So first I will apologize for how very long it has been since I have blogged. In the past few weeks Northern Alabama was hit with tornadoes and we were without power for four days followed by an ongoing conservation that is still very real. Last night one of the substations actually broke down again and they had to do some major repairs to bring it back up and running. Trust me when I say that the pictures of this destruction barely begin to show how horrible the reality of the situation is - however, in light of this event I have never been so happy to say that I coupon. Due to all of the couponing and stockpiling I have been doing I was able to donate so many things to the victims of this event - without having to go out and spend a ton of money. So while trying to gather as many things from my stockpile to donate as possible this also gave me a great excuse to donate other items like baby clothes, household items, and on top of lots of my clothes - a bunch of formal gowns. Although I didn't go to school in Alabama my sister did and graduated from a school that's area was greatly affected by the tornadoes - to the extent that many lost their home and of course their prom gowns, shoes, etc. So I decided to rummage through my dress closet (yes I said dress closet - it is a huge 8ft by 20ft closet that is simply full of dresses, ice skating outfits, ballroom dancing costumes, and horse show attire) and I was able to find 25 dresses, a few pairs of shoes, and purses to donate to operation save prom. If you've never had a great reason to coupon than being able to donate things for free or very little money is definitely a great one!
So now for the real reason you probably clicked on this link - right now you can get basically free John Frieda hair dye at Target. Here is what you have to do - if you got the paper last Sunday (May 1) you should have received a $5 off manufacturer's coupon for John Frieda's Hair Dye - now if you did not then you could just google it and find a clipping service to buy two from - which should be about .25 cents a piece. So after you have your two manufacturer's coupons in hand you should then go to target.com and print off two Target John Frieda coupons as well for $5 off each. Regular Price for the hair dye is $11.99 so after using all four coupons on the two boxes you will owe approx. $4.81 - BUT the wonderful thing this week is Target is doing a promo where you get a $5 gift card for buying two John Frieda hair dyes - so basically the dye is completely free plus a small profit. Yes, you do have to pay a small amount out of pocket, but if you are buying other items split the transactions and pay for the dye first because you can use the gift card right away as a credit towards the res of your purchase.
Happy Shopping!!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Amazing Deals this week!!
So I have been slacking this week on my blogs and I am so sorry - I've been way too busy with lots of other projects. However, I have three great shopping trips to share with you and all of these sales will be available through Saturday! I am having a few issues with my computer though so I won't be able to type out full break downs today - hopefully I can update this tomorrow from another coupon. ALL of these items purchased were either on sale or heavily discounted with coupons though!
First stop CVS - as you all know I'm not a huge drug store shopper, but these deals were too good to pass up since I was driving right past a CVS today.
(2) Bottles of Listerine - FREE
(4) Bottles of Visine - FREE
Total should have been - $18.66
Total amount paid .96 cents!!!! (just paid tax)
That's .16 cents per item!!!
Second stop Target -
(2) Men's Nivea Body Wash - .04 cents each
(1) Bottle of Ketchup - FREE
(2) Bottles of Lysol Wipes -.39 cents each
Total should have been $14.96
Total paid $1.49 including tax!!!
That comes to only .30 cents per item!!
Last, but largest stop - Publix!! This weeks ad goes through Saturday since Easter is on Sunday - so only a few days left to stock up!!
(2) Breakstone Sour Cream - .20 cents each
(2) Breyers Ice Cream- $2 each
(1) Philly Cream Cheese - $1.50
(6) Birds Eye Steam Fresh - .46 cents each
(6) Idahoan Instant Potatoes - .28 cents each
(3) McCormick Gravy - .33 cents each
(1) Palmolive Dish Soap - $1.19
(2) Soft Scrub with Bleach - $1.29 each
(2) Heinz Ketchup - FREE
(2) Pedigree Marro Bone Dog Treats - $1 each
(1) Dial Liquid Soap - .30 cents
(4) Duncan Hines Cake Mix - .57 cents each
(2) Franks Hot Sauce - .19 cents each
(2) Bertolli Alfredo Sauce - $1.25 each
(1) Reynolds Wrap - $1.49
(1) Ponds Facial Wipes - $1.89
Total should have been $97.69
Total Paid - $30.09!!!
That's only .79 cents per item!!
Oh and I almost forgot to share a quick Target run I took on Monday -
(1) Nivea Body Wash - .04 cents
(2) Bonus Packs of Old Spice Body Wash - $1.50 each
(4) Degree Men's deodorant - FREE
Total should have been $21.50
Total amount paid - $4.59
That's just .51 cents per item when you count the 2 body washes per package!!!
First stop CVS - as you all know I'm not a huge drug store shopper, but these deals were too good to pass up since I was driving right past a CVS today.
(2) Bottles of Listerine - FREE
(4) Bottles of Visine - FREE
Total should have been - $18.66
Total amount paid .96 cents!!!! (just paid tax)
That's .16 cents per item!!!
Second stop Target -
(2) Men's Nivea Body Wash - .04 cents each
(1) Bottle of Ketchup - FREE
(2) Bottles of Lysol Wipes -.39 cents each
Total should have been $14.96
Total paid $1.49 including tax!!!
That comes to only .30 cents per item!!
Last, but largest stop - Publix!! This weeks ad goes through Saturday since Easter is on Sunday - so only a few days left to stock up!!
(2) Breakstone Sour Cream - .20 cents each
(2) Breyers Ice Cream- $2 each
(1) Philly Cream Cheese - $1.50
(6) Birds Eye Steam Fresh - .46 cents each
(6) Idahoan Instant Potatoes - .28 cents each
(3) McCormick Gravy - .33 cents each
(1) Palmolive Dish Soap - $1.19
(2) Soft Scrub with Bleach - $1.29 each
(2) Heinz Ketchup - FREE
(2) Pedigree Marro Bone Dog Treats - $1 each
(1) Dial Liquid Soap - .30 cents
(4) Duncan Hines Cake Mix - .57 cents each
(2) Franks Hot Sauce - .19 cents each
(2) Bertolli Alfredo Sauce - $1.25 each
(1) Reynolds Wrap - $1.49
(1) Ponds Facial Wipes - $1.89
Total should have been $97.69
Total Paid - $30.09!!!
That's only .79 cents per item!!
(1) Nivea Body Wash - .04 cents
(2) Bonus Packs of Old Spice Body Wash - $1.50 each
(4) Degree Men's deodorant - FREE
Total should have been $21.50
Total amount paid - $4.59
That's just .51 cents per item when you count the 2 body washes per package!!!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Awesome Surprise at Victoria Secret
So for anyone that shopped at Victoria Secret over the past 30 days or so you received one or more of their "Secret" Gift cards - nifty name huh? lol Anyway these fabulous little cards came with every purchase and had either $10, $50, or $500 on them - of course I received 5 and wasn't lucky enough to score any that were for $50 or $500, but by shopping smartly I was able to get a fabulous deal!
Last year when I was pregnant I went into VS because I had gotten a coupon and they were having a sale - so while I was there I ended up looking at all of their lotions, body washes, and sprays since I wasn't feeling very attractive and it was already 98 degrees outside. Hehehe So I stumbled across this really cute new collection and fell in love with "Island Escape" - the name is PERFECT - it immediately reminded me of my honeymoon and being on the beaches in Antigua - overall its just a really nice beachy scent. Anyway they were doing a special on it so I bought several and gave a few in gift baskets to my wonderful friends that threw my baby shower. Since I like to vary the body sprays that I use I just recently got to the really low part of my last bottle and I figured I would have to go find something else to replace it like their new "Pink Aloha" collection - (fabulous by the way.)
So getting to the good part of this blog I decided to make a quick run by VS to use my gift cards today - prepared to buy about 3 bottles of Pink Aloha ($15 each) so I'd end up spending at least $15 - not a bad deal for getting $45 worth of products. To my surprise though they had the entire collection that I loved from last year on sale for 75% off!!
Here is what I ended up with - along with a breakdown. ;)
(6) Shower Gels - 4 Girl's Night Out and 2 Good Day Sunshine
Regular Price $10 each ($60)
Sale Price $2.50 each ($15)
(2) Smoothing Body Scrubs in Island Escape
Regular Price $12 ($24)
Sale Price $3 ($6)
(4) Body Lotion in Island Escape
Regular Price $10 ($40)
Sale Price $2.50 ($10)
(4) Body Spray in Island Escape
Regular Price $12 ($48)
Sale Price $3 ($12)
Grand total should have been $185.76 (we have 8% sales tax here)
Total with sale including tax- $46.44
I had 5 gifts card for $10 off, but I used one on the new Body by Victoria Multi Way Bra (Amazing by the way) so that left (4) $10 gift cards and since you can't combine them I separated my purchase into 4 transactions - 4 lotions, 4 shower gels, 4 body sprays, & 2 shower gels with 2 smoothing body scrubs
So once you take away the $40 in gift cards I spent a total of $6.44 including tax on products that retailed for $185.76 which breaks down to about .40 cents per product!!
