Love those "double" coupon days at Smiths!!

Total Spent:  $136.45

Bought:  156 items

Saved:  $253.40 

So what's in the pictures--yikes. I am not sure I can list it all--but I will give it a try:

14 boxes cold cereal (and yes, we go through cereal fast--though the "Trix" will be saved for Christmas)

9 boxes Kleenex Tissue ($.66 each)

1 jumbo pack Pampers Swaddlers diapers (my very favorite kind--keeps the poop from sticking to the kid)

4 packs Huggies wet-wipes

6 packages of Reynolds baking cups

2 packages Q-Tips

6 boxes Krusteaz cookie mix (FREE)

9 packages BC cookie mix ($.40 each) perfect for Christmas gifts

5 C&H brown sugars (and I am picky with my brown sugar--the off-brands aren't real brown sugar; they are molasses and regular granulated sugar)

8 Chapsticks 

12 gravy mixes ($.29 each)

2 containers of tic-tacs (FREE)

2 Bestlife buttery spread

1 Country Crock Spread

2 Parkay Spreads ($.50)

4 Carnation evaporated milk ($.19 each)

4 Bumblebee Albacore tuna pouches (FREE)

2 Reddi-Whips (whip cream)

6 Pillsbury biscuit ($.50 each)

4 Pillsbury Sweet Rolls (FREE)

8 Pillsbury crescent rolls ($.50 each) making doughnuts on New Years Eve with these!

2 Bisquick mixes

2 Frenchs French Fried Onions

2 Minute Rices 

4 Mrs. Fields Cookies (contains 8 individually wrapped cookies in each container--perfect for my kids friends for Christmas!)

2 Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa/Marshmallow packages (to go with the cookies for the friends for Christmas)

3 Tabasco Sauces

2 Thai Kitchen Coconut milk

4 Banquet Fruit pies (FREE)

2 Shaving gels

8 Pam Cooking Sprays (4 olive oil and 4 baking--$1 each)

5 Wesson Oils

2 Worcestershire Sauces

2 boxes Idahoan instant potatoes

2 McCormick Seasonings: Chili Powder & Cream of Tarter

They  were out of a few of the things I was hoping to get--Carmex lip balm (free), Martha White's muffin mix (free), Maruchan Yakisoba Meals (free), and Hormel Pepperoni (free).  Since those were all items that were free and I procrastinated my shopping, I am not surprised that I didn't get those items.  But I did get almost everything I wanted overall!  It was crazy gathering up all the coupons, but this doesn't happen very often, so I didn't mind--and after all that I got, I am quite pleased!  I got my all-time longest receipt too!

 

Smith's $1 Coupon deal coming soon!!

Just fyi--the December 5th Sunday paper will be announcing Smith's "Coupon Event".

They will be rounding all coupons up to $1 !!  

I love those sales!

 They will be doing this Dec. 5th-8th.

If you haven't done this before--don't miss out!

You will LOVE how much you save!!

Thanks to "pinching your pennies" for the heads up!! 
Click here to see the link. 

Love it!! So much FREE & super cheap stuff!!

Thank You Smith's!!

Spent:  $36.99

Bought 71 items

Saved:  $79.65

So what's in the picture?  

12 cans of Campbell's cream of mushroom/chicken soups--FREE
15 cans of Swanson's broth--$.34 each
6 cans Carnation evaporated milk--$.44 each
2 Colgate toothpastes--$.25 each
2 Colgate toothbrushes--FREE
4 bags of Ricola cough drops--FREE
6 boxes of Quick cook pasta--FREE
2 boxes Ronzoni Garden Delights pasta--$.25 each
Lots more pastas--all kinds--$.49 each
4 Krusteaz Chocolate Chunk cookie mixes--$.49 each

2 large box Jellos--$.34

2 16 oz.sour creams--$.88 each
32 oz Dannon yogurt--$.49

Sarah Lee Whole Wheat bread--$2

2 family packs of chicken (about 10.3 lbs)--$1.69/lb 

The chicken was about $18 total--which was half of what I spent!!  If you take the chicken out of the picture, I would have only spent $18.99 for the other 69 items!!!

Thanksgiving Foods Deals

Check out this link on the "pinching your pennies" website
before doing your Thanksgiving shopping!!   

