El Rancho Trip 2/28: Shop Local Sales To Save Big!

Last week I told you about some of the meat deals going on right now in the Dallas area.  Today, I was finally able to get to one of the stores and take advantage of some of them, and some produce deals, too.  I went mostly to get the $0.98/lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, which we have been out of for quite some time.  I had also planned on getting some bone-in pork stew meat for the same price, but changed my mind after seeing it.  I did, however, notice that there was an unadvertised special on ground beef for $1.00/lb.  We were out of that, too so I picked up some of that instead of the pork.  Besides, I still had some chops in the freezer.

Here is what I was able to get at El Rancho Today:

15 lbs of chicken @ $0.98/lb=$14.95
10 lbs ground beef @ $1/lb=$10.01
2 5lb bags of russet potatoes @ $0.88 each=$1.76
8 cans tomatoes sauce @ 8 for $1=$1
6 tangerines @ 12 for $1= $0.50
8 avocadoes @ 8 for $1=$1
6 small apples @ 3 for $1= $2
4 yellow onions @ 3lbs for $1=$0.69

My total was $31.87, and to make things even better, I was able to pay for most of it with my $25 gift card that I received from my Prilosec rebate!  After the gift card, only $6.87 of that actually came out of our food budget for the month!

You might be thinking, my goodness that is a lot of meat!  Well, you would be right, it is.  Especially for a family of 4, whose children are 4 and 19 months.  But my husband is a teacher who gets paid once a month, so I try to stock up on meat for the month shortly after pay day.  It also helps to get so much at such a low price.  I will put this into the freezer until I am ready to cook it.  I freezer cook in batches, which means that one day I will cook up a whole bunch of chicken and then prepare several recipes using it.  The cooking time is no different, it just uses a bigger pot, and I can usually put away 8-12 chicken meals into my freezer in one evening (even more with ground beef!).  I have a few favorite recipes that I triple or quadruple, and then dinner time during the week is much less hectic. =)  I will be preparing for some major cooking this week!

I am actually wanting to try out some new recipes for chicken, so if you know of any, especially if they freeze well, please leave a link in the comments!  Thanks!

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Tom Thumb Trip 2/27

While I was out going to CVS I decided to swing my Tom Thumb as well.  I usually see the ad when it comes out on Wednesday and am not very impressed with it, but every Sunday it seems that a second small ad comes out in the paper with some great in-ad coupons that are pretty hard to resist.  They were also having a Buy 3 Save $6 on coffee/tea products that I wanted to check out because I was able to score some great deals with that sale last time they did it.

Here is what I came home with:

Total Shelf Price:  $36.62
Total Sale Price:   $21.57
Price After $6 Beverage Savings:  $15.57
Price Paid After Coupons:  $8.87   76% Savings

-The Lipton Tea was just $0.99 after the $6 savings ($2.99-$2 off each item).  I used 3 $0.60/1 from the 1/30 SS (expire today!) made them just $0.39 each!
-The Skippy was on in-ad coupon for $1.49 (limit 8).  I used the $0.50/1 coupon from 1/30 SS (doubled), made it only $0.49!  *note: Tom Thumb will only double one like coupon, all others are redeemed at face value.*
-The Ken's was on in-ad coupon for $1.19.  I used a $1/1 coupon from the 1/9 SS making it just $0.19.
-The Quaker Oatmeal was on in-ad coupon for $1.77 each.  I used 2 $1/1 from 1/2 (do not recall if from SS or RP), made them just $0.77 each.
-I got the Ragu because I had one remaining $0.30/1 from the 1/30 SS that tripled.
-I got the strawberries to assure that I had over the minimum $10 limit to use the in-ad coupons.  They were on sale for $3.99 BOGO FREE, so that worked out to $2 each.  Not a bad price.

I'm very tempted to go out to Kroger tonight with a bunch of coupons that expire today, but I'm pretty tired, so I will most likely not.  Would you make an extra trip if you had coupons expiring?

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CVS Trip 2/27

I made sure I went to CVS today because I had a $4/$20 coupon that had been emailed to me that expired today.  There was also a great deal on Dove products, and all of my coupons from 1/30 SS expired today as well.

Here is what I was able to get today:

Total Shelf Price:  $49.52
Total Sale Price:   $41.28
Price Paid After Coupons:  $15.28
Price Paid after $14.58 in ECBs from last trip and tax:  $0.84 AND I got back $16 in ECBs!

-The 1/30 SS has $2/1 Dove Deodorants/body splash and $1/1 Shampoo Conditioner.  Spend $15 get $5 ECBs this week.
-Today's SS had a $1/1 Physicians Formula.  I also had gotten a printable $7 store coupon from the machine on my last trip.  Spend $10 get $7 ECBs this week.  The Eye Shadow I got was priced at $11.29.
-There was a $4/1 Proglide in the P&G (I used the one from the last P&G b/c it was expiring tomorrow, but this morning's had one also).  $9.99-coupon=$5.99 and get back $4 ECBs.

