If you plan on being there, be sure to look for all the carts! (The 10/$10 items were by the self-checkout area and the 50% off carts were in one of the freezer aisles.)
Monday, August 31, 2009
LOTS of clearance items at Albies...
I went in this morning and saw that Albies has carts full of clearance items. There were a lot of great 10/$10 items like Campbell's soup (pair with the IP HERE and a doubler to get two cans for FREE!) and soup bowls (coupons in yesterday's paper), Kashi cereal, various other soups, and lots more. They also have carts with 50% 0ff items, with cool stuff such as a Char-Broil table top grill (15in) marked down from $25 to $12.50! There were also flip-flops, organization canisters, Rubbermaid containers, summer toy/water/sand stuff, even some cute flower pillows, and LOTS more. I didn't have time to look through it all very closely, as my toddler had decided he was DONE shopping, but I am going back later today and plan on looking more thoroughly.
If you plan on being there, be sure to look for all the carts! (The 10/$10 items were by the self-checkout area and the 50% off carts were in one of the freezer aisles.)
If you plan on being there, be sure to look for all the carts! (The 10/$10 items were by the self-checkout area and the 50% off carts were in one of the freezer aisles.)
Old Navy coupon giveaway!
Over at thriftynwmom.com she is giving away 9 Old Navy coupons, including one $65 off of a $100 purchase! If you want to enter the giveaway, you better hury over and enter (click HERE) because this contest ends at 9pm MST TODAY (Aug 31st) and the coupon expires Thursday, Sept. 3rd. Good luck!
Sunday, August 30, 2009
In today's paper...
Yup...this is what a stack of TWELVE Sunday papers looks like.
I went out for a bachelorette party last night and, well, let's just say I didn't get home until early this morning and low and behold, my papers were ALREADY delivered. So...I brought them all into the garage and figured I'd bring them in in the morning, as my oldest likes to help. Well, this morning I asked him to come help me get my papers and he immediately went out the front door. I tried calling him to the garage with me, but he didn't hear me, so he continued out toward the driveway. I brought in the papers from the garage and...he starts coming in with papers! I was like...."uh...."
I have no idea why, but for some reason they delivered two sets of 6 papers to my house! I'm totally confused. That's 12 papers you see up there in the stack.
Any way, in today's paper there are three inserts, SmartSource, RedPlum, and Proctor & Gamble.
Plus, yet again, there are THREE more doublers (Twice-the-Value coupons)! Not sure what to do with doublers? Click HERE to find out. 
Holy cow am I going to have a LOT of work ahead of me with three inserts (12 sets each) to separate, staple, and cut! Oh well...I managed to score 36 doublers! I don't even know if I can use that many! I will probably have to do a little today, tomorrow, and Tuesday just to use them all up.
If you are new to the site or new to couponing and are not sure what I'm talking about or what to do with these coupon inserts, click HERE!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Expiring coupons...
Just wanted to remind everyone that there are a TON of coupons expiring 8/30 and 8/31! So now would be a good time to go through your binder and make a list of any you want to be sure to use before they expire. Remember, do not use the coupons just because they are expiring! If they expire, it's ok, there will be another coupon just like it soon! Lol. However, if there is something that you need to get anyway and have a coupon for it that is expiring, then definitely use one!
On the 31st, it will be a good idea to go through your binder and pull out all of the expiring coupons that you will not be using. You can either toss them or there's even a really great program where you can donate expired coupons to military families overseas! They are allowed to use coupons up to 6 months past the expiration date! For more information on donating your coupons, click HERE. Of course, they will also take any coupons that aren't expired that you know you won't use.
I am going to get working on a list of coupons by expiration date. I know PYP keeps a GREAT running list of coupons by insert date for Idaho (HERE), but it would be nice to have one by expiration date so that we would always know which coupons we have that are expiring and so could choose to use them, rather then just forgetting about them until it's too late.
My binder is definitely going to slim down a lot after pulling all of the coupons this month! Lol.
On the 31st, it will be a good idea to go through your binder and pull out all of the expiring coupons that you will not be using. You can either toss them or there's even a really great program where you can donate expired coupons to military families overseas! They are allowed to use coupons up to 6 months past the expiration date! For more information on donating your coupons, click HERE. Of course, they will also take any coupons that aren't expired that you know you won't use.
I am going to get working on a list of coupons by expiration date. I know PYP keeps a GREAT running list of coupons by insert date for Idaho (HERE), but it would be nice to have one by expiration date so that we would always know which coupons we have that are expiring and so could choose to use them, rather then just forgetting about them until it's too late.
My binder is definitely going to slim down a lot after pulling all of the coupons this month! Lol.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Tuesday Menu Planning
TOTALLY spaced this yesterday! It just dawned on me a few minutes ago, so I figured I should probably get my meal planning done! I have to say that we did pretty well at sticking with the menu plan....so I'm pretty excited about that. It's definitely harder on the weekends when my husband is home (he travels during the week on business) because we tend to eat out more (more spontaneously at least) and because he doesn't like to eat lunch AND dinner, but rather usually one or the other...so I try to work around what he wants, too.
My 1st grader has now decided that he much prefers having free breakfast at school and informed me that he "never wants to have breakfast at home until school is over." Lol. I had to remind him about weekends and "no school" days. He said "well, ok, on those days then I guess I will." Too funny. Any way, so now that it is just my toddler and I most days for breakfast and lunch, you will probably see a lot more toddler friendly foods on the menu. I told my 1st grader that he could pick about 10 times a month to have lunch at school, so that's about twice a week. We have the days circled on the menu from school on the fridge, and on the other days we will pack him a lunch. I can't wait to see how cost effective packing school lunch is when you start using groceries you got for FREE or pretty close to it! Any way...so here's this week's meal plan. I don't know how well we will stick to it, as this week is taking some adjustment getting used to a new schedule and all, but at least I have something on paper in front of me to hopefully make things easier.
