Get Groceries Free

Tomorrow (May 30) Walmart Supercenters will be offering free samples of Ben & Jerry’s, Dibbs and Blue Bunny ice cream! Stop into your local store, from 11am until 4pm, and get your free sample of one of the following:

•  1.57 fl oz Dibs Snack Bag
• 2.4 fl oz  Blue Bunny Aspen Frozen Yogurt Granola Bar
• 4 oz Ben & Jerry’s Flipped Out Cup

There is a limit of one sample per customer and this is while supplies last. To read more on this go to Walmart’s Free Ice Cream site. While there enter you zip code to see if your local store will be participating!

Not only do I use coupons to save money but I also have other ways to save money that I want to share with you. You may already be aware of these tips but there may be some here you are not aware of. If you have a great tip that is not listed please leave me a comment at the bottom so that I can start taking advantage of it and also add it to this list!

Eating Out Tips (or in)

• Lets say you want to have a weekly Pizza Night, instead of ordering a pizza to be delivered (can cost $20 and up), unless you have an awesome coupon or deal, stop by the grocery store and pick one up for under $10 and bake it at home. You will save at least 50%! We have a local pizza place that offers a large one topping hot and ready to go for $5 all the time so we just pop in there if I do not find it a better deal at the grocery store. (Little Caesar’s Pizza) 
• Steaks can be super expensive. Right now the best deal I have around me is $4.99/lb. What I have found to be a really cheap alternative is going to a local steak house with a buffet which offers steaks on the buffet (cooked to your specifications) after 4pm. You get a plate and fill it up with whatever you choose for just $4.29/lb. I can get a pound of Fillet Mignon, Porterhouse, T-bone, etc.  for just $4.29/lb cooked and ready to eat! All I do is fix the sides at home and for under $10 my entire family can have a steak dinner!
• I can not stress enough that before you go out check online or in your local paper for coupons! My family likes to eat out but the cost is just too much. There are many places that offer coupons in the papers or online. For example, Chic Fil A will often put coupons in our paper for a free kids meal wyb any value meal.  My husband and I can order our meals and the kids can eat free. Sonic will also offer many great coupons in the paper as well. Also, be sure to check to see if they have a loyalty program or mailing list that you can sign up for. They will offer coupons many times if you sign up. Sometimes you can get free meals! Just keep your eyes out for them. 
• Sometimes you can find travel magazines in the restaurants off major interstates. Shoney’s is a restaurant around here that has them in it. If you pick up one of those magazines you will find that not only do they have great hotel and entertainment savings but local restaurants will also offer great savings. 
• Restaurant.com offers gift card purchases for super cheap. Right now you can get a $25 gift card for $10 and depending on the offers they have sometimes they are even less.

Clothing and Accessories

• I have found that purchasing clothes from mass merchandisers may not always the cheapest option. Many times I can get my family name brand clothes from department stores cheaper. Belk and JC Penney for example will put their clothes on clearance for 75% off and up around the middle of the season preparing for the next season. I have been able to get my kids Ralph Lauren dresses for as little at $5! 
• Again, I can’t stress this enough, look for coupons! Many times I have found that stores will give you a coupon if you sign up for a mailing list or join a loyalty program. I have also found them in the paper. The two above mentioned stores offer $10 off $50 purchase very often. Combine those coupons with great sales and you can really come out cheap!
• My husband and I needed new shoes. We did some research to find what the best shoes were for us and we set out to find a great deal. Everywhere online we looked the cheapest price for them was $69.99 (reg. $104/each pair) but we went to our local Shoe Carnival and found the same exact shoe (maybe not the same color) on sale for $35. Not only were they a great deal (50% off of the online sale prices; which are usually cheaper) but they were also offering a buy one get one 50% off. So we were able to get both pairs of our shoes for $58 (which included tax)! That was a savings of  72% from the original retail price ($104) for both pair and an 80% savings for each pair! I forgot to mention that these are New Balance shoes.
• My daughter needed new shoes as well. We have a store near us called Liquidation Wearhouse. We went in to see what they had in stock and found her shoes on clearance for $12! These were Nike that normally sell for $45! That was a savings of 73%! My point is shop around. If you are not in dire need of something right now but know you will need it soon take the time to shop around and sooner or later you will find what you need for a better price.

