Shopping With Sheela

Coupons don't work?

2010-02-28T09:26:00.000-08:00

My husband is fond of telling me that coupons don't work, that everything I buy with coupons is "junk food" and that after "saving" so much money, I still don't have anything useful in the house. I will admit to buying large quantities of candybars, cookies, and chips, but I only bought them when they were free or when I made money of of them via a rebate!

Today I went to two different stores: Walgreens and Albertsons. I spent a total of $49.31 and let's see what I got...

At Albertsons:
10 Newspapers (Oregonian) = $20.00
7 jars of Bertolli Pasta sauce = $2.99 each or 20.93
1 jar of Del Monte Sun Fresh Red Grapefruit = $4.99

At Walgreens:
8 Bottles of Purex 2X (32 load size) laudry Detergent = $2.99 each (I had a rain check from last week) 23.92
1 Dentek floss picks = 2.79
1 Colgate toothpaste = 2.99
1 bottle Mazola Extra Virgin Olive Oil = 5.99

So, my total value was 81.61
That means I saved 32.30. And hubby thinks this isn't much of a savings by the way, because I "only saved about 40%". Well, in my book, $32 in my pocket is better than not. After all, today I saved my Garbage Bill. And I only got those items that we need.

Walgreens Shopping Trip 12/30/09

2009-12-30T16:15:00.000-08:00

I keep hearing that there are just no good deals out there on Toilet Paper, and when there are, it's for some awful TP that no one in their right mind would purchase. As for myself, I'm a Charmin girl! I don't want those "soft as sandpaper" toilet tissues touching my, um, err, tush.

The very unfortunate thing is that Charmin generally only puts out these 25¢ coupons and the packages are always about $4.00 or so. So then, you're thinking, "well, $3.75 instead of $4.00 isn't much of a savings now, is it?" And you're right. So today was 25% employee discount day at Walgreens. Remember, my daughter works at Walgreens, and moved back in with us last summer. (Yippee! I may never let her leave!) Charmin was on sale for $3.49 for a 6 Big Roll Packs, and with the discount, that made the only $2.62 per package, minus my 25¢ coupon, I'd only be paying $2.37 a 6 Big Roll Pack. But they have a deal that when you buy $30 in Participating Proctor and Gamble Products, you get a free 50 ounce Tide (8.99 value). And, as it turns out, I also was almost out of paper towels, so I needed to get Bounty as well.

So here's what I did:

Transaction #1=
3- boxes Cinnamon Toast Crunch = 2/$4.00 = 6.00 = after discounts 4.50
1- Gallon Milk = 1.99 (no discount)
3- 42 count boxes Prilosec OTC = 18.99 each = 56.97 = after discounts 42.72
2- Glade scented oil candles (I bought the wrong ones, oops!) = 3.79 each = 7.58 = after discount 5.68
Total Value =
72.54 = after discounts = 54.89
Minus:
General Mills Cereal Coupon = $1.00/3 = 1.00
Prilosec OTC coupons $3/1 x 3 = 9.00
Glade candle coupon $2/2 = 2.00
Total Out Of Pocket= 42.89
Recieved Back:
$10.00 Register Rewards from buying 3 packs of Prilosec
$2.00 Register Rewards from buying 2 boxes of General Mills Cereal and 1 Gallon Milk

Transaction #2:
4- 6 Big Roll Packs of Charmin = 3.49 ea. or 13.96 = after discount.. 10.48
4- Bounty 8 Roll Packs = 6.49 ea. or 25.96 = after discount.. 19.48
1- Dawn Dish Detergent= 99¢ = after discount.. 74¢
12- Soft Soap = 1.00 ea. or 12.00 = after discount.. 9.00
2- Sharpie Pens 2 packs = 2.50 ea. or 5.00 = after discount.. 3.74
1- penway portfolio = 39¢ = after discount.. 29¢
Total Value: 58.30 = after discounts.. 43.73
Minus:
4- 25¢/1 Charmin Coupons = $1.00
4- 25¢/1 Bounty Coupons = $1.00
1- 25¢/1 Dawn Detergent Coupon = 25¢
12- 35¢/1 Soft Soap Coupons = 4.20
2- Walgreens Sharpie Coupon for 69¢ = 2.70
1- Walgreens School Supplies Coupon for 19¢ = 15¢
1- $10.00 Register reward (from Transaction #1)
1= $2.00 Register reward (from Transaction #2)
Total Out Of Pocket:
22.43
Received Back:
Free Coupon for 50 ounce Tide

Transaction #3
50 ounce Tide = 8.99
Used Coupon from Transaction #2 = 8.99
Total out of Pocket = 0.00

So in total today's value was $135.33 or $107.61 (after discounts)
and I only spent 65.32 (just a little over the cost of just the Prilosec!)

I've been away!

2009-12-30T15:47:00.000-08:00

Wow! I've been gone for quite a while. My business picked up dramatically at the end of October and kept that way until the 19th of this month. My business is really only this busy during the holidays. Wondering what I do? Check it out at www.GourmetMixMarket.com. Yup, I have to get to updating the site as well! But that's what January is for!

So what's taken me so long to get back to posting? The sad fact is, I didn't have my coupons in order. I had kept up with buying newspapers, but did not keep up with clipping and filing them.

So on Monday morning I set to work. First purging the coupon keepers of all the expired coupons. When I was done, the keepers were just SO empty. And then I began clipping the new (many of the new ones were expired too. It was all very depressing!).

By Tuesday afternoon I had them all filed and ready to go. That did not mean, however, that I had any idea of what was out there... on sale or otherwise! So, I began by going off to my favorite couponing site www.afullcup.com and seeing what the ladies had been getting into over there.

I saw that there were a few deals for soda, crackers, and avocados at Albertsons, and margarine, sour cream, paper plates, and plastic cups at Safeway. (There was also a much better deal at Safeway for the same crackers that Albertsons had, but I didn't see it until AFTER I used my coupons at Albertsons. This is what you get for being out for 2 months.) So I ran over to Albertsons and Safeway on Tuesday to get my goodies! I felt really good about my trip too! I saved 57%. It's not quite the 60% that I aim for, but hey, I've been out of practice for two months! (Hmmm, I wonder how long can I use that excuse?)

Today I went to Walgreens and did about the same. 54% or so. Not bad. But I'm SO excited to get back to saving money! I made so much this past couple of months and I want to hang on to it, not spend it on Groceries! Uggh! But wouldn't you know it? Today while I was out and about, I forgot to go by Safeway and Albertsons to get their new flyers. Oh, no! See? That's what happens when you're out of practice. But, Tomorrow I need to take the dogs to the vet for their checkups and on the way home I'll stop by and grab the flyers. In the meantime, I'll be checking out www.afullcup.com and going to www.safeway.com and www.albertsons.com to see what I can find!

Fred Meyer - 10/27/09

2009-10-27T12:42:00.000-07:00

Special Deal for Albany Shoppers only! The Albany Fred Meyer got in too many Foster Farms Chicken Breast halves. They got two pallets, and need to get rid of them. So, the price is at just 49¢ a pound! When the pallets of chicken breasts are gone, this sale is done! So get there soon and stock up. Today I got 19 1/2 pounds for just $9.60!!

Now I'll be packaging them up in vacuum sealed packets and freezing! Lot's of work, but well worth the effort at this price!

8 meals all ready for the freezer... 2- 10 Chicken tenders, 5- 3 Chicken Breasts, and 1- 5 Chicken Breasts.

And that's not all...
All the bones are on the stove, boiling, to make chicken stock. Nothing goes to waste!

Walgreens Shopping Trip 10/25

2009-10-25T10:36:00.000-07:00

I didn't find that today was such and extraordinary day at Walgreen's, but I did manage to get a few items that will be useful. My mom with get the polygrip, my daughter the chapstick, my husband the beano, we will all share the halls, but I get the tea all to myself!

Today I started off with 2- $6 RR's and 1- $9 RR from last week. I had only one coupon with me for only 50¢ off. So, here's what I did...

Transaction #1:

Mount of Olives Tea 4 Pack (these are on clearance today) = 75¢
Chapstick Fresh effects = 2.99
Halls Refresh = 1.00
Beano To Go (12 pack) = 2.49
Super Plygrip (.75 oz) = 2.00
Total value = 9.23
Minus =
50¢ coupon for Halls Refresh (found in All You magazine)
6.00 Register Reward from last week.
Total out of pocket = 2.73
Got back:
$3.00 RR for Chapstick Fresh Effects
$1.00 RR for Halls Refresh
$2.50 RR for Beano to Go
$2.00 RR for Super Polygrip

Transaction #2:

Halls Refresh = 1.00
Super Polygrip = 2.00
Beano to go = 2.49
Chapstick Fresh Effects = 2.99
Total Value = 8.48
Minus = $6 RR from last week
Total Out of pocket = 2.48
Got Back:
$1.00 from Halls
$2.00 from Polygrip
$2.50 from Beano
$3.00 from Chapstick
Everything for FREE!

