Buy a 22 ounce drink and get a FREE Grilled Chicken Salad Sandwich or Wrap FREE!!!!

FREE SANDWICH COUPON

BTW – I had one for lunch today – It’s good. It has chicken, apples, grapes, pecans and celery in it. All served on two hearty slices of whole grain bread. Delicious!

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Lesson # 1 – You can’t save if you don’t have the coupons.

Here’s the scoop. You can’t really save if you don’t have the coupons to do it. So I’m often asked where do you get all these coupons.  Well, they’re everywhere, including Sunday newspapers, your junk mail, they get mailed to your home by manufacturers, they’re located in the stores in cardboard displays, on the shelves in front of the product, on the product itself,  and also on your computer where you can print them off at home.

It’s true,  coupons are everywhere. Now here’s a  breakdown of each type of coupon out there and some coupon terminology.

Insert Coupon- these coupons usually come in the weekend paper. It’s the Sunday paper here. The major inserts that can be found are put out by Smart Source (SS), Red Plum (RP) ,  Proctor and Gamble (PG) and General Mills (GM). The Smart Source and Red Plum are usually found in the paper weekly. The others are found periodically throughout the year.  Always get your Sunday papers in pairs to maximize your savings!!  More details to follow in a different post.

Blinkie coupon – These coupons are usually found in front of the item. It’s a small machine that has a red flashing light on it, hence the name Blinkie. They coupons are usually dispense one at a time. Always take you Blinkies in pairs!!!

Peelie coupon – This coupon is attached to the actual product itself and has to be “peeled” of the product to be used.

Tearpad coupon – This coupon is usually attached to the shelf in front of the product. You simply “tear” off the coupon from the pad so that it can be used at the cash register.

Store coupon – This coupon is put out by the store itself. They are usually found in the weekly ad or in specialty fliers or booklets published by the store. The good thing about store coupons is that they can be combined with the coupons issued by the manufacturers for maximizing savings! Sometimes store coupons can be found in the Sunday papers as well.

Competitor coupon – This coupon is identical to a store coupon but is used at a store other than the store that has issued it. For example – Winn Dixie may issue a store coupon for $1.00 off cheese, but if you take it to Publix it would be considered a “Competitor” coupon but they would still take it as a “Store” coupon at their store.

On-product coupon – This coupon means that the coupon is actually part of the product packaging and is meant to be used on your next purchase of the product.

Internet coupon – These coupons are becoming more and more popular because they can be targeted to the consumers who will actually use them. Then can be found on sites like RedPlum.com and Coupons.com. They can also be found on the manufacturer’s websites as well.  Facebook is also becoming an increasing good source of high value coupons. These coupons can be printed at home on your printer usually after installing a small coupon printing app.  The purpose of the app is to limit the number of coupons that you print and also prevent the coupon from being fraudulently manipulated.

So the next time you see a coupon, pick it up. In fact,  pick up two!

Why pick up your coupons in multiples of two?  This will allow you to maximize your savings. My store, Publix , allows you to use a coupon on each item of a Buy One Get One sale (BOGO).

Example:

Progresso Soup is B1G1 (reg price per can $2.29)
With B1G1 sale, price for 2 cans is $2.29 (you save $2.29!)
Using two $1.00 off coupons, price for 2 cans  is now $0.29 (you save $4.29!)

So for now, start collecting those coupons. Remember you can’t save if you don’t have those coupons!!!!!!

So what that means is I was able to get 2 - 6packs of Snapple for $2.99.

Now here’s what I did to make this a super deal!  There are rebate forms out there for Snapple.  So I’m sending in my receipts for these, which means, I get $4.99 back from Snapple! Yes on the original price because that’s how the receipt rings it up.

What it comes down to in the end is that Snapple pays me $1.00 for taking each 6 pack off the shelf! I think I ended up with 12 6 packs.  Yippee or should I say  Ahhhhhhh!

and like it’s printed on the shampoo bottle – Lather, Rinse and Repeat!

Ka – ching!

Check out the total on the receipt.

