12/18 No Sunday Coupon Inserts

It looks like according to the insert preview schedule and verfied with various forums, there will be no coupon inserts in the Sunday paper this weekend, 12/18/11. Looking forward, the last Sunday of the year is Christmas and there will be a lone P&G insert in that paper.
 
Keep an eye out for the new 2012 Insert Schedule which will be posted soon. I can only see that Redplum and P&G have come out with a schedule so far, but I'd like to wait for Smartsource before posting.

Publix Sneak Peek Weekly Ad, Dec 15-24

This ad is a long one, all the way through Christmas Eve, and then of course Publix is closed Christmas Day.
BOGOs:
Celery, save up to 1.99

Matlaw's Seafood Appetizers, 7 to 11 oz pkg, save up to 3.99

Simply Potatoes Diner's Choice Mashed Potatoes, Original, Sweet, Sour Cream & Chives, Country Style or Garlic, 32 oz pkg, save up to 3.99

Fresh Cranberries, 12 oz pkg, save up to 2.99

Publix Baby Cut Carrots, 16 oz bag, save up to 1.69

Cool Whip Whipped Topping, 8 oz bowl, sve up to 1.75

Totino's Pizza Rolls or Stuffers, 4 or 40 ct, 14 or 19.8 oz pkg, save p to 3.41

Cole's Garlic Bread, Bread Sticks, Cheesesticks, Toast Slices or Cinnamon Sticks, 10.5 to 16 oz pkg (excluding Mini Loaf and Mini Toast), save up to 2.99

Ore-Ida Hash Brown Potatoes, Roasted, O'Brien, or Steam N' Mash, 20 to 32 oz pkg, save p to 3.51

Publix Sneak Peek 12/8 - 12/14/11

BOGOs:
Quorn Meatless & Soy-Free Entrees, 7 to 12 oz pkg (excluding Turkey Roast), save up to 5.99

Margaritaville Shrimp, 8 or 10 oz pkg, save up to 8.99

Barber Foods Stuffed Chicken Breast, 10 oz pkg, save up to 4.99

Marzetti Dip, 13 to 15.5 oz pkg, save up to 3.69

Boursin Cheese, 5.2 or 5.28 oz, locaed in the Publix Deli Cheese Section, save up to 5.99

Muffins, 4 ct, Apple Bran, Raisin Bran, Blueberry, Corn or Carrot, 10 oz size, save up to 3.09

Powerade Ion4 Sports Drink or Powerade Zero, 32 oz bottle, save up to 1.49

Green Giant Vegetables, 4 pk, 14.5 to 15.25 oz can, save up to 4.99

The Coupon Game - Part 2

Usually on Friday I like to post my Publix Trip from the first day of the sale but I'm not really impressed with the ad this week, so I'm waiting to get the few things I need on Saturday when the new YAB flyer starts. There is a little moneymaker on the Friskies Party Mix using the $1.50/2 MQ in this weekends 12/4 SS combined with the printable Pet PQ.
 
Anyway, I'll update you on the coupon game with store #685. It turns out the District Manager is on vacation until next week, so the Store Manager called me yesterday after getting my customer service inquiry about the CWS. He apologized for the rude manager behavior of the night before. He skirted around the coupon and he said he would still not take it because it was not the manufacturers "intent" that it be used on trial size packages. We discussed further and I told him this issue was not resolved and I would have to contact customer service again.
 
So I called customer service again (800-242-1227 put it in your phones now) and explained that the store manager was still stating he would decline acceptance of that particular coupon. The CSR confirmed again that stores should be accepting that coupon as the vendor had agreed to honor them and reimburse Publix. She offered to call the store manager to ensure he would take the coupon, and then she was to call me back. A short while later she called me back and reported that the store manager had now agreed to take the coupon. Gee, that's what I wanted in the first place.
 
I'm still not sure he has shared this agreement with his staff, so I expect to have resistance again when I shop this afternoon. I'm sure the product will still be there because nobody can use the coupon for it. Anyway, the store manager called me again today to follow up to ensure the CSR had shared that they "came to an understanding" that the coupon was valid and should be accepted. I told him I would be in today and looked forward to a pleasant transaction.
 
Anyone want to take bets on how this turns out?
 