So, I started the day with $21 in Register Rewards and ended the day with $26 in Register Rewards and only spent a total of $5.21 out of pocket, but $5.00 of that was converted into register rewards for next time!

So really, all this for only 21¢!

Free Snuggies!

2009-10-21T18:34:00.000-07:00

A Free Snuggie!

Read the fine print and as long as you don't check the boxes they will not contact you in any way other than a phone call to take a brief survey and ask you how you like your FREE Snuggie. There is no cost and no shipping and handling!!

http://suzzly. com/snuggiepromo .html

Great day at Walgreens!

2009-10-18T10:52:00.000-07:00

Today I went to Walgreen's prepared with my coupons. I had a $7.00 Register Reward from last week from the Quaker Oatmeal deal, and 6- $1.00 Register Rewards from the Hall's Refresh Deal this month.

Transaction #1

1 - Glade Candle Tin = 2.12
1 - Glade Candle Refill = 2.12
3 - Triaminic Childrens cold reliever @ 4.24 each = 12.72
1 - Zantac Heartburn Reliever = 7.64
2 - Baking Soda @ 85¢ ea. = 1.70
2 - Morton Salt @ 76¢ ea. = 1.52
Total Value: $27.82 (mind you, I get a 15% discount because I have a daughter who lives at home and works at Walgreens, so that is an additional 4.92 savings.)
Minus:
Glade Candle Tin Coupon (found inside the tin) = $1.50
Glade Candle Refill FREE Coupon (blinkie found at Safeway) = $2.12
Triaminic $2.00 off each coupon (from Walgreens Healthy Savings Booklet) = $6.00
Triaminic $1.50 off one coupon (IP found at http://www.triaminic.com/ look in the lower left hand corner, you can print 2) = $3.00
Zantac Coupon (found in 8/23 SS) = $1.00
Baking Soda and Morton Salt Coupon (Wags. Coupon; found in weekly flyer) making them 2/$1.00 = $1.54
Total Coupon Savings: 15.16
Used Register Rewards from last week: Used one $7.00 and 3- $1.00 = $10.00
Total Out of Pocket: $2.66
Recieved Back: $9.00 Register Reward from Zantac and $8.00 Register Reward from Triaminic

Transaction #2

2 bags fun size candy bars (you can't see the Baby Ruth bars behind the Crunch in the pic) @ $1.70 ea. = 3.40
4 - PopTarts @ 1.49 ea. = 5.96
4 - Ricola Cough Drops @ 2.12 ea. = 8.48
1 - Gillete Fusion Razor = 7.64
1 - Glade Candle Tin = 2.12
1 - Glade Candle Refills = 2.12
1 - Fixodent = 3.82
2 - Hormel Completes @ 1.69 ea. = 3.38
2 - Starbucks Frappacino @ 1.70 ea. = 3.40
8 - Halloween pencils @ 4/$1 = 1.70 (remember, I get a discount)
Total Value: 42.02
Minus:
2 - Nestle Fun Size Candy Bars (From IP http://www.nestlefamily.com/CelebrationCorner/Default.aspx) $1.00 each = $2.00
4 - Pop Tarts Coupons (from newspaper, sorry don't remember when) 55¢ each = 2.20
2 - Ricola Cough Drops Buy one, get one Coupons (from sunday inserts 10/11 SS) 2.12 ea = 4.24
2 - Ricola Cough Drops Wags. Coupon 50¢/1 (from Walgreens Healthy Savings Booklet) = $1.00
1 - Ricola Cough Drops Wags. Coupon (found in Wags. weekly circular) = $1.70
1 - Gillette Fusion Razor Coupon (from sunday inserts PG 9/27 = $4.00
1 - Glade Candle Tin Coupon (found inside the tin) = $1.50
1 - Glade Candle refills (blinkie found at Safeway) = $2.12
1 - Fixodent coupon (found in PG 8/30 sunday insert) = 50¢
1 - Hormel Completes (found in All You magazine) = 75¢
1 - Hormel Completes Buy one, get one coupon (found in All You magazine) = $1.69
2 - Starbucks Frappucino Coupons (Print Your Coupon print 2) $1.00 each = $2.00
1 - Starbucks Frappucino Walgreens Coupon (found in Wags. weekly circular) = $1.20
1 - Halloween Pencil Walgreen's Coupon (found in Wags. weekly circular) = .84
Total Coupon Savings = 25.74
Used Register Rewards: 8.00 from Triaminic (transaction #1), 1.00 from Glade Candle Tin (transaction #1, Oops! This means I didn't get another for this transaction!), 3.00 from Halls Refresh (from last week)
Total Out of Pocket = 4.28
Received Back: $6.00 Register Reward from Gillette Fusion Razor.

A Clip-and-Save Renaissance

2009-09-24T07:27:00.000-07:00

Hubby found this article today at The New York Times online. I believe that in this economy, you should never leave free food in the stores! At least that's my

A Clip-and-Save Renaissance

Susan J. Samtur of Scarsdale, N.Y., says brand loyalty is an expensive luxury. Bargain hunters buy what’s on sale.

By STEPHANIE ROSENBLOOM

Published: September 23, 2009

Heather Hernandez walked into a supermarket with a stack of coupons last month and walked out with $160 worth of groceries, for which she paid $30.

Longtime coupon clippers like Susan J. Samtur stay organized, often sorting by grocery aisle.

photos by: Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times

Some try to use coupons when items are already on sale.

“With the economy right now everyone wants to make their dollars go further,” said Ms. Hernandez, a stay-at-home mother in Houston who clips and files coupons with the meticulousness of an accountant. “I see all kinds of people using coupons. I see teenagers using coupons. I see grandfathers using coupons.”

It may be the digital age, but when it comes to pinching pennies, most consumers are opting for a method that is well over a 100 years old: the paper coupon. Thanks to the miserable economy, coupons — like board games and family dinners around the kitchen table — have made a comeback. The recession has even made coupon clippers out of some groups that once avoided them, including well-to-do shoppers and young shoppers.

“Coupons were not in vogue during our period of gluttonous consumption,” said Kit Yarrow, a consumer psychologist in San Francisco and an author of “Gen BuY: How Tweens, Teens and Twenty-Somethings Are Revolutionizing Retail.” “But now that it’s once again cool to be cheap, they’re back.”

Coupon redemption in America peaked in 1992, at the end of a recession, when 7.9 billion coupons were redeemed, according to Inmar, a coupon-processing company. By 2006, that number fell to 2.6 billion and stagnated there through 2008.

As the economy worsened and consumer sentiment plunged, coupon redemption ticked up 10 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008, compared with the period a year ago — the first jump in coupon redemption since the early 1990s. In the first half of this year, coupon redemption climbed 23 percent. Some 1.6 billion coupons were redeemed, leading Inmar to forecast that more than three billion coupons will be redeemed this year.

More of them are being redeemed by consumers who have long avoided coupons.

“The households that tend to not coupon as much are all couponing significantly more this year versus last year,” said Neil Heffernan, senior vice president and general manager for the research company Knowledge Networks/PDI. The group’s most recent figures show that in January and February combined, coupon use among young, single consumers with minimal savings rose 14 percent, in contrast to the same months last year.

Coupon use among another group — affluent consumers born in the late 1950s and 1960s — rose 13 percent in January and February, compared with the same months in the previous year. Data from Nielsen published last month underscored this trend, showing that households earning $70,000 or more a year were among the top coupon users.

Matthew Tilley, director of marketing for Inmar, said that coupon use was growing most among such groups and that they were the ones driving traffic to Web sites with printable coupons, like Redplum.com and Coupons.com. Redemption of printable coupons, which span the divide between old-fashioned paper coupons and newer digital versions, grew 308 percent in the first half of this year, from a small base.

“I believe it’s not coincidental that the spike in coupon redemption began just as some of the worst economic news hit the front pages,” Mr. Tilley said, adding that coupon-cutting is but one more way consumers are changing their habits. “Folks are going back to the basics,” he said, “trying to live simpler lives.”

Coupon redemption was also spurred on by marketers who dangled more valuable deals. Mr. Tilley said there was a 9 percent increase last year in the face value of coupons. That has declined slightly this year, though; marketers know more consumers are using coupons, and companies can afford to pull back a bit.

“It is a sign of the times,” said Kelly McFalls, a spokeswoman for BJ’s Wholesale Club, which accepts manufacturers’ coupons. Underscoring the nationwide trend, more BJ’s shoppers are using such coupons, as well as the BJ’s store coupons.

Digital coupon use, on the Web and on cellphones, is also growing. In the first half of this year about 10 million digital coupons were redeemed, up 25 percent compared with the period a year earlier, according to Inmar. However, paper coupons still make up the bulk of coupons redeemed in the nation, with digital coupons accounting for less than half a percent of all coupons distributed.

