Showing posts with label Grocery Shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Grocery Shopping. Show all posts
Friday, September 25, 2009
Weis Coupon Match-Ups
Do you have a Weis grocery store nearby? Penny Possibilities reader Mommy Kennedy has the Weis coupon match-up on her blog, The Frugal Kennedys. Check it out!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Upromise eCoupons
If you are a Upromise member, have you tried their eCoupons yet?
eCoupons are different from traditional coupons because you don't get the savings off of your grocery bill. Instead, the savings are deposited into your Upromise account. The great thing is that you can use a manufacturer's coupon on the item in the store and still get the eCoupon savings in your Upromise account.
The eCoupons only work with purchases from certain stores. I am excited because Super Fresh was recently added as one of the stores! Other stores in my local area that are part of the eCoupon program include CVS, Giant, Food Lion, Safeway, Shoppers Food Warehouse and Harris Teeter.
In order to participate, you must log in to your Upromise account each month and activate the coupons you want. (I activate them all.) Then if you buy the item at a participating store, the savings are deposited into your account.
If you are not a Upromise member, I highly recommend that you join- even if you are not saving for college. Anyone can join and you don't need to use the money earned to pay for college. You can have your earnings deposited into a participating 529 college savings plan, you can use it to pay down a student loan from Sallie Mae, or you can request your earnings as a check and use them for whatever you please! It is easy to join and requires little mantenance after you register your store loyalty cards and credit cards.
eCoupons are different from traditional coupons because you don't get the savings off of your grocery bill. Instead, the savings are deposited into your Upromise account. The great thing is that you can use a manufacturer's coupon on the item in the store and still get the eCoupon savings in your Upromise account.
The eCoupons only work with purchases from certain stores. I am excited because Super Fresh was recently added as one of the stores! Other stores in my local area that are part of the eCoupon program include CVS, Giant, Food Lion, Safeway, Shoppers Food Warehouse and Harris Teeter.
In order to participate, you must log in to your Upromise account each month and activate the coupons you want. (I activate them all.) Then if you buy the item at a participating store, the savings are deposited into your account.
If you are not a Upromise member, I highly recommend that you join- even if you are not saving for college. Anyone can join and you don't need to use the money earned to pay for college. You can have your earnings deposited into a participating 529 college savings plan, you can use it to pay down a student loan from Sallie Mae, or you can request your earnings as a check and use them for whatever you please! It is easy to join and requires little mantenance after you register your store loyalty cards and credit cards.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
My Coupon Organization System
In order to be an effective coupon shopper, you need a coupon organization system that works for you. I use two coupon folders and a toddler shoebox to store my coupons. I keep the two folders in my purse at all times. In them, I keep the coupons of products that I often buy along with restaurant coupons. I store all of my other coupons that I am less likely to use in the shoebox.
Why do I keep the coupons in the shoebox even though I probably won't use them? I keep them mainly for the Drugstore Game. You never know what will be free after ECBs and coupons at CVS. For example, I recently got a bunch of Herbal Essences shampoos from CVS. I don't normally use that brand but I saved the coupons in my shoebox. Even though it is not my usual brand, I am happy to try it if it is free. I also use the coupons from this box during triple coupon week to get items for free or almost free.
In both the folders and the shoebox, I sort the coupons by these categories:
Folder 1
- Bread, Cereal, Crackers & Snacks
- Baking, Spices, Dessert, Candy
- Canned Food
- Dairy
- Pasta, Rice, Potatoes
- Sauces, Spreads, Oil, Jam
Folder 2
- Restaurants
- Store Coupons
- Cleaners, Soaps
- Paper, Plastic, Foil
- Frozen
- Fresh Produce, Fruit Juices
- Meat
- Toiletries
- Dental
- Medical
- Batteries, Light Bulbs
- Baby, Kids
- Other Coupons, Rebate Forms
My categories have evolved over time and they are still changing. For example, I need to split out my Toiletries category to make it more manageable. Other people who use coupon folders organize their categories based on the layout of the aisles in their grocery store. I have also heard of couponers sorting by expiration date or alphabetically.