Keep in mind I did have to spend money to get these $10 gift cards, but I waited until they were doing a special online where you got 2 gift cards per purchase and I was actually in need of new bras anyway so getting the gift cards was simply a bonus to a purchase I would be making anyway in the near future.
Crazy sales like this can be a great addition to any stockpile - especially when you find a scent you really like. In addition this situation solidifies my statement that you should never pay retail price on anything unless you have to because there will always be a sale coming up! ;)
Last year when I was pregnant I went into VS because I had gotten a coupon and they were having a sale - so while I was there I ended up looking at all of their lotions, body washes, and sprays since I wasn't feeling very attractive and it was already 98 degrees outside. Hehehe So I stumbled across this really cute new collection and fell in love with "Island Escape" - the name is PERFECT - it immediately reminded me of my honeymoon and being on the beaches in Antigua - overall its just a really nice beachy scent. Anyway they were doing a special on it so I bought several and gave a few in gift baskets to my wonderful friends that threw my baby shower. Since I like to vary the body sprays that I use I just recently got to the really low part of my last bottle and I figured I would have to go find something else to replace it like their new "Pink Aloha" collection - (fabulous by the way.)
So getting to the good part of this blog I decided to make a quick run by VS to use my gift cards today - prepared to buy about 3 bottles of Pink Aloha ($15 each) so I'd end up spending at least $15 - not a bad deal for getting $45 worth of products. To my surprise though they had the entire collection that I loved from last year on sale for 75% off!!
Here is what I ended up with - along with a breakdown. ;)
(6) Shower Gels - 4 Girl's Night Out and 2 Good Day Sunshine
Regular Price $10 each ($60)
Sale Price $2.50 each ($15)
(2) Smoothing Body Scrubs in Island Escape
Regular Price $12 ($24)
Sale Price $3 ($6)
(4) Body Lotion in Island Escape
Regular Price $10 ($40)
Sale Price $2.50 ($10)
(4) Body Spray in Island Escape
Regular Price $12 ($48)
Sale Price $3 ($12)
Grand total should have been $185.76 (we have 8% sales tax here)
Total with sale including tax- $46.44
I had 5 gifts card for $10 off, but I used one on the new Body by Victoria Multi Way Bra (Amazing by the way) so that left (4) $10 gift cards and since you can't combine them I separated my purchase into 4 transactions - 4 lotions, 4 shower gels, 4 body sprays, & 2 shower gels with 2 smoothing body scrubs
So once you take away the $40 in gift cards I spent a total of $6.44 including tax on products that retailed for $185.76 which breaks down to about .40 cents per product!!
Keep in mind I did have to spend money to get these $10 gift cards, but I waited until they were doing a special online where you got 2 gift cards per purchase and I was actually in need of new bras anyway so getting the gift cards was simply a bonus to a purchase I would be making anyway in the near future.
Crazy sales like this can be a great addition to any stockpile - especially when you find a scent you really like. In addition this situation solidifies my statement that you should never pay retail price on anything unless you have to because there will always be a sale coming up! ;)
Daily Coupons!!
Good morning! So I have decided that if I take just a few minutes each day I can send out printable coupons via my blog too! Now I can't promise that it will definitely happen every single day, but I am going to try my best - so here you go - these are all links that will either take you directly to the print this coupon page or you might have to scroll through to find it, sign up to get it, etc. I'll try to put instructions next to any that might be slightly confusing. Happy couponing!!
Here are some coupons for hair cair and body wash:
Here are some great new food coupons:
Here are some coupons for hair cair and body wash:
- Save $1 off any Dial for Men Body Wash (Coupon at “Click Here to put some change back in your pocket” in the lower right hand corner.)
- Save $1 off any ONE Garnier Brusher Cleanser
- Save $3 off any ONE Garnier Herbashine Color Creme with Bamboo Extract Haircolor
- Save $1 off any ONE Garnier Shampoo or Conditioner
Here are some great new food coupons:
- Save $.50 off ONE package of Welch’s Fruit Snacks or Fruit ‘N Yogurt Snacks
- $0.55 off on any ONE (1) Ball Park Product
- $1 off ONE Ball Park Franks ProductSave $1 off any ONE Kashi Cereal or Kashi TLC Snack
- Save $1 off any ONE Alexia Frozen Product
- Save $1 off any ONE package of Hillshire Farm LunchMeat 8 oz. or larger (Sign up then once redirected its on left, scroll down to “Download Coupon”)
- Save $1 off any ONE Freschetta Pizza 12 oz. or larger
- Save $1 off any TWO Packages of Polly-O Ricotta or Mozzarella Cheese Products (Chunks or Shreds)
- Save $.50 off any International Delight PCs
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
After only a few weeks...
Here is what I'm sure you have been waiting for... An update on my stockpile!! After only a few weeks of serious couponing - with a week of vacation here or there - this is what I have accumulated:
My Pantry - as you can see we are all stocked up on soda for all of those summer barbecues, hopefully enough baby water to last through the rest of Evan's formula, and lots of other stuff!
A more detailed view of the left side.
And the area that mainly holds all of our baby items - goodness Evan needs a lot of stuff! lol
So we are definitely going to have to start eating some of our frozen items very soon or I won't have any room to store things!
Lots of cheese, breakfast meals, and juice concentrate.
This is one of my favorite parts!! Look at all of this toilet paper, paper towels, and the larger sized diapers for Evan to grow into - all of his boxes of size 3's we store in his closet. ;)
And my beautiful collection of household cleaners and personal items. We definitely won't have to buy baby, tooth paste, wash or fabric softener anytime soon! Although I store a lot in our garage there are several items I don't like to expose to the heat like hairspray and hair dye - then I also store all of our soaps and dish washing cleaners under our kitchen sink. In addition, I like to keep at least 2 bottles of every cleaner in our pantry for quick access - so everything you see here you can probably add 2 more items to because they are being stored in the house.
The entire shelf - its amazing how quickly you can stock up when you coupon! Plus I save a TON of money - nearly all of the toothpaste was free of less than .25 cents each, most of the shampoo was free, the fabric softener was free, most of the lysol bottles were purchased for less than .50 cents each, and a few of those items were from Publix's Penny sale!
So now that you've seen my giant mess of a stock pile I hope you have realized just how quickly and cost effectively you can build up a stock pile. Smart spending leaves a lot more room in your budget!! ;)
Amazing Deals at Publix!!
So I've had two VERY successful days at Publix between yesterday and today. First I will show you all of the great stuff from yesterday (which is last weeks sale) but after that I will be showing you a HUGE load of great deals that you can find right now at your local Publix stores!!! This is definitely a great week to stock up on some staple items that will last for a while.
So here is trip number one - kind of small, but definitely a great savings!
(10) Boxes of Muellers Pasta - YES I bought more pasta - I'm finally out of coupons and its all going to the food bank. ;)
Regular Price $1.49
Sale Price .74
Coupon (10) $1 off one
Final Price - .20 cent MONEYMAKER
(4) Bags of Kibbles and Bits 4lb bags of dog food
(I've been waiting to use my BOGO raincheck on these)
Regular Price $4.99
Sale Price $2.49
Coupon (4)$2 off one
Final Price .49 cents
(2) Gerber Baby Water
Regular Price $1.39
Ugh I didn't realize my BOGO coupon expired, but we can use it so oh well. :(
(2) 1lb Boxes of One Beyond Cat Food
Regular Price $2.79
Coupons $2 off one Target Web & $3 off Manufacturers
Final Price $1.99 MONEYMAKER per item AFTER TAX
(1) Box Scotties Tissues
Regular Price - $1.25
Sale Price - .99cents
Coupon .50 off one (doubled at checkout)
Final Price - FREE
(2) Boxes of Puffs Vicks Tissues
Regular Price $2
Sale Price 2 for $3
Coupons One Free Box
Final Price $1.50 for two boxes
(4) Johnson & Johnson's Baby Wash
Regular Price $3.03
Coupons (2) $3 off 2 Publix & (2) $2 off 2
Final Price .53 cents each
Total should have been - $52.07
Final Total - $4.33
25 items - .17 cents per item!!!
