Couponing Week 5

I have broken a new personal record! I could kick myself in the pants though because I received 2 free $5 Publix gift cards in the mail last week and completely forgot to use them this trip! But I might print off more coupons and return to Publix this week, so I'll have to remember to use those gift cards then! Details are as follows...

Total Spent: $28.62

Total Saved: $60.83!

• 2 25 oz bags of Tyson Anytizers (B1G1 & $2 coupons): $6.99

• 2 Contessa Green Cuisine Meals (B1G1 & $4 Publix coupons): $3.99

• 2 bags Publix Salad Mix (2 for $5): $5

• 2 boxes Coles Bread Sticks (B1G1): $2.79

• 2 boxes Starbucks Ice Cream (B1G1 & $1.50 coupons): $2.29

• 2 bags Lenders Bagels (B1G1): $2.09

• 25 oz bag Beggin' Strips (B1G1 & $4 competitor and man. coupons): $1.50

• Taco Bell Dinner Kit (B1G1 & $1 coupon): $0.35

• Publix Peanut Butter (penny item): $0.01

• Barilla Pasta Sauce (B1G1): $1.29

• 2 boxes Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Pasta (B1G1 & $2 coupons): FREE!

• 2 boxes Cascadian Farm Granola Bars (B1G1 & $4 coupons): FREE!

• bananas: $1.99

So, it was a good week! The better I get at this, the harder it is to wait for the next week's sales ad to come in. It's like Christmas every Wednesday for me!

Couponed Menu Ideas for 10/18-10/22

Here are the meals I made this week based on food I purchased for cheap through sales and coupons at Publix the past couple of weeks.

Monday:

• Manicotti:

- Manicotti Shells (got at Walmart, no sale): $1.50

- 1 lb Ground Beef: $3
- 1/2 Big Jar Ragu (B1G1 a couple weeks ago): $0.73
- Mozzarela Cheese: $1.31
- Ricotta Cheese: $1

• Cole's Garlic Bread (2 for $3 last week w/ coupons): $1

• Dunkan Hines Brownies:

- Mix: $0.99
- Eggs: $0.10 worth
- Veggie Oil (on hand...we'll say it's free)

Total Cost: $9.63

Fed 3 with PLENTY left over

Tuesday:

• Meatloaf:

- 1 lb. Ground Beef: $3

- Brown Sugar, seasonings, ketchup: on hand

• Macaroni and Cheese:

- 1/2 box Mueller's Elbow Mac (B1G1 last week w/ coupons): $0.37

- sauce and seasonings (my secret recipe): on hand

- 1 bag Kraft Sharp Cheddar (on sale with w/ coupons last week): $1.31

• 1 Cole's Garlic Bread Mini Loaf (Sale w/ coupons last week): $1

• Salad (sale w/ coupons): $1.73

Total Cost: $7.41

Fed 4 Adults w/ left overs

Thursday:

• Wanchai Ferri Mongolian Beef Skillet Meal (B1G1 a few weeks ago w/ coupon): $2.49

• PF Changs Sweet and Sour Chicken Skillet Meal (sale a few weeks ago w/ coupons): $3

• Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice with Veggies (sale w/ coupons this week): $0.75

• Nestle White Chocolate Chip Maccadamia Nut Cookies (sale w/ coupons this week): $0.60

Total Spent: $6.84

Cooked Enough for 4 Adults

This was another great week of complete family meals for under $10 each. Thursday night's meal was the least favorite though. I decided that when it comes to Chinese food, I should just leave it for the restaurants. I thought the Sweet and Sour Chicken from PF Changs was surprisingly gross, which my mother liked more than the Mongolian Beef. When Shane came home for dinner and saw the chinese food, he decided he would rather eat the left over Manicotti from Monday night. So, i'll probably end up throwing away the chinese food. I need to find a way to use up the big dish of left over mac n' cheese from Tuesday tonight!

