My Publix Trip - Paid $15.52, Saved 82%

My Publix trip yesterday was a bust. All we got was some bananas for $1.02. I just couldn't get myself to pay more than a couple dollars when I know if I hold out and wait for Airwick candles and Olay Regenerist products to get back on the shelves I can have plenty of overage to pay for my produce and some sale items I want. There are a lot of good deals but I need to stock up on a couple things for the winter so we can make chili. I was going to sell all our peanut butter stockpile at our garage sale this weekend, but now have decided to pull back enough for a year due to the news of an impending price hike on peanut butter. I'm also considering holding more of the cereal due to anticipated price hikes.

 

So, here's my list of items I want to pick up this weekend or early next week. The candy is a maybe depending on overage - I would like one of the new bags though.  I'll probably check out a few outlier stores that seem to less cleared shelves, but they have to accept Target coupons since the soup, parm cheese, glade and hunts all need stacking TQ's with the MQ's. I'm also looking to get a couple more Stouffers Lasagne as long as they are part of the Essentials price reduction. It's so easy to just microwave it 29 minutes and the calories are reasonable at 295 per serving. I'll be hoping to just pick up a couple items with each shop and keep my totals either at $25 or $55 to maximize my use of the $ off $$ Publix and Save A Lot coupons.

 

13-Oct	28		82.13	18.65	47.90	tax	15.58	27	-81.03%
Product	qty	price	subtl	B1G1	-Q		total	Q#	Q details
romaine		2.29	0.00				0.00
lettuce	1	1.69	1.69				1.69
cucumber	1	0.50	0.50				0.50
bananas	2	0.35	0.70				0.70
tomatoes		1.00	0.00				0.00
cantaloupe	1	2.50	2.50				2.50
mushrooms		2.50	0.00				0.00
soup select harvest BOGO	2	2.49	4.98	2.49	2.00		0.49	2	$1/2 PQ + $1/2 9-11ss or 10-9ss
Busy Bone dog treats	1	2.50	2.50		2.00		0.50	2	$1/1 PQ purina pet + $1/1 MQ 9-25rp
Publix Bag		0.99	0.00				0.00		Free bag wyb $9.99 of Mars candy YAF
Mars Candy BOGO		6.59	0.00				0.00		$1.00/3 TQ + $1.50/3 9-25RP
Glade 4oz candle	2	2.00	4.00		3.50		0.50	2	$1.50/2 TQ + $1.250/2 MQ 9-25ss
Pompien Olive Oil BOGO 32oz	2	11.99	23.98	11.99	2.00		9.99	2	$1/1 MQ print
Hunts Tomatoes 14.5oz BOGO	6	1.39	8.34	4.17	2.40		1.77	5	$0.50/2 TQ + $0.45/3 10-2ss
Kraft Grated Parm Cheese	2	3.00	6.00		2.00		4.00	2	$1/2 TQ + $1/2 tearpad
Beneful dog meals tubs		1.67	0.00				0.00		B4G2 8-7ss + $1/2 PQ OSOS
Airwick Candle big (get 2) RC	6	3.99	23.94		27.00		-3.06	9	$2/1 MQ 9-18ss + $5/2 PQ OSOSbooklet
Yogurt LeCreme 4pk	2	1.50	3.00		2.00		1.00	2	$1/1 YAB
Olay Regernst Cleansing RC		3.99	0.00				0.00		$3/1 PG 10-2,$10/2 9-25RP+ $2/2 TQ 9-25RP
$/$$ coupon		0.00	0.00				0.00		$5/$30 PQ Take Budget by horns
$/$$ coupon		0.00	0.00		5.00		-5.00	1	$5/$25 SAL

Is This Being Cheap?

