For those of you who get the Sunday paper, look for the Albertson's coupon doublers in the paper. Not in the coupons packets, but in the main paper section - it's a 1 page ad that has a few items on sale as well as 3 coupon doubler coupons good until tomorrow. These coupons can be used to double other manufacturers coupons (up to and including $1) for additional savings. That means you can get up to $3 back per transaction (if you double 3 $1 coupons using the 3 coupon doublers).
Just a couple of things to note. The coupons do say a limit of 4 per family per shopping trip. I think this is their way of limiting how many transactions you can do at once. They're getting smart in knowing that us couponers get multiple papers and hence can have many sets of doublers. Here's what I've read on the forums as far as how things are working with these doublers:
1. The limit of 4 is actually a typo - it was supposed to say a limit of 3 - hence the reason there are only 3 in each copy of the paper.
2. Since there was a typo, most stores (notice I said most) are allowing you to do two transactions and use 3 doublers in each transaction, so a total of 6 all together. They actually have this programmed in from corporate, so if you think you're going to be sneaky and go in multiple times, think again. As far as I've heard, the doublers will only work twice per Preferred Savings Card - after that it will beep and there's no way to override it.
3. Notice that there is a number at the bottom of each coupon - 1, 2, and 3. They will only accept one of each number per transaction - i.e. they won't accept two #1's and a #3 - so keep track and don't get them mixed up if you have multiple sets.
4. They won't let you double a coupon and make the item free or have an overage. That's what we've been told, but I've heard of people who have done it. I would think that as long as you have other items to soak up the overage, you'll probably be ok. But keep this in mind - some stores are very picky and will actually look to be sure you aren't getting an overage.
I think that's it. Personally, I try to abide by all the rules that I read and hear of. To me, $3 isn't worth my integrity, but that's just my personal feelings. I went to my local Albertson's today and was able to do two transactions and double 3 coupons in each. There were a lot of things on sale that are not even listed in the ad, so it might be wise to take your coupons with you when you go, if they're portable. Also, a lot of the items in the ad are now even better when you double their corresponding coupons. Here's what I got (sorry, I forgot to take a picture, so I hope that's ok):
Items Purchased:
3 Purex Laundry Detergent
4 Danimals Smoothie Kids Drinks (6 pk)
2 Santitas Tortilla Chips (couldn't pass up the good deal)
Total Spent: $9.80
Total Saved: $28.33
Again, these coupon doublers expire tomorrow, 3/17/09 so don't miss the expiration date. Happy Shopping!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
More Shopping Savings This Week!
For those of you like me who enjoy seeing the good deals everyone else is getting, here are a few more examples of savings during this week's sales:
Smiths:
Items Purchased (2 transactions):
1st (30 items):
30 spaghetti noodles
1 milk
1 2lb block of cheese
1 18 pack of eggs
1 ice
2nd (30 items):
1 rice krispie treat squares
9 kotex/stayfree
4 AW/Sunkist
1 keebler cookies
3 doritos
2 cheetos
10 stouffers meals
Total Spent: $68
Total Saved $72
Albertsons:
Items Purchased (2 transactions):
1st:
10 digiorno for one pizzas
2nd:
28 cans of tomato soup cambells
2 boxes of triscuits
1 cheese
1 capri sun
11 salsa
Total Spent: $30.30
Total Saved: $80.90
Walgreens:
Items Purchased (3 transactions):
1st: 4 12 packs of cottonelle toilet paper
2nd: 4 12 pack of coke
3rd: 2 m&m's, garnier conditioner, and colgate toothpaste
Total Spent: $32
Total Saved: $42.50
Smith's:
Items Purchased:
4 Hungry Man Dinners
6 Lean Cuisine Dinner
4 Nature Valley Granola Bars
3 bags of Frito's
1 tub of butter
12 packages of assorted pasta
Total Spent: $31.00
Total Saved: $50.00
I also bought at Albertson's 6 cans of Chicken Noodle soup and it cost me $0.65. YEAH!
I am also sending you pictures of my pantry. I couldn't get it all in one picture so I had to take two. One is the top half of my shelves, and the other is the bottom half of my shelves, including my floor. I love walking into my pantry and seeing it so full! I was excited so thought I would share it with you. I'm almost positive without including meat, my husband and I could last on our food storage for at least 6 months. That is pretty good for only being married for 7 months. Most couples don't get food storage until much later after they have been married!
I agree, there's nothing like the feeling of knowing you have a full pantry and can survive with what's in there for a substantial period of time. Also, it took us at least 8 or 9 years to get fully stocked, so I am quite impressed with you guys doing so well after only 7 months - GREAT JOB!
Smiths:
Items Purchased (2 transactions):
1st (30 items):
30 spaghetti noodles
1 milk
1 2lb block of cheese
1 18 pack of eggs
1 ice
2nd (30 items):
1 rice krispie treat squares
9 kotex/stayfree
4 AW/Sunkist
1 keebler cookies
3 doritos
2 cheetos
10 stouffers meals
Total Spent: $68
Total Saved $72
Albertsons:
Items Purchased (2 transactions):
1st:
10 digiorno for one pizzas
2nd:
28 cans of tomato soup cambells
2 boxes of triscuits
1 cheese
1 capri sun
11 salsa
Total Spent: $30.30
Total Saved: $80.90
Walgreens:
Items Purchased (3 transactions):
1st: 4 12 packs of cottonelle toilet paper
2nd: 4 12 pack of coke
3rd: 2 m&m's, garnier conditioner, and colgate toothpaste
Total Spent: $32
Total Saved: $42.50
Smith's:
Items Purchased:
4 Hungry Man Dinners
6 Lean Cuisine Dinner
4 Nature Valley Granola Bars
3 bags of Frito's
1 tub of butter
12 packages of assorted pasta
Total Spent: $31.00
Total Saved: $50.00
I also bought at Albertson's 6 cans of Chicken Noodle soup and it cost me $0.65. YEAH!