And now here are some great deals YOU can get right now - although total savings includes clipping and printing some coupons. ;)
So I'm going to attempt to do a break down start left to right -
(1) Reusable Publix Bag
Regular Price .99 cents
FREE with Purchase of 2 P&G items
(6) Breyers Ice Cream
Regular Price $5.49
Sale Price $2.75
Coupons (3) $1.50 off two Target Web
Final Price $2 per container
(1) Yoplait YoPlus 4 pack
Regular Price $2
Sale Price $1
Coupon .50 off one (doubled at checkout)
Final Price - FREE
(2) Pam's Cooking Spray
Regular Price $3.19
Sale Price $1.59
Coupons (2) $1 off one Publix & (2) .35 off one Manufacturers (doubled at checkout)
Final Price - FREE
(2) Bags of Lay's Potato Chips
Regular Price $2.99
Sale Price $1.99
Coupons (2)$1 off one Publix & (2) .55 cents off one Manufacturers
Final Price .44 cents each
(2) Alexia Frozen Bread Products
Regular Price $3.39
Sale Price $1.69
Coupon (2) $1 off one
Final Price .69 cents each
(1) Dawn Dishliquid
Regular Price $1.49
Coupons $1 off any Dawn Publix & .25 cent Manufacturers (doubled at checkout)
Final Price .01 cent MONEYMAKER
(3) Duncan Hines Cake Frosting
Regular Price $1.95
Sale Price $1.29
(2) Weber Seasonings
Regular Price $1.99
Sale Price $1.69
Coupons (2) $1 off one
Final Price .69 cents
(2) McCormicks Seasonings
Regular Price $2.29
Sale Price $1.50
Coupons (2) $1 off one
Final Price .50 cents
(4) Cool Whip 8oz Containers
Regular Price $1.65
Sale Price .85 cents
Coupon (2) .50 off 2 Target Web
Final Price .60 cents
(2) Kraft Singles
Regular Price $3.49
Sale Price $2
Coupons $2 off 2 Target Web & (2) $1 off one Manufacturers
Final Price - FREE
(4) Bags of Kraft Shredded Cheese
Regular Price $3.79
Sale Price $1.67
Coupons (4) $1 off one Manufacturers & (2) $1.50 off 2 Target Web
Final Price .08 cent MONEYMAKER
(2) Wesson Blended Oils
Regular Price $4.19
Sale Price $2.09
Coupon (2) .40 off one (doubled at checkout)
Final Price $1.29 each
(3) Mentos 50ct Gum
Regular Price $3.29
Sale Price $1.65
Coupon (3) $1 off one
Final Price .65 cents
(2) Cascade 20ct Dishwasher Cubes
Regular Price $4.99
Coupons (2) $1 off one & (2) .50 cent Manufacturers (doubled at chekout)
Final Price $2.99 each
(2) Quaker Granola Bar Packs
Regular Price $2.51
Sale Price $1.25
Coupons $1 off Publix Store & $1 off 2 Manufacturers
Final Price .25 cents
(4) Jimmy Dean Breakfast Omelets
Regular Price $2.99
Coupons (2) .75 off one, (2) $1 off one, & (2) $1.50 off 2 Target Web
Final Price $1.36
(2) Digiorno Pizza and Breadsticks
Regular Price $8.99
Sale Price $5.50
Coupons $4 off two
Final Price $3.50
(2) Dentyne Pure 3 packs
Regular Price $2.79
Coupons (2) $1 off one & $1 off 2 Target Web
Final Price $1.29
(2) Dove Chocolates
Regular Price $4.19
Sale Price $2.09
Coupon (2) $1 off one
Final Price $1.14
(1) Oscar Meyer Bacon
Regular Price $6.99
Sale Price $3.50
Final Price $2.50
(1) Downy 120 count Fabric Sheets
Regular Price $5.99
Coupons $1 off one Publix & .50 cent Manufacturers (doubled at checkout)
Final Price $3.99
(1) Duncan Hines Cake Mix
Regular Price $2.69
Sale Price $1.35
(1) Duncan Hines Brownie Mix
Regular Price $2.69
Sale Price $1.35
Coupons .50 cent coupon (doubled at checkout)
Final price .35 cents
(1) Publis Greenwise 3 pack Paper towels
Regular Price $2.39
Sale Price - PENNY ITEM for buying $10 or more
Final Price .01 cent
(1) Charmin 12 count Toilet Paper
Regular Price $4.99
Coupons $1 off Publix & .50 cent Manufacturers (doubled at checkout)
Final Price $2.99
(2) Trident Vitality Gum
Regular Price $2.18
Sale Price $1.09
Coupons Buy One Get One Free Publix & .50 competitors
Final Price .29 cents
(2) Schick Intuition Razors
Regular Price $8.99
Sale Price $4.50
Coupons $3 off one & $2 off one
Final Price $2
Total should have been - $226.03
Final Paid - $83.03
Breakdown 61 items - $1.36 per item
That breakdown doesn't even include that some items have multiples in each package!!
For more information on the great savings this week check out Southern Savers
I'll also be taking pictures of my deep freezer soon as it is almost completely packed now!!!
So here is trip number one - kind of small, but definitely a great savings!
(10) Boxes of Muellers Pasta - YES I bought more pasta - I'm finally out of coupons and its all going to the food bank. ;)
Regular Price $1.49
Sale Price .74
Coupon (10) $1 off one
Final Price - .20 cent MONEYMAKER
(4) Bags of Kibbles and Bits 4lb bags of dog food
(I've been waiting to use my BOGO raincheck on these)
Regular Price $4.99
Sale Price $2.49
Coupon (4)$2 off one
Final Price .49 cents
(2) Gerber Baby Water
Regular Price $1.39
Ugh I didn't realize my BOGO coupon expired, but we can use it so oh well. :(
(2) 1lb Boxes of One Beyond Cat Food
Regular Price $2.79
Coupons $2 off one Target Web & $3 off Manufacturers
Final Price $1.99 MONEYMAKER per item AFTER TAX
(1) Box Scotties Tissues
Regular Price - $1.25
Sale Price - .99cents
Coupon .50 off one (doubled at checkout)
Final Price - FREE
(2) Boxes of Puffs Vicks Tissues
Regular Price $2
Sale Price 2 for $3
Coupons One Free Box
Final Price $1.50 for two boxes
(4) Johnson & Johnson's Baby Wash
Regular Price $3.03
Coupons (2) $3 off 2 Publix & (2) $2 off 2
Final Price .53 cents each
Total should have been - $52.07
Final Total - $4.33
25 items - .17 cents per item!!!
And now here are some great deals YOU can get right now - although total savings includes clipping and printing some coupons. ;)
So I'm going to attempt to do a break down start left to right -
(1) Reusable Publix Bag
Regular Price .99 cents
FREE with Purchase of 2 P&G items
(6) Breyers Ice Cream
Regular Price $5.49
Sale Price $2.75
Coupons (3) $1.50 off two Target Web
Final Price $2 per container
(1) Yoplait YoPlus 4 pack
Regular Price $2
Sale Price $1
Coupon .50 off one (doubled at checkout)
Final Price - FREE
(2) Pam's Cooking Spray
Regular Price $3.19
Sale Price $1.59
Coupons (2) $1 off one Publix & (2) .35 off one Manufacturers (doubled at checkout)
Final Price - FREE
(2) Bags of Lay's Potato Chips
Regular Price $2.99
Sale Price $1.99
Coupons (2)$1 off one Publix & (2) .55 cents off one Manufacturers
Final Price .44 cents each
(2) Alexia Frozen Bread Products
Regular Price $3.39
Sale Price $1.69
Coupon (2) $1 off one
Final Price .69 cents each
(1) Dawn Dishliquid
Regular Price $1.49
Coupons $1 off any Dawn Publix & .25 cent Manufacturers (doubled at checkout)
Final Price .01 cent MONEYMAKER
(3) Duncan Hines Cake Frosting
Regular Price $1.95
Sale Price $1.29
(2) Weber Seasonings
Regular Price $1.99
Sale Price $1.69
Coupons (2) $1 off one
Final Price .69 cents
(2) McCormicks Seasonings
Regular Price $2.29
Sale Price $1.50
Coupons (2) $1 off one
Final Price .50 cents
(4) Cool Whip 8oz Containers
Regular Price $1.65
Sale Price .85 cents
Coupon (2) .50 off 2 Target Web
Final Price .60 cents
(2) Kraft Singles
Regular Price $3.49
Sale Price $2
Coupons $2 off 2 Target Web & (2) $1 off one Manufacturers
Final Price - FREE
(4) Bags of Kraft Shredded Cheese
Regular Price $3.79
Sale Price $1.67
Coupons (4) $1 off one Manufacturers & (2) $1.50 off 2 Target Web
Final Price .08 cent MONEYMAKER
(2) Wesson Blended Oils
Regular Price $4.19
Sale Price $2.09
Coupon (2) .40 off one (doubled at checkout)
Final Price $1.29 each
(3) Mentos 50ct Gum
Regular Price $3.29
Sale Price $1.65
Coupon (3) $1 off one
Final Price .65 cents
(2) Cascade 20ct Dishwasher Cubes
Regular Price $4.99
Coupons (2) $1 off one & (2) .50 cent Manufacturers (doubled at chekout)
Final Price $2.99 each
(2) Quaker Granola Bar Packs
Regular Price $2.51
Sale Price $1.25
Coupons $1 off Publix Store & $1 off 2 Manufacturers
Final Price .25 cents
(4) Jimmy Dean Breakfast Omelets
Regular Price $2.99
Coupons (2) .75 off one, (2) $1 off one, & (2) $1.50 off 2 Target Web
Final Price $1.36
(2) Digiorno Pizza and Breadsticks
Regular Price $8.99
Sale Price $5.50
Coupons $4 off two
Final Price $3.50
(2) Dentyne Pure 3 packs
Regular Price $2.79
Coupons (2) $1 off one & $1 off 2 Target Web
Final Price $1.29
(2) Dove Chocolates
Regular Price $4.19
Sale Price $2.09
Coupon (2) $1 off one
Final Price $1.14
(1) Oscar Meyer Bacon
Regular Price $6.99
Sale Price $3.50
Final Price $2.50
(1) Downy 120 count Fabric Sheets
Regular Price $5.99
Coupons $1 off one Publix & .50 cent Manufacturers (doubled at checkout)
Final Price $3.99
(1) Duncan Hines Cake Mix
Regular Price $2.69
Sale Price $1.35
(1) Duncan Hines Brownie Mix
Regular Price $2.69
Sale Price $1.35
Coupons .50 cent coupon (doubled at checkout)
Final price .35 cents
(1) Publis Greenwise 3 pack Paper towels
Regular Price $2.39
Sale Price - PENNY ITEM for buying $10 or more
Final Price .01 cent
(1) Charmin 12 count Toilet Paper
Regular Price $4.99
Coupons $1 off Publix & .50 cent Manufacturers (doubled at checkout)
Final Price $2.99
(2) Trident Vitality Gum
Regular Price $2.18
Sale Price $1.09
Coupons Buy One Get One Free Publix & .50 competitors
Final Price .29 cents
(2) Schick Intuition Razors
Regular Price $8.99
Sale Price $4.50
Coupons $3 off one & $2 off one
Final Price $2
Total should have been - $226.03
Final Paid - $83.03
Breakdown 61 items - $1.36 per item
That breakdown doesn't even include that some items have multiples in each package!!