Household Items

• Last year our refrigerator went out and we needed a new one. Instead of running out and buying the first thing we saw we shopped around in our town and the town next to us. What we found was even if you are shopping at Home Depot in “X” town and find an item is full retail, town “Y” may have the same item on clearance. We found a stainless steel GE Profile in our town for $2600 that we really liked but found the same exact fridge in the town next to us on clearance for $1500. The only reason it was on clearance was it has a small scratch on the very bottom on the side. It is set back into a wall so you can’t see the scratch! Not only was it on clearance but we also showed them the paper that offered 10% off any Energy Star appliance and we negotiated with the sales man. We walked out paying $1000 for it! But wait it just gets better. We used a credit card (hate the things most of the time!) that gave us 1 year no payments no interest. Of course we are paying each month to get it paid off before the interest kicks in so we will not pay any interest on it. They also threw in a 3-year warranty so if anything goes wrong they will fix it or replace it at full retail value. What that means is if it goes out we will actually get a $2600 credit! I love my fridge so I hope nothing goes wrong but if it does then we will actually profit $1600! Sure we could have purchased a cheaper appliance but this is an Energy Star so we will save on our power bill but if/when we put the house on the market stainless appliances will result in more money! Percentage saved: 61.5%
• Its true what they say, “When it rains it pours”. Just before Thanksgiving last year my dishwasher went out. Instead of running out and purchasing a new one I just washed the dishes by hand until I found one I liked at a reasonable price. Because we purchased a stainless refrigerator we wanted to also purchase a stainless dishwasher. We intend on replacing all of the appliances with stainless (as they go out). Now, the dishwasher I had was a top of the line Kitchen Aide that the previous owners of our home purchased just before we bought the house. They paid about $700 for it. It actually was highly rated but from day one it never washed the dishes right. I had to wash them before putting them in the dishwasher. It took upwards of 4 hours to wash a normal load. Anyway, my point is is it is not always best to go with top of the line. One day about 3 weeks ago I was in Best Buy and decided to go over and see what they had in stock and found a stainless Whirlpool on clearance for $299! The regular retail price was $599. My husband spoke with the sales person and they dropped the price another 10% and my Father-In-Law gave us a gift card with $12 left on it. Our out of pocket, including tax,  was….$284!!! Not only was it a great price but the Energy Star rating is $35/year!!! Percentage saved: 52%!
• We currently need a new bedroom set but I refuse to go to a furniture store and pay full price for one. My plan…Craigslist! Craigslist.org is a great place to find all kinds of different items really cheap! We purchased our couch and love seat from someone on Craigslist. It was only two years old and used in the unused sitting room of their house. It is a Broyhill set and was originally more then $1000 for the set. The price we paid…$200! Most items are used and being offered by the owner but some are brand new offered by dealers. If you are ever in need of something check out Craigslist to see if you can find it cheaper!
• For outdoor and sporting gear there is a great site that offers a deal of the day at super low prices. SteepandCheap.com also offers a toolbar that you can download that alerts you of the deal of the day. Check them out!
• Tell friends and family when you are in need of something. They my be shopping around for the same thing for themselves and you can get their old items. Example, my inlaws recently purchased a new mattress and boxspring set (within the last 2 months). They found they could not get any sleep on it because they actually needed a different type. So they set out to purchase a new set, again. They called my husband and offered their two month old set to us! That means we got an almost brand new set for FREE! The original retail price on this set is around $1600. Percentage saved: 100%

Household and/or Automotive Repairs and Services

• A year and a half ago I was driving down the road and ran over a nail. Unfortunately, the nail went into the sidewall. If you know anything about tires any kind of damage to the sidewall of a tire is not repairable. So, off we set to find a good price on not 4 but 2 new tires. You see if your tires are in overall good shape you can just replace 2 at a time. We decided to replace the back two tires but instead of putting them on the back we took the front tires and put them on the back and put the new tires on the front. In doing the research we found that the cheapest place around town was Sam’s Club. The only problem was we were not members.  The difference in the cost of the tires at Sam’s Club and everywhere else we checked was about $150.00. To join the club was $35 per year so we decided that even if we joined the club and paid the $35 membership fee we still saved $115 off the cost of our tires. 
• Barter. If you have a service that someone else is in search of and they have a service you are in need of trade off. This is another time when Craigslist.org is a good option. The site has a Barter section under the for sale section. For example, there is a person offering house painting services for $16/hour or they are willing to trade for food and/or gas, ect. 
• Car detailing, oil changes, ect. If you are able to do these things then you know how much money you are saving, but if you are unable to do those things for yourself then you want to find the best deals. We have a local auto shop that offers a fleet account. If you have 3 cars or more you can have a fleet account. My husbands family decided to go in together and add all of their cars so that we could take advantage of the fleet account. Basically, with the fleet account what would normally run $36.95 we are able to get for $26.95 and that is an oil change with the topping off of all fluids and a car wash and interior cleaning. My advice is call around and find out if anyone in your area offers reduced prices if you have more than one automobile. If they require more autos than you have go in with friends and/or family so that you all can take advantage of the lower costs. 
• Lets say you need your heating and air unit replaced. This can cost thousands of dollars if you just pick up the phone and go with the first person on the list. What I recommend is shop around and get bids from multiple companies. If you like and really want company “A” but they have one of the higher bids and company “Z” has the lowest bid then show company “A” company “Z” bid and see if they will match it or come close to it. If they can not match it then you have two options:
  • Just walk away! You have to be willing to do that because this is a financial decision and if you truly do not have that much money then that is what you will have to do.
  • See if they are willing to throw in other services, upgrade the unit to a better unit or maybe an extended warranty to offset the extra cost.

A Few Extra Tips

• With the economy the way it is right now pretty much every price you see is negotiable. Even medical procedures are negotiable. Some doctors will knock 10 – 50% off of the cost of a procedure or service if you pay up front. Uninsured people are more likely to get the 50% off. 
• If you find something you really want but it has a price tag you don’t like it never hurts to ask for a better price. This works really great if the product has been in the store for a while. Let them know that you know the product has been there for a while. Ask the sales person if they can come off the price and if they tell you they don’t have the authority tell them you want to speak with the manager. Don’t let the employees know how desperate you are to purchase something always seem as if you are just browsing. If you walk in with a desperate look on your face then they will not give you a better deal. Once you start the negotiating do not concede! If they are not willing to go as low as you want (within reason) then walk away, leave! Almost always they will stop you before you get out the door and offer you a better price. If they don’t then take your business else where. Someone somewhere will be willing to let you have what you want for the price you want it. 
• Some places also offer a referral fee. Our Optometrist offers a referral fee. My grandmother referred me to him and she received a $25 certificate for her next visit. I then referred my husband and I received a $25 certificate and my husband referred my brother to him and my husband received a $25 certificate. 
• Cell phone services, credit card interest rates, mortgage interest rates are all negotiable. If you have been a long time customer of your cell phone company give them a call and see if they have a better package available for you. You can do the same with your cable services. Sometimes they will throw in premium channels for free for a year. Credit card interest rates are also negotiable. Call and simply ask if they can give you a better rate. I know you are surprised to find that your mortgage interest rate is negotiable but it is. Call a couple of brokers and ask for a “good faith estimate”. Once you have them take the best offer to your bank and see if they will match it. Sometimes you will find that they will even do better than the best offer! Of course anything dealing with interest rates is dependant on your credit score and current payment history. I do not recommend trying to negotiate if you are behind on your payments or your credit score has dropped. These two things can make your interest rate go up and not get better.

