My Adventures In Couponing

Sorry today is a quick post since laundry day snuck up on me so soon! I wanted to share a few deals I picked up at this week’s KMart Doubles Event!

(2) Secret Deodorant $4.98
Used: (2) $1/1 Q Doubled -$4.00
Total: .98 (.49 each)

(2) Secret Flawless Deodorant $8.58
Used: (2) $2/2 Q Doubled -$6.49
(The cashier keyed in the wrong button so the 2nd q didn’t double.)
Total: $2.09 ($1.05 each)

(1) Maalox Tablets $3.99
Used: $1.50/1 Q Doubled -$3.00
Total: .99

(1) Band Aid $3.29
Used: $1/1 Q Doubled -$2.00
Total: $1.29

(1) First Aid Tape $1.79 (Can’t seem to keep this in stock with animal injuries!)
Used: $1/1 Q Doubled -$1.79 (no overage)
Total: Free

(1) Schick Intuition 3ct Refill $9.99
Used: $2/1 Q Doubled -$4.00
Total: $5.99

(1) Good Life Recipe Cat Treats $2.00 (sale price) For Donation
Used: $1/1 Q Doubled -$2.00
Total: Free

(1) Fresh Step Cat Litter $13.99
Used: $2/1 Q Doubled -$4.00
Total: $9.99

(2) Renuzit Spray $4.78
Used: (2) $1/1 Q Doubled -$4.00
Total: .78 (.39 each)

(2) Renuzit Triscents $10.00 (sale price)
Used: (2) $4/1 Q Doubled -$8.00
Total: $2.00 ($1.00 each)

(2) Glade Carpet Powder $3.00 (sale price)
Used: (2)$1/1 Q Doubled -$3.00 (no overage)
Total: Free

(1) Spot Shot Carpet Cleaner $4.59
Used: $2/1 Q Doubled -$4.00
Total: .59

-$5/$50 Kmart Q

Total Including Tax: $23.07; Total Savings: $56.83

Looks like another week of great sales! Tons of B1G1F deals! There are lots of coupons to match up with these items! I have only posted the best deals so this isn’t everything that is on sale, but it is everything you can get cheap or free!

This chart shows the price listed for the store I shop, the sale price, the amount of the coupon, price after coupon (not doubled), price after coupon(doubled). (Some Publix double up to .50, others don’t.) Prices are based on using 2 coupons on B1G1 items (if coupons are $/1.) There are some items that have more than 1 coupon out so I have listed each individually.

Check your ad for prices and don’t forget the “essentials” for this week. Great buy on Pork Loin! Enjoy!

This week I made 2 CVS trips and 4 trips to Walgreens. I was going to hit another Walgreens for 2 more transactions (you’ll see why) but I ran out of time and energy after 8 hours of shopping!

 I’m also playing around and trying to personalize my blog a little better. Excuse the mess, but I want to make it easier to read and follow. Let me know what you think!

  CVS Trip 1:

*This just blew me away…I only purchased 4 items and the total would have been $18.08!! Do you know how much stuff I can buy with $18?! See why I almost NEVER purchase stuff at retail price…such a rip-off.

 CVS Trip 2:

Total Including Tax: $4.87; Total Savings: $8.87

 *I had to use this ECB since it was about to expire. There really weren’t any great ECB deals this week for me to roll it so I just used it on necessities. Unfortunately this means I will probably have to spend a little to build up my ECBs again.

  CVS Photo: (Milk not included in photo)

 CVS Grand Total: $6.25; Total Savings: $25.64

 Walgreens Trip 1:

 Total Including Tax: $4.96; Total Savings: $17.56

*I will receive a $1 ESR on the Pledge Sweeper. (I could kick myself for not getting a rain-check when it was on sale a couple of weeks ago.)

*I also received a $2 RR for the Dt Dr. Pepper and a $1 RR for the Excedrin.

Walgreens Trip 2:

Total Including Tax: $1.96; Total Savings: $9.39

 WalgreensTrip 3:

Total Including Tax: $1.03; Total Savings: $7.60

 Walgreens Trip 4:

Total Including Tax: $8.59; Total Savings: $10.60 

Walgreen’s Photo:

 Walgreens Grand Total: $16.54; Total Savings: $45.15

Today has really flown by! Wednesday is always very busy for me. I am working on some Publix match ups for you since it looks like they are having some great sales again this week!

