Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Albertsons 05.09.11

Albertsons wasn't that impressive this week...they didn't have their double coupons but I did get a few good deals....

2 - Bags of Sunchips 2.50each - $5.00
*Use 1 - $2.00/2 Sunchips coupon Moments to Save Insert 05/01
(1.50 each)

1 - Liter Sierra Mist 1.25
*Use 1 - Free Sierra Mist w/ purchase of 2 Sunchips
(Free!!)

2 - Off Insect Repellent *In the Clearance Section* $2.00 each - $4.00
*Use 2 - .75/1 Off Coupons Printable
(2.50 for two!)

1 - Purex Softner Crystals 3.29
*Use 1 - $1.00 off Printable coupon
($2.29!!)

1 - Kraft BBQ Sauce $1.19
*Use 1 - .50 off store coupon
(.69)

1 - Starbucks Frappuccino 4 Pack $4.99
*Use 1 - $2.00 off coupon from Moments to Save 05/01
($2.99!)

1 - Dozen Eggs
*Use 1 - .90 Store Coupon
($.99 Each)

3 - Packages Chicen from Meat Counter $1.99lb
*No coupons
(9.49 for all the chicken)

Retail Value - $41.42
Out of Pocket - $18.45


Percent Saved - 55%

Getting Started....

So...there are a couple ways to get your feet wet in the couponing world. Lets say you just want to get started to just save a few dollars a week on the items you buy anyway. In my personal opinion coupons are free money...even if you don't want to clip to extremes why not save a few dollars a week on your grocery bill or the items you buy anyway?

There are a couple of things to know about couponing before you get started. It is a total shopping lifestyle change. I'm the type of person who was at the store every day buying what I needed for dinner that night. Now I make my major shopping trip once a week and have to maybe stop occasionally to pick up a couple items that I haven't stockpiled yet. Yes it does take some time and some organization. However, there are so many blogs and useful sites that make it super super easy!

The first place to get started is the Beginners section of www.KrazyCouponLady.com. There are links to her binder and how she organizes it. I highly recommend this method of organization. I tried the accordion file...which fit nicely in my purse but it was too hard to see what coupons I had in the store if I was looking at a purchase that I didn't have on my list.

Here are a few things for us local Gillette shoppers to do:
1. Subscribe to the Casper Star...they will deliver only Sunday's paper to your door. They carry all the big coupon inserts. I got a 6 month subscription for $31.00.

2. Albertstons does double coupons...however...you have to have a store coupon to do doubles and you are only allowed 3 double coupons per transaction. So you need to plan accordingly. I haven't figured out what the schedule is on it. They had them 2 weeks in a row, none last week and it sounds like we will get them this week.

3. Buy a Tuesday News Record if you don't already have a subscription. This is the paper that has the sales ads for the Grocery stores. I typically plan my shopping trips throughout the week. Finalize them on Sunday and shop on Monday. Don't worry about if the store is out of an item you can always get a rain check and use your coupon with it at a later date.

4. Coupons can be printed online also. You are allowed two prints per computer in your house. So if you have 2 computers you get 4 prints. I honestly use a majority of online coupons for my transactions. I will post links on the right side of the printable coupon sites.

5. I have a list of blogs also on the right side that I look at daily and print deals and use to compile my shopping lists. I won't take credit for anything that I've done it's been a combination of many super shoppers!!

Let me know if you have any questions!! Starting at KrazyCouponLady.com is the best advice I can give!!
Heather

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Shopping Lists For Albertsons

I'm creating my lists for the week. I'm going to be patient and wait until Sunday's coupons come out to finalize them...here are a few highlights of what I'm looking for at Albertsons.

Albertsons
*Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts are $1.99 a pound
*1 Dozen Eggs .99 w/ in store coupon
*Possible 2 24 packs of Pepsi soda...in ad coupon and Moments to Save coupon
*Sunchips with Moments to Save Coupon (waiting for double opportunity on Sunday for this one)
*Purex Complete Crystals (Waiting for Double to get this item from $3.29 to $1.29)
*Starbucks Frapp....(Yes I'm addicted...lol...)

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Double-it-Up at Albertsons!!