As you can see you do not have to just use coupons to save money! I am sure there are many, many, many more ways to save money but this is what I have come up with so far. As I learn about more ways I will be sure to add them to this list. 

#cheaptweet

I ventured out last week to a couple of places which included Target, Walmart and Food Lion. I did very good I just wish I would have posted my deals earlier and I wish I could have done more deals. Look at everything I got!

Target

Here is the breakdown:

(5) Goldfish – reg. 1.77/ea – 8.85
(6) Motts Applesauce – reg. 1.67/ea – 10.02
(1) Minute Maid Juice – clearance – .69
(2) Hillshire Farm Roast Beef – reg. 3.59/ea – 7.18
(2) Huggies Wipes – reg. 5.99/ea – 11.98
(1) Cascade Rinse – reg. 3.29 – 3.29
(1) Kashi Bar – reg. 3.29/ea – 3.29
(1) Hefty Trash bags (not pictured) – reg. 6.64 – 6.64
(4) Silk Chocolate Soy Milk – reg. 2.94/ea – 11.76
Subtotal – 63.70
- 41.68 Target and Mfg coupons
Total – 22.02
Tax – 1.98
Total OOP – $24.00
Percentage saved – 65%

Walmart

(4) Tucks To Go Wipes – reg. 2.64/ea – 10.56
(3) Animal Massagers (not pictured) – for the girls reg 10.00/ea $30 – clearance 2.00/ea & 2.50/ea – $6.50
(1) Ear Infection Monitor – reg. 58.64 – clearance 13.00
(1) Gillette Fusion Power cartridges – reg. 14.28
(3) Sea Pak Shrimp Poppers – reg. 1.32/ea – 3.96
(1) White wheat Bread – reg. 1.78/ea – 1.78
(2) Sunsilk Mousse – clearance 1.00/ea – 2.00
(3) Kashi Cereal Bars – reg. 2.97/ea – 8.91
(1) Special K Bliss – reg. 2.50/ea – 2.50
(2) Thomas’ English muffins – reg. 1.97/ea – 3.94
(5) Huggies Clean Team Wipes – reg. 1.64/ea – 8.20
(8) J&J EZ Grip Soap – reg. .97/ea – 7.76
(1) Girls Tights – reg. 3.97 – clearance 2.00
(8) All You Magazines – reg 2.24/ea – 17.92
Subtotal before sale and coupons – 174.42
Subtotal after sale – 103.31
- 44.00 coupons
Subtotal After Coupons – 59.31
Tax – 5.97
Total OOP – 65.28
Percentage Saved – 66%

Food Lion

I do not have a picture for this.

(2) Ritz Crackers – reg. 3.99/ea – 7.98
(3) Food Lion Oatmeal – reg. 2.35/ea – 7.05
(7) Tombstone Pizza – reg. 4.99/ea – 34.93
(1) Hot Dog Buns – reg. 1.07/ea – 1.07
(2) 18-pk eggs – reg. 2.39/ea – 4.78
(4) FL Tuna – reg. .87/ea – 3.48
Subtotal before sale and coupons – 59.29
- 40.03 Sale and coupons
Total after sale and coupons – 19.26
Tax – .52
Total OOP – 19.78
Percentage Saved – 67%

Here is a recap of the numbers:
Totals before sale and coupons – $297.41
Sale and Coupons – $196.82
Total OOP – 109.06
Percentage Saved – 64%

Not a bad haul. The girls have been sick so I thought the little massager’s would be nice and they have used the so much we have changed the batteries twice! I also got the Ear Infection Monitor because all of the girls have fluid on their ears and I wanted to be able to monitor it.

Total Available To Spend $1984.99
Year To Date Savings – $1,689.18

#cheaptweet

Hot out of my mailbox! I just received the April 17, 2009 issue of All*You and I must say it is a HOT one! There are some really great coupons available in this one. I plan to buy all I can this time. For those of you that are unaware of this magazine it is found only at Wal-Mart and is $2.49 an issue but Wal-Mart gives you 10% off magazine purchases at the register so you actually only pay $2.24 in issue. This magazine always has amazing coupons in it and you will save so much more than you pay for the magazine. Here is the break down of what you will find in it:

