Long time no blog!

Hey everyone, sorry for just up and disappearing at the end of last year!  School started, and along with work, just consumed my life.  At this point I'm taking one summer class, so I have a little more time to be able to devote to couponing.  I just had a pretty decent trip to Publix that I thought I'd share with you.

1 green refrigerated bag $2.49
2 Schick Hydro razors $6.99
--on sale
--2 $5/1 manuf. coupons
--2 $1/1 target coupons
2 Schick Hydro shave gel 2/$4
--2 $1/1 manuf. coupons
--2 $1/1 publix coupons
6 Yogurts $.60/ea
2 Baileys creamers
--2 $1/1 printable manuf. coupons
--2 $.55/1 publix coupons
2 wafer cookies $2.39/ea
12 Renuzit air fresheners 2/$1.69
--2 B3G3 free coupons
4 Sweet potatoes $2.45
5 Olay Total Effects body wash $5.99/ea
--5 $4/1 manuf. coupons
2 Skinny Cow ice creams $4.99/ea
--2 $1/1 publix coupons
2 Weight Watchers ice creams $5.29/ea
--1 $1/1 manuf. coupon

Grand Total (out of pocket):  $54.96
Total Savings: $58.17 (51.5%)

I think I did pretty good, considering that I got some items that weren't on sale and/or didn't have coupons.

Oh, and there is a mail-in rebate for the Schick Hydro razor here

New coupon booklet at Publix

Today at work I came across a new coupon booklet:  Campbell's Nourish Your Family with Money-Saving Meal Ideas.  It has coupons as well as recipes and ideas for some cheap meals.


All are manufacturer's coupons that expire on 12/31/09
$0.50/2 Campbell's Healthy Request Soups
$1/2 Campbell's Select Harvest soups
$1/2 V8 vegetable juice
$1/2 V8 V-Fusion juices
$1/2 Campbell's V8 soups
$1/2 Prego Italian sauces
$0.72/2 cartons Swanson cooking stocks
$1/2 cans Swanson Premium Chicken
$0.40/2 Campbell's condensed eating soups (excludes creams)
$0.40/2 Campbell's condensed kids soups
$0.40/2 Campbell's condensed French Onion, Golden Mushroom, & Consomme
$0.55/1 Pace Picante Sauce
$1/2 V8 Splash juice drink

There is also a form to get 200 bonus points for your school if you mail in 10 eligible product UPCs and the receipt.

Shopping trip and a link

Earlier this week Stephanie, at Couponing 101, shared the anatomy of a coupon.  This was a very interesting article, decoding the coupon as well as the barcode.  What I took away as the most important was the information about the fine print:

• Limit one coupon per purchase.  Each qualifying item(s) is a purchase.  If the coupon is for $1 off 2 boxes of cereal and you buy 2 boxes, that is 1 purchase.  If you bought 2 more, that is another purchase and you can use another $1/2 coupon.  This is on just about every coupon.  It means you can not use 2 coupons on 1 product.
• Limit one coupon per transaction.  This means you can only use one of each coupon per transaction.  Each transaction is concluded with a receipt.
• Limit one coupon per day/visit.  You can only use one of those coupons per store visit.
• Limit one coupon per person/customer/household. You can only use one of these coupons.

I think this information is something all of us couponers should go to the stores armed with.  If you understand how the coupon works, you might be able to explain it to a confused cashier.  I've even thought of printing her post and keeping it in my coupon organizer to help clear up any difficulties that may arise.  Definitely check out her post!


A few days ago I went to CVS, here is the breakdown.
3 Scott Toilet Tissue 12 packs (On sale $6.88 each, $5.11off/each)
2 boxes Kleenex Tissues (BOGO)
4 cans Progresso Chicken Soup (BOGO)
--(2)$0.50/1 Progresso coupon
--(1)$1/2 Progresso coupon
--$2.50 ECB I earned over the summer
--(1) $3/15 CVS coupon (found here on page 31)
--(1) $5/$25 CVS coupon (found here, here, or here--all different links that you can print from!)
Total Savings: $36.60 (67%)
Out of Pocket Total: $17.95

Shopping trip to Target--FREE cat food!

Hey everyone, I'm super proud of my trip to Target today!

20 Fancy Feast Appetizers
--(10) Manuf. BOGO coupons
--(10) Target BOGO coupons
Total Savings: $25.80 (100%!)
Out of Pocket Total: $0.85 (tax)

I still have 30 of each of these coupons, which means 60 more cans of FREE cat food.  I didn't want to do it all at once and have them freak out. so I'm doing it a little at a time. :)

Today's shopping trip (Target and Publix)

Publix
4 plastic things to put under my potted plants
10 Marie Callender meals
6 Publix yogurts
2 16oz Cottage Cheese
--$1/2 cottage cheese coupons
--(10) $1.50/1 M.C. coupons
Total Savings: $16.00 (35%)
Out of Pocket Total: $30.26
~~Not that great of a trip today, but it was more of things that we needed than stocking up on things that were on sale.

