Falling into bad habits...

You will notice that I have not been posting here very often and what I post has been mostly basic coupon info... if you missed my announcement a few weeks ago, I am pregnant and dealing with more than twice the nausea and m/s that I had when I carried Liam...

I can't even put together a grocery list because the thought of food makes me ill, so we're falling into bad habits...
Wayne is doing the shopping and he gets everything we need, but those extra chips, or something else yummy falls into the cart... he will take coupons, as long as I get them ready and hand them to him, but often he'll just stop and get a few things on the way home from work... and forget to take the coupons into the store...

It means that we're spending way more on groceries than I'd like... and I know I need to get back on track... both here and with saving some $$...

But I need help... how do you get back on track when you fall off the wagon?  I am counting down the days to the end of my first trimester and hoping that helps...

I am trying to post more regularly on Acting Balanced - because most posts don't require me to think of food...

So my apologies again for the hiatus and as soon as I'm back on track, the blog will be too...

It doesn't pay to throwaway...

I know that I preach the value of stockpiling and buying copious quantities of things when they come on sale... but it pays to remember - you won't eat what's expired and if you throw it away, you throw away your money too!

I was inspired to write this reminder today by a blog post I found on my Sunday bloggy travels.. You know it's bad when the velveeta's expired from the blog The Bormann Twins which I found through The SITSGirls...

It brings up three important points to remember in our couponning frenzy -

1. Buy what you know you will use in a given period of time ... if you know that your cereal is on a 3 month sale rotation, only buy what you will use in those 3 months give or take... (This is where your price book/grocery records can come in handy... one of my friends T also marks each box of cereal with the date she bought it and then the date she opens it, so she can track her usage!)

2. Even if you have a coupon, if you don't have a need- don't buy it...  the only exception to this rule are freebies and money makers - and those you should donate right away if you are not going to use them!

3. Keep your pantry/fridge organized and do a monthly inventory... check all the expiry dates on everything - including the velveeta, condiments and even the pantry items - especially things like pancake mix and cake mixes etc... if the expiry date is within a month or two, use it up - or donate it!

That's this week's challenge to everyone - take a peek in your pantry, cupboards and fridge and find the stuff that is already staledated or going out... and do something about it!  I'll have a check in on Sunday next week to see what everyone has unearthed...

***I also want to stress the health and safety of keeping your items fresh - here is a link to some excellent advice on food and expiry dates

**** and don't forget to stop by Acting Balanced today for a yummy recipe - it's MMMmonday!

Back to the beginning - Couponning 101 - pt 1

For the next few weeks I will be re-running the original Couponning 101 posts every Friday with modifications to add new material or change dated stuff... Please feel free to add your own tips and tricks in the comments!

Probably the most frustrating part of couponning is getting to the register and being told "You can't do that deal because we don't ...." so getting to know your local store is key to a successful shopping trip - at our class we discovered that within a few miles of each other there were definitive differences between local store policies... so forewarned is forearmed.

The two best sources for coupon policies are your cashiers and your customer service staff... check with them about what their coupon policy is and also check with your friends about how they coupon at your stores...

A quick reference guide is provided here to get you started :)  With thanks to Casie and Melinda for providing the James Island info :)

Publix

1. You do not have to buy 2 of the B1G1 items to get the sale price

2. If you do buy 2 items that are B1G1 make sure you use 2 coupons to get the best deal

3. Publix accepts competitors coupons

4. You can use a store coupon and a manufacturer’s coupon on the same item

5. Most Publix locations double manufacturer coupons that are.50¢ or less **

* The Publix at Folly Road will accept recently expired coupons (within 1-2 weeks) but Main Rd will not.

** Both Publix consider DRUG STORES as competitors so will accept $ off $$ coupons from CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid.  They will also accept World Market, Family Dollar coupons as well!

Bi-Lo

1. Most Bi-Lo store double coupons that are .60¢ or less

2. You can “stack” a store coupon with a manufacturer’s coupon

3. You do not have to buy 2 of the B1G1 items to get the sale price

4. If you do buy two B1G1 items use 2 coupons if you have them

5. Some stores take competitor coupons; please check with your store before shopping to see if a coupon will be accepted.