Now, considering I didn't really do much shopping for food last week, as there was not much in the Albies sale that I was too excited about, I am once again going to be using things I have already bought in the last several weeks that needs used up as well as things from this week's sale.
:Breakfast:
Cereal w/ milk, toast, orange juice
Rhodes Warm-n-Serve cinnamon rolls (SOOOO good), milkEggo Bakeshop blueberry muffins, banana, apple juice
Biscuits and sausage gravy, scrambled eggs, orange juiceFrench toast sticks, yogurt, milk
Oatmeal, toast, orange juice
Pop-tarts, milk (my toddler would live off of these if I let him)
Oatmeal, toast, orange juice
Pop-tarts, milk (my toddler would live off of these if I let him)
:Lunch:
Nachos w/ taco meat, refried beans, soda
Lunchables, grapes, cookie, CapriSun
BBQ Chicken wraps (from left-overs), cantelope, juice
Meat and Cheese sandwich, chips, grapes, milk
DiGiorno Flatbread Melts, salad, strawberry milk
Chef Boyardee, green beans, grape juice
:Dinner:
FAIR FOOD! :) YUM
BBQ Chicken, corn on the cob, salad
Tuna Helper, peas, garlic toast
Chicken fajitas, spanish rice, beans
Grilled Cheese, tomato slices, chips
Bow-tie pasta salad w/ veggies, corn, bread-n-butter
Quesadillas w/ taco meat, refried beans
:Snacks:
Fruit snack
Cheesestick w/ grapes
Cantelope
Carrots w/ ranch
Cheerios Snack Mix
Nut Clusters
Popsicle
:Desserts:
Brownies
Fruit Salad
Popcorn/Crunch-n-Munch
Decorate-your-own-cookie bar (sugar cookies)
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups w/ milk
Strawberry-banana-orange smoothis (YUM)
Fruit parfait w/ yogurt
When you plan your menu around sale items, instead of planning your grocery shopping around you menu, it will make a drastic cut to your grocery bill! You will be using items you already have in your stockpile (so that you can plan to use them before they expire) that you got for a great price and items that are on sale that current week (especially produce/meat/perishables). It's such a great feeling knowing I don't have to make any last minute runs to the store...I already have everything I need and half of the stuff I use was FREE or close to it...totally awesome. :)
Lunchables, grapes, cookie, CapriSun
BBQ Chicken wraps (from left-overs), cantelope, juice
Meat and Cheese sandwich, chips, grapes, milk
DiGiorno Flatbread Melts, salad, strawberry milk
Chef Boyardee, green beans, grape juice
:Dinner:
FAIR FOOD! :) YUM
BBQ Chicken, corn on the cob, salad
Tuna Helper, peas, garlic toast
Chicken fajitas, spanish rice, beans
Grilled Cheese, tomato slices, chips
Bow-tie pasta salad w/ veggies, corn, bread-n-butter
Quesadillas w/ taco meat, refried beans
:Snacks:
Fruit snack
Cheesestick w/ grapes
Cantelope
Carrots w/ ranch
Cheerios Snack Mix
Nut Clusters
Popsicle
:Desserts:
Brownies
Fruit Salad
Popcorn/Crunch-n-Munch
Decorate-your-own-cookie bar (sugar cookies)
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups w/ milk
Strawberry-banana-orange smoothis (YUM)
Fruit parfait w/ yogurt
When you plan your menu around sale items, instead of planning your grocery shopping around you menu, it will make a drastic cut to your grocery bill! You will be using items you already have in your stockpile (so that you can plan to use them before they expire) that you got for a great price and items that are on sale that current week (especially produce/meat/perishables). It's such a great feeling knowing I don't have to make any last minute runs to the store...I already have everything I need and half of the stuff I use was FREE or close to it...totally awesome. :)
Albertson's 8/26-9/01
HERE is this week's printable shopping list! I think I'm witing until Sunday again...holding out hope for even more doublers. :) Looks like there are some GREAT things that are part of the ConAgra promo. Hope you guys score some great deals as this is a great time to add to your stockpile by stocking up on some of the great 5-star items!
Definitely excited to see a good deal on the Pepsi 12pks again (yes, my husband has already depleted the "stockpile" of soda I've gotten him--which is a ton if you'll remember by the previous weeks' trips!).
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
FREE PC tune-up at Staples through 9/16!!
Staples is offering a free PC tune-up, in-store, through 9/16! Details state that this includes "Thorough PC cleaning (deleting internet cookies and temporary internet files), clean up dust and dirt buildup, disk defragmentation and disk clean up."This is regularly $29.99, so definitely worth taking advantage of if you need it! Check it out HERE. That was easy! :)
Thanks WhoSaidNothingInLifeIsFree!
FREE Chef Michael's Canine Creations!
Just in case you have a pet and you missed it, there was a coupon for a FREE 5oz. pouch of Purina Chef Michael's canine creations dry dinners, any variety! I have 10 of these for anyone who wants them and leaves a comment! If you don't have a pet, you could consider purchasing them and donating them to the shelter...or even just give the coupons to the shelter, I suppose! Any way, let me know if you want them...they expire 9/21.
Do you or someone you know own a Camaro?
If so, you might be able to get a FREE pizza at Papa John's! Apparently, back in 1983, Papa John Schnattner had to sell his 1971 Camaro Z28 because he needed the $2,800 he got for it to keep the family business afloat and also to open his first pizza joint in Indianna. After many years of searching, doing promotional advertizing on his pizza boxes, offering a $250,000 reward, and going on a cross-country road tip in order to find his beloved Camaro...he has been reunited! In honor of this reunion he is reportedly going to give a free pizza to anyone who drives down in their Camaro. Not sure of all of the details on how the offer will work, but if you own one you should definitely call your Papa John's and ask!