If you find that you need to go to multiple stores, remember that Walmart will price match--take the store ads with you just in case Walmart wants to see them.

Here is the link:

Common Thanksgiving foods deals

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Smith's just keeps giving us great sales!!

Smith's had a GREAT sale on several things last week--fortunately the sale is continuing on many of the items through this week--so get your coupons ready and go stock up!! It's been a while since there has been a really good cereal sale and with my baby coming soon, I wanted to stock up on what I could--my husband LOVES cereal and if he had the choice, he would live off of it completely!

Total Spent:  $59.39 

Plus I received $11.50 in catalinas to use on my next shopping trip!

Bought:  38 items 

Not including individual bananas and apples--I have about 6 bananas and 10 apples, 

making it 54 items.

Total Saved:  $107.23

What's in the picture?

10 LARGE boxes of cereal

5 fruit roll-ups/fruit by the foot (for every 5 you bought, you got a $3 catalina)

5 boxes of granola bars (for every 5 you bought, you got a $3.50 catalina)

5 16 oz. pkgs of Kraft cheese (for every 5 you bought, you got a $5 catalina)

1 peanut butter--it was the last one--they are on sale for $1/18 oz.

3 Sunny Delights--these were only $.53 each after the coupon!

3 Hamburger/Chicken Helpers

1 package of popcorn

1 London Broil family pack (5.3 lbs total)

a bunch of apples

a bunch of banans

2 lbs grapes

1 loaf of bread

I was quite pleased with this shopping trip because I got 3 smallish London Broils in the meat pack and quite a bit of produce.  I was REALLY pleased with the cheese sale--if you bought 5 Kraft cheese packages, you got a $5 catalina and we were about out of cheese from the last time I stocked up!  This sale is one where you buy certain items and for every 8 of those items, you get $4 off.  They are always really nice about counting to make sure you have even groups of 8 and they have never given me a hard time about coupons.

Okay, so I went back for more!!  

And it was a good thing too, because although they are having pretty much the same sale again this week, the Kraft cheese catalina has ended (catalinas have nothing to do with sales, but is a promo done by seperate companies--they are listed at the bottom of the shopping list on the individual grocerysmarts lists so you know when they are available).  And I just throw the packages of cheese in the freezer!  They freeze great!

Total Spent:  $31.99

I used my $11.50 in catalinas, and I got $7.50 more to use on my next shopping trip!

Bought:  30 items

Total Saved:  $70.06

What's in the Picture?

11 boxes cereal

3 boxes granola bars

1 package of nut clusters

5 16 oz packages of Kraft cheese

4 18 oz peanut butters

4 large yogurts

2 loaves bread

Yes, I know it's a TON of Golden Grahams, but that is one of my husbands FAVORITE cereals and it hasn't been on a good sale for a while!  And Trix is one of our kids' favorites--and they get a box for their birthday and on Christmas. It's great to be stocked up on cheese, yogurt, fruit roll-ups, granola bars, cereal,  & peanut butter (though I plan to get more of that this week for $1 each)!  Great way to start off the school year!

Smith's AWESOME Coupon Sale!!

Smith's had a "3-day coupon event" where all coupons for less than $1 automatically go through as $1.00!!!  They had a GREAT P&G promotion as well, and I even got several things free!

Total Spent:  $185.42

Bought:  110 Items 
This means the average cost was $1.69 per item--the only item that would not be around that price or more normally (except maybe at a gas station) would be the cans of tuna-fish.  All of the other items would generally be more than that and many of the items would be TONS more than that--I LOVE IT!!

Total Saved:  $205.56 

($85.52 in coupons--coupons really can pay off--they almost doubled the savings from the store's sale!)

