FREE BULK FOOD & SUPPLIES!!- Extreme Couponing TLC

[prepper7]

In addition to deal & match-up sites such as:

couponmom.com
dealseekingmom.com

There are coupon databases so that if one is headed out for specific items, one can search for those coupons:

DSM
MSQ

For couponing beginners, there are some nice 'getting started' tutorials:

laurawilliamsmusings

Couponing-101

another Couponing-101

[Resolute]

Thanks for the links - I was just about to ask for some.

I think it's crazy that some people can spend hours and hours a week cutting coupons, organizing coupons, "preshopping" grocery stores, and the like. I think if I did that, I wouldn't have time to do anything else.

At least when I usually go to the grocery store, I save at least 20% by just shopping what's on sale. Now time to try and find some coupons.

[Black November]

Thanks for the links - I was just about to ask for some.

I think it's crazy that some people can spend hours and hours a week cutting coupons, organizing coupons, "preshopping" grocery stores, and the like. I think if I did that, I wouldn't have time to do anything else.

At least when I usually go to the grocery store, I save at least 20% by just shopping what's on sale. Now time to try and find some coupons.

I felt the same way until I tried it. Each week, before I go to the store, I spend about an hour rendering the Sunday paper, printing internet coupons, and organizing my coupon binder. My last grocery trip I saved about 50%, but I am still learning. Since food is my second largest expense, the extra 30% goes a long way. I used to spend $100 per week on groceries, that extra 30% puts $120.00 back in my pocket each month.

It may not be for everyone, but "The average person watches four hours, 35 minutes of television each day" [USA today], Thats 32 hours a week. The 1 hour a week I spend couponing is well worth it.

[NoAm]

Starting this week at Walgreens
Kellogg’s Cereal or Pop-Tarts 8 pk. $1.99
use a printable coupon $1 off 2, makes it $1.37 per box of cereal.
Free? No, but much better than $3-$4 per box
Use attached link and scroll down to Grocery
Print your coupons and get a great deal on some cereal

http://www.southernsavers.com/2011/01/walgreens-weekly-ad-116-122/

[Black November]

I just got 25 Tigers milk protein bars for $0.35 each

Total $8.63

[NoAm]

I just got 25 Tigers milk protein bars for $0.35 each

Total $8.63

Share please?! How, Where, etc.

[Black November]

I just got 25 Tigers milk protein bars for $0.35 each

Total $8.63

Share please?! How, Where, etc.

They were on clearance at our local Safeway, I think it was just a right place right time kind of thing.

[NoAm]

Ahhhhhhh! Congrats! We don't have a Safeway

[ny_rat]

The problem i am running into here is this, most of my local chain grocery stores (in nyc) dont do double coupons or anything that helpful.
i mean yeah, they have coupons in the sunday paper and a weekly circular, but most of them are trying to follow the example of aiming for a new clientele of yuppies. a few of them wont even accept printed coupons with a store coupon.

so it slows my planning even if i do use coupons. im very jealous of those who can rock the coupons like you do at your local stores.

[prepper7]

A "buyer beware" for couponers --

Don't read a magazine or be distracted whilst your purchases are being totaled. You must pay attention in order to catch shenanigans such as:

Clerks not entering all your coupons (I've caught clerks in Target--yep, there was a recent scandal regarding them cheating customers out of the value of some coupons with dodgy register programming--slipping some of my coupons beneath the register).

Registers not properly accepting your coupons (there is an error beep that will alert you. Sometimes clerks must manually adjust a coupon downward if it is for more than the price of the item; you'll get the item for free, but can't have a "profit". I caught a CVS clerk clearing the error but not giving me the coupon value and trying to pocket my coupon).

Sometimes honest mistakes occur or the clerks have not been properly trained on the official coupon policy.

Safeway / Vons (possibly other chains):

Only the first of the same coupon is doubled. E.g., if you purchase two bottles of the same salad dressing and have two coupons, only one will double. You must divide your order so that you don't have multiples of the same coupon in an order. I discovered this "gotcha" last night.

