Couponing: September Round-Up

Here we are, at the end of September already! Good grief! Well, this week was my last shopping trip for September and it is freezer week again.  I usually shop at Safeway, but earlier this month I got an amazing coupon book from Target that I couldn't ignore.  The book included about 20 coupons that were all general in nature - $1 off a meat product, $1 off a fruit purchase, $1 off a frozen item, etc. These are so rare because typically coupons are brand specific.  Since these were so general, I was able to match them with manufacturer coupons or buy the cheaper generic brands and save even more.

Meal Plan
Monday: Baked chicken with onion, garlic and tomatoes, served with mashed potatoes (this is the 1 fresh meal this week, however, I got enough to make a 2nd meal for the freezer)
Tuesday: Lasagna (frozen) with salad (fresh)
Wednesday: Chicken schnitzels (frozen) with frozen veggies
Thursday: Meatball sandwiches (meat: frozen, bread: fresh) with cole slaw (fresh)

Deals

Since Target doesn't have a loyalty card and they don't layout their receipts the same way Safeway does, I'm going to be more general with my savings descriptions.

Bagged Salad: $1 off, total cost = $1.50
Grape Tomatoes: $1 off, total cost = $1.99
Chicken Leg Quarters, about 6 pieces: $2 off, total cost = $2.99
Pasta: $.50 off, total cost = $.57
Barilla Pasta sauce: $1.00 off manuf. coupon, total cost =$1.44
Hoagies from the bakery: $1 off, total cost = $1.69
Cheerios: $1 off, total cost  =$2.04 for the big box
Bananas: $1 off, total cost = $.57
DiGiorno Pizza: $1 off frozen item, $1 off manuf. coupon, total cost =$3.29

Then there was a bunch more produce, a few lean cuisines for lunches, pop, and a few other small things.

Total Cost Before Coupons: $74.12
Total amount of coupons: $16.90

Total Cost: $57.22

Total Savings: 23%

September Totals:

Week 1: $89.93
Week 2: $44.99
Week 3: $63.19
Week 4: $57.22
Incidentals: $14.51 (I had to make some cupcakes for a bake-sale, so this was an extra shopping trip)

GRAND TOTAL FOR SEPTEMBER: $269.84

TOTAL AMOUNT OF SAVINGS: $149.32

TOTAL SAVINGS PERCENTAGE: 35.6% with coupons

Hooray! October here I come!

Couponing: September, Week 3

This weeks theme was buy more and pay less.  A lot of the deals this week were based on buying 2 of a particular item to get maximum savings.

Meal Plan:
Monday: Dinner with a friend, so going out to eat
Tuesday: Salmon with artichokes
Wednesday: Spaghetti with meat sauce, salad and bread
Thursday: A twist on margarita pizza: Tomato, pesto and goat cheese, with salad

Freezer Meal:  Instead of a meal or a meat this week, I decided to stock up on some frozen veggies because what good is all that meat if there is no side dish? :) And there was a good deal on frozen vegetables this week.

The Deals:

Pop Secret Popcorn, 2 boxes: Original Price = $5.98 for 2
On Sale: -.98
E-coupon: -$2.02
Manuf. coupon: -.50
Doubled: -.50
Total Cost: $1.98 for two or .99 ea , Total Savings: $4

Prego Pasta Sauce, 2 jars: Original Price = $4.58 for 2
On Sale: -.80
E-coupon: -$1.20
Manuf. Coupon: -.50
Doubled: -.50
Total Cost: $1.58 for two or .79 ea, Total Savings: $3

Open Nature Cereal: Original Price = $3.49
On Sale: -.70
Catalina coupon: -$1.50
Total Cost: $1.29, Total Savings: $2.20

Lean Cuisines: Original Price = $3.19 ea (we bought 3, but only had a coupon for 2)
E-coupon: -$1.24
Total Price: $1.95 ea or $3.90 for two, Total Savings: $1.24 or $2.48 for two

Green Giant Frozen Vegetables with Sauce: Original Price = $6.58 for 2
On Sale for BOGO
Manuf. Coupon: -.50
Doubled: -.50
Total Cost: $2.29 for 2 or $1.14 ea, Total Savings: $4.29

Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Cleaner: Original Price = $7.98 for 2, $3.99 ea
On Sale for BOGO
E-coupon: -$2.00
Manuf. Coupon (clipped out of the Food Network Mag.): -$2.00
Total Cost: FREE!!!! TWO bottles for FREE!, Total Savings: $8

Raspberries: Original Price = $9.98 for 2
On Sale for BOGO
Total Cost: $4.99, Total Savings: $4.99

Total Cost Before Coupons: $100.40
Total Amount of Coupons: $14.95
Loyalty Card Savings: $22.26
Total Savings: $37.21

Total Cost: $63.19
Total Savings: 38%

Couponing: September, Week 2

Ok here it is!