The Details:

5 16-double roll packages of Charmin toilet paper ($4.99)

4 boxes Tide-146 oz. powder ($8.99)

2 cases Pampers wet-wipes ($7.49)

6 packages Pampers diapers ($5.99)

2 packages duracell batteries-20 count AAA & 4 count 9V ($7.99)

4 Scrubbing Bubbles Fantastic Spray ($2.09)

8 cans Dole pineapple ($.29)

3 cans Dole pineapple juice ($1.19)

4 boxes Honey Bunches cereal ($1.25)

4 Crest toothpaste (FREE)

15 cans Bumblebee tunafish ($.29)

2 Ivory Soap body washes (FREE)

2 3-packs Ivory bar soap (FREE)

2 Softsoap handsoap ($.50)

7 Dawn dish detergents ($.50)

2 32-count Cascade Packs ($3.99)

4 Deodorants (FREE)

7 Herbal Essences Shampoo/Conditioner ($.99)

4 Satin Care shave gels ($.89)

10 Yoplait Greek Yogurts ($.19)

5 Weber Grill Seasoning packets (FREE)

4 Gallons milk ($1.79)

2 dozen eggs ($.79)

2 loaves bread ($1.25)

I was really pleased as I put things away and had to really make room to fit it all in cupboards and food storage!  I have been working on trying to get stocked up on things well--aiming for that 1-year supply and trying to get ready for the baby. As I put things away, I realized that I have 1-year supply of soap, toothpaste, dish-soap, toothbrushes, floss, shampoo/conditioner--pretty much the bathroom needs.  I don't have a full year of toilet paper--I am not sure how much we actually use each month--but we have quite a bit--probably at least 4 months worth.  We also have at least 6 months worth of laundry detergent and 1 year of other laundry and cleaning supplies (bleach, fabric softener, stain removals, fabric sheets, pine-sol, toilet bowl cleaners, etc.)!  The best part about it all is that I haven't had to spend anything extra to get all of it!!  In-fact I spend half of what I used to on my groceries and household supplies--yet I get so much more!  That is why I LOVE grocerysmarts!!  Thank you grocerysmarts!

Smith's Shopping Trip

Total Spent:  $45.14

Bought:  29 items

Total Saved:  37.61

What's in the picture?

6 C&H 5 lb sugars

7 Crest toothpastes

4 4-pack yogurts

4 gallons milk

3 lbs butter

1 bunch bananas

1 18 count large eggs

1 16 oz. honey bear

1 10 lb. rice

1 1 lb brown rice

This was a funny trip in that I forgot my sugar coupons--making them $1.50/5lb package.  They were already on sale for $2/5 lb package, which isn't bad at all and I was running low on sugar, so I went ahead and just got it.  The toothpaste was only $.25 each!

And yes, I went back for more sugar with the sugar coupons this time!!  And, they also had the Mentos gum this time--which was free with the coupons!

Total Spent:  $23.53

Bought:  87 items 

(wow--all that Kool-aid--ha ha!  Without the Kool-aid, 27 items)

Total Saved:  $53.95

What's in the picture?

2 Breyer's icecreams

6 C&H 5 lb sugars

5 VO5 shampoos

2 parmesean cheeses

2 4-pack yogurts

60 packs of Kool-aid

10 mentos gums (FREE!!)

Walgreens

Total Spent:  $13.35 

($11.74 before taxes)

Received:  $12 in Register Rewards

Bought:  17 items

Total Saved:  $33.34

This was a great shopping trip--for two reasons--it took me about 20 minutes total and I got back in register rewards almost what I spent!  Also, I needed some highlighters, index cards, and a glue stick.  We are always going through paper (my daughter is an avid artist) so for $2/package, I was pleased!  And I love protector sheets.  I like to use those for many organizational purposes--$.29/package!  The razor is great because it ended up being $.89 after the coupon and register rewards!  It comes with 2 cartridges--so when my husbands old razor needs new cartridges--we will just throw it away and get out the new razor that cost less than replacing cartridges!  

Remember, grocerysmarts is about stocking up on things you will use over time--a great way to start up your year-supply of food, personal, and household items.  The more you shop grocerysmarts, you will find yourself saving more and more--especially getting a lot more for a lot less!  You will begin to gather up a 3 month or even year supply of items you use over time and you will be able to get what you need from your cupboards!!