I am also sending you pictures of my pantry. I couldn't get it all in one picture so I had to take two. One is the top half of my shelves, and the other is the bottom half of my shelves, including my floor. I love walking into my pantry and seeing it so full! I was excited so thought I would share it with you. I'm almost positive without including meat, my husband and I could last on our food storage for at least 6 months. That is pretty good for only being married for 7 months. Most couples don't get food storage until much later after they have been married!
I agree, there's nothing like the feeling of knowing you have a full pantry and can survive with what's in there for a substantial period of time. Also, it took us at least 8 or 9 years to get fully stocked, so I am quite impressed with you guys doing so well after only 7 months - GREAT JOB!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Good Deals and Savings for the Week!
Sorry for the late post, my son's birthday was yesterdy and I've been knee deep in birthday preparation and parties for the past 48 hours. So now I'm back and ready to share all of the good deals for the week! There are some pretty good deals this week, so here are those plus some others worth noting:
Albertson's:
- Green seedless grapes, 99 cents per lb
- Land O Lakes Fresh Buttery Taste spread 15 oz. - 45 cents
- Whopper's and Robin Eggs Easter candy 10 oz. - 50-67 cents
- BirdsEye Steamfresh frozen vegetables 10-12 oz. - 67 cents
- Shoppers Value ice cream 64 oz. Limit 2 - $1.39
- Kraft promo: Save $10 instantly when you spend $25 on participating products. Items worth mentioning: California Pizza Kitchen pizza for one, Crystal Light on the Go, DiGiorno Pizza for one, Jell-O pudding or gelatin 19-24 oz. ready to serve/refrigerated, Kraft Bagel-fuls, Kraft BBQ sauce, Kraft Easy Mac Cups 8 pack, Nabisco snack crackers, Nabisco Oreo cookies, Oreo Cakesters, Oscar Mayer beef or meat Fast Franks, Planters Mr. Peanut Big Bars multipack or HoneyMaid Delight bars, Taco Bell salsa, Taco Bell taco shells.
- Campbell's promo: Spend $10 on participating products, get 300 Bonus Labels for Education. Only a few things rated as a good deal: Campbell's Cream or Condensed Soups (use internet printable for either), V8 vegetable juice.
- Clip & Save promo: Buy the items shown, in the quantities listed, and save $3 or $5 (using in ad coupons). No limits! Few items rated good deals: Albertsons Homelife liquid laundry, Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Frito Lay variety pack, Good Humor Variety pack ice cream, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese 12 pack, Spring! natural spring water 24 pack, Resolve Carpet or Fabric cleaner 32 oz. or Lysol spray 12.5 oz., Purex laundry detergent 24-32 load or fabric softener 44 oz.
Smith's
- Green seedless grapes, 99 cents per lb
- Kroger Cheese, 32 oz. bars or shredded - $4.99
- Mountain Dairy Gallon Milk, whole, 2%, 1% or skim - $1.59
- Smith's Lage Eggs, 18 ct. - $1.69
- L'Oreal Cosmetics
- MEGA EVENT Promo: Buy any 10 participating items and get $5 off instantly at checkout. Limit (3) $5 rewards per transaction. Tons of items that are great deals. Especially good deals on American Beauty Spaghetti, Betty Crocker potatoes, Colgate toothpaste and toothbrushes, Country Crock, Dixie napkins, Fiber One Granola Bars, Hunt's Snack Pack Pudding, Ken's Salad Dressing, Kotex items, Land O Lakes Spreads, Nature Valley Granola Bars, Q-tips Cotton Swabs, Quaker Quakes, Stayfree Maxis, and many other items. Check out the grocery lists to see the items, coupons, and sale prices.
Associated Food Stores (Macey's, Dick's, Kohler's, Kent's, etc.):
- Roma Tomatoes, extra large - 79 cents per lb
- ShurSaving Milk gallon, 1%, 2% or Skim - $1.67
- Chex Mix - 65 cents per bag
- Suave Shampoo or Conditioner - 19-52 cents each depending on coupon used
- Case lot sales still going on. Most items same as last week, check out ads/lists for more details.
Walgreen's:
- Butterball Chicken Broth - 69 cents
- Jiff Peanut Butter - $1.67
- Red Baron Pizza, 12" - $2.00
- Lysol Disinfecting Wipes - $1.50
- Garnier Fructis Hair Care - 99 cents
- Gillette Fusion Razors - 99 cents
- Promo: Spend $25 in participating items and get a check out voucher for $10 off your next shopping order. Limit 1 register reward per transaction. Items worth mentioning: Hggies Jumbo Pack Diapers or Training Pants, Huggies Baby Wipes, Kotex items, Cottonelle Bath Tissue, Scott Bath Tissue, Kleenex Facial Tissue. Be careful, a lot of the stores around me didn't even carry some of the sizes for some of these products. Might be worth your time to call your local store to ensure they have what you want to pick up. Also, just fyi, because of the great deals on diapers/wipes using online coupons a lot of the stores are limiting the number you can buy.
