Fall Time Savings

It should be no surprise that I love I bargain!  I especially love it when it is for such a high volume item.  Couponing is actually nothing more than a game.  You have to learn the rules, read between the lines and hunt for the deals.  Although most places leave the accepting of a coupon up to the manager's discretion, if you go in there armed with your whits, confidence and charm, you are gonna get the deal.  

Perfect example.  I had 2 different coupons for the same product.  For Herbal Essence products, one was a "buy one get one free" AKA B1G1.  The other was for $3 off of 2 Herbal Essence Shampoo/Conditioners.  A lot of times it will say on coupons, "one coupon per item", but neither of these did! :)  Now it was just a matter of getting the manager to accepts it, and they did!  I paid $0.19 a bottle.  SCORE!!!!  It was not wrong and it was just a matter of using the coupon and it's working to my advantage.

Next deal I had was for Gillette Razors.  Although we are fond of the more expensive type of razors, (the more blades the better the shave for husband who shaves his head), a great deal on them makes them great!  I again had 2 coupons.  One was a B1G1 the other again was for $3.00 off.  The coupon stated you buy one of any pack of Gillette razors you get the Gillette Mach Turbo for free.  It had a value of nearly $9.00.  Since the buy part technically didn't use a coupon to save, they let me use the $3.00 on the cheaper razors that were priced $4.59 a pack.  When all was said and done, I paid $1.59 for one cheap and one Turbo razor.                                                                                                      

I have only had luck a couple of times with tooth brushes, and now make that 3!  I found the mother load of coupons for Reach!  They are for $2 off a Reach product.  And while at Walmart, I found a 2 pack of the Reach Crystal toothbrushes for $1.97!  There was no limit on how many you could use, the only stipulation was one coupon per product, not a problem!  I think I bought 15 packs and I still have about 15 coupons.  The only reason I didn't get more is because I hate to wipe out a shelf if I don't have to.  The coupons are good until sometime next year, so I can go back and use them up sometime soon.

My last great buy of the week was Treeseme products.  There were a lot of B1G1 free coupons out there this week.  This was a surprise deal, because for one, I don't usually use this brand and for 2 I didn't know the deal was there until I was at the store.  We were are CVS picking up some medicine for one of our kiddos.  We always scan our cards at the Kiosk every time we are there.  We both got coupons for $2 Tresemme product and $1 ECB (extra care bucks).  While paying for the medicine, we then got another $3 ECB!  I thought I might as well look at see what the shampoo.conditioner was on sale for.  SALE!  They were regularly priced $4.99, on sale for 2/$7 and I on top of the CVS coupons, I had one for B1G1, by a shampoo and conditioner, get a styling product for free, (up to a $6 vaule).  They also have their bonus bucks (or some name like that for program) going on.  So here's the math:

$3.50 -Shampoo
$3.50 -Conditioner
$3.50 -Hair Spray
Total
$10.50

Savings:
$2 CVS coupon
$2 CVS double days bonus
$3 ECB
$3.50 manufacturer's coupon

Grand total...FREE, (well, I paid $0.16 in tax).

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!  Until next time, save big!!!!

  

Gold Medal Shopping!

I love a bargain, who doesn't!  But I really love free and I did it again!  I just wish I had more computers to print these from!  Last nights deal was Neutrogena Transparent facial bars.  They are normally $1.96 at Target and Walmart.  Thanks to my handy dandy $2.00 off any Neutrogena Face Product coupon, FREE!  It was again the play on words, the picture on the coupon was of make up, but it stated "face product".  One website I found suggested using the coupon for the Facial Cleaning Wipes, (7 ct package).  That is what I went there for, and apparently so did everyone else in the area.  It took about 10 seconds for my husband to spot the soap bars.  We snatched up all that we had coupons for and away we went to check out.  

This weekend I have a few sales to hit with my coupons.  My local double couponing store has a special on softsoap, $0.89!  I have $0.40 off coupons, that double!  Score!  Ken's Salad Dressing is going to be another big one, it's on sale for $0.99 and the coupon is $1 off of 2!  

Other deals I like to hit are the "buy this and we give you that for free"...so, at Sunfresh I have to purchase 4 lbs of their ground chuck @ $2.99/lb and I get Taco Bell brand sauce, seasoning, refried beans, Kraft shredded cheese and lettace...all for FREE!  That is such an awesome deal, we might just do it twice! 