Well I’ve been quite busy. There were some great sales at my Publix and Albertson’s  this week.  I spent quite a bit more out of pocket the past two weeks but when you net it all out – I only spent $2.15 – if I did the math right.

My total out of pocket expense was $330.11.  But, and this is a BIG but, part of what I brought home was 6 – $50 Shell Gas cards! So that takes me down to $30.11. Well that would be great, but I also have to fill out 4 rebate forms for some Clorox 2 worth $6.99 each. So that brings my actual expense to only $2.15 cents! That’s right only $2.15.  Now that’s just awesome! Especially considering I brought home over 780 items!  That’s right over 780 items. Some of the items are pictured above. The Savings for the two weeks was over $1800 dollars.  They are listed below - 

Quite the haul. I filled all my friends freezers with free food and what I won’t be using will be going to a local food bank or shelter. Nothing will go to waste. Some people ask why do you buy if it you don’t use it. Well in some cases you have to purchase something to get what you do want – for free. I’ll get in to that when I start documenting how I do my couponing.  Trust me – I never overpay for anything anymore.  I know better now!

OK, I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been saving and adding to my stash.

This past week has included such great deals as

FREE Starbucks Ice Cream – 20 pints so far (They actually paid me a quarter to take each one of these! Now we’re talking.)

FREE Fisher Fusions Trail Mix – 60 packs so far (actually they paid me to take these too!)

Cheap Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream – 6 pints – Only because Starbucks has limited flavors)  .25 Cents a Pint

Cheap Hershey Nuggets – 30 Bags! Special Dark, Milk Chocolate, with Toffee, With Almonds – I used the overage from the ice cream to buy these.

Cheap Hormel Pork Tenderloin – 9  Only $1 each for 27 oz  – Asst varieties

Yo-Plus yogurts  – 8 –  4 packs – Only .25 cents a pack.

I picked up some other items butthey were just odds and ends.

Previous weeks booty included – Dr Pepper, Breyers Ice Cream, Quaker Quakes and Pork Ribs and even some Bud Lite with great rebates!

Here’s this week score! – I’m so glad the upcoming week is going to be very slow for me – I’m exhausted.

This past week was a good one! 

At Albertson’s, I was able to score -  $$$$$

 64 Marcal  paper towels  – FREE after coupon

18 4 pk Marcal Toilet Tissue – FREE after coupon

25 Marcal Facial Tissue – FREE after coupon

9 Breyers Ice Cream Pints – FREE after coupon

3 2 liter Pepsi  – Buy 2 G1 FREE

8 Fresh Express Garden Blends – FREE after coupon

2 Lays Potato Chips – BOGO

1 Tortilla Chips – just plain good!

2 1.5 litre George DeBeourf Table Wines  – BOGO

18 Kraft BBQ Sauce – -Earned .25 cents per bottle after coupon and Catalina!

 Total Spent $29.98 of that $12.30 was Tax!   

 Total Savings – $197.54

Now at Publix, I was able to do much better!!!!!      $$$$$$

5 – Buddies Soap  – .09 after coupon

1 – Johnson Baby Wash – .95 after coupon

8  - 8oz Breakstone Sour Cream – FREE after coupon

1 – 32 oz Daisy Sour Cream – .69 after coupon

19 – 36 ct Chinet Lunch Plates – FREE after coupon

19 – 40 ct Chinet Beverage Napkins - Earned  .01 cent after coupon

6 – Hormel Bacon pieces – FREE after coupon

12 – Glade Plugins – FREE with instore coupon

46 – Kashi Pocket Breads  -  .09 cents after coupon and 50% off

20 – Kashi Entrée   - Earned  .10 cent after coupon and 50% off

3 – 6 oz Dole Salad – FREE when spending $30 @ Publix (before coupons – LOL)

