My Favorite Deals This Week!

IT'S A GREAT WEEK TO BE A COUPONER! ALL COUPONS EQUAL $1.00 AT SAFEWAY & FRY'S THIS WEEK! BASHAS & ALBIE'S ARE DOUBLING & TRIPLING COUPONS UP TO $1.00!

Scroll down for free C&W frozen veggies, Farmer's John sausage, & Betty Crocker Warm Delights!

ALL COUPONS EQUAL $1.00 AGAIN THIS WEEK!

There are 3 Safeway ads out there right now!

1. Normal weekly ad here

2. 3/28 special Sunday paper ad here

3. Safeway Easter ad here

Here are my highlights:

$30 Safeway giftcard in-ad Q for transferring a prescription!

.49 Del Monte canned veggies (with in-ad Q)
-1.00/4 any Del Monte IPQ - print here
.24 each when you buy 4

.97 strawberries

1.00 Velveeta cups
4.00 (Buy 4 at $1 each)
-BOGO Velveeta IPQ (2) - link here
Pay $2 OOP, receive $1.50 OYNO for buying 4 in one transaction
.12 each
Click here to see how My Southwest Savings is getting them free!

1.25 Birds Eye or C&W frozen veggies (with in-ad Q)
-.35/1 any C&W or Bird's Eye MQ 3/21 SS
.25 each

.99 Farmer John sausage
-.75/1 any Farmer John sausage IPQ - link here
-.75/1 Shortcuts EQ - load here
.75 overage!

I think the ongoing deals from last week are much more exciting...

Buy 4 Suave body wash @ $1.25 each (must buy 4 at a time)
Use (4) $0.50/1 Suave Body Wash product coupons (3/4/10) SS
Spend $1.00 OOP, get two $1.50 OYNOs
= $2 Money Maker (with coupons) or $0.50 each (without coupons)
The $1.50 wyb 2 Suave catalina doesn’t end until April 18, 2010


The Betty Crocker deal is still alive this week - the prices are good through 4/6. Click here for details!

Also, you can still get in on the Pillsbury refrigerated Easter cookies deal posted last week - Click here for details! Several people have spotted them on clearance for 75 cents each! The Pillsbury catalina is printing through 4/16, so buy 6 for a total of 4.50, get a $4 OYNO = 50 cents for 6 / 7 cents each! Add in (3) 1.00/2 MQs from 2/7 or 3/28 SS and any EQs for serious overage! I have a serious control problem with these cookies. They are not allowed in my house anymore. I made a couple of boxes of these on Sunday night and I think I ate about 34. :) Seriously.

ALL COUPONS EQUAL $1.00 AGAIN THIS WEEK!

.77 Steamfresh frozen veggies

-.35/1 -.35/1 any C&W or Bird's Eye MQ 3/21 SS

FREE VEGGIES!

.58 5 lb. bag of potatoes

2.00 Betty Crocker or Fiber One Muffin Mix
-.50/1 3/28 SS
-.50/1 shortcuts EQ - load here
.50

.99 Promise spread
-1.00/1 any Promise spread IPQ - print here
or use 1.00/1 any Promise spread MQ 3/14 RP
.01 overage

1.00 Farmer John sausage
-.75/1 any Farmer John sausage IPQ - link here
FREE!

DOUBLE & TRIPLE COUPONS THIS WEEK!

2.00 C&H Brown Sugar

-$.40/1 printable - print here

-$0.55/1 from (3/14 RP)

1.00 each

1.50 Mission Tortillas

- .75/1 MQ 3/7 SS
.50 each

.99 strawberries (limit 4)

  DOUBLE & TRIPLE COUPONS THIS WEEK!

3.99 strawberries, 4 lb = .99/lb. (same price as Bashas)

Buy 6, Save $3.00 - Mix & Match
Limit 1 reward per transaction. Prices listed are AFTER discount. Must buy 6 products to get final price.

1.00 Betty Crocker Warm Delights
-.50/1 2/7 GM or .75/1 3/28 SS
FREE!


1.50 Toaster Strudel
-.35/1 MQ 2/7 or 3/7 SS
.50 each

1.50 Betty Crocker Cookie Mix
-.40/1 MQ 2/7 or 3/28 SS
.50 each

Yoplait Delights (4 pk)
-.50/1 3/21 SS
.50 each

Yoplait Yo Plus (4 pk)
 -1.00/1 2/7 GM
.50 each

For full lists of grocery match-ups, visit Saving Cents with Sense & Pinching Your Pennies! I compile my favorite deals from the resources listed on the right side of my blog. Happy shopping!

So long Safeway's Frozen Foods deal, I'll miss you!

So, turns out my Safeway trip was not as big as I originally thought it would be. I realized a lot of the deals I was chasing didn't end with this sales cycle. So no need to rush! In sad news, the March Frozen Foods deal at Safeway ended yesterday. :(

I did one more Frozen Foods run at Safeway yesterday and grabbed 10 more Michael Angelo's dinners for 25 cents each. They were 2.50 each and I used 5 B1G1 internet printable coupons. I also had 5 1.00/1 internet printable coupons, but they wouldn't scan. All the coupons from Michael Angelo's site were kind of fuzzy, so I wasn't surprised they were denied. All in all, I paid 2.50 OOP and earned another $10 Frozen Foods OYNO.

Now, onto this week's sales! I will be posting my favorite deals for this week in just a bit, so stay tuned!

Fry's paid me to take $121 in groceries home!

Tuesday is the last day of the March to Savings - "Buy 8, Save $4" sale so clip your coupons and get over there for money making Ronzoni pasta, Bumble Bee tuna, and tons of freebies!