Shopping for the Week

Smith's Sale July 14th-20th

Total Spent:  $83.59 ($78.80 before taxes)

Bought:  60 items

Total Saved:  $85.28

($25.35 in coupons & $59.93 for store sale)

I was quite pleased with my shopping this week.  First off, I actually went the first day of the sale and they had everything I had wanted!  Second, there were some great deals on some of the items I need this week for some family parties we have coming up (I am making 3 icecream cake roll cakes tomorrow and I need at least 4 quarts of icecream for those--and yes, they are one of the yummiest cakes, not only because it's a good homemade recipe--completely from scratch--but because I am a good cook)!  Also, I was so pleased to get some blueberries at a good price!  I have been dying to make some homemade blueberry muffins--once again, completely from scratch.  I was also pleased to get some nice toilet paper for a great price!  The newborn diapers were only $5/package (after coupons)--very pleased with that and I think I have enough for the upcoming baby now!  I bought the Luvs at Fresh Market--they were too good of a deal to pass up since I will need them in another month or so.  I just ran in right after going to Smith's and since there is a Fresh Market on my way home from Smith's, it only added about 5 minutes to my shopping trip.  The Rolaids ended up being completely free--I guess I could have waited on the ones I bought last week, but now I am stocked up!

Here are some of the great deals I got:

Breyers icecream:  $1.60 each

Rolaids:  FREE

Spaghettios:  $.39 each

Q-Tips:  $1.20 each

Advil: $1.50 each

Cottonelle Toilet Paper:  $4.49 each (12 double rolls)

Blueberries--2 lbs:  $3.99

Kraft Mayo/Miracle Whip:  $1.69 each

LUVS newborn diapers (38 count):  $4.99

Anyway, go to grocerysmarts and print out your own personalized shopping list of what you want to get!  Go to my "tips & helps section" and/or my instruction page if you are confused.  Best of luck with your awesome shopping!

Smiths & Walgreens--Week of July 5th

Smith's Shopping Trip:

Total Spent:  $14.06 ($12.32 before taxes)

Bought:  13 items

Total Saved:  $38.92  

($18.25 in coupons & $20.67 from store sales)

4 boxes of cereal

1 gallon milk

1 package newborn diapers

5 toothbrushes

1 package Rolaids

1 package jelly rolls

I was quite pleased with my purchase.  As you can see, I didn't need much, but I am getting stocked for the baby and the Rolaids were one of those things I have run out and needed (pregnancy does that to you!!) and um. . . same with the jelly rolls!  Ha Ha!  Anyway, I wanted to show the picture anyway because it is just what I bought and I thought it ended up pretty good!  I can fill some of my cravings for great deals too!! 

Oh, and it is an AWESOME cereal sale!  With coupons, boxes of cereal ended up anywhere from $.50-$1/box--but I didn't hit the sale until they were pretty much out of cereal.

Walgreens Shopping Trip:

Total Spent:  $14.45

($12.15 before taxes)

Received:  $6 in Register Rewards

Bought:  15 items

Total Saved:  $49.42

($38 in coupons & previous register rewards & $11.42 from store sales)

4 containers of Gummi-vites (kids vitamins)

2 packages Epsom Salt

2 packages of flossing picks 

2 colgate toothbrushes

2 packages of 10 count pens

1 package of 10 count pencils

1 paint set

1 pair of basketball shorts

Pretty Sweet is all I can say!!

Fresh Market Shopping Trip

Here is my shopping trip--keep in mind that I don't normally buy soda pop--but we get it for the 4th of July.  It was great because the soda pop and the pineapple was the only things I had to buy for the 4th of July celebration!  The reason I needed so little was because we were already stocked up on all the other things I needed--and at great prices--AWESOME!

So, here is what I bought:

Total Spent:  $37.93

Items Bought:  33

Total Coupon Savings:  $13.50

(the savings doesn't include the sale prices--just total in coupons)

Details:

3 - 24 oz. pkgs Gold 'n Plump chicken wings & drums  ($.67 each!)

3 Kraft salad dressing ($.67 each!)

2 large cans crushed pineapple ($.75 each)

3 packages of Solo paper plates ($1 each)

2 boxes of Chex cereal($1.14 each)

2 Sunny Delights ($.75 each)

7 cans of biscuits ($.28 each)

2  - 16 oz bacon ($1.49 each)

4 cases of soda pop ($10 total for 4)

2 lbs of cheese ($4)

2 gallons milk ($1.89 each)

1 dozen eggs ($.79)

1 loaf Sarah Lee whole wheat bread ($1.67)

AMAZING Smith's Shopping Trip June 26th!!

