Personally, I'm always happy about some good coupons for disposable razors.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
RedPlum Insert in Sunday's Paper
It looks like we should have at least 2 inserts coming Sunday and the preview is already posted for the Redplum insert.
Personally, I'm always happy about some good coupons for disposable razors.
Personally, I'm always happy about some good coupons for disposable razors.
More New Coupons from Coupons.com
A New Month means lots of new coupons on our favorite coupon sites... here's a few to check out on Coupons.com
- $1.00 OFF ONE (1) 3-pack of any TEMPTATIONS by JELL-O
- $1.00 OFF 1 Watchers Frozen Novelty Carton
- $0.55 OFF two (2) HORMEL Pepperoni packs
- $0.50 OFF 1 KC Masterpiece Barbecue Sauce or marinade
- $0.50 OFF 1 Bob Evans Sausage
FREE MUSIC from SouthWest
SouthWest Airlines is offering up some freebies, right now it's 20 FREE song downloads from Itunes. Go here to sign up for your free music and other offers.
COUPONS: New Coupons from Kellogg's
Kellogg's has quite a few new coupons posted today (at least $5 worth), click here to sign up an print them.
COUPON: .50 Off Tabasco
Head over to Tabasco and print off a coupon for .50/1. If your grocery store doubles this should get you some cheap hot sauce.
So Much For the Splurge
So Paul came home and I found out that the chips I thought were his favorite... weren't. Evidently, he's made the same mistake himself before (right flavor, wrong brand). So we took them back.
I'd planned to run by Publix and pick up some more salad while it was on BOGO, but while we were at CostCo picking up prescriptions and getting gas I checked their prices on salad mix and found out they were about the same as what we'd pay at Publix with the BOGO. Another win for CostCo.
I also double checked their price on Swiffer Wet cloths (which we happen to need) and found that they run about the same as the really good sale price that Rite Aid has going right now (just under $13 for 48 cloths), but with the BOGO coupon in this week's paper, Rite Aid wins (for now), not to mention that I have over $30 in +UPs to spend at the moment (that will buy a LOT of Swiffer refills).
I'd planned to run by Publix and pick up some more salad while it was on BOGO, but while we were at CostCo picking up prescriptions and getting gas I checked their prices on salad mix and found out they were about the same as what we'd pay at Publix with the BOGO. Another win for CostCo.
I also double checked their price on Swiffer Wet cloths (which we happen to need) and found that they run about the same as the really good sale price that Rite Aid has going right now (just under $13 for 48 cloths), but with the BOGO coupon in this week's paper, Rite Aid wins (for now), not to mention that I have over $30 in +UPs to spend at the moment (that will buy a LOT of Swiffer refills).
Sometimes You Gotta Splurge
A dear friend of mine gave me a piece of advice when I first started this journey. Her advice was that sometimes you have to splurge. While you want to stockpile things you'll use and you know you'll eat, there are those items that you don't really buy / eat often enough to stockpile. The particular instance she gave me this advice on involved a Coke. I rarely drink soda (and neither does my husband) so it makes little sense for us to keep it around the house. This means that when we do want it we end up paying full price for it. My friend's advice was that that little splurge isn't going to break your bank and it's worth it for your peace of mind.
She was so right. That's why I bought my husband the chips today (and yes they were on sale too). I know he'll enjoy them and that knowledge... and the thought of the smile it will bring to his face, is well worth the cost of a small splurge.
So don't feel bad for that once in a while splurge for something you don't normally buy. You may have paid full price and looking at that price may make you groan a little, but think about the end result, the smile it will bring, or the yummy taste on your tongue as you enjoy that special treat. It's worth it.
She was so right. That's why I bought my husband the chips today (and yes they were on sale too). I know he'll enjoy them and that knowledge... and the thought of the smile it will bring to his face, is well worth the cost of a small splurge.
So don't feel bad for that once in a while splurge for something you don't normally buy. You may have paid full price and looking at that price may make you groan a little, but think about the end result, the smile it will bring, or the yummy taste on your tongue as you enjoy that special treat. It's worth it.
My $7.49 Splurge Trip
I went to Kroger today to use my last (3) $3 coupons from the Daytona Mega sale. I had my transactions all planned out just in case they forced me to do a limit of 1 coupon per transaction. Rarely would I think I got lucky to end up in a line with a new cashier, behind someone who only after getting their total realized they didn't have enough money... but today was my lucky day. I'm guessing since the cashier was brand new the Floor Supervisor was bagging for her to be nearby in case there were any questions and to train her. I'd already set my items out as individual $3 transactions, but went ahead and asked about the limit. The Floor Supervisor scoffed and said "don't worry about it, we'll take them all". And, so they did. It's a good thing too because as I look at my receipt, I see that I would have had to adjust my plan due to e-coupons (they DO stack!)
The splurge was the Kettle chips at $2.50. My husband loves these and I saw them up front near the register... in the impulse buy zone!
What I got...
2 California Pizza Kitchen pizzas @ $4.77 = $9.54
1 Kettle Chips @ $2.50 e = $2.50
6 Kroger beans @ .60e = $3.60
6 Kroger tomato sauce @ .55 e = $3.30
= $18.94+tax
With these coupons....
- .75 eCoupon for California Pizza Kitchen pizza
(2) $1.25/1 California Pizza Kitchen pizza
(3) $3 off purchase (from Daytona Mega Sale)
= $7.49 (after tax)
Total before sale & coupons would have been = $25.51(before tax), for a savings of 73%
What I got...
2 California Pizza Kitchen pizzas @ $4.77 = $9.54
1 Kettle Chips @ $2.50 e = $2.50
6 Kroger beans @ .60e = $3.60
6 Kroger tomato sauce @ .55 e = $3.30
= $18.94+tax
With these coupons....