Target
12 boxes Pop Tarts (12 count)
1 box Blueberry Pop Tart (8 count)
4 Fancy Feast Appetizers
--(6) $1/2 Pop Tarts Target coupon
--(1) $1/2 Pop Tarts coupon
--(1) FREE blueberry Pop Tarts coupon
--(2) $0.55/1 Pop Tarts coupon
--(2) BOGO Fancy Feast Appetizers Target coupon
--(2) BOGO Fancy Feast Appetizers coupon
Total Savings: $24.73 (61%)
Out of Pocket Total: $16.08
~~This trip was pretty good.  I'm really excited that I was able to get the Fancy Feast Appetizers for my cats for FREE! We got a free sample of this in the mail a while back and the girls just LOVED it and devoured it! lol.  At $1.29 for a 2oz package, this will be one of the rare occasions that I actually buy it for them.  Thank goodness for coupons.


Remember, Pop Tarts are included in Kellogg's list of participating products for the $10 mail in rebate.  I already sent in mine, and unfortunately I can't send in for another one.  The application, in pdf format, is here at their site.

Updates at Nicole's Nickels

Nicole over at Nicole's Nickels made a few posts today that I wanted to share with you.

First, she wrote about K-mart's double coupon days.  She is working on making a list of the participating locations, and will update this post as she gets more information.  She has the rules of K-mart's double coupon days, as well as some tips.  The double coupon days are September 27-October 3 at participating locations.

Secondly, she posted a list of the coupons.com coupons available to print right now.  This is a full list!  There are a bunch of new coupons available, so be sure to check out her list here.

Another way to organize your coupons

I just read Shellie's post on how she organizes her coupons.  She uses the 'folder' method, and explains her entire process.  You can read all about it here at Saving with Shellie.  I always thought this method seemed too difficult, but with her step-by-step instructions, it isn't quite as daunting as I thought!

A few of the great resources she uses and mentioned are A Full Cup's printable coupon database, and the weekly coupon list at Sunday Coupon Preview.

You can see other methods on organizing your coupons in my previous post.

Today's shopping trip

I stopped at Publix today to pick up dinner, and while I was there I got some granola bars.  Quaker granola bars are BOGO this week, plus I had three $1/2 coupons!

6 boxes granola bars
Total Savings: $11.97 (66%)
Total:  $5.97

It was a great deal, coming out to less than $1/box :)

Publix coupon policy

The email I just received in response to my request for the coupon policy wasn't very helpful in spelling everything out.  Below is the relevant part of the email.

Because the stipulations by manufacturers can be different, it is difficult to have a policy that covers all situations.  Our basic policy is to adhere to the stipulations printed on all coupons.

We do accept coupons printed from the Internet.  Our goal is to accept coupons unless there is a legal compliance issue.  If you have a question about a particular coupon, I would suggest checking with the Store Manager or Customer Service Manager at the store where you will be shopping.


I know the coupon policy for the store I work and shop at fairly well, and assume its similar, if not the same, at most other stores.  Here are the highlights:

• You can use one store coupon (Publix, Target, etc) AND one manufacturer's coupon per item purchased (this is called stacking)
  
• You can use printable coupons from the internet (In our store the coupon can value up to $5, even for a free item
• If an item is BOGO, you can still use one coupon for each item (or two if you're stacking store/manuf)
• You will not get money back if the coupon value is greater than the price of the item, but the difference will be taken off your bill if you are purchasing more items
• You can use competitor's coupons, based on the discretion of the store.  Competitors are other local grocery chains, as well as Target, Walmart, and the like.  My store (perhaps others as well) does not currently take drug store coupons (Walgreens, CVS, etc)

Also a tip from experience.  If the value of your total coupons is more than $50, you might want to break up your purchases so that your coupons stay under the $50 mark.  For each and every coupon over $50 (of coupon savings), a manager needs to put in an override code, and that can be time consuming.

If you have any specific questions, ask the manager at your local store and they will help you out.

Organizing your coupons

There are tons of ways to organize your coupons, and something different may work for each person.  Working at Publix, I see many different organizational methods: coupons loose in the bottom of your purse; in a plain envelope; in a coupon organizer; in a poly file folder; in an index card box; and in rubbermaid storage boxes.  I've also heard that some people keep the coupons in folders according to the date they came out, so when finding deals on websites they can easily find them that way.  While doing a google search to find some images for this post I came across dozens of different ways to organize your coupons and sites where you can buy organizers.

