Great Week for Groceries at Publix!

This was an amazing week at Publix... I might go back for more beginning of next week before the sales end. I must admit that I was a little stressed at the checkout counter at Publix this week. My total just kept rising and rising. Even after sales, my total was still over $185 and I didn’t have ANY dollar off total order coupons! I usually know how much my total will come to after coupons, but I made so many last minute changes this week. It was enough to just recount out the number of coupons I needed to hand over… let alone recalculate my totals. So, you can imagine my excitement when my total, after scanning all the coupons, came to less than $20! I even decided to buy a couple more bags of broccoli (added another $2 to my total), since I had done so well. Bought a couple other things at Walmart and the Centrum vitamins at CVS and still kept my budget under the $50 mark! Plus, I have two $10 gift cards (from the Centrum deal at CVS) to use next week. I am so thankful for coupons!

Total before sales and coupons: $394.58

Total paid, including tax: $47.56

Here is what I bought:

4 boxes Swiss Miss hot chocolate

4 Zephyrhills Sparkling water

1 gallon milk

2 (30 oz.) Kraft mayo (one given away in exchange for the extra Publix coupon – coupon given to me by the individual who in turn received the product)

4 lbs. Navel oranges

3 ½ lbs. Gala apples

6 Snaplock containers

4 Ghiradelli chocolate bars (2 already mailed out with gifts)

4 boxes Quaker granola bars

4 Nature Made vitamins

6 Sundown vitamins

1 first aid kit

1 bag grits

2 Keebler crackers

4 oz. pack Chips Ahoy cookies

1 Lumene face cream

1 gingerbread house kit

9 Crest Whitestrips, trial size (before you freak out and think that I didn’t use my coupons correctly, I special ordered the Whitestrips and have been waiting well over a month now for them to come in. I did not use the Publix coupon on them, since it now states that it can only be used on boxes 4 ct. or larger. I used 4 “like” coupons from inside other Procter and Gamble items I purchased previously, 1 coupon I received in the mail and 4 “like” coupons from the recent newspaper inserts. So, I only used a maximum of 4 “like” coupons and I special ordered the items, as well).

6 Centrum vitamins/fish oil

2 boxes Mueller’s pasta

5 ½ lbs. boneless chicken breasts

1 Pulsar toothbrush

2 boxes (18 ft. each) icicle Christmas lights (the look so pretty!)

1 small box regular lights (we needed to replace a small section of the lights on our Christmas tree)

4 bags Snausages dog treats

1 bag Combos

4 Kern’s juice

4 half gallons Smart Balance milk

3 lbs. butter

2 lbs. ICBNB (will be donated along with the vitamins and some other items I have been collecting)

2 Kraft salad dressing (same deal as mayo – 1 given away)

7 bags frozen broccoli

1 lb. fresh asparagus (not pictured)

Ham, Cheese and French Bread!

This past week was a little slower than most, so I stocked up on ground beef (again) and bought a nice big ham! I also splurged on the chicken Cordon Bleu (my husband's favorite easy dinner) and the packs of string cheese for my boys… which is why my total is a little over the $50 mark. I like to bring a couple snacks for my boys when we go out and the individually packed string cheese is great. My favorite purchase for the week, however, would have to be the French bread. It is SO delicious and we have been able to use it to make both sandwiches and garlic bread.

Total before sales and coupons: $214.84

Total paid, including tax: $59.08

Not pictured, but included in totals:

6 ½ lbs. ground beef

4 (1 lb. packs) mozzarella cheese (pizza and lasagna were on the menu this past week)

In picture:

2 boxes Honey Maid graham crackers

3 (12 packs) Nestea iced tea

8 bags Pepperidge Farm French bread (2 bags already eaten)

2 boxes chicken Cordon Bleu

3 Jell-O pudding mixes

4 trial size Crest Whitestrips

4 Oral B toothbrushes

2 packs string cheese

1 roll shipping tape

1 Revlon nail polish

6 packs UP2U gum

2 packs Revlon emory boards

1 snowman picture frame ornament

1 bottle Sundown B6

3 boxes Panko

1 box candy canes

2 tubes toothpaste (coupons inside!)

8 Zephyrhills sparking water

1 (over 6 lb.) ham

4 tubes Pillsbury cookie dough

2 packs Schick disposable razors

1 Schick shaving cream

2 cans organic tomato paste

2 containers cherry tomatoes (from my garden, not included in total value)

3 lbs. gala apples (some eaten)

1 (8 pack) hamburger buns

A Meat and Dairy Week

Went to a couple different stores this week, as usual. I was hoping to get some of the ham that Save-A-Lot has for $1.19 a pound and the chicken at $.49 a pound, but they were all sold out… again. I haven’t really figured out how to shop there and they are always out of the items that I want. Oh, well, we can’t win them all, right? There wasn’t much I needed at Publix this week either, so I did most my shopping at Walmart. We were out of milk, eggs and cheese, so I actually paid full price for those things. Gasp! The pork chops are from Winn-Dixie where they were priced at $2.10 after sales – not an amazing price, but I really wanted some pork chops to make Pork Pizzaiola. It is pork chops simmered in chicken broth, diced tomatoes, garlic and basil and then we mix in angel hair pasta to soak up the broth… so yummy! My total is a little over the $50 mark this week, but since I have been under budget the past couple weeks I think I am still okay. It was the puppy food that threw me off – over $5 for a little bag of food! I need to figure out how to save on puppy food and fast!