- .75 eCoupon for California Pizza Kitchen pizza
(2) $1.25/1 California Pizza Kitchen pizza
(3) $3 off purchase (from Daytona Mega Sale)
= $7.49 (after tax)
Total before sale & coupons would have been = $25.51(before tax), for a savings of 73%
Saving Money at the Grocery Stores: Using Coupons
Yesterday, I posted that using coupons is the hardest (and most time consuming) part of saving money at the grocery store. Today, I'm going to share the basics of what I've learned about how to make the most of using coupons.
1. Clip Em - Get the Sunday paper and start clipping coupons. When you first start I'd suggest clipping and holding on to every coupon in the paper, even for items you don't think you'll use.
2. Print Em - There are several great websites online where you can find printable coupons. Just because it does cost something to print coupons (ink and paper) I'd suggest just printing coupons for items you know you will use. Most of the time, printable coupons will still be there later if you don't print them when you first see them. However, coupons for high demand products, or high value coupons may hit their print limit quickly, making it worthwhile to print them even if you aren't sure you will use them. The major websites you'll want to check regularly (at least monthly, if not weekly) are Coupons.com , SmartSource.com, Redplum.com, CouponNetwork and Target (the store puts out a lot of coupons including some manufacturer coupons).
3. Add Em to your Loyalty Card - If your grocery store is one of those that requires a loyalty card, there is another upside to those loyalty cards. You can add coupons directly to them. For those who don't want to spend the time dealing with clipping and/ or printing coupons, this is a great option. These can usually be added directly from the store website, but can also be found on Cellfire & Shortcuts. Just sign up and add your loyalty card number then add the coupons. The coupons will automatically be deducted when you check out. However, you will want to make yourself a note to check those sites at least once a month to add new coupons to your account.
4. Hold Your Coupons - The biggest key in saving with coupons is learning restraint. Once you have them in your hand there's a desire to use them right away. You're worried you'll lose them or they will expire if you don't (and understandably). Rather than using them right away get a binder or a box and organize them in a way that makes sense to you, so you can find them later when there is a sale to match them.
5. Match Your Coupons to Sales - Early on I relied on other blogs to help me figure out which items I had coupons for (or could get coupons for) that were going to be on sale. Usually the blog and deal sites will have previews of upcoming sales (with coupon matchups) several days before the sale starts. Checking these previews gives you a chance to see print off additional coupons that may be available that you didn't print already and just get things organized. The blogs I rely most on are PassionatePennyPincher (for Publix & Kroger matchups) and SouthernSavers (for multiple stores), as well as the forums at We Use Coupons (they have a forum for every major grocery chain where you'll find hundreds of folks happy to help you find the best deals).
Doing all of this I found that about half of my savings come from just using coupons. There are some trips where my coupon savings actually outweigh the savings I get from whatever sale I am shopping. Doing both things together (shopping the sales & using coupons) is really where the savings are at. PassionatePennyPincher has some great articles for those who are just getting started doing coupons and saving at the grocery stores, so I will direct you there for help with Coupon Lingo, and more store specific details.
1. Clip Em - Get the Sunday paper and start clipping coupons. When you first start I'd suggest clipping and holding on to every coupon in the paper, even for items you don't think you'll use.
2. Print Em - There are several great websites online where you can find printable coupons. Just because it does cost something to print coupons (ink and paper) I'd suggest just printing coupons for items you know you will use. Most of the time, printable coupons will still be there later if you don't print them when you first see them. However, coupons for high demand products, or high value coupons may hit their print limit quickly, making it worthwhile to print them even if you aren't sure you will use them. The major websites you'll want to check regularly (at least monthly, if not weekly) are Coupons.com , SmartSource.com, Redplum.com, CouponNetwork and Target (the store puts out a lot of coupons including some manufacturer coupons).
3. Add Em to your Loyalty Card - If your grocery store is one of those that requires a loyalty card, there is another upside to those loyalty cards. You can add coupons directly to them. For those who don't want to spend the time dealing with clipping and/ or printing coupons, this is a great option. These can usually be added directly from the store website, but can also be found on Cellfire & Shortcuts. Just sign up and add your loyalty card number then add the coupons. The coupons will automatically be deducted when you check out. However, you will want to make yourself a note to check those sites at least once a month to add new coupons to your account.
4. Hold Your Coupons - The biggest key in saving with coupons is learning restraint. Once you have them in your hand there's a desire to use them right away. You're worried you'll lose them or they will expire if you don't (and understandably). Rather than using them right away get a binder or a box and organize them in a way that makes sense to you, so you can find them later when there is a sale to match them.
5. Match Your Coupons to Sales - Early on I relied on other blogs to help me figure out which items I had coupons for (or could get coupons for) that were going to be on sale. Usually the blog and deal sites will have previews of upcoming sales (with coupon matchups) several days before the sale starts. Checking these previews gives you a chance to see print off additional coupons that may be available that you didn't print already and just get things organized. The blogs I rely most on are PassionatePennyPincher (for Publix & Kroger matchups) and SouthernSavers (for multiple stores), as well as the forums at We Use Coupons (they have a forum for every major grocery chain where you'll find hundreds of folks happy to help you find the best deals).
Doing all of this I found that about half of my savings come from just using coupons. There are some trips where my coupon savings actually outweigh the savings I get from whatever sale I am shopping. Doing both things together (shopping the sales & using coupons) is really where the savings are at. PassionatePennyPincher has some great articles for those who are just getting started doing coupons and saving at the grocery stores, so I will direct you there for help with Coupon Lingo, and more store specific details.
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