Total Spent:  $125.60

Bought:  124 items

Saved:  $172.59

This was an amazing shopping trip!!
I was really pleased with how well-stocked they were and was able to get most of the items I had wanted!  They were only out of a few things that I had wanted, but I wasn't surprised since there were free or incredibly cheap items with the coupon (Yoplait Greek yogurts, Bounty paper towels, Ziploc freezer bags, & French's Worcestershire sauce). 

I got several items free and so much for AMAZING prices!  I was very excited when I came home and laid it all out!
So here it all is if you want to know!

2 packages of Huggies Newborn diapers ($7.19 each)

4 containers Pampers wipes ($.59 each)

2 Clorox bleach ($.99 each)

2 Purex laundry detergent ($2.19 each)

2 Pinesol cleaners ($.99 each)

2 Windex all-purpose cleaners ($1.19 each)

1 Cascade dish-washing liquid ($3.21)

2 Ivory 3-pack soaps (free)

2 Dial foaming soaps ($.50)

4 Dawn dish detergent w/ Oil of Olay ($.49 each)

2 Plackers flossing packages ($1.99 each)

3 Frigo string cheese ($1.99 each)

3 Kroger shredded cheese ($.94 each)

2 gallons milk ($1.79 each)

1 Tropicana ($1.69)

2 Yoplait yogurts--32 oz ($1.50 each)

1 cottage cheese ($.88)

1 sour cream ($.88)

2 Challenge butters--8 oz whipped, spreadable ($.99 each)

3 Pillsbury biscuits--8 count ($.86 each)

1 Kroger pinto beans (free + $.32)

2 Jack Daniels bbq sauces ($.89 each)

3 French's mustards ($.49 each)

4 Hunts ketchups--35 oz! ($.79 each)

8 Betty Crocker Supreme brownie mixes (my favorite--$1.19 each)

4 boxes Quaker granola bars ($1.61 each)

5 Betty Crocker fruit roll-ups/by the foot ($.59 each--catalina included)

9 Banquet frozen meals ($.69 each)

4 Totino's pizza rolls packages (free + $.05 each)

2 El Monterey frozen burritos pkgs ($2.50 each)

2 1 lb packages premium Frost o' Lakes Turkey Breast ($1.99 each)

2 David Sunflower seeds ($.50 each)

2 Mentos gums ($.39 each)

4 Zone bars ($.50 cents)

4 Ortega Taco Seasoning pkgs ($.50 each)

1 Barilla pasta shells ($.25)

2 Smart Taste Penne Pasta pkgs (free)

4 Wacky Mac pkgs ($.25 each)

2 Suddenly Salad pkgs ($.75 each)

1 Kroger cake mix (free + $.11)

2 Jello gelatin pkgs ($.15 each)

2 C&H brown sugar (2 lb) pkgs

4 Betty Crocker cookie mixes ($.69 each)

4 Texas Toast crutons ($.29 each)

2lb pkg carrots ($1.39)

2 lbs apple ($2.38)

2.7 lbs bananas ($1.38)

Wow!  Most of the items were AMAZING prices and I am excited to have re-stocked--I had run out or was about to run out of some of the above items--perfect timing!  Hopefully they will last through until the next amazing sale on those items!  Sales rotate--some every few weeks, some every couple of months and some are every 4-6 months--like the Supreme brownies--they often have regular brownie mixes on sales for less than $1, but not generally the Supreme ones--and those are my favorite!

Free Kids Meals at IKEA!

Kids 11 & under Eat FREE at IKEA today thru July 5th. Choose any three kid-sized items to create a meal - no adult purchase necessary. $2.49 value.

Thanks for the info from PinchingYourPennies.com through facebook.

Smith's Mega Event Sale--June 23rd-29th

All manufactures' coupons will be worth $1 for this weeks sales! This means that any coupon less than $1 will come up as $1 off! So if I have a $.25 off coupon or a $.50 off coupon, it will be $1 off!!
So get ready and shop at Smith's this week!! Check out www.grocerysmarts.com--passport:g84cah (this is a Utah passport--if you are from another state, go to www.pinchingyourpennies.com and there are links for other states).

