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

Quick update

Hello out there in couponing land!  I can't believe it's been so long since my last post, and I apologize for that.  For a while I didn't post because there wasn't too much going on for me with coupons, and then I just started procrastinating (something I'm too good at!). This is just a short update.

Since my last post, I've recieved my $10 Kellogg's rebate and my free t-shirt from the Good Egg Project (see my last post about that).  The shirt is cute--it is grey with a big white egg on the front with a halo over it and it says 'The Good Egg Project.'

Also, I was able to get a pretty amazing deal at Kohl's.  I had to get new pants for work, so I went on Retailmenot.com to see if there were any coupons before I went to the store.  I found a Friends and Family 15% off that expired that night, so off I went to the store!  Once I got to the store and was looking around I heard the announcement that if you open a Kohl's charge card you save an extra 10%, so I decided to do that.  There only had one pair of the pants left in my size, so I went to customer service to get a raincheck.  The very nice woman there told me that if I called to place a phone order from the store phone I would get free shipping.  Normally when placing a phone order I wouldn't have been able to get the discounts (15% and then 10%), but since the store was going to do it they honored both discounts anyway, plus I got the free shipping.
4 pairs of pants (on sale for $26.99, regular $34.99)
-15%
-10%
FREE shipping!
Total savings: $57 (41%)
Out of pocket Total: $87.05

Slow (but good) week!

Hi everyone out there in the couponing world!  It has been a very slow week for me with coupons, however I did make one trip.  A few days ago I went to CVS to get water that's on sale for a great price, and this fantastic nail polish I spotted the last time I was there.

3 Zephyrhills water (24 pack)
1 Milani nail polish
1 Heath bar--I was hungry! lol
--(1) $3/$15 coupon (found here on page 31)
Total Savings: $10.50 (57%)
Out of Pocket Total: $13.90

I think this was a great trip considering I didn't really have coupons!  And I noticed that on my receipt it says my Year to Date Savings is $135.23, and that's only since June! :)

This picture of the polish is from Manicure Mommas,   it's called Whimsical, by Milani.

I also have some great news about CVS that I got from Shellie from Saving with Shellie.  They are introducing the new Green Bag Tag.  You can purchase this for $0.99, put it on your bag, and earn $1 every fourth use.  So when you go to CVS they'll scan your CVS card, see that you have the reusable bag, and scan the Bag Tag to give you credit.  I know this will be a great coupon-earner with me since I ALWAYS take my bags with me.  To see more details go to Shellie's post here.

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

today's shopping trip and a note

First off, I'd like to thank Sheri at Swag Grabber for making the Price Point Spreadsheet.  I took this with me today to start filling out, and was shocked to find out that everything I priced was cheaper at Target than it was at Publix!  This really opened my eyes!

Payless
First on my list of stops today was Payless Shoes.  I needed to pick up a pair of shoes to wear to my nephew's Christening next week, so I googled and found this 15% off coupon to bring with me!  Also, since I only bought one pair of shoes, the cashier told me that if I bring back my receipt and make another purchase I can still take advantage of the BOGO sale.
1 pair black fancy-ish sandals
--(1) 15% off coupon
Total Savings:  $3.45 (15%)
Out of Pocket Total: $20.91

Publix
Peaches
Jif Peanut butter
Publix Peanut butter
AAA Energizer Batteries 8 pack
2 reusable bags
--'Buy theirs, try ours' promo: FREE Publix peanut butter
--(1) $0.55/1 Publix PB coupon
--(1) $2/2 reusable bags (Peelie from the batteries, made the bags FREE)
Total Savings: $6.16 (33%)
Out of Pocket Total: 12.40

Target
40 Fancy Feast Appetizers
5 Mott's Apple Juice
--(20) BOGO Fancy Feast Manuf. coupons
--(20) BOGO Fancy Feast Target coupons
--FREE $5 Target gift card with purchase of 5 Mott's items
Total Savings: $56.76 (83%)
Out of Pocket Total: 11.85

An old shopping trip to CVS

Yesterday while going through some papers I came across a receipt for CVS from July 10.  I was still fairly new to couponing and am very pleased with my savings.  :)

2 Olay Body Wash
4 Head & Shoulders Shampoo
2 Schick Intuition razor refills
--(2) BOGO Head & Shoulders coupons
--(2)  $2/1 coupons (I forget which was for the Olay and which for the razors)
--(2) $3/1 coupons (the one for the razors was a peelie on the package)
Total Savings: 37.95 (60%)
Out of Pocket Total: $25.98

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 buy

I had a coupon that expired tomorrow that I wanted to use today, so I got a BIG bag of cat food at Publix today before my shift started.

1 16lb bag of Friskies dry cat food
--(1) $3.00 off Publix coupon
--(1) $3.50 off manuf. coupon
Total Savings: $6.50 (53%)
Out of Pocket Total: $6.33

I also got more of those manuf. BOGO coupons for the Fancy Feast Appetizers that I mentioned a few days ago to pair up with the printable BOGO coupons from Target.  My girls will have food for a year at the rate I'm stockpiling with these deals! :)

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.

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 :)

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! :)