Thanks MoreThanCents!
Monday, August 24, 2009
Careful when cutting coupons....
Whenever there are doublers , I always buy extra papers. I am subscribed to the Idaho Statesman and get 6 papers delivered to my door every Sunday (click HERE to find out how to get your athriftymom paper deal), but when there are doublers on a Sunday, I will pick up a few extra copies of the Press-Tribune at the newsstand. I get the Press-Tribune because they are only $.85/ea (at the gas station I buy them at any way) vs. the $2.00 price tag of the Statesman.
Before getting my newspaper subscription, I always used to buy the Press-Tribune, since it is cheaper. I now get the Statesman, and have realized how much the coupons DIFFER between the two papers! Sometimes they get coupons that are different dollar amounts, sometimes the Tribune doesn't get coupons that the Statesman gets, and sometimes they get a coupon that's the same, but the two inserts have different layouts and so the coupon from the Statesman isn't on the same page as the Press-Tribune!
Talk about making things complicated! What does this matter, you ask? Well, I just wanted to make sure that you keep this in mind when looking for a particular coupon (for file system users) or when stapling and cutting your coupons (for binder users).
First of all, especially if you are a "file-system" user, blog sites will post match ups and call for a particular coupon from a particular week's insert. Ok, so you go to your file holder, grab one of the inserts from that week, flip through it, and are disappointed to find that you don't have that coupon. However, that week (say two months ago) you actually purchased two Statesmans and two Press-Tribunes, just for variety or just in case they had different coupons. You forget this and so assume that you don't have that coupon. Little do you know, even though you didn't have that coupon in the insert you happened to grab, two of the other inserts from that week DID have that coupon because the Statesman DID get it that week, even though the Tribune didn't. Now, those two coupons go unused because you didn't think you had them. Make sense? So, what I would suggest you do, if you are someone who buys both papers each week, I would take the time to go through the inserts and see if there are any differing coupons between the two. If there is, for file system users, I would not only write the date on the corner of the insert, but would also write which paper it came from. So write "8/9 Statesman" or "8/9 Tribune." If you want to take it one step further, you could make a little note of which coupons are differing for that week under the date also (I would do this on each insert, so that no matter which one you wind up grabbing when it comes time to clip a coupon, you see the note and are reminded and don't grab one that you didn't write the note on and assume you don't have that coupon).
For those of us who use a binder, be sure to check for differences also and keep them in mind when stapling and clipping. You don't want to accidentally lay them all out and assume they are the same and just staple and clip away...you might accidentally assume you have 6 of a coupon that you really only had 4 of (because the two inserts on the bottom of the stack were from the Tribune and didn't get that coupon) or do the opposite and miss a coupon that was on the backside of two of the 6 inserts because the other 4 didn't have them, and you didn't notice. You might wind up throwing valuable coupons away!
Hopefully this makes sense. It's late and I might just be confusing everyone. I just wanted to make sure you guys kept this in mind, because today, in particular, there were a LOT of differences between the two papers' inserts and so I had to take some extra time and care to get all of my coupons aligned right and stapled right before I clipped them. Also don't want you guys to miss out on coupons you don't even realize you have. If this totally doesn't make sense and you have other questions, feel free to ask!
If you have NO idea what I'm talking about and are new to couponning, click HERE to go to the beginning and learn everything you need to know to save 60-90% on your grocery bill! :)
Before getting my newspaper subscription, I always used to buy the Press-Tribune, since it is cheaper. I now get the Statesman, and have realized how much the coupons DIFFER between the two papers! Sometimes they get coupons that are different dollar amounts, sometimes the Tribune doesn't get coupons that the Statesman gets, and sometimes they get a coupon that's the same, but the two inserts have different layouts and so the coupon from the Statesman isn't on the same page as the Press-Tribune!
Talk about making things complicated! What does this matter, you ask? Well, I just wanted to make sure that you keep this in mind when looking for a particular coupon (for file system users) or when stapling and cutting your coupons (for binder users).
First of all, especially if you are a "file-system" user, blog sites will post match ups and call for a particular coupon from a particular week's insert. Ok, so you go to your file holder, grab one of the inserts from that week, flip through it, and are disappointed to find that you don't have that coupon. However, that week (say two months ago) you actually purchased two Statesmans and two Press-Tribunes, just for variety or just in case they had different coupons. You forget this and so assume that you don't have that coupon. Little do you know, even though you didn't have that coupon in the insert you happened to grab, two of the other inserts from that week DID have that coupon because the Statesman DID get it that week, even though the Tribune didn't. Now, those two coupons go unused because you didn't think you had them. Make sense? So, what I would suggest you do, if you are someone who buys both papers each week, I would take the time to go through the inserts and see if there are any differing coupons between the two. If there is, for file system users, I would not only write the date on the corner of the insert, but would also write which paper it came from. So write "8/9 Statesman" or "8/9 Tribune." If you want to take it one step further, you could make a little note of which coupons are differing for that week under the date also (I would do this on each insert, so that no matter which one you wind up grabbing when it comes time to clip a coupon, you see the note and are reminded and don't grab one that you didn't write the note on and assume you don't have that coupon).
For those of us who use a binder, be sure to check for differences also and keep them in mind when stapling and clipping. You don't want to accidentally lay them all out and assume they are the same and just staple and clip away...you might accidentally assume you have 6 of a coupon that you really only had 4 of (because the two inserts on the bottom of the stack were from the Tribune and didn't get that coupon) or do the opposite and miss a coupon that was on the backside of two of the 6 inserts because the other 4 didn't have them, and you didn't notice. You might wind up throwing valuable coupons away!