Remember, grocerysmarts will tell you if you need a coupon and which coupon insert it is in--SS=smart source, PG=Proctor & Gamble, GeneralMills (they come in the Sunday paper), RP=redplum (comes in the mail or Sunday paper depending on where you live). It will have the date next to it which means the Sunday paper in which it came--NEVER cut out your coupons until you are ready to use them--just sort the coupon inserts according to their date and keep them for at least 4 months. Grocerysmarts does all the work for you in finding coupons and telling you when to use them--saves you TONS of time!!

Here are some of the items that are going to be GREAT deals!!
*Frigo string cheese
*Post cereals (not as good as last week, but still only $1/box)
*Betty Crocker cookie mixes (only $.69!!!!)
*Betty Crocker fruit snacks
*Bounty paper towels
*Dial Soap, 6-8 ct bars or 32-50 oz Liquid Soap Refill
*Orville Gourmet Popping Corn ($.69!!)
*Totinos Pizza Rolls, 15 ct (FREE)
*Trop50, 59 oz
*Windex Cleaners
*Cascade Dishsoap & Tabs
*C&H brown sugar
*Dole mandarin oranges

And a lot more--
So check it out and enjoy stocking up and saving $$!!

Free Zoo, Movie, or Baseball tickets with Cache Valley Purchases

You can get a free ticket for the Zoo, Bees, or Movie tickets when you bring 4 empty packages of cheese and/or butter at the ticket office--limit of four free tickets per household!

http://www.cachevalleydairy.com/summerfun/

Thanks to Jamie for the info!!

Walgreens Sale--June 20-26th

This is a GREAT time to stock up on Gillette or Old Spice items! Also Herbal Essences, Aussie, contact solution, Lysol, tampons and so on!

I got 9 Old Spice deodorants (the only kind my husband will use), 2 Old Spice body sprays, 3 Old spice body washes, 1 Herbal Essences hair spray, & 2 Aussie products.

Total Spent:  $43.89 (if you subtract the $35, it's about $9 total--Amazing!!)

Received $35 in register rewards  

(Walgreens cash to use on my next shopping trip--pictured below)

Bought:  17 items

Saved:  $38.44  (not including the register rewards)

So How did I do it?  

The Walgreens list is on the grocersmarts link--it will guide you as to what the sale is and where to get the coupons.  The store also labels all items that have a register reward, so you will know if you are getting the correct item.  

The sales are: buy $25 worth of Old Spice and/or Gillette items and get $10 in register rewards (the store will have items labeled that are part of the sale).  Then there is a register reward of $4.50 when you buy Old Spice or Gillette body wash.  And $2 register rewards for Aussie and Herbal Essences (and much more--check out grocerysmarts).  To equal your $25--you must have at least $25--$24.99 won't work.  So you generally have to go over a little to make it work for you.  But the awesome thing is that it just has to equal $25 BEFORE you use the coupons!  So with a buy 1 get one free coupon--you are getting everything half off, plus the $10.  Also, you can not use a register reward in a purchase in which you expect to get a register reward--it will cancel out the register reward to be received.

So here is what I did:

I did this in two transactions because you can only get each kind of Register Reward in one transaction. 
The first transaction was all the "white" deodorants and one body wash--using 2 sets if the the "buy 1 deodorant get 1 free coupons, and 1 set of the "buy 1 body wash get 1 free deodorant" coupon--along with an Aussie product and an Herbal essences product and their coupons. 
I received $10, $4.50, and 2 $2 register rewards with the first transaction. 

The second transaction was the other old spice items--using 2 sets of "buy 2 deodorants, get 1 body spray free", then 1 coupon for "buy 1 body wash, get 1 free", and then finally another Aussie product. 
I received $10, $4.50, and $2 register rewards.

If it sounds tricky, just go try it out--you will get the hang of it and be grateful for all of your savings!!  Remember it takes a few tries to get something down--don't give up--it gets easier and easier and way worth the money saved!!

Smiths Sale--June 16th-22nd

There were several great items on last weeks sale (ending today)--the post cereal ($.75 after coupon!), yogurt, eggs, ivory body wash ($.50 after coupon!).

Anyway, they were out of a few things being the end of the sale (though Smith's is really good about restocking on most items), and I was pleased with what I got: 3 yogurt 4 packs, 1 dz eggs, 1 case water bottles, 1 lb shredded cheese, 1 lb string cheese, 2 loaves bread, 2 ivory body washes, bananas, popsicles, icecream sandwiches, 4 boxes of cereal (that's the main thing that I wanted that they were out of-- Honey Bunches of Oats--though my husband is stopping by on his way home from work because they told me they would restock last night, and it's the last day of the sale).

