Tuesday, February 14, 2012

February 12-18

Some pretty decent deals this week. Please keep in mind that I don't normally hit the dollar stores or Wal Mart for coupon trips. I encourage everyone to explore what all is out there and let us know if you find anything that is of interest to the rest of us on our Facebook page..

That being said... on to the good stuff...

Foodland

Totinos Pizza Rolls ... .98
     .40/2=.58 each***

Totinos Party Pizza ... .98
     $1/5=.78 each***

Betty Crocker Helpers ... $1
     $1/3= .67 each***

Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks ... 2.50
     .50/2=$2 each***

Pillsbury Refrigerated Cookie Dough ... 2.50
     $1/2=$2 each***

(*** indicates catalina promo item. $5 Catalina off future purchase with purchase of $20 or more of select items)

Bounty Paper Towels ... $1
     .25/1=.50 per roll




Kroger had sales on a lot of similar items this week... but the Catalina deal at Foodland was better and the prices are similar. Looks like a Foodland shopping week to me!

Monday, February 13, 2012

Probably the most controversial topic I will cover....

Let's face it ... the economy is terrible. Many people out there have lost their jobs, or can't get one for one reason or another. Many people are having to sign up for public assistance just to feed their children and families.

I wanted to touch on this subject because many people out there don't know that even if you do have to use EBT (food stamps) funds to purchase your groceries, you most definitely CAN use coupons to do so. I am positive of this fact because I worked for a local Foodland PLUS, if you know me, you know I ask around at every store I go to to ensure that I have all my facts straight before I post anything. Last thing I would want is for someone to be embarrassed at the checkout because I told them something that turned out not to be true.

There is a catch though, and I hate this one, but we can still work with it. You DO still have to pay cash tax on your coupon amount.

I know that anyone who reads this is thinking "then what is the point? If I don't use  coupons, I won't have to have cash and that will save me money."

Have you thought of it this way though.... If you use coupons to save $50 on your groceries, that is $50 MORE you will have left to use on MORE groceries. For that $50, you will have to pay a whole $3.50 (estimated... not to the penny... plucking this from my head using a 7% tax rate estimate).

Now.... by using the coupons, you had to spend $3.50 in cash, so you actually get to buy another $46.50 in groceries. If you are on assistance, buzz me on our Facebook page. I will be happy to dive into this further. I would even share my coupons with you.

Anyone who knows me knows I am more than happy to share. I will help anyone who needs it to make those dollars stretch even further to buy the much needed food to put on your table.

Foodland Catalina Deal this week!!!

This shopper LOVES when we can use coupons, save money, plus get even more coupons that, when used smartly, can add up to even greater savings! Those WONDERFUL $5 Catalinas are back this week at Foodland! (I'm just a little excited.... can you tell? lol)

So here is the scenario...

When you purchase $20 (after manufacturer coupon savings and pre-tax) you get a $5 Catalina coupon to be used on later transactions. Now... here is the good part... you can use these coupons on ANY merchandise of your choice! YEP!!!! Towne-N-Country, located in Chapmanville for those who live elsewhere, have a selection of meats in their coolers that have coupons on them.

Now don't get me wrong... these are usually the meats that have been there for a day or two. I have bought these several times from the store, and I find that if you use your brain and eyes, pick you out what looks good, take it home, and freeze it that day, you can save a TON of money. I have yet to buy meat from there that wasn't good or that went bad the day I took it home or the next, but personally, I think you should always keep your meats frozen until you use them. That way you don't "accidentally" leave them on the shelf in your fridge and they go bad because you decided that you were in the mood for something else and forgot about it..... (yep, very guilty of that one I am....)

They also have a 5 for $20 selection that can truly cut costs. I have bought ribs, pork chops, boneless skinless chicken breasts, and seasoned breasts and as long as I got the packages that were the heaviest, I come out way ahead. Take a calculator and compare the prices with the in-case meats. That is the smartest way to do it if you aren't so handy with numbers in your head. Compare your in-house per-pound rate with the rate of the package you are considering purchasing.

Now that you have your meats, you take them to check out (this can be in the same shopping trip or later by the way) and you use your nifty catalina to get even deeper discounts on your purchase! Free MEAT PEOPLE! You never get coupons on that!

This week, the catalina is on General Mills products. Some of these products include GM cereals, Betty Crocker Helpers, BC muffin, cake mix, cookie mix, brownie mix, and frostings, Totino's pizza rolls and party pizzas, BC fruit snacks (Valentine's for the kids?!?), Fiber One bars, Chex Mix, Pillsbury Ready-Bake Cookies, and Crescent Rolls. Several of these items have valid coupons and are great little additions to your pantry as snacks, or for some as staples (my family love Chicken Helper!).

Here is smart shopping...