(*'d items are included in March to Savings promotion)
*.79 Ronzoni pasta (18) .09 overage each
*.49 Bumble Bee tuna (2) .50 overage each
*1.00 Dial hand soap (3) FREE
* .38 Powerade Zero
.99 Fleischmann's yeast (8) FREE
4.99 Airwick Freshmatic I-Motion (5) .01 overage each
2.08 Fuji apples (1.29/lb.)
$10.00 Fry's giftcard
1.78 tax
65.31 subtotal
-.75/1 (18) Ronzoni IPQ (see this post for links)
-.55/1 Bumble Bee tuna MQ 2/21 SS (2)
-.35/1 Dial MQ 3/7 RP (3)
-.40/1 Fleischmann's MQ (8) (11/8, 12/6, & 3/21 SS)
-5.00/1 any Airwick I-Motion MQ 3/7 SS (5)
9.31 subtotal (paid with (2) 2.50 OYNOs & 4.31 on giftcard)
SUMMARY: .69 profit
I wanted to get rid of the (2) 2.50 OYNOs because they were expiring soon so I rolled all of my "Fry's money" onto one giftcard. So much more convienent. I love stocking up on pasta (especially when its profitable) and this was easy to do because you can print six coupons per computer! The expiration dates on the Ronzoni are all in 2012, so this is good food storage for my family. I'm glad I got Fry's out of the way today, I have a big Safeway trip ahead of me tomorrow!

Saturday Savings!

I got lots of errands crossed off my to do list today! Of course, I didn't get my house cleaned or do laundry, but I scored some great deals! Housework and laundry can wait, saving money can not! 

I took my sister to Safeway and worked out some great Frozen Foods deals. After some planning, she was able to purchase over $100 in frozen foods for a little over $5! She did great and I think I saw that couponing sparkle in her eye. Maybe I've helped convert her over to the couponing world. As payment for my help, she bought me 2 gallons of milk (1.19 each after these Real CA dairy IPQs) and some raisins for $1.

BED, BATH, & BEYOND

I have had a $50 Bed, Bath, & Beyond giftcard for almost 2 years and have never spent it on anything. I don't know about you, but I think B, B& B is kind of a strange store. It seems like a lot of weird odds and ends to me, so I've had a hard time deciding on something I needed and not just spending the money because I had it. We need new silverware, but I didn't find anything I like there. Then, I remembered how worn out our guest bathroom linens are, so I took my collection of 20% off mailers and headed over. I was able to get 2 bath towels, 2 hand towels, & 2 wash cloths for about $20. Then, I passed a Cuisinart Waffle Maker for $24. We've never had a waffle maker and I decided the price was right (after 20% mailer, of course), so I grabbed that too. All in all, my total was $48.xx paid with the giftcard, so no OOP. I can't wait to make waffles!

FARMER'S MARKET

With this perfect weather, I've been itching to go to the Farmer's Market and pick up some local, fresh produce. Don't you just feel healthier walking into the farmer's market? I do. I went to the Superstition Ranch Market on Meridian and Apache Trail (Apache Junction) and found lots of low priced produce. The BEST find BY FAR was the .50 cartons of strawberries - 50 CENTS! The only time I've seen a better price was last May when they had them priced 3 for $1.00. They were going by the flat so I grabbed a flat (8 cartons) for 4.00 total! At Safeway this week, one carton of strawberries is on sale for $3.00! The strawberries I bought today are huge, fully ripe, & delicious!

Here are some other pricing highlights:

.25 kiwis

.25 grapefruit

$1 for 5 lb. potatoes

.33 corn on the cob

I am in love with the Farmer's Market and cannot wait to really get into the summer season when they have all their berries priced at ridiculously low prices.

CANNING STRAWBERRY JAM

Well, after the strawberry treasure I found, I had to do something to preserve them. This strawberry sale came at a great time because we just used up our last jar of strawberry jam from last May. So, a friend & I made some more freezer jam to store up until next year.

It was a pretty frugal project considering I just reused the mason jars from last year's jam and got the strawberries so cheap. The only investment was another bag of sugar and some pectin. My friend and I canned 20 ounces of jam tonight - it only took a couple of hours start to finish. This is only half of it.

Just to compare, Safeway is currently selling Knott's jam for $4.29 each. Knott's, in my opinion, is the closest you can get to homemade without going organic or to Trader Joe's. So, when you break it down, if you buy Knott's jam at Safeway, you are paying 27 cents per ounce. But (factoring in all the costs incurred) when you make your own jam, you are only paying 3 cents per ounce! It is NINE times more expensive to buy jam at the grocery store and homemade tastes 100 times better than store bought! If you bought the same sized jar of homemade jam, you would only pay 48 cents! If you live near a Superstition Ranch Market, grab some strawberries and make yourself some jam for 3 cents per ounce. Freezer jam is easier than it looks. Here is the recipe I used - it's just the one inside the pectin box. So easy! I can't wait for the other berries to go on sale - blackberries, blueberries, raspberries... maybe I'll open a jam shop. :)

I heart Target this week!

I have been seriously neglecting all my regular grocery stores for the awesome Target deals this week!

CHEAP BOARD GAMES
I grabbed some more super cheap board games for my gift closet. Connect 4 was $3.00, Monopoly & Battleship were $2 each. I got the last Battleship on the shelf, so I got a raincheck for my last coupon. I love going shopping in my "gift closet" for family members birthdays, holidays, and donations. It's so much more cost effective to plan gifts in advance, get them for free or cheap, and then not have to spend a ton of money and stress at the last minute.

