This week's savings

Between Safeway, Walgreens and Rite-Aid I saved 55% this week. I bought $389 worth of stuff for $172. Yay! This week it wasn't a lot of food, it was mostly cleaners and such. Remember the sales go in 12 week cycles and run for about 3 weeks each, so right now it's stockpiling.

Something that I have decided to do is to only use my rebate from Walgreens for the previous month in the current month. Did that make sense? This month I have $78.00 in rebates coming to me, so that's my budget to spend this at Wal-greens. We'll see how close I come.

Safeway 9/28

There's not a whole lot of great deals this week. I guess it makes up for last week.

Progresso Light or Low Sodium Soup: $2.99 B1G1
$1.10/3 MC from here

Final Price: $1.22 each (buy 4)

Safeway Butter Top Breads: $2.99 B1G1 (I'm hoping these are in wheat and not just white)
Final Price: $1.50 each

Pillsbury Cake Mix: $.79

Windex Anti-bacterial Surface Cleaner: $3.99 B1G1
$.75 MC from 9/14 SS

Final Price: $1.62 each

Lucerne Large Eggs: $1.28 a dozen

Walgreens 9/28-10/4

There are 3 inserts in your paper today. In addition to Red Plum and Super Savers is the Proctor Gamble insert.

Mead Envelopes: B1G1 Free, $.99 (with in-ad coupon)


Gillette Shampoo: 2/$10.00
There is a $5.00 Rebate when you buy 2
Use (2) $2.00 off MC from 9/28 P&G insert

Final Price: $.50 each (must buy 2 for this price)


Softsoap Liquid Hand Soap: $.99
Use $.35 off MC from 9/28 SS

Final Price: $.64


Large Eggs, 1 doz.: $1.50


Register Rewards Deals:

Febreeze Products:
Buy 2, get $1.00 in RR
Buy 3, get $3.00 in RR
Buy 4, get $5.00 in RR

My Scenario:
Febreeze Air Effects Air Freshener $2.49 (buy 2)
Febreeze Fabric Refresher 27 Oz. $4.99
Febreeze Fabric Refresher 16.9 oz $3.79
Febreeze Noticeables Starter Kit $6.99
Swiffer Sweeper Starter Kit $9.99
Swiffer Duster $3.49

Coupons to use:
Febreeze Air Effects Air Freshener $1.00 MC PG 9/28 (use 2)
Febreeze Fabric Refresher 27 Oz. Buy 8000 ML Get 500 ML Free MC PG 9/28
Febreeze Noticeables Starter Kit $5.00 MC PG 9/28
Swiffer Sweeper Starter Kit Buy Sweeper Get Duster Free

Above = $34.23
-$5.00 RR
-$14.28 MC
=$14.98 for all 6 items


Gillette Fusion Razor: $8.99
Receive $4.00 in RR
Use $4.00 MC from 9/28 P&G insert

Final Price: $.99 (There is a better deal at Rite-Aid this week)


Oral B Cross Action Toothbrush: $4.49
Receive $4.49 in RR
Use $.75 off MC from 9/28 PG insert

Final Price: OVERAGE of $.75


Softsoap Bodywash: $3.49
Buy 3, receive $5.00 in RR
Use $1.00 off Easy Saver
Use (3) $1.00 printable here

Final Price: OVERAGE of $.53


Peptol-Bismol: $4.99
Receive a $10.00 Walgreens gift card when you buy 3
Use (3) $.55 off MC from 9/28 PG

Final Price: $3.32/3


Various Medications: Purchase 3 and receive $5.00 in RR. Here is what I'll be getting:

• Tylenol Allergy & Cold or Sinus, 24 ct Caplets or Gel Caps or Liquid 8 oz.: $4.99 buy 3
  

Coupons that match:

• $1.50 off Tylenol Cold or Cold Liquid Easy Saver Coupon
  
• $1.00 off 1 Tylenol Cold, Allergy or Sinus from 9/14 RP or 9/28 RP
  
• $1.00 off any Tylenol here
  

Tylenol Cold Tablets 3 x $4.99=$14.97
-$4.50 Easy Saver
-$3.00 MC
-$5.00 RR
=$.82 each!

DayQuil, 20 LiquiCaps: 2/$12.00
Buy 2 and receive $4.00 in RR
Use (2) $1.00 off MC from P&G insert

Final Price: $3.00 each

Advil PM Pain Relief: $4.49
$2.00 MC from RP 9/21

Final price: $2.49

Charmin Bathroom Tissue 6 Double Rolls: $5.29
3/$10 This week's ad
$.25 MC PG 9/28

Final Price: $3.09

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream: $4.49 B1G1 (my guilty pleasure)

Final Price: $2.25



These items that are completely free after rebate: (I wait until the end of the month to buy them to make sure there aren't any coupons that come along.

