19 ea)

(1) 6-pack of Scott paper towels ($5.00 each)

(3) Rolls of scotch tape (1.99 each).  I actually got these all for free and was paid a penny!

Then I went to check Rite Aid ~ but as per usual...they had no stock left so I left empty handed.

Finally my lunch break ended with me buying (4) packages of Sausage Links.  Full retail would have been $15.96 but with a sale matched with a coupon ~ I paid $7.96.  I am always happy if I can get meat for 1/2 price.  This will be served up for our Easter Sunday Brunch (these are not in the picture below).

After work, and our family run/walk, and dinner...Target was next.  This is where I made a killing (I love TARGET).  I bought the following:

(5) Natural Instincts Hair Color for 99 cents each!  HOW?? Well let me tell you how.  This week Target has these on sale for $5.99.  I had (5) $2.00 TARGET coupons for this brand PLUS I had (5) $3.00 MANUFACTURER coupons for this same brand.  So each box I could "stack" two coupons.  Which means that Target allows two coupons to be used for one item if one is a TARGET coupon and one is a MANUFACTURER coupon ~ this technique is known as "stacking".  

I also bought (4) bags of Skittles ~ normally 69 cents but I paid 19 cents each.  Nice Easter treat!

And I also bought an Easter Egg coloring kit...no coupon but was on sale for a $1.00 savings.

All total ~ full retail of my Target haul would have been $50.83 but I only paid $9.04 (which includes $1.84 in SST).

I spent my last $9.00 of my monthly food/toiletries budget at Target so now I am done shopping.  However,  I will still keep an eye out for freebies that I can take advantage of.  I will post my monthly totals next week when I get it all figured out.

Yippee ~ it is double coupon day at Albertsons!

For the third time in about a month ~ Albertsons is having their double coupon days.  That simple phrase, "double coupon" just makes my heart jump with joy!

Today I made out like a bandit!  Had I paid full retail ~ this 20 minute, 5 transaction shopping trip would have cost me $59.33.  However ~ no longer do I pay full price unless there is no way to avoid doing so.  

So...how much did I spend?  $10.06!!!

That $10.06 included the following (all items were on sale and I used coupons that were doubled):

3 bags of Kettle Brand Potato Chips ($1.00 each...normally $3.39 each)

2 Wonka Chocolate Bars (29 cents each...normally $2.49 each)

5 Rhodes Frozen Rolls (50 cents each...normally $2.99 each)

2 Tropicana Juices (50 cent each...normally $4.39 each)

1 McCormick BBQ Seasoning (they paid me 50 cents to buy...normally $3.59)

1 Extra Virgin Olive Oil ($2.99...normally $8.79 each)

1 Nabisco Pretzel Cracker (49 cents...normally $3.39)

I also got 1 dozen eggs ~ for FREE simply by buying the 2 Tropicana Juices.  I also had an Albertsons coupon for a free 16 ounce bag of Albertsons brand frozen veggies...so I got a free bag of frozen corn.

This is why I keep couponing...a penny saved is a penny earned and today I earned just about $50.00 bucks for my family.  Now I am going to Kohl's to use a $10.00 coupon I was sent to buy Cass a new pair of tennis shoes...which will cost just about what I saved today!

What I Scored This Week!

It's is Friday night and 20 years ago that meant party!!!!  Now, it means doing the coupon rounds in Lake Stevens ~ lol!  It is a good time to use those coupons for some good deals...the stores are much less crowded.

Here is what I got tonight:

At Safeway I bought 6 bags of Fresh Express salad mix ~ on sale for $1.00 each but I had a 50 cent coupon for each.  Also bought a bag of beef jerky...which was free with a coupon (a $4.39 savings)

At Albertsons I bought some fresh whipping cream and grainy mustard (for a dinner party on Sunday) ~ I didn't have any coupons but did use my $3.00 worth of Register Rewards ~ I paid only $1.28 but that is not all...I also got a coupon for a free bag of frozen vegetables...worth $2.69.  So essentially, this was a money maker...and I really need some frozen corn ~ so this was a good score!