Here are my purchases for the week:
Albertson's
Items Purchased: I only bought the Taco Bell Taco Sauce (the kind not on the promo) because we've been out forever and my husband loves this stuff. I didn't take a picture because that's all I bought, I bought 22 bottles (pretty much cleaned them out), but now I'm stocked for over a year!
Total Spent: $17.51 (includes the $5 catalina left over from last week)
Total Saved: $20.18
Smith's
Items Purchased:
7 Quaker Quakes
3 Kellogg's Cereal
2 bags of Cheetos
3 bags of Fritos
3 boxes Cheez It's
10 American Beauty Spaghetti
2 Fiber One Chewy Bars
5 Dixie Napkins
5 Q-tips boxes
Total Spent: $29.69
Total Saved: $74.48
Also, just wanted to mention that it look like the Smith's Caselot Sale isn't going to start until April 1st. Not sure who got the previous information, I just saw it on one of the forums, but this new date is fairly sure - I got the information from my Dad who works at Smith's.
HAPPY SHOPPING!!
Albertson's:
- Green seedless grapes, 99 cents per lb
- Land O Lakes Fresh Buttery Taste spread 15 oz. - 45 cents
- Whopper's and Robin Eggs Easter candy 10 oz. - 50-67 cents
- BirdsEye Steamfresh frozen vegetables 10-12 oz. - 67 cents
- Shoppers Value ice cream 64 oz. Limit 2 - $1.39
- Kraft promo: Save $10 instantly when you spend $25 on participating products. Items worth mentioning: California Pizza Kitchen pizza for one, Crystal Light on the Go, DiGiorno Pizza for one, Jell-O pudding or gelatin 19-24 oz. ready to serve/refrigerated, Kraft Bagel-fuls, Kraft BBQ sauce, Kraft Easy Mac Cups 8 pack, Nabisco snack crackers, Nabisco Oreo cookies, Oreo Cakesters, Oscar Mayer beef or meat Fast Franks, Planters Mr. Peanut Big Bars multipack or HoneyMaid Delight bars, Taco Bell salsa, Taco Bell taco shells.
- Campbell's promo: Spend $10 on participating products, get 300 Bonus Labels for Education. Only a few things rated as a good deal: Campbell's Cream or Condensed Soups (use internet printable for either), V8 vegetable juice.
- Clip & Save promo: Buy the items shown, in the quantities listed, and save $3 or $5 (using in ad coupons). No limits! Few items rated good deals: Albertsons Homelife liquid laundry, Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Frito Lay variety pack, Good Humor Variety pack ice cream, Kraft Macaroni & Cheese 12 pack, Spring! natural spring water 24 pack, Resolve Carpet or Fabric cleaner 32 oz. or Lysol spray 12.5 oz., Purex laundry detergent 24-32 load or fabric softener 44 oz.
Smith's
- Green seedless grapes, 99 cents per lb
- Kroger Cheese, 32 oz. bars or shredded - $4.99
- Mountain Dairy Gallon Milk, whole, 2%, 1% or skim - $1.59
- Smith's Lage Eggs, 18 ct. - $1.69
- L'Oreal Cosmetics
- MEGA EVENT Promo: Buy any 10 participating items and get $5 off instantly at checkout. Limit (3) $5 rewards per transaction. Tons of items that are great deals. Especially good deals on American Beauty Spaghetti, Betty Crocker potatoes, Colgate toothpaste and toothbrushes, Country Crock, Dixie napkins, Fiber One Granola Bars, Hunt's Snack Pack Pudding, Ken's Salad Dressing, Kotex items, Land O Lakes Spreads, Nature Valley Granola Bars, Q-tips Cotton Swabs, Quaker Quakes, Stayfree Maxis, and many other items. Check out the grocery lists to see the items, coupons, and sale prices.
Associated Food Stores (Macey's, Dick's, Kohler's, Kent's, etc.):
- Roma Tomatoes, extra large - 79 cents per lb
- ShurSaving Milk gallon, 1%, 2% or Skim - $1.67
- Chex Mix - 65 cents per bag
- Suave Shampoo or Conditioner - 19-52 cents each depending on coupon used
- Case lot sales still going on. Most items same as last week, check out ads/lists for more details.
Walgreen's:
- Butterball Chicken Broth - 69 cents
- Jiff Peanut Butter - $1.67
- Red Baron Pizza, 12" - $2.00
- Lysol Disinfecting Wipes - $1.50
- Garnier Fructis Hair Care - 99 cents
- Gillette Fusion Razors - 99 cents
- Promo: Spend $25 in participating items and get a check out voucher for $10 off your next shopping order. Limit 1 register reward per transaction. Items worth mentioning: Hggies Jumbo Pack Diapers or Training Pants, Huggies Baby Wipes, Kotex items, Cottonelle Bath Tissue, Scott Bath Tissue, Kleenex Facial Tissue. Be careful, a lot of the stores around me didn't even carry some of the sizes for some of these products. Might be worth your time to call your local store to ensure they have what you want to pick up. Also, just fyi, because of the great deals on diapers/wipes using online coupons a lot of the stores are limiting the number you can buy.
Here are my purchases for the week:
Albertson's
Items Purchased: I only bought the Taco Bell Taco Sauce (the kind not on the promo) because we've been out forever and my husband loves this stuff. I didn't take a picture because that's all I bought, I bought 22 bottles (pretty much cleaned them out), but now I'm stocked for over a year!