Please give me some feedback on this, I don't want to be cheap and I will do whatever is the right thing to do. Here's the situation:

 

Our team at work is planning on giving our boss a gift for Boss's Day on Monday. The person who usually gathers all the donations and gets the card is on vacation so I got together with with another gal and we decided that we would do something similar to what we've done in the past for the boss - give her a gift card and I put together a goodie bag of stuff from my stockpile. The boss loves these gifts as she's a more practical person like me, not into flowers and fashion. Anyway, this other person and I decided on a $25 gift card from the team, and I would put together a nice pink Publix bag of Olay, candles, cat food and treats, chocolate snacks and nuts, Gain detergent, pens, scissors, tape and hand soap. I have a free blank greeting card from Shutterfly with a nice flower picture on front that we can write whatever we want in it. We're asking each of the 8 people on the team for a $3 donation toward the gift card. I figured I would just pull a $25 Publix gift card from my stash and put it in the card. I also got one of those "Take Your Budget By the Horns" coupon booklets yesterday from the USF Store (you can still get them folks!) that have a $5 off $30 coupon each month through May 2012.

 

So, I called people on the team since we're located in three different facilities and I explained what we're doing and said I could get the $3 from each person at the remote sites at later times this month. So I have to front the money for the gift card, that's why I was just going to pull one from my stash and keep the cash as it came in.

 

Anyway, I was talking to another coworker on another team about what they're doing for their boss and I mentioned what we're doing. They all know I'm into couponing and have lots of stockpile stuff, but they still laugh about it. So, I said I was donating the product and putting together a bag of stuff and getting the $25 GC from my stash of them. Well, you would think I had said I was stealing it! This person I was talking to was appalled that I would take cash from coworkers and keep it. I asked what the difference was, either I take the cash to Publix and buy a gift card today, or just pay myself for the gift card. She doesn't really know that the gift card was a gift from doing a giveaway or from overage on previous shops, but it is.

 

As it is, all the people at my facility have paid up and I have only $12. I'll get $3 on Monday, and $6 more on Wednesday, and the final $3 on Halloween. So, if it is cheap to just use one of my own gift cards, I'll have to buy a gift card when I only have 1/2 the money - so I'll have to use one of my personal Publix gift cards plus the $12 to buy a $25 gift card. That just seems stupid to me. So there you have it, my dilemma of the day.

 

What would you do? 

New or Old?

Today, one of my coworkers was asking where I got my panniers on my bicycle. They're thinking of getting some and couldn't find any in the bike shops they liked. I looked at my old CyclePro Countryside Originals and explained that these panniers are over 23 years old. They sag a little on the rack, and the main compartment zipper has been repaired numerous times, and the side pockets had a hole in them. But they are still better than what I could buy new. The old canvas is tough and resilient, whereas the new ones are nylon which is inferior for the purpose. With my daily use, they are showing their age and replacements or repairs are needed. Its one of those things that is always on my "list" to get when there's a deal, or in this case when I actually find some that are suitable - at any price. Meanwhile they do the job well.

 

But sometimes, new things are much better quality than old. I think electronic or electrical things actually are better with the advanced technology. DH has been complaining about his electric Remington shaver for a while. We got new blades for it a couple months ago, but it still was just not performing as expected. So I found a new shaver on Amazon that arrived yesterday. You have to know that DH does not really embrace change. He likes his routine and whenever something is different, he complains and fusses until he's settled in the new way. So of course, he whined that it charged different than the other one. He whined that the suction cups on the charger stuck to the table, but not the porcelain of the top of the toilet. But he did like that it was a lot quieter, and it was a lot smoother shave. So, now he's raving about it wanting to show me his close shave by snuggling cheek to cheek. I have to admit it really is a better shave, and something he should have switched out long ago.

 

Being frugal can sometimes make us hang on to stuff longer than we should. But it also keeps us using the durable, well made products that you can't buy quality anymore. You just have to know which is which.

 

Do you have a gem or a rock? 

 

Simplify Couponing

It seems like a lot of people would love to try to save a bunch of money with coupons, but they just can't get the grasp of it. Of course the simplest thing to do, is nothing. The next simplest thing is to read the early version of the store ad that you get in the mail or in your email, and plan your shopping list around the ad. If your store is Publix and you get the Buy One, Get One (BOGO) items, you'll save 50% right there.