Total before sales and coupons: $248.83

Total spent, including tax: $56.17

Here is what I bought:

6 (4 ct. each) Marie Callender’s chicken pot pie

10 bags Rachael Ray dog treats (special ordered)

1 loaf bread

8 lbs. pork chops

3 packs bacon (one not pictured)

7 V8 Smoothies (one not pictured)

4 Snaplock containers (underneath V8)

5 or 6 pack Ramen noodles

4 lbs. bananas (some already eaten)

1 lb. ground pork

3 packages pepperoni

1 lb. pork sausage

1 gallon milk

4.4 lb bag Puppy Chow

2 (6 ct.) Kern’s peach juice

1 can sliced mushrooms

1 container Chips Ahoy cookies

1 can cream mushroom soup

20 oz. ricotta cheese

1 box lasagna noodles

18 ct. eggs

8 oz. cheddar cheese

1 pack provolone cheese

3 lbs. apples (some already eaten)

3 bulbs garlic

1 lb. Velveeta cheese

2 boxes Velveeta shells and cheese

4 (10 oz. each) packages Smithfield ham

2 strips yeast

2 Green and Black chocolate bars

TLC Giveaway!

TLC is giving away a free trip to meet and shop with the The Krazy Coupon Lady (one of my favorite extreme couponers)... plus $500 for your groceries and a $100 Amex card! Enter for a chance to win! It sounds like a great opportunity to learn how to coupon the right way and have fun at the same time. I know I would be so excited to meet the lady whose website got me started with coupons! Can't wait to find out who wins!

Thanks, The Krazy Coupon Lady

Black Friday for Under $50!

It is so nice to have a stockpile for weeks when I don’t want to buy a lot of groceries. We had plenty of fruits, veggies and starches to make it through the week – still have over 10 lbs of potatoes and those organic carrots. I used a rain check at Sweetbay to get the beef at $1.99 a pound, too. I haven’t purchased much meat there before, but the ground beef was/is really yummy! After a couple weeks of only eating poultry… hamburgers and beef stroganoff were part of this week’s menu. Another new item to me was the Wholly Guacamole. I LOVE guacamole and these small packs are so convenient, since I am the only one in my family who eats avocado.

The Black Friday deals were great at CVS and Walgreens! There were so many money-makers at CVS that I was able to buy the remote control helicopter and cars with my leftover Extra Bucks! How cool is that? And, the deal at Walgreens on wrapping paper was wonderful – buy 1 at $1.99, get 2 free!

Total before sales and coupons: $363.79

Total paid, including tax: $46.91

Not pictured, but included in totals (my boys were with me when I took the picture, so I couldn’t include these items - they are Christmas presents):

1 remote control helicopter (my 4 yr. old is going to be so excited!)

2 remote control cars (these cars look really neat and the boys will each have their own!)

Pictured:

6 rolls paper towels

1 tabletop ping pong set

1 Pepto Bismol

1 Starbucks coffee

1 Sheets energy strips (I know I bought a couple more, but I couldn’t find them for the picture… not sure why)

2 boxes Excedrin

2 Preparation H (moneymaker)

1 box Fiber One brownies

1 Kleenex tissues

1 Schick Titanium razor (hidden behind the coffee cup)

2 Gillette Fusion products (husband loves the after shave – they are going in his stocking)

1 L.A. Looks hair gel

10 ct. Finish dishwasher detergent

2 blue coffee cups (clearance - $.99 each)

2 toothpastes (Crest and Colgate)

1 baking pan

1 set mixing bowls

1 set measuring cup

1 oven mit

1 silicone baking sheet

1 spatula

1 loaf bread (mostly eaten)

6 roll Christmas wrapping paper

24 AA batteries

1 universal remote

1 ThermaCare wrap

4 ct. Schick Quattro razor cartridges

2 packs hair things

4 Theraflu products

1 Cepacol throat lozenges

2 Listerine pocket packs

2 Softlips chapstick

1 Carmex chapstick

10 ct. Breathe Right strips

1 pack floss picks

3 Revlon lip gloss (I think I bought 4 of these… must be with the energy strips)

4 toothbrushes

1 Benefiber sticks

1 pack M&Ms

1 Balance energy bar

4 Revlon nail polish

3 Wholly Guacamole (one already eaten!)

3 packs (1 lb. each) lunch meat

10 ½ lbs. ground beef (4 packs total - one already used, one not really visible in photo)

Note: Yes, the pink bakeware is from the P&G mail in rebate that I submitted a while back – the products look like they are high quality and I am happy to have a new baking pan and an oven mit that might actually keep the heated pan from burning my fingers!

What $35 Can Buy With Coupons!

What a week! Thought I had spent more this week, but added up my totals and realized I still have about $15 left from my $50 budget for the week. I don’t think I need anything else, though, so I guess the left over will get rolled over into next week… or maybe I will buy a couple more turkeys at Publix. Or, maybe some more butter. At $2 per pound, can you really have too much butter during the holidays? Christmas cookies anyone?