These are pictures of my accordion style cardboard coupon organizer, which i got for $1 at a dollar store about four years ago.  It isn't the best when it comes to categorizing, so I usually have to dig for coupons, but it serves its purpose.

(You can click the images to see the full size versions)













Similar to what I have are the poly file folders that you can find at Office depot, Staples, or the like, usually used for filing checks.  These are moving up the price scale from the cheap cardboard organizer like I have.  Depending on how many dividers the folder has, you can organize your coupons pretty well.

Next is the index card file box.  This is fully customizable so that you can easily and efficiently access your coupons.  I'm thinking of upgrading to this since I can make my own dividers/categories.  The only negative I see to this is that its a bit larger that the poly folder and cardboard organizer and wouldn't fit in my purse as easily.  Plus, in addition to paying for the box, you have to pay for the dividers and/or tabs to make your categories, unless you're crafty and want to make them yourself.


Last up is the large rubbermaid box.  There is a woman that comes in my store with, literally, hundreds of coupons in her box.  I'm not sure of her organizational methods, but if you're a serious couponer like she is, this might be the way to go so you don't lose any of your coupons.  The size box I'm talking about is hard to get from the picture, but its around 16x11x6 inches.



So what method do you use to keep your coupons organized? Do you have any tips or tricks you'd like to share?

New coupons at Publix

Today the One Stop. One Store.  coupon book showed up in my Publix.  The great thing about this book is that there are both Publix coupons and manufacurer's coupons!  Remember--the two types can be stacked together (one of each type for each item bought) for even greater savings!

Publix Coupons
$2/1 package Huggies Diapers
$2/1 package PULL-UPS Training Pants (33-44 ct.) or GoodNites Products (21-27 ct.)
$3/1 Enfamil Instant Formula Powder (23.4 oz+)
$3/1 Enfamil Instant Formula Convenience Item
$2/1 Enfamil RestFull Instant Formula
$1/1 Iams Dry dog or cat food
$0.50/1 Bounty Paper Towels (6+ rolls)
$0.50/1 Febreeze product
$0.40/1 Palmolive Aroma Sensations
$0.50/1 Suavitel Fabric Softener
$0.40/1 Fabuloso All Purpose Cleaner

Manufacurer's Coupons
$1/10 Jars Earth's Best Organic Baby Food
$0.55/1 Any Earth's Best Sesame Street Product
$3/1 Purina ONE Dry Dog Food (8lb+)
$2/1 Purina ONE Dry Cat Food (3lb+)
$2/1 Purina ONE Biscuits
$3/1 Purina Beneful Dry Dog Food (15lb+)
$1/2 Purina Beneful Prepared Meals (10oz)
$1.50/1 Purina Beneful Snackin Slices
$4/1 Glade Sense & Spray starter kit or Lasting Impressions holder
$2/1 Glad Plugins Scented Oil twin refill
$3/1 any product from The Fragrance Collection by Glade
$1/1 any Pledge Furniture Care product
$1/1 any Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom cleaner
$1/1 any Nature's Source natural cleaner
$0.50/1 Clorox Bleach (96oz+)
$0.50/1 Clorox Disinfecting Wipes (35ct+)
$0.50/1 Clorox Clean-Up Cleaner with Bleach (32oz+)
$1/1 all Laundry Detergent
$0.55/1 Snuggle Liquid Fabric Softener or Dryer Sheets
FREE Publix reusable shopping bag when you buy 1 Angel Soft Bath Tissue (4pack) AND 1 Sparkle Paper Towel (2pack)

Target's coupon policy

I sent an email to some of the stores I shop at often for their coupon policies.  Target just sent me thiers.  Here is the email I got from them (I made the important part bold):

Dear Meghan,

Thanks for asking us about using coupons at Target. Coupons are a great way to save even more when shopping with us, and it's easy to use them at our stores. Because of the variety of coupons available to our guests, we do have some guidelines for how coupons can be redeemed at Target.

When accepting coupons, we use the following guidelines:

- We accept two kinds of coupons: Target-issued and manufacturer-issued.
- We'll accept one Target coupon and one manufacturer coupon for the same item, unless either coupon prohibits it.
- We can't give cash back if the face value of a coupon is greater than the purchase value of the item; in this case, we're able to adjust the value of the coupon to equal the price of the item.
- We can't accept coupons from other retailers, or coupons for products not carried in our stores.
- All valid coupons should be presented to the cashier while you're checking out.

For questions about using a specific coupon, we encourage you to stop by the Guest Service Desk and ask to speak with the Guest Service Team Leader. They'll do their best to help while you're in the store. If you still have questions after speaking with them, please call our Guest Relations team at (800) 440-0680. Either way, we're here to help!

