Thursday, December 9, 2010

My little shopping girl

My daughter wanted to support her school by going to her schools shopping night at Fresh n Easy Grocery Store.  This week we are really strapped for cash, (I had to borrow 10 from my daughter)  so I told  her she had to use her own money to purchase something and all she had with her was 68 cents.  She insisted on finding "something" so she could help her school.  My husband protested saying she wouldn't be able to find anything and he stayed in the car. 

This is how she worked it:

Two bananas @.19 each
We got a free sample of hazelnut candy at the sample counter.
At the sample counter, they were also giving away crayons and a coloring book, FREE 
Then she saw the sale section and got a package of haloween napkins marked down to 25 cents.

Total purchase price:  65 cents

This kid rocks!

Monday, November 8, 2010

50% off at Michaels

Michael's is having a great sale....here are some awsome coupons, including one for 50% off one item and one for 20% off your entire purchase! Click here.
Thanks Mojosavings!

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Get a Free Renuzit Cone

Go to Renuzit's facebook page, and click on the free cone tab.  "Like" them and it will take you to a page where you can print your coupon.

Go here to their page on facebook.

Then go to CVS because they are on sale for 99 cents this week!

Saturday, November 6, 2010

CVS on 11/5/2010 $46.20 OUT OF POCKET


3  12 packs of soda               $11 
1  Olay body wash                 $7
2  Tide Stain booster              $3.99
2 Bounce Dryer Bars              $3.99
1 Downy                                $3.99
1 4pk Duracell Batteries         $2.99  
1 Oral B Pulsar Toothbrush    $4.99
1 Shick Xtreme                      $14.29
1 Shick Xtreme                      $ 7.14
1 Renuzit Air Freshener          $1.57
1 Excedrin                             $9.79
1 2 pak Crest Toothpaste       $5.99
1 Crest White Strips              $31.99
1Cover girl Lip Stain              $8.00
                                                                 $124.70   Item Total
Coupons used:
Duracell                                          1.50
Downy                                            1.00
Bounce                                           1.00
Bounce                                           1.00
Tide                                                1.00
Tide                                                1.00
Crest Toothpaste                             1.00 
Olay                                                2.00
Shick                                               5.00
Schick                                             5.00
Oral B                                             3.00
Crest White Strips                           10.00
CVS $4off/$20 purchase                  4.00
CVS $3off makeup                           3.00
                                                               39.50 coupon total

                                                                        
Extra Care Bucks Earned: 

Soda                                               3
Oral B                                             4
Crest Toothpaste                             2
Crest Whitestrips                             10
Olay                                                 3
Covergirl                                          3
$4 off next purchase                         4
Excedrine                                         10 
                                                               39.00

                                                                             Item Total            124.70
                                                                             Less Coupons        39.50
                                                                                                           85.20
                                                                             Less ECB's             39.00

                                                                              Final Cost              46.20
The Excedrine ECB didn't show up on my receipt so I will go ask them about it.  Maybe I misunderstood the ad.  It said to spend $20 but it didn't say solely on Excedrine...

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Save Mart Run Last Night...

I went to pick up my free gallon of milk and thought I'd pick a few other things I had coupons for.  I was looking for the .59 hot dogs and couldn't find them.  The meat market guy was busy and I saw another employee so thought I'd ask her...after I did so, I realized she was already off duty but insisted on helping me anyway.  She was so kind and helpful, she asked the meat market guy if they had any in back and when he said no, she told me to go get a raincheck for them.  I'm really lovin' Save Mart. 

For $3.59 I walked out with a gallon of milk, two one lb. bags of pasta, one bottle of apple juice, some bananas and my savings were 64%. 

Fresh n Easy Market

If you sign up to receive their weekly flyer, you can access a coupon for $10 off a $50 purchase.

JC Penney Coupons

http://f.jcpenneyem.com/i/2/95827765/welcomemain.html?

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Coupon Policy Update

Our reader, Carolyn  left us a note to say that:

Fresh & Easy does NOT allow any coupons.

T&C and SaveMart take them on any item, including sale items.

I love Save Mart!

I didn't have all that many coupons to use this week, but they had good sales.  I saved 43% off my total bill and got tons of Catalinas.  I got one for a gallon of FREE milk, one FREE bakery French Bread Loaf, $1 off fresh meat, $5 off next purchase of $120 or more, and one dollar off two cans of Campbell's Chunky soup.  I also received two more entries to their sweepstakes drawings;  one for a basketball package, and one for $500 gift card. 

I'm not so thrilled with Town & Country Market.  I'll write more about that embarrassing experience later.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Sales I'm seeing this week:

Now, my math skills aren't superior, and I make mistakes sometimes, so don't get mad at me if I misstate something.  I'm just doing this for fun.  Double check my math if you like.  I won't take it personal....and please let me know if I'm wrong, so I can correct it.