The primacy of paper over pixels is partly because new methods of digitally distributing coupons have yet to fully catch on. It is also because many grocery and drug stores still offer coupons inside weekend newspapers. Indeed, in the first half of this year there was a 29 percent increase in coupons distributed for food products, in contrast to the period a year ago, according to Inmar. As Mr. Tilley put it, that “is going to boost redemption because everybody’s got to eat.”

Consumer psychologists posit yet another reason for the popularity of paper coupons: Because it takes more work to acquire them, the people who do so feel they have outsmarted other shoppers.

“Saving money so often means not doing something, as in not buying something,” Ms. Yarrow said. “Coupon-clipping has a proactive quality to it that appeals to bargain hunters.”

And though some consumers know about mobile coupon services like Cellfire, scholars say shoppers still have concerns about privacy and security. “In the same way it took a while for A.T.M.’s to catch on,” Ms. Yarrow said, “I think it’ll take a bit longer for the mobile coupons to become mainstream.”

Coupon devotees see the enterprise as vast game of saving money, and they share tips through increasingly popular Web sites.

One of their strategies is to hold onto their coupons until the store puts those items on sale — typically a month or so after the coupons are first offered. Coupon clippers who regularly save about half of their weekly grocery bill say it is because they watch store fliers to find out when items will go on sale and then use their coupons on top of the sale price.

“Sometimes the coupon brings you down to nearly zero dollars,” said Susan J. Samtur of Scarsdale, N.Y., who is known in bargain-hunting circles as the coupon queen.

While some consumers dismiss coupon-cutting as too time-consuming, adept coupon users contend it is a matter of getting into the habit, though it does require discipline.

Longtime coupon users, for instance, do not keep coupons crumpled up in their wallets. They opt for small accordion folders with tabs for shopping categories that correspond to store aisles, like “baking” and “frozen foods.” They keep scissors on hand. They clip coupons on Sundays and file them while on the subway, or while boiling water for spaghetti. And they paper-clip coupons to their shopping lists so they do not forget to use them.

Another way coupon clippers save is by shedding brand loyalty and buying whatever is on sale. Ms. Samtur, who hunts for coupons for consumers at Selectcouponprogram.com, is so good at it that she also shops for her adult children — including the girlfriends of two of her sons.

“I’m paying 30 cents for the yogurt, and they’re not fussy,” she said, “so long as it’s the low-fat ones.”

Also, coupon mavens point out that even if a coupon expires, stores may be flexible about the rules for their own coupons. Ms. Hernandez of Houston, who chronicles her deals at freebies4mom.com, recently spent more than $50 on groceries, then found out she missed a deal for $10 off any purchase of $50 or more. She went back to the store with her receipt and got $10 back.

“It never hurts to ask,” she said.

~A version of this article appeared in print on September 24, 2009, on page B1 of the New York edition.

$5.00 Rebate From Crock Pot

2009-09-23T08:02:00.001-07:00

Are you in the market for a new Crock-Pot? I am. Boy, was I happy to hear about this...
Get $5.00 mail in rebate on crock-pot slow cookers priced $24.50 & higher!
http://www.crock-pot.com/Documents/Crocktober2009.pdf

I'm off to the store today to get one! There's a red one I've been eyeing lately....

An Unexpected run to Albertsons!

2009-09-22T11:21:00.001-07:00

The other day I was reading on www.utahdealdiva.com She had a wonderful recipe for Coconut Curry Chicken. It looked wonderful and sounded so good that I decided to have it for dinner tonight. So, looking over the recipe, the only thing I didn't already have on hand was the coconut milk. Well, being blessed with good luck, Barb at the supersaversinsalemoregon yahoo group, posted this:

I read about a good coupon on some internet boards. It's for $1.00 of any
Thai Kitchen product. It's found on coupons.com but wasn't showing with
my zip code. If you change the zip code to 44288, it will show up. There's
a small box in the upper left hand corner for your zip code. It doesn't
have a label on the box. Just type in your zip code and press enter.

Coconut milk is $2.29 so with a double it's $.29
Curry paste is $3.79 so with a double it's $1.79

There were other products but I didn't write down the prices.

Barb

So I printed my coupons and made a quick trip to Albertson's. I still had 6 double coupons, and since today is the last day of the "shopping week", I simply HAD to use them. I just can't leave free money to expire on me!

I did two transactions, check them out!

Transaction #1:

2 Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk @$2.29 each = $4.58
1 Welches White Grape Juice = $3.00
Total Value = $7.58
Minus 2 Thai Kitchen Coupons for $1.00 each (printed from Coupons.com, there is also a 50¢/1 from the 8/30 RP) = -$2.00
Minus Welches Coupon for $1.00 (also printed from Coupons.com) = -$1.00
Minus 3 Double coupons @ $1.00 each = -$3.00
Total Out of Pocket = $1.58

Transaction #2:

1 Welches White Grape Juice = $3.00
4 Nabisco Toasted Chips @ $2.50 each = $10.00
2 LiteHouse brand caramel apple dip @ $3.59 each = $7.18
2 lbs Granny Smith Apples @ 99¢ lb. = $1.98 (I don't know how I got exactly 2 lbs.!)
Total Value = $22.16
Minus Welches Coupon for $1.00 (printed from Coupons.com) = -$1.00
Minus $3.00 from Nabisco deal when you buy 4 = -$3.00
Minus $3.00/4 Coupon for Nabisco (found in store next to beer) = -$3.00
Minus 2 $1/1 Litehouse coupons (found in Newspaper 8/30 SS) = -$2.00
Minus Up to $2.00 coupon for Apples when you buy two litehouse caramel dips (found in store next to caramel dips) = -$1.98
Minus 3 Double coupons @ $1.00 each = -$3.00
Minus $5.00 OYNO Catalina (printed out earlier in the week when you buy Soups) = -$5.00
Total out of pocket = $3.18

So, for the entire day I got all the rest of this stuff for just 18¢ more than the cost of just the two coconut milks that I need for the recipe for tonight. Now THAT's my kind of shopping!!

My Trip to Walgreen's today - 9/21/09

2009-09-21T13:59:00.001-07:00

All this in 4 transactions:

Transaction #1
3 Sally Hansen Nail Polishes (on sale) 2.69 each = 8.07
Total Value = $8.07
Minus 3 Sally Hansen $1.00 off 1 item = -3.00
Total out of pocket = $5.07
Received back a $5.00 Catalina to be used on Sally Hansen items

Transaction #2
3 Sally Hansen Nail Polishes (on sale) 2.69 each = 8.07
Carmex Lip Balm = 1.35
Total Value = 9.42
Minus 3 Sally Hansen $1.00 off 1 item = -3.00
Minus 1 $5.00 Catalina (from first transaction) = -5.00
Total Out of Pocket = $1.42
Received back a $5.00 Catalina to be used on Sally Hansen items

Transaction #3
3 Sally Hansen Nail Polishes (on sale) 2.69 each = 8.07
1 Nestle Carlos V Chocolate Bar = .33
Total Value = 8.40
Minus 3 Sally Hansen $1.00 off 1 item = -3.00
Minus 1 $5.00 Catalina (from second transaction) = -5.00
Total Out of Pocket = 40¢
Recieved back a $3.00 Catalina to be used on Sally Hansen items

Transaction #4
4 Keebler Pecan Sandies cookies (on sale b1g1) = 3.38
3 Halloween Candy Bowls @ .84 each = 2.52
2 Sally Hansen Nail Polishes (on sale 40% off) @ 2.69 each = 5.38
2 Glade Candles @ 2.12 each = 4.24
2 Gallons of milk at 1.99 each = 3.98
Total value = 19.50
Minus:
$2.00 off Any two packages of Keebler Cookies (peelie from package) = -2.00
2 - $2.00 off milk when you buy any two packages of keebler cookies = -4.00
2 - $1.00 off Any Sally Hansen Product = -2.00
$3.00 off 2 Glade Fragrance collection products = 3.00
$3.00 Catalina (from 3rd transaction)
$5.00 Register Rewards Catalina from purchase of Aleve last week)
Total Out of Pocket = 50¢
Received a $1.00 Register Rewards Catalina from purchase of two Glade Fragrance collection candles.

So, for the day:
Total Value = $45.39
Total Out of Pocket = $7.39
Total Savings = 38.00
About an 84% savings! AND I got another $1.00 Register Reward to use next week, as well as $7.00 in Register Rewards that I haven't spend from last week!