I was trying to find the Crest ProHealth items that were free after ECBs but there were no signs up and after scanning three different items, none of which rang up the sale price, and I didn't have a coupon for it any way, I decided to let it go and check out.  I had originally not picked up the body mist, but my existing ECBs were going to put me with an overage, and I had one more $2 off coupon, so I grabbed the body mist, too.  I tell you this just to point out that I bought more Dove products than I needed to in order to get my ECBs.  The shampoo/conditioner and three deodorants added up to $16.50 before coupons, so that is all I really needed to purchase.

What are you going to CVS for this week?

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Aldi Trip 2/26

I haven't posted an Aldi trip quite some time, but since it has opened up in my area, I have found it to be a great help in saving my family money.  Since today was our monthly payday, we were running out of quite a few things that we needed around here, and there was some produce on sale that I wanted to stock up on.  By stocking up on coupon deals at the various grocery chains, my list of things that we are in need of each month has continued to shrink.  Also, by shopping in a smaller store it has been much easier to stick to my list and not pick up too many extras.

Here is what I came home with tonight.  Much of this, the more costly items, will last us the entire month so I will only need to fill in with perishable items and sale items that I wish to take advantage of.

All of this cost me $58.19.  It seems like a lot after making purchases with coupons, but then I recall that before I began couponing seriously, I was spending sometimes $200 at Wal-Mart each payday on a list of needed items over 2 pages long.  That almost never included snack items, or extras that we just liked to have around, like the "velveeta" cheese above.

I'm going to be spending a lot of money this week, since I am going to be buying some meat that is on sale.  I have been really slacking on my freezer cooking, and do not have much of a supply left.  I hope to be able to plan some recipes around items that I already have in my stockpile, so I will not have to buy too many extras to complete my meals.

Do you have any favorite go-to meals from your pantry?  I would love some new ideas.

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Sunday Coupon Preview for 2/27

Tomorrow we should be getting 2 coupon inserts, a SmartSource, and a Proctor and Gamble.  If you want to take a look at the specific coupons you can expect, you can go here.

My favorites are Dannonino, Huggies, Best Life Buttery Spread, and Cuties.

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Dallas Area Meat, etc. Deals: 2/23-3/1

In the Dallas area, there are a few Hispanic grocery store chains.  I have found these places to have outstanding prices on meat and produce.  The deals had been pretty scarce at these places through the winter, but I recall them being great last spring.  I am happy to see the warmer weather bringing back the lower prices again. ;)

Here are the best deals I see at the three stores I get ads from.  I will provide links to their store finders so you can see if there is one near you.

Fiesta:
Tyson Whole Fryers  $0.67/lb
Tilapia Fillets    $3.69/lb
Fryer Breast Quarters   $1.19/lb
Pork Spare Ribs        $1.19/lb
Fryer Drumsticks    $0.49/lb (Thursday Friday only)
Cantaloupes     $0.99 each

El Rio Grande:
Pork End Chops  $1.00/lb  (no limit, with $10 purchase)
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts  $1.00/lb  (no limit, with $10 purchase)
Center Cut Pork Ribs  $0.79/lb   (no limit, with $10 purchase)
Catfish Nuggets    $1.29/lb
18 ct eggs   $0.99  (limit 1 with $10 purchase)
Single Roll Cielito Paper Towel  3 for $1  (limit 3 with $10 purchase)
Yellow Onions   4lbs for $1
Small Hass Avocados  4 for $1
70% Lean Ground Beef  $1.69/lb   (I've seen this as low as $1/lb here)
Boneless Pork Stew Meat  $1.49/lb  (I've seen this as low as $1/lb here)
Cantaloupe  $0.99 each
Fresh Cilantro  4 bunches for $1

El Rancho:
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts     $0.98/lb
Pork Stew Meat (boneless and bone-in mixed)  $0.98/lb
Parade tomato sauce     8 for $1  (limit 8 with $10 additional purchase)
30 ct Eggs.  $1.98  (limit 2 with $10 additional purchase)
5lb. bag of Russet Potatoes    $0.88 each
Avocados  8 for $1
Tangerines  12 for $1
Marinated Chicken Leg Quarters  $0.99/lb
Green Cabbage  2 lbs for $0.98
Yellow Onions  3 lbs for $1
Head Lettuce  $0.99 each
Yams  $0.59/lb
Large Mangos 2 for $1.09
Grapefruit  4 for $1


I know that Fiesta takes coupons, but does not double them.  The other two I do not know about, but I will try to find out.  I have found the unadvertised items at these places to be very high, so I usually do not buy anything else while I am at these places.  I have actually never been inside of El Rio Grande, but I've had my husband stop on his way home from work. ;)

If you live in the Dallas area, please let me know if this type of combined post is helpful for you.  I would like to continue to provide this information in this way instead of three separate posts.