Hopefully this makes sense. It's late and I might just be confusing everyone. I just wanted to make sure you guys kept this in mind, because today, in particular, there were a LOT of differences between the two papers' inserts and so I had to take some extra time and care to get all of my coupons aligned right and stapled right before I clipped them. Also don't want you guys to miss out on coupons you don't even realize you have. If this totally doesn't make sense and you have other questions, feel free to ask!
If you have NO idea what I'm talking about and are new to couponning, click HERE to go to the beginning and learn everything you need to know to save 60-90% on your grocery bill! :)
Albertson's Preview 8/26-9/01
HERE is the Albertson's preview shopping list for the week. Keep in mind, this is Utah's list, so ours may vary. I will post the Idaho list when it's available.
New to this site or new to couponing and not sure what to do with this list? Click HERE to find out and get started saving 60-90% on your grocery bill!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Albies 8/23
Had to go start taking advantage of my doublers this morning! I would have actually completed my Albies shopping, but you know how it goes when they have one lane open and it's about 6 people long! Took quite a while to check out...so....I'll have to do some more Albies shopping later on to use up my doublers (but before they expire on Tues of course).
Here is what I got...I did this in 5 transactions in order to take advantage of the Box Tops Promo (Spend $20, get $5 OYNSO + 50 Box Top Points) and my doublers. There are a few things on here that weren't on sale, but that we needed, so I just went ahead and grabbed them, otherwise my total would have been even less...
Total for all of these items was $157.98. I paid $44.33. That's a savings of 72%! (and keep in mind that I got items that weren't even on sale!) Details of how I did this below:
Transaction #1
2 - Chinet Cut Crystal tumblers (I often get these when I have doublers, because it makes them only $.29)
8 - Ziploc Containers (various sizes and counts)
1 - Twix candy bar
1 - Raid Wasp & Hornet spray
Total for promo = $20.00
Total for other items =$10.56
Used FREE candy coupon (from Free Chocolate Friday), 2-$1/1 Chinet Tumblers (SS 6/28), 2-$1.50/2 Ziploc containers (SS 7/26 & SS 8/9), 1-$1/1 Raid, and 3 doublers, making my OOP 17.87, but then I received the $5 OYNSO and 50 BT points.
Transaction #2
1 - Juicy Juice 8pk
4 - Kleenex Antiviral w/ aloe
2 - Hefty kitchen trash bags
Total for promo = $20.30
Used 2-$1/1 Hefty kitchen bags (Group C), 2-$.50/2 Kleenex, 1-$1/1 Juicy Juice (RP 8/9), three doublers, and my previous $5 OYNSO, making my OOP 8.32, plus received another $5 OYNSO and 50 BT points.
Transaction #3
2 - Hefty cups
2 - Hefty foam plates
4 - Ziploc freezer bags (20ct)
1 - Totinos Pizza Rolls
Total for promo = $20.01
Used 2-$1/2 Hefty (Group A) 2-$1.50/2 Ziploc HERE, 1-$.35/1 Totino's (SS 8/9), three doublers, and my previous $5 OYNSO, making my OOP $7.31, plus received another $5 OYNSO and 50 BT points.
Transaction #4
3 - Juicy Juice 8pk
6 - Kleenex Antiviral w/ aloe
1 - Totino's Pizza Rolls
Total for promo = $20.33
Used 3-$1/1 Juicy Juice, 3-$.50/2 Kleenex, 1-$1/1 Totino's, three doublers, and my previous $5 OYNSO, making my OOP $7.99, plus received yet another $5 OYNSO and 50 BT points.
Transaction #5
1 - Act 3ct popcorn
2 - Arrowhead water 6pk (one not pictured)
2 - Bertolli Ovenbaked meals
Total = $13.84
Used 1-$1/2 Arrowhead HERE, 2-$1/1 Bertolli HERE, three doublers, and my previous $5 OYNSO, making my OOP $2.84
There ya go! I'll be back to post the rest of the deals I find to use my doublers on! What are you going to use yours for??
In your paper today...(MORE DOUBLERS!)
There are two inserts in the paper today, one SS and one RP.
And, always be sure to look through your whole paper, as you never know what you may find...
Three Albies doublers on page A9 of the Statesman and Main 14 of the Press-Tribune! (Not sure what to do with these doublers? Check out my post HERE to learn all about these wonderful little coupons)
Also, in the Parade magazine on page 15, there is a $1/3 Libby canned veggies.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Walgreen's 101
If you are new to Walgreens (a.k.a. Wags) shopping, there are a few things you probably have questions about, so I will do my best to answer them here. If I don't answer your question, feel free to leave a comment (which might help others who have the same questions as you) or click the "email me" link on the right side-bar.
At Walgreen's it is possible to often get FREE or close-to-free items using their "Register Rewards" (RR) program. It is free and you don't need to sign up for anything. This is simply a "rebate" type program. You pay, out-of-pocket for a particular item, (or sometimes a certain number of a particular item, or certain dollar amount of a particular brand/item/etc), then receive a catalina coupon for a certain $ amount that you can use on a future visit for anything in the store, same as CASH.
Some register reward deals run all month, others for a week. You can find out what the register reward deals are by looking at the Walgreen's weekly circular (that comes in the Sunday paper or they have these at the front of the store) or by finding the red tags stuck to the shelf under qualifying items. Most of these deals are advertised, but sometimes they are not and can only be found at the store. Click HERE to view current Walgreens deals where I list these deals for you and tell you which coupons you'll need.