Total before coupons and sales: $280.81

Total spent, including tax: $34.28

2 Welch’s 100% juice

4 Caribou coffee

22 napkin packages, various sizes (special ordered, so NO shelf clearing)

8 first aid kits

2 President rondele cheese spreads

8 Lysol surface cleaners

10 boxes angel hair pasta

4 cans whole cashews

4 lbs. organic carrots

10 Sundown vitamins (fish oil, potassium and calcium/magnesium/zinc)

9 Tide laundry detergent, trial size

4 Breath Rite strips, trial size

1 pack hamburger buns

6 lbs. onions (gave 3 lbs. to family)

1 30ct Zyrtec (not a great price, but needed it and it went towards a gift card at CVS)

5 lbs. apples

4 lbs. butter

4 sour cream

1 Crest toothpaste, trial size

2 ketchups (found at deli counter at Walmart)

4 bags all natural frozen bread (looks so yummy!)

12 oz. string cheese

4 boxes frozen sausage

2 packs celery

2 bags cranberries (gave one to family)

2 lbs. bananas (all but one have already been eaten)

4 bags frozen veggies (broccoli and peas)

6 lbs. boneless chicken breasts

Not pictured, but included in totals:

A few pictures (my son wanted to put his picture and a note in the Christmas boxes, “so the kids will know I am their friends, because I smile”.)

3 jump ropes

1 pack bracelets

6 slinkys (spelling? It just doesn’t look right, but oh well.)

1 roll wrapping paper

1 toy dinosaur

(I finished off, last minute, 3 more boxes for Operation Christmas Child, so items are already on their way to make some little kids happy… hence the reason they are not in the picture.)

Stores I shopped at were Publix, Walmart and CVS.

Milk, Eggs, Potatoes and 4 Turkeys... Saved 87%

I am thrilled with all the food I was able to purchase this week with so little out of pocket. Just the Ore-Ida tater tots and fries would have cost over $50 without coupons (they were not on sale – I just used coupons). My $10 gift card arrived this week from the Publix/ConAgra mail in rebate, so I used that to get my totals down. Remember, I don’t calculate the value of my mail in rebates until I actually receive them, so that means free money when they arrive in my mailbox! I can’t image what life would be like without coupons. At this point, the thought of paying full price for groceries sounds even crazier than the KRAZYness of using coupons. Once you get started… you’ll never go back.

Total before coupons and sales: $386.54
Total out of pocket, including tax: $50.38

6 Mr. Clean surface cleaners (on sale BOGO and I had (2) B2G1 manufacturer coupons and (3) $1/2 store coupons, so I only paid $.89 for all six!)

2 (5 lb.) bags flour

2 half gallons Smart Balance milk

5 ¼ lbs. apples (some already eaten)

4 (12 ct. each) Minute Maid juice boxes (I like to keep a couple juice boxes in my reusable bags that I bring to the store, so I have a fun treat for my boys while we are shopping.)

20 PlayDoh containers (75% off… one was being played with while I took the picture)

4 Idahoan instant potato packages

2 lbs. butter

4 turkeys (67 ½ lbs. total)

20 lbs. russet potatoes

10 vitamins (Fish Oil, Vitamin B and Vitamin D)

18 ct. eggs

1 jar dried beef

30 Reach floss (all out of $2.50/2 Reach coupons now)

18 bags Ore-Ida tater tots and fries (no shelf clearing – several different kinds purchased over two separate shopping trips)

4 (12 oz.) bags chocolate chips

1 trial size Scope mouthwash (clearance at Publix)

2 Blistex lip balm

2 toothbrushes

1 box baking soda

2 containers baking powder

9 Breath Right strips, trial size (money maker at Walmart!)

5 Vicks products, trial size (clearance at Publix)

4 packets Kikkoman seasoning (already used 1 pack)

1 bulb garlic

2 packages pepperoni (we made pizzas with one already)

Not pictured, but included in totals for the week:

1 loaf whole wheat bread

½ lb. mushrooms

12 oz. shrimp

1 head lettuce (I never seem to get the fresh produce into the picture… wonder why)

1 lemon

1 play sword (had to have 2 swords… purchased one last week, but “you can’t sword fight with only one sword, Mommy”. Of course they were now 75% off, too!)

1 Iron Man costume (also 75% off – this will get used all year-round)

Saved 93% for the Week - $48.39 Spent

Okay, so last week I didn’t save much on my groceries, but I still was able to keep within my $50 budget because of my stockpile. This week was a totally different story – I got some amazing deals! Plus, as a little bonus, I got some of my mail in rebates back for a total worth of $23.99. As you may remember, I did NOT calculate the value of my mail in rebates when I purchased the qualifying items (just acted as if they didn’t exist), so I have calculated them in this week like any other coupon. I used coupons to purchase the qualifying items also, so items were free even before rebate. Free money in my mailbox! So, as a little treat to ourselves, we bought rib eye steaks with some of my MIR money.