Extreme Energy 6-Hour Shot, 2 pack, 2 oz. ea.: up to $3.99

L'Oreal Cleansers: Age Perfect or Revitalift Cream, 5 oz., Skin Genesis Gel 8 oz., or Towlettes 25-30 pk.: up to $7.99
Use $1.00 off MC from 9/21 RP, and they will pay you $1.00 to buy it!

Rimmel Lasting Finish Mineral Enriched Foundation, 1 oz.: up to $7.49
Use $1.00 off MC from 9/14 RP and they will pay you $1.00 to buy it!

LypSyl Honey Berry: up to $3.99
There is a rumor that you can buy 2 because they are only $1.99 I don't know if that's true or not.

There is a rebate they are repeating from last month:

Nivea for Men Bodywash: up to $4.99

Walgreens September and October Overlap

At the end of the month Walgreen's usually overlaps with their Easy Saver coupon book and rebates. These prices are only good for Friday and Saturday

Hershey's Harvest Bagged Candy $2.99
Sept ES $1/2 (use 2 coupons)
Oct: $5/4 MIR

Final Price: $1.24 each

Halloween M&M's Candy 4/$10
Sept MIR $5/4
Oct: $1/2 (use 2)

Final Price: $.75 each

Lindt Premium Chocolate Bar 2/$3 *buy 1*
Oct: $1 ES

Final Price: $.50

Hubba Bubba or Variety Life Savers Candy 2/$8
Oct 2/$2 ES

Final Price: $3.00 each

Glade Scented Oil Candle: $5.99
Sept: $2.00 ES
Oct: $2.00 MIR
MC: $2.00 off from 9/14 SS

Final price: They pay you $.01

In addition here you can print $5 off $20 for Friday and Saturday only.

Happy clipping!

This week's savings

Out Of Pocket: $171
Savings: $264
% Saved: 61%

Target 9/21-9/27

Lysol Neutra Air Automatic $5.99
$5.00 MC 9/17 SS

Final price: $.99

Airwick Oil Dispense $4.50
$4.50 MC 9/7 SS

Final price: Free

Airwick Oil Refills 2/$9
use 2 $1.00 MC 9/7 SS

Final price: 2/$7

Rite-Aid 9/21-9/27

Garnier Fructis 2/$6
Buy 2 get $3.00 rebate
Use 2 $1.00 MC 9/14 SS

Final price: $.50 each

General Mills Cereal $2/5
Use 2 $.75 MC for here

Final price: $1.75

Scott Paper Towels $10.99
$1.00 MC from 9/14 SS
$2.00 MIR

Final price: $7.99

Revlon Color Products $4.29 B1G1 12-hour eye shadow
Use 2 $1.00 MC 9/14 RP

Final Price: $1.10 each

Almay One Coat Length Mascara $6.49 B1G1
Use 2 $1.00 MC 9/14 SS

Final Price: $2.24 each

Walgreens 9/21-9/27

I'm only listing items to stockpile
IVC coupons inside EasySaver Catalog
Easy Saver Catolog has MIR in the center of it

Nabisco Cookies 2/$5
Milk $3.49 one gallon
Buy 2 packs of cookies and 1 gallon of milk receive $3 RR

Final price: Milk $.49

Ghirardelli Chocolate Squares 2/$3
$1/2 9/21 SS
$1/2 IVC

Final price: $.50

Campbell's Select Harvest Soup: 4/$5.00 (with in-ad coupon)
Use 2 $.50 MC from 9/14 SS

Final Price: 4/$4.00


Glade Air Freshener: $.99 (with in-ad coupon)
Use B1G1 Free MC from 9/14 SS

Final Price: 2/$.99


Snuggle Dryer Sheets, 40 ct.: 2/$4.00 (with in-ad coupon)
Use $.25 off MC from 9/21 RP

Final Price: $1.75 each


Hershey's 8 pk. Candy Bars: 3/$3.00
There is a $5.00 MIR (#35) when you buy $10.00 worth of Hershey's 8 packs. This is only good for Hershey's products, not any other 8 packs on sale.

Final Price: $5.00/10 packages. *Great way to stock up on Halloween candy!


