~Couponing: Price matching~
A couple of weeks ago, Melinda and I went to a coupon class taught by the WRAL SmartShopper. If you are new to using coupons and live in my area, you may want to check out her blog. She offers a ton of ideas on how to use your coupons effectively. Poor Melinda was probably bored out of her mind. She knew about 90% of the class, but I'm glad she was there to help me and keep me company. :)
Here is a picture from inside the TV station where we took the class. I thought this was so neat.
One of the tips I found interesting was price matching. She didn't talk much about this, but Melinda and I talked about it quite a bit. I always knew Wal-Mart would price match, but I never used it to my advantage and I never thought about food. This tip will help you avoid going to different stores each week. Some of the deals that we have price matched lately have been produce. Wal-Mart had pineapples for $2.99 and I price matched them to $.99. A 3 pack of tri-color peppers were $3.88 at Wal-Mart, price matched to $1.29. Grape tomatoes from $3.99 to $.69! And so on....
You will need to keep your grocery ads through the week. I don't always get all of the ads, so I go to the stores website and print out the list. The BEST prices I have ever seen on produce is at Aldi. Take the ad with you to Wal-Mart, pick up your items, and price match them right at the register. Make sure you let the cashier know what items you are going to price match. She/He will need to adjust the price right away. Can you believe it?! You tell them how much you want to pay!! WOW!!
Yes, this does take time and yes, it can be a lot of work, but look at the money you are going to save. You should be able to save at least 50 to 60% each week. If you are Melinda, you are saving 80% +. HA!!
~Couponing~
I must first say, no, I'm still not an expert on this subject, but I've learned so much in the past few months. I'm also going to a couponing class this weekend, so I plan to learn much more. YAY! When it comes to coupons, to me, it's just a game that can pay you big bucks if you play it correctly. You have to be at the right place at the right time.
I owe this tip to my friend, Melinda. She has helped me with some of the in's and out's.
Recyclebank is a website where you can learn about recycling and make eco-friendly purchases. This site offers quizzes you can take and pledges you can make to earn points. In return, you turn in those points for higher $ coupons or other rewards. So far, my favorite coupon is $10 off of $50 at Harris Teeter. This coupon only requires 100 points to redeem. To earn 100 points doesn't take long at all and it's totally worth it. The rewards are not just grocery coupons, but gift cards, coupons for other items, clothing, gifts, etc. All for FREE. There is no cost to you to join except for your time to do the quizzes.
If you are interested in joining, click here.
Just check it out, you might be surprised.
I had to post this before I forget. I'm getting better at this coupon-ing game. It is just that, a game. You have to be at the right place at the right time. Study the flyer from the store. Match your coupons to the sale prices. Finally, you have to know a deal when you see one. I feel like I got great deals today at Harris Teeter.
Here are some of my highlights:
Hamburger Helper: $1.00 per box
Poptarts: 2 @ $.97, 1 @ $1.99 with coupon: $2.93 basically, I paid $.97 per box
3 pack Jell-O Temptations: $.72
2 Bailey's Coffee Cream: $3.00 = $1.50 per creamer
Colgate Advanced Toothpaste: $.75 (larger tube)
Dannon Greek Yogurt: $.50 per container
Betty Crocker Cookie Mix: $1.55
Pampers Wipes: $.94
Garnier Fructis Shampoo: $1.21
Snuggle 80 ct. dryer sheets: $1.49
Oceanspray Fruitsnacks: $1.65
I spent $82.26 and my savings were $76.28. If my math is correct, that is a savings of 48%.
Again, this is not the best I've done. I did buy a couple of things with out a coupon, but they were on sale and I felt it was a good deal. The more you buy at one time, the harder it is to see the savings and make sure you are being charged correctly.
I feel good about the deals I received today. What can I say? I like deals!
~Couponing~
Since Mason and I have joined our Moms and Toddlers group, I have started using coupons more. They have inspired me and given me several ideas. Kudos to you all!
No, I'm not an extreme coupon-er, no, I don't carry a binder, and no, I don't clear the shelves. There are so many tips that I can give in regards to coupons, but I'll just give a few today.
#1: Know your store's coupon policy. The policies can change every once and a while, so make sure you check the website or ask a customer service rep. Just recently, I learned, Target accepts 1 store coupon and 1 manufacturer coupon. Target actually has a coupon section on their website. You just select and print. My last trip to Target, I saved $26 and spent $47. Also, recently, I learned, BJ's Wholesale will do the same. 1 store coupon and 1 manufacturer coupon; however, BJ's has taken it a step further. You can actually use 1 manufacturer coupon for every item in the package. For example, we bought a 3 pack of Dove body wash. We used 1 store coupon and 3 manufacturer coupons.