Total value: $722.37 (yes, my calculations are correct – I double checked)

Total out of pocket, including tax, minus mail in rebate money received this week: $48.39

Just thought you might like to know - total value of coupons used, not including ECB from CVS and RR from Walgreens used on purchases: $414.75! (I can’t believe I used over four hundred dollars worth of coupons this week. Krazy, right?!)

Items in first picture:

8 (3.5 lb) bags Purina dog food (ended up costing less than $6, including tax, for all 8 bags)

4 Apple and Eve juice

4 (12oz.) bags Caribou coffee (So fun trying new things - husband now loves this coffee!)

2 (12oz.) honey bears

8 Airwick candles (rain check)

2 spices, 100% organic (basil, cumin)

4 (32oz) bags Tyson chicken wings

10 bottles sparking water

5 Dawn dish soap

2 kid’s lawn chairs (clearance at CVS - $1.75 each)

8 (2ct.) Pillsbury frozen breakfast sandwiches

4 packs Skittles (more candy for Operation Christmas Child boxes)

4 packs Starbursts

10 Cover Girl face products

4 Reach toothbrushes

3 garden tools (clearance at Dollar General - $.10 each)

18 Reach floss (donated to church for Operation Christmas Child boxes)

2 flashlights

3 trial size Old Spice body wash

1 (30ct.) Zyrtec (not a very good price, but had to have it so I used ECB at CVS)

Second picture:

6 Caribou coffee

3 Planters cashews

2 packs Chips Ahoy cookies (gave one to family)

2 (4 lb.) bags sugar

16 bottles vitamins (2-3 of each kind and purchased on separate shopping trips – no shelf clearing. I will be donating at least 1 of each kind to a local ministry and food pantry.)

5 cans cream of mushroom soup (one already used)

2 cans organic tomato paste

6 T.G.I. Friday fajita dinners (I like to use these as a base and add some of my own ingredients)

2 (30oz.) Kraft mayo (gave one to family)

1 loaf whole wheat bread (mostly eaten!)

2 (10ct.) packs pens

1 travel size Tide detergent

1 toy sword (50% off original price)

4 bags Ricola cough drops (one already used – still getting over my cold)

1 box shark fruit snacks

12 Reach floss

4 Lumene face products

1 Illy iced coffee

1 lb. butter

2 Smart Balance Milk (traded the cookies and mayo for the milk – value of milk not included in totals)

2 packs frozen broccoli

1 lb. turkey, sliced

6 birthday cards

Not pictured, but include in totals:

2 (1 lb. each) rib eye steaks

2 ½ lbs. bananas

2 packs Cover Girl face make-up pads

1 bag toy bats (my 4 yr. old thinks these are so cool and they were 50% off!)

Guess It Is Cold Season...

I didn't use much for coupons this past week, because I was sick and wasn't up for planning a shopping trip. Thankfully, I am stocked on tissues, tea, vitamin C, cough drops and cold medicine, so I didn't need to purchase anything related to my cold.


We just picked up a few things to get us through the week:
5 1/2 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breasts
5 lbs. ground beef
1 lb. breakfast sausage
5 lbs. McIntosh Apples (my very favorite apples at $.99 lb - we try to buy fruit in season, because it is cheaper and delicious!)
1/2 lb. mushrooms
16 oz. sour cream
1 can refried beans
1 pack Annie's mac and cheese (used a coupon on this!)
1 large bag animal crackers (my boys love these crackers)

Purchased for the Operation Christmas Child boxes:
2 recorders
1 yo-yo
1 toy dinosaur
1 bouncy ball
1 jump rope

Total for everything, including tax, was $50.08. I am always amazed at how LITTLE can be purchased with $50 if you don't use coupons! I am happy about the meat and fruit purchased this week, though, and I did still manage to only spend my $50 budget. Having a stockpile means I can take a week off from couponing and still feed my family without spending too much. :)

A Cup of Cold Water

We have been so blessed this year and it is important to give back to those in need. Operation Christmas Child is a great opportunity to share with needy children all over the world and let them know they are loved. I have always wanted to be a part of Operation Christmas Child, so (when I started using coupons) one of my goals was to be able to put together a couple boxes myself and have supplies to offer to others for their boxes. Every time I bought another tube of toothpaste and another toothbrush, I was getting one step closer to that goal.

So, the time of year had finally arrived and we started hunting around the house for shoe boxes to fill with goodies! After finding our boxes, we sat down and watched the video on Operation Christmas Child and got to see some other boxes from last year being delivered. My 4 ½ yr. old was so excited and wanted to put together a box for a boy his age and one for a boy “just like brother” (2 yrs. old). I can not express how wonderful it was to be able to take my little boy “shopping” in our garage to fill up the shoe boxes! He kept pulling things of the shelves and saying “he will like this, Mommy” and “I want to give him a red toothbrush, okay?” We did take a trip to the store to pick up a couple things we didn’t have yet (the yo-yo, recorders, jump rope and toy dinosaur), but everything else came out the stockpile we had been building since I started using coupons. Seeing my son’s generous heart as he gathered gifts for “his friends”, I was (and still am) so thankful for the special moments we have together and the way that couponing has changed our lives. Using coupons has allowed me to take care of my family, as well as give to others. So, if anyone ever asks, this is why I purchased over thirty tubes of toothpaste this year! These things are the “cup of cold water” I have to offer in the name of my Savior (Matthew 10:42).