For more information on the great savings this week check out Southern Savers
I'll also be taking pictures of my deep freezer soon as it is almost completely packed now!!!
Target Shopping 4/12
So I've been hoping to finally purchase FREE Purex Crystals Fabric Softener at Target. I live in an area where we have two very large Super Targets along with several other regular Targets within a descent driving distance. However, since the Purex Crystals were lowered in price from $4.99 to $2.99 it seems as though Target can not keep enough in stock. I got lucky last week and was able to find two bottles on the shelf, but thankfully today Target had restocked and I was able to buy six bottles without clearing the shelves.
So here is my purchase for this - there weren't a ton of great deals, but I was able to find a few things worth my trip.
(6) Bottles of Purex Crystals Fabric Softener
Regular Price $4.99
New Lower Price $2.99
Coupons $2 off Manufacturers & $1 off Target Web
Final Price - FREE
(17) Circo Infant Socks - Yes I bought more - they aren't moving off the shelves and who wouldn't like socks added to any baby gift I happen to send. ;)
Regular Price - $1
Coupon $1 off Target Web
Final Price - FREE
(1) Up and Up Facial Wipes
Regular Price $3.29
No Coupon :(
(1) 5lb Box of Clementines
Regular Price $5.99
Sale Price $4.99
Coupons $1 off Manufacturer & $1 off Target Printable from the register
Final Price - $2.99
Total should have been - $60.72
Actual amount paid - $9.92
A new thing that I am going to start doing is also breaking down the total per item so in this case I purchased 25 items total (17 socks, 6 fabric softener, 1 box clementines, & 1 facial wipes) so the total breakdown per item including tax would be .40 cents. I really like being able to see the break down per item because this just proves how much money you can save with coupons. Even if I purchased 25 items at a Dollar store I would still end up spending between $14.04 and $27 depending on if the items were small like candy bars that are 2 for $1 or they were actual $1 items including taxes.
Check back tomorrow for a breakdown on an awesome Publix trip I made for a total of $4.56 including over 25 items with a price per item of .18 cents!!!
So here is my purchase for this - there weren't a ton of great deals, but I was able to find a few things worth my trip.
(6) Bottles of Purex Crystals Fabric Softener
Regular Price $4.99
New Lower Price $2.99
Coupons $2 off Manufacturers & $1 off Target Web
Final Price - FREE
(17) Circo Infant Socks - Yes I bought more - they aren't moving off the shelves and who wouldn't like socks added to any baby gift I happen to send. ;)
Regular Price - $1
Coupon $1 off Target Web
Final Price - FREE
(1) Up and Up Facial Wipes
Regular Price $3.29
No Coupon :(
(1) 5lb Box of Clementines
Regular Price $5.99
Sale Price $4.99
Coupons $1 off Manufacturer & $1 off Target Printable from the register
Final Price - $2.99
Total should have been - $60.72
Actual amount paid - $9.92
A new thing that I am going to start doing is also breaking down the total per item so in this case I purchased 25 items total (17 socks, 6 fabric softener, 1 box clementines, & 1 facial wipes) so the total breakdown per item including tax would be .40 cents. I really like being able to see the break down per item because this just proves how much money you can save with coupons. Even if I purchased 25 items at a Dollar store I would still end up spending between $14.04 and $27 depending on if the items were small like candy bars that are 2 for $1 or they were actual $1 items including taxes.
Check back tomorrow for a breakdown on an awesome Publix trip I made for a total of $4.56 including over 25 items with a price per item of .18 cents!!!
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Extreme Couponing
Okay people so lets begin with saying this - THERE IS A REASON IT IS CALLED EXTREME COUPONING - because most normal people that coupon do NOT coupon this way. Just like TLC's Hoarding show - called Hoarding: Buried Alive - guess what - there are lots of other people that hoard and not all of them are buried alive or nearly as extreme as the one shown on TV which is how they end up on TV.
So let's examine parts of this show that were good -
There were also some parts that were not so good -
Things to keep in mind when trying to Extreme Coupon yourself -
I hope this helps shed some light on the good, the bad, and the absolute madness of Extreme Couponing - obviously this lifestyle is not for everyone, however, using coupons is for everyone and can definitely change your life starting with saving money. For anyone thinking about couponing just think about this - if you could cut your monthly grocery bill in half you could do so many things - save for your kids college tuition, start or add to an emergency fund, plan a vacation, pay off your car, pay off your house, live debt free.... the possibilities are endless and by couponing - not even extreme couponing - all of these things are possible. Anyone that actually knows me would tell you that I am a firm believer in Dave Ramsey's financial methods and I don't believe that anyone has to be in debt - its simply a bad choice.
So let's examine parts of this show that were good -
- Most of these people coupon for great reasons. Although the thought of referring to children as a "litter" really creeps me out - that lady seriously has SEVEN kids and she doesn't want them to have to take out loans to pay for college. A few of these people faced large amounts of debt and job loss - both excellent reasons to try and save as much money as possible.
- Some of them donate to food banks or churches. This in my opinion is one of the best reasons for couponing - I don't know a single shelter or church that couldn't benefit from someone donating a thousand boxes of cereal to them.
There were also some parts that were not so good -
- Some of the people should not have been buying certain products - Jamie Oliver needs to revolutionize America's weight issues starting with a few of them.
- Bedroom Closets are meant for clothes not cereal. In addition, if I had to physically run all over my house to locate something in my stockpile I would hate my life and expect someone to call Hoarders for me. lol
- There is never a good reason for over 60 bottles of mustard unless you are donating over 75% of it to charity.
Things to keep in mind when trying to Extreme Coupon yourself -
- Make sure you know the coupon policies of your store. There are several stores that give you money back if a coupon exceeds the amount and guess what - if the coupon amount exceeds the product price you don't pay tax on that item! However, with that being said there are also a lot of stores that will reduce the coupon amount to match the price product which means you don't get money back or a credit and you have to pay tax on the item. In addition keep checking policies to ensure that no changes have occurred and you may want to bring a copy of the policy with you to the store.
- Many stores have limits - for instance although I have purchased over 200 boxes of Pasta for free in the past few months (over half of which is being donated) I did not purchase all of this at once - I bought most of the pasta at Publix and they limit you to no more than 20 boxes per trip. If you plan to get extreme to the point of buying over 100 of one product it would be wise to speak to a store manager and make sure they can have enough product set aside for you in advance.
