Thanksgiving AND necessities - AND saved????

Well I did it. I managed to buy everything I needed for Thanksgiving dinner (minus the bird), got our weekly needs and still saved! I love Couponing!

So here is the low down:
Total Bill: $282.06 (which I could have sworn it said 287 but hey...)

Club Card: -$94.27 (I also used my $17 points gold coupon that was mailed)
Coupons: - $10.15
REUSABLE BAG credit!: -.35
Total Savings: - $104.77
Out of pocket: $177.29
Number of Items: 98 ($1.81 an item)

I got our milk, juice, eggs, lunch meat as well as the $5 pyrex 9X13 dishes! I got cool whip, readiwhip, veggies, stuffing, 10 lbs of potatoes for $1.50 - all I needed for the big day this week.

Now one thing to note - I did go to Walgreens last week - they had coupons for cranberry jelly, french's onions, sweet potatoes and the campbell's gravy that I picked up.

One extra note - I ordered a Honey Baked Ham last week. (I ordered the "mini" since we are doing a HUGE bird, 4 lbs should be plenty for the 12 - 16 I am expecting.) The reason I mention this is... on "retailmenot.com" they have coupons for SO many sites. I found one that worked and saved $5.20!  I did have to try a couple to get one to go through but it did work. The ham was delivered in two days. (I could have saved more off shipping if I had paid better attention to the site and found that I could have picked up in store!)

Update from 11/07/09

I didn't think I had much on my list of items to get. But I managed to fill up my cart that is for sure. Although I didn't do as well as I have done in previous weeks... still not too shabby.

Smith's was my target on Saturday.
Total Bill: $289.72
Club Card: -$81.59
Coupons: - $9.35
Total Savings: - $90.94
Out of pocket: $198.78
Number of Items: 96

About $2.07 an item - and to give you an idea of what was in my cart:
Dog food, milk, 4lbs of hamburger, name brand cereal, lunch meat, Aussie Hair products etc... so nothing to shabby!

So keep on trying out there... this week I am looking forward to actually not having to shop. With Lapband surgery coming on Friday, I won't be up to doing much this weekend. (Who knows maybe I will get a wild hair and go anyway :) that's what kids are for right?

Couponing has impressed me yet again!

This week was Smith's week. Looking through the three main grocery store lists - Smith's had more things that caught my eye.

I had to go tonight after Girl Scouts because I am off to Portland in the morning and didn't want to leave it to the end. So when I got there... it didn't start off too well. The Gala Apples were "supposed" to be on sale for $.69 - they weren't... so I got the Golden Delicious instead (which were .69) and then they were out of the Dole Garden Salad bags that were $1 a bag. THEN they were out of the $1 Hormel Salami and Pepperoni... I was starting to get disappointed. However, I got just about everything else I had wanted, plus my usual weekly needs.

SO!
Total Bill: $333.37
Club Card: -$143.67
Coupons: - 47.25
Total Savings: -190.92
Out of pocket: $142.45
Number of Items: 110

So I definitely saved more then I spent - HURRAY! That is a $1.30 an item. That includes my milk, eggs, lunch meat, chicken at reduced price... However, to be honest, the checker didn't seem to check the coupons too closely. If something didn't ring properly he forced it through. I did manage to catch (before he forced it) a toilet paper coupon - realizing I had bought two and not three - so I stopped him for that. But as he was searching for the price to give me off for the Ricola (coupon was buy a reg Ricola get the Berry flavor free) - I realized that he had already rung and forced through the Tombstone Pizza coupons when I realized - Oops they said buy TWO get $1.50 off... I bought five, he rang five coupons. Then as he rings up the Ricola Coupon (he had done some fancy key stroke and got a print out of the cost of the Ricola - which told him that it was 2.19.) He gave me 2.19 off for each coupon... the Ricola was on sale for a $1 each - um so essentially I got ALL TEN of the Ricola FREE plus an additional .19 off.

I certainly wasn't trying to pull a fast one, I gave up my coupons as I always do and try to watch to see if they have problems. Because lord knows I am not the best most meticulous couponer and have made mistakes and will likely make them again. The checkers usually say something if they have a problem... however this guy just immediately started "fixing" them.

So winner week for me! I am off to Portland! (Which by the way... I used a free flight I earned while flying on the company dime!)

Shopping for 10/24

So I was very disappointed in the lists last week. I think the Grocery Stores are waiting for people to really be shopping for Thanksgiving to put out the good deals.

So I went to Vons as they seemed to have decent deals on a couple things. Not to mention their milk has moved onto their "low price everyday" deal at $2.09.

Total Bill - $144 (have no idea how it could be even)
Card: - 42.06
Coupons: -8.28
Total Savings: $50.34
Out of Pocket - 93.66
Items: 47

So not to bad. A couple of my coupons made the computer beep - the clerk said "I think we are only allowed to scan three per item." (To which I thought "whaaaa??") But didn't say anything. She entered them anyway and she gave me a tip about their "in store"ads. They are only good for the limit on the coupon - but you CAN do multiple transactions. For example Vons' had an in store ad for Simply Juice bringing the price down to $1.99 (from 2.50 the sale price) limit 2. I bought four and tore out two coupons - it beeped. The nice clerk rang them up anyway but gave me the "for next time; do two seperate transactions" spiel.  Keep that in mind!

So I am ready for this coming week. Again not impressive ads. But I saw a few things of interest. I will let you know how it goes... likely after I get back from Portland.

Even more disappointed going into this weekend

Good grief... I couldn't believe that the "list" could get much worse than last week - but it did!

I went through the Albertson's list and really found two things I could use and about the same for Smith's.

I think I will look again Friday night or something... maybe I am tired and missed something.