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Another Trip To Kroger: Thankful For Those Daytona Rewards

Last night, a last minute change of dinner plans made it necessary to head back to the store.  I chose to go back to Kroger because I had some of their money to spend.  That was a very good thing, as my last trip had put me slightly over budget for the month, and payday isn't until tomorrow.

A secondary reason for going back was that I had noticed they had some Playtex tampons (only the regular absorbency) on closeout for just $2.90.  Using the $2/1 coupons from the 1/2 SS (that I did not have with me that morning), I was able to get 6 boxes of them for just $0.90 each!  If you are heading to Kroger this week, bring that coupon along with you just in case they are on closeout at your store, too!

Here is what I got (and why I need to do better at menu planning!):

Total Shelf Price:  $33.62  (the tampons were $4.69 regular price, if I recall correctly).  $2.99 for 6 Hoagie rolls *sheesh* and $1.99 for 1 pack of mozzarella.
Total Sale Price:  $22.38
Total After Coupons:  $10.38
Price Paid after Using $10 of my OYNO Coupons:  $0.38   99% Savings!

I still have $13 OYNO coupons to use before March 9th.

Starting tomorrow, payday, I am going to buy some great meat deals that I will post about shortly, and I am going to do some freezer cooking, and stock my freezer back up and make my menu for the month again, or at least two weeks.  Even pre-cooked food needs to be thawed and needs things to go with it, so waiting until the last minute to pull something out of the freezer is still not doing me any good.  I need to do better!

How many times a week do you have to run back to the store?  Or, if you have it all together, what is your secret?  Do tell!

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Free Secret Mineral Sample: Facebook Offer

Head over to the Secret Facebook Page to request a free sample of their new natural mineral deodorant.  Not sure how long this one will last, so hurry!

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Aldi Deals: 2/23-3/1

Aldi is having an Italian food special this week.  Many of their pastas and sauces are reduced even lower.

They also have the following produce items advertised to round out your meal:

Little Salad Bar Italian or Caesar Salad Mix    $0.99/bag  
Tri-Colored Peppers   $1.69/pack which includes a red, orange, and yellow bell pepper
Whole Mushrooms      $0.69/ 8oz. package
Yellow Onions             $0.25/lb sold in 3 lb. bags for $0.75 each
Roma Tomatoes          $0.65/ 20 oz. package


These are advertised in the Dallas area.  I know produce prices can vary greatly, though.  Are they the same or different where you live?

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Kroger Trip 2/23: Pizzas, and Biscuits, and Meatballs, Oh My!

I had been putting off going to Kroger all last week, but I finally made it out there today.  I decided to go today instead of last night because a new ad began today with a 10 for $10 sale alongside the Daytona Mega Event, and I wanted to pick up a few of the things that would be included in that.  I was able to go alone because my husbands parents are visiting, and so the girls stayed home with grandpa.  (Grandma actually caught the virus that my girls had, and because of her existing poor health, she had to be hospitalized, so say a prayer for her quick recovery.  They were supposed to go home yesterday, but couldn't.)  I was in a little bit of a hurry because I knew he wanted to head up to the hospital when I got back, but the store was not crowded and it was well stocked, so that made shopping very easy.

I ended up with 7 sets of participating Mega items in my cart, or so I thought.  I counted them as 70 two times, but when I got to the car, I realized that I had only gotten 6 $3 OYNO coupons, and the receipt only had 69 items.  *Note:  I discovered that one of my Coffeemates did not ring up as a participating item.*  I went back in, purchased one Banquet dinner, which was $0.58 with the sale price, and they refunded me the difference from the other $3 I should have saved, and printed me my other $3 coupon without any hassle at all.

Here is everything I came home with (click to enlarge):

Total Shelf Price:   $124.56

Total Sale Price (Including 7 Sets Mega Items):  $80.95

Price Paid After Coupons:  $39.47    68% Savings   AND I got back $23 to spend on my next trip (7 sets of Mega items for $21 and $2 from a Coffeemate promotion)

What I got (Mega items in italics:

18 Totinos Pizzas  

6 Pizza Rolls  --I've been so hungry for pizza, and my kid won't eat it, so my husband and I will have these as late night snacks, I'm sure.  Awful I know.

4 CoffeeMate--I had free coupons for these, and I see now that one of the varieties did not ring up as a Mega Sale Item...I had actually counted right!