- Research which products you actually plan to stockpile and what type of shelf life they have - if you can get 1000 boxes of cereal for free that is wonderful, but to waste that much of a product because it was cheap or free is just ridiculous.
- Most stores rotate their sales every 6-10 weeks so a smart shopper will buy certain products around every 3 months to get the optimum amount of savings. Keeping a 3 month supply of products is planning well for saving money - just like most financial gurus say to keep at least 3 months of your salary saved up in case of an emergency - this is common sense people you don't have to buy enough for 5 years or you will end up on Buried Alive.
I hope this helps shed some light on the good, the bad, and the absolute madness of Extreme Couponing - obviously this lifestyle is not for everyone, however, using coupons is for everyone and can definitely change your life starting with saving money. For anyone thinking about couponing just think about this - if you could cut your monthly grocery bill in half you could do so many things - save for your kids college tuition, start or add to an emergency fund, plan a vacation, pay off your car, pay off your house, live debt free.... the possibilities are endless and by couponing - not even extreme couponing - all of these things are possible. Anyone that actually knows me would tell you that I am a firm believer in Dave Ramsey's financial methods and I don't believe that anyone has to be in debt - its simply a bad choice.
Another way to Save - Rue La La
One of my other favorite ways to save is through sites like Groupon. Here is one that I LOVE:
If you're not a member of Rue La La then you should be! They have awesome boutique sales today's included Lily Pulitzer and I completely forgot to set my alarm so I could shop it as soon as it opened. :( Oh well at least Matt's wallet will be happy today. lol
Here are some other great things about Rue La La -
So hurry and sign up for an account - Rue La La
If you're not a member of Rue La La then you should be! They have awesome boutique sales today's included Lily Pulitzer and I completely forgot to set my alarm so I could shop it as soon as it opened. :( Oh well at least Matt's wallet will be happy today. lol
Here are some other great things about Rue La La -
- Not only do they have clothing, home, and accesory boutiques, but they also do vacations! Right now they have deals on Hawaii!!
- They list in advance what boutiques will be opening up to a week in advance and even email you the information.
- In addition to their great prices they will give you a $10 credit for friends that you refer.
So hurry and sign up for an account - Rue La La
Essex Shopping Finds
So as I have recently told you all I LOVE the Essex I think it is absolutely great even if I don't always find a great deal. This past Monday I took one of my fun roadtrips up to Nashville with my mom, grandma, and Evan - so of course we stopped into SIX Essex stores. Although I didn't find great deals at every one of them the trip was well worth my time because of a few awesome deals.
So I was super excited to find these awesome Jack Rogers Sandals - I have been wanting to buy a pair recently, but I would never pay full retail price and the cheapest I could find on Ebay was still $75. If you don't know about Jack Rogers he is truly a fashion legacy - he was definitely made famous via one of my favorite fashion icons Jackie O in the 1960's. Now if I can only find one of his fabulous bags super cheap...
Jack Rogers Hamptons Navajo Sandals
Regular Price $98
Essex Price $23.98
Saved nearly $70!!
Another great little find was this super cute London Times Dress
Regular Price $98
Overstock.com Price $69.99
Essex Price $12.99
Saved between $58-$85!!
And one of my last finds that will be needed pretty soon...
Evenflo Chase Carseat
Regular Price betweeen $55-$70
Essex Price $32.99
On this purchase I would like to give you all some more information - Essex gets in a TON of baby gear. When I was in Nashville this week they had some ridiculous items from Sophie the Giraffe for $5 (Regularly between $20-$30 at most stores) to a Bugaboo Cameleon for $549 (Usually $880-$1059 - and I totally would have snatched it up if I didn't already have a high end stroller that I LOVE). Anyway back to the car seat situation - we have three vehicles plus my mom and I do a lot of shopping together so of course we need a car seat for her vehicle as well. So we needed at least 3 car seats - one of which would not be used as much as the other two - which is why we decided to grab this deal up while it was in stock. Essex has a 30 day return policy on anything in store so if I happen to see another one I like better for our 3rd vehicle I have the option to trade it, but for the amount of use it will be getting this was a complete steal.
So I was super excited to find these awesome Jack Rogers Sandals - I have been wanting to buy a pair recently, but I would never pay full retail price and the cheapest I could find on Ebay was still $75. If you don't know about Jack Rogers he is truly a fashion legacy - he was definitely made famous via one of my favorite fashion icons Jackie O in the 1960's. Now if I can only find one of his fabulous bags super cheap...
Jack Rogers Hamptons Navajo Sandals
Regular Price $98
Essex Price $23.98
Saved nearly $70!!
Another great little find was this super cute London Times Dress
Regular Price $98
Overstock.com Price $69.99
Essex Price $12.99
Saved between $58-$85!!
And one of my last finds that will be needed pretty soon...
Evenflo Chase Carseat
Regular Price betweeen $55-$70
Essex Price $32.99
On this purchase I would like to give you all some more information - Essex gets in a TON of baby gear. When I was in Nashville this week they had some ridiculous items from Sophie the Giraffe for $5 (Regularly between $20-$30 at most stores) to a Bugaboo Cameleon for $549 (Usually $880-$1059 - and I totally would have snatched it up if I didn't already have a high end stroller that I LOVE). Anyway back to the car seat situation - we have three vehicles plus my mom and I do a lot of shopping together so of course we need a car seat for her vehicle as well. So we needed at least 3 car seats - one of which would not be used as much as the other two - which is why we decided to grab this deal up while it was in stock. Essex has a 30 day return policy on anything in store so if I happen to see another one I like better for our 3rd vehicle I have the option to trade it, but for the amount of use it will be getting this was a complete steal.
Publix April 6-12 Shopping Week
One of my biggest pet peeves over the past few years has been having to shop when its way too crowded at stores. Luckily since I am a stay at home mom and run my own business I have all the time in the world to shop whenever I please - thankfully my little boy has no problem shopping all over with me. ;) So after dealing with the crowds last week on the first day of the new Publix ad I decided I would get up early and be at Publix within their first few hours of opening. I arrived at 7:30am with my mom and Evan to begin shopping and it was so nice and quite. The downfall to this time frame was the Publix employees were still not completely prepared for the new specials and were busy putting out new items and signage for the sale. For me this was no big deal as I have my list printed ahead of time and already know (for the most part) what is and isn't on sale along with what sizes and quantites I need. Overall this was a great shopping trip and it may be one of my favorite all around grocery trips as I purchased quite a wide variety of products. Check out all of my purchases with the price break downs below:
(2) Gerber Baby Water
Regular Price $1.39
Coupon Buy One Get One Free
Final Price $1.39 for two or .69 cents each
(6) Wishbone Salad Dressing
Regular Price $2.63
Sale Price $1.32
Coupons (2) .75 cents off per item & (3) Target $1.50 off when you buy 2
Final Price .32 cents each
(9) Ken's Marinade
Regular Price $2.99
Sale Price $1.49
Coupons $1 off per item
Final Price .49 cents each
(2) Resolve Spray and Wash
Regular Price $2.99
Coupons Publix Store Coupon $2 off when you buy 2, .75 off one, & $1.50 off one
Final Price .86 cents each
(4) Aunt Jamima Frozen Pancakes
Regular Price $2.69
Sale Price $1.34
Coupons $1 off when you buy 2
Final Price .84 cents each
(5) Banquet Chicken Products
Regular Price $5.49
Sale Price $2.74
Coupons Publix $1 off each
Final Price $1.74 each
(3) Green Giant Steamers
Regular Price $2.39
Sale Price $1.19
Coupons .50 off each (doubles to $1 at checkout)
Final Price .19 cents each
(1) Glass Plus Cleaner
Regular Price $2.49
Sale Price $1.24
Coupon .50 off (doubles to $1 at checkout)
Final Price .24 cents
(3) Kellogs Rice Krispies Cereal
Regular Price $3.99
Raincheck Price $1.99
BONUS FREE GALLON OF MILK FOR BUYING 3 Kellogs Cereals
(1) Gallon of Whole Milk
Regular Price $3.39
FREE with coupon
(1) Publix Cheesy Shells
Regular Price $1.89
Sale Price PENNY ITEM for buying $10 or more
Final price .01
(4) Johnson & Johnson Baby Wash
Regular Price $3.09
Coupons Publix $3 off when you buy 2, $3 off when you buy 3, & .75 cents off one
Final Price .65 cents each
(4) 100 Calorie Snack Packs
Regular Price $3.19
Sale Price $1.59
Coupon Target Web Buy 3 Get 1 Free
Final Price $1.19 each
(1) Scotties Facial Tissues
Regular Price $1.25
Sale Price .99
Coupon .50 off one (dooubled to $1 at checkout)
Final Price .01 MONEY MAKER
(10) Mueller Pasta
Regular Price $1.49
Sale Price .74 cents
Coupons $1 off each
Final Price $2.60 MONEY MAKER
(2) Oral B Toothbrishes
Regular Price $3
Sale Price $1.50
Coupons Buy One Get One Free, (2) $1 Publix Coupons, & $2 off when you buy 2
Final Price $2.50 MONEY MAKER
(1) Milano Cookies
Regular Price $3.49
Sale Price $1.74
Coupon .55 off one
Final Price $1.19
Grand Total should have been $168.92
Total amount paid - $44.38
Saved $124.54!!!