*Bi-Lo at Bee's Ferry accepts LOCAL competitor  grocery store coupons

Food Lion

1. Check with your local store about B1G1 items. Ask “Are you required to buy 2, or will they each ring up at half price?”
2. Most Food Lion stores do not double coupons.
3. If you do a B1G1 deal, use 2 coupons if they will let you.
4.  There are regional variations in all ads, so check your ad for any small price changes.

Harris Teeter

1. You do not have to buy 2 of the B1G1 items, each item will ring up half price.
2. Coupons are doubled that are .99¢ or less.
3. They will double 20 coupons per day/transaction.
4. You must have a VIC card to get sale prices and for your coupons to double.
5. Most stores only allow one coupon per B1G1 deal, so only buy one per transaction if possible

** Harris Teeter will occasionally offer Triple coupons week (99¢ or less) or Super Doubles (Doubles coupons up to $1.98)

Do you like to receive compliments?

So do the companies that make products you like!

Make it your objective to pick one company/product a week to send an email or make a phone call to make a compliment or suggestion about their product.  Certainly always contact them if there is a quality issue with the product as well - but just sending a quick email to say that you are happy with what they do does wonders too!

It only takes a few minutes and can yield some great high value coupons :)    Don't forget to reply here and let us all know who you contact and what their response is....


Today I contacted Barber Foods after visiting their website to look for coupons :) and here is their response:

Thank you for your thoughtful email and all the nice compliments. We take
extra care to assure premium quality frozen foods for our customers and it
is a real pleasure when consumers take the time to confirm that the extra
effort is worthwhile.

I will pass your product selections on to our Marketing Department.  Please
watch for our follow-up response to arrive shortly by U.S. Mail with some
coupons for future purchases.


We appreciate your interest in our company and the time you have taken to
contact us. Have a great day!


Sincerely,

Barber Foods Consumer Relations
1-800-577-2595

*Visit our website at www.barberfoods.com.  You can find product listings,
serving suggestions and answers to FAQ's.

Spotting Coupon Fraud - a great link from Southern Savers

http://www.southernsavers.com/2010/01/spotting-coupon-fraud/

Preparing for Super Doubles

Here are a few tips and suggestions to make your Super Doubles week at Harris Teeter the best it can be....

1. Make sure you know the rules at your HT

• Some stores limit the number of printable coupons to 2 per product per day, even if they come from different sites
• All stores have a limit of 20 coupons per day
• Use your high value coupons first ($1 to $1.98)
  
• then use your sale matched lower value  (.99 and under)
• Save your regular low value (.99 and under) and super high value ($2 and over) for next week or use elsewhere, unless you have room to back fill (you are under 20 coupons)
• Most stores will only take one coupon per BOGO offer
• Stores will not provide overage (so if you buy an item for $2.00 and use a $1.50 off coupon, you will only get $2.00 off, there are no "money makers" at HT)
  
• Make sure you read all the fine print on your coupons and get exactly the right size/color etc... they will be very strict with this.

2. Make sure that your doubled high value coupons make the offer a good deal...

•  Are you actually going to use it?  Just because you have a coupon for it and the coupon is doubled, if you don't get it free, it's money out of pocket and space in the cupboard that you will waste...
  
• A full price item at $4.99 with a $1.50 off coupon that is doubled to $3.00 is net $1.99 OOP, but if you know that that product regularly goes on sale for BOGO  you can hold your coupon for the BOGO deal and get the same product for $1.00 OOP after $2.50 price and $1.50 coupon
• Take contingency coupons... any item that is advertised on the websites as free after coups will fly off the shelves so plan to take 30 or more coupons to the store for your first trip to make sure you benefit from your trip
• Ask your store staff when they restock the shelves... what day the trucks come in for the products you want to get free... and if they aren't getting things in when you will be able to go back, go to customer service and get a raincheck...

3. Go with a positive attitude...

• The cashiers & staff are happy to help you to save money and its not their fault that the store sold out of all the freebies you wanted, that you brought too many internet coupons or that the product you are trying to get free is 1 oz below the stated limit on the coupon... so make sure you smile and thank them for what they do, even if you have a problem :)

H.

