Saturday, February 27, 2010

February Budget Review


I'm not a regular grocery shopper. I buy stuff before I even need it, matching manufacturer coupons with store sales. This way I'm able to "shop" from my own pantry and pay a fraction of retail with items I use. No, we will not use all that salsa this month, but we will use it this year. When I make meals for us, I menu plan around what we already have on our shelves and in the freezer. There are occasional items I have to pay full price for, but they are the exception as I build up my food storage with stuff we actually use, all for less then I used to spend just to get us by every month.

not including WIC:

Retails: $685.98
Total Spent: $184.43
Percent Off: 73%


This month I was able to stock up on dog food, candy!!, hair spray, parmesan cheese, chicken breast, baby wash and lotion, top ramen, spaghetti sauce, refried beans, pasta roni, steak, laundry soap, gatorade, campbells soup, hand soap, foil, parchment paper, diapers, wipes, household cleaners, children's motrin, olives, shampoo, body wash, pickles, salsa, lotion, tuna, rice, face wash, maxi pads, 2 pictureka card games, cheese, triscuits, tortillas, mustard, granola bars, ice cream, toaster strudels, bottled water, yogurt, chili, cream cheese, sour cream, canned tomatoes, goldfish, nut clusters, caprisuns, cookie mix, and spread.


WIC Items

Retails: $75.25
Total Spent: FREE
thanks WIC!

Target


Retails: $40.98
Total Spent: $7.76
Percent Off: 81%
I paid with a $5 gift card I got from the last time I shopped at Target.

How did I do it?

Fur Fighter, reg. $5.99
- on sale $3.99
- used $4 coupon
- FREE

Thai Kitchen noodle soup, reg. $.99
- used $1 coupon use zip 44256
- FREE

Kraft Parmesan Cheese, reg. $4.04
- bought 2
- on sale $2
- used $1/2 coupon from 1/24 SS newspaper
- used $1 Target coupon
- $1 each

Dove trial sized hairspray, $.97
- used $1.50 coupon from 1/31 RP newspaper
- FREE

Pedigree 20 lb dog food, reg. $12.99
- on sale $9.99
- used $2 coupon
- $7.99

Pictureka card game, $5.99
- used $5 coupon
- $.99

compiled list from hip2save

Money Left for the Month: -$.85

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Smiths


Retails: $48.13
Total Spent: $1.40
Percent Off: 97%

How did I do it?

Softsoap, reg. $1.69
- on sale $.88
- used $.50 coupon from March All You magazine
-$.38

Chicken Breast, 4 lbs, reg. $11.99
- on sale $5.99 ($1.50/lb)

Snickers, reg. $.79
- on sale $.50 each
- used $.50/2 coupon from 2/21 newspaper
- $.25 each

Smokies, reg. $2.99
- on clearance $.89

Paid with a $20 Prescription Voucher. This came in the mail a few weeks ago with a bunch of other Smiths coupons. I held on to it, knowing that I would need meds after the baby was born. When you fill a prescription, it puts a $20 credit on your Smiths card. You have to have the coupon and they will only do it 3 times with 3 different visits (only one credit per visit). You have to spend more than $20 too. But that just meant that I got $35 worth of chicken for free! And I filled another prescription today so I'll have another credit next time I go.

Also, the Snickers are for a KILLER salad (ha ha ha. Salad.) that my sister-in-law Mandi makes. It has 3 ingredients: Cool whip, snickers and apples. Mmmm.

compiled list from pinchingyourpennies

Money Left for the Month: $6.91

smiths: the full-priced edition

I'm telling you, I love my husband. Or I love to tease him an awfully lot. One of the two.

Prepare yourselves, for what I'm about to report is shocking: I went to Smiths and paid full price for three items! I warned you.

It's just that I had to make him eat worms, that's all.


Retails: $5.33
Total Spent: $4.82
Percent Off: 6% (funny)


Money Left for the Month: $8.31


Rite Aid

So I thought I had a much better deal then I did, but things still worked out fine. Apparently the cashier forgot to ring up the Dove and I didn't catch it until I got home. I guess I'll be making another trip to Rite Aid in the next few days to pay for it. I've adjusted my totals as if I did pay for it originally. So frustrating...

Also, that candy is not for my fat tummy. It is happily leaving my house, off to make some other people jollier.