18 – Smart Balance Spread – BOGO and .89 after coupons

5 – Smart Balance Milk – FREE WYB 1 Smart Balance Spread

13 – Smart Balance Butter – FREE WYB 1 Smart Balance Spread

4 – Scrubbing Bubbles – .60 cents each after coupon

14 – Fiber Plus Breakfast bars 5 ct – $1.00 each after coupon

2 – Kellogs Special K Bliss 5 ct – $1.00 each after coupon

36 – Schick Extreme 3 Disposable Razors – 6 pack – BOGO – so FREE after coupon

20 - Women’s Quatro Disp Razor – 3 pk - Earned 1.71 for each two purchased after coupon

6 – Dannon Yogurt – 6 pks – .25 each after coupon

1 – J&J Adhesive Tape – FREE after coupon

1 – J&J Flex Gauze – FREE after coupon

2 – Snuggle Fabric Softener – 2.99 after coupon

1 – Publix Bird Seed

3 – Uncle Bens Ready Rice – .33 after coupon

2 – Hot Pocket Paninis  – .67 after coupons

1 – Muir Glenn Tomato Paste -  .09 after coupon

3 – PlumSmart Juice – $1.99 after coupon

2 – Glade Twin pack Refills – BOGO $3.49 after coupon

2 – Glade Plug-in with Night lights – FREE after coupon

1 – Hallmark Card

Total Spent $61.88 of that $18.38 was Sales Tax!  

Total Savings – $872.73

Total Savings 

  $1,070.27

#1
2 Glad Straws (1 $1/2 MQ)
2 FresH Express Salads ( 2 $1/1 MQ, 2 $1/1 Publix Q)
1 Egg Roll Wrappers (No coupon)
12 Starkist Seasations ( 12 $3/1 MQ)
1 Glade Plug-in Warmer (1 Free MQ)
————-=
Total OOP 3.47 Savings $81.31

#2
12 Starkist Seasations (12 $3.00/1 MQ)
1 Glade Plug-in Warmer (1 FREE MQ)
1 1/2 lb Publix Deli Turkey ( 1 $2/1 Deli Wine Tag – NPR)
___________
Total $.53 Savings $76.91

#3
1 Publix 24 Pk Spring water ( Albies Competitor Q)
8 Starkist Seasations ( 8 $3/1 MQ)
2 Fresh Express Salads ( 2 $1/1 MQ, 2 $1/1 Publix Q)
1 1/2 lb Publix Deli Turkey Breast ( 1 $2/1 Deli Wine Tag – NPR)
3 Publix Bottom Round Roast – total 11.10 lbs ( Albies Q – B1G2 – Saved 25.03)
6 GoodLife Catfood (BOGO Raincheck and 6 $3/1 MQ)
__________________________________________________ ____

Total – $12.00 paid by Public Gift card ($25.00) that they sent me for the trouble I had with them on the Trop 50 fiasco two weeks ago. Thanks Publix!

Savings on this order was $105.71

So for all this, the only out of pocket money was $4.00 Better than Vegas. Total savings for the day was $275.93. I feel like I hit the JACKPOT!

And I still have more Q’s!

 http://www.freedietdrpepper.com/

Dr Pepper will send you a coupon for a FREE Diet Dr Pepper.  I chose the 2 litre bottle a couple of weeks back and used it this week at Publix.  They had a Buy One Get One special this week on Pepsi products and Dr Pepper was included! So I ended up getting both 2 litre bottles for FREE.

The coupon expires on 6/30/09 so you have plenty of time to use it. After all who doesn’t like free soda!

This past week deals at Publix meant a lot of FREE Kashi frozen entrees – Chicken Florentine is my favorite. Actually, it wasn’t FREE. They actaully paid me .21 cents to take 2 of them off their shelves!  LOL. 

And the bigger deal was for the Smart Balance  Buttery Spread (2) , Butter Blend Sticks and Milk. With the right coupons it came out to   79 cents for all 4 of them.

Other good stock up items were – Cheap Tropicana OJ, Ocean Spray Cranberry, Fresh Express, TGIF Skillets, B/C Cake mix, Mentos and a few other items.

Total Out of Pocket spent -  51.37

Total Savings – 401.97

Total % Savings – 88%