Total Spent: $17.51 (includes the $5 catalina left over from last week)
Total Saved: $20.18
Smith's
Items Purchased:
7 Quaker Quakes
3 Kellogg's Cereal
2 bags of Cheetos
3 bags of Fritos
3 boxes Cheez It's
10 American Beauty Spaghetti
2 Fiber One Chewy Bars
5 Dixie Napkins
5 Q-tips boxes
Total Spent: $29.69
Total Saved: $74.48
Also, just wanted to mention that it look like the Smith's Caselot Sale isn't going to start until April 1st. Not sure who got the previous information, I just saw it on one of the forums, but this new date is fairly sure - I got the information from my Dad who works at Smith's.
HAPPY SHOPPING!!
Sunday, March 8, 2009
A Good Reminder on Savings
I wanted to take a separate post and share with you my sister's purchases this week (thanks for being willing to share sis!). I think she makes a good point and it's worthy of being reminded of. We have weeks when we purchase hundreds of items for such a small amount of money, but there are other weeks when the savings doesn't feel as big. The truth is, that you really have to look at what you buy and the sizes, not just how many items. For example, you can't buy a huge package of toilet paper or a big bottle of tide for 25 cents. So even though the savings isn't exactly as big as you'd hoped, I think it's key to remember that any money you save is worthwhile, whether it be $100 or $10.
In my sister's words:
Albertsons:
Items purchased (4 transactions):
4 tide
3 gillette body wash
2 cover girl make up
2 old spice deodarant
1 cascade
1 bounce dryer sheets
8 pringles
Total spent: $52
Total saved: $72
I wish it was a little bit bigger ammount saved, but to get all that cleaning and cosmetic stuff, I think I did pretty good.
Smiths:
Items Purchased:
4 pop tarts
4 orange juice
1 milk
10 lb. bag of potatoes
2 cheese
1 bag of chips
Total spent: $20.09
Total saved: $7.91
Again, not the best savings, but really a good deal for what I got, especially when I was in need for all of these items this week, normally I would run to the local store or Walmart, and pay a lot more for all of these items.
BEST DEAL THIS WEEK
Winegars (bought $100 worth of case goods) BUT I loved the suave deal:
Purchased 9 bottles at 77 cents each, had 3 coupons at 1.75 off of 3, so total for 9 suave shampoo: $1.68!!!
I also included a picture of my pantry, I love how full it looks right now, especially after all the case goods I got yesterday!
I spent a lot this week, BUT now I am good for awhile, on canned foods, and I have a list of things I am not allowing myself to buy for awhile, when does that ever happen???? Gotta love it!
I agree! If you're stocking up on things you use/need and saving in the process (no matter how much or how little) then in my opinion, your succeeding! Besides, you can't put a price on the successful feeling of stocking up and being prepared.
In my sister's words:
Albertsons:
Items purchased (4 transactions):
4 tide
3 gillette body wash
2 cover girl make up
2 old spice deodarant
1 cascade
1 bounce dryer sheets
8 pringles
Total spent: $52
Total saved: $72
I wish it was a little bit bigger ammount saved, but to get all that cleaning and cosmetic stuff, I think I did pretty good.
Smiths:
Items Purchased:
4 pop tarts
4 orange juice
1 milk
10 lb. bag of potatoes
2 cheese
1 bag of chips
Total spent: $20.09
Total saved: $7.91
Again, not the best savings, but really a good deal for what I got, especially when I was in need for all of these items this week, normally I would run to the local store or Walmart, and pay a lot more for all of these items.
BEST DEAL THIS WEEK
Winegars (bought $100 worth of case goods) BUT I loved the suave deal:
Purchased 9 bottles at 77 cents each, had 3 coupons at 1.75 off of 3, so total for 9 suave shampoo: $1.68!!!
I also included a picture of my pantry, I love how full it looks right now, especially after all the case goods I got yesterday!
I spent a lot this week, BUT now I am good for awhile, on canned foods, and I have a list of things I am not allowing myself to buy for awhile, when does that ever happen???? Gotta love it!
I agree! If you're stocking up on things you use/need and saving in the process (no matter how much or how little) then in my opinion, your succeeding! Besides, you can't put a price on the successful feeling of stocking up and being prepared.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Deals for the Week!
Here are the good deals worth noting for the week:
Albertson's:
- Granny Smith or Red Delicious Apples - 3 lb bag - $1.50
- Dannon Yogurt - $.29 each with coupon and in store ad
- Kellogg's cereal - $.97 a box with coupon
- P&G Promo - spend $20 in participating products, receive a catalina for $5 off your next shopping order. Participating items that are worth noting: Bounty paper towels, Charmin bath tissue, Covergirl make-up, Crest toothpaste, Gillette body wash, Pampers, Pringles, Tide.
- Johnson & Johnson Promo - spend $30 in participating products, receive a catalina for $10 off your next shopping order. Participating items worth noting: Aveeno lotion, Bandaids, Carefree pantiliners, Children's Tylenol/Motrin, Johnson & Johnson Baby Products (baby wash, baby lotion, baby bubble bath, etc.), Motrin, Neosporin, OB tampons, Stayfree pads, Tylenol products, Visine.
Smith's:
- Strawberries - 1 lb pkg - $1.99 (not the best deal, but I've been craving strawberries!)