Total Spent:  $22.73

Bought:  20 items

Saved:  $37.44

Yes, I even did some "grocerysmart" shopping on my family vacation!!

I was down in St. George and there was a great sale on several things.  I didn't want to take away from the vacation, so I wasn't sure I would go to the grocery store.  But then we needed some bread and milk--and since I was there and had planned on the possibility of getting some "non-perishables" that we could pack in the car and use later, I went ahead.  If I hadn't bought the toilet paper, ketchup and frosted flakes (My husband's all time favorite cereal--was great for Father's day--ha ha!)--I would have spent only $6 for the bread and milk--this means that 36 rolls of toilet paper, five boxes of frosted flakes, and 5 bottles of Hunts ketchup only cost me just over $21 and we were low on toilet paper and I had planned to stop at Costco after our trip and just get an 36 pack there--which is $18 just for that!  I was pretty excited and so was Jon when he saw the Frosted Flakes!

Total Spent:  $27.39

Bought:  16 items

Saved:  $48.95

Smith's & Walgreens Sale

Walgreens sales end on Saturdays--so if you haven't gotten your free Schick Hydro 3/5 blade razor and Nivea for Men body wash--run over and get those!

Smith's has some great deals--several 5* items--so be sure to check those out!

Things I noticed are:  Corn on the cob, watermelon, Dannon Activa yogurt, Sour cream, Kroger bottled water, Post cereals (only $.75/box!!), Dial soap ($.65 for either the liquid or a 2 bar pack), and Ivory body wash or 2 count bar soap (only $.50)!!

Remember that when you get started you at first spend close to what you used to spend because you aren't stocked up on anything.  Sales will come and go on different things and grocerysmarts will match coupons to the sale items making them REALLY cheap.  You will need to stock up on the 4 & 5 star items that you will use sometime in the next 2-6 months.  Then as you get stocked up on things, you won't need as many things on a regular basis and you will start needing to buy less and less and get to the point where you are just getting the stock up items (4 & 5 star items) and milk, meat, and fresh produce!  You will love how much you will be saving!!

Enjoy your savings and deals!

P & G Coupons--Postmark by June 15th

This Mail-in form was in your May P&G insert. You receive $100 worth of P&G coupons that last through the year when you send in receipts showing that you have purchased $50 worth of P&G products. I did this last year and it was great to use for P&G sales! Just follow the directions on the form, send it in and look forward to some awesome coupons!

Some Samples of Shopping Trips

Here is a Smith’s Shopping trip, using coupons to match the sale:
(I used grocerysmarts.com to tell me exactly where to get the coupons; grocerysmarts does most of the work for you!)

4 large yogurts
2 danimals yogurts
2 cottage cheeses
1 sour cream
1 cheetos
1 donettes
1 8-bar Zest soap
1 8-bar safeguard soap
2 old spice deodorants
2 head & shoulders
2 herbal essences

Total Spent: $28.47
(plus $5 in Fresh Values rewards)
Bought: 19 items
Saved: $30.47



Here is a Smith’s Shopping trip, using coupons to match the sale:
(I used grocerysmarts.com to tell me exactly where to get the coupons; grocerysmarts does most of the work for you!)

3 Tide detergents
2 Betty Crocker cake mixes
2 shredded cheese
4 Flipz pretzels
2 large Kroger Whipped toppings
1 Jumbo package Pampers diapers

Total Spent: $20.44
Bought: 14 items
Saved: $38.40



Here is a Macey’s Shopping trip, using coupons to match the sale:
(I used grocerysmarts.com to tell me exactly where to get the coupons; grocerysmarts does most of the work for you!)