Couponing Week 4

This was fat kid week at Publix, but get who FINALLY saved more then she spent? This girl, yeah!! Here's how I did:

Total Spent: $51.25

Total Saved: $57.70

• 2 Bags Buitoni beef and sausage ravioli (2 for $7 & $2 coupons): $5
• 2 big boxes TGI Fridays Chicken Quesadillas (b1g1 & $1.50 coupon): $7.50
• 1 small box TGI Fridays Cheeseburgers ($2 coupon): $4
• 2 bags Nestle ready to bake Cookies (b1g1 & $2 coupons): $1.29
• 1 Tombstone Pizza (B1G1): $2.87
• 3 Fun Size bags on Mars candy (B1G1 & $2.50 coupons): $12.50
• 2 bags Lay's Kettle Chips (2 for $5): $5
• 2 boxes of General Mills Cereal (B1g1 & $1.20 coupons...just noticed one box did not ring up as b1g1 :-/): $4.27
• Pepperidge Farm Cookies (B1G1 & $0.75 coupon): $0.95
• 1 bag Knorr Pasta Sides (B1G1): $0.65
• 2 boxes Uncle Ben's Garden Veggie Rice (2 for $3 and B1G1 coupon): $1.50
• Arnold 12 Grain Bread (B1G1 & $1 coupon): $0.95

I know I said last week that I was only going to the store this week if items were free or close to free, but I couldn't help myself. I did however configure my grocery list so I would have to save more then I spent, and I am one happy camper because of it. I do have to confess that I had to start stocking my groceries in my mother's fridge and pantry because I really don't have room for any more food! I am really looking forward to my grocery experience in two weeks because the Food World here in Pelham is going out of business and I should be able to get a lot of stuff for ridiculously cheap. I plan on going the day before they are scheduled to shut down so I can get the BEST deal possible!

I hope that you all have a good week grocery shopping and save lots of money! Btw, if you have kids, you should have them stop by my house for trick or treating on Halloween. I have SOOOO much candy to give away! Shane and I are also thinking about having a Halloween party. Let me know if that sounds like something you'd be interested in attending, and we'll plan it!

Weekly Menus Using Couponed Food

Southern Savers posts every week a couple of menu ideas based on the sales items at Publix, and I think it's a great idea; so much so that I decided to start filling you in every week on what I'm serving for dinners based on what I'm buying. Here's this week (Starting Tuesday since I already told you about the Chicken and Orzo soup served Monday):

Tuesday, October 12 2010

• Baked, breaded Pork Chops:
  

- 3 Boneless Pork Chops: $3 (I buy meat in bulk at Sam's)
- Shake N' Bake: $0.90

• Publix Chicken Flav. Rice: $Free (got it on the last buy theirs get ours deal)
• Zucchini Casserole:

- 2 Zucchini: $1.50
- Onion: $0.20 worth
- Ritz Crackers: $0.10 worth
- Cheese: $free (used mom's)
- Eggs: $0.12 worth
- Milk: $Free (used mom's)
- Butter: $0.10 worth (of one of the jugs I got for $0.39 2 weeks ago)

• Rolls: $1.24 (divided bag of them up between this and Thursday's dinners)

Total Cost: $7.16!
This meal fed 4 very hungry adults

Thursday, October 14 2010

• Jambalaya:

- Zatarain's Jambalaya Rice Mix: $0.75
- 1 Chicken Breast: $1
- 1/2 lb Cajun Sausage: $2

• Rolls: $1.24
• Salad Mix: $1.45
  

Total Cost: $6.44!
This meal fed 3 Hungry Adults (supposed to have 6 servings worth, haha)

I'll go ahead an conclude this week's with those 2 meals, and update with more depending on how much I cook this weekend (which is usually next to none). Other than couponing, I live frugally by eating dinner with my mom 3 nights a week and splitting the grocery bill with her. This saves the both of us a TON of money, and it's nice for me to have someone to eat with at nights, since Shane works until 8 or 9pm every night. On Tuesday nights, my mother's boyfriend comes to eat dinner with us and makes a little contribution. I actually made money off of this Tuesday's dinner!