24 Chef Boyardee (I had 8 $0.35/3 coupons which will triple, but the register would only let her scan in 6 of them, so technically I should have paid $2.10 less, but oh well)

12 Grands Biscuits--I remember seeing a King Cake recipe using these.  I'm going to try to find it.

3 Ragu

3 Hefty Freezer Bags

1 Banquet Frozen Dinner (the extra I went back in for-it ended up being my late lunch when I got home)

2 Land O Lakes Spreadable Butter ($1- $0.40/1 coupon from 2/6 SS-doubles=$0.20 each)

3 Snack Packs ($1, but there was a tearpad in front of the Chef Boyardee for a FREE snack pack wyb4)

3 Starkist ($1-$0.50/1 printable (doubles)=FREE)  I thought I got tuna, but actually grabbed tuna salad...

1 Bread $1

1 pack Cuties  $3.49  Ok, this was a splurge, but thats a decent price and we love these.  Plus it's way healthier than the rest of the stuff I got. ;)  My baby couldn't wait to get her hands on them.

I was actually hoping to find some meat marked down, and I was going to put the oranges and meat on a separate order and use my coupons that I earned to pay for that, but I didn't find any.   I could have payed less out of pocket if I had split these into more than one transaction, but quite honestly I was just ready to get out of there and there was a line behind me.  I will just use my reward coupons and save a bunch next trip.

  

Did anyone else make it to the Mega Event?  How did you do?  If you haven't yet, it is lasting all this week, too!

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New Free Kindle Books

I absolutely love reading!  However, buying books can be really expensive.  That is why I absolutely love the rotating stock of free books available for the Kindle.  The best part is, you do not need a Kindle to read them!  You may choose your preferred platform here and begin reading these free books within minutes.

Here are some that are available right now:

Medical Error

I downloaded Code Blue my this author a few months ago when it was free.  I'm not done with it yet, but it is good so far, so I'm excited to finish it and begin this one.  I think they are stand alone books, and not a series.

Squidge:  Little Elf, Big Trouble

This looks like a fun one for the kids.  I wish it was released near Christmas.  I will probably forget all about it by next year. ;)

How To Make Money Marketing Your Business on Facebook

Here is a good one if you have your own business or blog.

Genes, Germs, and Civilizations
How Epidemics Shaped Who We Are Today

If you prefer non-fiction, you might like this one.  I downloaded it when it was available for free last August, but it is back if you missed it then.






There are many, many more to choose from, including hundreds of classics, which I LOVE reading.  Have a look at the right-hand side of the bestsellers list for more to choose from.

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Tom Thumb Trip 2/20

There were a couple of really good in-ad coupons this morning for Tom Thumb, and I had also been craving some Diet Coke, so I wanted to go get the deal they have going right now:  Buy 2-12pks, get 2 FREE plus get 2 FREE Nabisco Crackers (wheat thins, triscuit, etc.)  When I got there, I was astonished to find that the 2 12 packs that I had to buy were priced at $5.99 each!  I still got them though because it came out to just $3 per pack in the end with two free packs of crackers thrown in.  The self check out actually didn't even beep when I used a $1/2 Nabisco crackers coupon.  I honestly did not think it would work, but I brought it along just to see.

This was nearly a completely frivolous trip, but there was still some nice savings.  Here is what I was able to get:

Total Shelf Price:  $62.60
Total Sale Price:   $25.91
Price Paid After Coupons + tax:  $19.80   68% Savings

The lunchmeat and tomatoes were the really great deals for this trip.  In this mornings newspaper, there was a small Tom Thumb ad (there usually is on Sunday's so keep an eye out for that) and it contained several great in-ad coupons.  The Buddig Deli Meat was on coupon for just $1.99 (down from $4.39!) and there were $1/1 coupons in the 1/30 SS, making them just $0.99 each.  There is a limit of 5, but I only had 4 coupons. ;)  The Nature Sweet tomatoes were on coupon for just $0.99 each (down from $3.99!) and there were $0.55/1 coupons in the 1/23 SS making them just $0.44 each.  The limit was 2.  Also, the frappuccinos (my weakness) were on coupon for $3.99, and I found one more $1 off coupon-I thought I had used them all!-making it just $2.99 for a 4 pack.  Just $0.75 per bottle.

Sure, I didn't need to get half of this stuff, but every once in a while you gotta give yourself a little treat. ;)  Especially if you have a coupon to use on it. =)

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Target Trip 2/19--72% Savings

I posted earlier about the Pedialyte coupon that I had found, and that was my main reason for going to Target today.  I didn't want to waste a trip to Target without grabbing some of the great deals I knew I could get there, since I hadn't been in a LONG time.  So I pulled together a few coupons I already had clipped and I took my older daughter along with me.

We went and picked up the Pedialyte and some more diapers first.  (I normally use cloth, but I've been opting for disposables until the GI issues subside.  I hate viruses.)  After that we made a pass through the clothing clearance racks.  I found this dress shirt for my husband 75% off:

We did not find anything else of note in the clothing departments, unless you want to count the pair of black lacy thong panties that my 4 year old snatched up and held in the air and loudly pronounced them 'so cute'.  Those were not purchased.  

I was making my way over to the grocery side of the store when this caught my eye:

My daughter's walls are pretty bare so I thought this would be perfect!  She loved it, and it's not often you find artwork this cheap.