- Dannon Yogurt pks - $.99 with coupon
- Kroger 1/2 gallon OJ - $1.29
- Mountain Dairy Gallon Milk, Whole, 2%, 1% or Skim - $1.59
- Tropicana Orange Juice, 59-64 oz. chilled - $1.49 with coupon
- Hamburger, Chicken or Tuna Helper - $.66 with coupon
- Kellogg's Pop-Tarts - $1.14 with coupon
- Kroger or FMV Bread, Hamburger or Hot Dog Buns - $.88
- Quaker Instant Or Simple Harvest Oatmeal - $1.00 with coupon and extra promo
- Old Fashioned Ice Cream, 4 quart - $2.99
- Colgate Plus Toothbrush - $.24 with coupon
- MEGA EVENT Promo: Buy any 10 participating items and get $5 off instantly at checkout. Limit (3) $5 rewards per transaction. Items worth noting: Armour meatballs, Eggo waffles, Kroger Deluxe Ice Cream (pint).
Associated Food Stores (Macey's, Dick's, Kohler's, Kent's, Winegar's):
- ShurSaving Milk gallon, 1%, 2% or Skim - $1.67
- Chex Mix - $.75 with coupon
- ** CASE LOT SALE ** - All stores have different prices on their caselot sales this time around, so you will probably have to check each individual ad for the cheapest prices. Winegar's does seem to have a lot of cheaper prices though when compared to Dick's and Macey's, so that's one to definitely check on and might be worth the drive if you don't have one really close by.
Walgreen's:
- A few deals, but nothing earth shattering. There are a few items that end up being free after the register rewards (coupon that prints after the purchase, similar to a catalina).
As always, please check the lists yourself for deals I missed mentioning or for items that you might be interested in picking up. Since we're all different, we all buy different things.
Here is my Albertson's purchase for the week:
Items Purchased:
5 Gillette Body Wash
1 Past Roni
3 Johnson and Johnson Baby Bath
2 Johnson and Johnson Baby Lotion
1 Johnson and Johnson Baby Wash
4 Bandaids
Total Spent = $20.49
Total Saved = $59.43
Some things to keep in mind:
1. Usually the caselot sales go for 2 weeks at each store, at least that's the way they've been for the past few years. So, you have some time to get to the right store to get the right deal.
2. Smith's will be having their caselot sale starting on March 18th - right after the Associated Food Stores sales end - but there will probably be a day or so of overlap (if you get your ads a day or so early like I do) so you can compare prices and shop at the store with the cheapest deals.
3. I heard a rumor that Albertson's will be doing their version of the caselot sale sometime the beginning of April, there should be more details coming on that as to the exact dates. I'll try to keep tabs on that and pass on anything I find out.
Happy shopping to all and to all some good savings!
Albertson's:
- Granny Smith or Red Delicious Apples - 3 lb bag - $1.50
- Dannon Yogurt - $.29 each with coupon and in store ad
- Kellogg's cereal - $.97 a box with coupon
- P&G Promo - spend $20 in participating products, receive a catalina for $5 off your next shopping order. Participating items that are worth noting: Bounty paper towels, Charmin bath tissue, Covergirl make-up, Crest toothpaste, Gillette body wash, Pampers, Pringles, Tide.
- Johnson & Johnson Promo - spend $30 in participating products, receive a catalina for $10 off your next shopping order. Participating items worth noting: Aveeno lotion, Bandaids, Carefree pantiliners, Children's Tylenol/Motrin, Johnson & Johnson Baby Products (baby wash, baby lotion, baby bubble bath, etc.), Motrin, Neosporin, OB tampons, Stayfree pads, Tylenol products, Visine.
Smith's:
- Strawberries - 1 lb pkg - $1.99 (not the best deal, but I've been craving strawberries!)
- Dannon Yogurt pks - $.99 with coupon
- Kroger 1/2 gallon OJ - $1.29
- Mountain Dairy Gallon Milk, Whole, 2%, 1% or Skim - $1.59
- Tropicana Orange Juice, 59-64 oz. chilled - $1.49 with coupon
- Hamburger, Chicken or Tuna Helper - $.66 with coupon
- Kellogg's Pop-Tarts - $1.14 with coupon
- Kroger or FMV Bread, Hamburger or Hot Dog Buns - $.88
- Quaker Instant Or Simple Harvest Oatmeal - $1.00 with coupon and extra promo
- Old Fashioned Ice Cream, 4 quart - $2.99
- Colgate Plus Toothbrush - $.24 with coupon
- MEGA EVENT Promo: Buy any 10 participating items and get $5 off instantly at checkout. Limit (3) $5 rewards per transaction. Items worth noting: Armour meatballs, Eggo waffles, Kroger Deluxe Ice Cream (pint).
Associated Food Stores (Macey's, Dick's, Kohler's, Kent's, Winegar's):
- ShurSaving Milk gallon, 1%, 2% or Skim - $1.67
- Chex Mix - $.75 with coupon
- ** CASE LOT SALE ** - All stores have different prices on their caselot sales this time around, so you will probably have to check each individual ad for the cheapest prices. Winegar's does seem to have a lot of cheaper prices though when compared to Dick's and Macey's, so that's one to definitely check on and might be worth the drive if you don't have one really close by.
Walgreen's:
- A few deals, but nothing earth shattering. There are a few items that end up being free after the register rewards (coupon that prints after the purchase, similar to a catalina).
As always, please check the lists yourself for deals I missed mentioning or for items that you might be interested in picking up. Since we're all different, we all buy different things.