Coupon Experience Week 3

I really thought that this week would be the week that I actually saved more than I spent. Not so, and I was disappointed, until Shane made me realize just how MUCH food I've been getting every week for a very low price. My cart is filled up to the max every week, and I don't think I ever spend more than $60 for it all. In fact, I have so much food stocked up, that I think next week I will only be buying stuff if it is free or close to free because I don't need anything! I also signed up for an Upromise Publix card today, which will give me money towards my student loans every week I buy groceries there, so I'm pretty excited about that. Anyway, here's how I did this week:

Total Spent: $52.46

Total Saved: $44.91 ($15 worth of coupons included)

Here's the breakdown:

- Publix Chocolate Almonds (Penny Item): $0.01

- Bag of Nestle Crunch (B1G1): $3

- 2 Gal Publix Drinking Water: $1.58

- 3 Gatorades (the big jugs: 3 for $5): $5

- 2 bags of Cape Cod Kettle Chips (2 for $5): $5

- 2 bags Ritz Toasted Chips (B1G1 & $1 coupon): $2.39

- Mueller's Elbow Mac (B1G1): $0.75

- 4 Zataran's Dinner Box Kits (B1G1 & $1 coupon): $3

- Duncan Hines Brownie Mix (B1G1): $0.99

- Publix and Planter's Honey Roasted Peanuts (Buy theirs, get ours free deal) $3.19

- Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce (B1G1): $1.18

- 2 Box New York Bread (2 for $5 & $0.80 coupon): $4.20

- Klondike Bars (B1G1): $1.80

- 5 things of cheese: 2 Phil. Cream Cheese, 3 bags Kraft Shredded Cheese ($5/5 coupon, $2 Target coupon, & $1 Publix Coupon): $6.55

- 2 Bags of Salad (B1G1 & $0.55 coupon): $3.45

- 2 Cole's Garlic Bread (2 for $3 & $1 coupon): $2

- 1 Pineapple (on sale): $2.99

My shopping deals this week were good, but nothing amazing to me. I do look forward to all the Zataran's meals I will be making within the next month. Speaking of meals, I made homemade Chicken and Orzo soup last week with Coffee Cake for dessert, and I realized it was the first meal I've cooked from scratch where I had purchased everything (minus the chicken and veggies, but I got those for cheap) on sale. The total cost was around $8 and it fed 4 HUNGRY adults! I look forward to more meals like that!

Anyway, I hope some of you are reading this and being encouraged to start couponing. If you are pro-couponers already, then I would appreciate your feedback and where you see I could improve on my deals. Thanks for reading!

Couponing Experience Week 2

I stole this pic from a Kroger ad. Apparently they have a card that all your coupons can go on now, instead of carrying and handling all your different coupons? Cool idea I suppose, although I like to throw all my coupons I'm going to use at the store in an envelope and surprise the cashier after she rings everything up! This also keeps the people in line behind me from getting pissed off :-)

Anyway, here's how I did this week. I'm not as impressed as I was last week or the week before, but I got some stuff I wasn't planning on getting and didn't have coupons for. I'm striving for the day where I can save more than I have spent. One lady commented on Southernsavers under the Publix ad this week that she got $120 of groceries and spent $40. I'm hoping for that day soon.

This week I spent $83.43 and saved $49.26 (16.73 of that was coupons) Here's the Breakdown:

- $25 Itunes Gift Card ($5 off Winn Dixie Coupon) $20

- 2 Gal. Publix Drinking Water (not on sale) $1.58

- 4 12 packs of coke (buy 3 get one free) $12

- 4 Powerades (b1g1) $2.50

- 2 Boxes Keebler Crackers/Snack Sticks (b1g1) $3.89

- 2 Jugs Swanson Chicken Broth (B1G1) $2.59

- Progresso Bread Crumbs (b1g1 & $1 off) $Free!

- Helman's Mayo (B1G1) $2.35

- Ronzoni Orzo Pasta (B1g1) $0.70

- Nabisco Munch Pack (B1G1) $3.00

- Publix Coffee (Penny Item) $0.01

- 2 cans Campbell's Chunky Soups (sale $1.29 each & $2 coupons) $0.58

- 3 cans Campbell's Cream of Chicken Soup (3 for $5, didn't bring my coupons :-( ) $5

- Oscar Mayer Carving Board Turkey and Ham Deli Meat ($4.29/each Applied $2 man. coupons and $1 Target coupon) $5.58