[NoAm]

Be careful of the Register Rewards at Walgreens and using coupons.
I lost $5 in RR bucks bcause I had bought 2 Prilosec's and used 2 coupons.
I should have gotten $10 RR bucks and only got $5.

So I returned one prilosec for full price and still wound up better off.

Walgreen's single wrapped "Big Roll" TP for .39 per roll until Saturday (usually .89 per roll)
May not be the best stuff, but you can store it for doomsday or bartering purposes.

[prepper7]

Be careful of the Register Rewards at Walgreens and using coupons.
I lost $5 in RR bucks bcause I had bought 2 Prilosec's and used 2 coupons.
I should have gotten $10 RR bucks and only got $5.

So I returned one prilosec for full price and still wound up better off.

Ah. Sounds as if you got caught in the "one offer" register reward trap. The problem wasn't your coupon. When you get multiples of most Walgreens RR deals, you'll need to split them into separate transactions. Another serious RR "gotcha" is that you usually can't pay for an item with its own RR; well you can pay, but you won't receive a new RR. E.g., if you purchase another prilosec with the prilosec RR, a new prilosec RR won't print for you.

You can "stack" Walgreens coupons with mfg coupons, too. Be advised, the RR/Catalina coupons are in some ways $ equivalents and in others considered mfg coupons and you must purchase one item per mfg coupon (the amounts needn't match) so keep an eye out for "filler" items when you're using a lot of coupons.

At CVS stores, if the ad states multiples are allowed on an extra care buck deal, you'll get them (Crest toothpaste $2 w/ $2 ECBs, limit 2: if you purchase two, you'll get $4 in ECBs). The "gotcha" there is that it won't be two $2 ECBs, but one $4 ECB. Not a problem for small denominations, but large denominations are harder to spend. Better to split the transactions to get two $2 ECBs.

[NoAm]

Be careful of the Register Rewards at Walgreens and using coupons.
I lost $5 in RR bucks bcause I had bought 2 Prilosec's and used 2 coupons.
I should have gotten $10 RR bucks and only got $5.

So I returned one prilosec for full price and still wound up better off.

Ah. Sounds as if you got caught in the "one offer" register reward trap. The problem wasn't your coupon. When you get multiples of most Walgreens RR deals, you'll need to split them into separate transactions. Another serious RR "gotcha" is that you usually can't pay for an item with its own RR; well you can pay, but you won't receive a new RR. E.g., if you purchase another prilosec with the prilosec RR, a new prilosec RR won't print for you.

You can "stack" Walgreens coupons with mfg coupons, too. Be advised, the RR/Catalina coupons are in some ways $ equivalents and in others considered mfg coupons and you must purchase one item per mfg coupon (the amounts needn't match) so keep an eye out for "filler" items when you're using a lot of coupons.

At CVS stores, if the ad states multiples are allowed on an extra care buck deal, you'll get them (Crest toothpaste $2 w/ $2 ECBs, limit 2: if you purchase two, you'll get $4 in ECBs). The "gotcha" there is that it won't be two $2 ECBs, but one $4 ECB. Not a problem for small denominations, but large denominations are harder to spend. Better to split the transactions to get two $2 ECBs.

I guess where I was confused was up to $20=$5 RR up to $30=$10 RR, they only way to get over $30 was with 2 packages. I was a bit of a headscratcher, but I returned the more expensive prilosec and got the full price back. Lots of angles to figure out that the retailers like to play.

[stimpy321972]

SUBSCribed


My gf hits up cvs/walgreens a lot with a list of pre-planned buys w/ coupons, rewards, etc. She does very good, we have enough razors, tp and deodarant to repopulate the earth with clean-shaven, decent smelling people after doomsday.

Also if you have a BJ's club (like SAM's or Costco) they take mfr's coupons They send you a coupon booklet once a month and have a coupon rack at their entrance. We hit there once a month also with a strict list and coupons. Saves on those impulse buys.