There are a few catches when it comes to RR's. First, there are a few items that you cannot use them on, such as milk, stamps, gift cards, etc. Secondly, you cannot use a RR from one deal on more of the same deal to get another RR. For example, if you buy a Snickers for $1 and get a $1 RR, you cannot turn around and buy another Snickers and get another RR. You can use it to pay for the Snickers, but another RR will not print. You CAN, however, use the RR from the Snickers to buy another item that qualifies for a RR and it will still print. So, for example, you can use the $1RR from the Snickers to pay for a box of Ritz for $2 that gives you a $2RR and the $2RR for the Ritz will still print. By rolling register rewards on other register reward items each week, you will spend the least out of pocket and get the most bang for your buck! One of the keys to my saving so much at Walgreens is that I have built up a large "stash" of Walgreens RR's. When I first started shopping at Walgreens I paid a bit more out of pocket because I didn't roll my RR's as much. I just kind of collected them. Now, at any given time I usually have about $50 worth of RR's in my purse to use on my week's purchases. By doing this, I generally never spend more than $5 MAX (actual cash out-of-pocket) at Walgreens each week (except for in tax of course) because I always have RR's to use. You DO have to make sure that your total dollar amount for your purchase (after coupons) is equal to or greater than the value of your register reward. So, if you were buying the Snickers for $1 to get the $1 RR, and you wanted to pay with the $2RR for the Ritz, you would have to find another item or some inexpensive filler items to get your total up to the $2 mark so that you can use the $2 RR.
Another thing to note about using coupons at Walgreen's is that they often put out store coupons (that are in the weekly circular) that you can "stack" with a manufacturer coupon which can give you GREAT savings! For example, say Starbuck's Frappucinos are regularly $2.99/ea at Walgrens, but in the ad there is a coupon that makes Starbuck's Frappucino 2/$3 (or $1.50/ea) but now you also have a coupon for $1/1 from a previous coupon insert, you can use both the store coupon and the manufacturer coupon to now make them $.50/ea! Pretty nifty, huh? But make sure that the store coupon gets scanned, or you will not get it for the advertised coupon price!
One thing to note about stacking the coupons is that it is always best to give the cashier the manufacturer coupons before handing them the store coupons. A lot of times the register will complain and beep on you for some reason or another if you do it the other way around, so save yourself the headache and just get in the habit of handing the manufacturer coupons over first!
Also, if there is ever a time when a coupon or combo of a store and manufacturer coupon amount is over the cost of the item (for example, you have a $1.50/1 coupon for an item that is priced at $1.25) the register will beep and won't allow you to do it. The cashier must manually adjust the price of the item to be equal to that of the coupon so that the register will allow it. Don't let the cashier tell you that the coupon cannot be used. Their policy states that they are to adjust the coupon value down. If need be, ask to speak to a manager and they should be aware of their own coupon policy that states that this is allowed, but this is not always the case! Sometimes cashiers and managers are actually a bit misinformed about their own coupon policy, so it is a good idea to print out their coupon policy and carry it with you to the store in case there are any disputes. You can find a copy of the policy by doing a google search. (I do not have one posted on my site because I have not personally written to or spoken with anyone from Walgreens and do not want to put false information on my blog by accident.)
Lastly, when using coupons at Walgreen's there is a little catch that can be a major pain sometimes...you have to have as many items in your transaction as you have manufacturer coupons for, including RR's! If you have 5 items and 5 manufacturer coupons, you will not be able to pay with a register reward (as these are manufacturer coupons). So...if I had 5 items and a coupon for each item, in order to use two register rewards to pay for the items, I would have to find two "filler" items to put in my order for the register to allow me to use them. In that case I would find two super inexpensive items (i.e. clearance item, small candy, pencil, etc--nothing over $.40) so that I would be able to use my register rewards to pay. However, if I had 5 items and 4 coupons, but one of the coupons was $x.xx off of two items, you may want to have a filler item ready, just in case. I have had varying experiences with this one. Sometimes the coupon attaches to both items and so it considers it as if I have a coupon for each item already and won't allow me to use the RR. Sometimes it just comes off as one total coupon and I CAN use an RR to pay. Just keep this in mind when getting ready to hand over your stack of coupons. Make sure you will be able to use them all and allow extra items for any RR's you want to use.
A few notes:
Not all Walgreens are the same. Each manager gets to use their own discretion on some things, such as some weeks when there is a HOT item that is flying off the shelves, sometimes they will choose to limit how many you can buy. However, you may walk into another Walgreens and there is NO limit. Some stores will let you do more than one transaction at a time, others won't. YMMV.
If you are doing more than one transaction, be courteous...do one and then if there's someone behind you let them go in between before you do your next transaction.
It really comes down to PRACTICE! I shopped Walgreens for a lot of weeks before I truly felt like I'd perfected it (though I wouldn't call it that because I still mess up occasionally). You will pay more than you should have a few times and you'll probably wind up making returns a few times, too, because you messed up. You'll accidentally pay for an item with a register reward from the same item that you bought earlier in the week so another RR won't print. (In that case, you can ask them to cancel the order and redo it and this time just don't pay with your RR. My store has never had a problem letting me) You'll get done ringing up and one of your RR's won't scan because you accidentally forgot to get a filler item (and you'll be forced to grab some small item near the register that you don't really want) or you miscounted and didn't have enough filler items. Believe me...the possibilities are endless. Lol. I've done them ALL! But, I learned from it each time and now I'm practically a pro. :) You can be too! Just don't give up and always learn from your mistakes and eventually you'll walk in with confidence and walk out having only spent a few cents. :) Here is an example of one of my Walgreens shopping trips:
Hopefully this answers any of your questions...if not, let me know!