 

However, this won't give you the greatest savings. Its not that hard to put a little more effort into your planning and get greater savings. Here are some simple things I'd recommend to keep your expenses down and get the products you want and need for less money.

 

1. Know your favorite stores coupon policy. They all have them online on their websites, just google it and tons of blogs have it referenced too. You need to know if you can stack a manufacturer (MQ) coupon with a store coupon on one item, can you use a MQ on a free item when there is a BOGO sale, can you use competitor coupons or price match competitor ads? There are definitely some stores that give you more coupon savings options and I would recommend you shop there. I prefer shopping at Publix because they accept stacking coupons, competitor coupons and they have BOGO sales each week. Sweetbay is almost the same policy but they lack the BOGO sale items each week. Winn Dixie won't accept competitor coupons but they allow stacking of their WD & MQ coupons, plus they have BOGO sales each week.

 

2. Once you know the policy, you need to get your coupons. I would recommend buying a Sunday paper for each person in your household to get the coupon inserts. If you can't afford a paper, sign up for the free newspaper in your city that has coupon inserts (in Tampa its the Centro). Or you can go "recycling" in your neighborhood and pull out the coupon inserts from your neighbors recycle bins on the curb the night before recycle day. I used to do this for a year when I first started couponing and would regularly get a dozen copies of inserts in 30 minutes while I walked my dog. Its pretty easy and its free. Once you start saving your grocery money, you may want to give it up and just buy your papers. There is another local blogger that can sign you up for a fifty cent subscription to the Tampa Tribune Sunday paper if you're interested let me know. I would not recommend buying coupons from clipping services, its not necessary unless you live in the boonies and your local paper sucks.

 

Also follow some blogs with coupon links where you can print coupons. Many of these are the same as you'll find in the paper, so if you get the paper you don't need many of these. Sign up for facebook and you can print coupons from manufacturers there. Pick up the coupon booklets at the store when you shop which will have store coupons.Get blinkie coupons from the red light flashing boxes on the store shelves. Get coupons even if you don't know for sure you'll get the item. It might go on sale and you'll be glad you have the matching coupon.

 

3. Organize your coupons. This step is where people get frustrated and waste a lot of time. The simple way is to just write the date on the top of the insert and file it in a box in chronological order. Keep peelies and blinkies and printed coupons in an envelope. You probably won't have too many of these to worry about organization, just keep all like coupons together. Only carry coupons in your clutch that you need for your shopping list, and possibly for overage items.

 

4. Preview the Ad - find out how you can see the ad early, usually several days before it starts. There are many blogs that post the early Publix ad, and walmart, Sweetbay and Winn Dixie. It is also available on the www.slickdeals.net forum which is one of my favorite resources for coupon deals. By previewing the ad, you can make up your list of what you need, see what coupons match up, and pull your coupons from your box. Or print the ones you need from the links in the preview. If you have to buy coupons from a clipper service this preview will give you a few days to order and have the coupons you want shipped to you in time for the sale.

 

5. Make Your List - I make my list using Excel so it is actually a spreadsheet that shows the count of coupons, count of items, cost of items, BOGO discounts, coupon discounts, tax and my total. I also use my smartphone free app Grocery Tracker that is essentially the same spreadsheet but on my phone. It allows me to make changes to my list in the store and still keep track of my total.

 

6. Shop. I recommend shopping on the first day of the sale if you can. If you can't, find out when the trucks restock your favorite store and shop that day. If its Monday, go shopping Monday. Get in the habit of bringing your own reusable bags with your coupon clutch, and you'll never forget your coupons. If they are out of an item, make sure you get a raincheck from customer service. Try to shop with out distractions, leave the kids at home if you can. If you can shop with a partner, it is much more fun and lots of times it helps to have a "runner" get some forgotten item, or pick up a raincheck too.

 

These simple steps take less time per week than you spend doing your hair. I'm serious, you can spend about an hour a week and cut your grocery bill in half, or more. The important thing is to just stay organized, file those coupons and monitor the ad.