Check out more products on sale here: Southern Savers
(2) Gerber Baby Water
Regular Price $1.39
Coupon Buy One Get One Free
Final Price $1.39 for two or .69 cents each
(6) Wishbone Salad Dressing
Regular Price $2.63
Sale Price $1.32
Coupons (2) .75 cents off per item & (3) Target $1.50 off when you buy 2
Final Price .32 cents each
(9) Ken's Marinade
Regular Price $2.99
Sale Price $1.49
Coupons $1 off per item
Final Price .49 cents each
(2) Resolve Spray and Wash
Regular Price $2.99
Coupons Publix Store Coupon $2 off when you buy 2, .75 off one, & $1.50 off one
Final Price .86 cents each
(4) Aunt Jamima Frozen Pancakes
Regular Price $2.69
Sale Price $1.34
Coupons $1 off when you buy 2
Final Price .84 cents each
(5) Banquet Chicken Products
Regular Price $5.49
Sale Price $2.74
Coupons Publix $1 off each
Final Price $1.74 each
(3) Green Giant Steamers
Regular Price $2.39
Sale Price $1.19
Coupons .50 off each (doubles to $1 at checkout)
Final Price .19 cents each
(1) Glass Plus Cleaner
Regular Price $2.49
Sale Price $1.24
Coupon .50 off (doubles to $1 at checkout)
Final Price .24 cents
(3) Kellogs Rice Krispies Cereal
Regular Price $3.99
Raincheck Price $1.99
BONUS FREE GALLON OF MILK FOR BUYING 3 Kellogs Cereals
(1) Gallon of Whole Milk
Regular Price $3.39
FREE with coupon
(1) Publix Cheesy Shells
Regular Price $1.89
Sale Price PENNY ITEM for buying $10 or more
Final price .01
(4) Johnson & Johnson Baby Wash
Regular Price $3.09
Coupons Publix $3 off when you buy 2, $3 off when you buy 3, & .75 cents off one
Final Price .65 cents each
(4) 100 Calorie Snack Packs
Regular Price $3.19
Sale Price $1.59
Coupon Target Web Buy 3 Get 1 Free
Final Price $1.19 each
(1) Scotties Facial Tissues
Regular Price $1.25
Sale Price .99
Coupon .50 off one (dooubled to $1 at checkout)
Final Price .01 MONEY MAKER
(10) Mueller Pasta
Regular Price $1.49
Sale Price .74 cents
Coupons $1 off each
Final Price $2.60 MONEY MAKER
(2) Oral B Toothbrishes
Regular Price $3
Sale Price $1.50
Coupons Buy One Get One Free, (2) $1 Publix Coupons, & $2 off when you buy 2
Final Price $2.50 MONEY MAKER
(1) Milano Cookies
Regular Price $3.49
Sale Price $1.74
Coupon .55 off one
Final Price $1.19
Grand Total should have been $168.92
Total amount paid - $44.38
Saved $124.54!!!
Check out more products on sale here: Southern Savers
Thursday, March 31, 2011
$1 or Less Grocery Deals
So I thought I was done blogging for the day, but then I remembered that today one of my favorite blogs - Southern Savers posts their awesome blog about $1 or Less Grocery Deals! Now how could I go about my day without sharing these amazing offers with you!
Here is what you should do - go to this link - Southern Savers $1 or Less Deals
Find the stores you shop and click each item to add it to your list - now print your list.
After you have your printed list go to their home page and locate your stores - under each store should be an updated list for this week where you can find the item and see what coupons you need to make it free or under $1 - the great thing is they list a TON of coupons and a lot of them are printable.
In addition if there is something you are desperately needing Southern Savers also has a list of "Need it Now" items with the best available price listed. Find it here - Need it Now.
Here is what you should do - go to this link - Southern Savers $1 or Less Deals
Find the stores you shop and click each item to add it to your list - now print your list.
After you have your printed list go to their home page and locate your stores - under each store should be an updated list for this week where you can find the item and see what coupons you need to make it free or under $1 - the great thing is they list a TON of coupons and a lot of them are printable.
In addition if there is something you are desperately needing Southern Savers also has a list of "Need it Now" items with the best available price listed. Find it here - Need it Now.
Koupon Kutting Ken
So of course not every Bargain Barbie needs a Koupon Kutting Ken, but this one does and he is so very helpful. I am going to take you all into my crazy world of coupons and even let you see pictures of my fabulous coupon binder!
So when getting started you need a few things to keep you organized.
This Z Binder is fantastic - not only is it larger - but it has two sides which makes it super easy to keep grocery coupons on one side and everything else on the other.
2. Dividers - I prefer ones that you can put your own tabs on so you can decide which categories are important to you. The ones that I use also have a pocket in the front so if you have coupons that are about to expire you can put them in the pocket and remember to use them.
3. Baseball Card holders or Make your own holders out of plastic page holders (I'll be blogging about this very soon)
Here is a glimpse at my coupon in holders - as you can see you do have to fold coupons to fit on occasion so the make it yourself holders are pretty wonderful since you can create your own sizes.
*** As a side note the binder I use was found at Target for $18.99 and the baseball card holders were $4.98 for 30 - I would suggest buying at least two sets unless you are making your own as well. ***
So when getting started you need a few things to keep you organized.
- Any type of Binder - I started out with a 5" three ring binder, but quickly upgraded after a few weeks to this:
This Z Binder is fantastic - not only is it larger - but it has two sides which makes it super easy to keep grocery coupons on one side and everything else on the other.
2. Dividers - I prefer ones that you can put your own tabs on so you can decide which categories are important to you. The ones that I use also have a pocket in the front so if you have coupons that are about to expire you can put them in the pocket and remember to use them.
3. Baseball Card holders or Make your own holders out of plastic page holders (I'll be blogging about this very soon)
Here is a glimpse at my coupon in holders - as you can see you do have to fold coupons to fit on occasion so the make it yourself holders are pretty wonderful since you can create your own sizes.
4. Coupons!!! Now that you have a binder set up you can collect lots and lots of coupons!!!
So if you end up like me and you have a spouse that decides coupons are amazing as well you can come up with a quick and easy system to organizing your coupons each week. Sunday is a pretty big coupon day because some sites put out new coupons in addition to getting coupons from your local newspaper ads. Usually in our household we pick up 2-4 newspapers depending on how great the coupons are that particular week. I separate the ads out and my Koupon Kutting Ken cuts them and then stacks them into piles. The piles coordinate with sections of my coupon binder like "frozen food" or "dairy." Then I will organize the coupons into the binder and look for any matchups - this is also an excellent time to go through ads and make your plan for the coming week.
Here is Koupon Kuttin Ken's area:
Here is Koupon Kuttin Ken's area:
Hopefully this brief overview will help you get started in organizing your coupons!
Look for more information on organizing and couponing in the next few days as I will continue to post helpful tips over the next week.
*** As a side note the binder I use was found at Target for $18.99 and the baseball card holders were $4.98 for 30 - I would suggest buying at least two sets unless you are making your own as well. ***
I LOVE Essex
What is Essex you might say? Essex is one of the best kept secrets of Tennessee and luckily for me they also have one in Northern Alabama. I must admit that it is quite possible that next to Target I am completely addicted to shopping at the Essex. I have been known to make the quick drive up to Nashville and hit every Target and Essex possible in one day and then drive home with a car full of amazing finds - on more than on occasion.
Essex is a retail outlet that is based out of Tennessee where they have ten locations. All of their products are overstock so it can only be compared to TJ Maxx, Marshall's, or Ross, BUT Essex has even better prices. They don't carry as much stock of one item for the most part, unless it was a large overstock and it that situation you are bound to get an amazing deal. Their stock changes day to day and they normall get around three shipments per week of new merchandise. Since many of their items are Amazon and other internet site returns you can find completely random, but wonderful deals.
Just yesterday I decided to take a quick run into the Essex and I came across what is now in my top ten list of Essex purchases -
Frye Harlow Campus Boots
I desperately needed an Umbrella stroller because I refused to trust my I'coo Targo to the airlines and we were getting ready to fly to Hawaii on vacation. So of course I turned to the Essex and was able to find Uppa Baby G Lite Strollers (Regularly $100+) for a mere $50 - such a great price for an awesome brand.