Box for a 2-4 yr. old boy (in upper left):

1 toothbrush

1 tube toothpaste

1 stuffed animal

1 blanket

1 recorder

2 coloring books (Noah’s Ark and dinosaurs)

1 pack washable markers

1 pack crayons

2 pencils

1 mild bar soap

3 different candies

1 scotch tape

3 balls (one lights up and bounces!)

1 toy dinosaur

Box for a 5-9 yr. old boy (in upper middle):

1 Noah’s Ark activity book

1 (24 ct.) pack colored pencils

2 regular pencils

2 glue sticks

1 kid’s scissors

1 scotch tape

1 jump rope

1 recorder

1 coloring poster

1 pack crayons

1 yo-yo

1 pack floss

1 toothbrush

1 tube toothpaste

1 bar mild soap

3 packs gum

Plus more to donate:

27 toothbrushes

34 tubes toothpaste (8 regular size, 26 trial size)

31 packs floss

14 bars mild soap

5 (24 ct.) packs crayons

4 (10 ct.) packs pens

4 packs gum

(Large box in bottom left of picture is going to a family in our church who is putting together boxes and is in need of these items to complete their boxes. All other supplies will be put on a table at our church for others to use when filling their gift boxes.)

If you add up the overage I received from the floss and some of the toothpastes, everything being donated was free - I didn't pay anything. This is not a brag, all glory goes to the Lord Jesus for showing me a way to give to His children. I am sharing this simply to encourage others that it is possible, even on a very limited income, to bless others this Christmas season.

88% Saved... Only $40 for the Week!

This week went well and I was able to purchase a lot of things we were in immediate need of (milk, butter, parmesan cheese and trash bags). You know I am always excited about free organic produce, so I am just holding on to all my Recycle Bank points to use towards those carrots every couple weeks – I hope the coupon stays up for a while! The parmesan cheese was also a great deal this week at Publix. I paid $.80 for all four containers! Yes, I purchased more floss than my family could use in a very, very long time, but it is not for my family. All the floss and the toothbrushes are going to be donated to Operation Christmas Child, along with several other things I have purchased throughout the year.

Total purchase value: $343.27

Total paid, including tax: $40.01 (mail in rebate not factored in – total is what actually came out of my bank account this week)

Here is what I purchased:

4 bakery pastries (not pictured)

4 bags organic carrots

8 bags Whiskas cat food

4 Skippy peanut butter

7 La Crème yogurt packs (2 packs already eaten – these are so yummy!)

12 Welch’s 100% juice (several different kinds)

8 V8 Fusion juice

2 (45 count) boxes kitchen trash bags

2 Softsoap body wash (smells wonderful!)

6 Mr. Clean multi surface cleaners (after sale and coupons I only paid $2.19 for all 6)

6 Resolve laundry stain removers (4 bottles and 2 sticks)

2 half gallons Smart Balance milk

4 containers parmesan cheese

1 box puppy train pads (we are hopefully getting a new puppy for Christmas, so these will come in handy - plus there was a coupon and a mail in rebate to try them free!)

2 John Frieda hair products

6 Sominex (found someone who uses these and gave them all the boxes I have purchased over the past few weeks – they were thrilled)

1 lb. butter

3 pack Dial bar soap

32 packs Reach floss (NO shelf clearing – Walmart was stocked!)

8 travel size body wash

4 packs UP2U gum (also going to Operation Christmas Child)

4 Reach toothbrushes

1 (18 ct.) eggs

2 packs Johnsonville Italian sausage

The Letter "S" - Shopping with Children

It can be challenging shopping with little kids (mine are 4 and 2), but it can also be a great learning experience if you know how to include them. For example, as we went through the store this week, we tried to spot the letter “S” and (as we put the sausage and soup in the cart) we talked about how they both start with the letter “S”. By the time we left the store, my four year old was thinking up words that ended in “S”, too! Like the birds (“bird, bird” my two year old yelled out) that were flying around the parking lot. Make your kids a part of the shopping trip. Have them count out the number of items you need to purchase. Let them pick out the varieties/flavors they would like.

Yes, it would probably be easier to run, quick through the store by yourself (and hand the coupons over to the cashier yourself), but then again… it isn’t just about the savings. It’s about passing the gift of couponing down to your children. Teaching them how to be good stewards of what the Lord blesses them with and about including them in all the wonderful things we learn along the way.

"S" is for savings and stewardship, too! :) What a great letter!

Meats, veggies, fruits, milk, olive oil and more!

This is one of those weeks when I am just simply amazed at the savings possible with coupons! You really can save hundreds of dollars and still make sure that your family has plenty of healthy food to eat. My two favorite purchases for this week would have to be the dog food for $.99 a bag and the all natural breakfast sausages for just $.50 each (regularly priced at $3.49 each)! Oh, yeah, and the olive oil for under $.10 per oz!

As you can see, I also bought a lot of baking supplies. My 4 year old is learning the alphabet and we were working on the letter “S”. I was trying to think of fun ways to reinforce what we are learning… then I thought of the delicious Italian “S” cookies we usually make at Christmas time. So, of course, we made cookies and I am pretty sure my little one will never forget the letter “S” and how yummy it can be!