Double coupons...yes please!! Seriously this is where the major savings are at. Unfortunately you have a to have a double coupon to do it and you can only use 3 per transaction. So I have 7 different transactions. However there are some incredible savings!

Transaction #1

1 - 6 Pack of Gatorade Propel Zero
2 - Jars of Tostitos Salsa

Retail Value $11.07
Out of Pocket $1.50

Savings 86%!!

Transaction #2

1 - Kikkoman Soy Sauce
1 - Chef's Requested Bacon Wrapped Steaks

Retail Value $10.28
Out of Pocket $2.98

Savings 71%!!

Transaction #3

1 - Pepsi Max
1 - Jar Tostitos Salsa
1 - Bag Tostitos Chips

Retail Value $8.97
Out of Pocket $.75

Savings 92%!!

Transaction #4

3 - 6-Packs Gatorade Propel Zero

Retail Value $14.07
Out of Pocket $1.50

Savings 89%!!

Transaction #5

3 - 6-Packs Gatorade Propel Zero

Retail Value $14.07
Out of Pocket $1.50

Savings 89%!!

Transaction #6

1 - Jar of Tostitos Salsa
2 - Bags of Tostitos Chips
1 - Liter Pepsi Max

Retail Value $12.96
Out of Pocket $1.50

Savings 88%!!

Transaction #7

2 - Taco Bell Tostada Diner Kits
2 - Cans of Taco Bell Refried Beans
1 - Reach Dental Floss

Retail Value $11.05
Out of Pocket $3.56

Savings 68%!!

Most of the coupons that I used were out of a special flyer that was in the Casper Star Tribune and also the Rapid City Journal I believe.

My total Retail Value for all the transactions were $82.47 and I paid out of my pocket $13.29 for an 84% savings!!!!

Awesome Walgreens Deals!

Well I suppose there is a learning curve to becoming an effective and efficient couponer...I learned a couple things at Walgreens. I made 2 mistakes...one that cost me $1.00 and one that saved me .50 cents.

My shopping trip to Walgreens breaks down into 4 transactions because of two of my mistakes. Mistake number 1 - PAY ATTENTION TO PRICES! I paid $1.00 extra for my 4 pack of Frappacino for not paying attention to it when it was scanned. Mistake number 2 - PAY ATTENTION TO THE PRODUCTS! I went for a Glade Automatic Spray kit and grabbed one that was priced different than the one I wanted.

Transaction #1

1 - Glade Automatic Spray Kit *on clearance for $5.49
     *Use 1 - $4.00 Off Glade Auto Kit (printable I believe)
     (Paid $1.49!)

1 - Noxzema Disposable Razors $3.99
     *Use 1 - $2.00 off Noxzema Razor Coupon
     (Paid $1.99 and received $3.00 in Register Rewards!!)

1 - Power Gillette Mens Razor $9.89
     *Use 1 - $4.00 off coupon from P&G insert
     (Paid $5.89 and received $5.00 in Register Rewards!!)

1 - Starbucks Frappuccino 4-Pack $6.00 (On sale for $4.99 but I missed what it rang up for)
     *Use 1 - $2.00 off coupon in extra insert in papers
     (Paid $4.00)

1 - Dawn Dish Liquid $1.99
     *Use 1 - .99 Walgreens Store Coupon + 1 - .25 off Dawn in P&G Insert
     (.75 Each!)

I thought I was supposed to receive a $3.00 Register Reward for the Glade Automatic Sprayer...but I didn't receive it since it was the wrong one. So I had another transaction with 1 Glade Sprayer and received the reward.
1 - Glade Automatic Spray Kit $8.99
     *Use 1 - $4.00 Off Glade Auto Kit (printable I believe)
     (Paid $4.99 plus receive $3.00 in Register Rewards)

So my first transaction came to a retail value of $42.45. I saved $27.35 and paid $15.10 out of my pocket (if your adding up my product totals I also redeemed a $4.00 register reward from my last shopping trip). My savings were 64% on the first transaction!