When I prepare for a trip to the grocery store, I pull out all of the coupons that I plan to use from my folders and box and I put them in an envelope along with my list and sale ad. This way I am not digging around for coupons at the store. I also bring along my two coupon folders just in case I see an unadvertised deal on a favorite product. I leave the shoebox at home.
This system is working well for me right now but it is constantly evolving. My system does involving clipping all the coupons and filing them. The process can be time consuming. This coupon system may not be the best for you. There are a few other systems to check out:
- Coupon Binder: Coupons are clipped and filed in baseball card pages in a 3 ring binder.
- Filing By Insert: Coupons are not clipped. Newspaper inserts are stored intact by date.
- Envelope Method: Coupons are clipped and sorted into envelopes.
- The Couponizer: Coupons are clipped and sorted into a special booklet. This system looks great for beginning couponers but it wouldn't work for those with a large amount of coupons.
What is your coupons system? I'd love to learn some new coupon organizing tips!
Other posts you might be interested in:
How I Shop for Groceries
The Drugstore Game: An Example
Why do I keep the coupons in the shoebox even though I probably won't use them? I keep them mainly for the Drugstore Game. You never know what will be free after ECBs and coupons at CVS. For example, I recently got a bunch of Herbal Essences shampoos from CVS. I don't normally use that brand but I saved the coupons in my shoebox. Even though it is not my usual brand, I am happy to try it if it is free. I also use the coupons from this box during triple coupon week to get items for free or almost free.
In both the folders and the shoebox, I sort the coupons by these categories:
Folder 1
- Bread, Cereal, Crackers & Snacks
- Baking, Spices, Dessert, Candy
- Canned Food
- Dairy
- Pasta, Rice, Potatoes
- Sauces, Spreads, Oil, Jam
Folder 2
- Restaurants
- Store Coupons
- Cleaners, Soaps
- Paper, Plastic, Foil
- Frozen
- Fresh Produce, Fruit Juices
- Meat
- Toiletries
- Dental
- Medical
- Batteries, Light Bulbs
- Baby, Kids
- Other Coupons, Rebate Forms
My categories have evolved over time and they are still changing. For example, I need to split out my Toiletries category to make it more manageable. Other people who use coupon folders organize their categories based on the layout of the aisles in their grocery store. I have also heard of couponers sorting by expiration date or alphabetically.
When I prepare for a trip to the grocery store, I pull out all of the coupons that I plan to use from my folders and box and I put them in an envelope along with my list and sale ad. This way I am not digging around for coupons at the store. I also bring along my two coupon folders just in case I see an unadvertised deal on a favorite product. I leave the shoebox at home.
This system is working well for me right now but it is constantly evolving. My system does involving clipping all the coupons and filing them. The process can be time consuming. This coupon system may not be the best for you. There are a few other systems to check out:
- Coupon Binder: Coupons are clipped and filed in baseball card pages in a 3 ring binder.
- Filing By Insert: Coupons are not clipped. Newspaper inserts are stored intact by date.
- Envelope Method: Coupons are clipped and sorted into envelopes.
- The Couponizer: Coupons are clipped and sorted into a special booklet. This system looks great for beginning couponers but it wouldn't work for those with a large amount of coupons.
What is your coupons system? I'd love to learn some new coupon organizing tips!
Other posts you might be interested in:
How I Shop for Groceries
The Drugstore Game: An Example
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
How I Shop for Groceries
Recently a friend saw my grocery shopping list and was amused by the odd assortment of items I was planning to buy. That week I was only planning to buy grapes, hot dog buns, cheese, milk, carrots, and apples. Obviously it was not enough to feed a family of 4 for a week but I don't base my shopping list on what meals I am planning to make for the week. My shopping list is built upon what is on sale and what coupons I have. I stock up on items when I can get a good price and then I plan a weekly menu out of my well-stocked pantry and freezer. I may have to pick up a few items for specific meals I want to make but most of the ingredients I have already purchased in the past when I could get a good price.
