Schnucks Trip 7-5

I think I had a pretty good week at Schnucks.  My rule of thumb is to try to save at least 50% at the grocery store.  It's a little harder to do on groceries than on Health and Beauty items.  There just aren't as many coupons for food.  Which is why I dislike the Extreme Coupon Show.  It gives people false goals and expectations to try to attain.  Start small and work your way up.  Once you score some of your first deals you will get better at it and be able to go for more.  

I do not buy 20 of anything.  A normally family will never use all of that.  Aim for what your family will use.  The only things here that I bought more than 3 of are the yogurts.  I bought 12.  

This week I spent $48.94 and saved $56.65.  

I had NO coupons for any fresh fruit or veggies.  

Some highlights and my favorites:

Weber seasoning $1.  pd .25  *kickin chicken* LOVE!

Dial hand soaps $1.  pd .30    *way better price than $3 BBW soaps*

Land o Lakes butter spread $1. pd .20

Chex Mix

Bugles

and Gardettos $1 each  pd .70

Yoplait pd .37

General Mills Cereals select varieties.. 4/$10

buy 4 save an instant $4.   Makes them 4/$6 and I had coupons to also use.

Hellava Dips 2/$4.  Used .75 coupons.

Schnucks whole cut up chicken $.99lb.  Used their Wednesday WOW coupon for an additional $1 off.  

Paid $3.71 for the chicken which we can use for 2 meals.  Usually grill it the first time then use leftovers for quesadillas or fajitas etc.

^all of my coupons came from the Sunday paper with the exception of the Wednesday WOW coupon.  Schnucks posts coupons on their Facebook page every Wednesday.  

1 month down....

It's been a month since I started this crazy blog experiment.  I'd have to say so far so good.  I don't seem to get many comments but apparently you are following my crazy antics.  I've had over a 1100 page views.  I had no idea what to expect when I started this but it's amazing to me that 1 person can reach so many.  I'm pretty impressed.
If you had told me 3 years ago that we could live on what we now live on I would have told you that you were crazy.  There is no way we can live on that!   Some days I look at it positively and others not so much.
One way I do this is by clipping coupons.  Yes it does take time.  Time to learn and time to clip and sort.  I use a binder to keep my coupons organized.  If you don't want to do this then you can organize them by day and source.  For instance  3-4 smart source.   Just write the date on the front of the coupon insert.  You can file them in hanging files or stack them in a box.  Whatever works for you.   All the blogs and match ups usually tell you where to find the coupon.  Then you just need to find and clip only what you want.
I clip and sort.   The reasoning is simple for me.  If I don't do it this way I usually miss deals.  I don't know what I have if I don't clip.  I may be in the store and find an unadvertised deal.  I can just flip through my binder to see if I also have a coupon.
For the most part I do not take my binder in the store.   I only take it in if I don't know exactly what I'm buying.   Normally I have a specific list with all my coupons clipped to the list.
Find what works for you.   I know I used to be embarrassed to take my binder in the store.  I bought a binder with a strap that helps. BUT you may miss deals by not bringing in your binder.  I keep mine in the car at all times so if I find a deal I can go get what I need.
You can always find your coupons in a binder.  You can sort them anyway you want.  Mine is by section of the store.  Freezer, cooler, cereals..etc...   I started with a tiny 1/2 inch binder and baseball card holders.   I had the binder and dividers from the boy's old school stuff.  It doesn't have to be pretty.  You just need to be able to find your coupons.
I took a little time tonight to clip and sort last Sunday's coupons.  I usually clean the binder out every month to remove expired coupons.  
I love checking out in front of older ladies.  They are usually impressed to see my pre and post totals.  Makes me laugh when I don't have a good transaction and the lady behind me thinks I did so well.  Hehehe. If I don't save 50% it's not a good day. We used to spend approximately $800 a month on groceries and household items.  I would estimate that we are under $300 now and this includes a stockpile that we never had before.
What would you do with the money you saved if you cut your grocery budget in half?   Pay down debt?  Go on vacation?  Save it?

What was your first freebie?

My first freebie was toothpaste.  This was my Aha! moment.

If I can get toothpaste for free, which I used to pay $4 for, what else can I get?

My free toothpaste came from Walgreens.  If you watch their ads you will notice something called Register Rewards.  Register Rewards are coupons that will print at the register when you purchase an item.  

This toothpaste was on sale for $3 with a $3 RR.  Which means I paid $3 OOP (out of pocket) but got $3 back to use on a future purchase.  Register Rewards are considered manufacturers coupons and they do have an expiration date.  

Then I found out how to make money on a purchase!   So imagine the same scenario.  Then add a coupon. 

Toothpaste is on sale for $3 and it has a RR for $3.  If I have a coupon for the toothpaste I can use that when I buy the item.  Buy your toothpaste with say a $1 coupon.  I pay $2 for the toothpaste and still get a $3 RR.  

Money maker!  

Another way to make money on items is Walmart.  They will accept coupons for items even if the coupon value exceeds the value of the product.  