Save Mart

Save Mart has a good ConAgra sale going. 
When you by $10 of these participating items, you get 3 Banquet Pot Pies or Fruit Pies free.

10/$10     Dennison's Chlli, Rosarita refried beans, or banquet dinners.
4/$5         Chef Boyardee (sm can 15 oz.) canned ravioli
.88           Hunts Snack Pack Pudding or Gelatin 4/pk

There are other selections in the ConAgra section of the sale, these are just the ones I like.

Don't miss the great coupons on the back cover of the SaveMart flyer

.99 lb.    Foster Farms leg quarters
.77 lb.    Red Seedless Grapes

Check your mail box for the Red Plum coupon flyer.  There is a $2.00 coupon for Wisk which is on sale at SM for 5.99.  After coupon your price will be: 2.99.

They have Kellogs Frosted Mini-Wheats 3/$8.  If you go here there is a $1.00 off coupon on two boxes.  This would make your cereal $2.34 per box.  If you are a serious saver, buy six boxes, print three coupons, and this will make the cereal 2.17 per box. 

Fresh & Easy
I have not tried to use coupons on sale items here yet, so I am not sure if their policy allows it.  You may want to check first.

They are having a buy one get one free sale on Farmer John hot dogs again this week.  They regularly charge 2.98 per package for these, which is what I pay for ALL BEEF.  These are NOT all beef.  If you do not care, this is a good deal if you have the $2.00 off coupon.  That would make them .49 per package.  I can't find the coupon on Smart Source anymore, so it may be out of print.

There is a 50% off on Hershey and Wonka Candy.  I got a  $2/1 bag of Wonka-Nestle Mix coupon at coupons.com.  If you can't print that one, there were also coupons in last week's Red Plum, if  you still have it. 

Town & Country Mkt
Again, I have not tried to use coupons on sale items here yet, so I am not sure if their policy allows it.  You may want to check first.

Kid Cuisine 5/$10
Skippy Peanut Butter 2/$5  plus if you clip the coupon in the booklet, you get free jelly.


My eyes are crossing so I'm gonna take a break.  I'll try to post more later.  Have a great day!

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

My first attempt at using coupons...SAVE MART

I went on the three most popular coupon websites and downloaded my coupons.  I studied my Save Mart weekly ad.  It was a good week to start.  They had lots of 10 for $10 offers.  Just wish I'd planned a wee bit better; I didn't have a coupon for each item...and that is a key point to strategic shopping.   But even so, at Save Mart, I saved 49% the first time out with my new plan.  I was so excited, I went to CVS and there I saved 45%.  This was October 16, 2010, a turning point in my life. 

My next trip was to Walgreens.   I bought six bottles of Nivea body wash, 2 for men and 4 for women. My coupons were: 2 coupons for $3 off of ONE bottle of MENS and two coupons for $3 off of TWO  bottles of WOMENS Nivea.  Walgreens was having a sale of 2 for $5.  So my total should have been $15 before coupons and should have been $3 plus tax.  They refused one of my $3 off one coupons, claiming that their registers couldn't calculate a loss (which is ridiculous because it took a loss on one bottle anyway.  I still had a balance for it to be deducted from).   So, reluctantly I spent 6 dollars (not including tax) on 6 bottles. My savings:   83%   in money terms:  35.94 - 6.00 = 29.94 saved.

I have since been to CVS a couple of times and each time saved:  42.05 and 29.26.

I am stockpiling foods and personal care items we use that are on sale, even though we don't need these things at the moment, eventually we will.  I'd prefer to buy them at 50% off and not have to pay full price because I waited till the last minute.  It's just a different way of looking at things.  Our financial outlook is already turning around.  I think this next month will be the first month I won't HAVE to use our credit cards to buy groceries.  I just wish I'd figured all this out before we maxed them out!  Hopefully next month we can begin to reduce the balances!  This is so exciting for me!  I can't wait to be debt free.

A Fresh Start

I am new to blogging and to frugality.  I am trying to turn my family's finances around so we can stop bleeding money.  I think I’m on the right track and if you would like to follow along, you are very welcome to observe, and even make your own decision to save a little money on your own.

 I had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that it wasn’t that God should provide more, but that I should manage well what I had been given.  Even though it isn’t much it is my job to manage what there is, and I can do better.

I will set some goals, and give tips and share about how much I have saved.  I will try to set realistic goals so that it will inspire myself as well as you.  I think it will help me be accountable as well.

I will give all the glory to God, who helps me in all things and it is by Him that I am able to do anything at all.  He is the lifter of my head and the one who has given me strength , knowledge and a desire to please Him in all ways, but most recently by being a good steward of  the money he has given my family.