- 3 bags Pillsbury Ready to Bake Cookies (3 for $6 and $1.55 coupons) $4.45

- 2 Gal. Publix Ice Cream (2 for $6) $6

- Kraft Montery Jack Cheese (no sale) $2.99

- Squash Zucchini (sale for 99 cents/ lb) $1.31

- Fresh Green Beans (sale for 99 cents/lb) $0.66

- 2 bags Thomas Bagels (b1g1 & $1 coupon) $2.99

So, not as good of a week as it could have been, but I'm very excited about two of the meals I'm making using the stuff I bought this week! I'm making that Party Chicken in the Publix ad this week (go to Publix and try it...it's real good!), and Chicken and Orzo soup. Shane will be happy because I haven't really been cooking since I started couponing since most the the good deals I get are on those frozen skillet meals and mexican food. I'm also looking forward to making something with the Zucchini squash I got!

Couponing: The Experience!

So, I've had some people that have shown interest in learning to coupon, and others that have asked me to teach them (or their wives, haha) to coupon, but since most of you aren't sure if you're interested enough to sit down and learn it, I thought I might entice you by sharing my grocery list total/details with you every week. This will also be a way for me to keep track of how I'm doing with it.

When reading these, keep in mind that I have only been couponing for 5 months now. The key to couponing is to be stocking up on items on sale that you need/use (most items go on sale every 6-8 weeks) and I have just gotten established with saving/using coupons and knowing the rules to couponing in stores.

For reference, B1G1= Buy 1 Get 1 Free deal. I put in red what my favorite deals were.

At Publix yesterday, I spent $38.08, and saved $31.91 ($10.16 of that was coupons). Here's the breakdown:

• 2 Gal. Drinking Water (not on sale) $1.58
• Shake N' Bake ($2.35 - $0.55 coupon) $1.80
• 2 Large Jars Ragu ($3.55 each: B1G1 & $0.60 off 2 coupon) $2.95
• 1 Can refried beans (didn't grab sale & no coupon) $1.25
• 2 Jars Pace Chunky Salsa ($2.79 each: B1G1 & $0.60/2 coupon) $2.19
• 3 Bags Knorr Pasta Sides ($1.29/each: B1g1) $1.94
• 2 Bags Lays Kettle Chips (not on sale & never on sale but Shane likes them) $6.58
• 2 boxes Martha White Muffin Mix (on sale for $0.75 & $0.70 each coupon) $0.10
• 1 Bag Dove Candy (again, not on sale, and I wish Shane would have spotted the Nestle B1G1 deal before grabbing them) $4.29
• 2 Boxes of Old El Paso Dinner Kits ($2.89 each: B1G1 & $1 each coupon) $0.89
• Krusteaz Cinn. Crumb Cake Mix (2.59: B1G1) $1.30
• Loaf White Sandwich Bread ($1: Publix Penny Item) $0.01
• 2 Loaves Natures Own Bread ($3.49 each: B1G1 & $0.75 coupon) $2.74
• 2 things of Country Crock Spread (1.99 each: B1G1 & $0.80 off each coupon) $0.39
• 1 Can Pillsbury Grands Cinn. Rolls ($3.49 & $1 off coupon) $2.49
• 1 Bag Bertolli Skillet Meals ($4.99 & $1 off Target coupon) $3.99 (I could have waited for the Manufactures $1 coupon in this coming Sunday's newspaper but didn't.)

So there you go! Some of these items I didn't even need, but I was getting such a good deal I purchased them anyway. Anyone need butter? If you're wondering why there's no meat, or anything to prepare dinners on this list, I have everything I need for dinners this week from the last few grocery trips this month. You should also know that Publix doesn't ever put their meats on sale; when it's about to go bad, they donate it to local charities. So, I buy and stock up on my meats at Sam's. I also usually buy milk at Sam's because it's only $2 a gallon there.

I love shopping at Publix because they:

1) double coupons that are $0.50 or less (7 of my coupons totals above were doubled)

2) take competitor's coupons (Target included at my store and there are a lot of Target coupons available online!)

3) take one Manufactures coupon and store coupon per item

4) don't require you to buy 2 items when they are B1G1. It'll just ring up as half off each!

If you are interested in couponing, visit www.southernsavers.com. This is where I learned to coupon, and the website makes it really easy! You can create your grocery list on the website based on what's for sale at your store, then under each item, it tells you what coupons you should have, or if it's a printable coupon, it lets you click on the link to print it.