Shampoo is a good one that I like, but I am picky about my hair.  After coupons and sale price, I will get the goods for a$1 a bottle!  It's on sale for 2/$5, and my coupon for 2 different brands are each $3 off of 2 bottles.  

I am always on the hunt for a good bargain, and I think this is going to be a good weekend to shop!  Until the next big deal...happy couponing! 

I'm Baaaack!

Well, after taking a little break from couponing while we moved, I jumped back into it head first!  It has been about a month since I bought a newspaper, so most of my coupons were expired, (*sigh)...but last week was the perfect week to resume my coupon collecting!  I found some great coupons that I cashed in on this week, just check out the pic below:

I left the store with 30 packs of Bic pens, for FREE!  I got the coupon last week for $1 off 2 Bic Stationary products.  I was fairly certain with back to school sales I would be able to strike a good deal, and boy did I! I am sure that I have more than my family will ever need, but someone is always asking for something to write with around our house, now we're set! 



My next big score was Suave Deodorant, $0.15 each!  You read that right!  They offered 2 sizes, so I chose the smaller one which was $1.15.  Armed with my $0.50 coupons that doubled, I stocked up! These were not trial sizes and granted they do not last too long, but $0.15, it was well worth it! 

Franks Hot Sauce is always a good one, and something we will never run out of!  We usually get it for about $0.25 a bottle, (again, the little bottle). I have found a few new ways to use it, and need to work a few more.  I LOVE to coupons that do not have exclusions on them, but if they do it is usually a "no trial size" exclusion.  With that said, I had $0.50 off coupons for Band Aid Brand Adhesive Bandages.  The coupon stated no trial size.  I happen to find the travel pack size, at $0.99 each.  It's all in the wording, travel and trial are not the same thing and the store agreed with me, so I got a bunch for FREE! 

It's not always about the coupons, sometimes these great deals can happen without coupons, you just have to watch out for them!  It pays to research and read every ad!  I would normally never shop at some of these store I get ads for, but sometimes their deals are too amazing to pass up!  We took advantage of the sales that Office Depot had for school supplies.  I know they place these items all over the store to get you in and buy something else, but we were on a mission!  Armed with the ad and my husband, we both went after the limit on these products and this is what we each got:  

-3 packages of notebook paper, $0.25 ea

-3 bottles of school glue, $0.01 ea

-3 packs or 3 erasers, $0.25 ea

-3 pencil sharpeners, $0.25 ea

After taxes, we each paid $2.48...it was about a $10 savings! 

Out of all the products purchased during this shopping trip, the only thing I paid full price for were the 2 drinks we got at the checkout at the grocery store.  It was such a successful trip that it really made me feel like I had accomplished something BIG!  It peaked my interest into full swing again.  I felt weird this past month shopping without any coupons.  I still priced matched at Walmart, but I felt like I was missing something...it was SAVINGS!  I have my ears open and my eyes peeled for the next great deal.  It's time to build back up my reserve and get better at this whole couponing thing!  And this savings shown above is just how I do it!  

Where Are The Deals?

As much as I would love to say I saved soooo much money, it is just not the truth.  I tried, and did OK at one store.  My savings were 37%.  With Walmart, I think I saved more money with price matching.  I got some great deals though, so I am not totally disappointed.  My best bargain was the Herbal Essences shampoo and conditioner I got for $1 a bottle after price matching and coupons.   Sure did beat paying $2.84 a bottle!  We also got a bargain on Soft Soap...the 1st store had some in their clearance section that was marked down 25% to 50%, then I used the $0.40 off coupons which the store doubled!  I don't think I paid more $0.50 a bottle.


There were a few more little bargains, but I can't help but to think I am missing something.  How in the heck do these other couponers do it?  How do they get those bargains every single trip and pay little to nothing?  I realize the show really exaggerates and spotlights the best ones, but they still have a knack and I want to know what it is!


I have found only one store (Walmart) in my metro area that will pay overage and with the surge in couponing use, the trial size money making deals are becoming far and few between.  Not that I am picky, but I do not like to buy much of my fresh meat from Walmart.  I just have standards and it is tough to get a good deal.  But I am willing to pay for a good product, I would just love to get it cheap! lol  


So, I picked up my papers today for the Sunday coupons.  There were not a lot of great ones, but enough to make it worth the trip.  I will search the Internet far and wide, possibly search some recycling dumpsters...all in the name to ave the all mighty dollar!  Stay tuned!!!!!