 

The Coupon Game

Today in my blog feeds there was an especially interesting article. Seth Godin posted about the Four Stages of The Game:
 
  • You don't even realize there's a game. (And any contest, market, project or engagement is at some level a game).
  • You start getting involved and it feels like a matter of life or death. Every slight cuts deeply, every win feels permanent. "This is the most important meeting of my life..."
  • You realize that it's a game and you play it with strategy. There's enough remove for you to realize that winning is important but that continuing to play is more important than that. And playing well is most important.
  • You get bored with the game, because you've seen it before. Sometimes people at this stage quit, other times they sabotage their work merely to make the game feel the way it used to.
  • And then a new, different game begins.

  •  
    This reality struck me that my couponing is a game. I like games, I think most people do. The problem is that they can be big time wasters. So, I don't have an Xbox or 360 or whatever those game toys are called. I don't download games or even play games on my computers. I spend so much time on computers being productive, I don't want to waste my time on chat, facebook or games - if I did I would be on the computer at least fifteen hours a day. As it is, I spend at least ten hours a day using the computer. Way too many.
     
    So, my couponing is a game. I call it my new hobby, giving up photoshop and scrap booking since that wasn't productive. But with couponing I can make money and save money on things I would have normally spent money on. So I coupon. And its a game. And its challenging. Every successful shop is a so great feeling. And even after couponing for years, every rejection still hurts bad.
     
    This week has not been a great coupon game week for me - a lot of drama in my opinion. It started with the gas card deal at Publix last Thursday, when the assistant manager Bob wanted to deny me the use of a $5 off $30 PQ and the $10 off $50 gas card wyb $25 coupon, when I only just $30 on my cart. His interpretation was that it intended for shoppers to spend $80 to use both coupons. Which I explained to him I had because I had the $30 groceries plus the $50 gas card, which equals $80. I offered to call corporate to clarify, but then he said ok, you can do it this time.
     
    Then at another store the assistant manager said they couldn't take the Rachel Ray PQ because it was a copy. I explained that the coupon is only available online on Publix website and must be printed. The coupon is poor quality and is difficult to read, but it is a legit Publix coupon. I got the, "we'll do it this time" story again, only after offering to show the site to her on my smartphone.
     
    The latest drama involved the crest white strips $7 coupon and the trial pack. My unfavorite manager Bob denied the use of this coupon. I should have been on alert when the shelf was stocked with a dozen of the item. It was clear he would not give even after threats of contacting corporate or assurances that the coupon could be scanned.  So we abandoned our order and left. We did not want to escalate the situation in our close store and it was clear no one there could make the right choice. 
     
    So this morning I called corporate to inquire as to the status of that coupon and the use on the trial pack. Corporate assured me it is valid to use on the trial pack. They look at it as P&G's problem if the use is not what they intended. But Publix stores are supposed to accept it for the trial pack because they will get reimbursed. So the District Manager is going to get involved and hopefully we can get this store #685 trained on proper coupon review and acceptance.

    Publix Sneak Peek BOGO's 12/1 - 12/7/11

    The new Publix ad is not that exciting - personally I would just shop more this week and get some more gas cards. I'm picking up Crest White Strips, Phazyme and Rachel Ray dog treats to bring my totals up to $25 per gas card coupon with a little overage too.
    BOGOs:
    Ken's Steak House Dressing, 16 oz bottle, save up to 3.51

    Birds Eye Voila! Entrees or Meals, 21 to 23 oz bag, save up to 5.49

    Lloyd's Meats in Original BBQ Sauce, Pork, Chicken or Beef or Shredded Pork in Honey Hickory BBQ Sauce, 18 oz tub, save up to 5.99

    Trans Ocean Surimi, 8 oz bag, save up to 2.99

    Toufayan Pita Bread, 12 oz pkg (excluding Low Carb Pita), save up to 1.29

    Krusteaz Bakery Style Cookie Mix, 15.5 to 18 oz box, save up to 2.39

    Uncle Ben's Original Converted Rice, 5 lb bag, save up to 7.49

    Mid's Homestyle Pasta Sauce, Meatless, Meat, or Italian Sausage, 32 oz jar, save up to 4.59

    Publix Yellow Advantage Buy Flyer 12/3 - 12/23

    Here's the new Publix Advantage Buy Flyer starting Saturday. If you want to see all the deals, just click the link for slickdeals and look at the ad scans. I'm excited to see the PQ for Voskos yogurt to stack with teh MQ for $1/2 possibly making for free yogurt if they keep the price at $1.00.

