My Monthly Budget Re-Cap

Well August proved to be another great month for our family in cutting our grocery expenditures. Here is the monthly breakdown:

I purchased a total of $1,040.18 worth of merchandise for only $299.04! That equates to a savings of 61%! While I exceeded my personal goal of $250, I was able to stock up on quite a bit of meat that will carry us well into the next month so all in all a great month!

Print Your Coupons Now!

The on-line printable coupons will be changing on Tuesday September 1st so just a reminder to go print any coupons you may want. Here are the links to all the great sites:

Coupons.com

Smartsource.com

Redplum.com

All You Magazine.com

Betty Crocker.com (Must Sign Up)

Simple and Delicious.com (Must Sign Up)

Remember to hit your back button and print each coupon twice!

Sunday Coupon Preview

This Sunday you can expect two coupon inserts in the paper, one Smartsource and one Proctor & Gamble. You can preview the upcoming coupons here. Coupons vary by region so we may not see all of the one's listed, however most of them are usually available in the Denver Post. It looks like there are some great coupons for cleaning items and makeup so I will probably purchase 2 Denver Posts. When purchasing extra papers make sure you will at least use coupons valued at the cost of the paper. The Denver Post is $1.50 on Sunday so I always make sure I will use at least $1.50 in coupons or I do not buy one.

My Weekly Budget Recap

Here is my weekly budget recap. I have set a personal goal to keep my spending around $50 per week for our families food, cleaning supplies, and health and beauty items. This week I visited five stores Target (2), King Soopers, Safeway and Albertson's. I spent a total of $38.05 and saved $130.80!Here is recap again of what I purchased for only $38.05:

2-Renuzit Airfreshener 2-packs
4- Duracell AA battery 6-packs
2- Duracell AAA battery 6- packs
1-Market Pantry Sour Gummy Worms
2- Push Pops
1- Box of Cinnabon Cereal Bars
3- Bottles of A-1 Steak Sauce
1- lb Bananas
1- lb Apples
1- Dove Deodorant
1- Hefty One-Zip Gallon Bags
4- Twix Bars
3- 1lb package of Steak
3- Lunchables
1- Cantaloupe
1-10lb bag of potatoes
2- Hormel Roasts
2- 1lb Packages of Bacon
2- Packages of Lunchmeat
1- Package of Bagels
1- 2 liter of Diet Pepsi
1- Package of Napkins
2- Betty Crocker Supreme Brownie Mixes
4- Sobe Life Waters
3- Grands Biscuits
1- Betty Crocker Frosting
1- Cottage Cheese
1- 18count eggs
1- Loaf of Bread
2- Reeses Snack Packs
2- Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal Cups
1- Bottle of Vegetable Oil
2- Carmex
4- 8 count packs of Bic Mechanical Pencils

I purchased 64 items total for an average cost of .59 cents per item! I have a monthly spending goal of $250 for all of our expenses. As of today I have spent $230.25. I will post my monthly review next week.

Albertsons Re-Cap

I also made a quick trip to Albertson's this weekend to stock up on a couple of things I told you about here. Here is what I bought:

3 1lb+ packages of Sirloin Steaks
3 Oscar Mayer Lunchables
1 10lb bag of potatoes
1 cantaloupe

I used a coupon for $3.50 off my next order that I got last week so my total was $11.36 and I saved $27.40!

Safeway Re-cap

I also ran to Safeway for just a couple of items. As I said before I almost always hit 3-4 stores each week to stock up on sale items and maximize my budget. Here is what I bought:

2 Hormel Meals $7.49 each BOGO and used 2 of this manufacturer coupons
2 Healthy Ones lunchmeat $3.99 each BOGO and used 2 of the 8/16 manufacturer coupons for .55 off which were doubled to $1 each
2 packages of Smithfield Bacon $3.00 each and used 2 of this (must register) $3.00 off coupon making them free

So my total for all 6 items was $5.48 and I saved $28.46 or 84% off my total!

More Thrifty Target Deals

Here are a few more Target deals I got using manufacturer coupons and Target coupons that I told you about here. Here is breakdown of my purchases:

2 Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal Cups- Free using this coupon
2 Reeses Snack Packs- .45 cents each after 8/23 Manufacturer Coupon (found in the Denver Post)
1 Bottle of Market Pantry Vegetable Oil- $2.79
2 Carmex- .4 cents each after using Manufacturer Coupon (no longer available)
4 Packages of Bic Mechanical Pencils .24 each after using this Target coupon and the 8/9 Manufacturer coupon

My grand total for all of these items was $3.76 and I saved $10.55!