ACT II Popcorn Balls – page 78-79 – $1/2 *
AguaCeuticals, Be Pure Mineral, Jane – page 45 – $2.00/1
All You Magazine – page 85 – .50/1
A Taste of Thai – page 101 – .50/1
BRUT Antiperspirant or Deodorant Product – page 33 – .55/1
BRUT Fragrance Product – page 33 – $1.00/1
Colgate Total Advanced Toothpaste – page 51 – $1.50/1
DenTek Custom Comfort Nightguard – page 77 – $5.00/1
DenTek Floss Picks – page 77 – $1.00/1
Egg Beaters – page 78/79 – $1.00 off any 15oz. or larger
Excedrin PM 100ct – page 53 – $1.00/1
Faith Like Potatoes DVD – page 71 – $2.00/1
GE Energy Smart Star – page 121 – $1.00/1 (coupon states “coupon valid only at Wal-Mart”)
Glade Scented Oil Candles Tins – page 128 – $1.00/1
Halls – page 59 – .75/1
Marzetti Produce Dressings – page 10 – $1.00/1
NEW! Colgate Wisp – page 1 – .50/1
New York Brand – page 144 – .50/1
Noxema SpaShave 4-blade Disposable Shavers – page145 – $2.00/1
N.Y.C. New York Color – page 29 – $1.00/1
Palmolive Dish Soap – page 115 – .25/1
Palmolive Pure + Clear – page 115 – .40/1
PAM – page 78/79 – $1.00/1 *
Parkay – page 78/79 – $1.00 off any 2 1-lb. sticks *
People Magazine – page 85 – $1.00/1
Reddi-Wip – page 78/79 – $1.00 off any 14oz. *
Sea Breeze Actives – page 31 – $1.00/1
Sexy Curves Mascara – page 35 – Try Me Free (this is a coupon not a form)
Spot Shot Instant Carpet Stain & Odor Eliminator – page 131 – .55/1
Stacy’s Pita Chips 6oz. – page 68 – $1.00/1 (coupon states “Limit one coupon per customer”)
Stacy’s Pita Chips 10oz. – page 68 – $1.00/1 (coupon states “Limit one coupon per customer”)
Spectracide Outdoor Insect Killer – page 112 – $2.00/1
Splenda No Calorie Sweetener – page 57 – $3.00/2
Stouffer’s Family or Party Size meal – page 99 – $1.00/1
Sunchips Multigrain Snacks – page 125 – $1.00/1 (coupon states “Limit on coupon per customer”)
Tums Dual Action – page 89 – $3.00/1
Underwood Ham Spread – page 104 – $1.00/1
Wesson Oil – page 78/79 – .50/1 *
White Castle Cheeseburgers – page 147 – $.50/1
White Cloud Green Earth Bathroom Tissue – page 41 – .50/1
* These coupons are only available in the issues purchased in the stores not in the home delivery issues.

Total Savings in this Issue – $51.97

Please feel free to use this post but I would appreciate it if you would add my website link to the post as well.

Once again I have gotten behind on my posting! Last week I got some really great deals from Food Lion, Harris Teeter, Walmart and CVS. My totals are as follows:

Harris Teeter

(6) Emerald Trail Mix – bogo 2.69 – 8.07
(1) South Beach Cereal Bar – sale – 2.50
(1) South Beach Fiber Bar – sale – 2.50
(1) Kellogg’s Pop Tart – sale – 2.00
(2) Electrasol – sale BOGO – 5.99
(1) Dasani Water – 1.39
(1) Sunkist drink – 1.49
(5) Colgate toothpaste – sale – 7.20
11.76 lbs Chicken Leg Quarters – sale – 4.36
(4) deli ham packages – raincheck b1g2f – 4.49
(2) deli cheese – raincheck b1g2f – 4.49
(1) pkg Pastry Bites – $1 deli coupon attached – .89
(1) pkg brownies – $3 deli coupon attached – 1.49
(1) Bryers Ice Cream – sale – 1.99
(1) Country Crock w/calcium butter – sale – 1.19
(4) Kraft Cheese – raincheck bogo – 7.58*
(1) Sargento Cheese – did not ring up correctly; should have been 1.95 – 3.89
Subtotal – 65.51
- 41.80 coupons
+ 1.92 tax
Total OOP – 25.63
Savings – 80.96
Percentage Saved – 68%
* If these had rung up like they would when they are in stock and on sale I would have been able to use two more coupons boosting my savings from 3.00 to 6.00. My oop on this cheese would have been $1.58! Oh well, you can’t win them all.

Walmart

(3) Motts for Tots juice box – 8.04
(1) J&J Cotton Swab – 1.38
(2) J&J EZ Grip Soap – 1.94
Subtotal – 11.36
- 6.00
Tax – .27
Total OOP – 5.63

Food Lion
 
(1) Hefty Easy Grip Cups – 1.99
2.23 lbs bananas – 1.45
(1) FL Salsa – 1.39
1.98 lbs Red Seedless Grapes – 3.94
FL Sliced bacon – sale – 1.79
(2) Hefty trashbags – bogo – 5.88
(1) Gallon milk – 3.69
(1) Tyson nuggets – sale – 4.99
(2) Red Barron Pizzas – sale – 5.48
(1) FL French Fries – sale – 1.79
(1) Sparkle 8 roll – sale – 5.99
(1) Yoplait Strawberry – sale – 2.00
(1) Olive Oil – sale – 3.50
(2) Planters nuts – sale – 3.68
(2) FL Cocoa Crunchies cereal – sale – 2.00
(1) Welchs Juice – sale – 2.24
(2) Kraft Cheese – closeout – 3.58
(2) Misc Items – 3.33
(1) FL Buttermilk Biscuits – 1.69
(1) Hefty Lawn/Leaf bags – 7.99 (had to have them and did not have time to shop around)
Subtotal – 68.39
- 17.00 coupons
+ 2.43 tax
Total OOP – 53.82

CVS

(3) Wavy Lays – sale – 6.00
(1) Tostitos Scoops – 3.00
(1) Mountain Dew – 3.34
(3) Pepsi – 10.01
(1) Tostitos Salsa – 2.99
(1) Lays Ranch Dip – 3.69
(2) M&M’s – 2.00
(4) Gillette Venus Razors – 31.96
(4) Electrasol Power Tabs – sale – 11.96
(2) Kleenex AntiVirus – sale – BOGO – 2.39
(6) Hershey’s Bars – sale – 9.00
(1) CVS Chewable Aspirin – 1.99
(2) Theraflu – 13.18
(1) Throat Coolers – 4.99
Subtotal – 106.50
- 39.30 coupons
- 48.67 CVS coupons and ECB’s used
+ 3.25 tax
Total OOP – 21.78
Used 43.67 in ECB’s and earned 40.98. I will be sending off for my Lays coupon rebate as well.

