Hot Items

I managed to get my shopping done early this week and it felt great to know that I got the deals I set out for.  I was able to tell what others thought were great deals as well, by which shelves were cleared.  Interestingly I have been to three different Rite Aid's and the Kotex U is a hot buy this week.  I would have thought the shelves would have been restocked by now, but the ones I am going to so I can get more the shelves are still wiped clean.  Sometimes it's just better to get the rain check if it is offered instead of going from one store to the next.
If you think something is going to be a hot item try and go out on Sunday.  If you find the shelves are cleared already I found some stores restock midweek.  Learn your store and when they restock the "hot" item of the week.

This week so far

I have taken a different tactic this week in my own shopping.  I know I tell you all not to wait to the last minute to get something, yet I find myself more times than not doing exactly that.  However, so far this week is different.  I managed to go to Walgreen's on Monday and only spend 1.24 out of pocket.  I saved 11.31 on that transaction.  Oh wait to make this even better I got $3.00 in register rewards.
Before I even left the house I made a list of exactly what I needed to buy, made sure I had the right number of items for the amount of coupons I was using and even figured out what my out of pocket cost would be.
Now that I am no longer one coupon short for the CVS Dove Men's + Care Deodorant deal I plan on heading there today to take advantage of it.  I might even try and head to Rite Aid.  Spreading the shopping out helps me prioritize which deals are the most important for that week.  I am trying to do those earlier in the week.  If my days start getting busy I know I got the deals that meant the most and can let the others slip on by.
I truly love raking in the savings.

Deals For this Week

A quick glance at the week deals there are a few that stood out and I plan to take advantage of.  Wipes for .49 and Dove Men's Care Deodorant deal.
Although I do not have any babies I know quite a few moms who have have either newborns or kids still in diapers.  Having a child myself I know how many wipes and other things you go through.  When I saw that Stop and Shop had a 70 CT of Pampers wipes on sale for 1.99.  Pair that with the .75 printable coupon from coupons.com.  The .75 cent coupon will double which brings the wipes down to an awesome .49 a package.
If you use the Dove Men's Care line check out the sale that CVS is having this week on that, Axe and Degree.  Pair that sale with the coupons found in red plum insert from 3/25.
And for all you women out there if you are running low on feminine products or just want to stock up, Rite Aid has Kotex U liners on sale for a 1 this week.  Pair that with the $1.00 of any package of Kotex U coupon from the 3/25 smart source insert to get the item for Free!!!

This Past Weeks Goodies

I managed to snatch up some good deals this week even though part of the week I was under the weather.  Earlier in the week I headed out shopping with my son.  We browsed around at some stores and at others it was like I was on a mission.  The rest of my shopping I finished up on Saturday.

Tasti D Lite
1 Banana Sugar Cone
Out of Pocket Cost 2.13
Savings 2.00



Victoria Secret's
Used a coupon to get a free pair of panties
Out of Pocket Cost 0
Savings 10.50


Bath and Body Works
2 candles $20
1 Body Spray
Used a coupon to get the Body Spray for Free

Out of Pocket Cost 21.27
Savings 30.23

Walgreens


2 8oz bottles of Bubbles
1 Punch ball
2 Snickers Bars
4 Snickers Eggs

Out of Pocket Cost .50
Savings 5.67

I think the shopping trip I enjoyed most this week might be tied between Victoria Secret's and Walgreen's.  What savings deals did you get this past week?

Weekly Clean Out

In order to make my couponing easier and flow better I started something last week that I plan on implementing every week.  Since I get the new ads and coupons on Saturday in my newspaper, I decided that Fridays would be a good day to pull out the coupons that expired and the ones that will be expiring in a day or two.  I do this even before I cut anymore to file.  Last week it took me part of Friday and part of Saturday to completely clean out my binder.  When I cleaned it out last week I also decided eliminate any blank spaces and shift my coupons over.  Knowing that I am setting aside one day a week to go through the coupons will help me stay on the organize track.
Being organized is a way to keep the stress level down when you are couponing.  It is easy to get frazzled especially if you are trying to get all of the deals out there.  Find a day that works for you once a week to take out the expired coupons.

Planning

To be successful at using coupons it might require some planning on your part.  While your sitting down making your list of what you're thinking of buying this week, pull the corresponding coupons and attach them to your list.  This way all you have to do is grab your list and go.  Planning your shopping trips out helps you to become more organized.  It also helps you use coupons more efficiently.