Retails: $61.35
Total Spent: $8.67
Percent Off: 86%
Plus I will be submitting for a $4 rebate from Rite Aid!
with rebate:
Percent Off: 92%

How did I do it?

Chocolate Covered Cherries, reg. $2.19
- on clearance $.54

Dove Chocolate, reg. $3.99
- on sale 2/$6
- applied for $1 rebate
- 2/$4

Finesse shampoo, reg. $3.99
- on sale $2.99
- applied for $2 rebate
- $.99

Johnson & Johnson products, reg. $4.49-$5.99 each
- on sale, Buy One, Get One for $.01
- used $1 coupon for each product, see Utahdealdiva for lots of printables.
- $1.25-$1.99 per item
Note: both Utahdealdiva and Hip2Save have reported lower prices on these items. I don't know if it was just my Provo store or what.

Peanut Easter M & Ms, reg. $3.99
- on sale, Buy One, Get One for $.01
- applied for a $1 rebate from Rite Aid
- $1.50 each

In addition, I first used a $5/$25 purchase Rite Aid coupon and then my $10 Gift of Savings voucher thingy I got in the mail 2 weeks ago. Nice.


compiled list from hip2save and utahdealdiva


Money Left for the Month: $13.13


Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Buy Low


Retails: $23.95
Total Spent: $12.32
Percent Off: 47%

How did I do it?

Top Ramen, reg. $.27
- on sale $.17 each

Ragu Pasta Sauce, reg. $1.89
- on sale $.98
- used $.30 coupon from 1/31 RP newspaper
- $.68 each

Frusion Yogurt, reg. $.79
- on sale $.78 (yes, a whole penny!)
- used $1/4 coupon from 2/21 SS newspaper
- $.53 each

Pasta Roni, reg. $1.49
- on sale $.88 (although the 4 cheese rang up reg. price and I didn't see it until I was home, darn it all)
- used $1/3 coupon from 1/3 RP newspaper
- $.55 each

Western Family Refried Beans, reg. $.95?
- on sale $.55 each


Money Left for the Month: $21.80



Retails: $17.05
Total Spent: FREE
thanks WIC!

Monday, February 22, 2010

Smiths


Retails: $39.89
Total Spent: $11.68
Percent Off: 71%

How did I do it?

Sirloin Steak, reg. $6.49
- on sale $1.99/lb

Sweethearts, reg. $2?
- clearanced $.50

Money Left for the Month: $34.12

No, I don't plan on using that much steak in the next week. I freeze it in 1lb-ish baggies and pull it out as I need it.

Smiths Card


So did you know that grocery stores like Smiths will mail you coupons every so often? I didn't know that until last year because I wasn't getting them in the mail. Turns out they need to have your current address linked to your card if you want to get stuff. Huh.

What I'm saying is to make sure your club memberships at grocery stores have your correct address. Your card should have a phone number on it and if you have no idea where your card is and just use your phone number at check out then you can talk to customer service and they'll help you out.

wic


Retails: $21.16
Total Spent: FREE
thanks WIC!

Rebate and Free Diapers!


Whoo hoo! I had some great mail lately.

All from Rite Aid, I got
- a voucher for a free pack of Huggies
- a $10 rebate check. This is a real check I cash.
- a $10 gift card for Rite Aid.

I love that store. Have I mentioned lately how easy their rebates are to do?

So, with the $10 Rebate,

Money Left for the Month: $45.80

Hostess Outlet

I hit the Hostess Outlet a couple weeks ago and never got around to posting. The best thing about that trip was the GIGANTIC blow up car they gave Sam for free.


12 pack of Hostess English Muffins

Retails: about $3.00?
Total Spent: $.81
Percent Off: 73%

Money Left for the Month: $35.80

I'm Back!


Hooray! I'm not pregnant!

I'm back but with a new baby will have to figure out how to keep on top of things all over again, so be patient with me. As it is, I have a few posts to do to get back up to date.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Smiths

Ok, I know I have shopping issues. I've come to terms with that. Nothing makes me happier then to get a great deal at the grocery store. Pathetic? Yes. But yet, it is true. It is therapy for me and therapy needed as this child stubbornly refuses to be born. That being said...


Retails: $56.50
Total Spent: $13.33
Percent Off: 76%

How did I do it?