King Soopers Re-Cap

I went to King Soopers and took advantage of the Mega sale savings event. This sale takes $5 off your total when you purchase 10 participating products. Here is a break down my purchases:

2 Betty Crocker Supreme Brownie Mixes

4 Sobe Life Waters

3 cans Grands Biscuits

1 2-Liter of Diet Pepsi

I also purchased 18 count eggs, cottage cheese, Betty Crocker frosting, napkins and a loaf of bread that had a coupon for free bagels on it. So all in all I purchased 16 items for a total of $6.42 and saved $30.19 or a whopping 82% off my total.

To do this I used the coupons I told you about here and the e-coupons I told you about here.

Target Deals

Another great place to get deals on household and grocery items is your local Target store. One of the main reasons for this is they have many printable store coupons that are available both here and here. The great thing about these coupons is they can also be combined with a manufacturer issued coupon for the best savings scenario. That is the secret coupon formula:

Sale + Store Coupon + Manufacturer Coupon= Rock Bottom Prices

Target updates their printable coupons monthly and they are available for a wide variety of products. In the photo above, I received free apples and bananas from these coupons and use one for deodorant with a manufacturers coupon to pay only .79 cents for deodorant, .24 cents for the Renuzit and .25 for the Cinnabon bars! I had manufacturer coupons for the A-1, baggies, Twix bars and Sharpie highlighters. I also found the batteries on clearance for $1.14 each and had a .55 cents off coupon paying only .59 each! So my total for this trip was $10.02 and I saved $31.87! Now those are some thrifty deals.

My Grocery List

There are several great deals to be had this week at our local Albertson’s, King Soopers and Safeway Stores. Below is my shopping list and coupon match-ups for these items:

Albertson’s

Petite Sirloin Steak- $6.99 lb Buy one Get two free
Oscar Mayer Lunchables- $1.00 each
Albertson’s Chunk and Shredded Cheese $1.00 each
Ramen Noodles 10 for $1.00
Potatoes- 10 lbs for $1.99

King Soopers

Hamburger- 93% lean ground or patties- $1.99 lb
Sara Lee Bread- $1.47 per loaf **Look for peelies (coupon on the product) for free bagels when you buy the bread**

Buy 10 Promo
King Soopers is having a Mega Event for the next two weeks. When you purchase 10 participating items, you will receive an automatic $5.00 discount at checkout. The great thing about this sale is you can also use coupons on these items!

2-Betty Crocker Supreme Brownie Mixes- $1.49 each. Use coupons from coupons.com, smartsource.com , and e-coupons from cellfire and shortcuts.com. Use one of each coupon and the total will be .63 each
2- Pillsbury Cresent, Rolls, Sweet Rolls or Grands- .99 each. Use coupons from coupons.com, smartsource.com , and e-coupons from cellfire and shortcuts.com. Use one of each coupon and the total will be .30 each
4- Sobe Life Waters- .38 each. Use this coupon for Buy one Get one FREE
2- Pepsi 2 Liters- .50 each

Safeway

Hormel Fully Cooked Meals- Buy one Get one Free $7.49 use 2 of these coupons for $2.00 off making each one $1.75!
Healthy Ones Lunchmeat- buy one Get one Free $3.99 use two .55 off coupons from the 08/16/09 Smartsource insert making them 1.00 each
Steak-Umm Sliced Steaks- Buy one Get one Free $5.49 for two
Nestle 24 pack water- $3.49 use the recent .50 off coupon making them $2.49

I will update this weekend with my shopping and budget review!

Coupon Preview for 08/23/09

Here is a preview of the coupons coming in this Sunday's paper. There will be two inserts. Don't forget to pick up your Denver Post! I am looking forward to the great Target coupons and Ziplock coupons as I need to stock up.

Coupon Preview

Fiber One Yougurt Coupon

Here is a great Fiber One Yogurt Coupon you can print. I tried these last week when they were on sale at Albertson's and they are great! Plus only 50 calories, can't beat that. Hold these coupons, they should be on sale soon. You can also load an e-coupon on your grocery card like I told you about below.

Coupon

E-Coupons

Another great way to earn some savings at the grocery store is by using e-coupons. This is a new concept that has recently taken fire. There are several places where you can add coupons right to your grocery store loyalty card. Currently you can use an e-coupon and a paper manufacturer coupon on the same item for double the savings! Keep in mind the e-coupon only comes off the first item each time so just be aware. Here are some links where you can add e-coupons at:

http://www.cellfire.com/

http://shortcuts.com/

http://www.pgesaver.com/

These sites also allow you to print a list of coupons that are active on your card and the expiration dates for each coupon. Be sure to enter your e-mail address when signing up and you will receive alerts about new and expiring coupons. There are several great coupons each month and by using this program I have scored some free frosting and some pretty cheap brownies!