My Trip to Albertsons today - 9/18/09

2009-09-18T09:50:00.000-07:00

8 boxes of Ritz Crackers @ $2.50 each = 20.00
8 boxes of Ritz Crackerfuls @ #2.50 each = $20.00
4 V8-Splash @ 2/$4 = $8.00
2 Campbellls Tomato Soup @ 20/$10 = $1
2 Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup @ 20/$10 = $1
4 Campbells Select Harvest Soup @ 4/$5 = $5.00

Minus-
4 $1/2 Nabisco Cookies or Crackers (from the Nabisco Throughout the School Year Coupon book - Q's cannot be doubled) = - 4.00
8 Free Crackerfuls WYB Ritz Crackers = -20.00
2 $1/2 V8 Splash = - 2.00
1 40¢/4 Campbells Chicken noodle or Tomato soups = - 0.40
2 50¢/2 Campbells Select Harvest Soups = - 1.00
1 $5.00 Catalina (Campbell's & Pepperidge Farm) = - 5.00
4 $3.00 for every four nabisco crackers = - 12.00
2 $1.00 double coupons = - 2.00
1 50¢ double coupon = - 0.50

Total Out Of Pocket: $8.10
Received a $5.00 OYNO Cat.

How to use Free Coupons.

2009-09-18T08:16:00.000-07:00

I saw this on www.UtahDealDiva.com today and thought that my readers should have this info too!

Thanks Utah Deal Diva!!

We all love getting coupons for free products, who wouldn't? For this week's Thrifty Thursday tip, I want to show you a couple ways you can maximize your savings using coupons for free products.

Some of you might be confused. If you're already getting the product for free, how is it possible to save even more?! I'll show you!

Use your free product coupon during a Buy-One-Get-One-Free sale.
{BOGO} We all can agree, although getting one item for free is great, getting two for free is even better! With a BOGO sale, the store is proving the one free item, and the free coupon is essentially you're "payment" for the other item. The store is reimbursed full value of the coupon and you walk out with 2 free product! Only thing is, keep an eye on the value of your free product coupon. Oftentimes stores mark up items with a BOGO sale {like the Smith's John Morrell lunch meat for $5!} In some cases, the price of the item might exceed the value of the coupon, so you may end up paying a small amount. However, it's usually still worth it!

Use your free product coupon during a promotion. Both Smith's and Albertson's often have catalina promotions where you purchase certain items and get a catalina for a certain amount back. It's always good to use coupons during catalina promotions as it lowers your out-of-pocket costs. Using a free item coupon is even better! If you happen to find an instant savings promotion, like the ones Smith's often runs, then again, it's even better as it lowers your out-of-pocket costs even more! Check out the example here at Target this week!

Use your free product coupon for a rebate item. Talk about lowering your out-of-pocket costs! If you happen to have a coupon for a completely free item that also has a full rebate being offered, then you've just hit the jackpot! I recently found a deal like this here. Although this example isn't using a free product coupon, the Fuel for School rebate through Kellogg's is another way to get items for free then submit for a rebate!

So next time you happen to receive a coupon for a free product, don't rush out to use it! Hold on to it and see if you can further maximize your savings!

Internet Printable coupon

2009-09-17T12:31:00.000-07:00

Go to www.tryV8.com and print a $1.00 off 1 46ounce V-Fusion Juice.

Free Betty Crocker Potatoes!

2009-09-17T12:15:00.000-07:00

Wow! Just what we all need, Free Food! And I've been craving Au Gratin Potatoes lately too!

Get a free sample of Betty Crocker Potatoes when you sign up for the Dinner made easy newsletter. Choose from either Au Gratin or Garlic Mashed Potaotes. Click here: http://freesample.bettycrockerpotatoes.com/BCPotatoesII/Default.aspx

3 Double Coupons this week at Albertsons!

2009-09-16T15:30:00.000-07:00

This week we have 3 Double Coupons from Albertsons.

Right now I'm looking at the back page and contemplating how I'm going to use my double coupons.
Purchase $15 of participating Campbell's or Pepperidge Farms products and get $5 off your next grocery order. These items include:
Campbells Chicken Noodle or Tomato Soup (20/$10)
Campbell's Spaghetti O's or 2 oz. Carton of Gold Fish Crackers (10/$10)
Campbell's Kids Soups (4/$5)
Campbell's Select Harvest or Chunky Soup or 6.6 - 8 oz. Bag GoldFish Crackers (4/$5)
Prego Italian Sauces, V8 Splash Juice, or Pepperidge farm cookies (2/$4)

There is also another deal going on this week at Albertson's:
Snack Mania!
$1.75 for every 4 you buy! Individual Price 2/$5.00
Items include:
Nabisco snack crackers
Nabisco Chips Ahoy! Cookies
Nabisco Ritz Crackers
Nabisco Ritz Crackerfuls
Nabisco Premium Saltine Crackers
Nabisco Toasted Chips
Nabisco Oreo Cakesters

Hmmm. So here's what I'm thinking right now:

Transaction #1
V8-Splashes.
Buy 8 = $16.00
Minus 4 Man. Q from last sunday = $1/2 = $4.00
Minus 3 double Q's = $3.00

$9.00 Out of pocket, Get $5.00 Back

Transaction #2
Campbell's Chunky or Select 12@1.25 each= 15.00
Minus 3 coupons ($1.00 off 4) = $3.00
Minus 3 doublers = $3.00
Minus $5.00 from Transaction #1 = $5.00

Total OOP=$4.00, Get $5.00 Back

Transaction #3
Ritz Crackerfuls
4 Crackerfuls @ 1.75 each = $7.00
Minus 4 Man. Q's ($1/1) = $4.00
Minus 3 Double Q's = $3.00
Total OOP = Free

Albertson's 9/15/09

2009-09-15T10:11:00.001-07:00

My shopping trip today consisted of 3 trips through the check out line with 3 transactions each. All totaled I got:
2 Tony's Pizza's
1 Lifesavers pack
1 Ground Cloves
6 Packages of Kashi TLC Bars
1 package Ocean Spray Craisins
18 Del Monte Fruit Naturals Fruit Cups
2 Kashi Go Lean Crunch Cereal
2 Kellogg's Strawberry Mini Wheats Cereal
2 Kellogg's Jumbo Krispies Cereal
1 Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal
6 Cans Albertson's Brand Creamed Corn
4 Cans Albertson's Brand Green Beans
4 Cans Albertson's Brand Small Sweet Peas
4 Cans Linday Olives
10 Bottles Kens Salad Dressing

My Total Out Of Pocket was $25.99, BUT the total cost before coupons (and after sales) was $104.48. That's a savings of 78.49 OR about 75% Off!!!

IT'S FREE CHOCOLATE FRIDAY!!

2009-09-11T10:12:00.000-07:00

Today is FREE CHOCOLATE FRIDAY Again!!! Go here to get your free chocolate candy coupon mailed to you: https://secure.realchocolate.com/Register.aspx

You can get one per family member! I got one for myself, my daughter, and my hubby! I'm not sure if there is an age limit for it, since my daughter is 20, but try it out for the kids too!

Scrubbing Bubbles Shower Cleaner Kit for $1.99!!!

2009-09-09T16:34:00.000-07:00

This week at Walgreen's they have the Scrubbing Bubbles shower cleaner kit for 9.99 and have a register rewards for $3.00.
Go here: http://www.rightathome.com/offers/0909sb/Default.aspx?1=1&sid=email&cid=pfe200909sbcoup&rid=112494944&om_rid=B5wwud&om_mid=_BKp5j5B7u2x1Pa to get a $5.00 off coupon.

Dinner Tool

2009-09-07T08:21:00.000-07:00

I came across this site that seems pretty cool. http://www.dinnertool.com/

Here, you click on a recipe or meal that you're interested in, and if there are coupons associated with that recipe or meal, you can click on those highlighted words then choose to print the coupon.

It seems pretty cool, but.... I noticed that on some items you don't get exactly what you're asking for. (i.e. the recipe says "Cheese", you click on that and up pops a coupon for "Cheese-It's") It's only a beta version, so perhaps it will get better. But I thought it was pretty cool anyway.

My Walgreens Trip Today!

2009-09-06T08:42:00.000-07:00

Transaction #1:
2 - Glade 2 ounce "The Fragrance Collection" Soy Candles = 2/$4
1 - Glade Scented Oil Candle Holder = $4.49
1 - Glade Scented Oil Candle Refills = $3.79
1 - Glade Sense & Spray = $5.99
2 - Reese's Peanut Butter Cups = $1.59

Total Value = 19.86
15% discount (lucky me! my daughter, who lives with us, works at Walgreen's, so I get her discount!) = 2.98
Minus:
-$3.00 Manufacturer Coupon for "Any two Fragrance Collection items from Glade"
-$4.00 Manufacturer Coupon for Glade Sense & Spray
-$3.22 Manufacturer Coupon for FREE Glade Scented Oil Candles Refills when you buy a holder
- 55¢ Manufacturer Coupon for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
- 59¢ Manufacturer Coupon for FREE Reese's Peanut Butter Cups when you buy one.