I buy the Helpers all the time anyway... so why not go ahead and buy them, with coupons of course, get them at one time and with other items, get my catalina? So... I use 5 of my $1/3 coupons, get 15 boxes of different chicken and hamburger helpers (enough to feed my crew about 8 times because we have to use 2 boxes each time. This should last me around a month.), spend the .67 cent on them each instead of the $1 sale price, get all for  $10.05 pre-tax, and I am already half way to getting my catalina!

BUT.... here is the trick....

IF you decide to go ahead and stock up enough (especially if you have a large family to feed and like to have extra just in case someone needs a little help getting by) and get enough to spend over $40, break your purchases into 2 separate transactions. The cashiers don't bat an eye when I do, and frankly, they know me well enough to know what I am up to. They are mfg coupons anyway, so the store don't loose any money on anything. So don't feel like you are in anyway hurting your favorite store. You will get 2 catalina coupons for $5..... that is $10 worth of FREE MEAT! to cook with your helper...

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.


FYI... they also run promotions in the store for a $5 catalina when you spend $50 pre-tax on your total purchase. This is not running right now, but thought I would let you know to keep an eye out for this great promotion.

Foodland weekly ad online link:  http://milton.foodlandstores.com/weekly-ads/

Sunday, January 8, 2012

January 8 thru January 14

This week we have some decent deals I thought I would share. I am still using Ebay and Coupon Dede to purchase coupons that I need or need more of.

I also wanted to share a resource for full inserts that I have found to be quite affordable. (Plus, you don't have to worry about traveling out to get your inserts, and they mail priority through the USPS so they are usually in by Wednesday or Thursday) Check out Mad Coupons!

Here is how it works...

Inserts are sold in packs or sets of 5 and 10. The 10 pack is $15/set and the 5 pack is $8.50. This is for the whole set of coupons put in the paper, not per insert. In other words, we got 2 Smart Source, 1 GM, and 1 Red Plum in today's paper. there would be 5 copies of each of the inserts included in the 5 piece set. That is a total of 20 INSERTS!!! This is the absolute cheapest that I have found anywhere. Shipping is $5, however many of us would run that out in gas going to the store to get the papers to start with.

Now off to the store...

Foodland

Era Laundry Detergent --$2.99
     $50/1 & $1/1= 1.99 each

Doritos Chips --Buy one Get one FREE (3.49 reg price)
     $1/2= 1.25 per bag wyb 2

Campbell's Chicken Noodle & Tomato Soup --$.59
     $.40/4=.39 each

Suave Kids Hair Products -- $1.88
     $1/2= 1.38 each

Coffeemate Liquid Creamer -- $1.99
     $.50/1= .99 each

Eggo Waffles -- $2
     $1/2= 1.50 each


Krogers

This week there is a P&G event. When you buy 4 items (mix and match) you save an additional $4 at the register. You must use your Kroger card to receive the discount. The prices quoted with an asterisk* indicate this promotion.

*Dawn Dish Liquid -- $1.99
     .25/1=1.49 Origional
     .50/1= .99 Hand Renewal

*Febreze Air Effects -- $1.49
     .50/1 $1/1= .49 each

*Tide -- $4.99
     $2/1= 2.99 each

Pop Secret Popcorn -- $1.69
     $1/2=1.19

Banquet Chicken --$3.99
     $1.50/1 (found on the boxes of banquet meals)= 2.49

*Duracell Batteries -- $2.99
     $.50/1=1.99 each

*Gillette Body Wash -- $2.49
     $1/1=1.49

*Herbal Essences/Aussie Shampoo & Conditioner -- $1.79
     $1/1=.79

Speed Stick Deodorant (men's and women's)-- $.88
     $.50/1= FREE

Monday, November 14, 2011

Nov. 13-19

This week there are a few in-store deals that I strongly encourage you to look over and consider. Both stores I focus on, Kroger and Foodland, have some sales you may be interested in. Please remember that Ebay and Coupon Dede are the two sites that I found to be the easiest to use, as well as the benefit of using PayPal which protects you in internet transactions. If you need any help Ebaying, shoot me a message on Facebook and I will be happy to help!

Now for the part you come to see....

Kroger

In-Store Special: Buy any 4 participating items from General Mills, Pillsbury, Nature Valley, Fiber One, Betty Crocker, or Cascadian Farms and you will save $3 at the register.

(there is no list of these items, the ad shows Pillsbury pie crusts, General Mills cereals and other items... call the store for more information.)

Philedelphia Cream Cheese ... 1.50
     $1/3= 1.17 ea
     $1/2= 1.00 ea

8 ct Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls ... 1.88
     .50/1= .88 ea

8 ct Pillsbury Crescent Rolls ... 1.88
     .40/2= 1.48 ea

8 ct Pillsbury Grands Biscuits ... 1.88
     .30/2= 1.58 ea
     $1/3= 1.55 ea

Marie Callendar's Pies ... 4.99
     $1/1= 3.99 ea

Sara Lee Pies ... 3.99
     $1/1= 2.99 ea

Kraft Mayo ... 3.29
     $1/1= 2.29 ea



Foodland

In-Store Special: $10 off your turkey with the purchase of 12 selected items.