Another Great Albertson's Trip

I heard that the Albertson's on Garden of the Gods and Centennial was doubling/tripling/quadrupling coupons up to $1, so the girls and I set out for another round of great sales. This was probably one of my best trips so far! I again used the majority of coupons found at smartsource.com and coupons.com. Here is a break down of my trip. I purchased:

5 boxes of Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks

3 bags of Chex Mix

5 Betty Crocker Brownie Delights

1 box of Trix Swirls Cereal

2 bags of Cheerios Snack Mix

6 packages of Betty Crocker Cookie Mix

1 box of Suddenly Salad Pasta Salad

2 bottles of Kraft Ranch Dressing

2 cans Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls

1 Gallon of Milk

2 boxes of Pizza Rolls

1.5 lbs of Bananas

1 loaf of French Bread

I paid a total of $6.26 and saved $83.83 for 32 items! I also received a coupon for $3.50 off my next purchase since I purchased 5 boxes of fruit snacks in one transaction. It definitely pays to shop those double coupon sales!

Albertson's Deals

Albertsons is having some great sales this week on several "lunch box" type items. These are great to stock up on. I went and used coupons only found on coupons.com and was able to score the following great deals:

2 boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch
1 box of Cookie Sprinkles Crisp
1 bag of Betty Crocker Sugar Cookies
2 bags of Green Giant Steamers Mixed Veggies
3 Packages of Fiber One Yogurt
2 Boxes of Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks
2 boxes Pizza Rolls
2 bags of Chex Mix
2 cans Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls
1 package of Pillsbury Simply Delicious Refrigerator Cookie Dough
1 Betty Crocker Warm Delights

I was able to get these 19 items for only $11.01 after coupons! That was a total savings of $48.80 so well worth the trip. I also learned there is a promotion right now on the fruit snacks. If you purchase three in the same transaction you get a coupon for $1.50 off of a future order, four is $2.00 off and 5 is $2.50 off for even more savings! This sale runs through Tuesday so stock up!

Great Lemonade Coupon

Recently we tried some Santa Cruz Organic Lemonade in our house mainly because I got it for free using a coupon. We loved it! Often these are on sale for 10 for $10 making them Free or really cheap! Use the link below to print your coupon and hold for the next sale. You should be able to print two of them.

http://coupons.mambosprouts.com/online_coupons

How to Begin

In order to begin couponing and seeing some of the benefits I have shared, you have to begin slow. You do not want to change your families habits too quickly and it takes awhile to get organized and figure out what works best for you. Here are a few things to remember when getting started:

1. Don't get discouraged if you are not saving a ton of money right away. Any money that you save is a step in the right direction.

2. Time is money, so only dedicate the amount of time you think is worth it to your family.

3. Everyone likes different things. Some of the sales may be great deals but if your family won't use it or eat it, don't buy it. I often times will cut out coupons for items I don't use but will only redeem them if the product is free. You would be amazed at how many products you are willing to try when they are free and I have found there are alot more than you think!

4. Keep a log of prices at your favorite store so you know if you are getting a good deal. Just because a product is featured in a weekly "sale" flyer doesn't always mean that it is on "sale" or a good deal.

5. Be willing to shop more than one store. Before I started couponing I believed that Wal-Mart and Target were the cheapest places in town to make my purchases. That is so far from the truth! I have actually found better prices at all my local grocery stores like King Soopers, Safeway and Albertson's. Usually each location features different sale items so be open to going to more than one store if you have time. I still plan a trip to Target or Wal-Mart too to purchase my filler items but I no longer do one stop shopping. I even found diapers and makeup cheaper at the grocery store so be open-minded about what and where you purchase your items.

6. This process will also change how you shop. Based on what is on sale, there may be a week where I buy only cereal, veggies and side dishes. I can now do this since I have a large stockpile of meat built up, or there may be other weeks where I only purchase meat. You have to realize it is wise to purchase 10 boxes of cereal when they are on sale rather than 2 than you need at the time and pay full price for the other 8. You will have to phase into this process, but sometimes I buy things that are a good deal not because I necessarily need them at the time.

7. Pay attention to expiration dates. You do not want to have a pantry full of cereal that expires in a month. Check the dates especially on products you are stocking up on.

8. Have fun. This process can be overwhelming at first but like anything the more you do it, the better you become and the more money you will save.