We appreciate the opportunity to share this information with you.

Sincerely,

Daniel
Target Guest Relations
www.target.com

Great Healthy Choice coupon!

There is a great new coupon on the Healthy Choice website for $2/1 Fresh Mixer.  I can't tell you how much I love these things, I take one to work for lunch every day.  The best thing about them, besides the yummy taste, is that you don't have to worry about freezing them! 

You can get your Fresh Mixers as low as $0.50 when you use this coupon.  Here are some store prices (may vary):
Publix: 2/$5 -- $0.50 after coupon
CVS: 2/$5 -- $0.50 after coupon
Walmart: $2.74 -- $0.74 after coupon
Target: $2.54 -- $0.54 after coupon

New P&G coupons in Publix

Yesterday I discovered new Procter & Gamble coupons in my Publix.  There was a cardboard display by each entrance with fliers with the coupons, as well as tearpads around the store.

$2.00/1 Simply Ageless foundation or any Cover Girl product
$7.00/1 Crest Whitestrips product
$4.00/1 Align
$3.00/1 PUR item
$0.50/1 Head and Shoulders product
$0.50/1 Gilette hair care product
$0.50/1 Pantene hair care product
$0.50/1  Herbal Essences or Aussie hair care product
$1.00/1 Olay facial moisturizer or cleanser
$0.55/1 Satin Care shave gel
$0.50/1 Always or Tampax product
$0.50/1 Olay body wash, bar soap, or Quench body lotion

All coupons are Publix coupons, which means they can be stacked with manufacturer's coupons!  All coupons expire on 10/11/09.

rebates and fake coupons

Yesterday I got in the mail my $20 rebate from Olay!  I was nervous after I mailed it in because $18.99, $6.99, $6.99 and $18.99 don't quite add up to $50, which was what was required for the rebate, so I was excited when I opened the check!  This offer has expired, and the link I was going to post for you no longer exists.

Kellogg's has a rebate offer going (entries must be postmarked by 9/30/09):  when you purchase 10 participating products, they will send you a $10 rebate.  I mailed mine in a few days ago!  Click here to go to their website.


Last week I found a coupon from one of the blogs I read (I can't remember which one, otherwise I'd link you) for a great coupon for T.G.I.Friday's--Buy one entree, get one entree free.  It was a pdf with a pageful of the coupons.  I went there for dinner tonight, and was informed that the coupon is a fake, so be careful!  There are some real coupons out there, you just have to find them.  You should also join the stripes club that they have, they email coupons every month or so, and you earn points towards getting $off coupons.

Shopping trips to Target, Publix, and Wags

My shopping trips from August 21, 2009

TARGET
10 boxes of pop tarts*^
2 Schick Intuition razor refill packs*
1 gallon of milk
Total Savings: $29.05 (59%)
Total: $20.35


PUBLIX
4 boxes ritz crackers*
10 boxes lipton tea bags*
3 peaches
5 plums
1 snickers bar
6 marie callender meals*
4 packs bagels
1 large box raisins
Total Savings: $50.39 (51%)
Total: $48.77

WALGREENS
2 5lb bags sugar*
2 boxes oatmeal*
1 pack mechanical pencils
3 packs pencil lead
4 packs filler paper
3 packs dividers
1 small notebook
Total Savings: $18.19 (42%)
Total: $25.19




*I had coupons for these items

^When you buy 10 Kellogg's or Keebler's products in the same transaction you can send it in to get a $10 rebate, which is what I'm doing here.

So, all in all, not one of my best saving days, but I think I did pretty darn good!

Razors

I posted this in my facebook about a week ago.  These were some awesome coupons!


Recently Rite Aid had the razors I use (Schick Intuition) on BOGO, and I had 20 $4 off coupons. I left these coupons and written directions with my brother and sister-in-law in Jersey since there are no Rite Aids in Florida. They bought everything the store had. Here is the breakdown

12 Schick Intuition Razor refills
Total Savings: $48.00 (66%)
Out of Pocket Total: $24.48

This was one deal I was super excited about. I'm set now for probably a year! :)

Welcome!

Hello everybody. Over the summer I decided to start couponing, and I never realized how much money I would save! Recently I decided to start posting my savings on my facebook, then thought 'why not start a blog?' so here I am! There are some really fantastic websites and blogs that help me plan my shopping trips, and I will link to all of them. This blog will be primarily for me to show how I've done with my shopping, and hopefully inspire you to start saving money, too. Its really easy to coupon, you just have to devote a little bit of time. If you have any suggestions/comments/questions for me, feel free to ask!