.50 BEACH TOWELS
I've been reading on the coupon boards about some drama with the beach towel coupons. The Mesa Target at Gilbert & Southern had completely removed their towels from the Dollar Spot. There wasn't even a tag for it and I know they were there earlier in the week. Very sneaky Mesa Central Target... very sneaky. Mesa East Target had plenty of towels left. I only grabbed one because I wasn't sure what kind of cashier I was going to be dealt. Had I known I was going to get the cashier of the year, I would have grabbed 10 towels! She pushed everything through and didn't treat me like a criminal for using coupons. I almost forgot I was at Target! I have already written to Target corporate about how pleasant she was to deal with. I always make sure to recognize great customer service. I don't want to be a Negative Nancy and only report the grumpy cashiers. :)

TIME TO STOCK UP ON GREETING CARDS!
I was able to get really cute birthday cards for 17 cents each ... and you can too! Stock up for the year now - greeting card deals are few and far between. Target has Carlton Brand cards for as low as 50 cents each (maybe lower - I didn't look for anything cheaper). Buy in sets of three so you can use this $1.00/3 Carlton brand internet printable coupon (it's a PDF too!) and get 3 for $1 or 17 cents each wyb 6+. I plan on stocking up on all sorts of cards for the year. One of my resolutions this year is to remember to send out cards and gifts for brithdays. Since having my baby, I have really become unorganized and slacked off. I have a new system of writing out all the cards for the month on the 1st and mailing them each Monday. Hopefully this will force me to be a better family member!

My Target purchases totaled 15.50 plus tax and was paid with a Target gift card. See my earlier post here for more Target deals including $1 pillows, solar lights, and the "Toy Story" DVDs. Hurry and cash in on these Target deals - the board games sale price is only good through Saturday!

GIVE AWAY! $25 Safeway card + Betty Crocker Baking Kit!

KC over at Desert Deals Diva is hosting a fun give away sponsored by Betty Crocker to promote their Bake Sweet Memories website! She is giving away a "Sweet Spring Treat" prize pack which includes: a silicon baking pan, a stainless steel mixing bowl, an oven mitt, a Betty Crocker mixing spoon, and a $25 Safeway gift card!

You can submit up to 6 entries for a chance to win - enter give away and see details here!. I just entered and I am crossing my fingers! Hurry over before Sunday, April 4th 12pm (AZ time) for your chance to win!

My Favorite Deals This Week!

Betty Crocker Brownie & Cake Mix Deal

.69 each when you buy 4 (mix & match)

Deal Scenario:

2.76 for 4 mixes (brownie or cake)

1.69 Betty Crocker cookie mix

1.50 for Betty Crocker frosting

5.95 total

-.50/1 Betty Crocker frosting 2/7 GM (doubled)

-.40/1 Betty Crocker cookie mix 2/7 GM (tripled to $1)

-.75/1 Betty Crocker cake mix EQ (load to card here)

-1.00 wyb BC Cookie Mix & Frosting EQ (load here)

-.40/1 BC Cookie Mix EQ (load here)

.30 each or 1.80 total for 6 items!

Pillsbury Refrigerated Easter Cookies @ 1.50 each

CATALINA: Buy Pillsbury Refrigerated Baked Goods (3/22-4/18)

Buy 4, Receive $2.00 Catalina ($0.50 savings per item)
Buy 5, Receive $3.00 Catalina ($0.60 savings per item)
Buy 6 (or more), Receive $4.00 Catalina ($0.67 savings per item)

Deal Scenario:

9.00 = Buy 6 at 1.50 each

-1.00/2 Pillsbury cookie dough MQ 2/7 GM (3)

-.75/2 Pillsbury Holiday cookies Cellfire EQ (load here)

-.75/2 Pillsbury Holiday cookies Shortcuts EQ (load here)
Pay 4.50 OOP, Receive $4.00 OYNO for buying 6 items

=.08 each or .50 for all 6!

Frozen Foods deal continues through 3/31 - see original details here and my deals here & here.

See more Safeway deals here at Saving with Shellie and Krazy Coupon Lady!

March to Savings "Buy 8, Save $4" Event!

All coupons $1.00 & under=$1.00 this week!
 
Buy any of the following items, in groups of 8, for the sales price listed.
 
Here are some moneymakers & freebies:
 
.79 Ronzoni Pasta
-.75/1 Ronzoni IPQ doubled (print here and here and here)
=.21 overage!
 
.99 Lunchables
-1.00/1 Lunchables MQ 3/21 SS
=.01 overage!
 
1.00 Dial Hand Soap
-.35/1 MQ 3/7 RP tripled to $1
= FREE!
 
Check out more Fry's deals at My Southwest Savings here!

I don't see any amazing deals at Bashas' this week - I'll probably skip it. You can browse the deals here at Saving With Sense. If anything noteworthy pops up, I will let you know!

Albie's is doubling, tripling, & quadrupling all coupons up to $1 this week! They also have a great price on bananas this week - .39/lb! I don't see any amazing deals, but you can check out some other highlights here at Saving With Sense.

2.50 Beach Towels (Found in Dollar Spot)
-2.00/1 Target web coupon (print here)
.50 each!

7.00 Connect 4 or Monopoly
-4.00/1 Connect 4 IPQ or 5.00/1 Monopoly IPQ (here)
3.00 Connect 4 or 2.00 Monoploy!

9.00 Battleship board game
-4.00/1 Battleship IPQ (here)
-3.00/1 Hasbro Target web coupon (here)
2.00!

3.00 Solar Light (Found in Garden Section)
-2.00/1 Solar Light Target web Coupon (print here)
1.00 each
*Some people are finding these for 2.69, so .69 after coupon!