At Walgreen's it is possible to often get FREE or close-to-free items using their "Register Rewards" (RR) program. It is free and you don't need to sign up for anything. This is simply a "rebate" type program. You pay, out-of-pocket for a particular item, (or sometimes a certain number of a particular item, or certain dollar amount of a particular brand/item/etc), then receive a catalina coupon for a certain $ amount that you can use on a future visit for anything in the store, same as CASH.
(Register Rewards)
Some register reward deals run all month, others for a week. You can find out what the register reward deals are by looking at the Walgreen's weekly circular (that comes in the Sunday paper or they have these at the front of the store) or by finding the red tags stuck to the shelf under qualifying items. Most of these deals are advertised, but sometimes they are not and can only be found at the store. Click HERE to view current Walgreens deals where I list these deals for you and tell you which coupons you'll need.
There are a few catches when it comes to RR's. First, there are a few items that you cannot use them on, such as milk, stamps, gift cards, etc. Secondly, you cannot use a RR from one deal on more of the same deal to get another RR. For example, if you buy a Snickers for $1 and get a $1 RR, you cannot turn around and buy another Snickers and get another RR. You can use it to pay for the Snickers, but another RR will not print. You CAN, however, use the RR from the Snickers to buy another item that qualifies for a RR and it will still print. So, for example, you can use the $1RR from the Snickers to pay for a box of Ritz for $2 that gives you a $2RR and the $2RR for the Ritz will still print. By rolling register rewards on other register reward items each week, you will spend the least out of pocket and get the most bang for your buck! One of the keys to my saving so much at Walgreens is that I have built up a large "stash" of Walgreens RR's. When I first started shopping at Walgreens I paid a bit more out of pocket because I didn't roll my RR's as much. I just kind of collected them. Now, at any given time I usually have about $50 worth of RR's in my purse to use on my week's purchases. By doing this, I generally never spend more than $5 MAX (actual cash out-of-pocket) at Walgreens each week (except for in tax of course) because I always have RR's to use. You DO have to make sure that your total dollar amount for your purchase (after coupons) is equal to or greater than the value of your register reward. So, if you were buying the Snickers for $1 to get the $1 RR, and you wanted to pay with the $2RR for the Ritz, you would have to find another item or some inexpensive filler items to get your total up to the $2 mark so that you can use the $2 RR.
Another thing to note about using coupons at Walgreen's is that they often put out store coupons (that are in the weekly circular) that you can "stack" with a manufacturer coupon which can give you GREAT savings! For example, say Starbuck's Frappucinos are regularly $2.99/ea at Walgrens, but in the ad there is a coupon that makes Starbuck's Frappucino 2/$3 (or $1.50/ea) but now you also have a coupon for $1/1 from a previous coupon insert, you can use both the store coupon and the manufacturer coupon to now make them $.50/ea! Pretty nifty, huh? But make sure that the store coupon gets scanned, or you will not get it for the advertised coupon price!
One thing to note about stacking the coupons is that it is always best to give the cashier the manufacturer coupons before handing them the store coupons. A lot of times the register will complain and beep on you for some reason or another if you do it the other way around, so save yourself the headache and just get in the habit of handing the manufacturer coupons over first!
Also, if there is ever a time when a coupon or combo of a store and manufacturer coupon amount is over the cost of the item (for example, you have a $1.50/1 coupon for an item that is priced at $1.25) the register will beep and won't allow you to do it. The cashier must manually adjust the price of the item to be equal to that of the coupon so that the register will allow it. Don't let the cashier tell you that the coupon cannot be used. Their policy states that they are to adjust the coupon value down. If need be, ask to speak to a manager and they should be aware of their own coupon policy that states that this is allowed, but this is not always the case! Sometimes cashiers and managers are actually a bit misinformed about their own coupon policy, so it is a good idea to print out their coupon policy and carry it with you to the store in case there are any disputes. You can find a copy of the policy by doing a google search. (I do not have one posted on my site because I have not personally written to or spoken with anyone from Walgreens and do not want to put false information on my blog by accident.)
Lastly, when using coupons at Walgreen's there is a little catch that can be a major pain sometimes...you have to have as many items in your transaction as you have manufacturer coupons for, including RR's! If you have 5 items and 5 manufacturer coupons, you will not be able to pay with a register reward (as these are manufacturer coupons). So...if I had 5 items and a coupon for each item, in order to use two register rewards to pay for the items, I would have to find two "filler" items to put in my order for the register to allow me to use them. In that case I would find two super inexpensive items (i.e. clearance item, small candy, pencil, etc--nothing over $.40) so that I would be able to use my register rewards to pay. However, if I had 5 items and 4 coupons, but one of the coupons was $x.xx off of two items, you may want to have a filler item ready, just in case. I have had varying experiences with this one. Sometimes the coupon attaches to both items and so it considers it as if I have a coupon for each item already and won't allow me to use the RR. Sometimes it just comes off as one total coupon and I CAN use an RR to pay. Just keep this in mind when getting ready to hand over your stack of coupons. Make sure you will be able to use them all and allow extra items for any RR's you want to use.
A few notes:
Not all Walgreens are the same. Each manager gets to use their own discretion on some things, such as some weeks when there is a HOT item that is flying off the shelves, sometimes they will choose to limit how many you can buy. However, you may walk into another Walgreens and there is NO limit. Some stores will let you do more than one transaction at a time, others won't. YMMV.
If you are doing more than one transaction, be courteous...do one and then if there's someone behind you let them go in between before you do your next transaction.