Smiths has another promotion on right now called the Daytona 500. When you buy 10 items you get $3 off instantly. In order to maximize saving, buy the items in multiples of 10. You can do more than one discount per transaction. Everything I bought was in the promotion except the Softsoap.

Purex Natural Essence 32 load laundry soap, reg. $3.99
- on sale $2.49/$2.19 with promotion
- used $.35 coupon from 1/10 RP newspaper (or use $.50 coupon: have to email coupon to self)
- $1.84 (or $1.69)
- PLUS when you buy 2, it prints a $4 catalina, like a gift card you can use on anything in the store in the next 2 weeks!
- MONEY MAKER: even though I make my own laundry soap, free is free.
Even if you don't do the promotion and buy 8 other items, if you use the $.50 coupon above then it's still free!

Campbells Chunky Soup, reg. $1.65
- on sale $1.30/$1
- $.50 each

Gatorade G2, reg. $1.10
- on sale $.99/$.69
- used $1/2 from 1/10 RP newspaper
- $.19 each

Reynolds Foil, 75 ft, reg. $4.59
- on sale $2.99/$2.69
- used $1.25 coupon from 1/31 SS newspaper (or $1 coupon)
- $1.44 each

Reynolds Parchment Paper, 30 ft, reg. $3.39
- on sale $2.99/$2.69
- used $1 coupon
- $1.69

Softsoap, reg. $1.69
- on sale $.88


I did this in 3 transactions so I could minimize my out of pocket and not have any catalinas left over. I bought 2 of the Purex with 8 other Daytona items. I then used the $4 catalina that printed for the Purex to help pay for 2 more Purex and 8 other Daytona items. I used the 2nd $4 catalina that printed from that 2nd transaction to pay for the Softsoaps.


I compiled my list from pinchingyourpennies GrocerySmarts list and thread

This sale ends Tuesday night.


Money Left for the Month: $36.61


Oh, and P.S.: As I was putting the groceries in the car one of the Purex fell out, the lid broke and about a 1/3 of it dumped all over the parking lot. Super fun. We got home and Sam 'investigated' the broken bottle and spilled another capful or so all over the floor. Good thing it was free!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

rite aid diapers


Retails: $38.40
Total Spent: $18.95
Percent Off: 51%
Plus I applied for a $2 Rite Aid Rebate and a $5 Rite Aid Grab the Gold Rebate
Adjusted Percent Off: 69%

How did I do it?

Pampers Diapers, jumbo pack, reg. $11.99 each
- on sale $8.99 each
- $3.49 each, with the deal listed below

This is the deal I did, copied from hip2save's website.

I just wanted to remind you all that this is the last week to participate in Grab the Gold at Rite Aid. Spend $100 on select P&G items and get a $35 Visa Rewards Card; spend $50 and get a $15 card; spend $25 and get a $5 card!

Buy 3 Pampers for $8.99 each
Total = $26.97
Use the $5 off $25 coupon from
here or here (register to access the coupon) or the $5 off $20 from here
Plus, use 3 $1.50/1 coupons from the 2/7 PG
Pay $17.47, plus tax
Get back a $2
Single Check Rebate #42 (for purchasing one package of Pampers)
apply for the $5 Grab the Gold Visa card
Final cost $10.47 for 3 packs of diapers or
$3.49 each!, plus tax

This is only part of her diaper scenario involving stocking up on 12 packs of diapers, making each pack $2.74. If you're needing to stock up on diapers and have some wiggle room in your budget this month, check it out. Even without the $1.50 coupons, this is a pretty great deal.

Also, there is a P&G coupon book with over $100 of high value coupons that you can qualify for if you spend over $50 (before coupons) on their participating products. Hip2save lists the details here. If you do this diaper deal, save your receipts!

Both these rebates are through Rite Aid's online rebate program and are really easy to do. When I get home from the store I just enter my info from the receipt and that's it. In a few weeks they mail me a check and in the case of the Grab the Gold, it will be a Visa. While not great at submitting other rebates, I ALWAYS do Rite Aid's because of how easy it is. No stamps or envelopes. Beautiful.


Budget Info: Both of the Newborn packs are coming out of the money from my super nice big sister's baby gift, so I'm not subtracting them from my Money Left.


Money Left for the Month: $49.94

buy low

While at Buy Low for the produce in the last post, I couldn't help but grab a few other things.