Habitual Jeans
I LOVE how great these jeans fit, but there is no way that I would ever be willing to pay $198 for one pair of jeans. Lucky for me while skimming through the clothes department of Essex one day I came across these Harlow Habitual Jeans for $19.99 - now that is a price I am perfectly ok with paying. :)
I'll be heading back over to Essex on Friday so stayed tuned for my latest find!
Essex is a retail outlet that is based out of Tennessee where they have ten locations. All of their products are overstock so it can only be compared to TJ Maxx, Marshall's, or Ross, BUT Essex has even better prices. They don't carry as much stock of one item for the most part, unless it was a large overstock and it that situation you are bound to get an amazing deal. Their stock changes day to day and they normall get around three shipments per week of new merchandise. Since many of their items are Amazon and other internet site returns you can find completely random, but wonderful deals.
Just yesterday I decided to take a quick run into the Essex and I came across what is now in my top ten list of Essex purchases -
Frye Harlow Campus Boots
Now I LOVE shoes and this was a complete steal!
Regular Price $398
(not even including tax)
Essex Price $33.99
(so even with 8% tax $36.71)
If I would have bought these at retail price I would have paid $429.84 which means I saved $393.13 off retail!! The price I paid for them was just a little over what I would have paid in just taxes!!!
Now obviously I was very lucky that these amazing boots were in my size, but this just shows what type of crazy great deals you can find at the Essex.
In other trips I have found brands like Burberry, Badgley Mischka, Jack Rogers, Le Creuset, Uppa Baby, Teutonia, and so many more. The Essex has literally every department from Babies and Toys to Electronics and Housewares. They sell furniture, rugs, luggage, home improvement items, clothes, shoes, office supplies, sewing machines, etc. I could probably go on for days about how wonderful the Essex is, but I will spare you and just list out a few other great deals I have purchased in the last few months.
Uppa Baby G Lite Stroller
Habitual Jeans
I LOVE how great these jeans fit, but there is no way that I would ever be willing to pay $198 for one pair of jeans. Lucky for me while skimming through the clothes department of Essex one day I came across these Harlow Habitual Jeans for $19.99 - now that is a price I am perfectly ok with paying. :)
I'll be heading back over to Essex on Friday so stayed tuned for my latest find!
Coupon Reminders!
As a quick reminder all of the coupon printing websites will be resetting tonight since it is the end of the month so make sure you print off any coupons from March today! Keep in mind that most sites allow a maximun of two prints per coupon so there is a product you know you will be buying be sure to print two.
Here are the sites I most frequently use:
Also while you are printing you may want to head over to the Digiorno Pizza Facebook page for a hot new coupon! Just "like" them and click to print your coupons (max 2 per computer)
Happy Couponing!!
Here are the sites I most frequently use:
Also while you are printing you may want to head over to the Digiorno Pizza Facebook page for a hot new coupon! Just "like" them and click to print your coupons (max 2 per computer)
Happy Couponing!!
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Rainy Days are Perfect for Shopping!
Although it was a really gloomy day and the storms that came through kept me up last night, I still had a very successful day of shopping! Now Wednesdays are one of my favorite days of the week - Publix's new ad begins and I make a giant loop around my city hitting as many stores as possible and saving tons of money - while attempting to conserve gas. ;)
Today was such a busy day that my shopping took a bit longer - causing me to get home later - so this is going to be a cliff notes version of savings and will include my three largest stops.
First Stop: Target
As a quick side note I would like to add that when you bring your own bags to Target you automatically save .05 cents off your purchase - now that may not seem like a lot - but if you love Target even half as much as I do the savings will add up over time.
(4) Pairs of Circo Infant Socks
(Check your local store because some are clearancing these out)
Regular Price $1 (Some have been seen for .70 cents)
After $1 off Any Circo Product Coupon = FREE
(2) Archer Farms Flatbread Pizza
Regular Price $4.99
Clearance Price $2.48
Coupon $1.00 off when you buy two
Final Price $3.96 for two or $1.98 each
(1)Little Debbie Marshmallow Easter Puffs
$1.50 on Price Cuts
(2) Halo Sleep Sacks
Regular Price $19.99
Clearance Price $5.06
Coupon Used - (2) $4 off each
Final Price $1.06 each
(1) Large Sun Hat - Isn't it super cute!?!?
Found in the Dollar/ $2.50 department for $2.50 - I couldn't pass this up as I am hoping for warm sunny days!
(2) Magnum Ice Cream Bar Packs
Regular Price $3.99
Coupons used $1.50 off each
Final Price - $2.49 each
(4) Rubbermaid Totes
Regular Price $7.99
Clearance Price $3.48
(2) California Pizza Kitchen Pizzas
Regular Price $3.99 each
Sale Price 2 for $5.00
Coupons used $1.25 off each
Final Price - $2.50 for both or $1.25 each
(1) Talenti Gelati
Regular Price $4.99
Clearance Price $2.74
Coupon Used $1.00 off
Final Price - $1.74
Total should have been - $108.42
Total Paid - $38.32
Savings of - $70.10!!!!
Second Stop: Earth Fare
I'd like to start by letting you know all of this was completely FREE:
Earth Fare has some AWESOME promos!! To begin with every week they give something away as a showcased product and all you have to do is spend $5-$10 to receive it (depending on which one they list in the coupon) this week the Tia's chips were free with a $5 purchase. Now moving onto the whole chicken, carrots, and mashed potatoes - these items are part of their "Welcome Home" promotion showcasing a few of their different departments and all you had to do is sign up for their email and spend $10.
Earth Fare doesn't clearance, but they "discontinue" so you can always find some great deals in addition to their awesome sales and in store coupon books. Another great thing to check out is their monthly calendar full of great events including the Thursday night "Kids eat Free" promos!!
Third Stop: Publix
So this was my overall haul today from Publix
For this overview I'm going to try to go left to right and let you know about a few things I wasn't able to pick up that you should look for as well.
(1) Gallon of Milk
Regular Price $3.39
Completely Free with coupon from buying 3 Kellogs brand cereals
(2) Purina Cat Treats
Regular Price $1.75
Sale Price .86 cents
Used 2 coupons Publix $1.00 off & Manufacturers $1.50 off
Final Price $1.64 MONEYMAKER EACH! Total credit of $3.28!!!
(10) Earth's Best 6 month and Up Baby Food Jars
Regular Price .85 cents each
Sale Price .44 cents each
Used three coupons - (2) $1 off when you buy 5 & Target coupon .50 off when you buy 3
Final Price $1.75 for 10 or .17 cents each
(12) Bottles of Publix Sodas
Regular Price .89 cents
Promo Buy One Get One Free or .44 cents a piece
Final Price $5.34 for 12 Bottles of Soda - such a great deal if you are stocking up - especially for parties!!
(4) Cans of Campbells Soup
Regular Price $1.19 each
Sale Price $1 each
Coupon Used - .30 off when you buy 4 (automatically doubled at check out)
Final Price - .85 cents each
(4) Cans of Publix Soup
Regular Price .85 cents each
(1) Can of Hormel Chicken
Regular Price $3.39
Sale Price $1.70
Coupon Used $1 off
Final Price .70 cents
(2) Pretzel Crisps
Regular Price 3.99 each
Sale Price 2 for $5
Coupon used Buy One Get One Free
Final Price $2.50 for two or $1.25 each
(1)Publix Lemon Scented Bleach
Regular Price $1.45
Sale Price - PENNY ITEM when you buy $10 in groceries
Final Price - .01
(4) Boxes of Rice Krispies Cereal
Regular Price $3.99
Sale Price $2.00
Coupons used (2) $1 off when you buy two
Final Price $1.50 each
(2) Jolly Time Popcorn
Regular Price $2.39
Sale Price $1
Coupons Used (2) .50 off each (automatically doubled at checkout)
Final Price - FREE
(1) Vitatops Muffins
Regular Price $4.49
Sale Price $2.24
(2) Lysol All in One Floor Cleaner
Regular Price $3.19
Sale Price $1.59
Coupons Used (2) $1 off one
Final Price .59 cents each
And I got all of this for....
Total should have been $80.42
Total Paid - $25.36
Total Savings $55.06!!!
Aren't coupons AMAZING!?!?! There are TONS of great deals at Publix this week - a few things that I was not able to pick up - but of course have rain checks ready in hand for are:
Schick Intuition or Quattro Razors $1.49 each with $3 off coupon
Sabra Hummus .99 cents after a $1 off coupon
Yoplait Yogurt FREE with coupons
Trident Vitality Gum FREE with coupons
Resolve Spray and Wash .49 cents after coupons
These were just a few more awesome deals at Publix - for an entire list I would suggest heading over to southernsavers.com, clicking on Publix, and creating a shopping list for yourself!