It really comes down to PRACTICE! I shopped Walgreens for a lot of weeks before I truly felt like I'd perfected it (though I wouldn't call it that because I still mess up occasionally). You will pay more than you should have a few times and you'll probably wind up making returns a few times, too, because you messed up. You'll accidentally pay for an item with a register reward from the same item that you bought earlier in the week so another RR won't print. (In that case, you can ask them to cancel the order and redo it and this time just don't pay with your RR. My store has never had a problem letting me) You'll get done ringing up and one of your RR's won't scan because you accidentally forgot to get a filler item (and you'll be forced to grab some small item near the register that you don't really want) or you miscounted and didn't have enough filler items. Believe me...the possibilities are endless. Lol. I've done them ALL! But, I learned from it each time and now I'm practically a pro. :) You can be too! Just don't give up and always learn from your mistakes and eventually you'll walk in with confidence and walk out having only spent a few cents. :) Here is an example of one of my Walgreens shopping trips:
For the above items, I only spent $.52 plus tax! PLUS, when all was said and done I still have $26 in RR's to add to my "stash." I simply used register rewards that I earned on the previous week's sale to pay for items that, in turn, gave me MORE register rewards this week (what we call "rolling" your register rewards). I continue to do this each week and continue to score great deals!
Hopefully this answers any of your questions...if not, let me know!
Walgreens 8/23-8/29
I thought I post the Walgreen's match-ups this week, courtesy of Hip2Save!
There are quite a few things that I'm excited about...such as the Children's Benadryl (my toddler has bad allergies and even the Equate brand is expensive!) and the kids' mouthwash (my oldest loves that stuff). Also the paper plates and you can still use up those Huggies coupons you have to get super cheap wipes!
:Monthly Deals:
:Monthly Deals:
These deals are running through the end of the month, but the prices of the items that are part of the sale are bound to flucuate.
Buy $10 in select products below and get a $5RR
Cheez it 7.5 or 9 oz $2
Keebler Cookies 11.5 or 15 oz $2
Rice Krispies Treats 8 pk $2
Pop Tarts $2
Cheez its 4.5 or Keebler Cookies 5.25 - 6oz $1
Club Crackers/Sandies Pecan Shortbread 16 oz 2/$5
Fiber Plus Bars 5 pk 2/$5
Nutri-Grain Bars 8 pk 2/$5
Special K Protein, 6 pk Bars or 4 pk Shakes $5
Deal Scenario:
Buy 5 boxes of Pop-Tarts=$10
Use 2 $1/2 coupons from the 8/2RP
Plus, use 1 .55 coupon from here
Pay $7.45Get back a $5RRFinal cost just .49 per box!
************************************
Buy 6 Zone Bars for $6 total
Use one .50 Walgreens Back-2-School coupon (will deduct $3)
Then use 2 .75/3 coupons from the 6/14SS
Final cost ONLY .25 per bar!
Nabisco Chips Ahoy (select varieties) on sale 2/$5
Use the .75/2 coupon from the 7/26SS
Plus, use the $1 Back-2-School coupon(will deduct $2)
Final cost $1.13 per package!
Velveeta Shells & Cheese Cups $1 each (Buy 4, get $1 RR)
Buy 4 and use 2 buy one get one free coupons from the 8/9SS
Plus, use the $1/4 Walgreens back to school coupon
Final cost 4 cups for FREE!
Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrient 3 Minute Treatment 8.5 oz $3.99=$2RR(On a Mega-Saver for $3.99 all month)
Use the $1 coupon from the 7/12RP
Final cost .99!
Buy 1 Maybelline Great Lash Mascara=coupon for a FREE Great Lash Mascara
Final cost 50% off each one!
Huggies Wipes 64 ct $2.57- $3.99
Use the .50 coupon from the 7/19SS
Plus, use the $2 Back-2-School coupon
Final cost as low as .07 per package!
A note on the wipes...my Walgreen's was out of these the last time I went, so I thought I would go to Walmart and have the pricematch (they will accept competitor coupons) but when I got to the register, the cashier noticed that on the back-2-school coupons the front says "$2 off," but the back says "$1 off!" So..they would not accept it. :( Bummer. Just wanted to throw that out there in case anyone else thought of trying this. Never know...YMMV
:Weekly Register Reward Deals:
Buy 2 select Kellogg’s Cereal at $2.50 each, get $2RR
Use the $1.50/2 Kellogg’s Mini-Wheats or Raisin Bran coupon from here
Or use the $1/2 coupons from the 8/2RP
Final cost as low as $0.75 per box!
Buy 2 Folgers Classic Roast Coffee (11.3 oz) $2.50, get $1RR (on 2)
Use 2 $0.75/1 coupons from the 8/2RP(Please note some regions only got $0.25/1 coupons)Final cost as low as $1.25 each!
Buy 2 select Listerine products $4 each, get $3RR
Deal Scenario:Buy 2 Listerine Smart Rinse or Agent Cool Blue (16.9 oz)=$8
Use the buy one get one free coupon from the 8/2SS
Plus, use the $1 coupon from the 3/15 or 6/14SS
Or use the $1 coupon from here: IE or Firefox(for the one you're not getting free)
Plus, use the $1 Walgreens Agent Cool Blue/ Smart Rinse coupon from the coloring book(will deduct $2)
Pay $1
Get back a $3RR
Final cost 2 products for FREE + a $2 profit!
Buy 4 select Crest Dental Care products $2.50 each, get $5RR
Deal Scenario:Buy 4 Oral B Indicator Manual Toothbrushes (if included--I can't tell)
Total=$10
Use 2 buy one get one free coupons from the 8/23RP
Pay $5
Get a $5RR
Final cost 4 toothbrushes for FREE!
Buy two Children’s Benadryl $4.99 each, get $5RR
Use 2 $1 coupons from the 8/2SS
Plus, use 1 $1 Walgreens Coloring book coupon(will deduct $2)
Pay $5.98
Get back a $5RR
Final cost $0.49 each!
Buy 2 Colgate Total Toothpaste (4.2 oz) $2.50 each, get $1RR
Use 2 $1.50 coupons from the March issue of All You mag.