Total Available To Spend $2195.87
Year To Date Savings – $1194.68

I am trying to get caught up on all of my posts. Here are the deals I took advantage of over the last two weeks. Sorry it is so long.

01/09 – CVS

Transaction 1 (card 1)
Nutra-Trim Gum – 3.99
- 3.00 ECB
Subtotal – .99
Tax .07
Total OOP – 1.06 (paid w/gift card)
Earned 3.99 ECB
Savings – 4.00

Transaction 2 (card 1)
Nutra-Trim Gum – 3.99
- 3.99 ECB from previous transaction
Total OOP – 0
Earned 3.99 ECB
Savings – 4.99

Transaction 3 (card 1)
Nasogel – 7.99
- 3.99 ECB
Subtotal – 4.00
Tax – .27
Total OOP – 4.27 (paid on gift card)
Earned 7.99 ECB
Savings – 3.99

Transaction 4 (card 1)
Ritz Cheese Crackers – .40
Nazogel – 7.99
Coke Zero – 1.49
Coke Zero – 1.49
Ritz Bitz bag – .99
Subtotal – 12.36
- 7.99 ECB
Subtotal – 4.37
Tax – .23
Total OOP – 4.60 (paid with gift card)
Earned – 7.99 ECB
Savings – 7.99

Transaction 5 (card 1)
24/7 Lip Plumper – clearance – 10.00
- 10.00 off any 24/7 product CVS coupon
Total – $0
Savings – 19.99

Different Store

Transaction 1 (card 1)

Infusium 23 Conditioner – clearance – 1.87
Gillette Fusion Power razor refills – 14.99 (dh needed them)
Gillette Fusion Shave Gel – 4.19
Subtotal – 21.05
- 4.19 – Free shave gel wyb razor refills
- 1.87 – $3 Infusium q adjusted to make product free
- .50 – Shave gel q
- 3.99 – ECB’s from previous transaction
- 4.00 – Gillette Razor coupon
Subtotal – 6.50
Tax – .84
Total OOP – 7.34 (paid for with gift card)
Savings – 20.17

Transaction 2 (card 2)

Nutra-Trim gum – 3.99
Tax – .27
Total OOP – 4.26 (paid for with gift card)
Savings – 1.00
Earned $3.99 ECB

Transaction 3 (card 2)

Nutra-Trim gum – 3.99
- 3.99 ECB from previous transaction
Total OOP – $0
Savings – 4.99
Earned $3.99 ECB

01/10 First Stop – WALMART:

Dove Chocolate Bar (because we were standing in line 30 min!) – .64
Aquafina Water (Again because we were in line 30 min!) – 1.38
Whole Wheat Tortillias – 1.92 (will show pic and explination later)
Kraft Shredded Cheese – 1.90
Kraft Shredded Cheese – 1.90
Fried Apples – 1.22
Loaf Italian Bread reduced – .90
(2) cans peaches – 2.00 (will make peach cobbler)
BHG Tea gift set – clearanced in Christmas section (was $10) – 2.00*
Total – 13.86
Tax – .28
Total OOP – 14.14 (Yep you are not seeing things…I did not use the first coupon.:})

* Not only did I get a great deal on my hot tea but it also had a card in it for a FREE year subscription for Better Homes and Gardens!

Here is what I did with the tortillas. We wanted to have tortilla chips with chili and when I looked on the side of the bags I did not like what I saw. For every 9 chips there was 8g of fat and the wheat tortillas only contained 1g fat. For each wheat tortilla I was able to make 8 chips. To make them all you need to do is cut each tortilla just like you would cut a pizza. Lay them on a baking sheet and I like to spritz a little cooking spray on them to help make them brown and crisp up (the cooking spray does not contain any fat or cal). Pop them in a 350 degree oven for 8-10 min until golden brown. VOILA! You have tortillia chips. Each pack of 8 tortillas would make about the same number of chips as in a good bag (the cheapest I found on sale at Walmart was $3). By making them this way not only are they better for you but they were $1.08 cheaper! If you wanted to you could sprinkle with low sodium salt or sea salt and eat them just as they are. We chose not to do this because the wheat tortillas are a bit sweet. PERFECT with the Taco salad and chili we made.

Second Stop – ALDI SUPERMARKET

(2) Gallons 2% Milk – 3.98
(4) Vienna Sausage – 1.72
(1) Graham Crackers – 1.29
(1) Saltines – .89
(1) Kit Kat Bar – .59 (darn thing jumped in my buggy!)
Subtotal – 8.47
Tax – .20
Total OOP – 8.67

Third and Fourth Stop – WALGREENS

1st Transaction
(4) Flinstones Gummy Vitamins – sale 20.00
- (4) 1.00 mfg coupon – 4.00
- 4.00 Walgreens IVC
Subtotal – 12.00
Tax – 1.35
Total OOP – 12.35
Savings – 19.96 

Got back $10 cat on this transaction!