Total Out of Pocket = $5.52

Received Back Register Rewards for next shopping trip:
$2.00 From Glade Sense and Spray
$1.00 From Glade 2 ounce Fragrance Collection Candles

Transaction #2:

2 - Reese's Candy Bars = $1.59
1 - Glade Sense & Spray = $5.99
1 - Glade Scented Oil Candle Holder = $4.49
3 - Glade Scented Oil Candle Refills = $2.69 each = $8.07
2 - Glade 2 ounce "The Fragrance Collection" Soy Candles = 2/$4
1 - Windex Outdoor All in One = $9.99
3 - Carefree Pantiliners (22 Pack) = $1.49 each = $4.47

Total Value: 38.60
15% Discount: -$5.56
Minus:
- 55¢ Manufacturer Coupon for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
- 59¢ Manufacturer Coupon for FREE Reese's Peanut Butter Cups when you buy one.
-$4.00 Manufacturer Coupon for Glade Sense & Spray
-3.00 Manufacturer Coupon for Glade Scented Oil Candles Holder
-2.29 Manufacturer Coupon for "Buy 2 Scented Oil Candle Refills, get one free" found inside the Scented oil Candle Holder package
-$3.00 Manufacturer Coupon for "Any two Fragrance Collection items from Glade"
-$3.00 Peelie Manufacturer Coupon for Windex Outdoor All in One from Safeway
-$1.50 Walgreens Coupon for Carefree Pantiliners
-$3.00 Manufacturer Coupon for Carefree Pantiliners
-$2.00 Register Reward from Carefree Pantiliners from +last week
-$2.00 Register Reward from Carefree pantiliners from last week

Total Out Of Pocket = $8.11
Received Back Register Rewards for next shopping trip:
$2.00 From Glade Sense and Spray
$1.00 From Glade 2 ounce Fragrance Collection Candles
$3.00 From Windex Outdoor All-in-one

Glade Candles at Walgreens

2009-09-06T08:20:00.000-07:00

This week at Walgreen's the Glade Scented Holder is 2/$4.00
-(2) $2.00 Glade Scented Holder MQ = $4.00
- (2) FREE Refills (Get your Glade Candle Coupons here: http://print.coupons.com/couponweb/Offers.aspx?pid=14612&nid=10&zid=lp97)
Total: $0.00
Receive: $1 RR

So it is a $1.00 Moneymaker too!

$2.00 Off Gain Laundry Detergent

2009-09-05T07:59:00.000-07:00

Get a Coupon for $2.00 off Gain Laundry Detergent. Just visit: http://www.expotv.com/coupons-gain-laundry-detergent

The coupon will be sent to you in 4 - 6 weeks.

Cool Whip @ Albertsons!

2009-09-04T10:40:00.000-07:00

Cool Whip at Albertson's this week is advertised as 2 8-ounce tubs for $2.00, but when I went in to get mine, I found that they were only 99¢.

That doesn't sound like a huge difference, but I ended up getting 30 (10 for my mom and 20 for me), and that ends up being another 30¢ savings! Yippee!!

$15 Coupon Booklet From Save a Lot

2009-09-04T10:16:00.000-07:00

Get a Coupon Booklet from Proctor and Gamble sent to you from Save-a-Lot. Just go here to sign up and they will mail it to you within 4 - 6 weeks: http://save-a-lot.com/p-and-g-booklet-sign-up

No Coupons this Sunday in Newspaper!

2009-09-04T09:43:00.000-07:00

No Coupons are to be expected in this Sunday's Newspaper. So sad. I just hate those weekends when there are no coupons.

Free Reese's Candy!

2009-09-04T09:38:00.000-07:00

I went today to my local Safeway; they have a sale for Reese's Peanut Butter Cups: buy 2, get one free.

I bought 6, got two free; used 2 BOGO Q's, from the 8/23 SmartSource; got two more free, then used 2 55¢/1, also from the 8/23 SmartSource; then used my doublers and got 6 for -12¢

Money Maker!! I'll be going back later today to use all the rest of my Q's!

Free Chocolate Fridays!

2009-09-04T09:19:00.000-07:00

Visit RealChocolate.com every Friday at 9:00 AM ET, starting May 22, 2009 to get a free chocolate bar, all the way through September. Limit ONE free chocolate bar per person, per week. 250,000 chocolate bars will be given out each week. You will get the free coupon by mail. If you’re on the West Coast, make sure you get up nice and early on Fridays to get your free chocolate.

“Coupons will be mailed to consumers and will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, a company statement said. The coupons are redeemable for any full-size Mars “real chocolate” product, including M&Ms, Snickers, Dove Chocolate, Twix, Milky Way and 3 Musketeers.”

Dutch Bros 16 oz Annihilators Only $1.50

2009-09-04T09:18:00.001-07:00

The Commandments of Couponing!

2009-06-26T12:56:00.000-07:00

The Commandments of Couponing:

1~ Plan meals from your pantry, freezer, and stockpiles, NOT the store!
Know what you have on hand and what you need to complete meals. You want to be shopping each week for great sales, free and almost free items, you do not want to be buying things from the store that are NOT at their rock-bottom price.

2~ Make a list! Less time in the store = Less money spent!
Have your game plan ready. Make your list from the flyers and your coupons, add on those items you will need this week for meals, and stick to the list. The exception to this rule is, of course, when you find items that will be free or almost free after coupons.

3~ Know the regular prices of items in your store.
The more you know, the better you'll do, if you know that Cheerios are usually $4.00 a box, when it goes on sale for $3.50, you'll know that is NOT it's rock bottom price. Create a price book with your most frequently purchased products in it. This will help you along the way.

4~ Don't Shop Hungry!
Before you go to the store with your list in hand, eat a little something and have a large glass of water. If you feel full, not just "not hungry", you'll find that sticking to your list a lot easier.

5~ Leave the kiddo's at home.
There is nothing worse than trying to stick to a list and a budget, only to have your adorable children imploring you to buy Kellogg's Apple Jacks when your list, coupons, and budget all say you're getting Rice Krispies! Well, perhaps getting to the register only to find that Baby Emily has eaten, shredded, or just scattered your coupons from one end of the store to the other!
So, unless your kids are old enough and willing to help you, leave them at home if you possibly can.

6~ Bring ALL your coupons in the store with you.
Unless you are very good at sticking to a list and don't want to take advantage of those items that are on clearance sales, you had best bring the coupons in with you. At the very least, have them in the car so that you can make a quick run to the car for the needed coupons.

7~ Expect to get Sales and Free items, do NOT expect to get overages!
Negatives (overages) do happen, but it's best to not be set up for the heartbreak. Plenty of planning is necessary for deals that may turn negative.

8~ Get the Rain check NOW!
When you find that the store is out of the item that you want, go directly to customer service and get the rain check for the items. You may also find out this way that they have some in the back or in another part of the store, but more importantly, you will remember to get the rain check before leaving the store! Many times I have arrived home and then remembered that I needed to get a rain check.

9~ Check prices of generic, store brand, and other brands before using your coupons.
The ultimate goal is to save money. If you have coupons for 55¢ off Bumble Bee Tuna and it is $3.59, but the same size of Chicken of the Sea Tuna is $2.25, Buy the Cheaper Tuna!

10~ Never Photocopy a Coupon!
Photocopying coupons can get you banned from the store or even a fine. Not to mention the black mark it leaves on all coupon users.

11~ Complete Smaller transactions.
If your store only doubles 3 or 4 coupons per transaction, you will want to put together smaller transactions to take advantage of the double coupons.

12~ Do NOT impulse buy!
You will be amazed at how much money you will spend if you allow yourself to impulse buy. If you see that candy bars are on sale, but you're not sure if its the best deal... wait! Research the price with other stores, look for coupons, and THEN, once it has been added to your list, buy it.

13~ Shop other stores!
We all have our favored store. The one where we know all the cashiers and they know us and it's almost like meeting up with old friends at each store. Don't be loyal to this store. No ONE store has all the best prices in town, your store may have the best prices on Milk, but the store down the road has the best prices on Bananas. This is another reason for your price book.

14~ Find the method that suits YOU!
Does it work for you to shop once a week? 3 times a week? every day? Do you need to file your coupons alphabetically? by aisle? by store? Do you file in a box, in a binder, in an accordian file? Do what you need to do to make it work for YOU. YOU are the one using the system.

And the Golden Rule of Using Coupons....
Break Away From Brand Loyalty!
Manufacturers make money from your brand loyalty, you do not save money from it. Be flexible in the brands that you purchase. Is there really a difference in flavor between Hunt's Ketchup and Heinz Ketchup? Not a very noticable one! So why not buy the one that is SO much less expensive.

Safeway Coupon Policies

2009-06-24T08:53:00.000-07:00

When I wrote to Safeway.com and asked for their coupon policies, I received this explanation.

Printable Internet Coupons are defined as on-line print at home coupons that consumers receive from either a retailer website (for example: Vons.com), a manufacturer website (for example: Kraft Foods.com) or from a legitimate coupon website, (for example: Coupons.com). These websites typically require shoppers to register on-line before granting access to print the coupon, and generally limit the customer to print only one type of coupon from their website to discourage duplicates coming from a single computer.