22.99 each Toy Story 1 & 2 Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack
-10.00 instant Target discount wyb both
-10.00/1 Toy Story 1 IPQ (details for printing here) 
-10.00/1 Toy Story 2 IPQ (details for printing here)
7.99 each + there is a free "Toy Story 3" movie ticket in each combo pack!

Check out more Target deals here at Krazy Coupon Lady!

These are just highlights of my favorite deals. Remember, you can view full grocery ad match-ups here at Pinching Your Pennies. New ad match-ups are usually up each Wednesday! Happy Shopping! Let us know what great deals you find out there!

Thanks for some of these deal ideas: Slick Deals, My Southwest Savings, Krazy Coupon Lady, Saving With Shellie, & Saving With Sense.

$175 of groceries for $2.20!

I feel bad posting this trip from yesterday because some of these deals have are over with the sales cycle ending Tuesday. However, there are quite a few you can still do - I will highlight the expired deals/coupons, so I don't waste any of your time. As usual, I was running around town last night trying to soak up every last deal on the last day of the sale. Frozen Foods Deals are in blue, so they are easier to see.

.

SAFEWAY #1

FROZEN FOODS DEAL

1.99 Smart Ones Fettucini Alfredo (10) .26 each

5.99 DiGiorno pizza .26

2.00 Colgate toothpaste 1.00 - I PAID for toothpaste! :(

.99 Farmer John sausage (2) FREE

.08 tax

29.95 subtotal

-5.00/10 Smart Ones IPQ here

-2.00/4 Smart Ones HH SWQ (2) - expired yesterday

-4.00/1 DiGiorno pizza MQ from House Party (link here)

-1.00/1 Colgate HH SWQ - expired yesterday

-.75/1 Farmer John IPQ (2) link here

13.97 total, paid with $10 Frozen Foods & 3.50 BC cats, .47 cash

Received $10 Frozen Foods cat

SUMMARY: 3.97 COST, .47 OOP

NOTES:

I forgot the Colgate $1 price is only wyb 3 - I'm such an idiot!
The .99 Farmer John's sausage sale is over at SW, but is available at Albie's this week!
The Heart Healthy SW Q book expired yesterday- sad.

SAFEWAY #2
3.00 Kashi cereal (4) .24 overage each

10.29 Star olive oil (2) BOGO sale .64 each

3.49 Ore Ida fries, potatoes (8) .14 each

2.50 Michael Angelo's (2) .14 each

1.69 clearanced Pillsbury crescent rolls (4) .75 overage each!

1.50 Pillsbury easter cookies (2) 2.66 overage each!

4.99 Old Spice deodorant 1.25 overage

3.49 Old Spice body wash 1.25 overage

8.99 Huggies 2.99

1.41 tax

83.85 subtotal

-4.00 Safeway discount Kashi cereal wyb 4- makes them $2 each

-.85 50% off clearance stickers on Pillsbury (4)

-1.50/1 Kashi MQ (3) from Vocal Point (link here)

-Free Kashi MQ (auto'd at 4.49!) from Vocal Point (link here)

-Free Star product MQ (up to $4) (2) from summer promotion

-1/1 Star Olive Oil Cellfire EQ (load to your card here)

-6.98 B2G1F Safeway Ore Ida Sale - ended 3/23

-6.98 B2G1F Ore Ida IPQ (2) (link here)

-1.00/1 Steam & Mash IPQ (4) or 3/21 SS

-.40/2 Pillsbury cookies peelie MQ

-1.00/2 (3) & .75/2 (4) Pillsbury cookies EQs (here & here)

-.40/2 Pillsbury crescent rolls MQ (2) 1/31 SS

-.50/2 Pillsbury EQ (load to card here)

-2.50 BOGO Michael Angelo's IPQ

-3.00/1 Huggies IPQ (link here)

-3.00/1 Huggies SW EQ (load to your card here)

-4.99 BOGO Old Spice Body Wash/Deodorant MQ 3/7 PG

-3.00 Old Spice Body Wash PG EQ (load to your card here) 

-3.00 Old Spice Body Wash PG EQ (load to your card here)

13.01 total paid with $10 Frozen Foods & 2.50 BC cats, .51 cash

Received $10 Frozen Foods cat & 4.00 Pillsbury cat

SUMMARY: .99 PROFIT, .51 OOP

NOTES:

Kashi cereal sale ended yesterday
Ore Ida B2G1F sale ended yesterday
Major overage on the Pillbury cookies!

FRY'S - Buy 8, Save $4

.99 Lunchables (3) .01 overage each

.79 Ronzoni pasta (4) .21 overage each

1.00 Aquafresh FREE

1.00 Reese's (not in promo) FREE

5.99 Maxwell coffee FREE

BEFORE PROMO SAVINGS: 18.12 + .09 tax = 18.21

AFTER PROMO SAVINGS: 14.21

-1.00/1 Lunchables MQ 3/21 SS (3)

-.75/1 Ronzoni IPQ (4) - link here & here

-1.00/1 Aquafresh MQ 1/3 RP

-Free Reese's won from March to Savings game on Fry's site - link here

-Free Maxwell coffee won from March to Savings game - link here

-.78 total cashier gave me back change

SUMMARY: .78 profit

NOTES:

I meant to use coupons on the Reese's & the coffee to make them profitable. I was using the SCO to make sure the free items came off as expected when I hit total (which they did), but since my total was below zero, the SCO just cashed the transaction out. Oh well, it was still a profitable trip!

FINAL SUMMARY: 2.20 cost, .20 OOP!

The "March to Savings - Buy 8, Save $4" Fry's deals are going on for another week! So, more freebies for one more week. There are a few changes, like the Aquafresh is now $2 and the DiGiorno pizzas aren't included this week, but for the most part, its just an extension of last week's sale. Safeway's Frozen Food deal continues through the end of the month, plus a lot of the other deals I did are still good this week. I will post about all the great deals available this week so we can all organize our shopping lists. Phew, there have been deals EVERYWHERE lately! I feel like I can't keep up with it all!