Second Transaction
(3) Loreal Lip Gloss – clearance – 6.57
(2) Benefiber – sale – 10.00
Subtotal – 16.57
- $10 cat from first transaction
- $6 – (3) $2 Loreal lip product q
Subtotal – .57
Tax – 1.12
Total OOP – 1.69
Savings – 39.98

01/12 HARRIS TEETER
*Note – NEVER take your kids to the store with you right after school. It blows the budget!

(1) Cookies and Creme Hersheys bar – .79
(1) Kit Kat Bar – .79
(1) Coke – 1.39
(2) Arnold Bread – BOGO sale – 2.78
(1) Harris Teeter Thin Ham – 3.99
Subtotal – 9.74
- $1 Harris Teeter ham q
Total 8.74
Tax – .34
Total OOP – 10.49
Savings – 3.80

01/12 SMITHFIELDS CHICKEN & BBQ
My lazy day! I was trying to get rid of a HORRIFFIC headache so I decided not to cook. Smithfield’s has their Stew BOGO so I went there.

(2) Pints Stew – 4.99
(2) Doz Hush Puppies – 3.98
(1) Sweet Tea – 1.49 (thought maybe the caffeine would help with headache)
Subtotal – 10.46
Tax – .71
Total OOP – 11.17
Savings – 4.99

01/16 First Stop HARRIS TEETER
*Again DO NOT take your kids with you directly from school!

Pepsi 2 ltr – reg 1.79 – sale – 1.59 (DH wanted a 20 oz but this was just a few cents more)
Kraft Easy Mac (4-pk) – 3.95
Spring Water – 15-pk B1G2 Free – reg 14.37 – sale 4.74 (.11/bottle)
Dr Pepper 20 oz – 1.39
Sunkist Orange 20oz – 1.49
Subtotal – 13.16
Tax – .47
Total OOP – 13.63
Savings – 9.83

Second Stop – FOOD LION

Food Lion has some really great printables out right now and if you play your cards just right you can really get some great deals!

Here are the printables I used:

$2.00 off Any $5.00 Purchase From The Produce Dept. Expires January 27, 2009 – LINK
On The Go Bistro – Create Your Own Meal Deal (Select one entree, two sides and one pack of rolls or bread. Save $3.00 on your meal deal!) EXP 12/29/09 LINK
$1.00 off any Healthy Accents Cough or Cold medicine Expires January 20, 2009
$2.00 off $5 purchase in the Deli Dept. Expires January 20, 2009
$1.00 off Three (3) bottles of Food Lion Vitamin Water Expires January 20, 2009
55¢ off NESTLÉ TOLL HOUSE Refrigerated Cookie or Brownie Dough Expires February 28, 2009
LINK (You will need the $2/$5 Deli coupon)

2.40 lbs White Grapes – reg 4.78 – sale 2.38
.82 lbs bananas – reg .53
Alpo Prime Cuts 17.6 lbs – reg 10.99 – sale 5.49
.46 lb Sara Lee Cracked Pepper – reg 3.49 – sale 2.75
8pc Fried Chicken – 6.99
Parisian Bread – 1.99
On The Go Bistro Sweet Sauteed Apples (YUMMY!) – 2.99
OTGB Cream Spinach – 2.99
OTGB Macaroni/Cheese – 2.99
Subtotal – 29.10
- $2 – $2/$5 Produce
- $2 – $2/$5 Deli
- $3 – $3/$10 Deli
- $3 – $3 IP off Alpo Dog Food (NLA)
- $1 – $1 Chicken WT
- $6.99 – FREE Rotisserie or 8pc Fried Chicken WYB 3 OTGB sides
Subtotal – 11.11
Tax – .56
Total OOP – 11.67
Savings – 26.63

To make the $2/$5 deli coupon work with the other coupons I had to purchase something else in the deli. Since the Sara Lee meat was on sale and we needed lunch meat I decided to go with that. It put my deli purchase at $6.48 which met the $5 min for that coupon. Now it would have been an even better deal if I would have purchase the rotisserie chicken because on Friday they take an additional $1 off. My family prefers the fried chicken where I prefer the rotisserie chicken but majority rules around here.

01/17 Stop One – KMART

(3) Tylenol Regular – 2.97
(3) Tylenol Rapid Release – 13.47
(1) Maalox Child – 4.49
(3) Tums – 5.67
(1) TBonz dog treats – 2.50
(1) Arm and Hammer Essential – 2.99
(2) Pledge Wipes – 5.00
(2) Trident Gum – 4.00
(4) Hormel Compleates – 6.00
(1) Pam Olive Oil Spray – 3.00
(1) Box Turtles – 4.29
(1) Hormel Compleate – 2.59
Subtotal – 56.97
- 50.17 – coupon total
Subtotal – 6.80
Tax – 2.03
Total OOP – 8.83 (paid for with a gift card!)
Total Cash OOP – $0!
Total Savings – 83.85

Second Stop – WALGREENS

Transaction 1

Revlon Matte Lipstick – 7.99
400 Sheets Printer Paper – 3.99
Berenstain Bear Stuffed Animal – reg 9.99 – clearance 5.00
Subtotal – 16.98
- 1.00 Wags Paper IVC
- 2.00 Revlon Lip q
Total – 13.98
Tax – 1.08
Total OOP – 15.05
Total Savings – 16.79 (including rebate and bonus)

I entered the receipt to get the rebate back on the lip stick. That brings my total down to $6.26 (includes 10% bonus).