Things to look forward to over the next week:

List of Printable Coupons

 Pet Shopping Stock Pile

Stock Pile Photos

My KMart Doubles Trip

My Plan to Stop Shopping for 1 Month…

Yesterday was a major shopping day! I’m going to start off posting the grocery deals I got and tomorrow I will post the drugstore deals with pictures! Yesterday’s grocery deals include: Publix, Bi-Lo, Harris Teeter and Food Lion. (I just simply didn’t have the energy to make it to Kroger and my dogs were crossing their legs by the time I got home!)
It was a rough day for couponers! I seemed to get the worst cashiers at both Publix I went to!

Publix 1:
(2) Juicy Juice 7.18 -3.59 B1G1sale -$1/2 q =2.59
(6) Ragu Sauce 15.78 -7.89 B1G1sale -(2).50/2 q -(1).75/2 q =6.14
(1) Muir Glen Diced Tomatoes 1.79 -.20sale -$1/1 q -.50 publix q =.09
(1) Muir Glen Tomato Sauce 1.79 -.20 -$1/1 q -.50 publix q =.09
(2) Hostess Donuts 5.98 -2.99 B1G1sale =2.99 (yummy treat!)
(4) Progresso Broth 10.36 -5.18 B1G1sale -(4)$1.25/1 q -(1)$1/4 publix q = -.82
overage!
(2) Progresso Soups 4.90 -2.40sale -(2)1.10/1 q =.30
(1) Bottled Water .73
(1) Cascade Rinse Aid 3.39 -3.39 free item q = FREE
(1) Covergirl makeup sponge 2.49 -2.00 publix q -.49 MFR q adjusted* = FREE
(1) Revlon Emery File 2.99 -2.50 publix q -.49 MFR q adjusted* = FREE
-$5/$25 Competitor Coupon

Total including Tax: $7.69; Total Savings: $50.38
*The cashier was completely confused! I can’t even go into the whole story but she totally screwed up my coupons. Basically she said I couldn’t use a Publix Q with a MFR Q (I realize some stores have this policy however this store doesn’t.) So the manager said it’s okay. Then she didn’t want to give me overage…she did on some products, but not the CG or Revlon…confusing. So she just adjusted the amount of my MFR coupon and I got the items free…which I’m completely fine with. It was just chaos!)

Publix 2:
(2) Jell-O Pudding 6.78 -2.78sale -(2).60/1 q =1.58
(2) Kraft Parmesan Cheese 8.18 -2.18sale -(2)$1/1 q =4.00
(3) Florida OJ 11.07 -3.69sale =7.38
(1) Del Monte Diced Tomatoes 1.53 -1.00q* =.53
(1) Crisco 100% EVOO 6.49 -3.25 B1G1sale -$1/1 q =2.25
(1) Smart Balance Oil 3.29 -.79sale -$1/1 q =1.50
(2) Coffee Mate 16oz Creamers 4.28 -.94sale -(2)$1.50/1 q =.34
(6) Weigh Watchers Smart Ones Meals 18.90 -6.90sale -$1/5q -2.00 publix q =9.00
(1) Smith Field Bacon 4.09 -1.59sale -.55/1 q =1.95
(1) Pork Loin 16.50 -6.81sale -1.00 pubix q =8.69
-$5/$25 Competitor Q

Total Including Tax: $39.03; Total Savings: $49.77
*The cashier keyed in the Del Monte Q wrong…it should have been for $1.50, not $1…she tried to give me a hard time about using Publix and MFR Q’s together also, but again the manager told her to do it…not an easy day at all.

Food Lion:
(10) Healthy Choice Meals 37.90 -18.95 B1G1sale -(2)$1/2 q -B5G1F q =13.16
(1) Sunkist 2L 1.33 -.34sale =.99
(1) Pork Spare Ribs 2.5lb 10.68 -4.29sale =6.39

Total Including Tax $20.76; Total Savings: $29.42

Harris Teeter:
(1) 3lb Red Delicious Apples 3.49
(1) Cucumber .99 -.20sale =.79
(3) Ball Park Franks 8.97 -6.00 B2G1F sale -$1/2 q =1.97
(2) Blue Bunny Icecream 11.98 -5.99 B1G1F sale -(2)$1/1 q =3.99
(2) Smart Balance Popcorn 5.98 -2.99 B1G1F sale -$1/2 q =1.99
(4) 1lb Turkey Burgers Meat 15.96 -7.98 B1G1F sale =7.98
(2) A&H Dryer Sheets 7.98 -3.99 B1G1F sale -(2)$1/1 q =1.99

Total Including Tax: $22.72; Total Savings: $33.15

Bi-Lo:
(2) Blue Ribbon Rice 4.38 -2.20 B1G1sale =2.18
(1) Bryan Corndogs 4.99 -2.50 B1G1sale =2.49
(1) Baby Carrots =1.99
(1) Fresh Express Salad 2.99 -.49 =2.50

Total Including Tax: $9.34; Total Savings: $5.19
*I had absolutely no coupons for this trip, but I still saved by only shopping the sales. They were out of the Wanchani Ferry Dinner I wanted to try.(Of course I had a coupon for that!)