Building winning scenarios...

I don't reinvent the wheel when I shop for my best scenarios, but I do make use Southern Savers shopping lists to pick out the items on the list that I might want at each place I plan to visit each week.  The nice thing is that they print out with the coupon suggestions right on them.
Then I sit down with the list and my coupon binder and pull my coupon matches and highlight those items on my list.
Then I will go back to the Southern Savers page and click on the printable coupon links for the coupons I don't already have.
Then the fun begins, because I start to create both savings scenarios AND my meal plans for the week ahead.
My primary shop is Publix and my two big shopping days are Sunday and Monday because I always get the penny item and either use or share...
Ok, now to work up scenarios ...
I start with the best $ off $$ coupon I have available - this week it's $10 off $30 from World Market (until 12/19)
Then I pull all of my 'freebies' and 'money makers'
Then I pull my >1.00 OOP
Finally I use sort the rest of my options into need now, use later and filler only

Remembering that my target trip is $30 to use the $10 coupon and I can use the $10 off to offset any OOP, I get to work on my best options.

This week, my freebie is Betty Crocker potatoes (BOGO $1.59) and I found that I have 8 printables for $.40 each so that = $6.36 rung up and $6.40 in coupons for -$0.04
Another almost freebie I had was Birds Eye frozen Veg at 50% off - some are small OOP after coupons others are money makers, but I will get one at $2.39 original price and one at $1.79 original price (1.20 and .90 respectively) and use 2 0.50/1 coupons that I clipped for $0.10 OOP and Register 2.10 (running total  $0.06 OOP/reg $8.46)
I had also saved my International Coffee freebie from joining their FB fan page so I will use that for $1.99 and $0 OOP (running total $0.06 OOP/reg $10.45)
Mueller's Pasta is BOGO at $1.29 - $1.39 and I have a $1.00 off 2 whole wheat so I will buy 2 @1.39 for OOP .39 (running total $0.45 OOP/reg $11.84)
Oops found another freebie - Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa is BOGO at $1.99 and Target has a printable for $1.00 off one that I have so another $0 OOP, (running total $0.45 OOP/reg 12.84
Back to the nearly freebies
Kraft Philly Cream Cheese is $1.25 and there are printable and Greenwise magazine $1.00/1 coupons, and I have 2 of them, so OOP is $.50 and reg is $2.50 (running total $.95 OOP/reg $14.34)
Barber Foods Stuffed Chicken breasts are BOGO at $4.99 - there is a $1 Publix coupon in the Winter Savings booklet and online $1 coupons available - I have 2 of each, making 2 packages $.99 OOP and $4.99 reg (running total is $1.94 OOP /reg $15.33)
I need a gift for someone and Glade Fragrance Collection Candles are $8.49 - $3.50 printable and $4 publix store coup from Yellow Advantage flyer making it $.99 OOP and reg $8.49 (2.93 OOP/reg $23.82)
I can now buy about $7.00 in essentials that are not couponned this week....
I need eggs ($1.59), sugar ($2.49), bread ($2.49) and about 2 lbs of on sale sweet potatos ($.50) for a final reg of $30.89 and a final OOP before the $10 off coupon... of $10 give or take depending on the sweet potatos... for $0 OOP

Now - my trips are never perfect... they are out of something and I need a rain check, or at the last minute I forgot to take the meat out of the freezer to defrost and I add something... but that's how you can build your trip around your sales and coupons...

and the method I use to get there...
All of these sales run until Christmas Eve, and if you have a $5 off 25 or another competitor coupon you can work it out with that in mind... you can also plan it to spend $10-$20 OOP and include meat, milk and other essentials...

Another great scenario to do Meat and staples is to combine that $10 off $30 World Market coupon with a $7 or $10 Honey Baked Ham coupon and then coupon match for the rest of your deal, depending on the size of ham you want (at .99 a pound for Ham Shanks you can get a great meal with leftovers) and you wouldn't need as many freebies... try this one yourself and see how you do!

Contacting companies...