In order to insure that we accept only legitimate printable Internet coupons, Safeway has adopted the following store policies and guidelines. These policies and guidelines are company wide.

1. We will not accept any printable Internet coupons that do not have a manufacturer's bar code or manufacturer's redemption instructions.

2. We will accept any printable Internet coupons only if they scan properly at checkout.

3. We will not accept more than one "copy" of the same printable Internet coupon per customer.

4. We will not accept any printable Internet coupons for a Free Product (other than a "Buy One Get One Free Offer" that requires a purchase of the like item)

5. We will not accept any printable Internet coupons for more than a $5.00 value or for more than 50% of a product's retail price, whichever of the two is lower.

6. We will not accept any printable Internet coupons that do not have an easy to read expiration date or that extend more than 12 weeks. (Most printable Internet coupons may expire 30-45 days after you print them)

7. We will not accept any printable Internet coupons that appear out of proportion, appear blurry, or are obvious duplicates.

8. Any printable Internet coupons that appear to have been altered in any way may be rejected. (Printable Internet coupons are nearly always printed using the same technology and therefore have a standard format, with very specific security features, including a unique serial code.

Please note that the final decision regarding the acceptance of the Internet Coupons is left to the discretion of the store management.

Additionally, please note that we follow the guidelines provided below regarding the acceptance of coupons:

1. Manufacturer coupons cannot be exchanged for cash or used to purchase merchandise other than what is specified on the coupon.
2. One manufacturer coupon is allowed for each item purchased unless the coupon states that more than one item must be purchased as a condition for redemption. As long as manufacturer coupons match the items purchased, there is no limit on the number of coupons that can be redeemed.
3. All manufacturer coupons must have the retailer statement including an address for redemption.
4. Manufacturer coupons that are competitor coupons may be accepted as long as all of the above rules are followed.

Albertson's Coupon Policy

2009-06-22T11:37:00.000-07:00

Albertsons:
accepts manufacturer coupons and you can stack it with an Albertsons in-store coupon.
accepts printed coupons (see guidelines below)

no longer matches competitors ads or prices
no longer accept competitors coupons or Walgreens Register Rewards

Albertsons Coupon Policy & Guidelines:

Coupons — Definition
Coupons are a form of tender presented by the customer to reduce their order total based on merchandise purchased in stores where the retailer has agreed to accept manufacturer coupons. Retailers are not required by law to accept manufacturers’ coupon. Coupons can be printed and/or in electronic form, and maybe integrated into the register systems where they are deducted automatically when all purchase requirements are met.

The following coupon types are accepted by Albertsons:

1. Manufacturer Coupons are coupons issued by the manufacturer containing: “terms of agreement”, face value, expiration date, and verbiage “manufacturer coupon.” Albertsons may issue coupons such as printed ad media coupons, Avenu, or Shop n’ Scan coupons that are manufacturer coupons that contain the words “redeemable only at Albertsons.” Most manufacturer coupons have barcodes on them and can be scanned. Any coupons that do not scan or have barcodes should be checked for validity of expiration date and purchase requirements.

2. Store Coupons are your Company’s discount offers in various forms of media including, but not limited to, print, electronic, newspaper, direct mailers, kiosks and Company websites. Store coupons may also contain the words “redeemable only at Albertsons” (or a banner of Albertsons). Store coupons may state that the discount applies only with Preferred Card/Super Card/Loyalty Card.

3. Catalina Checkout Coupons/Rebates are triggered by individual items purchased at checkout which print on the Catalina printer. It is Albertsons’ policy to allow these coupons to be used only for next purchase. Catalina coupons can only be given to the customer for whom they were intended (not to any other customer or associate). If a customer does not want their Catalina coupons, it is Albertsons’ policy that the cashier destroy them immediately. Catalina checkout coupons printed at other retailers may or may not be accepted for redemption following the manufacturer/competitor store coupon guidelines.

4. Internet Coupons printed from a website are redeemable with a qualifying purchase. Albertsons DOES NOT accept Internet coupons containing the following conditions:
a. ‘Free’ product offers that do not require a purchase
b. Redemption value exceeds $5.00
c. Absence of UPC bar code

5. All coupons tendered must have a corresponding sale for the product listed and amount specified, and only at the time of purchase.

Walgreens Register Rewards

2009-06-22T10:29:00.000-07:00

I tried so hard to simplify this for you, but found another entry with a great blog that answers the questions so well:

Seven-Rules-For-Walgreens-Register-Rewards-Success

I've incorporated the Q&A from many sites here.

Q: What exactly are Register Rewards (RR) ? Are they like cash off your next order (OYNO).
A: They are catalinas that print up after your qualifying purchases. The OYNO RR can be used like cash toward future purchase.

Q: What is a catalina and catalina machine ?
A: The catalina machine is a different machine that sits right next to the one that prints the receipt. Some catalinas will print when an item is scanned. The RR come out of the machine after the transaction is complete (paid). The catalinas also look different than the register tape because they have red borders on both sides.

Q: Will more than one register rewards print out on the same transaction (buy 2 different products that each have a register reward)?
A: If you buy two (or more) DIFFERENT register rewards items in one transaction, one reward each will print. However, if you buy two of the SAME item, only one RR will print. Best to do separate transactions.

Q: Do you bring up all the items to the register and request they ring them seperately?
A. That is the easiest way. Store management may have their own policy on this practice.

Q: Can I use my RR at other stores ?
A: Walgreen's RR's should only be used at Walgreen's, unless your store has a policy that allows them to be accepted as competitor coupons.

Q: Can I use manufacturer coupons with a RR/Catalina OYNO coupon ?
A: The register considers the RR a manf coupon. You cannot have more coupons than items. If you have coupons for every product you are buying, the RR will beep. So you'll need to throw in a filler item. Look for cheap stuff in the clearance section or get a pack of .30 gum

Q: Can I combine a manf catalina and an insert manf coupon?
A: You can't combine these, you have to use one or the other. They are both manf coupon.

Q: Are RR and Catalinas manufacturer coupons ?
A: Not all RRs are manf. Manf start with a 5 or 9, & are not followed by 00000.

Q: I have a Walgreen's raincheck (RC) for an OOS (out of stock) Register Reward items. When the item is in stock (after the sale) will I receive / obtain the Register Reward Catalina coupon for the item(s)?
A: If the RR promotion for that item is still in progress, you'll receive the RR using the RC. If the RR is over, the answer depends on your local consumer advertising laws. The RC should indicate the price AFTER RR or that you'll receive a GC for the RR amount. Otherwise you're out of luck.

Q: Can I use RR to purchase gift cards? Do I need to add filler items for it to work?
A: No Register Rewards can not be used to purchase gift/phone/prepaid cards.

Q: Can I use more than 1 RR per order ?
A:Walgreens response to Hot Coupon World on Feb 25, 08: You can use your Register Rewards but you can not have more coupons than you have items. It might be easier to ring up items in separate transactions, but please check with the store management. If you have further questions, please contact Walgreens Advertising Department at 847-914-2500.
NOTE: make sure you have equal number of manf. coupons and RR as you do items. If you do not, then you will need to pick up "filler items". Inexpensive candy or gum are examples of fillers. Some stores will not allow you to use 2 or more of the same type of RR in one transaction. For example, not allowing two $10 P&G RR but do allow a $2, $4 and a $10 RR in one transaction. Again, please comply with the "one per order" as applicable.
TIP: you can use a 7-day or IVC on a filler item and should not count toward your total # of manf coupons used.

Q: If I use an RR generated from product X and buy another of product X will another RR print?
A: BEWARE! This is known as rolling RRs. Many times the register will not print an RR for product X if an RR generated from product X was used to pay for that transaction.

Q: Most RR require you to buy $X of a product/brand. For the dollar amount that it requires, is that computed on the the regular price, sale price, before mfc, after mfc, before store coupons, after coupons, etc?
A: The amount counted toward the requirement is the total of the items at the sale price before any other discounts (ES coupons, manufacturer coupons,etc.) are taken off.
If you use coupons and the RR does not print and the mgr says it's because you used MANF coupons, you may want to have them re-ring without using coupons to show that it's not the use of coupons that is making the RR not print. Be sure you have all the right sizes, etc before trying this option. Using manufacturer coupons and/or paying with a gift card should have no barring on whether the coupon prints out.

Q: My catalina expired, am I outta luck ?
A: Ask at the store. As a general policy, you're out of luck.

Q: What if the Catalina is torn and won't scan?
A: They can enter the #s manually IF the #s part in small print is visible.

Q: What if I return an item that I received an RR on ?
A? Per the terms on the RR, the RR must be surrendered at the time the items are returned. If you've already used the RR, then you would not be able to return the items for a refund.