.50 beach towels & cheap board games at Target!

What a fun shopping trip to Target today! All their summer stuff is out in the $1 spot and it makes me want to lake and enjoy this 80 degree weather in March! We are so lucky to live here ... I may change my tune when June & July get here. :)

Anyway, the beach towels are in the Dollar Spot and are priced at $2.50 each. They aren't super good quality, but for .50, who cares? Use this $2.00/1 beach towel Target printable coupon to get each one for .50. The coupon fine print does say one per transaction, so its up to your cashier to decide if they want to split them into seperate transactions. Mine didn't care and just put them into one transaction. Also, be aware these coupons are beepers. But don't worry, there is no reason for them to be denied - the tag says "beach towel" right on it, so it's a pretty easy determination that they are valid coupons. Just be prepared to show the cashier that tag wording in case they give you any trouble.

There are lots of board games on sale - the highlights are Monopoly & Connect 4 for $7 each. This is already a great price, but right now, there are printable coupons for $4.00/1 Connect 4 game and $5.00/1 Monopoly game! Print them twice here. Using these coupons, you can get Connect 4 for $3 & Monopoly for $2! I have read on some coupon boards that people are stacking the $3.00/1 Hasbro Target coupon with the $4.00/1 Connect 4 IPQ to get the games free. Don't do this - the Hasbro Target coupon is only valid on Connect 4x4, which is priced around $20. Check out the other coupons available to print on Target's site. I've seen a couple of other bloggers scoring pillows and solar lights for $1 each!

Monday was a great mail day. I love it when there are more freebies and coupons than bills. :) Today, I received a free P&G Brand Sampler I requested online. It contained 3 Pampers diapers & coupons, Metamucil samples & coupons, and a P&G booklet with some different coupons including $3.00/1 Tide Stain Release! I also got my free Kraft Philly Cream Cheese First Taste MQ to test out their new singles serving size product. They also sent a $1.00/1 MQ for the same product to give to a friend. And last, but not least, my free magazine of the day is Surfing magazine. I don't necessarily read that one, but it always gives me great trade credit at Bookmans! Now, we wait for a good sale to use these valuable coupons. The moral of the story: request free samples because the accompanying coupons are always amazing!

Can I stack Manufacturer's Coupons with E-Coupons?

I received a comment from one of my readers asking about using manufacturer's coupons in conjunction with e-coupons. This is a great topic and one I want to address. When I started couponing, I was concerned about the ethics of stacking these coupons. It seems like a lot of us have had this worry at one time or another. Then I stumbled across this great post from Jenny at Southern Savers about this very issue - here is the link. Jenny has spoken with the creators of the e-coupon sites and she brings up a lot of great points and answers several frequently asked questions.

This post is not to determine right and wrong, it is simply to provide you with more information on the subject. An educated couponer is the best kind of shopper - you always want to make sure you have as much information as possible. What you do when couponing is completely up to you, but you have to be comfortable with your decisions. Hopefully, this link will help shed some light on the history of e-coupons so you can make a better informed decision.  What are your thoughts on stacking these two types of coupons?

5.18 profit at Wags!

I haven't been to Wags in several weeks, but a combination of sickness in my home & great medicine deals drew me in! The Nature's Bounty overage wasn't too bad either.

6.49 Nature's Bounty vitamins (6) BOGO sale 1.76 overage each

5.00 Vicks plug-in vaporizer & refills (4) $1 each
2.49 Puffs tissues FREE
4.00 Neosporin (3) .50 each, Free after RR
3.79 character Band-Aids (3) .29 each, .21 overage each after RR
3.99 Colgate toothpaste $1 profit
69.32 subtotal + 3.99! tax. Geez!
-5.00/1 Nature's Bounty IPQ (6)
-1.50/1 any Vicks product MQ 2/21 PG (4) these are beepers!
-Free Puffs wyb 2 Vicks products MQ 2/7 PG
-3.00/2 wyb Band Aids + Neosporin (3) 2/21 SS
-2.00/1 Band Aids (3) from Wag's Children's Activity Book
-2.00/1 Neosporin (3) from Wag's Children's Activity Book
-2.00 RR the cashier gave me because the last customer left it behind
7.83 subtotal + 3.99 tax = 11.82 total
Paid with Wags giftcard, earned $17 RR
3.00 Neosporin, 4.00 Colgate, 10.00 Vicks
SUMMARY: 5.18 profit

I was hoping to find some clearanced 2.29 Band-Aids I'd been hearing about, but the shelves were empty. Oh well, I made some serious profit on this trip and got lots of usable things for my sick family.

Have you guys tried these little plug-in vaporizers? They are fantastic! They're easy to use, very effective, and safe to use on babies as small as 3 months. I rely on these when my baby has congestion and can't sleep, since you aren't allowed to give them cold medicine until they are much older.

I've been out of Neosporin for awhile, so I was excited for a last minute deal before the Wags Children's Activity Book Qs expire at the end of the month.

The Nature's Bounty IPQs (link here) are part of a rewards program. When you buy Nature's Bounty vitamins and enter the codes on their site, you earn points towards super high value coupons. And - you can print these coupons 6 times! I will definitely be entering these 6 codes for more coupon savings!

These deals and sale prices run through Saturday at midnight, so go make some money at Wags!

Northern TP & Huggies diapers deals from readers!