Transactions 2 and 3

Transaction 2

(4) Halls Breezers – 10.00
(1) Aquafresh Toothpaste – sale 2.99
(4) Colgate Toothpaste – 11.96
(2) Equal – 8.98
(3) Loreal Lip Gloss – 6.57
Subtotal – 40.50
- 4.58 – (2) BOGO Halls q’s only allowed for 2.29 each bag
- .75 Aquafresh q
- 6.00 – (3) $2 Loreal Lip q
- 6.00 – (4) 1.50 Colgate q
- 5.00 – (2) 2.50 Equal q
- 6.38 – Walgreens BOGO Colgate IVC (2/2.79)
- 6.04 – Wags Hall’s Breezers .99/each IVC
- 2.00 – Wags Aquafresh $2 IVC
- 3.98 – Wags Equal 2/$5 IVC
- 3.98 – Wags Equal 2/$5 IVC (I am not sure why this is duplicated?!?)
Subtotal – -0.23
Tax – 1.39
Total OOP – 1.16
Savings – 58.93

Transaction 3
(1) Revlon Nail Clipper – BOGO – 1.99
(1) Revlon Emery File – BOGO – 3.29
(2) Revlon Lip Stick – Clearance – 4.38
Subtotal – 9.66
- 1.99 – Nail Clipper BOGO
- 2.00 – (2) $1 Revlon Tools q
- 4.00 – (2) $2 Revlon Lip Product q
Total – 1.67
Tax – .52
Total OOP – 2.19
Savings – 17.60

This transaction is a good example of purchasing items you do not need in order to get something you do free or at a reduced price. I needed the nail file which was originally 3.29 but by purchasing both the nail file and the clippers I was able to use (2) $1 q’s. Since the clippers were free because of the buy one get one free sale this meant the $2 came off of the nail file bringing its price down to $1.29. That is a savings of about 63% and I got the clippers free on top of that!

I had a very busy week as you can see! I was not able to take advantage of all of the deals I wanted to but you that will happen at times.

Total Available To Spend $2,370.13
Year To Date Savings – $647.21

I decided to use them instead of tossing them or sharing them with those that can use expireds. The first stop I made was to Tractor Supply to use my Free bag of Natural Choice Dog Food. 

9.99 – Natural Choice Dog Food 5 lb
.67 – Tax
- 9.99 – Free Coupon
.67 Total OOP

The next stop I made was to Walmart. Several of my wine tags were going to be expiring and we also wanted to get treats for our New Year Family Party taking place on New Year’s Eve. I did not do too bad there either.

(7) Zone Bars – 6.72
(13) Atkins Bars – 18.98
(1) PF Goldfish – 5.98
(1) Hawiian Punch – 1.97 (girls drink of choice)
(1) Eskimo Pie Crunch Bars – 2.98
(1) Ring 60 Shrimp – 5.00
(1) Vault – 1.38
(1) Coke – 1.38
(1) Bag Corn Chips – 1.78
(1) Coco Rice Krispies – 2.83
(4) 2-pk Crab Cakes – 8.96
(1) Bread – 1.97
(6) Boxes stuffing – 5.76
(1) Canister stuffing – 1.36
(1) Kung Fu Panda Cereal – 2.78
(1) Marshmallows – .96
(3) White Cloud 4 roll – 6.00
(1) All You Magazine – 2.24
(3) 70 sq ft Hannah Montana wrapping paper – 4.20
(2) Ronzoni Angel Hair Pasta – 3.00
(1) Bag Meatballs – 2.86
(1) Sharp Cheese Ball – 2.50
(1) Tartar Sauce – 1.47
(1) Can Chef Boyardee – .88
(1) Cocktail Sauce – 1.18
(1) Root Beer – .88
A few unmentionable gag gifts – 12.44
Subtotal – 108.44
- 3.00 Pepperidge Farm Home Mailer
- 1.00 Eskimo product
- 1.38 Free Vault wyb Coke
- 2.00 – (2) 1.00 Kelloggs Cereal Peelie
- 1.00 off marshmallows wyb Kellogg’s Rice Krispie Cereal
- 8.00 – (4) 2.00 Seafood Winetag
- 3.00 off Shrimp wintag
- 7.00 – (7) 1.00 any stuffing winetag
- 3.00 – (3) 1.00 any White Cloud toilet paper
- 3.50 – (7) .50 single Zone Bar
- 4.00 – (2) 2.00 off any wrapping paper purchase winetag
- 2.00 – (2) 1.00 off Ronzoni Pasta
- 13.00 – (13) 1.00 off single Atkins Bar
- 8.00 – (4) 2.00 gag gift coupons
Total After Coupons – 48.56
Tax – 3.62
Total OOP – 52.18
Percentage Saved – 52%

We then came home because I had a doctor appointment. Following my appointment I went to Rite Aid. I had a few CoverGirl BOGO coupons expiring and they had their CoverGirl makeup BOGO. Who can pass up FREE makeup?!?