 

Your pocket book will thank you.

Publix BOGO's Weekly Ad 10/13 - 10/19/11

BOGO:Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Imported, 32-oz bottle, save up to $12.09
Northland 100% Blended Juices, assorted varieties, from concentrate, 64-oz bottle, save up to $4.15
A.1. Steak Sauce, assorted varieties, 10-oz bottle, save up to $3.31
Trans Ocean Crab Classic, Flake Style, Crab-Flavored Seafood, Made from Surimi, 14-oz bag, save up to $3.99
Matlaw's Stuffed Clams, assorted varieties, 7 to 11 oz pkg, save up to $3.99
Flatout Fold-It Artisan Flatbreads, 5 Grain Flax or Rosemary & Olive Oil, located in the Publix Deli, 8.5 or 9-oz bag, save up to $2.99
Mini Cake Donuts, Your Choice of Plain, Powdered Sugar, Assorted, or Chocolate Coated, From the Publix Bakery, 10-oz pkg, save up to $3.69
Wish-Bone Dressing, assorted varieties, 16-oz bottle, save up to $2.65
Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue Sauce, Original, Honey, or Hickory & Brown Sugar, 28-oz bottle, save up to $3.29
Lawry's 30 Minute Marinade, assorted varieties, 12-oz bottle, save up to $3.15
Vlasic Stackers Dills or Pickles or Spears, selected varieties, 16 to 46 oz jar, save up to $2.89
Welch's Essentials Juice Cocktail Blend or Concord Grape Light Juice or Orange Pineapple & Apple Fruit Juice Cocktail, selected varieties, 64-oz bottle, save up to $3.45
Gatorade Thirst Quencher or G2 Low-Calorie Electrolyte Beverage, assorted varieties, 64-oz bottle, save up to $2.50
Crystal Light Drink Mix, assorted varieties, 5 or 6-pk, 10 or 12-qt cnstr (Excluding Mocktails, 10-qt cnstr.) save up $3.99
Campbell's Select Harvest Soup, assorted varieties, 18.6 to 18.8 oz can or 15.3 oz bowl, save up to $2.49
Musselman's Apple Sauce, assorted varieties, 6-pk, 4-oz cup, save up to $2.39
Post Cereal, assorted varieties, Pebbles, Alpha-Bites, Honey-Comb, Churros, or Golden Crisp, 11 to 14.75 oz box, save up to $3.25
Bertolli Pasta Sauce or Sauce or Vineyard Premium Collections Pasta Sauce, assorted varieties, 15 or 24 oz jar (Excluding Organics), save up to $2.75
Back to Nature Granola, assorted Varieties, 7.5 to 13.5-oz bag, save up to $3.99
Propel Zero Water Beverage, assorted varieties, Nutrient Enhanced, 6-pk, 500-ml bottle, save up to $3.99
Pop-Secret Premium Popcorn, assorted varieties, 6 or 10-ct, 11.2 to 19.2 oz box or 30-oz jar, save up to $4.69
Ruffles Potato Chips, assorted varieties, 8.5 to 10-oz bag (Excluding Baked; Light, and Natural), save up to $4.29
Keebler Town House Crackers, assorted varieties, 7.7 to 16-oz box, save up to $3.69
Mrs. Fields Cookies or Triple Chocolate Cookies, assorted varieties, 8-oz pkg, save up to $2.79
Nabisco Toasted Chips, assorted varieties, 8.1-oz bag, save up to $3.69
Arnold Bread, assorted varieties, 24-oz loaf (Excluding Dutch Country Breads), save up to $4.29
Emerald Mixed Nuts or Almonds or Cashews, assorted varieties, 10 to 11.5 oz cnstr, save up to $5.79
Simply Potatoes Shredded Hash Browns or Southwest Style Hash Browns, Diced Potatoes with Onion, Homestyle Slices, or Red Potato Wedges, 20-oz bag, save up to $2.59
Lender's Bagels, assorted varieties, Pre-sliced, located in the Dairy Section, 6-ct bag, save up to $1.95
Home Run Inn Chicago's Premium Pizza, assorted varieties, 27 to 31 oz box, save up to $7.99
Gorton's Shrimp or Premium Fish Fillets or Sticks, assorted varieties, 10.5 to 17.2 oz pkg, save up to $7.99
Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers Vegetables, assorted varieties, 11 or 12-oz bag, save up to $2.59
Jimmy Dean Croissant Sandwiches or Egg Biscuit or Muffin, assorted varieties, Meal Size!, 4-ct, 13.6 to 18.4 oz box (Excluding D-Lights), save up to $5.33
Marie Callender's Dinners, assorted varieties, 8.5 to 19 oz box, (Excluding Pot Pies), save up to $2.71
Luigi's Real Italian Ice, assorted varieties, 16 to 24-oz pkg, save up to $3.49
Ray's New York Bagels, assorted varieties, 16 to 24 oz pkg, save up to $3.49
No Nonsense Sport Socks, assorted varieties, save up to $4.49
Kibbles 'n Bits Dog Fodd, assorted varieties, 3.6 to 4-lb bag, save up to $4.99
Dial or Tone Body Wash or Right Guard Body Wash, assorted varieties, 13.5 to 18-oz bottle, save up to $2.95
Publix Athletic Foot Cream, Antifungal, 1-oz pkg (Active Ingredient: Clotrimazole), save up to $7.99
Snickers Fun Size Snacks Big Bag or M&M's, 3 Musketeers, Milky Way, Twix, or Kids Favorites Mix, assorted varieties, 18.8 to 22.55 oz bag, save up to $6.59
Grab Bag Mix Candies, 92-ct 25.14-oz bag or Skittles Bite Size or Startburst/Skittles Original Fun Size Assortment, 22.3-oz bag, save up to $5.99
Kraft Traditional Caramels, 14-oz bag, save up to $2.69
Nestle Assorted Minis Chocolates or Miniatures Candy Bars or Butterfinger's Best Assortment, or Wonka: Monster Mix Ups or Spooky Nerds, 18 to 25-oz bag, save up to $4.99
Thanks to Slickdeals check back there for matchups.