I've received some great deals from my readers and want to pass these fabulous savings onto everyone:

Cindy from Chandler pointed out this great toilet paper deal at Kmart.
UPDATE: KMART PULLED THE COUPON STATING IT WAS ONLY MEANT TO BE USED IN NEW YORK, SO NEVER MIND. In a nut shell, Hip2Save is reporting (after coupons & cat savings) you pay 10.45 for 60 double rolls of Quilted Northern Toilet Paper! Looks like there may be a problem with the $10/20 Kmart coupon & stay tuned to Hip2Save -she is working on a new scenario. Either way, this is a great deal and one I would definitely jump in on, if I had any more room to store toilet paper. My husband has asked me to stop bringing home toilet paper (and cereal) because we have a year's supply of each! Thanks Cindy!

Julie posted about a $4 Huggies deal at Target - check it out here on her blog! Julie's blog is local to Arizona, it's called CG Couponista and I LOVE it! Julie's Huggies IPQ link takes you to Safeway's printable coupon database which is powered by coupons.com. So, it doesn't have a Safeway logo on it and can be used by any retailer who accepts coupons.

In addition to her Huggies MQ link, there is ANOTHER link here if you become a fan on Facebook here! That is 4 coupons per computer! $3.00/1 is one of the highest value Huggies coupons I've seen since last spring when Huggies released $5.00/1 IPQs - which was probably a once in a lifetime event because they were clearancing out old packaging. Anyway, I just printed my four coupons and they are burning a hole in my pocket! I never turn down a good diaper coupon! Thanks Julie!

Thanks for all the great finds. If you find any great deals out there, let me know so we can share with all of our couponing friends!

What if a Catalina OYNO doesn't print?

If you ever have a Catalina OYNO that doesn't print, here's what to do:

1. Make sure you fulfilled all of the requirements of the catalina promotion - value (example: buy $20 worth) or quantity (example: Buy any 2 products). This amount is after sales price (generally speaking), but BEFORE tax or coupons (unless the catalina promotion specifically states “After Coupons"). I have had several store employees (managers included) tell me the minimum purchase amount is the “after coupon” price. Do not buy into this. So, for example, let's say the promotion is "Buy $25 worth, get $10 catalina OYNO". Before coupons, you need to spend a minimum of $25. Check your receipt and make sure you hit that mark. There have been a few times I have miscalculated and been short a few cents, and the OYNO doesn't print. Bring a calculator with you to the store to avoid this frustration.

2. Once you have rechecked your math, and found it to be accurate, you can speak with customer service at the store BEFORE YOU LEAVE and request that they force the Catalina or give you a credit. You would think they would have record of all the Catalina promotions they are currently running, but I have not found that to be the case. My favorite coupon sites keep a better record. In the retail stores' defense, though, Catalina is a third party company and the Catalinas print out of a completely different machine - so they may not always have up to date information. Your best chances are when the shelves are marked, indicating the product is participating in a Catalina promotion. If this is the case, they will usually fix the problem. Unfortunately, Catalina promos are often unmarked, so you have no proof. This is why I usually skip Step #2 and move onto Step #3.

3. Contact Catalina Marketing Corporation directly. Here’s how to request your Catalina:

PHONE: Call 1-888-8COUPON, or 1-888-826-8766
Press 3 if you are a consumer, then wait for a customer service rep

EMAIL: Simply provide your mailing info, the store name and address, the date and time shopped and the what offer you were expecting to receive. Please send your request to: ncsc@catalinamarketing.com processing. You will receive a response within 2-3 business days.

I have gone through this process and Step #3 is BY FAR the least stressful way to deal with this problem. They are helpful, friendly, & quick!

HELPFUL TIPS:

• It’s always a good idea to make sure the little green “on” light is shining before you pick your checkout lane. You don’t want a Catalina machine that is out of paper or not functioning properly. If the "advertisement" Catalinas or junk mail as I call them (Jiffy Lube oil change, 20% off Payless, etc.) printed, but your OYNO didn't, the Catalina machine is working, your OYNO just didn't print.
• Also, sometimes there is a delay in printing. I have had a Catalina coupon print out 30 seconds later than the receipt. So, maybe just hang around that check-out lane to see if it's just a slow printing Cat.

In my experience, Catalina will take care of you and can look up your purchase by your shopper card; rest assured, if you fulfilled the Catalina promotion's requirements, you will get your coupons or a credit in that amount!

$179 worth of groceries & I made $4.04!

Let me tell you a story...

Today on my lunch, I headed to Safeway with a well crafted, 3 transaction plan in hand. I filled my cart, organized my coupons, and after I had all my items on the conveyer belt, my favorite cashier is switched out by ... dun dun dun ... the dreaded Assistant Manager! He shut me down on about 50% of my legitimate Qs for lots of crazy, ridiculous reasons, my favorite being, "Nope, can't take this one. This just looks like a fraudulent coupon." I was in the check out line going back and forth with the corporate coupon policy out, but he was beyond reason. And to top it all off, none of my EQs came off, 2 seperate $5 discounts did not come off, & my $10 frozen food cat didn't print! My total was $47! I haven't spent that much on groceries all year! I told him to void the entire transaction because it was such a mess. I got my coupons back and high-tailed it out of there.

Now, fast forward to my Safeway trip after work. I refilled my cart with the same exact items I had picked out 4 hour earlier, but this time, I picked out a young, male cashier. The heavens parted and sunshine beamed down on my check-out line. Just kidding, that's a little dramatic, but seriously everything was 100% different. All my EQs came off, the $5 deductions came off, & all the cats printed as expected. This is a good reminder that one grumpy, jaded cashier can ruin an entire shopping run. Choose your cashiers carefully!

Ok, now that I've gotten that out, let's move on to my transactions...