 
(3) Advanced Radiance – 35.46
(3) Advanced Radiance Whipped – 35.46
(2) Hannah Montana Gift Tags – .98
(1) Tru Blend – 9.39
(1) Tru Blend Whipped – 9.39
Subtotal Before Sale and Q’s – 90.68
Sale – 44.85
Q’s – 44.85
Tax – 3.09
Total – 4.07 (paid with new script gift card)
Total OOP – $0

I then went across the street to Harris Teeter. They are having an awesome sale this week. Today started triple coupons but yesterday started a sale they have never offered before. All P&G coupons between $1 and $2 will double every day this week. Any coupons .99 and under will triple. I did not want to dip into my triple coupon amount too much the next 4 days so I wanted to use my $1 and up coupons. I also had coupons expiring and we needed a few essentials. This is what I managed to find:

 
(1) Townhouse Flipside – reg 3.99 – sale 3.00
(1) Townhouse Bistro – reg 3.99 – sale 3.00
(1) Puff Tissue – 2.79
(1) 8pk Bounty – reg 8.97 – sale 6.99
(2) Gillette Body wash – 9.38
(1) 5 lb Domino sugar – 2.69
(2) Barilla Pasta Sauce – reg 5.98 – sale 2.99
(1) Crest w/Scope – reg 3.99 – sale 2.50
(1) Crest Plus Whitening – reg 3.99 – sale 2.50
(2) Olay Body Lotion – reg 11.38 – sale 10.38
(4) Pantene 24.5 oz – reg 33.16 – sale 15.76
(3) Herbal Essence Mousse – reg 11.97 – sale 5.52
(3) Gift Box Ornaments – reg 11.97 – clearanced – 3.00
(1) Harris Teeter ReUsable tote – reg 1.19 – sale .99
(1) B&J Wine Coolers – 4.29 (New Year drink)
(1) Krispy Kreme doughnut – .89 (my lunch)
(1) Large French Bread – 1.99
(1) White Wheat Bread – reg 2.49 – sale 1.99
(1) Hot Pockets – reg. 3.00 -sale 2.00
(1) Harris Teeter Cream Cheese – 1.99
(1) Harris Teeter 2.5 dozen lg eggs – 2.97
(1) gallon milk – 3.69
(2) DayQuil liquicaps – reg. 11.58 – sale 7.98
Subtotal before sale – 148.33
Subtotal before q’s – 99.28
- 1.00/2 Keebler crackers
- 2.79 Free Puffs wyb 2 Vicks products
- 2.00 – 1.00 Bounty q doubled
- 8.00 – (2) 2.00 Gillette q’s doubled
- 1.00 – .50 Domino sugar q doubled
- 2.00 winetag on any pasta sauce
- 4.00 – (2) 1.00 Crest q’s doubled
- 8.00 – (2) 2.00 Olay lotion q’s doubled
- 15.76 – (4) 2.00 Pantene q’s doubled to make product free
- 6.00 – (3) 1.00 Herbal Essences q’s doubled
- 1.00 reuseable grocery bag winetag
- 1.00 – .50 Hot Pockets q doubled
- 2.00 off any cheese winetag
- 2.00 – (2) 1.00 off any bread winetag
- 1.00 Harris Teeter Bakery q
- 6.00 – (2) 1.50 DayQuil q doubled
Q total – 63.55
Total after q’s – 35.73
Tax – 4.18
Total OOP – 39.91
Percentage Saved – 76%

My final stop for the day was Walgreens. I am an AVID coffee drinker and my favorite coffee is a Mocha so when I saw the deal for the Starbucks candy and coffee drink I was super happy. Check out what I got for less than the cost of one box of candy:

(3) Caffe Mocha Truffles – 15.00
(1) Caramel Macchiato Truffles – 5.00
(4) Frappuccino Mocha – 7.96
Subtotal before sale and q’s – 27.96
- 4.00 – (4) 1.00 Starbucks candy blinkie q’s
- 7.96 – Free Frappuccino Coffee Drink wyb 1 candy
- 12.00 – (2) 6.00/2 Starbucks Candy Walgreens IVC
Total after sale and q’s – 4.00
Tax – 1.35
Total OOP – 5.35
Percentage Saved – 86%

I had a very good day! I have not had a chance to get out and really do any grocery shopping since just before Thanksgiving because of all of the hussle and bussle of the holidays so I am finally getting back into the swing of things.

Ashley

I do not shop at Walmart too frequently but last night I decided I wanted to venture out there. I did VERY well!

(1) GG Steamers Veggie Meledy with Cheese Sauce – 1.50
(1) GG Steamers Niblets Corn – 1.23
(2) GG Steamers Sweet Peas – 2.46
(8) Kotex Lightdays – 8.00
(1) J & J Cotton Swab – 1.38
(2) J & J Buddies – 1.94
(3) Goody’s Ouchless hair accessories (not pictured) – 6.36
(4) Stove Top Stuffing – 3.92
(9) Jello – 4.50
Subtotal before coupons – 31.29
(8) $1 any Kotex – 8.00
(3) $1 any GG Steamers – 3.00
(3) $1 any 3 Jello – 3.00 (tear pad found at Food Lion)
(3) $2 any Goody’s Ouchless Product – 6.00 (Goody’s Hair Product Coupon)
(4) $1 off any stuffing product – 4.00 (wine tag)
(1) $3 any 3 Johnsons product – 3.00
Subtotal after coupons – 4.29
Tax – 1.46
Total OOP – 5.75
Percentage Saved – 82%

I was super excited about the hair accessory coupon because I have needed to get the girls hair bows for quite a while. The stuffing will come in very handy Christmas and Thanksgiving. I just hope I can find a couple more q’s before they increase the price again.

Ashley

I had to run up to my daughter’s dr office to pick up some prescriptions so while I was up there I stopped by Walmart and this is what I got:

(1) Zantac Cool – 3.98
(5) Hefty Quart bags travel size – 5.00
(12) Kotex Lightdays – 12.00
(6) Huggies Cleanteam Wipes – 9.84
Subtotal – 30.82
Tax – 2.08
- (1) $5 Zantac IP
- (6) $1 Huggies q
- (12) $1 Kotex q
- (5) $1 Hefty q
Total OOP – 4.90 (2.08 of which was tax!)