Here is my Albertson's purchase for the week:
Items Purchased:
5 Gillette Body Wash
1 Past Roni
3 Johnson and Johnson Baby Bath
2 Johnson and Johnson Baby Lotion
1 Johnson and Johnson Baby Wash
4 Bandaids
Total Spent = $20.49
Total Saved = $59.43
Some things to keep in mind:
1. Usually the caselot sales go for 2 weeks at each store, at least that's the way they've been for the past few years. So, you have some time to get to the right store to get the right deal.
2. Smith's will be having their caselot sale starting on March 18th - right after the Associated Food Stores sales end - but there will probably be a day or so of overlap (if you get your ads a day or so early like I do) so you can compare prices and shop at the store with the cheapest deals.
3. I heard a rumor that Albertson's will be doing their version of the caselot sale sometime the beginning of April, there should be more details coming on that as to the exact dates. I'll try to keep tabs on that and pass on anything I find out.
Happy shopping to all and to all some good savings!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
When Do the Lists Come Out?
Right off the bat, you would think the answer should be when the ads start right? Well, if you're using the Grocery Smarts Websites, then the answer is yes. However, if you're using the Pinching Your Pennies Website, a few of the lists actually come out a day or two early as previews. This makes it nice, especially for big sales. For example, here in Utah County, there are a lot of people that coupon and shop the sales, so for big sales, I know that some items I want will be sold out in the first hour or so of the sale. So if I really want it, and not have to worry about going back to see if they haven't gotten any more in later, I need to be there when the stores open. So you can imagine how useful it is to have the preview of the ads a day or two early and have everything planned and ready to go before Wednesday hits.
The reasoning above is why I use both the Grocery Smarts and Pinching Your Pennies websites together. I absolutely love the features of the Grocery Smarts website and the ability you have to shrink/add/reduce/print/etc. your list to be just as you need it. But there is the drawback of not being able to see the lists early. Conversely, I love the Pinching Your Pennies website because of the forums, online and around town deal listings, and the fact that the lists for most of the stores are available early. Luckily the lists are the same for each of the sites, so you don't have to choose one over the other.
As far as the lists, here's what I've found as to when they come out (on average):
Grocery Smarts
All lists available on the day the ad comes out
- Albertson's, Smith's, Macey's, some Associated Stores - Wednesday
- Walgreen's - Sunday/Monday
- Other Associated Stores (with ads that run Sunday - Saturday) - Sunday/Monday
Pinching Your Pennies
- Albertson's - Monday afternoons
- Smith's - late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning
- Macey's - Monday afternoons
- Associated Food Stores - Sunday/Monday
In other words, the Albertson's, Macey's, and Associated Food Stores lists for the ads that start tomorrow are already available on the Pinching Your Pennies website. Macey's and the Associated Food Stores are starting their caselot sales tomorrow. Albertson's has a couple of promos this week: One is a P&G/Quaker promo where you get a catalina for $5 off your next shopping order (OYNSO) when you purchase $20 worth of participating products, the second is a Johnson and Johnson promo where you get a catalina for $10 OYNSO when you purchase $30 worth of participating products. Good deals this week, take a look at the lists to see all the savings!
The reasoning above is why I use both the Grocery Smarts and Pinching Your Pennies websites together. I absolutely love the features of the Grocery Smarts website and the ability you have to shrink/add/reduce/print/etc. your list to be just as you need it. But there is the drawback of not being able to see the lists early. Conversely, I love the Pinching Your Pennies website because of the forums, online and around town deal listings, and the fact that the lists for most of the stores are available early. Luckily the lists are the same for each of the sites, so you don't have to choose one over the other.
As far as the lists, here's what I've found as to when they come out (on average):
Grocery Smarts
All lists available on the day the ad comes out
- Albertson's, Smith's, Macey's, some Associated Stores - Wednesday
- Walgreen's - Sunday/Monday
- Other Associated Stores (with ads that run Sunday - Saturday) - Sunday/Monday
Pinching Your Pennies
- Albertson's - Monday afternoons
- Smith's - late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning
- Macey's - Monday afternoons
- Associated Food Stores - Sunday/Monday
In other words, the Albertson's, Macey's, and Associated Food Stores lists for the ads that start tomorrow are already available on the Pinching Your Pennies website. Macey's and the Associated Food Stores are starting their caselot sales tomorrow. Albertson's has a couple of promos this week: One is a P&G/Quaker promo where you get a catalina for $5 off your next shopping order (OYNSO) when you purchase $20 worth of participating products, the second is a Johnson and Johnson promo where you get a catalina for $10 OYNSO when you purchase $30 worth of participating products. Good deals this week, take a look at the lists to see all the savings!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Features of the PYP Website
As promised, I’m finally taking some time to list some of the features of the Pinching Your Pennies Website (PYP Website Link). There are some features that are not available on other sites. Personally, I use the Grocery Smarts and Pinching Your Pennies Websites together because each has different features that are useful to me. If you’re interested in seeing the Grocery Smarts Website, see the following link for an earlier post on it’s features: Grocery Smarts Features
When you first get to the PYP website, you’ll notice that the homepage contains a welcome as well as advertisements and other information. Across the top of the page, you’ll notice a menu containing different items. I’m going to take some time and explain each of these in a bit of detail for you. The site can be a bit confusing when you first get on to it, so hopefully this will help you understand what is out there and how it can be useful to you.
The first item on the menu is the HOME button. Obviously this will take you back to this first page at any time. If you’re navigating around and get lost, this can be useful to get yourself back to the “beginning” so to speak.