(There is a specific list with products and current prices listed in their paper and online ad.)

Polmolive Dish Detergent ... 2.50
     .40/1= 1.70 ea
     .75/1= 1.75 ea

Glad Trash Bags ... 3.99
     .75/1= 3.24 ea

Reynolds Aluminum Foil 50-75 sq ft ... 3.99
     .50/1= 2.99 ea

Halls Cough Drops 30 ct ... 1.50
     $1/2= 1.00 ea

Coffeemate Liquid ... 2.00
     .50/1= 1.00 ea

Sargento Shredded ... 2.50
     $1/2= 1.50 ea
     .50/2= 1.50 ea

Parkay ... 2.99
     .75/2= 2.62
     $1/2= 2.49

Birdseye Veggies ... .88
     .50/2= .38 ea

College Inn Broth ... .59
     $1/4=.34

Carnation Cream ... 1.00
     .50/2= .50 ea

Reynolds Turkey Bags ... 2.50
     .50/1= 1.50 ea

Sunday, November 6, 2011

11-6 through 11-12

Pretty decent sales this week. The only fall back I have seen is that most of the coupons for the matches are only found on Ebay. There are some though that were in our inserts in the past, and some that will be in the paper for tomorrow. If you are interested in alternative ways of getting your inserts (maybe you can't beat everyone to the gas station to get your paper, or maybe you are just tired of having to go to multiples), then check out the post with a link to Mad Coupons that can be found on our Facebook page. I really liked their prices in comparison to buying the Gazette.

More than eager to hear some feedback on how your couponing is going. Is there anything I could do to help you to better understand the sales, or maybe why I don't have certain items listed? Is there a particular store that you would like to see me add the match-ups for? Please feel free to shoot me a message or comment. Hard to know what is working for you and what is not.

KROGER

Campell's Cream of Chicken/Mushroom ... .49
     .40/4 Great for Cooking Soups =.29

Swanson Broth (can) ... .49
     .50/5= .29

Del Monte Tomatoes... .79
     .75/2= .41

Capri Sun ... 1.49
     $1/2=.99

Kraft Salad Dressing ... 1.69
     .50/1=.69

Pop Tarts ... 1.69
     .50/1= .69


FOODLAND

Duncan Hines Cake mix ... $1
     .50/1=FREE

Pillsbury Brownie mix... $1.25
     .35/1=.55


Please don't forget that it is the holiday season! Not only do you want to stock up for your own family, but there are many drop boxes for foodbanks and charities this time of year around the area. Even if you don't see one, please remember to bless someone you know that is in need. Use your blessings of these savings to help out others that may be going through hard times right now. You never know, maybe they are praying for your open heart.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Wal Mart.......

OK... so our Wal Mart has stopped doubling as of Halloween night :( But this don't mean that we can't get some great deals still. Remember, Foodland and Kroger only doubles up to .50, so our coupons that are over that amount are still just as good since they will honor the price match.

Also, this couponer was told that because of the bad news, Wal Mart was opening their own store coupons that are printables. You can find their store coupons at http://coupons.walmart.com/. I am unsure as to if stacking is allowed though. Stacking is when you use a store coupons (does not state "manufacturer coupon", instead states "store coupon", "only valid at ****", or Wal Mart Coupon. I have not printed out any of these just yet either, so not sure how they are worded.

Until my last visit, I was told I was able to use one store and one mfr coupon on the same item. I used this on my Charmin, Bounce, and a couple other items. This was done several times at both the Charleston, and Logan stores. However, last visit to Logan I was told that you couldn't stack by the cashier. Instead of arguing, I just let it go. I will find out and confirm if it is allowed or not by a Head CSM or another member of management. I will also check both stores as well. It may just be the Logan store because of a couple shoppers who have absolutely abused the gift. The Charleston store didn't even blink an eye when I pulled out my Target and mfr coupons on the Charmin.

Hopefully, if Wal Mart gets the programming right for the registers, doubling will resume. I was told that the reason they stopped was because of the holiday shopping. The busiest time of the year combined with the increased sales from the doubling was causing a huge issue  for the cashiers. Doubling has been beginning in different parts of the country every couple of months for a while now. So I am pretty convinced that it should be a temporary issue. Even if the doubling don't resume before Christmas, it could  very well be picked back up after the return rush after the holidays. Let's keep our fingers crossed!

If I hear any new news on my visits, I will post it on our Facebook page as it comes. I do talk to the cashiers at the stores to see if there are any buzzes about changes while I am checking out. I also talk to any stock person that I may encounter to ensure that I have up to date info. So I am always checking this out. Will pass along anything that I hear.