Retails: $6.50
Total Spent: $3.10
Percent Off: 52%

How did I do it?

Lunch Meat, reg. $3.69
- on sale $1.98

Yoplait Yogurt, reg. $.60 each
- on sale $.44 each
- used $.75/4 coupon (ID and UT only)
- $.25 each


These prices are good until next Tuesday night.

Money Left for the Month: $56.26

WIC


Retails: $13.53
Total Spent: FREE
thanks WIC!

walgreens

Sam is SICK. I needed more Motrin ASAP so I made a trip of it. I am also running low on wipes, so there you go.


Retails: $67.23
Total Spent: $29.37
Percent Off: 56%
Plus I submitted for a $5 rebate!
Including Rebate:
Percent Off: 64%

How did I do it?

Lindsay Olives, reg. $2/4
- in-ad coupon for $.99 each (limit of 3)
-$.49 each

3 Musketeer Bars, on sale $.69 each
- in-ad coupon for $.49 each
- buy 4, prints a $1.50 Register Reward (like a gift card to be used in the next 2 weeks- see this post for more info)
- $.15 each, factoring in RR

Children's Motrin, reg. $6.99 each
- used $3/2 coupon from 1/3 RP newspaper
- buy 2, prints a $3 RR
- $3.99 each, factoring in RR

Huggies Jumbo Pack Diapers, on sale $8.99
- used $1 coupon from newspaper
- prints a $3 RR
- $4.99, factoring in RR

Huggies 72 count wipes, reg. $2.79
- used $1 Walgreens coupon from this flyer. I had to ask a really nice guy about it and they had the master behind the counter- they had run out of the flyers.
- used $.50 coupon from newspaper
- $1.29

Huggies 216 count wipes, on sale $5.99
- used $.75 wipe coupon previously available online
- $5.24

Cleaners (Fantastik, Scrubbing Bubbles, Shout), reg. $3.99
- on sale $2.50 each
- used $.55 and $.75 coupons from 1/10 SS newspaper
- paid $5.45 for all 3
- applied for this $5 rebate
- $.45 for all 3, factoring in the rebate

Dove Men's Care Body Wash, reg. $5.99
- used $1.25 coupon from 1/31 RP newspaper
- prints a $5.99 RR
- made $1.25, factoring the RR

Gift Card Holders, reg. $1.99
- on clearance for $.50 (needed fillers to get my coupon to item ratio up. These will make fun magnet cases for Sam)


compiled list from hip2save


I did buy all this in 3 transactions so I could use all of my RR today. I'm not really wanting to have to get out to Walgreens with a new baby in the next 2 weeks.


Budget Info: I'm not counting the $4.99 of the diapers in my Money Left total, as that comes out of a different budget- my sister very generously gave me some money to buy diapers for the new baby.


Money Left for the Month: $59.36

Monday, February 8, 2010

Walmart


Retails: $58.37
Total Spent: $12.19
Percent Off: 79%

How did I do it?

Great Value Yogurt, $.44 each
- used $.75/4 coupon (ID and UT only)
- $.25 each

Pictureka Card Game, $5.24
- used $5 coupon
- $.24

StarKist Tuna, $.98 each
- used $1 coupon (online, but I can't find it now... Sorry!)
- used BOGO (buy one, get one free) coupon from mail
- 2 for FREE

Mahatma Rice, 1 lb, $1.22
- $.72

Olay ProX Cleanser, $17.97
- used $10 coupon from mail
- used BOGO coupon for Olay Quench Body Lotion from 2/7 PG newspaper
- $7.97

Olay Quench Body Lotion, reg. $8.69
- on sale $7.77
- FREE with above BOGO coupon

Always Pads, $3.96
- FREE coupon in mail

LaVictoria Salsa, $2.12
- used $4/2 coupons (from LaVictoria.com- have to enter codes to qualify for coupons)
- $.12 each

Nalleys Dill Pickles, spears, $2.08
- used $1.50 coupon from 1/31 newspaper
- $.58 each


Money Left for the Month: $83.74


Thursday, February 4, 2010

Maceys


Retails: $23.71
Total Spent: $9.29
Percent Off: 61%

How did I do it?