Where I Get My Coupons

So you think maybe you want to give this coupon thing a try? Well the first thing you need to do is get some coupons! There are several ways that I accumulate the coupons I use when doing my shopping. The first is from the Sunday newspaper. We have a subscription to the local newspaper and then I usually trot out to 7-11 on Sunday to pick up two copies of the Denver Post. I have found that the Post has more coupons and higher dollar value coupons so I have found it to be worth the money.

Another way I get some coupons is using on-line resources. There are three main coupon sites on-line and they are updated with new coupons on the first of each month. Often times they are updated throughout the month as well so it pays to check back frequently. At each of these sites you have the ability to print two of each available coupons from each computer! We have a desktop and a laptop so I print two from each computer for a total of 4. The sites I use are:

http://www.coupons.com/

http://redplum.com/

http://coupons.smartsource.com/

You will need to install a coupon printer to your computer from coupons.com and smartsource.com before you begin printing. This process is very easy. Just make sure your internet pop-up blocker is disabled and follow the instructions on the screen. Some people feel it is not worth the ink and paper used to print internet coupons. I have personally saved alot of money by using them so I believe it is. Try not to print more than you think you will use or you can wait to print them before you go to the store. I prefer to print mine upfront as some of them have a print limit and when they are gone, they are gone.

Several coupon blogs also have tips, coupon match-ups, sales and link to coupons. This is another great way to discover all the coupons available. I have a few favorite blogs that I check daily. The links for my favorites are below and I will be listing other blogs I follow in the future.

http://www.springsbargains.com/

http://frugalcouponliving.com/

http://www.athriftymom.com/

http://www.myfrugaladventures.blogspot.com/

http://www.mamacheaps.com/

Each of these blogs also have links to additional blogs, so you will never run out of leads. Beware that all the sales described on these blogs may not be applicable to our area as sales vary by different parts of the country. If there is a posting for a store we do not have, I still review the post for leads on any possible printable coupons I may be able to use.

I also subscribe to a magazine that is delivered monthly and packed with great coupons called All You. You can find this magazine at the check-out lanes in your local Wal-Mart store. I found this magazine back in May and each months issue has had over $50 worth of coupons! I have even gotten coupons for free mascara, beef jerky and Glade candles. If there is a really good coupon I will even buy multiple copies of the magazine. This magazine is currently available on Amazon for $15 for a one year subscription.

I also check store websites for printable coupons as well. Target and Safeway both have printable store coupons on their websites. The fantastic part about these store coupons is they can be combined with a manufacturers coupons for a double discount!

Finally, the grocery aisles and product packaging are full of coupons. I never noticed how many there were until I started using coupons so much. My daughters love to go to the grocery store and "search" the aisle for all the coupons! I have received free tortillas, and many other discounts just for keeping my eyes peeled while shopping.

This Crazy Coupon Thing!

So, many of you know that I started doing this "coupon thing" about three months ago. We were looking for ways to cut our monthly expenses and trying to get ahead. After looking at all of our expenditures, I determined the area I had the most control and flexiblity over was our grocery expenses. I would usually shop once per week and spend on average $125-$150. Often times after these shopping trips, Ryan and I would look at each other and go "What did we just buy"? I was referred to the Internet to look into this coupon thing. I read all I could and quickly learned the ropes. After the first month I decided to track my expenditures to see if my efforts were really making a difference. Well, I am proud to report with my new found way of shopping, I was able to reduce our monthly expenses by over 50% and purchase double the items we were purchasing before! I have averaged spending $250 each month for all of our food, cleaning supplies, health and beauty items, dog food and even school supplies. In June I was able to get $703.25 worth of products for $246.39 and in July I was able to get $833.84 worth of products for $245.02. I have built up a nice "stockpile" of items that we will use for months to come. I started this adventure by reading many blogs and printing coupons from the Internet as well as attending a coupon workshop. While I spend about 4 hours each week preparing to shop and shopping, I believe it has been well worth my time! I will be publishing several posts over the next few days to detail how I got started, how I shop and what I think are good deals!

Makeup at the Grocery Store?

Now I for one would have never thought of purchasing cosmetics at a grocery store, but after today that may change. I read about a great sale at King Soopers on Cover Girl products so I took my lunch break to explore it. Boy did it change my mind! Cover Girl makeup was on sale for 25% off and if you bought four products you received another $4 off. Well there were also coupons in last weekends paper for $2.50 off 2 products and $1 off one product. I bought a total of 12 products for the cost of .......... $4.91!! I saved a total of $39.76 or 93% off my total!!

I purchased 4 nail polishes, 3 eye shadow, 2 sets of eyeliner pencils, 2 blushes and 1 lip gloss!

So I guess I will be changing my thinking about the grocery store and hitting the makeup aisle before ending my future shopping trips.