I finally (half way through March) have jumped in on the frozen foods deal - see details here. I also did a few more "Buy 5, Save $5" deals - details here. I though the $1.00 Colgate toothpaste price was good as long as you buy 3+, turns out you have to buy in increments of 3. Oh well, I still didn't pay for it because I paired the MQs up with the HH (Heart Healthy booklet) Safeway coupons. Thank goodness. Paying for toothpaste would be embarrasing in the coupon world.

SAFEWAY #1

TOWARDS BETTY CROCKER CAT:

1.00 Betty Crocker fruit snacks (5) -.50/2 MQ 3/7 SS, -.50/2 EQ = .20 profit each

TOWARDS "BUY 5, SAVE $5" DEAL:

1.50 Nature Valley Nut Clusters -1/1 MQ 2/21 SS, -1/1 EQ = .50 overage

1.50 Nature Valley Granola Bars (3) -.50/1 3/7 SS, -.40/1 EQ = (3) .37 each

1.50 Post Raisin Bran -2.00/1 IPQ = .50 overage

TOWARDS FROZEN FOODS CAT:

2.29 Pillsbury toaster strudel (3) -.35/1 MQ 3/7 SS (3), -.55/2 EQ (3) = .74 each

3.00 Yoplait smoothies (4) -1.25/1 IPQ (2), -1/1 3/7 MQ SS (2) = 1.88 each

3.49 El Monterey burritos

3.00 DiGiorno personal pizza -free MQ = free

10.29 Star olive oil (2) BOGO sale -free MQ (2) (up to $4), -1/1 EQ = .65 each
1.00 Colgate (3) -1.50/1 MQ from pharmacy (3), -1/1 HH SWQ (3) = $1 overage each
2.00 Colgate -1.50/1 MQ from pharmacy, -1/1 HH SWQ (3) = .50 overage
.99 Lunchables (2) -.75/1 IPQ (2) no longer available = free
TOTAL BEFORE Qs: 65.13
TOTAL AFTER Qs: 7.61
Paid with (2) 3.50 Betty Crocker OYNO cats + .61 cash
Earned $13.50 in cats ($10 frozen foods, 3.50 Betty Crocker)
SUMMARY: 5.89 profit

SAFEWAY #2
TOWARDS BETTY CROCKER CAT:
1.00 Betty Crocker fruit snacks (5) -.50/2 MQ 3/7 SS= .10 profit each

TOWARDS FROZEN FOODS CAT:
1.99 Smart Ones fettucini alfredo (10) 1.49 each
2.29 Pillsbury toaster strudel (2) -.35/1 MQ 3/7 SS (2) = 1.29 each
1.00 Michalina single entree

1.00 Colgate -1.00/1 MQ 3/7 SS (3), -1/1 HH SWQ (3) = $1 overage each
2.00 Colgate -1.00/1 MQ 3/7 SS (3), -1/1 HH SWQ (3) = free
.08 tax
TOTAL BEFORE Qs: 40.48

TOTAL AFTER Qs: 14.56
Paid with a 10.00 frozen foods cat + 3.50 BC OYNO cat + 1.06 cash
Earned $13.50 in cats ($10 frozen foods, 3.50 BC)
SUMMARY: 1.06 cost

FRY'S
 I was able to load a few more EQs on my card, so I hit the cart buster sale one more time. (BC = Betty Crocker)

1.50 BC Warm Delight -.50/1 MQ 3/7 SS, -.50/1 EQ = FREE
1.50 BC Cookie Mix -.40/1 IPQ, -.40/1 EQ = .30
1.50 BC frosting -.50/1 MQ 3/7 SS, -.50/1 EQ = FREE
10.99 Prevacid -6.00/1 Fry's cat, -6.00/1 Frys EQ = 1.01 overage
1.49 Coke Zero (won from online Fry's game here) = .50 overage
1.00 Reese's (won from online Fry's game here) -$1 off wyb Coke & Reese's = .50 overage
1.56 fuji apples
.94 tax = .79 total paid on Fry's giftcard

BASHAS
I planned on grabbing some La Victoria enchilada sauce for free (see details here), but they only carry mild which is fully stocked in my pantry. I'm hoping the medium or hot variety goes on sale somewhere for $2 so I can snag those for my husband who has decided the mild flavor does not taste good. Too bad for him because I still have more than 10 cans of mild from the last time Bashas had a La Vic sale.

.50 Snickers (6) -.50/2 MQ 2/21 RP (3) = FREE

FINAL SUMMARY: $1.67 paid OOP, $4.04 profit!

Phew. I think maybe I need to stop procrastinating and spread these trips out so they aren't all compressed to Tuesday. The good news for all my fellow procrastinators is the frozen food deal is going on through 3/31/10. So, clean out your freezers & shop away!

Free Barilla pasta at Bashas!

It's time to pull out those .55/1 Barilla MQs from the 3/7 SS inserts! Bashas has Barilla pasta on sale for $1.00, so after these MQs double, you're getting pasta free! The coupons are for the Whole Grain & Piccolini variety. My Bashas was completely picked over - all they had left were the regular kind. As I was staring at the empty Barilla shelves with a despondent look on my face, the store manager came over and offered to take the Whole Grain coupons on the regular Barilla! How nice was that? I had 10 coupons, so I grabbed 10 boxes, and paid zero OOP (no tax either)!

Here are my last minute round-ups for Tuesday- the last day of the sales week:

.50 Snickers

-.50/2 2/21 RP (doubled to $1.00/2)

= 2 free Snickers!

1.00 Barilla pasta

-.55/1 3/7 SS* (doubled to $1.00/1)

= FREE

*Check your La Voz papers this week for more Barilla MQs. I got 5 newspapers/inserts free at my local Circle K gas station!