The second item on the menu is the FORUMS button. In addition to grocery stores, PYP also contains information on a lot of other items such as: welcomes, registering, grocery guides, online deals, deals at stores around town (such as ShopKo, Target, Walgreens, Walmart, etc.), and a whole lot of other things! There is so much information and you can find almost anything you are looking for. I’ve only looked at about half of it and been very impressed with the information I’ve found. I especially like the online deals and deals around town myself, I tend to use these two the most in my shopping. You’ll really have to browse around these forums to see what they have to offer you.
The third item on the menu is the PYP BLOG. This is a very useful blog where they sometimes explain different things that they think will be interesting to a lot of people. I’ve referenced this blog a few times in some of my posts. Items such as: How to file an online Walgreens rebate, Why using PYP is easier and better than other similar websites, etc. have been ones I’ve found useful and used in my posts to share. This is not something that is updated every day, but does contain useful information.
The fourth item on the menu is SCREAMING DEALS BY STATE (OR STATE FORUMS). This is where you find all of the grocery deals at stores for a specific state. If you click on this menu item, you can see that each state has it’s own sub-forum. Since the PYP website was actually started by 2 ladies here in Utah, the Utah forum is obviously contains the most and is the most visited. But I know that there are other states where PYPers are starting to provide information on sales and other items. Once you click on the state, such as Utah, you will see the forum items listed. For Utah, there is a small upper box containing other miscellaneous information such as: Getting Started in Utah, Utah off-topic/fun stuff/ help, and Local referrals – Utah. These provide information not related to groceries per say, but useful in other areas. Below that first box is a listing of the threads for the forum. This is where you find your grocery lists for certain stores. Usually, you can scroll down and find the thread for the store and dates you are interested in. When you click on the link, it pulls up the forum and the first post contains the information on the sale for that store during that time frame. There is usually a link to the list, which when you click on the link, it will take you to another window containing the list. As I mentioned in the Grocery Smarts post, this list is exactly the same as the one on their website. You will notice sometimes that when you click on thread, you will see 2 links: One might say that it is a link to the Grocery Smarts or Printable list, the other says it is a link to the old style list, which is the PYP version. The Grocery Smarts and PYP administrators work together to provide these lists to us, so they often reference one another on their sites. Unlike the GS lists, the PYP lists can’t be shrunk or printed with just the items you want (see the Grocery Smarts Post for further explanation). The one benefit to using the PYP lists is all of the posts and comments from the administrators and other PYP users. Sometimes additional deals not in the ad will be posted or other coupons will be listed that weren’t available to the administrator or at the beginning of the sale. I find it very useful to scroll through these regularly to pick up useful information during the sales.
The fifth item on the menu is the COUPON LIST. I just recently started using this menu item and I love it! When you click on the menu item, it takes you to another screen with a scroll box. If you scroll down to your state and click the go button, you will see a complete listing of coupons available in that state. Now you’re asking yourself, how can this be useful? Well, say you’re still working on getting stocked on things, so you run out of a particular item. You decide you can’t wait for that item to go on sale, so you decided to head to the store to pick up 1 or 2 to have in the meantime. The first thing that usually comes to my mind at this point is: “Is there a coupon out there for this item so that I might be able to save at least a little bit when I pick it up?” Well, instead of pulling out your coupons and looking through everything for a coupon for this item, which may or may not exist, you can just come to this page and scroll down to the item (they are all listed alphabetically) and see if there is one that exists. Takes about 30 seconds and well worth the time savings! This coupon list contains listing of paper as well as online coupons, so it’s very complete. The only drawback to this menu item is that the coupon lists are only available for a handful of states. They are adding more states all the time, so hopefully the state you are in is either listed or will be shortly.
The sixth item on the menu is COUPONS 101. This is a basic explanation of how to use coupons, use them effectively, getting organized, experiences, tips, shopping online, shopping around town, etc. If you’re new to the system, this can give you a bunch of information to help you get started. Even if you’ve been doing this for a while, I would recommend reading this section just in case There are always useful tips and such you can pick up.
The seventh item on the menu is the GROCERY GUIDE. This is a section done by someone other than PYP and is very similar to the grocery lists you find under the Screaming Deals by State menu item. It does have more stores, but the format is not very user friendly and I don’t tend to like it much. That’s just a personal preference, so feel free to use it if it fits your style better. The coupon links are very hard to use and aren’t always complete.
The eighth item on the menu is REGISTER HERE. This is where you register to be a member of PYP. For a while, I was just a guest user on PYP and didn’t have any issues. After a couple of weeks, I decided I wanted to be a member and signed up. It was completely easy and free! I believe you can view the forums and such for a while for free, but after a while you might start to get messages about not being able to view things because you aren’t a member. There are other uses to being a member too, you can post different comments on the forums for deals you find and want to share with others or post other comments. Honestly, I haven’t regretted being a member one time and recommend it to everyone who plans to use the site.
The final item on the menu is CONTACT US. This is self explanatory, but if you find you need to the contact the PYP administrators, it contains information on how to get a hold of them.
I hope this helps you become familiar with the PYP website a bit more. To really understand all of what’s available, you really have to play around and see what you can find. If you have any questions, feel free to comment on this post or email me at jjzhawks@hotmail.com and I’ll try to answer your question. Have fun!
When you first get to the PYP website, you’ll notice that the homepage contains a welcome as well as advertisements and other information. Across the top of the page, you’ll notice a menu containing different items. I’m going to take some time and explain each of these in a bit of detail for you. The site can be a bit confusing when you first get on to it, so hopefully this will help you understand what is out there and how it can be useful to you.