One of the ways to ensure that the coupons you have are for products you want is to contact the companies of the products you use...

You don't just have to call with a complaint, but certainly if you have an issue with the product, they want to know about it... but you can also call or email with compliments, suggestions or just to ask if they have coupons available. 

I regularly try to contact several of our faves - usually once a quarter... and then as often as necessary to resolve issues...

I had a lovely response from Nestle Gerber after a complimentary email:

Heather, Thank you for your e-mail. We were glad to learn of your son's satisfaction with Gerber® 2nd Foods®. Since our primary concern here at Gerber is the health and well being of infants and small children, it makes our work more meaningful when someone takes the time to let us know that they enjoy using our products. Your comments regarding our plastic packaging and the possibility of offering allergen free snacks are also appreciated. The selection of products we offer is determined in large part by the preferences of parents. Your comments will be forwarded to the appropriate personnel here at Gerber. We have taken this opportunity to send you, via postal mail, some complimentary coupons which we hope you will find useful. Best wishes from your friends @ gerber.com.

Of course sometimes I am not so complimentary...

My letter to P&G about the new Bounce Dryer bars (sent recently so I don't have a response yet):

To whom it may concern

I am very disappointed in your lack of forethought.   I purchased the dryer bar several months ago and now that I am ready to replace the insert, I was shocked to find that I must buy another complete kit, and waste not only the enormous amount of plastic packaging, but also the plastic holder. 
The worst part is that I LOVE the product and have been telling all of my friends about it, but I may have to switch back to using generic dryer sheets because I cannot reconcile both the additional cost and waste created by the fact that you do not offer refill packages.
If you would like to keep me on as a customer of Bounce Dryer Bars, I respectfully request a coupon for my next purchase to offset the cost of buying another complete kit.  I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Heather Smith

I have had great luck with coupons from Campbells, Unilever, P&G and Nestle and have added Pillsbury, Betty Crocker and a few others to my contact list recently.. I'll keep you updated about my progress and I challenge you to contact two of your fave companies!

Is it really free?

Bargain hunters beware... there are as many scams as there are deals on the internet...

Check out this article from my hometown newspaper, the Toronto Star

http://www.thestar.com/business/article/738127--roseman-beware-free-sample-online-offers?bn=1

Couponning 101 - part four!!!!

I will apologize in advance that this is a short, sweet blog post, but it was a busy day in the Smith household and Liam is still jumping around like a maniac when he should be asleep... but today we will figure out what to do with all those expired coupons - SHARE THEM ofcourse.

Military families at overseas bases can use expired coupons (up to 6 mos old) to help save money.  You can get together with friends and adopt a base and share your good couponning fortune.

Overseas Coupon Program

http://www.ocpnet.org/

This site includes extensive information about donating your

expired coupons to military and their families serving

overseas. They list specific bases seeking coupons. You can

adopt a base and help them stretch their very very hard

earned money.

Couponning 101 - part three!!!

When is a deal not a deal?

Couponning is addictive... I think that the rush you get when you save more than you spend can be pretty heady, but is every deal really a deal?  And is it the best deal for you?

My top four tips in this instance are questions to ask yourself...

1) Is it free or does it make me money?

         If it's free or makes you money, its probably worth it if you don't need to make a special trip, and you either have space to store it or somewhere to donate it.

2) Do I need it and will I use it in the appropriate time?

         If it's not free, you are spending both your money and your pantry/fridge/freezer space on something - if you always use it, occasionally use it or have wanted to try it - its worth it.. if you're not sure, its probably a bad deal... its taking money out of your pocket and its not a deal

3) Can I get it cheaper at a future point or at a different store?