An Example:
During the week I am highlighting here, there were some decent sales and I also purchased a handful of items that I needed for meals that I had planned. I shopped at Safeway, Super Fresh, Trader Joe's and Costco. I bought very few fruits and vegetables because I had a bunch left from the previous week. I also had to stock up to feed my (very un-frugal) Trader Joe's hummus snacking addiction.
Safeway
3 Lucerne Shredded Cheese $4.47 ($1.49 each)
Flour Tortillas $1.25
5 Diet Coke 12 packs $12.45 - (2) $1 off coupons = $10.45 ($2.09 each)
4 Kellogg's Mini Wheats $10 - $5 store promotion - (2) $1.50 off coupons = $2 ($.50 each)
Total: $18.17
Total savings off regular prices: $38.61
SuperFresh
Kidney Beans $.69
Great Northern Beans $.69
Eggland's Best Eggs $1.64 - $.55 doubled coupon = $.54
Pepito Tortillas $1.34
Potato Rolls $3.19
Ground Beef $6.79
3 Tree Ripe Orange Juice $6
Thomas' Whole Wheat English Muffins $1.99 - $1 coupon = $.99
2 Ball Park Beef Singles Hot Dogs $6 - $1 coupon = $5
Polnar Sugar Free Jam $3.98 - (2) $.50 off doubled coupons = $1.98 ($.99 each)
Russet Potatoes 5lbs $1.48
Broccoli Crowns $1.06
Zucchini $1.16
Total: $30.91
Total savings off regular price: $26.82
Costco & Trader Joe's
Skim Milk $2.25
Costco Bread 2 pack $4.29
Total: $6.54
2 Hummus $6.98
Grated Parmesan $4.28
2 Peanut Butter $3.58
Total: $14.84
In the near future I plan to post about the different grocery shopping strategies that I use to save money. I will also occasionally do posts like this one to show you how I put those strategies into action.
An Example:
During the week I am highlighting here, there were some decent sales and I also purchased a handful of items that I needed for meals that I had planned. I shopped at Safeway, Super Fresh, Trader Joe's and Costco. I bought very few fruits and vegetables because I had a bunch left from the previous week. I also had to stock up to feed my (very un-frugal) Trader Joe's hummus snacking addiction.
Safeway
3 Lucerne Shredded Cheese $4.47 ($1.49 each)
Flour Tortillas $1.25
5 Diet Coke 12 packs $12.45 - (2) $1 off coupons = $10.45 ($2.09 each)
4 Kellogg's Mini Wheats $10 - $5 store promotion - (2) $1.50 off coupons = $2 ($.50 each)
Total: $18.17
Total savings off regular prices: $38.61
SuperFresh
Kidney Beans $.69
Great Northern Beans $.69
Eggland's Best Eggs $1.64 - $.55 doubled coupon = $.54
Pepito Tortillas $1.34
Potato Rolls $3.19
Ground Beef $6.79
3 Tree Ripe Orange Juice $6
Thomas' Whole Wheat English Muffins $1.99 - $1 coupon = $.99
2 Ball Park Beef Singles Hot Dogs $6 - $1 coupon = $5
Polnar Sugar Free Jam $3.98 - (2) $.50 off doubled coupons = $1.98 ($.99 each)
Russet Potatoes 5lbs $1.48
Broccoli Crowns $1.06
Zucchini $1.16
Total: $30.91
Total savings off regular price: $26.82
Costco & Trader Joe's
Skim Milk $2.25
Costco Bread 2 pack $4.29
Total: $6.54
2 Hummus $6.98
Grated Parmesan $4.28
2 Peanut Butter $3.58
Total: $14.84
In the near future I plan to post about the different grocery shopping strategies that I use to save money. I will also occasionally do posts like this one to show you how I put those strategies into action.
Friday, February 6, 2009
The Grocery Gathering
I have joined the Grocery Gathering over at BeCentsAble.
The Grocery Gathering lists links to blogs that post the deals and coupon match ups at national and local grocery and drug stores. You can find the deals at CVS, Target, Kmart, Walgreens, Rite-Aid and Walmart and there are also links for 58 local grocery and drug stores.
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