I went and bought the few other items that I needed/had coupons for.  I had been sent a home mailer from Target filled with store coupons that stated "$xx off ANY BRAND of_____" I used those on the produce (I had $1 off each for fresh fruit and fresh vegetables) and bread and they made them free or nearly so.  I also used my $5/1 Maalox coupons from the 1/9 SS and my $1/1 Friskies cat treats from the 1/23 SS and the coupons for Oscar Meyer Carving Board meat that I told you about here.  I also used my FREE coupons for the Purina One Beyond pet food.  My friend sent me hers (Thanks, Tracy!) so I was able to try both the dog and cat formulas.  

Here is everything else that I actually went there for (not pictured is a large jug of cat litter that did not make it into the picture for some reason):

Before I left, I decided to swing by the Valentine's clearance, and boy am I glad I did!  The signs in the area read 75% off.  I was able to get all of this stuff to put away for later for just $9.06!

All of the above pictures should have cost me  $142.20, but with all coupons and discounts I spent only  $39.11 including tax!  That is a 72% Savings!  

I was still feeling a bit guilty about buying all of the extras until my husband texted me on the way to the checkout to say that our income tax refund had hit the bank. =)  A good morning all around.  Now if only this virus would go away...=/

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Pedialyte Coupon

I have not been around in a couple days.  That is because my girls have been sick.  Well, we ran out of Pedialyte,so I am going to have to go get some more.  Before I left I did a quick internet search, just to see...and here is what I found:   a coupon for $1.50/1 Pedialyte product!

I know sickness is going around lately, so I thought I would share this one in case anyone else was needing some.  I certainly hope your aren't though.  ;)  This is no fun at all!  Plus this stuff is rather costly, and the generic brands must taste awful because my 18 month old never wants to drink them.   This is a great high value coupon!

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Check Your Cellfire Account: Free Coupon for Kroger Affiliate Stores

Log into your cellfire account before 5pm CST today to load your FREE coupon.  You will randomly be awarded a coupon value between $0.55 and $2 to load to you Kroger (or affliliates) card.  I was awarded a $0.55 coupon.  Go see what you will get!  They have been having these promotions weekly, and I am loving them!  Last week I got a $3 coupon, which totally helped me lower my out of pocket costs on this trip.  On their facebook page last week, they promised to include more stores than just Kroger in this type of promotion very soon, so if you do not have a Kroger store, you may soon be in luck!

Also, while you are there, make sure to load up the many other great coupons to your shopper card.  If there is more than one store in your area that participates in the cellfire program, go read my warning here before loading the coupons to your cards.

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Kraft First Taste: New Offer

If you are a member of Kraft First Taste, log into your account now to see if you have a new offer from Philadelphia.  I was able to request a coupon by mail for a FREE tub of their new cooking creme.  Not all members of Kraft First Taste receive the same offers.  You may be offered a printable money off coupon instead.  If you do not have an account with Kraft First Taste yet, sign up here to be eligible for future offers.

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Request Free Proctor and Gamble Coupons By Mail

Go here for a list of several coupons that are available to request by mail.  Check as many as you want and then submit.  There is a great variety so everyone should be able to find something they could use.

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Kroger Trip: 2/14 73% Savings

After we left CVS, we headed over to Kroger.  I had planned to go out there later tonight, but figured I might as well go while I was already out.  I was able to get most of the deals that I told you about in this post.  They were all out of the Dove deoderant, though.  I did find for great markdowns.  Here is everything I came home with.

Total Shelf Price:  $57.85
Total Sale Price:  $34.80
Price Paid After Coupons and Tax:  $15.66    73% Savings

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CVS Trip: 2/14--92% Savings

My husband had a prescription waiting to be picked up an my girls wanted to get out of the house, so I pulled out a few coupons that I needed and off we went.  When I first walked in, I scanned my card as always.  I got several great coupons, including $3/1 Oscillo Natural Flu medicine, $1/1 Noxema, $7/1 Physician's Formula, $1/1 bag of Dove chocolate.  My favorite coupon though, and I told the cashier that the machine loved me today, was a $1off any 1 Starbucks product.  Well, that one certainly got used today!  Imagine there is a bottle of mocha Frapuccino in my picture as well. ;)

Here is everything I came home with (minus the coffee of course):

Total Shelf Price:  $37.59

Total Sale Price:   $27.06

Price After Coupons:  $14.81

Price Paid After $12 ECBs from last trip and tax:  $2.92  *and* I got back $14.58 in ECBs! 
92% Savings!

Coupons I used:

--3 $0.50/1 Honest Tea Coupons (I was never able to find these at Kroger during the Mega Sale the last two weeks, so they came in handy for this)  On sale $1 each.  Get $1 ECB wyb 3.  Coupons make $0.50 each before ECBs and $0.50/3 after ECBs

--3 $1/1 Gain dish detergent from the P&G rebate coupon book I recieved by mail, and 1 $0.25/1 from 1/16 PG.  These were on sale for $0.88 with no ECBs.  After coupons I paid $0.27 for all 4 bottles.