2.00 La Victoria enchilada sauce

-4.00/2 La Vic IPQ (2) from rewards program here

=2 for free!

"Buy 5, Save $5" deal/BC fruit snacks cat - see my deals here and here

1.28 strawberries

9.99 Star Olive Oil (the big size!) is on BOGO sale
Use 2 free Star product Qs (up to $4 value) from online survey 2 months ago
Or Use $3.00/1 hangtags (2)
=As low as .99 each!
UPDATE: This deal just got more amazing! Cellfire & Shortcuts have EQs for Star Olive Oil (17 oz.+) available to load. I just loaded them up, so I'll be getting my olive oil for .49 each - WOWZA!

1.00 Colgate Total (when you buy 3 or more)
Use $1 coupons from the inserts they are free!
Plus, use a 1.00/1 SW coupon from "Healthy Heart Products" booklet
=$1 profit!
 
What will you be running around town for?

More Betty Crocker fruit snacks from Safeway!

A few more Betty Crocker fruit snacks money making runs today...

IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not buy the Betty Crocker fruit roll-ups that say 20% more on the box. For some reason, these are not counting towards the cat (even though they are the same sales price) and will cause it to either not print or print for a lesser amount than 3.50. Stay away from those!

.

#1

1.00 Betty Crocker fruit snacks (5) .10 profit each

.69 fuji apple - to eat up overage (already eaten)

5.69 subtotal

-.50/2 BC fruit snacks MQ (2) 3/7 SS

3.69 paid with 3.50 Betty Crocker OYNO & .19 on a giftcard

Earned 3.50 Betty Crocker OYNO

SUMMARY: .19 cost

#2

1.00 Betty Crocker fruit snacks (5) .10 profit each

2.19 Lucerne milk 1.19
1.59 Lucerne cottage cheese .59
.89 Reese's - filler
9.67 subtotal
-.50/2 BC fruit snacks MQ (2) 3/7 SS
-.50/1 Real CA milk IPQ
-.55/1 Real CA cheese product IPQ
5.67 paid with 3.50 & 2.50 Betty Crocker OYNOs & .67 on a giftcard
Received 3.50 OYNO
SUMMARY: 2.17 cost

#3
1.00 Betty Crocker fruit snacks (5) .10 profit each
2.19 Lucerne milk (2) 1.19 each
1.48 bananas 1.5 lbs @ .59/lb.
2.50 Sunmaid raisins
.66 Fuji apple
14.02 subtotal
-.50/2 BC fruit snacks MQ (2) 3/7 SS
-.50/1 Real CA milk IPQ (2)
10.02 paid with 10.00 P&G OYNO & .02 on a giftcard
Received 3.50 OYNO
SUMMARY: 6.52 cost

FINAL SUMMARY: 8.88 cost, no OOP

Winner of the $25 Fry's giftcard!

Congratulations to Beth (guitar1229@...) the winner of the $25 Fry's Gift Card!

Beth said, "My name is Beth, I have been following your blog for a few weeks now and I love it. There are so many cart busters to choose from its hard to pick just one. I would have to say my two favorites right now are the $0.08 BC potatoes, and the $0.28 Green Giant Steamers. I love the inexpensive meal side dishes. I have been stocking up like crazy!"

Beth, I will email you with further instructions to collect your gift card.

Thanks to everyone who entered the give-away - stay tuned, there are more give-aways to come!

Fry's Cart Buster event = 4.63 cost!

I did 2 transactions at Fry's today to jump into the "Cart Buster" sale this week. I have 2 different cards - one is a Kroger card from when I lived back east and one is a Fry's card that I got when I moved to Arizona - so I did one transaction on each card. I loaded up my eQs and headed out to bust my cart! Note- BC means Betty Crocker
.

Here's what I got:

1.50 BC cookie mix (2) -.40/1 IPQ, -.40/1 eQ (2) = .30 each

1.50 BC frosting (2) -.50/1 IPQ, -.50/1 eQ (2) = FREE

1.50 BC Warm Delights (2) -.50/1 IPQ, -.50/1 eQ (2) = FREE

.88 BC potatoes (2) -.40/1 IPQ, -.40/1 eQ = .32 overage each

2.27 Fiber One bars (8) -.50/1 MQ (8) 3/7 SS, -1.60 eQs = .45 each

3.49 Kraft cheese (won from Fry's March to Savings game) = FREE

1.00 Reese's (won from Fry's March to Savings game) = FREE

10.99 Prevacid (2) -6.00/1 IPQ, -6.00/1 Fry's eQ = 1.01 overage

2.69 Axe deodorant (clearanced) -2/1 Fry's Axe cat = .69

TOTAL BEFORE COUPONS: 60.32

TOTAL AFTER COUPONS: 9.63 paid on Fry's giftcard

Earned (2) 2.50 CATs for buying 4 Fiber Ones in one transaction

SUMMARY: 4.63 cost

I had a pretty awesome mail day today too!

I was selected to host a DiGiorno home party and I was so excited to see the host package arrive today. There were lots of great things included - an apron, party favors (red beaded necklaces & button pins), decorations, games, and the best thing of all COUPONS! There are 6 coupons for free DiGiorno pizzas (to supply the party) and a ton of $4.00/1 DiGiorno Qs to hand out to party guests. How fun!

I also received my free Cat's Pride cat litter MQ from signing up on Catster (value up to $7.00!) see details here. I also received the newest "Home Made Simple" coupon booklet with a expiration date in May. This is good news because my current collection of these books expires at the end of this month.

Remember to enter my $25 Kroger gift card give away here! The give away ends Friday, March 12th at 12pm MST! Good luck!