Meal Plan:
Monday: Breakfast for dinner - sausage, eggs and cinnamon rolls
Tuesday: Met Evan and his sister downtown to see a show, so we ate at a restaurant called Lou's Food Bar
Wednesday: Gouda and apple melts with fresh broccoli on the side
Thursday: Baked chicken with potato wedges and steamed mixed veggies

So, only 3 meals this week with no freezer meal.

The Deals:

Kellogs Cereal, 2 Boxes: Original Price = $7.98 for 2
On sale: -$1.40
Manuf. coupon: $1 off of 2
Total Cost: $5.58 for 2, Total Savings: $2.40

Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, 2 tubes: Original Price = $4.98 for 2
E-coupon: -$1
Manuf. coupon: -.50
Doubled: -.50
Total Cost: $2.98 (or $1.49 ea), Total Savings: $2

ACT Mouthwash: Original Price = $4.99
On sale: -$1
Manuf. coupon: -$1
Total cost: $2.99, Total Savings: $2

Garnier Fructis Conditioner: Original Price = $3.49
On sale: -.50
E-coupon: -$2
Manuf. coupon: -$1
Total Cost: FREE!! Total savings: $3.49

Oscar Meyer Carving Board Ham: Original Price = $4.99
On sale: -$1.99
Manuf. coupon: -$1
Total Cost: $2, Total Savings: $2.99

Jimmy Dean Sausage: Original Price = $5.49
On sale: -$2.50
Manuf. coupon: -$1
Total cost: $1.99, Total Savings: $3.50

Total Cost Before Coupons: $69.39

Total amount of coupons: $10.52
Loyalty Card Savings: $13.88
Total Savings: $24.40

Total Cost: $44.99

Total Savings: 36%

Couponing: September, Week 1

Alrighty, here we go again....Ground beef was on sale at Safeway for buy one get one free extreme value packs.  So I got 8 lbs of ground beef, more details on that deal below. This will yield me 2 meals this week, 2 freezer meals and then some extra left over to freeze.

Meal Plan
Monday: Sloppy joes with cucumber salad (cucumbers provided by my brother's garden!)
Tuesday: Cod with balsalmic vinegar reduction sauce with asparagus
Wednesday: Meatloaf with corn on the cob and potatoes
Thursday: Sausage of some sort with potatoes and cabbage

Freezer Meals
Chili - at least 2 large containers to freeze
Extra ground beef to freeze, at least 1 lb.
Second rope of Hilshire Farm Sausage

Now on to the deals...cue the music:

Soda: (yeah yeah, I know, we should cut back. shut up.) Five 12 packs. Original Price = $30
It was on sale for Buy 2 Get 3 free, so that's why we got 5. :)
Total Cost: $12, Total Savings = $18

Cheerios: Original Price = $3.79
On Sale: $2.50
E-coupon: -.50
Total Cost: $2.00, Total Savings: $1.79

Reynolds Wrap Foil, 75 ft.: Original Price = $5.19
On Sale: $3.49
E-coupon: -.50
Manuf. coupon: -.55
Doubled: -.45
Total Cost: $1.99, Total Savings: $3.20

Lean Cuisines: Original Price = $2.49 ea or 6 for $14.94
On sale for $1.99 ea if you bought 5
We purchased 6 because I had a coupon for -$1.25 off of 6
Total Cost: $10.69 or $1.78 ea. Total Savings: $4.25


Land O'Lakes Spreadable Butter, 8oz.: Original Price = $2.79
E-coupon: -$1.30
Manuf. coupon: -.35
Doubled: -.35
Total Cost: .79, Total Savings: $2.00

Colgate Toothpaste: Original Price = $2.99
On sale: .99
Manuf. coupon: -.50
Doubled: -.49
Total Cost: FREE!, Savings of $2.99

Hilshire Farm Rope Sausages: Original Price = 2 at 4.99 ea, or $9.98
On sale for BOGO
Manuf. Coupon: -.75
Doubled: -.25
Total Cost: $3.99 for 2, Total Savings: $5.99


93% Lean Ground Beef, roughly 8lbs: Original Price = $44.74
On sale for BOGO
Total Cost: $22.51, Savings of $22.23

Produce: Apples, lemon, onion, asparagus, corn, dill, mushrooms, dried cranberries
Original Price = $12.88
Catalina coupon = $3 off a $10 produce purchase
Total Cost: $9.88

Then I got a whole bunch of canned vegetables for the chili, milk, and kleenex and that's pretty much it.

Total Cost Before Coupons: $160.74
Total amount of coupons: $7.24
Loyalty Card Savings: $63.57
Total Savings: $70.81

Total Cost: $89.93

Total Savings: 45%

So yes, this week was a bit more expensive than what I would like.  However, with taking advantage of my store's BOGO sales, I was able to get a ton of stuff for the freezer.  So this week's $90 will make 4 meals this week and 4 meals for the freezer - so essentially 2 weeks worth of meals in one.  I can live with that. :)