--1 each of $2/1 Listerine Total care and Listerine Whitening.  Looks like there were left over form the 9/19 and 10/10 RP inserts.  They were filed away in my binder, so I had to look it up in a database.  These were on sale for $3.99 and giving $2 ECBs wyb 1 (limit 2).  Free after coupon and ECBs.  If you do not have the $2/1, there are many more recent $1/1 coupons available.

--2 $1/1 Colgate sensitive, one from 2/6 SS and one from ALL You Magazine.  These were on sale for $3.79 and giving $3.79 ECBs (limit 2).  After coupons and ECBs this is a $1 money maker.

--$0.50/1 Speedstick from 1/30 SS.  These are on sale for $2.99 and giving $2 ECBs.  After coupons and ECBs these are only $0.49.

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Some New Stuff Available On Coupons.com

I just noticed several new coupons available to print on coupons.com.  They have many new pet items available, as well as many coupons for new movies you may be wanting to purchase.  There was also a large number of healthy/natural snack items, and one of my favorites--a $1/1 Hormel Always Tender Product.  I sometimes see these marked down at Kroger, so this will make a fantastic deal if I can find one.  Go check them out and see if there is anything you need.  And remember, don't wait to print them!

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Sunday Coupon Preview for 2/13

Tomorrow we can expect 3 coupon inserts:  a SmartSource, a Red Plum, and a General Mills.  Those always come in handy!

If you would like to take a look at the details, go here.

My favorites include:
$0.50/1 Colgate--will double at Kroger=FREE toothpaste this week!
$2.50/2 Kotex (pads and tampons)  makes them $1.75 each at Kroger this week.
$3/1 Gain fabric softener ---oooh I hope I get this one!  they can be regional =(

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Reminder: It's Mega SwagBucks Friday!

I just wanted to give you all a quick reminder that every Friday is Mega Swagbucks day.  You can earn higher than normal amounts of Swagbucks with a single search today, so start searching.

If you have not registered with Swagbucks yet, you can do so here.  You can redeem the points you earn from searching for many items in the Swagstore, including Amazon gift cards, which are my favorite.  It only takes 450 Swagbucks to get a $5 Amazon gift card, so start searching!

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Kroger Deals 2/9-2/15 and Why You Should Print Coupons Now!

When I got my grocery ads this week, I was expecting it to be a really slow week.  I was right, too.  It was hard to find the actual food that was on sale amidst the overpriced Valentine's Day merchandise.  Because of this, I intended this post to be about the few good deals at the three major stores in my area, although I didn't think any of them would actually motivate me to get to the store.  Upon closer inspection, I found that there really were not any deals I felt were worth telling you about at Alberton's or Tom Thumb.  However, if I truly want to stay away from the store, I need to stop examining the Kroger ad more closely.  I found several things that make great deals that I had missed at first glance (all that really caught my eye was the free tuna).  So here is a list of the best deals I see for this week at Kroger.  I will be making a trip to pick up some of these things myself.

• Starkist Tuna  $1.  If you were able to print the $0.50/1 pouch coupon recently (no more prints), or there was one in last month's All You magazine.  Either will double and make FREE tuna.
• Dove Deodorant  $2.  Use $2/1 from 1/30 RP= FREE!
• Colgate $0.98.  Use $0.75/1 from 1/30 SS= $0.23
• Minute Maid Orange Juice on sale $2.50 each.  Use BOGO printable from facebook (no longer available) if you got it a few weeks back.
• Xtra Detergent  $1.88.  Use $1/1 printable (no more prints) if you were able to get it.  I already used mine at CVS, so they may have expired already, I'm not sure.  If you have it, then you pay $0.88.
• Kotex  $3.  Use  $2/2 from 1/16SS.  Some areas may have gotten a $2/1.  $1-$2 each.
• Dannon Yogurt  $1.88.  Use $1/1 Activia from 1/30 SS = $0.88

Sadly, I'm not able to link to the printable coupons that match up with this sale because they are not available anymore.  If you ever see a printable coupon posted, and it is for something you use regularly or something you would like to try and it is high value, do NOT wait to print it.  It may not match up with a sale right away, but by the time there is a sale, like now, you may have lost your opportunity to print it.  You may end up with a few expiring before you are able to use them, or having to use them on a full price item before they expire, but to me that better than not having them to use.

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Aldi Produce Deals: 2/9-2/15

Here are the advertised produce deals at Aldi this week for the Dallas area:

--Gold Pineapple                $0.99 each
--Red or Green Grapes      $0.99/lb sold in 2 lb. packages for $1.98
--Strawberries                    $1.69/lb sold in 1 lb. packages

The ad also indicates lowered prices on all of their cheeses, which were decently priced to begin with!