    Publix coupons expiring 12/23/2011:$1.0 any Gold Medal flour 4.25 - 5 lb.
    $1.00 any Brothers or Millstone coffee 10 - 12 oz. bags or 1 lb whole bean bulk
    $5.00 WYB an 2 STI $10 international, Latino America or Mexico calling cards
    $3.00 any 2 Sea Fare crab meat 6.5 oz.
    55¢ any Glory Foods fresh greens 16 oz. bag
    $1.00 any 2 Voskos Greek yogurt 5.3 oz. or Voskos crunch 4.6 oz.
    Free gallon of milk WYB any 3 Kelloggs Apple Jacks, Froot Loops, or Corn Pops 8.7 oz. or larger
    $2.00 any Publix meat or seafood item WYB any Coca-Cola product 20 or 24 pk.
    $1.00 Gorton's large or value pack grilled frozen entrees 14 - 24.5 oz.
    $1.00 any Michael Angelo's frozen entree 20 - 32 oz.
    $1.00 any 2 On Cor frozen entree 27 - 28 oz.
    75¢ Glad Press n Seal food wrap 70 or 140 sq. ft.
    $1.50 any Huggies Overnites, Snug & Dry, Little Snugglers, Little Movers or Slip-on Diaper
    $2.00 any 1 Lysol No Mess automatic toilet bowl cleaner spring waterfall 2 ct. WYB any Lysol power toilet bowl cleaner 2 pk./24 oz.
    Free 9 Lives dry cat food 3.15 - 3.5 lb. WYB any Fresh Step cat litter 25 lb.

    Thanks Slickdeals

    Publix Weekly Ad Sneak Peek 11/25 - 11 /30

    BOGOs:
    Marie Callender's Pot Pie, 4 ct, 40 oz box, save up to 7.49

    Old El Paso Dinner Kit, 8.4 to 19.2 oz box, save up to 2.93

    Fresh Express Salad Blends, 5 to 13.8 oz bag, surprisingly low price

    StarKist Albacore White Tuna in Water, 6.4 oz pouch, save up to 3.19

    Jif Peanut Butter, 40 oz jar, save up to 5.37

    Hunt's Tomato Ketchup, 24 oz bottle, save up to 1.75

    Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce, Original, Honey or Hickory & Brown Sugar, 28 oz bottle, save up to 3.29

    Bertolli Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 17 oz bottle, save up to 7.79

    Maruchan Yakisoba Japanese Noodles, Home-Style, 3.96 to 4.27 oz bowl, save up to 0.99

    My Publix Trip 99% Savings


    The first three things I set out to get yesterday on my Publix trip were gone. Empty shelves were left for me to gaze at. It totally threw me off my groove and I had to recalculate using my Grocery Tracker App on my smartphone. Any way I was able to put together a decent trip. I'll just have to get napkins and wheat chex later this week. I saved $120.83 and spent eighty two cents for a savings of 99.29%
    17-Nov43115.1943.7970.58tax0.8242-99.29%
    ProductqtypricesubtlB1G1-QtotalQ#Q details
    banana20.350.700.70
    Meullers Pasta BOGO21.392.781.391.100.292$0.55/1 Meuller pasta print
    Ragu Pasta sauce BOGO42.5910.365.183.501.682free pasta wyb 2 Ragu 11-13 RP
    HJ pancake mix pouch60.995.949.00-3.069$1/2 MQ + $1/1 TQ
    Marie calendar entrée BOGO65.4932.9416.4718.98-2.5110$1/1 MQ print + 2 $1/2 TQ + 2 B2G1 TQ
    Rondele Cheese spread BOGO44.5918.369.1810.00-0.824$2.50/1 print 
    Sargento Shred Cheese BOGO43.9915.967.982.005.984$.50/1 print
    Water 2.5 gal11.991.991.99
    Publix Sweet Cream Butter22.004.004.00
    GM Chex Cereal BOGO23.597.183.592.001.592$1/1 MQ
    Voskos Yogurt81.008.005.003.005$1/2 PQ greenwise + $1/2 MQ tearpad
    phayzyme23.496.989.00-2.022$5/2 TQ + $2/1 MQ print
    $/$$ coupon0.000.005.00-5.001$5/$30 PQ Take Budget by horns
    $/$$ coupon0.000.005.00-5.001$5/$25 SAL or $10/50 Sweetbay
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