My total for everything this week would have been over $350…

But I only spent $52.78, including tax!

6 (3oz) bags Whiskas cat food (rain check used - free cat food!)

12 (3.6-4oz) bags Kibbles’n Bits dog food (no shelf clearing – my store was STOCKED!)

18 cans Select Harvest soup (sure have bought a lot of these soups)

2 (32oz) bottles olive oil

1 gallon milk

1 (5lb) bag unbleached flour

4 boxes Lipton tea

5 lbs. apples

2 lbs. bananas

2 heads of broccoli

6 shaving cream

1 (12 pk.) AA batteries

6 Sominex sleep aid (moneymaker at Publix – product will be donated)

1 razor (one refill blade included)

4 Cover Girl blush (needed to quality for the $10 mail in rebate)

1 Hall’s cough drops

1 Crest Complete toothpaste, trial size

1 Old Spice body wash, trial size

2 Biore facial cleansers (love these and just ran out of my last one two days ago)

5 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breasts

2 (24oz) pork roasts

10 (8oz) packages Al Fresco breakfast sausage (so happy!)

1 bag confectioners sugar

1 (4 pk.) La Crème yogurt (wish the store had more of the coupons – they were all out)

1 box baking soda

1 (2oz) bottle pure anise extract

2 packages Oreo cookies

1 box purAbsorb iron supplement (my iron levels are always low, so this was an exciting deal for me at CVS this week)

$1.00 Al Fresco Coupon

Sign up for the Al Fresco e-newsletter and receive a $1.00/1 coupon: Al Fresco sign-up and coupon

I’m always excited when a coupon comes out on something all natural… especially when it is a product I know is really yummy! These sausages are a great alternative to the high fat, high sodium ones we are all familiar with enjoying. I first tried these sausages at my grandma’s house a couple months ago and thought they were delicious, but they were also out of my price range for what I would like to spend on a breakfast sausage. Even still, when I saw they were on sale at my local Publix a couple weeks ago, I thought I might buy a couple packs (without coupons - gasp!). Fortunately for me, they were all sold out and so I got a rain check. Now there are coupons for the sausage and I will be able to purchase them at just $.50 a pack with my rain check! So excited! Hope you can find a great deal, too.

P.S. This is just one of those times when a rain check ends up being a blessing in disguise.

88% Saved (gr. beef, soup, hot dogs, cheese)

I didn’t spend the $40 that I had planned, but this week was still really a success from my perspective. I saved more than 88%! There were so many exciting purchases this week: the soups for less than $.25 each (new coupon made them even cheaper than previous purchased), mozzarella cheese for $1.50 a pound (can anyone say homemade pizza!), good hot dogs for $1.69 per pkg., the moneymaker on the toothpaste and Cover Girl products that will get me a $10 rebate and $40 worth of bakeware!

Total value: $496.94 (the $40 worth of bakeware is not included in total value)

Total out of pocket, including tax: $55.15 ($10 rebate was not factored in to total out of pocket - total is what actually came out of my bank account this week. I haven't done a lot of rebates yet, but my plan is to use them like coupons when I get them to lower my out of pocket that week).

Not pictured, but included in total value and total out of pocket:

6 pkg. (24 oz. each) Banquet frozen chicken

5 lbs. ground beef

2 cans kidney beans

12 oz can tomato paste

8 pkg. hamburger buns

In picture:

4 Puffs with Vicks tissues

2 Scrubbling Bubbles toilet bowl cleaners

16 cans Campbell’s soups (some already put away, so not in picture)

1 pkg. Huggies diapers

2 soy sauce

8 Lipton tea (my husband drinks tea every night and we were almost out!)

6 bags cat treats

1 Schick razor

1 Clorox 2 stain remover (finally, a good price on stain remover after coupon)

1 kid’s cold and cough tea (so glad I bought this - my boys are now sick and love this tea)

2 salad dressings

2 Eight O’clock coffee

8 candles (one already in use, so not in picture)

8 (2 ct) pkg. fruit cups (no corn syrup… real sugar used!)

1 Christmas bear soap dispenser (on clearance for $.25)

4 Mueller’s pasta

12 Nathan’s Beef Franks (favorite kind of hot dog - so yummy!)

4 (1 lb.) pkg. mozzarella cheese

12 oz heavy cream

½ lb. mushrooms

18 ct. eggs

1 head romaine lettuce

1 ground cumin (can to tell from reading my shopping list that I made chili this week?)

1 Bengay

1 Visine

18 Crest Complete toothpaste, trial size (purchased on several different shopping trips)

12 Vicks drops (also great for this cold we are dealing with)

4 (2 ct.) pkg. kitchen sponges

1 pkg. coffee filters

20 Cover Girl face products (purchased at 3 different stores – NO shelf clearing. Working towards 2 rebates offered by Procter and Gamble: a $10 mail in rebate and a free bakeware set! Already purchased everything to be eligible for the bakeware, but have to purchase $5 more in select P&G products to submit for the $10 rebate.)

$10 Procter and Gamble Rebate

Procter and Gamble has just put out a $10 rebate offer when you purchase $50 worth of select products. This is so exciting to me, because there was a high-value CoverGirl coupon in this weeks PG insert. Here is how I am going to use my coupons and the rebate to make $10!