Target ~ I scored again.  I LOVE TARGET!  I was able to get 2 bottles of Girards Salad Dressing, 5 Suave Deodorant and some Rimmel Mascara.  My out of pocket was $1.02 after using coupons and using up the last $3.67 of my gift card that I got free from a previous transaction.

And finally ~ Walgreens!  I really am starting to enjoy the Lake Stevens Walgreens...very friendly, coupon accepting group of employees.  I bought 2 packages of mini Easter Snickers, 2 Easter Marshmallow 3 Musketeers, 1 Carefree PantyLiners (cost 99 cents, had a 50 cent coupon PLUS I earned a $1.00 Register Reward), 4 Skittles/Starburst Easter Eggs, 2 Trident Vitalty gum packages.  All for $7.08.

Grand Retail for all:  $68.21

Total Out of Pocket:   $12.38

Take into account that I earned a free coupon for frozen veggies ($2.69 value) and a $1.00 Register Reward from Walgreens...I actually only spent $8.69.  Not to bad for a couple hours worth of work.

***IMPORTANT ~ the rumor is that this upcoming Sunday's newspaper will have double coupons for Albertsons ~ yahoo...my very favorite thing (in regards to grocery savings) :)

Here is my savings plan for this week

Thanks to both of these websites: http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/ and http://thekrazycouponlady.com/ I can get amazing great deals.  These sites do the work for me.  They post what sales with what coupons get me the best deal.  I receive an email, from both sites, everyday.  I copy/paste which deals I am interested in and then I pull out my coupon notebook.  I pull the coupons and then I go shopping.  It takes a couple of hours a week and I have saved literally $100's of dollars each month.  

My next step is to post my weekly menu ~ we are eating from our stockpile and this is what I plan to eat for dinner this upcoming week:

Spaghetti w/ Salad

Salmon, Rice, Cauliflower

Pad Thai w/ Chicken, Shrimp and Veggies

Tacos

Honey Mustard Chicken, Baked Potato, Broccoli

Taco Pizza (using leftover Taco meat) w/ Salad

Sunday will be a roast of some sort

Breakfast will be Pop Tarts or Toaster Strudel (both of which I got for a great deal this month) fruit and milk.

Lunch will be leftovers and salad.

It feels good to have this all written out and organized on Sunday...I am ready for the week!

Still Going for the Savings!

It has been awhile since I have posted about my couponing adventures.  I am still at it and making great deals on a weekly basis.  I had to re-examine just what I wanted out of this because for the first couple of month I was spending a lot more...but I was getting LOT's more for my money.  But the name of the game was to cut my grocery bill.

April I am budgeting $250.00 for groceries AND toiletries.  That is about $300~$400 less then normal.  I felt I had a good enough stockpile to take on this next challenge.  Since Mike and I get paid just once a month...on the last day of the month, I need to make sure we are covered for the month.  I went out and bought (mostly at Winco) the staples I needed that would get me through the month and then set aside about $20.00 per week to stockpile. 

Here is what I got this past week for $29.98 (plus I received an additions $3.00 in Albertsons Register Rewards...so really got it all for $26.98)~ full retail price would have been $119.88

Safeway:

Paid:      $7.60

Retail:  $26.41

                               

                         Albertsons:

      

                         Paid:       $4.34

                         Retail:    $15.64

  

     Albertsons:

     Paid:       $1.74

     Retail:     $24.62

                                                 Albertsons:

  

                                   Paid:      $14.97

                                   Retail:   $36.87

  * I ended up getting $6.00 in Albertsons Register Rewards for this purchase that I used on the next two transactions.  So there was a higher OOP but ultimately saved over 75% over all on all three transactions!

Target:

Paid:      $1.33

Retail:   $16.32!

This was a fun purchase.  Not things I would normally buy but was able to get some Easter treats and a couple of People Magazines to share and some Pepsi Skinny for me...for almost free!  Brought a smile to my face for sure!