Register Reward Deals

Various L'Oreal Products: Purchase $25.00 of participating products and receive $10.00 in RR. Participating Products:

• Bare Naturale Makeup, powder or blush: $12.00
• Skin Genesis, eye serum, cream, lotion or serum: $16.00
• Natural Match Hair Color: $9.00
• Vive Pro Shampoo or Conditioner: $4.00

Coupons that match:

• Makeup: $2.00 MC from 9/7 RP
  
• Vive Pro: $1.00 MC from 9/21 SS
  
• 
  

**Best Scenario:
2 Bare Naturale Makeup $12.00
1 Vive Pro Shampoo or Conditioner $4.00
-$4.00 MC (Bare Naturale)
-$1.00 MC (Vive Pro)
-$10.00 RR
=$13.00 for all 3. (I'm only doing coupons since 9/7, I'm going to wait until next week to see if additional coupons come to buy more)


Reach Toothbrush: 2/$5.00
Receive $5.00 in RR when you purchase 2 Reach products
Use (2) $.75 off MC from here

Final Price: OVERAGE of $1.50


Reach Floss: 2/$5.00
Receive $5.00 in RR when you purchase 2 Reach products

Final Price: FREE


Triaminic, 14 pk. thin strips or 4 oz. liquid: $4.99
Receive $2.00 in RR
Use $2.00 off printable here

Final Price: $.99


Dimetapp Liquid, 4oz. or Robitussin, 4 oz.: 2/$10.00
Receive $5.00 in RR when you buy 2, receive $10.00 in RR when you buy 3
Use $2.00 off Dimetapp or $1.00 off Robitussin printable here or $1.00 off Dimetapp from RP 9/21

Best Case Scenario:
4 items $20.00
-$10.00 in RR
$2.00 Dimetapp
$1.00 Robitussin
$1.00 Dimetapp

4/$6

Advil PM $4.99
Use $2.00 MC 9/14 SS

Final price:$2.99

Tylenol Pain Relief $9.99 Buy 2 products receive $5 in RR
$2.00 MC from 9/7 SS (use 2)

Final price: 2/$10.98

This weekend the October ES comes out. You can use coupons from both Friday and Saturday. Here are the deals you can get then:

Halloween M&M's, 11-14 oz.: 4/$10.00
Purchase 4 bags and receive a $5.00 MIR (#36)
$1/2 (Oct IVC)
Final price $.75

Lindt Premium Chocolate Bar 2/$3
$1.00 Oct IVC
Final price $.50 (only buy 1 for this price)

Hubba Bubba or Life Savers Variety Bag 2/$8
$2.00/2 Oct IVC
Final price: $3.00




This is the last week to buy the items that are completely free after rebate.

Excedrin Express Gels, 20 pack: $3.99

Nivea for Men Body Wash, 16.9 oz.: $4.99


L'Oreal Advanced RevitaLift Anti-Wrinkle Concentrate, 1 oz.: up to $16.49


Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste, 4.2 oz.: $3.79


Chemistry Shampoo, Conditioner or Treatment, 1.35 oz to 12oz.: $7.99

LypSyl Honey Berry with SPF 15 or Orsiginal LypMoisturizer .1 oz. Stick: $1.99

Revlon Nail Color or Nail Care: $4.79
You could possible use the $2.00 off any Revlon Color Cosmetic MC from 9/7 SS and they will pay you $2.00!

Walgreens Pitcher Filter Replacement Cartridge: $6.99

(This will fit most Brita and Pur Pitchers)

Safeway 9/21

Pillsbury Crescent Rolls- Sale price $2.50* ($1.00 from www.coupons.com)

Final Price: $1.50

Pillsbury Refrigerated Cookie Dough - $3.00* ($1.00/2 www.coupons.com)

Final price: $2.50
Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls - $2.50* ($1.00 from www.coupons.com)

Final price $1.50

*Buy 5 get $5 off
Best case:
5 of each with coupon makes:
crescent rolls $.50
cookie dough $1.5
Cinnamon rolls $.50
$12.50 for all 15 items

Gatorade $.59 each limit 10 (Sunday Only)

Trident Gum $1.00 ($.45 RP 9/21)

Final Price: $.55

Windex $2.50 (.$75 RP 9/21)

Final price: $1.75

DiGiorno for One frozen pizza $3.00 ($1.00 SS 9/21)

Final price: $2.00

Quaker Simple Harvest Instant Oatmeal $4.99 B1G1 ($1.00 SS 9/21 use 2)

Final price: $1.50

Quaker Simple Harvest Granola Bars $4.29 B1G1 ($1.00 SS 9/21 use 2)

Final price: $1.15

Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Cleaner $2.50 ($.75 SS 9/21)