Another Story of Coupon Issues

The Walgreen's experience was not my first time I was told I could not use a coupon on a certain item.  This also happened to me at the Target closet to me.  I take allergy medicine that I no longer need a prescription for, but it only available at the pharmacy.  Target was the cheapest place I could find the medicine, so I would go every 12 days to buy another box.  Since it is only available in 12 or 24 tablets and taken twice a day I am at Target often getting this.  So it surprised me when someone behind the counter told me they could not the coupon for the Zyrtec I was buying because it is not for the D version.  However the manufacturer  coupon stated on any Zyrtec, but only pictured regular Zyrtec.  What am I going to do go store to store until someone takes my coupon or just buy it?  I bought it.  After that I changed Target's to the next one closer to me they accepted my coupon there, but  frequently ran out of the box I was looking to purchase.
What was I going to do?  I tried again to use a coupon for Zyrtec at the Target closer to me, but they did not take it.  I noticed a phone number on the bottom of the coupon and called it.  I talked to a really helpful person who also read the coupon the way I did, which was that I could use the coupon on any Zyrtec.  However, it is up to each store as to how they interpret the coupons.  Nothing the woman could do to make the store take it.  For my inconvenience she sent me out a check for the coupon amount.
For a while I stopped going to that Target for my medicine and started drafting a letter to the head of Target...I never sent the letter, but if in the future I run into a similar situation I won't hesitate to write to them. The higher ups of stores don't like to lose a customer, especially a frequent customer so they will do whatever they can to make you, the customer happy.

Know When to Agrue

I went to Walgreen's yesterday to pick up a few things all of which I had coupons for.  The cashier rang up everything and started taking the coupons off.  One of the coupons was for Jelly Bean's found in the March Walgreen's coupon book.  Although it stated $1 off Any Starburst, Skittles, Life Savers or Hubba Bubba Cluckers Easter Item the register gave the famous angry beep, the cashier read the coupon and said "I think it is for the bigger bags."  I said it says on any.  At that point I could have asked if she could check with a manager, just pay the $1 the Jelly Bean's were going to cost me, or ask her to take them off.  I chose to have her take them off.  I frequent this Walgreen's often and don't want to cause any issues with them.  If one of the managers was on I "know" just by going often, I might have asked her to check with the manager.
Know when it is worth it to question why they won't let you use a certain coupon.  You are the one giving them the business.  You could have chosen to go to a different store, but you chose that store.

Something to Check Out

Recently someone suggested that I check out livingrichwithcoupons.com, thanks again Jody, at first glance it is like every other website out there that compiles the daily deals together all in one place.  Even though I get enough e-mails I decided to check this one out for a bit and subscribed to it via e-mail instead of going back to their site and checking for new things each day.  
When going through my e-mails today I read one of the e-mails from Living Rich With Coupons, most of the e-mail I just scrolled on by until I reached the section shopping for free this week.  They had paired up coupons with items on sale that other websites I subscribe to have not yet.  I added the items to my list to "buy" this week and will check later to make sure I have the said coupons.  
I guess it is good to check out multiple websites because what one missed the others might mention.


Happy Shopping!  

Gym vs. Not

With the warm weather here, many people will be looking to get that "beach" ready body.  Do you really need to join a gym to get yourself whipped into shape?  Not in my opinion.  I've decided at this point not to join a gym, but instead use what is around me that is free or that I already own.  Netflix has some great work-out videos that you can stream instantly to an electronic device.  If work-out videos are not your thing, head to your nearest park or beach with your favorite music in hand and take a nice walk or run.  Get creative, parks that have swings and slides normally have a chin up bar for the kiddies, why can't it be for the adults as well. Hopping on a swing for ten minutes could give your legs a nice workout too.
Be creative and do something.  Your body will thank you.

I'm back...

I can officially say I'm back.  I took some time off from finding and getting deals to get my coupons organized.   Today was the first day back out there shopping with coupons and boy did it feel good looking at the receipts and seeing how much I've saved.

Walgreen's has Right Guard Total Defense 5 deodorant on sale buy one get one free.  That in itself could be a good deal, but a certain scent is on clearance for 2.29.  The Walgreen's I went to only had three of the clearance deodorant's and a whole lot of the regular priced ones.  After doing some quick math I figured out that buying one non-clearance and three clearance was still a good deal.  Plus I had 2 $1 off 2 coupons I printed from Right Guard's facebook page.  Why did I buy 4?  Well if you buy 4 this week you get a $4 register rewards that prints out.