Grocery Shopping Grand Total Spent this week: $99.54
Grocery Shopping Grand Total Savings this week:$167.91

Sorry for the short post, but today was an EXHAUSTING shopping day! (8 hours total…and I skipped 2 stores!) I have TONS of great deals to share with you this week so stay tuned! Just to keep your taste buds satisfied for a while here are some really nice food freebies!!

Quizno’s is giving away 1 Million FREE subs! No purchase necessary! Click HERE and fill out the info. (Put your correct info in since ID is needed when coupon is redeemed.)

Free Kashi Entree. Click HERE to be mailed a coupon!

Jack in the Box is offering 2 free tacos. (Good only for tomorrow!)Click HERE to print coupon!

Dunkin Donuts free sample! Click HERE to get yours! (Looks like they ran out of the regular one fast…only dark left, but hey it’s free coffee!)

IHOP Tomorrow is National Pancake Celebration Day! At participating locations each customer will receive 1 free short stack of pancakes! (Please make a donation to the Children’s Miracle Network to help support this cause.)

See you tomorrow with my grocery savings!!

Here are some match ups for the KMart doubles event this coming week (2/22-2/28) at participating stores.

Check your local ad HERE to see if your store is participating. (I love that KMart posts their ads a couple of days early…it gives you time to plan!)

Here are the match up’s I have come up with so far:

Sorry the list is so short…I haven’t had a lot of time to go through all of my coupons and match them up yet! I also am not sure if I will be able to make it to KMart this week so that’s another reason I haven’t spent a lot of time on this yet.

If you sent in for the P&G $120 coupon booklet you should be receiving it soon. I have received mine and it is full of goodies!! I can’t wait to use them for some great deals!

Hopefully this very short list will get some of you started. There are 2 ad for next week (one is monthly and the other for the week.) Match up your coupons with sale prices for the best deals!

I’m off to work on my grocery and drug store shopping list for next week! I hope to have some really great deals to share with you after Monday!

As promised I finally have some pictures to post! Later I will try to take pics of trips as I get them, but that’s not always easy when you’ve gone to 5 different stores and stuff just needs to get put away!

Having a photo is nice so you can get an actual idea of the stuff that’s purchased. It sounds good on paper, but looks better when your cabinets are full!

My youngest fur baby decided she wanted to try out her modeling career. I guess she’s trying to steal the Cottonelle puppy’s job.

I got all 9 packs of these free at Kroger with the .50/1 and $1/1 printable coupons on the Cottonelle website!

I got 12 boxes of Milk Bones free at Publix since they were B1G1 and I had B1G1 coupons! (Isn’t my child so photogenic?)

And 21 packs of pepperoni free! They were on sale at BiLo for $1. I had .50/1 coupons that doubled!

ANOTHER K-MART DOUBLES WEEK!!!

Starting Sunday (2/22 - 2/28) K-Mart is offering the super doubles event up to $2 in certain areas! I will post most tomorrow on the details and have some match ups!

It also looks like Monday will be my big shopping day! I am planning Food Lion, Bi-Lo, Harris Teeter, Publix, CVS, Walgreens, Kroger, K-Mart and possible WalMart. *phew!

Publix is going to be a huge trip this week since I have competitor’s coupons clipped and ready to go! Plus there sales are GREAT this week! (At least for me since it’s items I need!)

Everyone loves free stuff, even if it is just a sample! I am going to try to post more “freebies”. I’ll try to do this about once a week or a least every other week. Here are a few that I’ve come across for this week…Enjoy!

Food:
Starbucks Instant Coffee

WalMart Samples:
Various Samples
(Includes Always, Poise, Metamucil, Maybelline, Huggies Wipes, NicoDerm CQ, Benefiber, Viva Paper Towels)

HBA:
Loreal Ever Pure
Paul Mitchell
Crest White Strips (Also has coupons for various products.)

I thought about some other ideas that are cheap or free! There are some ideas for everyone!

1.If it’s a beautiful day, go to the local city park. Take the dog for a walk, have a picnic or play a game of Frisbee!

2. Check out your local city park for concerts or entertainment events. Some cities offer free movies in the park. It might be an older film, but it gets you out of the house!