Final price: $1.75

Windex Glass Cleaner $2.50 ($.75 SS 9/21)

Final price: $1.75

Fantastick All Purpose Cleaner $3.00 ($1.00 SS 9/21)

Final price: $2.00

Bic Soleil Women's Shavers $4.59 ($2.00 SS 9/14)

Final price: $2.59

Ziplock Sandwich Bags $2.00 ($.55 SS 9/14)

Final price: $1.45

Green Giant Frozen Boxed Veggies $1.75 ($1.10/3 from here)

Final price: *must buy 3 $1.38

Fiber One Granola Bars $2.99 ($1.00/2 or $.60 from here) Buy 5 get $5 off

Final Price: $1.74 (this is an ok deal, I've paid as low as $1.25 for these, they are worth buying for this price)

Betty Crocker Warm Delights $1.50 ($.50 SS 9/7)

Final Price: $1.00

Betty Crocker Fruit Rollups $2.49 ($.75/2 and $1/3 from here) By 5 get $5 off $1.14

Final Price: $1.14

Happy clipping!

Getting Started

The first thing you want to do is buy the Sunday newspaper. You can do it without the Sunday paper, by printing coupons from the internet. A lot of stores won't take printed coupons, so check before you go. Sometimes it depends on the cashier too.

When you get the Sunday paper clip all the coupons. I clip every coupon that I think I would ever possibly use. I don't have a cat, so I don't clip kitty litter, other than that I clip everything else. The best way is to buy at least 2 Sunday papers so that you have double the coupons. The general rule is to have 1 coupon for each person in the house that you will be buying for. The trick with couponing (is that a word?) is to stockpile. You want to buy as much as your family will eat in a year. That's your goal. Certain foods go on sale at certain times of year i.e., the Quaker sale just happened, it happens big once a year, the baking goods all go on sale in the fall, before the holidays, General Mills happens twice a year.

After you've got your coupons all clipped you will want to organize them. There are a couple of ways to do this. Some people use a small accordion file, I use a binder. It's a 3 ring binder with baseball card holder pages. They come in boxes of 10, you will probably want 3 boxes. Organize them in the way that feels most natural to you, you want to be able to find them fast. You'll want at least one page empty in the front. I put all my coupons in there for the week separated by the stores I'm going to use them at.

My binder can be written on the front, so I have all the stores listed and then each week I write what I'm buying, the sale price, the price after using the coupon, and how many to buy. That way, it's very simple, once I'm in the store. The more organized you are when you go to the store, the less money and time you will spend at the store.

At the beginning you won't be buying a lot because you won't have a lot of coupons. The trick is to wait until things go on a great sale and then use the coupons. You'll be amazed at all the money you save. There are lots of opportunities for stores to pay YOU to take the products.

I go shopping Sunday-Wednesday. I hit Walgreens, Safeway and other drug stores on Sunday and I go to the other grocery stores on Wednesday. Most stores I go the day the sale starts to make sure they don't run out of anything. Safeway I wait until Sunday because they have 24 or 48 hour weekend sales that usually end Sunday night. I've learned you have to go Sunday morning or they are sold out of everything.

reformed grocery shopper

I am a reformed grocery shopper. I used to hate going grocery shopping. I could never get out of the grocery store for under $50 and that was usually for only 1 or 2 days of shopping. I never had what I needed in my house to make a meal, so I wouldn't cook. I'd go to warehouse stores and spend hundreds of dollars on not very much useful food.

My sister started couponing a couple of years ago. She would call me and tell me all the great deals she would get. It all seemed like too much work and time and effort, I didn't want to do it. Fast forward a couple of years, I'm now married, have a baby and decided I need to become more domestic and start making dinner. I still hate grocery shopping and I'm on a budget, even more reason to hate it. I finally decided to give couponing a try. I called my sister and she taught me how to do it. I give her lots of credit for spending hours with me on the phone figuring out the sales.

After my first trip to the store I was hooked! It has now become a game to me to see how much I can save.

Happy Shopping!

Couponing in CA

I've had a lot of people ask me about how I find my great deals. Rather than use my family blog for it, I've decided to start a coupon blog. I also decided to do it, because all the coupon sites I've found don't have very much information for California. Since our prices are quite a bit different from the rest of the country something that is specific to our region would be really helpful.

Each week I'll post the sales from the local grocery stores: Safeway, Lucky, Raley's, and Smart & Final and also the drug stores, Long's, Walgreen's, and Rite-Aid. I'll tell you which coupons to use and where I got them from.

Happy shopping!