Walgreen's Shopping Trip
4 Deodorant's
1 Scotch Mailer

Total Cost Before Savings was $19.58
Total Out of Pocket Cost $5.50 Plus $4 RR to use towards a future purchase.  
Total Savings $14.08 which is a 72% savings

I was happy with that being my only shopping for the day, however when it was time to start dinner I realized we were out of barbecue sauce.  How I let us run out of barbecue sauce is beyond me, but I decided while I was running to Stop and Shop I should take my binder and pick up a few things.  I glanced at the meat and noticed quite a few packs of meat with the $2.00 off peelie.  Picked up some chop meat and 2 packs of ribs.  I admit I did do a little shopping as you will see from my totals.

Stop and Shop
14 items (3 family size packs of meats plus other things)

Total Cost Before Savings was $90.09
Total Out of Pocket Cost $63.15
Total Savings $26.94 which is a 30% savings.

Hmm...until I saw the percent saved at Stop and Shop, I was really happy with my deals.

Sharing in the Savings

Normally I am the one that will head to the store for the majority of the things especially if it's a coupon related item.  However, on Saturday I was not the big saver.  Drum roll please....My mother was.  She had a $5.00 coupon for the item she was going for.  I admit I added to her list by asking her to pick up some soap that was on sale for buy 1 get one 50 % off.  Plus she got back $2.00 in register rewards.
Total spent with tax was around $17.  Total saved $11, plus 2.00 in register rewards to use on future purchase.  Nice savings...
 

Loving the Mail

How many times do you check your mailbox to see what the mailman/mail lady brought for you that day and all you find is junk mail or bills?  Probably more times than you can count.  This past week when checking the mail I was pleasantly surprised to find my sample box from Procter and Gamble.  The box contained samples of Scope, Crest Complete, Dawn Power Clean and Downy Unstoppables.  Also in the box was a coupon book for various Procter and Gamble products.
There are some great samples out there.  Have you requested a sample today?

Behind On Cutting?

Are you like me and are behind on clipping your coupons?  I got tired of the stack of coupons mocking me.  I decided to take matters into my own hands.  I grabbed all my coupons and went through them.  I separated each insert and made three piles.  Expired coupons, coupons to go through and ones to cut.  This way it would be easier to pick up the sheet, cut it and then file it.
If you dread the task ahead of you it will take you longer to do it.  Find something that works for you.

Busy???

When life seems to be throwing so much at you, that you seem to not have anytime for other things how in the world could you save while shopping?  I want to say I haven't mastered this one yet, but as I am typing this thoughts are coming to me.

 So what if you are behind on cutting your coupons, stick the insert in your binder and head to the store with your list.  You might not be able to save as much as you would have if you were completely organized and up to date, but every little bit of savings helps right.  

Plan your day/outings accordingly.  If you are heading to an area and know you have things to do that way, try to do them all in one day.  As an added bonus you get more crossed off your list of things to do, which could free up your time to do other things.  

Glance at your lists and see what do you really "need" this week as oppose to just "want" because it's such a great bargain.

I want to hear from you

I have spaced out my blogging some because I am running out of things to talk about.  I haven't found any amazing deals, so I can't share them.  What do you all want to hear more about?

It's Doesn't Have to be Free

When I look at deals I try to find first the ones that are free.  For a while I tried to only buy the free or as close to free as I could, but then I started thinking about it.  If I am saving anything on it, I am still saving.  As a rule I try to buy things that give me a 50% or more savings.  This doesn't work for everything though that my family uses.  I don't often have a coupon for Milk and end up going to BJ's to get our milk.
There are times I go shopping with my son and he asks for things.  In the past if I had a coupon at home for it I might tell him to wait and was tempted to do the same recently.  He asked for something that I had a coupon for, but I forgot my coupon binder at home.  No started to come out of my mouth, but I told him yes even though we were paying full price.
I love getting things free, but have learned that not everything will I be able to get free.  Whatever savings I get is better than no savings.

Rotate Your Coupons

As I am sitting here trying to catch up with my coupon cutting I am noticing many of the coupons have expired.  How did that happen???  I have a bad habit of putting the newest coupon inserts on top for me to cut leaving the oldest to sit on the bottom of the stack.
Have you ever noticed that on the edge of the inserts they are dated?  Try and sort your stack of coupons so that the oldest insert date is on top and the newest is on the bottom.
I have noticed that the coupons cycle.  Let's use Colgate for example.  When a Colgate coupon is getting ready to expire there is normally a new coupon that comes out a week before the first expires, the day it expires (if it happens to be a Sunday) or the week after .  If you use the newest coupon that expires 5/13 and on the bottom of your pile before you use the one that expires 3/31 you more than likely won't have one that will bridge the gap between the two expiration dates.  Now you if sorted your stack of coupons then cut the oldest first you would use the one that expires on 3/31 and still had the one that expires 5/13 in reserve.