3. Check to see if your town or nearby town has a $1 theater. You can get the movie theater effect for only a portion of the price. Some theaters offer $1-$1.50 shows and sometimes kids get in free! If you’re going solo it’s cheaper than renting a flick at home!

4.Want to go out to eat but low on cash? Don’t dine out for dinner. Prices are always more. Try something different. Many restaurants have very inexpensive lunch specials that even include your drink! Some restaurants have 2 meals for $20. Not too bad, especially if you have left overs and take a doggie bag!

Go out for coffee and dessert instead. It’s a nice date and you can share a dessert. Half the calories and price!

Look for “kids eat free” deals if you have little ones. If you want to take the whole family out, some restaurants offer a free kid’s meal for each adult entree.

Simply go out for ice-cream. It’s a nice treat on a warm day!

5.Want a restaurant dinner without the price? Make your favorite restaurants recipes at home! Just do a little research online to find your favorite dish! I recently found a recipe for TGIFriday’s Bruschetta Chicken Pasta! It tasted EXACTLY like I got it in the restaurant!!

 6. Like theater but can’t afford a Broadway play? Check out your local performing arts center or school plays (college or high school). They also have concerts for the music lovers. You won’t pay an arm and a leg for an evening of live entertainment.

7.Want a night out alone with your significant other but don’t have the extra cash for a baby sitter? Work out a kid swap night with friends. Pick a weekend with another couple. You take their kids for 1 night while they go out and vice versa the next night. Then nobody has to dish out an extra $20-50 for a baby sitter and you both get to enjoy a night out!

8. Go to a local bookstore, grab a cup of coffee and read some magazines. It’s fun to people watch and you don’t have to buy anything!

Today was a great day for dog treat shopping! My pooches will be very happy when they see the stash of their favorite treat!
Publix has Milk Bone dog biscuits on sale B1G1 and I have a TON of B1G1 coupons. Depending on how your Publix rings items up you may or may not get all of the bones free.
If your Publix charges full price for the 1st item, then rings the 2nd item up as free, you will be able to get all the bones free with the B1G1 coupon. However if your Publix charges 1/2 price for each item you will only get 1/2 of the items free, but the other 1/2 will at a reduced amount.
See my transactions to see how it worked out. (I went to 2 different Publix that ring their items up differently.)

Publix Transaction 1:
(10)MilkBone Dog Biscuits (26oz box - the largest one on sale) 36.85 -18.40 B1G1 sale -(5)B1G1 q(3.69 x 5) =FREE
(1)Dixie 160ct Napkin 1.99 -.49sale -$1/1 q =.50
(1)Stouffer’s French Bread Pizza 3.19 -1.59 sale =1.60
(1)Breath Right Strips 5.29 -2.64sale -$1/1 q -$2/1competitor (wags q) =-.35 overage!
(1)Advil PM 5.29 -$5/1 Publix q =.29
(1)ThermaCare Heat Wraps 3pk 6.99 -$5/1 q =1.99

Total Including Tax: $6.47; Total Savings: $55.57

Publix Transaction 2:
(4)Milk Bone Dog Biscuits 14.76 -7.38B1G1sale -(2)B1G1 q (1.84 x 2) =3.70
(1)M&Ms Valentine 3.19 -1.59sale =1.60
(1)Conversation Hearts Candy 1.29 -.64sale =.65

Total Including Tax: $6.47; Total Savings: $11.04
*I was a little disappointed since the 1st Publix no longer considers CVS a competitor and will not accept the $/$$ coupons. (They will only accept coupons for a particular product.) Otherwise my total would have been $1.47 after my $5 q!
The 1st trip was obviously much better, but it all depends on the particular store’s policies. I didn’t spend enough at the 2nd store that would have taken my CVS Q…so oh well. It was still a great day of saving! When it comes down to it I only paid for 2 boxes of bones!!
I should have gotten more boxes at the 1st store however they only had small bones left and my dogs would have laughed at them…they are 80 and 100lbs…they need to big stuff!

Kroger:
(1)2L soda .69
(9)Cottonelle 4pk TP 8.91 -(4)$1/1 q -(4).50/1 q doubled -.25/1 shortcuts q =.70

Total Including Tax: $1.69; Total Savings: $8.21
*I can live with getting 36 rolls of TP for less than $2…it’s not like it expires! And I still have a TON of these coupons to use!!
If you want to print some yourself check out Cottonelle’s website. They have $1/1 and .50/1 q’s available to print.

Later in the week I will share a pet deals day! Today’s discovery…I think I spend more money on my pets food than I do on our own. Granted we have 6 mouths to feed. And their flea/hw prevention really adds up. But they are my children and worth every dime!