Thanks for checking in and viewing all of my amazing saving today! Tomorrow I will be talking about one of my favorite stores and its definitely a "best kept secret" of Tennessee!!
Today was such a busy day that my shopping took a bit longer - causing me to get home later - so this is going to be a cliff notes version of savings and will include my three largest stops.
First Stop: Target
As a quick side note I would like to add that when you bring your own bags to Target you automatically save .05 cents off your purchase - now that may not seem like a lot - but if you love Target even half as much as I do the savings will add up over time.
(Check your local store because some are clearancing these out)
Regular Price $1 (Some have been seen for .70 cents)
After $1 off Any Circo Product Coupon = FREE
(2) Archer Farms Flatbread Pizza
Regular Price $4.99
Clearance Price $2.48
Coupon $1.00 off when you buy two
Final Price $3.96 for two or $1.98 each
(1)Little Debbie Marshmallow Easter Puffs
$1.50 on Price Cuts
(2) Halo Sleep Sacks
Regular Price $19.99
Clearance Price $5.06
Coupon Used - (2) $4 off each
Final Price $1.06 each
(1) Large Sun Hat - Isn't it super cute!?!?
Found in the Dollar/ $2.50 department for $2.50 - I couldn't pass this up as I am hoping for warm sunny days!
(2) Magnum Ice Cream Bar Packs
Regular Price $3.99
Coupons used $1.50 off each
Final Price - $2.49 each
(4) Rubbermaid Totes
Regular Price $7.99
Clearance Price $3.48
(2) California Pizza Kitchen Pizzas
Regular Price $3.99 each
Sale Price 2 for $5.00
Coupons used $1.25 off each
Final Price - $2.50 for both or $1.25 each
(1) Talenti Gelati
Regular Price $4.99
Clearance Price $2.74
Coupon Used $1.00 off
Final Price - $1.74
Total should have been - $108.42
Total Paid - $38.32
Savings of - $70.10!!!!
Second Stop: Earth Fare
I'd like to start by letting you know all of this was completely FREE:
Earth Fare has some AWESOME promos!! To begin with every week they give something away as a showcased product and all you have to do is spend $5-$10 to receive it (depending on which one they list in the coupon) this week the Tia's chips were free with a $5 purchase. Now moving onto the whole chicken, carrots, and mashed potatoes - these items are part of their "Welcome Home" promotion showcasing a few of their different departments and all you had to do is sign up for their email and spend $10.
Earth Fare doesn't clearance, but they "discontinue" so you can always find some great deals in addition to their awesome sales and in store coupon books. Another great thing to check out is their monthly calendar full of great events including the Thursday night "Kids eat Free" promos!!
Third Stop: Publix
So this was my overall haul today from Publix
For this overview I'm going to try to go left to right and let you know about a few things I wasn't able to pick up that you should look for as well.
(1) Gallon of Milk
Regular Price $3.39
Completely Free with coupon from buying 3 Kellogs brand cereals
(2) Purina Cat Treats
Regular Price $1.75
Sale Price .86 cents
Used 2 coupons Publix $1.00 off & Manufacturers $1.50 off
Final Price $1.64 MONEYMAKER EACH! Total credit of $3.28!!!
(10) Earth's Best 6 month and Up Baby Food Jars
Regular Price .85 cents each
Sale Price .44 cents each
Used three coupons - (2) $1 off when you buy 5 & Target coupon .50 off when you buy 3
Final Price $1.75 for 10 or .17 cents each
(12) Bottles of Publix Sodas
Regular Price .89 cents
Promo Buy One Get One Free or .44 cents a piece
Final Price $5.34 for 12 Bottles of Soda - such a great deal if you are stocking up - especially for parties!!
(4) Cans of Campbells Soup
Regular Price $1.19 each
Sale Price $1 each
Coupon Used - .30 off when you buy 4 (automatically doubled at check out)
Final Price - .85 cents each
(4) Cans of Publix Soup
Regular Price .85 cents each
(1) Can of Hormel Chicken
Regular Price $3.39
Sale Price $1.70
Coupon Used $1 off
Final Price .70 cents
(2) Pretzel Crisps
Regular Price 3.99 each
Sale Price 2 for $5
Coupon used Buy One Get One Free
Final Price $2.50 for two or $1.25 each
(1)Publix Lemon Scented Bleach
Regular Price $1.45
Sale Price - PENNY ITEM when you buy $10 in groceries
Final Price - .01
(4) Boxes of Rice Krispies Cereal
Regular Price $3.99
Sale Price $2.00
Coupons used (2) $1 off when you buy two
Final Price $1.50 each
(2) Jolly Time Popcorn
Regular Price $2.39
Sale Price $1
Coupons Used (2) .50 off each (automatically doubled at checkout)
Final Price - FREE
(1) Vitatops Muffins
Regular Price $4.49
Sale Price $2.24
(2) Lysol All in One Floor Cleaner
Regular Price $3.19
Sale Price $1.59
Coupons Used (2) $1 off one
Final Price .59 cents each
And I got all of this for....
Total should have been $80.42
Total Paid - $25.36
Total Savings $55.06!!!
Aren't coupons AMAZING!?!?! There are TONS of great deals at Publix this week - a few things that I was not able to pick up - but of course have rain checks ready in hand for are:
Schick Intuition or Quattro Razors $1.49 each with $3 off coupon
Sabra Hummus .99 cents after a $1 off coupon
Yoplait Yogurt FREE with coupons
Trident Vitality Gum FREE with coupons
Resolve Spray and Wash .49 cents after coupons
These were just a few more awesome deals at Publix - for an entire list I would suggest heading over to southernsavers.com, clicking on Publix, and creating a shopping list for yourself!
Thanks for checking in and viewing all of my amazing saving today! Tomorrow I will be talking about one of my favorite stores and its definitely a "best kept secret" of Tennessee!!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Publix - An Awesome Place to Save
One of my favorite grocery stores to save money at is Publix. Not only do they have wonderful customer service, but they have an awesome coupon policy. Publix will accept one competitor coupon along with a manufacturers coupon - for anyone wondering what a competitors coupon is - it is a store coupon from any local store selling the same product. By stacking two coupons on one item and shopping sales you can get amazing savings at Publix.
Here is a recent examples of savings at Publix:
Publix Shopping Trip 3/28
Sale Price $3.00 each
Used $4.00 off two coupon from Target
Final Price - $1 per item
Sale Price 2 for $4
Used 2 coupons: Target's $1.50 off two and Manufacturer .75 off One
Final Price - .50 each
Sale Price 2 for $2
Used Manufacturers coupon .50 off (Publix doubles any coupon under .50)
Final Price - FREE
Sale Price $2 off each product ($3.49)
Used two coupons: Target's $3 off 2 products and Manufacturers $2 off one
Final Price - FREE
Sale Price $2 off each product ($3.49)
Used two coupons: Target's $3 off 2 products and Manufacturers $2 off one
Final Price - FREE
Sale Price .89
Total should have been - $57.01
Total Amount Paid - $7.01
Saved $50!!!!
As you can see the simple power of clipping or printing off a few coupons can drastically make a difference in a quick trip to the grocery store. Tomorrow is the start of a completely new week of savings at Publix so look forward to a new breakdown of my grocery shopping and get ready to take notes so you can go save some money yourself!!
Here is a recent examples of savings at Publix:
Publix Shopping Trip 3/28
- (2) TGIFridays Loaded Potato Skins (medium size box)
Sale Price $3.00 each
Used $4.00 off two coupon from Target
Final Price - $1 per item
- (4) Kraft Shredded Cheese with touch of Phillie
Sale Price 2 for $4
Used 2 coupons: Target's $1.50 off two and Manufacturer .75 off One
Final Price - .50 each
- (4) French's spicy Brown Mustard
Sale Price 2 for $2
Used Manufacturers coupon .50 off (Publix doubles any coupon under .50)
Final Price - FREE
- (2) John Frieda Full Repair Products
Sale Price $2 off each product ($3.49)
Used two coupons: Target's $3 off 2 products and Manufacturers $2 off one
Final Price - FREE
- (2) John Frieda Root Awakening Products
Sale Price $2 off each product ($3.49)
Used two coupons: Target's $3 off 2 products and Manufacturers $2 off one
Final Price - FREE
- (1) Loaf of White Bread (not pictured)
Sale Price .89
Total should have been - $57.01
Total Amount Paid - $7.01
Saved $50!!!!
As you can see the simple power of clipping or printing off a few coupons can drastically make a difference in a quick trip to the grocery store. Tomorrow is the start of a completely new week of savings at Publix so look forward to a new breakdown of my grocery shopping and get ready to take notes so you can go save some money yourself!!
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