Stay Hungry

The world is chattering about how Steve Jobs changed everything and how he brought us such great products and innovation. I have used my Apple product today, have you? People feel the loss of Steve Jobs because they love his innovative products. If you have an iPhone I'm sure you would say you absolutely love it. Anyone born after 1984 has never know the world to lack Apple products.

 

But what I don't like about Apple products is that they don't play well with others. This is by design. They have designed their own proprietary operating system on Mac computers, the iPod, the iPad and the iPhone. If you want to use their products you have to pay their high prices because there is no competition. They have snuffed out the competitors with lawsuits and strict partnering agreements.

 

This means we need to get other products to meet the needs that these products don't meet. If you want to listen to the radio, guess what  - your ipod is useless. If you don't have a PC to download itunes, its also useless. I only use my ipod to listen to music on my bicycle rides – other than that it is of no use to me. There are other products – like my Android smartphone that can provide all sorts of services other than just listening to music, and it can do that too.

 

My point is that I try not to patronize products and manufacturers that aren't compatible with other products. Granted I do have several ipods – but I've never paid money for them. I got them as gifts for signing up for a checking account, for test riding a motorcycle and for clicking ads to get points online. I use my ipods but I would never buy an Apple product because I don't like the business plan they have. I don't want to be hostage to their system and unrealistic prices.

 

There are a lot of other huge companies out there that don't play well with others but they are changing their ways. Amazon and Facebook have realized that if they don't make their products open to collaboration with other marketers, someone else will. I have embraced the Android smart phones because Google has purposely made their products and services link together with all sorts of other products and services. I'm not sure Google+ will ever catch up to Facebook, but they give us an alternative. And when all the sheep out there get sick of the privacy invasion and the constant changes on FB, maybe they'll look at their choices.