[NoAm]

Okay, I must post an apology and retraction..........................
We tried the toilet paper that was on sale at Walgreens and returned 11 of the 12 rolls that I purchased. (.39 Big Roll TP)
One-ply, need I say more. Lil NoAm's exact words were "Mom, really? Why?" I think leaves would have been better, I guess some things are cheap for a reason. Good thing I am the "bulemic shopper" that Mr. NoAm calls me

[yale]

I've looked into couponing but, as others stated already, the stores offering to double or tripple are pretty much un heard of around here. Another problem for me is Brand Names. I rarely purchase them anymore. I almost always find store brands to be cheaper even when I have a coupon for a similar name brand product. Walmart has really grabbed me in this way. Their Best Buy brands are often less than the name brand stuff, I don't have to hunt for coupons and I don't run in and out of multiple stores. I hate (HATE) shopping. I don't like crowds. I don't like the hassle. I go in once every couple of weeks. I fill my cart to over flowing with the stuff I need and know I will use. Almost all of it in the white bags or boxes with the Walmart BB logo. Then I pile it into the car, get home and put it in the 2 refridgerators, the freezers or the "pantry" shelving and cabnets which take up so much room now. I applaud the people who can get maximum value from extreme couponing but I've never been able to make it work.

[Black November]

Just got a free loaf of French bread at Safeway with Catalina Coupon.

[NoAm]

Interesting blog that I wanted to share........................... Learn From The Coupon Jedi Masters
http://couponwhisperer.blogspot.com/2011/02/learn-from-coupon-jedi-masters.html

[maddmatt]

Y'all have made this college student very happy.

[ny_rat]

The stores around me don't double coupons, a definite bummer. That's living in a small town with just 3 stores for you.

I live in a city with dozens and dozens of stores and I'm not aware of any that double coupons. Only a few that take competitors' coupons from time to time.

EXACTLY! living in nyc, i faced the same problems. big chain stores that dont double coupons or anything. so i basically only save from what i get promotion-wise or through the sunday paper. which isnt much due to the crap i dont like or want. which is only made worse because of the over pricing of many items because yuppies like shopping there now.


edit: i realize this is similar to my earlier post. i blame it on the cold medicine.

[Shaper]

My wife is starting to get perrty good at this couponing stuff...

All of the items pictured totaled $48.40 without sales, coupons, and rewards...



After sales, coupons, and rewards...$ 4.53

I loves her.

[Shaper]

A small visual comparison from our last shopping trip.

Before coupons, savings, and sale prices...$4.98


After coupons, savings, and sale prices...$5.50.... but the cream cheese was actually a money maker, so the net cost was $4.95. But wait, Shaper, that is only a savings of $0.03 from the first photo! Let's look at what this really amounted to...



Any question's? (And yes, my wife makes me smile)

[NoAm]

AWESOME DEALS SHAPER! (Well, Mrs. Shaper)

What store is she shopping at to get these great deals? I take it double coupon deals have been taken advantage of here?
I want to dazzle Mr. NoAm with the same savings I have a lot of coupons for the items Mrs. Shaper purchased. I am guessing Harris Teeter, but wanted to confirm.

[Shaper]

AWESOME DEALS SHAPER! (Well, Mrs. Shaper)

What store is she shopping at to get these great deals? I take it double coupon deals have been taken advantage of here?
I want to dazzle Mr. NoAm with the same savings I have a lot of coupons for the items Mrs. Shaper purchased. I am guessing Harris Teeter, but wanted to confirm.

Hey, I helped too! I pushed the cart! She is just too quick with all of the math for me. I blame public education really.

We don't have Harris Teeter nearby, unfortunately.

We shop for deals at rite aid, Bi Lo, and the commissary on base. Occasionally Target, CVS, and Walgreens will fall into place when the stars align properly.

Stacking coupons, sales, and rewards at rite aid nets us free stuff all of the time. Bi Lo will double coupons up to 0.60 which is the highest in the area. We combine double coupons with B1GO and other deep sales. Stacking coupons contributes the most I think.

The hardest part is to wait for the product to go on sale first. Once you get stocked up then you get more freedom in this area, and thus more savings.

Print off coupons from the stores online and stack them with doubled up flyer coupons on a sale item and they sometimes even pay YOU to buy the product.