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Kroger: New Daytona 500 Instant Win Game

Kroger is gearing up for yet another Mega Sale, and to get ready, they have begun another Instant Win game on their website.  Head on over and try your luck.  Pick the color car you think will win the race.  If you choose correctly, you can win free items.  I did not win today, but I will be trying again daily.  There are 18 days remaining to play, and they usually allow you two wins.  I never won the last instant win game they had, so hopefully I can win something this time!  Let me know if you do!

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A Great New Site I Just Found

I just came across this great new site called Food On The Table.  I have not fully used it, but it seems wonderful!

You can sign up for free (there is also a paid upgrade, if you choose).  It then asks you what stores you shop at near you.  This is so it can pick out recipes using that store's current sale items.  It also asks what your family eats for main dish items, so it can personalize meat and vegetarian dishes for you.

I can't wait to use this site more.  I am constantly looking for new recipes, and trying to shop the sales on meat.  It seems that the site only links to the major stores, but I often find great sales on meat at the smaller Hispanic grocery stores in my area.  This site gives you an option to choose non-sale items for your recipes, though.  If you have a meat that you got on sale elsewhere on hand, you can pick that item from the list and still get a recipe for it.

It gives you recipe choices that you can choose from.  Then it will put together a shopping list for you and tell you what you are saving by buying the items on sale.  Give it a try!

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Superbowl Sunday Shopping Trip: CVS, Tom Thumb, and Kroger

You may have saw my post on facebook about planning to go grocery shopping this afternoon.  I left about 4:30, thinking that everyone would be at home or some party glued to their TV set.  For the most part, I was correct.  I ended up going not just to Kroger, but to CVS and Tom Thumb as well.

The first place I stopped at was CVS.  I have been very impressed with the sales at CVS lately, because the Extra Bucks deals have been including quite a bit of actual food, which is great.  CVS has helped save me a ton of money, but it had never been much help for actual grocery items.  It was a little bit difficult to shop today, because they did not have all of the sale signs put up yet.  I find this is a problem on Sunday's and also late on Saturday when they have already begun pulling them down.  That handy little scanner machine was very helpful to me today, and my plan went perfectly.  Here is what I bought:

Total Shelf Price:  $44.89
Total Shelf Price:  $31.98
Price Paid After Coupons:  $26.98
Price Paid After $5/$30 coupon and $19 in ECBs from last trip and tax:  $3.06    93% Savings!  PLUS  I got back $12 in ECBs.


I used 2 $1/1 Lindor coupons from 1/23 SS, 2 $1/1 Quaker oatmeal coupons (1/2RP, all you mag.), and a $1/1 Tums printable.  I have heard reports of getting a $3/1 Tums coupon from the scanner machine.  That would have made the Tums free, and my whole transaction free, actually, but I did not get one.

I was in the checkout line at Tom Thumb at 5:05.  I didn't get out of the checkout line until 5:20.  That place was crazy!  I went through the self checkout, and there were still 3 people in all four of those lines when I got there.  They were out of the yogurt I wanted (in-ad coupon for $1.77 Yoplait kids, $0.50/1 printable on allyou.com.).  I found one bag of charcoal hidden in the wrong place (in-ad coupon for $3.99, had a $1.50/1 coupon from a booklet I picked up in store), and I got two Mission tortillas ($0.99 with in-ad coupon, free if you printed the coupon I told you about here (no longer available).

This stop did not go anything according to plan.  If the yogurt would have been in stock, it would have been fine, but when it wasn't I didn't even give it a second though.  I forgot that in order to use their in-ad coupons, you must have a $10 minimum purchase.  So, when I scanned the coupons they didn't take anything off.  I would have just cancelled the transaction, but I had already scanned my manufacturer coupons, and dropped them into the coupon slit.  So I paid for my transaction, more than I should have. =(  Then I went to grab the coupons that had been spitting out of the Catalina machine and they were gone.  I asked the grumpy stressed out cashier about it and she told me she had probably grabbed them and thrown them away.  =( =(
Here is what I came home with from Tom Thumb.  My daughter wanted to be in the picture and pretend to be a grocery:

Total Shelf Price:  $10.97
Sale Price (I paid):  $7.57                           what it should have been:  $5.97
Price Paid After Coupons:  $4.07 +tax        what it should have been   $2.47 +tax

Still 63 % Savings                                        Could have been  77% Savings



On to Kroger!  Kickoff is happening just as I arrived.  It was pretty crowded but it cleared out quickly.  They had stocked back up on everything that they were out of last time, so I was able to stock up on the pancake mix and hotdogs.  Still didn't find the Honest Tea, but that wasn't important.  My favorite cashier was even working.  I use the self-check out whenever he is there.  He always talks to my kid, never complains about my coupons (and at Kroger, I have to hand them all over to him), and he even helped pick up some things we dropped on the floor.  Put me in a much better mood than Tom Thumb did. =)
Here is everything I came home with this time (click to enlarge):

Total Shelf Price:  $71.38
Total Sale Price:  $52.40
Mega Sale $10 Deduction:  $42.40
Price Paid After Coupons and tax:  $16.33     77%  Savings




Overall, I spent $23.75 on $127.24 worth for a total savings of 81%.  I'm hoping I'm all done with shopping for the week, though I will probably have to make a run to Aldi at some point for some essentials, but that shouldn't be too much.