Meadow Gold Whipping Cream, 1/2 pint, reg. $1.19
- on sale $.79

Triscuits, reg. $3.49 (nabisco snack crackers)
- on sale $1.58
- used $1 coupon from 1/24 SS newspaper
- $.58

Western Family Medium Cheddar Cheese, 2 lb, reg. $6.98
- on sale $3.99
- used $1 coupon from coupons.com (UT and ID only)
- $2.99 each

compiled list from pinchingyourpennies


Money Left for the Month: $95.93


Wednesday, February 3, 2010

menu 2/3/10

Let us all hope that this menu will not actually all happen this week. Let us pray that there will be some delicious hospital meals inserted and that the completion of this menu will be seen with one addition to my family.

I can only hope...


Menu:
  • IKEA meatball meal, complete with meatballs, lingonberry sauce, gravy, and mashed potatoes
  • Stuffed french toast with this DELICIOUS Kneaders Carmel Syrup
  • Pasta Bake with homemade bread
  • Taco Salad with homemade hard shells
  • Baked Potato with all the fixin's
  • Grilled Bone-In Chicken Breasts (America's Test Kitchen p.478)
  • Shredded Pork Sandwiches in homemade rolls
Sides: fresh/frozen/canned fruits and veggies

To Buy for the Menu:
  • cream, Fresh Market, $.79
  • nothing else. I menu plan around what I already have in the house so I don't have to pay full price for items on my menu. In this way I'm able to afford to stock up on all the great deals every week.

smiths obsession


So since I've already spent WAY too much money at Smiths the last couple days, I thought I would focus my attention on helping YOU spend money. I mean save money. Right.

I thought I would compile a list of things you can get for super cheap only using online coupons. Remember that to print them you need to use Internet Explorer and you can print most of them 2 times each per computer, except a few that only lets you do one.

This sale ends February 9, Tuesday night.

Smiths has a promotion where you buy 10 items and $5 automatically comes off your total, meaning $.50 off an item. This means that in order to get the best deal, buy these in multiples of 10.

I pretty much just compiled lots of the possible online coupons into this big transaction of 40 items. Feel free to mix and match.

Buy
- 2 10 count Mission soft tacos, $1.50
- 4 Quaker granola bars, $1.99
- 1 Post Raisin Bran, $2.49
- 4 Kraft Shredded Cheese, $1.99
- 2 Keebler Fudge Shoppe Cookies, Cheesecake Middles, $1.69
- 2
Pillsbury Toaster Strudels, $1.99
- 4 Philadelphia Cream Cheese, $1.49
- 4 Sobe Lifewater, $.99
- 3 Hunts Tomatoes, $.99
- 2 Nature Valley Nut Clusters, $2.49
- 4 CapriSuns, $1.99
- 4 Arrowhead water, 24 pack, $3.49
- 1
Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Crackers, $1.38
- 3 Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Crackers, $1.38 (or any other items to get your # up to a multiple of 10)

Subtotal on sale prices: $74.07

Then 4 $5 will come off automatically= $54.07

Use these coupons:
- 2 Mission tortillas $1 coupon
- 2 Quaker granola bars $1/2 coupon here
- 1 Post Raisin Bran $2 coupon
- 2 Kraft Shredded Cheese $1/2 coupon here
- 2 Keebler Fudge Shoppe Cookies, Cheesecake Middles $1 coupon
- 1
Pillsbury Toaster Strudels
- PLUS
$.55/2 cellfire coupon (load onto your Smith's card)
- 1 Philadelphia Cream Cheese $1/4 coupon
- 1 Hunts Tomatoes $1/3 coupon
- 1 Nature Valley Nut Clusters $1 coupon
- PLUS $1 cellfire coupon for one clusters, $1 shortcuts coupon for other
(load onto your Smith's card)
- 2 CapriSuns $1/2 coupon
- 2 Arrowhead water free 6 pack when you buy 2 24 pack coupons
- 1
Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Crackers

Coupon Total: $21.30

$54.07
- $21.30
$32.77

So for $32.77 you get all 40 of the items above, plus 2 6 packs of Arrowhead water, and a $5 catalina
that prints when you get the 4 24 packs of water. That catalina deal is only good until the 5th though.


Pretty good, considering that it all would retail full price for 115.85 plus tax, 72% off!


compiled list from pinchingyourpennies Grocery Smarts list and thread and also from Utahdealdiva.

See my 2 posts below for more details on these and other deals.