For instance.  If I have a coupon for Panko breadcrumbs for $3 and the price of breadcrumbs is $2 at Walmart.  They will give you the $1 back.   Or you can buy other items you need and use the overage towards that.   Beware at Walmart though.  Their policy allows this but unfriendly and unwilling cashiers can really put a tangle in your day.  Ask for the manager.  They do allow it.   I've had good experiences and bad with this.  The reason it is allowed is how a coupon works.  When you hand over a coupon to a store they will send it in for a refund from the manufacturer.  They get the face value of the coupon and 8 cents.  So they are not losing money.  

What do you love to get free?  

Stack coupons

Another way to really save money is to stack coupons.

Around here we have Walgreens and Target that allow stacking.

Stacking means that these stores put out their own coupons.  Manufacturers put coupons out in your local newspaper among other places.  When you get a coupon look at which it is.  If it's a store it can be stacked with a manufacturers.  

Most Walgreens coupons are in their weekly ads and in their monthly booklets.

Target has coupons on their website.  here  

For instance today I bought the Scott's paper towels at Walgreens.  Normally they sell for $5.  I used Walgreens $1 off and a manufacturers $1 off.  Making the towels $3.  

This is why Walmart is not always the cheapest.  I fell into that trap: Walmart is cheaper than other stores.  They may be cheaper on a couple things to make you believe they are cheaper on everything.  

Not the case when your local grocery stores run good sales and they double coupons. 

Both Schnucks and Dierbergs double coupons up to $.40.  Kroger will double up to $.50. 

It will take a little more time until you get the hang of it.  But make a list.  Get what is on sale with a coupon.

Stack coupons.  I do go to more than one store a week.  In most cases I hit 2 stores a week.  It can be more depending on what's on sale.  

Which leads people to think it takes me longer to grocery shop than them going to one store. 

This may be true but only a small amount of time.  Why is this?   First of all, in our town all of our major stores are on the same block.  Not a lot of driving from one to the other.  Second, I have a list of what I'm getting.  I waste no time looking around and deciding what I want.  I go in and get it then get out.  This also helps me stay on budget.  Looking around usually means spending more money.   

Another great place to look for coupons is coupons.com.

Sometimes you can find high dollar coupons that are not in the paper.  

Pay with cash

A great way to save money is to pay with cash.  I know this sounds silly but it is so true.  When my friends laugh at me because I get aggravated when I spend $40 at the grocery store it is because I am paying cash.  It hurts to pay cash.  Back in the day I would do what so many of you do.  I'd drop $200 at the grocery store.  It's partially because I didn't have a plan and partially because of my debit card.  I used to see my debit card as a money saver.  I thought if I took out cash I'd spend more.  Really it's the opposite.
How many of you don't pay attention to what you are putting in your cart?  Monetary wise.  You see these things as needs so you don't think about it.  You also don't consider that you may not have enough to pay for it.  You just swipe your card.
I still get off track once in a while now.  I'll go in with my cash but have that debit card just in case.  This always leads to me over spending.
If you start out with a hundred dollars how far will you get?  After the gas station and the grocery store?  Most wouldn't get past the gas station these days.  Some gas stations give you a discount for paying cash. Why not try it?  Commit to a week or two.   See if you think more about what you are putting into that cart.
It's the same principle as going to a casino.  They give you chips so that you disassociate that it's money.  Your hard earned money!

About me...

I just wanted to do a little back tracking to fill you in on who I am and why I'm doing this.

I was just like so many Americans 3 years ago.  I was living way beyond my means.  We have the credit card bills to prove it.  The hubby had a good job.  Our bills were paid but we were still living paycheck to paycheck.  Then comes the housing market collapse.  Hubby lost that nice job that he had worked so hard for.  He still does not have a full time/ regular job.  

We lost our main income.  I have a run of the mill job.  It was never meant to pay our bills.  It was our extra income so we could do the little things people like to do.  Go out to eat,  take the kids to the movies and the mall.   What not.  

As much as I'd love to live in the ignorance of 3 years ago, I am to some extent thankful for this life changing situation.  I now know that when hubby gets a steady income we will be much better off.  We will not return to spending $200 a week at the grocery store and Walmart.  Nor will we charge today for the promise of future monies that may not be there.  

I had been a coupon clipper for many years on and off.  The problem with most coupon clippers is that you clip it then go to the store and buy it right away.  What you need to do is hold on to that coupon until you get a sale on that item.  That is always a winning combination.  Sale + coupon= buy!   Ideally, you want to buy enough for 3 months.  Sales usually come back around in that amount of time.  

This strategy changed our lives.  In fact, it saved our home.  We are still in our home after 3 rocky years.  The fight is not over by any means but we are still fighting.  We are still afloat.  

I have many people ask how I do it hence this blog.  It is not for everyone but everyone will hopefully learn something.  If you can apply even one thing in your life then I have succeeded.  I can't expect everyone to become extreme couponers but you can definitely still save money at the grocery store.