Did you get any great deals recently?  I would love for you to share them.  Email me a picture, or share a link to your post below.

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Sunday Coupon Preview 2/6

If you are curious what coupons you can expect to find in tomorrow's newspaper, you can go here.

We should be getting 2 coupon inserts:  1 SmartSource and 1 RedPlum.

My favorites are:
$1/1 4pk Starbucks Frappuccino =)
various campbell's soup coupons
several pet related coupons

Click the link above for the full list.

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Needing Some Advice On Organization

One of my goals for the new year was to become more organized.  This has really been something that my family has struggled with.  It has become a huge problem in my daughter's room.  We do not have a system in place for her to know where to put things back up after she plays with things, so they get left out or shoved under her bed.  

I planned to tackle her room and get it in order at the first of the year, but then we had my husband's hospital stay and it just never happened.  This morning my daughter was asking to rearrange her room, so we thought it would be a perfect opportunity to straighten and sort everything.  We have dug everything out from under her bed and sorted like items in grocery bags lined up down the hallway.

This is really the best idea we could come up with for temporary sorting.  Now we need to find these items a permanent home.  My husband thinks, and he is probably right, that we should fork out a little bit extra money for a quality organization type system to put in her room.    She will be 5 in May, and her younger sister, now 18 months, will be sharing a room with her before we know it, so we are wanting a system that is easy enough for the younger one to use, yet not too easy to knock over and dump everywhere, as toddlers are quite happy to do. ;)

I thought I would ask you guys what works for you.  Do you have a system that you love?  Have you seen a great blog post about this sort of thing?  Leave a comment below, or a link to a blog post or a retail website of the item you use and love.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  Negative comments greatly appreciated too, if you have had problems with a particular method.  If we are going to spend a bit on something (instead of grabbing plastic bins from the $0.99 store like I suggested), then I want to make sure we get it right!

Thanks!

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Snow Much Fun

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Check Your Email: CVS Coupon

I just received an email from CVS with a $5/$30 coupon.  Check your email.  Maybe you got one, too!

If you have been wanting to get started CVS shopping, these are great to have to cut down your initial out of pocket expense before you earn your first Extra Bucks.

If you have not registered your CVS card yet, or if you do not have one, go here!

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Reminder: Kroger Instant Win Game--Only 4 Days Left!

I wanted to remind you guys about the Kroger Instant Win Game that I told you about here.  There are only 4 days left to play for a chance to win.  I usually win these things at least once, if not twice (you are allowed 2 wins), but I have not won even once this time.

Has anyone had any luck?  If so, what did you win?

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Great New Coupons: Print Them now!

I have seen a ton of really good new coupons popping up tonight.  Here are a few of them:

$1.25/1 Cinnamon Burst Cheerios

$1/1 Special K Oats and Honey

$1/1 Mission Tortillas  (These are $0.99 w/in-ad coupon at Tom Thumb this week=FREE!)

$5/1 Zantac  (these are $5.50 at Kroger as part of the Mega Sale, so $0.50!)

$2/1 Welch's Juice  (I've not been able to get this page to load yet..high traffic.)



Also, just a reminder that it is a new month, so coupons.com will have a whole new set of coupons for you to pick from.  There are tons of great ones available, so check them out before they reach their print limit!

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Aldi Deals 2/2-2/8: Dallas Area

Produce Deals this week:

-Celery--$0.69 each   (when this is cheap I stock up, chop up, and freeze for cooking)

-Avocados--$0.45 each  (I find these to be pretty large sized, also)

-Baby Carrots--$0.49 each for a 1 lb. package

-Grape Tomatoes--$0.99/ pack (1 pint).--(I used these in a great homemade freezer salsa recipe--leave a comment if you are interested and I will post it).

Other Deals:

-Happy Farms 8oz Block Cheese--$1.79

-Savoritz Snack Crackers--$1.39   (These are like Ritz, and are very good!)

-Casa Mamita Salsa--$1.69 (24 oz)

-Clancy's Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips--$1.19 (13 oz)

-Mama Cozzi's 16" Deli Pizza --$6.49  (These are wonderful!  My store also sells a 12" size for $4.99)

For more Aldi prices, head over to The Aldi Spot.  These prices are for Florida, but many things are priced the same in the Dallas area, and perhaps your area as well.

I do hope this weather doesn't drive up our low milk and egg prices we've been having around here.  I'll have to venture out before the week is over to get more. ;)

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