#2: Product Rewards. I use mycokerewards.com to enter all of my codes from Coke products. There are so many rewards you can receive, from a free case of coke to coupons to trips. Pampers is another one that uses a reward system. I have not used this one. Research your favorite product (s). You may find a reward system that will fit your needs.
#3: Sign up for emails and/or Facebook. Most of the stores will send you email alerts of sales coming up. You can also 'like' a product or store on Facebook to get extra updates and coupons. I know, it can be somewhat overwhelming with all of the emails. Just pick a couple of your favorite stores and start from there.
And my final tip (for today), is:
#4: Stay organized. When you are using coupons, the amount of papers to keep up with may become overwhelming. Find a system that works best for you. I, personally, don't use the binders, but it may work for you. I just have my coupons in an organizer per category. Normally before a shopping trip, I have my list ready and I pull all of my coupons out before going into the store. I don't always have a coupon for every item, but most of the time, I do. :) I also, make sure that I have looked at the sales for that week. You can print them out, if it helps. The savings come in when you combine your coupons with sale items.
I don't HAVE to use coupons. I choose to do so because I like to see the savings. I will warn you, when you start using coupons, you will never want to buy an item with out one. HA! You may also get dirty looks from the shoppers that are in line behind you. I'm not sure why they look at me this way. Maybe because it takes the cashier extra time to check me out or maybe they think it is a total waste of time.
My advice to you is, just try it for one month. Save your receipts and at the end of the month add up your savings. You can decide if it is worth your time or not.
Yes! I got some great deals again! During the past week, I have shopped at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, and Target. Sorry, no pictures this time, but I'll share my savings. The best deals are the ones you get for FREE. By free, I mean, no purchase necessary. I received 3 Catalinas from Food Lion. Catalinas are the coupons that print out at the register when you check out. Most of the stores are doing this now. Make sure you look at them, don't throw them away.
3 Pack of papertowels: Free via Catalina
1 head of lettuce: Free via Catalina
1 dozen eggs: Free via Catalina
UP2U Gum (single pack): Free
Comstock cherry pie filling: $0.49
2 bunches fresh broccoli: $1.68 ($0.85 each) No coupon b1g1 free
UP2U Gum (mulit pack): $1.00
Heluva Good dip: $1.09
Dole fruit snacks: $1.19
Archway cookies: $1.40
Pepperidge Farm Crackers: $1.49
WhoNU Cookies: $1.49
Post Raisin Bran cereal: $1.85
2 Kraft Dressings: $2.38 ($1.19 each)
Bayer Aspirin: $2.00
These are just a few items from this week. I saved $51.46 just this week. So basically, I'm saving around 50% to 60% of our grocery bill each week. Not bad, huh?!
One other tidbit I would like to point out. There are a few stores out there that will give a refund ($0.05) for using your own bags. Target and Lowes Foods are the ones I know of for sure. If you are not using your own bags, I may be able to change your mind. Here we go... Using the scenario of 5 bags shopping each week.
5 bags @ $0.05 per bag is $0.25
$0.25 per week times 52 weeks per year is $13.00
Yes, it's only $13, but it's savings and I'll take it!
Have fun saving!
I got all of this for $27.....
....and here's how. I shopped at Lowe's Foods during the Super Double Coupon event. I had a coupon for each item purchased, so every coupon up to $1.98 was doubled. Some coupons were from inserts, some online, and some I got from a coupon swap with my Mom's group. Let me break it down so you can see the price per item.
Deerpark Sparkling Water x 2: FREE
Cooked Perfect Meatballs: $0.50
Duncan Hines Cake Mix: $0.95
Scope x 3: $0.99 (per bottle)
Rhodes Rolls: $0.99
Blue Diamond Almonds: $0.99
Wholly Guacamole: $0.99
Trident Gum, 3 single packs: $1.00
Febreze Set and Fresh: $1.09
Ken's Marinade: $1.09
Heinz 57: $1.49
Kleenex Hand Towels x 2: $1.99 (per package)
Cheerios: $1.99
Starbucks Whole Bean Coffee: $5.99 (Harris Teeter is cheaper, but too far for me)
I saved $41.54 using coupons and my Lowe's rewards card. I'm sure I will make another trip before the week is out, but you can only 20 coupons per visit per day.
Keep in mind, please know your stores coupon policy before shopping. If you aren't sure, ask. Most stores now except competitor coupons too. Also, make sure to pay attention when the coupons are being scanned. Sometimes you will run across a coupon that will not double (for some reason).
I would love to hear your coupon experiences. Leave a comment.