The first item on the menu is the HOME button. Obviously this will take you back to this first page at any time. If you’re navigating around and get lost, this can be useful to get yourself back to the “beginning” so to speak.
The second item on the menu is the FORUMS button. In addition to grocery stores, PYP also contains information on a lot of other items such as: welcomes, registering, grocery guides, online deals, deals at stores around town (such as ShopKo, Target, Walgreens, Walmart, etc.), and a whole lot of other things! There is so much information and you can find almost anything you are looking for. I’ve only looked at about half of it and been very impressed with the information I’ve found. I especially like the online deals and deals around town myself, I tend to use these two the most in my shopping. You’ll really have to browse around these forums to see what they have to offer you.
The third item on the menu is the PYP BLOG. This is a very useful blog where they sometimes explain different things that they think will be interesting to a lot of people. I’ve referenced this blog a few times in some of my posts. Items such as: How to file an online Walgreens rebate, Why using PYP is easier and better than other similar websites, etc. have been ones I’ve found useful and used in my posts to share. This is not something that is updated every day, but does contain useful information.
The fourth item on the menu is SCREAMING DEALS BY STATE (OR STATE FORUMS). This is where you find all of the grocery deals at stores for a specific state. If you click on this menu item, you can see that each state has it’s own sub-forum. Since the PYP website was actually started by 2 ladies here in Utah, the Utah forum is obviously contains the most and is the most visited. But I know that there are other states where PYPers are starting to provide information on sales and other items. Once you click on the state, such as Utah, you will see the forum items listed. For Utah, there is a small upper box containing other miscellaneous information such as: Getting Started in Utah, Utah off-topic/fun stuff/ help, and Local referrals – Utah. These provide information not related to groceries per say, but useful in other areas. Below that first box is a listing of the threads for the forum. This is where you find your grocery lists for certain stores. Usually, you can scroll down and find the thread for the store and dates you are interested in. When you click on the link, it pulls up the forum and the first post contains the information on the sale for that store during that time frame. There is usually a link to the list, which when you click on the link, it will take you to another window containing the list. As I mentioned in the Grocery Smarts post, this list is exactly the same as the one on their website. You will notice sometimes that when you click on thread, you will see 2 links: One might say that it is a link to the Grocery Smarts or Printable list, the other says it is a link to the old style list, which is the PYP version. The Grocery Smarts and PYP administrators work together to provide these lists to us, so they often reference one another on their sites. Unlike the GS lists, the PYP lists can’t be shrunk or printed with just the items you want (see the Grocery Smarts Post for further explanation). The one benefit to using the PYP lists is all of the posts and comments from the administrators and other PYP users. Sometimes additional deals not in the ad will be posted or other coupons will be listed that weren’t available to the administrator or at the beginning of the sale. I find it very useful to scroll through these regularly to pick up useful information during the sales.
The fifth item on the menu is the COUPON LIST. I just recently started using this menu item and I love it! When you click on the menu item, it takes you to another screen with a scroll box. If you scroll down to your state and click the go button, you will see a complete listing of coupons available in that state. Now you’re asking yourself, how can this be useful? Well, say you’re still working on getting stocked on things, so you run out of a particular item. You decide you can’t wait for that item to go on sale, so you decided to head to the store to pick up 1 or 2 to have in the meantime. The first thing that usually comes to my mind at this point is: “Is there a coupon out there for this item so that I might be able to save at least a little bit when I pick it up?” Well, instead of pulling out your coupons and looking through everything for a coupon for this item, which may or may not exist, you can just come to this page and scroll down to the item (they are all listed alphabetically) and see if there is one that exists. Takes about 30 seconds and well worth the time savings! This coupon list contains listing of paper as well as online coupons, so it’s very complete. The only drawback to this menu item is that the coupon lists are only available for a handful of states. They are adding more states all the time, so hopefully the state you are in is either listed or will be shortly.
The sixth item on the menu is COUPONS 101. This is a basic explanation of how to use coupons, use them effectively, getting organized, experiences, tips, shopping online, shopping around town, etc. If you’re new to the system, this can give you a bunch of information to help you get started. Even if you’ve been doing this for a while, I would recommend reading this section just in case There are always useful tips and such you can pick up.
The seventh item on the menu is the GROCERY GUIDE. This is a section done by someone other than PYP and is very similar to the grocery lists you find under the Screaming Deals by State menu item. It does have more stores, but the format is not very user friendly and I don’t tend to like it much. That’s just a personal preference, so feel free to use it if it fits your style better. The coupon links are very hard to use and aren’t always complete.
The eighth item on the menu is REGISTER HERE. This is where you register to be a member of PYP. For a while, I was just a guest user on PYP and didn’t have any issues. After a couple of weeks, I decided I wanted to be a member and signed up. It was completely easy and free! I believe you can view the forums and such for a while for free, but after a while you might start to get messages about not being able to view things because you aren’t a member. There are other uses to being a member too, you can post different comments on the forums for deals you find and want to share with others or post other comments. Honestly, I haven’t regretted being a member one time and recommend it to everyone who plans to use the site.
The final item on the menu is CONTACT US. This is self explanatory, but if you find you need to the contact the PYP administrators, it contains information on how to get a hold of them.
I hope this helps you become familiar with the PYP website a bit more. To really understand all of what’s available, you really have to play around and see what you can find. If you have any questions, feel free to comment on this post or email me at jjzhawks@hotmail.com and I’ll try to answer your question. Have fun!
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