 

Anyway, the world has lost a genius. If you haven't read this already you should. HERE is the text to Steve Jobs commencement address to Stanford on June 12, 2005. It is riveting.

 

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

My Publix Trip - 22 cents

This week there are a couple moneymakers on sale, but I'm afraid they are already gone off the shelves. People have been hungry for deals. But don't despair - just get a raincheck. The Airwick candles and Dove deodorant may not come in stock before the Publix coupons expire but more than likely your store will honor an expired PQ. I put a couple of my scenarios in my list but they have 0 quantity since they were out of stock.

I did the get $25 worth of P&G products (in one transaction) for the Bakeware Rebate, and also a duplicate receipt to get the $10 Rebate wyb $50 of products (which can have multiple receipts). Receive one (1) pink bakeware set from Good Cook's® Hope line which includes 3-Piece Mixing Bowl Set with Covers (6-Piece Total), Hi Temp Spatula, Oven Glove with Silicone Pad, 3-Piece Liquid Measuring Cup Set, Silicone Baking Sheet , and Tin Cookie Sheet when you purchase $25 of Procter & Gamble products in one (1) transaction from Publix. See the bakeware rebate form for all the products and rules.

So, back to my trip. I got some salad stuff and fresh fruit with all my overage from the raincheck on Milk Bones. I have one more raincheck I might save to use next week in case the sales aren't as good. I also got a $10 GC to use additional overage since we are pretty well stocked at home. I would like more Stouffers lasagne that is still on sale, but I don't have any more freezer space. I hate having to buy the 2.5 gallon water containers for my DH, but he insists on it to have fresh water at work. If anyone has any ideas how to wean him off this I would be glad to hear it. My pleas of how un-frugal it is don't seem to matter. 

In case you never scored any of the Take Your Budget By the Horns Publix coupon booklets, you've got another chance. The USF store on Fowler found another box of those little green coupon booklets and is handing them out by request only. So stop by customer service and ask if they have any of "those little green coupon booklets" and they'll happily give you one, if you're sweet and ask nice they'll give you a couple.

Remember the current Green Advantage Flyer expires today with the vitamin deal, and a new Green Advantage Flyer starts Saturday with the $3/3 Dove PQ coupons. Get a few extra since it seems the stores run out of flyers early now that there are more of us couponers around.

Happy Shopping!

6-Oct	29		90.20	19.98	70.00	tax	0.22	22	-99.76%
Product	qty	price	subtl	B1G1	-Q		total	Q#	Q details
cucumber	1	0.75	0.75				0.75
bananas	2	0.35	0.70				0.70		**GET DUPLICATE RECEIPT*
water 2.5 gal	2	1.99	3.98				3.98
onions	1	0.60	0.60				0.60
honeydew	1	2.99	2.99				2.99
cantaloupe	1	2.50	2.50				2.50
Dressing maries BOGO	2	2.99	5.98	2.99	2.00		0.99	2	$1/1 MQ
Feta Athenos BOGO	2	2.99	5.98	2.99	2.00		0.99	2	$1/1 MQ email print
Milk Bones BOGO RC	8	3.50	28.00	14.00	24.00		-10.00	12	BOGO+$1/1MQ+$1.50/2 TQ
Airwick Candle big (get 6)		3.99	0.00				0.00		$2/1 MQ 9-18ss + $5/2 PQ
Dove Deo 2.6oz BOGO		2.99	0.00				0.00		$3/3 GAB + 0.75/1 10-2RP
Olay Cleansers (P&G)		3.99	0.00				0.00		$3/1 PG 10-2+$2/2 TQ 9-25RP
CG Bronzers blush (P&G)	8	3.59	28.72		32.00		-3.28	4	$8/2 MQ PG 10-2
$10 Publix Gift Card	1	10.00	10.00				10.00
$/$$ coupon		0.00	0.00		5.00		-5.00	1	$5/$30 PQ
$/$$ coupon		0.00	0.00		5.00		-5.00	1	$5/$25 SAL