Transaction #2

So I broke up my next transactions to utilize my Register Rewards to minimize my out of pocket total. However, on Transaction #2 I was only able to use $5.00 of my $11.00 in earned rewards. The register said that I had exceeded the maximum number of items in a transaction and wouldn't take them.

2 - Packages of Cottonelle Toilet Paper $5.00 each - $10.00
     *Use 1 - $1.00 off Walgreen store coupon (will double to $2.00) and 2 - .50 coupons
     (7.00 for both plus $3.00 in Register Rewards)

1 - Tylenol Precise Pain Relief Patches - $7.99
     *Use 1 - $3.00 off Walgreens Store Coupon + $5.00 off Precise Coupon printable
     (.01 Money Maker)

1 - Noxzema Disposable Razors $3.99
     *Use 1 - $2.00 off Noxzema Razor Coupon
     (Paid $1.99 and received $3.00 in Register Rewards!!)

1 - Power Gillette Mens Razor $9.89
     *Use 1 - $4.00 off coupon from P&G insert
     (Paid $5.89 and received $5.00 in Register Rewards!!)

1 - Starbucks Frappuccino 4-Pack $4.99
     *Use 1 - $2.00 off coupon in extra insert in papers
     (Paid $2.99)

My second transaction came to a retail value of $39.97. I saved $27.11 and paid $12.86 out of my pocket. My savings were 68% on the second transaction!

Transaction #3

10 - 32oz Gatorades On Sale 5/$5.00 - $10.00
     *Use 5 - B1G1 Free coupons from special insert in paper
     (Paid $5.00)

3 - Dawn Dish Soap 1.99 each - $5.97
     *Use 1 Walgreens store coupon for .99 Dawn + 3 - .25/1 Dawn Dish Soap P&G Insert
     (Paid $2.22)

1 - Starbucks Frappuccino 4-Pack $4.99
     *Use 1 - $2.00 off coupon in extra insert in papers
     (Paid $2.99)

Redeemed $3.00 and $5.00 in Register Rewards from Transaction #2.

My third transaction came to a retail value of $28.64. I saved $26.43 and paid $2.21 out of my pocket. My savings were 92% on the third transaction!

Total of all Transactions

Retail Value - $111.06
Out of Pocket - $30.17

Unredeemed Register Rewards - $9.00

Percent Saved - 81%

My Walmart Deals this Week!!


So...I have started my official couponing career! I have been hard at it for about 2 weeks or so now...I have been getting more and more addicted...it is especially exciting to have your order ring up for next to nothing!!!!!

Here are my awesome deals at Walmart!

5 - 3 Packs of Ivory Bar Soap .97 each - $4.85
*Use 5 - $1.00 Off Ivory Coupon from P&G Insert 05/01
(.15 money maker!!!)

2 - Cans Old El Paso Enchilada Sauce $1.00 each - $2.00
1 - Old El Paso Taco Seasoning .78 each - .78
*Use 1 - .60/3 Old El Paso Products Printable
($2.18 for all three products!)

2 - Off Insect Repellent *In the Clearance Section* $2.00 each - $4.00
*Use 2 - .75/1 Off Coupons Printable
(2.50 for two!)

4 - Oral B Toothbrushes $1.50 - $6.00
*Use 4 - $1.50 off Toothbrush from P&G Insert 05/01
(FREE!!!!!)

2 - Aquafresh Extreme Clean Toothpaste Trial .97 each - $1.94
*Use 2 - $1.00 off Aquafresh Extreme Clean Printable
(.06 Money Maker!!)

2 - Scott Naturals 4 Pack Toilet Paper $2.68 - $5.36
*Use 2 - $1.50 off Scott Naturals Coupons Printable
($2.36 for both!)

1 - Wonder Smart Wheat Bread $1.98
*Use 1 - .55 off coupon
($1.43 Each)

2 - Scotch Magic Tape Rolls $1.22 Each - $2.44
*Use 2 - $1.00 off coupons Printable
(.44 for both!)

4 - Tide Free Stain Release Packets (On Clearance) $6.00 Each - $24.00
*Use 4 - $3.00 off coupons from P&G Insert
($12.00 for all 4 packages!)

Retail Value - $53.35
Out of Pocket - $20.70

Percent Saved - 61%