4 caprisun sunrise--$1.15 each
3 bags cheetos--$1.48 each
2 bags fritos--$1.48 each
1 bag Don Julio chips--$.88
1 box cheerios--$1.08
1 box Wheaties Fuel--$.83
6 Gogurts--$1 each
2 Nature Valley granola bar boxes--$1.18 each
2 boxes Plastic Utensils--$.50 each
6 bags frozen vegetables--$.58 each
5 pkgs instant pudding--$.38 each
6 pkgs. Jello--$.33 each
2 upside down bottles ketchup, 32 oz-$.88
3 bottles mustard, 24 oz--$.68
1 dozen large eggs--$1.25
2 sour creams, 16 oz.--$.99
2 cans mandarin oranges--$.50 each
Don Julio Tortillas--$.88 each
3.5 lb bag Tyson Frozen chicken breasts--$5.99

Total Spent: $46.64
Bought: 52 items
Saved: $13.80
(The savings for Associated Foods stores is just in coupons—I don’t know how much was saved including the sale—the receipts at most Associated Foods stores don’t break down your savings on the receipt like they do at some other stores)



Here is a Walgreens Shopping trip, using coupons to match the sale:
(I used grocerysmarts.com to tell me exactly where to get the coupons; grocerysmarts does most of the work for you!)

2 Pantene styling products
6 Pantene Shampoo/Conditioners

Total Spent: $3.96
Bought: 8 items
Saved: $28.59



Here is a Smith’s Shopping trip, using coupons to match the sale:
(I used grocerysmarts.com to tell me exactly where to get the coupons; grocerysmarts does most of the work for you!)

3 Robin Eggs (before Easter—not an after holiday sale)
8 pouches of Albacore tuna (FREE with the coupons!!)
5 American Beauty pastas
2 Mini-Wheats
1 Wesson oil

Total Spent: $9.34
Bought: 19 items
Saved: $33.06



Here is an Albertsons shopping trip where they had a special P&G sale (proctor and gamble—one of the coupon inserts in the newspaper) and they also had Post Cereal and some other things on sale:
(I used grocerysmarts.com to tell me exactly where to get the coupons; grocerysmarts does most of the work for you!)

12 boxes cereal
4 pantene products
2 old spice deodorants
1 bounce dryer sheet
1 bounce dryer bar
2 tides
1 mr clean eraser 2 pack
4 packages shredded cheese
4 crest toothpastes
1 6-pack oil of olay soap
2 cases of pampers diapers
2 packages bounty napkins
1 case of bounty paper towels
1 3-pack puff facial tissues
3 febreezes
4 packages solo plastic cups
1 dawn dish soap
1 cascade dishwasher powder

Total Spent: $86.21
Bought: 47 items
Saved: $189.24



Here is a Fresh Market Shopping trip, using coupons to match the sale:
(I used grocerysmarts.com to tell me exactly where to get the coupons; grocerysmarts does most of the work for you!)

10 soup cans--$.35 each
4 Kellogg pop tarts--$ .48 each
2 farm whole wheat farm breads--$.98 each
3 Langers apple juice--$.78 each
2 Motrin PM’s--$.47 each
1 large eggs--$1.25
2 lb block cheese--$3.99
Leaf Lettuce--$.89
1 lb baby carrots--$.99
2 ½ lbs boneless pork chops--$4.40

Total Spent: $22.78
Bought: 26 items
Saved: $17.11

What items do you buy using grocerysmarts?

An array of items I got for very cheap using grocerysmarts to show me how to use coupons to match the sale. Many of these items I could never afford--but using coupons to match the sale--they were cheaper than the off-brand! Several of the items were even free!


One of my first “grocerysmarts” shopping trips. I don’t have the receipt—but I remember that my husband and I were excited enough at the savings that we took a picture!

It took a few shopping trips to feel like I knew what I was doing, but it was way worth it—so much so that I am still doing it and I don’t think I will ever be able to go back to just buying whatever was cheapest at Walmart—
I save so so so much more the grocerysmarts way!

My very first Grocerysmarts shopping trip!

Total Spent: $24
Bought: 36 items

This was my very first “grocerysmarts” shopping trip. After attending a class I was very skeptical, but I decided to give it a try. It was just before Christmas/New Years of 2008--I thought, "FREE food? no way!" (several of the above items were free or under $.50!! I was very nervous that I wouldn’t do it right—but I decided to go for it anyway.

When I got home I couldn’t believe it! My husband and I were so excited that we took a picture!

Before this shopping at Walmart and just getting the off-brand was the way I thought I could save money shopping--boy did I have SO much to learn and what a blessing it has been in our lives!