First shopping trip:
Buy 8 CoverGirl blush @ Walmart (priced at less than $4 each)
Use 4 $8/2 CoverGirl face products
Final Price: Free + possible overage

Second shopping trip:
Buy 6 to 8 CoverGirl blush @ Walmart (priced at less than $4 each)
Use 3 to 4 $8/2 CoverGirl face products (depending on how many items you purchase)
Final Price: Free + possible overage

Submit $10 mail in rebate form

Note: these purchases must be done in more than one shopping trip because of the restriction on the coupons: "Limit of 4 like coupons in same shopping trip". I am not sure if you will need to purchase a total of 14 or 16 of these items to reach the $50 worth of product for the rebate, so make sure you do the math. Either way, you don't pay anything out of pocket and you will be able to submit for a $10 rebate! Plus, I was just about to run out of blush!

P.S.
I just noticed that the purchases need to be made between 9/1/11 and 10/31/11, so some of you may already have purchased qualifying items over the past month. Check your receipts!
Happy couponing,
Krazy Koupon Gal

$370.30 worth for $68.86 (meat, veggies, fruit, milk)!

Okay, so this week I purchased meats, vegetables and fruits… and other things, too. I didn’t get a picture of my first shopping trip for the week (the one that included all the meats, vegetables and fruit), so here is what is NOT in the picture:

11 lbs. skinless, boneless chicken breasts

1 lb. sausage

12 oz. bacon

1 lb. ham, sliced

1 lb. frozen peas

4 lbs. onions

½ lbs. mushrooms

1 head broccoli

3 lbs. bananas

5 lbs. apples

4 mangos

26 oz. iodized sea salt

16 oz. refried beans

15 oz. bread crumbs

8 oz. can mushrooms

1 loaf bread

1 gallon milk

And here is what is in the picture:

28 cans Select Harvest soup (several different varieties – NO self clearing)

23 boxes General Mills cereal (Total, Oatmeal Crisp and several different kinds of Fiber One – once again, NO shelf clearing. My store was very well stocked on the cereal and I only bought 4-5 boxes of each kind.)

2 boxes Snack Well bars

2 packages Eight O’Clock coffee

4 packages frozen, breaded chicken

2 packages blueberry waffles

Most exciting purchase for this week was the soups, my 4 year old loves the Italian Wedding soup variety that has the meatballs and spinach. He doesn't know that it is spinach. Shhhhhhhhhh. :)

My total for all purchases this week (including everything that is not in the picture, too) came to $68.86. Saved a little more than 81%! I spent a little more than my budget target of $50 per week, but some weeks I have managed to keep my spending at less than $40 - so I think it will average out okay. I would like to only spend $40 next week. Let's see how I do!

Organic Produce Coupon!

It's not often that a coupon comes a long for organic produce, so print this one and use it soon - it expires on the 30th of this month. It is a pdf coupon, so you can print multiples.

I know they sell Organic Girl produce at my local publix, so I will be checking out the deals there later on this week. Maybe I'll get some more carrots. LOL!

$2/1 Organic Girl produce, any (Expires 9/30/11)

$50 Per Week

My goal is to spend an average of $50 per week on groceries (and everything else) and so far I have been doing pretty well. BUT, I know by now some of you are wondering when I buy meat and vegetables… that will be in next week’s shopping list. Between the free organic carrots from a couple weeks back and all the frozen veggies I purchased a few months ago, we have been eating our share of veggies. I also still have some pork (that I put in the freezer) from a while back that was purchased on sale with coupons. I ended up paying $16 for 16lbs of pork ribs! We really do eat pretty healthy: there is always a meat, starch (pasta, potatoes, rice, etc) and at least one vegetable on our dinner plates every night. Sometimes there is even a fruit – but most of the time we eat fruit throughout the day as snacks. Anyway, I just wanted to reassure you that it is possible to save money and still eat healthy. The key is to purchase items when they are at their rock bottom prices, not when you need them. So, for example, my shopping lists each week may not seem to make any coherent meals, but if you looked at my overall stockpile you would see that I have most everything I need each week to make delicious meals for my family. I actually just a couple days ago wrote out a list of all the meals I could prepare from my stockpile. The result was about 3-4 meals that I would not have to purchase anything for and 15-20 meals that would only need one or two more ingredients each. I’m sure I could come up with a lot more meals, but a plan for over three weeks is enough for me right now. It can take a while to build a good stockpile (I have been at it for 9 months now), but the savings are worth it! I used to spend $110-$125 per week before becoming a Krazy Koupon Gal and it never felt like enough food. Now I am spending $50 or less and we have plenty of food, all the personal care products we could ever want, art supplies for my boys, a stocked vitamin and medicine cabinet, lots of cleaning supplies (including laundry and dishwashing products) and some early Christmas shopping done!