Q: My RR/Catalina didn't print. What do I do ?
A1: The store will give you a form to fill out and mail in to catalina
A2: 1-888-8coupon, option 3
A3: use the online form: Contact | Catalina Marketing

Walgreens Coupon Policies

2009-06-22T09:29:00.000-07:00

When you write to Walgreen's customer service to ask about coupon policies, this is what you get. It sure cleared up a lot of confusion for me.

Can a customer use both a Manufacturer’s coupon and Walgreens coupon for the same item in a purchase?

One Walgreen and one manufacturer coupon can be used for the same item, unless either coupon prohibits such use.
Walgreens Roto Ad Coupons, Instant Value Coupons (IVC), and a manufacturer’s coupon can be used towards the purchase of any one item. “One coupon per purchase” means one coupon must be tendered for each PIECE sold.

What happens if the Manufacturer coupon’s value is more than the retail value?

Walgreens does not provide cash back if a coupon is presented for more than the purchase value of the item (e.g., the customer is using the coupon to purchase a clearance item).
If the retail of the item is less than the face value of the coupon:
- the coupon value shall be the retail value if the state requires taxes to be paid on that item,
- the coupon value shall be the retail value plus taxes if the state does not require taxes to be paid on the item.

Can a customer use a coupon after a sale has been made?

All valid coupons must be presented to the cashier at the time of sale only!

If there is no quantity limit on a Walgreens coupon can a manager impose his/her own limit?

Yes, managers have the right to limit the quantities of all advertised items.

Does Walgreens price match or accept coupons from other retailers?

Walgreens does not price match with other retailer.
Walgreens does not accept coupons from other retailers or coupons for products not carried in our stores.
Walgreens does not accept expired coupons.

A customer purchased an item using a manufacturer’s coupon and wants to return it. At what price do we return the item?

If an item purchased with a manufacturer’s coupon is returned, the customer will get the retail price of the item. If the customer purchased an item with a Walgreens coupon, the customer receives the price paid.

Example 1: If the retail price for an item is $1.49 and the manufacturers coupon was 25¢ off, the refund amount would be $1.49 plus tax.

Example 2: If the retail price for an item is $1.49 and the Walgreens coupon was 25¢ off, the refund amount would be $1.24 plus tax.

Stores are not required to keep Roto ad coupons. What about Instant Value Coupons?

For Instant Value Coupons, stores receive credit from the manufacturer ONLY if the coupon is scanned. Once an IVC coupon has been scanned and the transaction is finished, you can discard the coupon.

A customer had a coupon with no limit on it and is trying to buy an item that is “buy one get one free,” how many times are we allowed to scan a coupon for this purchase?

Only one coupon can be used when a customer is purchasing a Buy 1 Get 1 free item, because the customer is only purchasing one item.

How do I use coupons?

2009-06-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

Double Coupons ~
You need to find a store that will double the value of your coupons. Here in Oregon we have Safeway, who offers a "double coupons" that doubles (up to 50¢) the value of up to four manufacture coupons and Albertsons, who don't offer the double coupons each week, but do occasionally offer double coupons that will double (up to $1.00) the value of up to three manufacture coupons. Thriftway also doubles up to four manufacture coupons, up to 50¢ each.

Combining manufacture coupons with store sales and store coupons and double coupons! Th money saving quad ~
When an item goes on sale, for example this week Kelloggs Cereal (regularly priced at $3.99) went on sale for $1.99. I paired that up with a coupon ($1.00/1), and used a double coupon (50¢) giving me a total of 49¢ for a box of Kelloggs cereal. Sometimes these "sales" are only available with a store coupon. This aids the store in allowing you this great deal without having to sell all their cereal at this price. In that case, use the store coupon to reduce the price, then take off the manufacture coupon, and use a double coupon to bring it down even further.

Instant savings and money off your next visit ~
As an increased insentive sometimes the store will offer an "instant savings" when you buy a certain number of items or spend a certain amount of money. For instance, this week Albertson's is offering $5.00 off instantly when you purchase five items in a select list. You can team these up with coupons to get the price down even further. Today I was able to buy five Sara Lee Simple Sweets Pies, regularly priced at $3.59, on sale for 2/$6.00. This made five of the pies cost $15.00, but I also had five $1.00/1 coupons, bringing it down to $10.00. But because fo the instant savings, it took $5.00 off my total, bringing my total cost for five pies down to just $5.00 or, $1.00 a pie.

This week Albertson's also has Dryers Ice Cream on sale for $2.99. But if you purchase four different Dryer's ice creams, you can get $4.00 back to use on your next visit. I was looking to buy ice cream anyway, so decided to stock up with four containers. Regularly priced at $6.49, it was a bargain on sale for $2.99, but at the register, a coupon for $4.00 off my next visit came out, which virtually means that my ice cream was now down to only $1.99! With no other coupons used.

Register Rewards at Walgreens ~
Walgreen's has recently decided to stop doing rebates, and as a substitute, they have started doing many more "Register Rewards". These are much like the ice cream example in the above paragraph. You can double up, using both a Walgreen's store coupon and a manufacture coupon when purchasing these items and still get the "register rewards" for money off your next trip to the store. The only thing is that when using these "register rewards" at Walgreen's, you need to realize that they are considered Manufacurers coupons. Since they are treated as such, you cannot use a manufacturer coupon AND a "register rewards" coupon in the purchase of 1 item. So you must have at least as many items as manufacturer coupons. So sometimes you need to purchase a small filler item to make the transaction work (I like to get ramen noodles at 29¢!). We'll go more in depth into the in's and out's of Walgreen's in a future post.

Saving more by NOT buying large sizes ~
Most people just assume that when you buy larger sizes or buy in bulk, you're getting a better deal. But when using coupons this is most often NOT the case.

Case in point, consider this example:

Without Coupon:

Diapers 28 count package: Price: $7.00 Cost per unit: $0.25

Diapers 56 count package: Price: $13.00 Cost per unit: $0.23

With Coupon:

Diapers 28 count package: Price: $7.00 - $1.50 coupon = $5.50 Cost per unit: $0.20

Diapers 56 count package: Price: $13.00 - $1.50 coupon = $11.50 Cost per unit: $0.21

Although the price per unit of the larger size is more economical without the coupon, the smaller size is the better buy with the coupon.

Keep a small calculator in your purse or coupon caddy to help calculate the best deal. Sometimes the larger size IS the more economical, you just have to do the math.

How do I organize my coupons?

2009-06-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

You can do a search on this question and get TONS of answers to it. But basically there are two ways to organize your coupons... To Clip or Not to Clip.

Not to Clip ~
If you would prefer to not clip, it's really easy. Just pull the inserts from the newspapers each week and write the date on the front. The date is also located along the spine on the outside of the inserts, but it's so small and rather inconvenient to search for it there, so just write the date on the front.

This way is very convenient for those who use online coupon databases for finding their coupons. In a database you will find that it will tell you something like:

Newman's Own Pasta Sauce 50¢ (R 5/31)

This means that this coupon for Newman's Own Pasta Sauce is 50¢ off and can be found in the May 31st RedPlum insert. To use these databases, you'll need to know a few abbreviations:

R=RedPlum

SS=SmartSource

PG=P&G Saver

P=Parade (from Newspaper)

NP=Newspaper

K=Kellogg's
U=Unilever
GM=General Mills

Of course, you can choose to keep these in a notebook, a basket, a box, wherever it takes up very little room and is very easy to find what you've seen on a coupon database.

There are a couple of disadvantages to doing it this way though. When I tried doing it this way, I found that I missed some great deals because I didn't know if I had a particular coupon for an item that I found on sale or clearance. If you bring your coupons with you, you will also need to bring a pair of scissors as well to clip the coupons that you want to use. OR you'll need to clip before you go.

If you're a person who can stick to a list, I highly recommend that you do your research in your home, clip what you need, and go to the store. I am not one of those people and constantly found myself buying items without coupons even though I HAD coupons, but I didn't bring them with me.

To Clip ~
This is where you will see the most discussion and contradiction about coupon organization. But first one thing you simply must do no matter what if you purchase more than one newspaper.

Separate the inserts into piles of like pages ~ Once you have the pages put together, carefully line up the coupons and staple the coupons together. Then cut once for all those coupons. Stacking and stapling piles of more than 10 is not recommended. Most staplers don't like a thickness of more than 10. And make sure you Clip ALL of them! This doesn't mean that you have to use them all, but occasionally, you will find that if you buy a certain item that you would sometimes not be interested in and you don't want, that you will save MORE money in the long run. I know it sounds crazy, but we'll get to this. For now, clip them all out!!
Storing your coupons ~ There are a ton of coupon organizers on the market, but I've found that these coupon organizers are really intended for the casual coupon clipper. Not the coupon-queen-want-to-be's that we are. So I suggest that you forgo the store bought, accordion style coupon organizers. When you're just starting out you may think this will be best because you don't have that many coupons. But I warn you, this would be a mistake, you will quickly accumulate a stock of coupons that will have you outgrowing your accordion file within a couple of months. So, what should you use?