        If its a NEED IT NOW, this question doesn't pertain, but as you coupon you will learn the cycles that happen with products you buy regularly, stores will have a sale on some sort of cereal almost every week and that means your cereal will probably come up on special every 4-6 weeks- can you wait and stock up at the 'best' deal - which is usually a BOGO or at least a 40% off on most groceries

        As an illustration of good couponning I will give you an example from a few weeks ago... It was Harris Teeter triples week and I had a Betty Crocker $0.40 coupon which would triple to $1.20 making the $1.19 pouch of instant potatoes free - which would be a good deal... but I knew that at Publix, the same week they had the boxes (2 pouches) of BC instant potatoes and their Scalloped potatoes on BOGO from $1.59 so when you double the coupon to $.80 its also free, but you get more product for that non-expenditure

        So how do you know whether you are getting an OK deal, a GOOD deal or a GREAT deal?  It's all about becoming more aware of your shopping and purchasing habits - and a Price Book is a good way to make yourself more aware... it will also help you find your favorite stores rhythm for their sales...

4)     Related to the last question... am I buying the best value item?  Sometimes you have an open ended coupon that lets you buy any size of one item and many people would automatically look to either the largest or smallest item, but sometimes neither is the best deal.  That's where your price book and calculator can come in handy...

Read on for How to make a Price Book:

comparing apples to apples…

To really have a sense of what items cost you per store, create yourself a price book per store. This can help you determine trends in sales as well as cost per unit.

A handy way to keep a price book is in Excel if you have it. Take your grocery receipt and start entering! Most stores offer online shopping anymore and you can also use that for pricing the items you buy most. Include the following information on your price sheet:

Date
Store
Item
Brand
Size
Price
Unit Price
(To figure Cost per Unit - Cost of Item divided by number of Units. For Example: $ 1.99/18 (ounces) =11 cents per ounce)

Most stores have a cost/unit price on their shelf price tags but it doesn’t hurt to double check new products with a calculator.

Couponning 101 - part one!

Probably the most frustrating part of couponning is getting to the register and being told "You can't do that deal because we don't ...." so getting to know your local store is key to a successful shopping trip - at our class we discovered that within a few miles of each other there were definitive differences between local store policies... so forewarned is forearmed.

The two best sources for coupon policies are your cashiers and your customer service staff... check with them about what their coupon policy is and also check with your friends about how they coupon at your stores...

A quick reference guide is provided here to get you started :)  With thanks to Casie & Melinda for providing the James Island info :)

Publix

1. You do not have to buy 2 of the B1G1 items to get the sale price **

2. If you do buy 2 items that are B1G1 make sure you use 2 coupons to get the best deal

3. Publix accepts competitors coupons (you can stack with a manufacturers coupon and a Publix coupon)

4. You can use a store coupon and a manufacturer’s coupon on the same item

5. Most Publix locations double manufacturer coupons that are.50¢ or less **

*The Publix at Main Rd will take ALL competitor coupons including competitors that do not have stores in  SC (like Meijer, Harvey's etc), but the Folly Road store will only accept LOCAL competitors

** The Publix at Folly Road will accept recently expired coupons (within 1-2 weeks) but Main Rd will not.

*** Both Publix consider DRUG STORES as competitors so will accept $ off $$ coupons from CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid.  They will also accept World Market, Family Dollar coupons as well!

Bi-Lo

1. Most Bi-Lo store double coupons that are .60¢ or less

2. You can “stack” a store coupon with a manufacturer’s coupon

3. You do not have to buy 2 of the B1G1 items to get the sale price

4. If you do buy two B1G1 items use 2 coupons if you have them

5. Some stores take competitor coupons; please check with your store before shopping to see if a coupon will be accepted.

*both the Bi-Lo at Bee's Ferry and Folly Road accept competitor LOCAL grocery store coupons

Food Lion

1. Check with your local store about B1G1 items. Ask “Are you required to buy 2, or will they each ring up at half price?”
2. Most Food Lion stores do not double coupons.
3. If you do a B1G1 deal, use 2 coupons if they will let you.
4.  There are regional variations in all ads, so check your ad for any small price changes.

Harris Teeter

1. You do not have to buy 2 of the B1G1 items, each item will ring up half price.
2. Coupons are doubled that are .99¢ or less.
3. They will double 20 coupons per day/transaction.
4. You must have a VIC card to get sale prices and for your coupons to double.
5. Most stores only allow one coupon per B1G1 deal, so only buy one per transaction if possible

** Harris Teeter will occasionally offer Triple coupons week (99¢ or less) or Super Doubles (Doubles coupons up to $1.98)