Over $350 worth for $42 – a savings of 88%

Purchased this week:

1 (30ct) Zyrtec allergy medicine (not pictured)

12 V8 Fusion 100% juice

3 Huggies diapers

2 panties from VS (got coupons in the mail for 2 free)

4 K-Y jelly (moneymaker at Walmart)

1 natural kid’s cold and cough medicine

1 travel size Connect 4

1 Monopoly card game

1 Sorry card game

1 Scrabble apple game

2 microwave popcorn

5 Mott’s apple and white grape juice

3 Lumene face cream

2 Revlon make-up

2 Revlon concealer

12 Vick’s throat lozenges (these are great when you have a cold)

12 trial size Cascade dishwasher detergent

6 Orville Redenbacher popcorn containers

1 bag candy corn

3 Blistex lip balm

3 Voskos Greek yogurts

1 dozen eggs

2 rubbery alligators (not pictured - my boys were so good shopping with me that I decided to get them a little treat and they really love these alligators!)

various candies used as fillers (already eaten)

Note: out of pocket total ($42) includes tax and is before any rebates. The $42 amount is what actually came out of my wallet this week.

That being said, the deal gets even better: There is a mail in rebate on the Lumene to "try it free", so I will be getting a check back in the mail for $13.99 in the next couple of weeks (check can be cashed at my bank and used to purchase whatever I want)! AND, the popcorn I purchased is part of a special rebate type offer that will get me a $10 Publix gift card in about 6-7 weeks.

Moneymaker on Revlon Make-up

Buy 1 Revlon Age Defying Foundation $13.99 (should ring up 40% off = $8.40)

Buy 1 Revlon Age Defying Concealer $9.99 (should ring up 40% off = $5.99)

Spend $10.00, Receive $3.00 Register Reward (must equal over $10 after Walgreens coupons for Register Reward to print)

Use 2 $5.00/1 Revlon Age Defying Product, SS 9/18

And Use $2.00/1 Revlon Cosmetics (Walgreens Coupon) SS 7/24 (should deduct $4.00)

Pay $0.38

Get back $3.00 Register Reward

Final Price: $2.62 moneymaker

Thanks to The Krazy Coupon Lady

Great Prices on Hasbro Games

There is a great deal on games right now at Kmart. Remember the Hasbro game coupons for the SS 9/11/11 insert? Well, Kmart is doubling the value of those coupons... so a $3 coupon is worth $6 and a $4 coupon is worth $8, etc. The lowered priced games were free, no overage. There were also some of the higher price games on clearance at my local Kmart, so make sure to look all over the toy section for different clearance sections that might include some of the games. Also, the coupons are not all ringing up correctly every time... double check everything. :)

Here are couple of the deals I got:

Connect 4 travel size $4.99
$4/1 coupon took off $4.99 = FREE

Sorry card game $5.99
Monopoly card game $5.99
Scrabble card game $5.99
$4/1 coupons took off $5.99 per game = FREE

Cootie games (Don't Spill the Beans, Don't Break the Ice, etc.) $7.99
$3/1 coupon took off $6 = $1.99 each

Over 85% Savings (milk, eggs, juice, games!)

Spent a little bit more this week than last, but I’m still happy with my purchases. Everything was purchased at Publix (three separate stores), Walmart and Kmart. The games (worth over $72 total) are going to make great birthday and Christmas gifts… and I spent under $10 for all of them! My favorite purchase for the week was the juice, though, because my littlest isn’t very fond of vegetables and the juice masks a full serving of veggies quite nicely.

Here’s what I did:

Total value: $397.18

Total out of pocket, including tax: $54.93

That is a savings of over 85%!

3 (2 ct) Pillsbury breakfast biscuits

2 boxes graham crackers

2 boxes microwave popcorn (one already opened… didn’t make it into the picture)

1 box cookies

6 boxes toaster strudels (my husband will be so thrilled when he finds out about these!)

8 (12 ct) Sun Drop soda

16 boxes Puff with Vicks tissues

14 bottles V8 Fusion 100% Juice

2 Cooties games

1 Sorry U-Build game

1 gallon milk

12 bags Kettle Brand chips

11 Febreze warmers

2 travel size Connect 4 games

3 T.G.I. Fridays frozen dinners

2 boxes organic waffles

4 bags Goldfish

2 Sorry card games

2 Monopoly card games

1 Scrabble card game

1 dozen eggs

6 Yoplait smoothie mixes

3 mangos

3 pounds apples (some already eaten)

4 Degree deodorant

2 bottles vitamin D

1 loaf of bread (not pictured)

1 pack cranberry cookies (also not pictured – free with coupon from CVS)

FREE Vicks Products

Buy 1 Vicks Vapo Drops $0.99
Use $1/1 Vicks Product, PG 08/28/11
Final Price: Free

Or

Buy 1 Puffs with Vicks tissues $1.00 (price is from Publix – sale ends today)

Use $1/1 Vicks Product, PG 08/28/11
Final Price: Free

There is also a $3/2 Vicks products coupon from the PG 8/28 insert that could be used for purchasing these products.

Important note about Puffs with Vicks: some people feel this is not a Vicks product, so the coupon would not apply, but it is listed as one on the products page of the Vicks website. I would not be mentioning this product if I did not think it was an ethical use of the coupon. I do NOT believe it is enough for a coupon to scan without beeping for it to be used on a product, but (after looking at the Vicks website) my understanding is that this is in fact a Vicks product.