* Recycled envelopes: This is how I started, And it's FREE! Instead of tossing out all those reply envelopes (others may think of as junk mail), tuck the flap inside and use to store your coupons. Write the category on the outside of the envelope and you're ready to go. This is great if you don’t have many coupons to store, such as when you're just starting out.

* Media storage boxes: These are approximately 4inches deep, 7 1/2 inches wide, and 11 inches long. This was my second way of storing coupons when I started. It was a nice way to have them all in one area. I did find that four inches deep was a little too deep for my liking, but it was cheap (I already had one!). But you can also look for 4 x 6 file boxes, or

* Recycled shoeboxes, diaper wipe containers or empty food boxes: These are great because they don’t cost you anything, you already have them around your home, and you're working to save the earth by recycling! They have lots of room for storing hundreds of coupons and you can work with several different ones until you find the right size for you.

* Large zippered Binder:

* Small parts organizers: I found these in the hardware section of my local Fred Meyer. They are plastic and have wonderful plastic dividers. These are what I'm currently using. Right now, I have two of these... one for food coupons and one for non-food coupons.

My next coupon organizer will be the "Deluxe Coupon Organizer". I found it on Amazon, but can't afford it just yet.

Sorting your coupons ~

Sorted by store layout ~ in this way, you will sort your coupons according to the way the store is laid out. When you come into the store, is produce the first thing you come to? Then your first categories will be "Fresh Produce". If the meat department is next, then your next category will be "Fresh Meat". Perhaps the next aisle that you come to has bottled water, soda, and juice; you would then add the category "beverages" next. There are both benefits and drawbacks to this method, as there are to all methods. If your store has a water aisle in one part of the store, but also carries some juices on this aisle, but also has another aisle where they stock the majority of their juice, you will have a "beverages" or a "juice" category that will be in the wrong area of your coupon organizer. Also, if you shop at more than one store (which I highly recommend), you may find that this method of organization will work fairly well, but not all stores are laid out the same. But if you choose this method, you will find that when you go to your most shopped store, you will be able to find your coupons very easy.
Sorted by most used ~ If you find yourself using mostly cereal and soda coupons, with this method, you would place those categories first in your organizer.
Sorted alphabetically ~ Another suggestion is to sort your categories alphabetically. Beverages, Canned, Deli, Frozen, etc.

However you choose to sort your coupons, just make sure that it makes sense to you.

Categories ~

These are the categories that I use

Baby/Child Products
Baking (cakes, muffins, etc)
Beverages
Body (lotions, make up)
Bread
Candy / Sweet Snacks
Canned Goods
Cat Food
Cereal / Breakfast foods
Cleaning Aids
Dairy/Cheese
Deodorants / Soap
Dog Food
Dry Goods (Rice, Pasta, etc.)
Feminine Hygiene
Frozen Foods
Hair Products
Laundry/Detergent
Meat
Medicines
Oral Care (Toothpaste/Brush/Mouthwash)
Paper Products
Plastic Bags
Salty Snacks
Sauces & Condiments
Seasonal

You will find that as time goes by, you will need to add categories or make new divisions in existing categories. Do your best to stay away from categories titled "miscellaneous" or "household goods", these categories don't really tell you anything about what's in them. Don't be TOO specific when making categories, but if you find that you have an excessive amount of one item in a single category, you may want to give it it's own category. Such as if you have a lot of Hair Color coupons, you may want to create a new category for it behind the Hair Products category.

Where do I find coupons?

2009-06-18T14:57:00.000-07:00

Coupons are all over! Once you train your eyes and brain to them, you'll find them absolutely everywhere!

Sunday Newspapers ~
Most of the coupons that I collect come from the Sunday newspaper. If you purchase the newspaper from your closest, but Largest city, you'll find the most coupons. I live in Albany, Oregon; I do NOT get the Albany newspaper for coupons, I get the Oregonian out of Portland, Oregon. This paper has far more coupons than the Democrat-Herald, the Gazette-Times, or even Salem's Statesman Journal. In the beginning I had one of each delivered to my home and I would look through them every Sunday to decide which paper was best. And that's how I decided upon the Oregonian. I have also since been told by other coupon-clippers that the Oregonian is the best for coupons.

I purchase 10 newspapers each Sunday. I don't suggest that the newbie do this. When I first started, I tried to deal with the coupons from 10 Sunday newspapers and it just got to be overwhelming and I ended up not doing anything with my coupons, unless you count cussing while tossing them into the recycle bin when they expired because I didn't have a system for dealing with them. Then I got the great idea to get TWO newspapers each week and deal with those. When two stopped seeming like a challenge, I added two more. When four seemed very controllable I jumped to 7 newspapers and from there to 10.

Printable Coupons on the Internet ~
There are probably as many places to get coupons online as there are companies that produce products. If you have a preferred product and company (such as Kellogg's Cereal), go to that companies website and see if they have coupons (such as www.kelloggs.com).

But there are a few coupon sites that offer several different coupons each month. Several of these will ask for your zip code and give you different coupons based on your area. I like to give them my own zip code, then a larger city's zip code (Portland, in my case) and then an east coast zip code. This, I believe, gives me all the coupons available.

www.smartsource.com
www.coupons.com
www.boodle.com
www.couponloop.com
www.albertsons.com
www.safeway.com
www.fredmeyer.com
www.right@home.com

There is also a great database for coupons as well as forum for Safeway, Albertsons, and others. www.hotcouponworld.com

Many coupon websites require you to give them your email address in order to get their coupons. I suggest that you create a "junk" email address. Always use this same email address for anything having to do with coupons, freebies, rebates, etc. This will keep you from having all kinds of emails clogging up your "regular" email box.

"Buying" coupons ~
It is illegal to buy and sell coupons. But there are a couple of websites that I know where you can get extra coupons. What you actually do is to purchase the coupon clippers time and pay for shipping of these coupons. The average cost I have spent to "buy" these coupons has been about 8¢ to 12¢ each. This week there is a FREE coupon for a single can of Mighty Dog Dog Food, up to $1.00 value with no other purchase required for only 25¢ each at coupon clippers. So, you can see, these are some GREAT resourses for coupons!

www.thecouponclippers.com
www.thecouponmaster.com

Coupon Clippers also has a facebook page and they give status updates with new coupons that they have to offer and such. It's a great tool!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Coupon-Clippers/72259654869

You can also find coupons for trade on www.craigslist.org I have found these most often under the "for sale" section, but have also found them listed under "community", "personals", and "services". I just do a search for "coupon" for each area.

Blinkies ~ "Blinkies" are coupons distributed in stores by Smart Source Coupon Machines. The nickname "blinkie" refers to the machines blinking light designed to attract your attention while walking down the aisles. Machines typically provide a coupon directly in front of the product.

CoP ~ Often referred to on coupon sites simply as COP, these are Coupons on products in the store. These are coupons that are stuck to the product, on the box and you need to peel it off or wrapped around the top of a bottle and you need to slip it off.

CnP ~ This one is also referred to on coupon database sites as simply CnP... Coupon Next to Product. These you will find either as a "blinkie" or a "peelie" (not in a machine)

Free samples ~ When you get free samples, you will more often than not be given a coupon with the sample. I like to send for free samples in order to get these coupons. I have found that sometimes I can't find these coupons anywhere else.

Entertainment Book ~ The entertainment book has coupons for Safeway (possibly other stores that you use as well). The entertainment book goes on sale sometime around March when you can buy it for half price. You can then take out the Safeway coupons (and any other coupons you like) and sell it on Craigslist.org for half price... Free coupons!

Catalinas ~ Catalina coupons are those that comes out of the machine at the store register. It is a coupon triggered by the purchase of a particular item. These coupons are placed with the stores as a special promo by a particular manufacturer. For instance, when purchasing Lean Cuisine frozen dinners, Healthy Choice catalina coupons may print out. Sometimes the catalina is for money off a particular product. Sometimes the catalina is for money off your next shopping trip. We'll talk more about these later.

Magazines ~ One of the most prolific of all magazines for coupons is "All You Magazine". For the July 2009 magazine there are over $70.00 in coupons! This is very typical for All You. They also offer an e-newsletter that you can subscribe to (free) that will take you to their website and you can see what coupons are offered for the issue and decide whether or not to purchase it. It is available at Wal-Mart, or you can subscribe to it. It's, I think, $2.49 per issue if bought at Wal-Mart, and only $1.99 per issue with a subscription. Coupons can also be found in many of the other magazines that we read, just keep your eyes peeled for them.

Safeway's $10 off $50 Coupon ~ This coupon comes out on the first Tuesday of the month in the pages of the Oregonian and the Statesman Journal. If a month begins on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, you will most likely find this coupon in the newspaper on the last Tuesday of the month before. It's confusing, I know!