Saving Money

As I've mentioned before, I've been using TheGroceryGame.com to try to match sales with coupons to get the best price.

I've also discovered a few blogs that list many of the sales/coupons out for you for free! They don't list everything on the ad, but they do list many of the sales where you have a coupon to go with it. They also tell you when you could use a printable coupon, too, and link you to the printable coupon.

Here are some of my favorite blogs (in no particular order):
Growing Up Gabel
Money $aving Methods
My Penny Pile
Southern Savers
It's Hip to Save!
Deal-Seeking Mom
Money Saving Mom
A Thrifty Mom

Each blog is a little different, some tell of online sales, some link to printable coupons for restaurants, some go through all the sales ads (not just the ones available in my area or at the stores here), some give menus/recipes for meals made using the foods on sale, etc. Some tell you where you can go to sign up for free products and samples. Anyone have any other blogs/sites they recommend?

I've also learned through a Yahoo group that I'm a part of (Evelyn's Gleaning, if you're interested in joining, too) that you can upload e-coupons onto your Kroger card and use them along with printed coupons or manufacturer's coupons. Whoa! Sometimes that means double the savings! Using printable/manufacturer coupons and e-coupons, I've gotten toilet paper for free, a $10 Venus razor (my favorite one to use) for $2 and such. I use P&G eSaver and Cellfire.com.

I've also discovered that Walgreens and CVS Pharmacy offer reward bucks (that print out when you purchase certain items listed in their sales ads) that you can use the next time you shop with them.

Whew!

If that sounds overwhelming to you, you're not alone! I feel like I've spent the last few weeks hibernating, just browsing through ads, clipping coupons and reading blogs/e-mails to figure this whole thing out. However, I feel like I am ready to emerge from the blanket of coupons and sales ads that I've been hiding under and share some of the great sales I've found. Not that I've learned everything, because I definitely haven't "arrived" at Coupon Queen status or anything, but I feel a little more comfortable "working the system" at the stores in my area. I'm also still learning what a "good" sale is and what a "great" sale is and how to know to wait for a great one.

I wanted to share my shopping experience this morning. I hit Walgreens and CVS (two seconds apart on the same street!) as well as Target. I have just learned that you can print Target coupons that can be used with regular printable coupons or manufacturer's coupons. It's like using electronic and regular at Kroger. Suh-weet! You can go to Target's website, which has a few or you can get lots here (you don't need to register or anything).

Walgreens:
Betty Crocker chocolate frosting (we like to spread this on graham crackers every once in a while) 2/$3, plus you get a $1 Register Reward (RR) that prints out to use the next time you shop, kinda like making them 2/$2. Plus, I had printed two coupons from coupons.com for .55/1. That made them both .45 each!
Colgate Total toothpaste for $3.49 (more expensive than Wal-Mart, I know) and got $3.49 in RR to use next time. It's like getting it for free! Plus I used a $1/1 coupon, so it was like I got $4.49, instead of just $3.49.

I also have $4.50 to use next time I go to Walgreens.

CVS
Skintimate Shaving Gel on sale for $3.49 (not much of a sale!), but I got $3.49 in Extra Care Bucks (Extra Care Bucks), making it free! Kinda...
Colgate MaxFresh toothpaste on sale for $2.99, with $2.00 in ECB, making it .99, plus I had a coupon for .75/1, making it .24

I have $5.50 in ECB to use next time I shop.

Target
Pledge Multi-Surface Cleaning Spray $3.89. I used a $2/1 printable coupon and a $1/1 printable Target coupon, making it .89. I got two.
Cheetos (Big Grab size by register) $1.25. I used a $1/1 printable Target coupon, making it .25. I got two. Randall loves Cheetos in his lunches.

I bought other items that were on small sales or things I just needed on my list, too. Like, Target had their milk on sale $1.99/gallon and other things like that.

Unfortunately, no pictures because I put everything away before I decided to post this. Sorry! I'll do better next time.

Some sites for printable coupons to go with the e-coupons or use alone:
SmartSource.com, Shortcuts.com and coupons.com. I'm sure there are others, but those seem to be the most popular.

It is a little more time-consuming to do this coupon clipping shopping, and I'm still learning what I need and what I only *think* I need, but it's actually kinda fun! And, it's getting easier and faster as I figure it out. You should try it, too! Tell me if you do!