I have been running a little slim in the fridge and freezer lately since over the last few months, I have been really only cooking what I already had from summer and fall stock ups! So, I planned a little trip to Publix and Kroger tonight.
BTW - take a hint from me....YOU HAVE TO BE SUPER ORGANIZED. Don't say you will plan to do a little shopping on your lunch break or on your way home when you FORGET THE COUPONS TOTE AT HOME!!! I purposefully place the items I need to take to work with in bags and put them in front of the door so I have to see them when I leave for work. However in my cold medicine and oops on the snooze button induced morning fog, I moved the bag, opened the door and went to work. Totally forgetting the bags I laid out to take. Anyway - I hope you are more alert than that so you don't have to drive all the way home JUST TO GET THE COUPONS before you hit the store.
Anyway, first I went to Kroger where I was only really looking for items listed in the Mega Event (which is a big list of items that when purchased in groups of 10 - will earn you an extra $5.00 off your total bill.) Luckily, Jenny @
SouthernSavers and her little band of coupon elves posts all the items in the list, as well as coupon matchups. So all you have to do it find the coupons in your stash of inserts, or print them from links she provides.
My list was pretty simple:
8 Hunts Tomatoes ($.99 each)
2 Mac & Cheese ($1.79 each)
5 Wanchai Ferry frozen dinners ($4.99 each)
2 Armor Meatballs ($2.99 each)
2 Kraft Singles American Cheese ($2.19 each)
1 Philadelphia Cream Cheese ($1.49)
(Also bought 1 bag Kroger rice - 69 cents)
So - 20 total items, which would earn me $10 off my order.
I had 5 $1.50 coupons for Wanchai Ferry (SS 1/2), 2 $.55 - Meatballs (SS 12/12), 2 $1 off Kraft 2% singles (IP), and $1/3 Hunts (Jan. All You Magazine).
Total: $67.89
Coupons: $11.60
Store Sales/Mega Deal: $26.40
Total Saved $38.00
Total OOP: $29.89
*Savings of 55%
Now on to Publix...
I did a little better at Publix, which typically seems to be the case for most grocery trips.
They had their "
Buy Ours, Get Theirs" promotion going on this week where you buy a Name Brand item, and get the Publix brand for that item for free. I was able to score free spaghetti noodles, pasta sauce and parmesan cheese by buying the Muellers, Ragu and Kraft versions of the same. I only had 1 coupon in this deal ($.55 off 1 box of Muellers), but for $5.08, I got 2 boxes noodles, 2 jars pasta sauce and 2 cans of parm. cheese. In essence - I got about 4 meals for $5. You can barely get a "Value Meal" for that price! Kim & I typically buy these any time they offer this special. (*P.S. Baby Spinach was also included in this. But since I forgot to write it down before I went, I asked the only Publix employee who doesn't have a clue and he said no it wasn't included. But looking now, it's on SouthernSavers that it is. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr.*
Now on to the rest of my list:
4 Aunt Jemima Waffles (used a Rain Check from a few weeks ago when they were out. NOTE - Publix rain checks only valid for 30 days.) (BOGO special - $1.20 a box.)
1 Red Baron Pizza ($5.79)
2 cans Emerald Cinnamon Almonds (BOGO - $2.90 each)
1 Thomas Blueberry bagels (BOGO - $2.10)
2 8pk Deer Park Aquapods (2/$3.00)
2 Newman's Own Salsa (2/$4.00)
1 Kraft Parm Cheese (see above)
1 Muellers Pasta (see above)
1 Ragu Sauce (see above)
1 French's Mustard (BOGO - $.88)
2 A-1 sauces (BOGO - $1.96)
2 Uncle Ben's Rice (BOGO - $3.99)
2 Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Gel ($3.99 each)
2 SB Toilet Wand refills ($4.29 each)
2 bags Tastefully Simple red potatoes (BOGO - $1.99)
Total: $94.42 (+ tax for cleaning products only; Lexington Cty doesn't tax groceries)
Coupons (and coupon doubles/store deals): $57.81
Total OOP: $37.77
*Rebate eligible: $5.79 for Red Baron pizza
Total adjusted OOP once rebate is paid: $31.98
***Coupons used:
2 $1/2 Waffles (IP)
1 $1 Red Baron (IP; which means $1 profit after full rebate!)
2 $1 Emerald Nuts (RP 1/2)
2 $1 Deer Park (Facebook Like: IP)
2 $1 Newman's Own product (IP)
1 $.50 Mustard (IP - MADE IT FREE!)
2 Buy 1 Gel, Get Wand or Refill Free coupons (SS 1/9)
1 $2/2 Scrubbing Bubbles (Publix Right at Home Booklet)
2 $1 Tastefully simple potatoes (IP)
1 $1/2 Uncle Ben's product (RP 1/9)
1 $.55 Muellers pasta (IP)
2 $.50 off A-1
All in all, not a bad shopping evening... I even cooked up some Wanchai Ferry Orange Chicken for dinner (and have leftovers for lunch tomorrow). It is SOOO GOOD. Totally not a carb-diet friendly choice if you happen to be following on of those, but if not, and you love Chinese take out - it tastes as good or better than some I have overpaid for at $10. Try it! (There are also inter printable links on SS to save $1.50 in case you missed that paper.)
So until next time - happy saving!
Shannon