Final cost $0.50 each!
Buy 1 Goody Ouchless Accessories $2.99, get $2RR
Final cost $0.99!
Buy 2 Sudafed PE products $4.99 each, get $5RR
Use 2 $2 coupons from the 8/2SS
Final cost $0.49 each!
Dryel 4pk starter kit or 6pk refills $8.99, get $2RR
Use the $2 coupon from here
Final cost $4.99!
:Other Great Deals:
Starbucks Ice Cream $3
Use the $2 coupon from the 6/21SS
Final cost $1!
Russell Stover Boxed Chocolates $4.99 with in ad coupon
Use the $1 coupons from the 5/3RPFinal cost $3.99!
Barilla Pasta 3/$3
Use the $0.50 or $1/2 coupon from the 8/23SS
Final cost $0.50 each!
Reach Prevent Toothbrush or Reach Floss $0.99 with in ad coupon
Use the $1 coupon 6/14, 3/15 or 8/2SS
Final cost FREE!
Carmex Moisture Plus Lip Balm buy one at $2.99 get one free
Use 2 $1 coupons from here
Final cost $0.49 each! (I got the regular Carmex lip balm tube for $.08 at Walmart with this coupon)
Rimmel Cosmetics 40% off
Buy Rimmel Stay Matte Clarifying Matte Foundation $4.19
Use the $3 coupon from July All You mag
Final cost $1.19!
Lysol Neutra air Freshmatic Air Treatment Starter Kit $6.99
Use the $4 coupon from here
Final cost $2.99!
Air Wick FreshMatic Ultra Automatic Spray $7.49
Use the $4 or $6 coupons from the 8/9SS
Or the $4 coupon from here
Final cost as low as $1.49!
Glade Fabric and Odor Eliminator $2.50
Use the buy one get one free coupon from the 8/2SS or from All You
Final cost $1.25 each!
Dawn Dish Soap $0.99 with in ad coupon
Use the $0.25 coupon from the 8/2PG
Final cost $0.74!
Cottonelle Fresh Wipes 2/$5
Use the buy one get one free coupon from the 8/23SS (up to $2.25)
Plus, use the $0.50 coupon from All You mag.
Final cost $1.13 each!
Tylenol products (20-24 ct) buy one at $4.49 get one FREE
Use 2 $2 coupons from the 7/26SS
Final cost $0.25 each!
One-a-Day Multivitamins $6.99
Use the $2 coupon from the 6/14SS or 7/26RP
Plus, use the $2 Walgreens Back-2-School coupon
Final cost $2.99!
Accu-Chek Aviva $9.99
Use the $10 coupon from the 8/23SS
Final cost FREE!
Chinet Paper Plates (10-15 ct) buy one at $2.99 get one FREE with in ad coupon
Use 2 $1 coupons from the 6/28SS
Final cost just $0.49 each!
Scotch Smart Mailer or Clasp Envelopes (7-10 pack) $0.79 each with in ad coupon
Use the $0.50 coupon from the 7/26RP
Final cost $0.29!
Scotch Transparent Tape 2/$1 with in ad coupon
Use the $1/3 coupon from the 7/12RP(you can just buy 3 and the in ad coupon will still deduct for the 3rd one)
Final cost $0.17 each!
FREE 8×10 Collage Photo with in ad coupon
Valid on Wednesday, 8/26 ONLY!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
$10 off $50 Old Navy purchase!
I am unsure of the exact promotion dates (the website says to check with your salon to verify participation and promotion dates) but right now Great Clips is teaming up with Old Navy to bring us a great back-to-school deal! They will give everyone who comes in for a haircut a coupon good for $10 off your purchase of $50 or more at Old Navy! If you spend exactly $50 that equals out to a 20% savings! The website states that you will get a $10 coupon with EVERY haircut. I would assume you could use one of their $8.99 haircut coupons that come in the home mailers and still get the coupon, but I am not certain on this. You will have to check with your salon. Even if you can't, though, it's still a great deal. Just thought I'd pass on this great info that my wonderful hubby alerted me to. :)
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
FREE photos at Walgreens
Great deal on Easy Ups at Walgreens
Today through Saturday Walgreens is doing a great promo where if you spend $25 on anything in the store, you get a $5 RR! There is also a great "Back-to-School" coupon booklet in the store (these can be found at the front with the store ads) that has a few good coupons (these are store coupons and so can be stacked with manufacturer coupons).
So here is the deal scenario I used (thanks Hip2save!)
:Deal Scenario:
Buy 2 Pampers Easy Ups Training Pants (2/$20.00)
Buy 2 Huggies Wipes 64ct ($2.79/ea)
Total = $25.58
Use 2 $1.50/1 Easy Ups (PG 8/2) to take off $3.00
Use 2 $.50/1 Huggies Wipes (SS 7/19) to take off $1.00
Use the $2 off Huggies Wipes from the "Back-to-School" coupon booklet (this will automatically take off $2 for for each package of wipes) for $4.00 off
Total OOP = $17.58, BUT get back a $5.00 RR for spending $25, AND a $2 RR for the Easy Ups!
I did this two times, but with the first transaction I also got all of the above summer clearance items that were 50-75% off, so all together I got $78.58 worth of items for $37.85, plus still have $14 in RR's to spend like cash on a future trip! Not too bad for the following items:
4 - Easy Ups
4 - Huggies Wipes
1 - 4ct large plastic cups ($1.25)
1 - Transformers toy w/ candy ($1.99)
1 - Super Bubbles 8oz ($.39)
2 - Skittles Spray candy ($.50)
1 - Crayola 3D chalk set ($1.99)
1 - BBQ tool ($.67)
I did also use a $6.00 RR I receieved last week from the Listerine deal....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
