The Coupon Project

January spending & saving results

I just finished updating my Savings Tracker for January. Turns out, I overspent by $50! The good news is I was able to get a LOT of food and household items though. Much of the meat was turned into freezer meals and we have enough Quaker to see us through the summer months. This total also includes diapers, paper products, health & beauty items, and the like. I also entered my receipts from today's trip and this month. Here is how my Summary is shaping up. (I simply hid months March - Dec to give this a cleaner look):

So basically I acquired $1,121 worth of food so far in 2010, but I only paid $471, or 42% of that amount...pretty cool, huh? You'll notice that coupons saved me $207 so far in 2010...so all those out there that think they'll only save you $0.10 here or there, take note! Discounts such as store sales still provided the bulk of my savings - that saved me another $443.
 
I've already spent a fair amount so far in February, but my goal is to use up some of my freezer meals and spend $50 less this month in order to make up for overspending last month.

Finally, as I was piecing this together today, I realized there are some formula errors on the Summary tab of this tracker. BOO!! I will correct them on the download version in the next couple days as well as show you how to correct them yourself. If you're fairly comfortable with Excel (and hopefully you are if you're using this!), the corrections should be pretty straight-forward to make. Stay tuned.

My trip today: fun at Walgreens, Albertsons & Rite Aid!

Walgreens really has a lot going on this week, and I spent a good amount of time last night clipping and sorting my favorite coupons. I also decided to hit up Albertsons, and made a last-minute decision to stop in at Rite Aid on the way home. Here's my shopping buddy and what we ended up with (pay no attention to the laundry and clutter in the background):

 

Not pictured: one Dove men's wash. Everything pictured here would've retailed $174.35 (holy COW!). Fortunately, I only paid $82.90 out of pocket. AND I earned $21 in Register Rewards and Catalina coupons, making my total just $61.90, a grand savings of 64%! Not too bad conisdering there were a few items purchased here because I needed them. It's also hard to tell in this picture, but stacked on top of the paper towels is 6 pounds of boneless country style ribs (which I will turn into freezer meals - what else?!)

Want to copy some of my savings? The Albertsons deals are good through tomorrow, and the Rite Aid and Walgreens deals are good through Saturday.

Today only: Garmin nuvi 285w 4.3 inch touchscreen $99 on Amazon

Today's Amazon Gold Box deal is a Garmin nuvi 285w/285wt 4.3 touchscreen! This GPS is regularly $249.99, but today only it's yours for $99. It features bluetooth "hands-free" technology. It received an average 4-star rating after 155 reviews.

This is comparable to some of Amazon's better GPS deals during the holiday shopping season last year.  

  

I am pleased to share this affiliate link with my readers. See my Disclosure Policy for more details.  

Unadvertised deal on Orbit gum at Walgreens!

 

 

Bargain Briana is reporting that the Orbit 3-pack gum is ringing up this week at $1.50. 

Go here to print a $1 off Orbit coupon and you've got a 3-pack for  $0.50!

Thanks, Bargain Briana!  

Free sample of Burt's Bees toothpaste

 

 

Go here to request your free sample of  Burt's Bees toothpaste. A word of warning: when you fill out the form, be sure to check the box at the bottom to get on their newsletter. I didn't do this the first time, and it then told me I needed to go back and do that. When I went back to correct it, ALL my information was gone and I had to start over. SIGH!

It says my sample should be here in 8 weeks. 

Thanks, Hip2Save!  

Tomorrow: free Grand Slam breakfast at Denny's!

 

 

I wanted to remind you that tomorrow only, from 6 am until 2 pm, you can get a free Grand Slam breakfast at Denny's! 

Go here to read my original post and to get the full scoop. 

Remember: watch for the Dockers commercial today!

 

 

I wanted to remind you that you'll have a chance to score a FREE pair of Dockers khakis today during the Superbowl!

Just watch for their commercial and go here. This freebie is only going to the first 2,010, so be "on your game" today! For more details, please see my original post from Tuesday.

Good luck.  

Fred Meyer deals 2/7 - 2/13 + new Extra Savings matchups

Here are some deals I was able to dig up at Fred Meyer this week. We'll start with the weekly deals and then move into the monthly ones.

Steak or Prawns
$4.99/lb

Braeburn, Fugi, or Gala Apples
$0.68/lb

Mountain Dairy Gallon Milk
$1.99

Betty Crocker Helpers or Potatoes
$1 each with in-ad coupon (first 10)
Stack with $0.40/1 printable coupon for potatoes
OR $0.75/3 printable coupon for Helpers
Bottom line: $0.60 - $0.75 each

Breyers Ice Cream or Klondike Bars
$2.50 each with in-ad coupon (first 4)

General Mills Cereal
$2 each with in-ad coupon (first 5)
Stack with $1/2 printable coupon (for select GM cereals)
OR $1/1 printable coupon (Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch)
Bottom line: $1 - $1.50 each

Tyson Bacon
$2.50 each with in-ad coupon (first 4)

Fresh boneless, skinless fryer breasts
$2.48/lb

Fred Meyer Grilling Sausages
$2.50

Jumbo Cooked Shrimp
$7.99/lb

Organic Anjou Pears
$0.98.lb

Packaged Mushrooms
$1.50

Minneola Tangelos, Royal Mandarins or Honey Tangerines
$0.98/lb

Kettle Tortilla Chips $2
$1/2 coupon from 1/31 SmartSource
Bottom line: $1.50 each

Knudsen Juice, 32 oz, select varieties
(Organic Blueberry Pomegranate, Pear & Very Veggie pictured in ad)

Fred Meyer Instant Oatmeal
$1.25 each

Broccoli Crowns or Cauliflower
$0.98/lb

Mangos
$1 each

Smart Balance Tubs $2
$1/2 printable coupon
Bottom line: $1.50 each

Fred Meyer Yogurt, 6 oz
$0.33 each with in-ad coupon (first 10)

Fred Meyer Extra Large Eggs
$1.50 each with in-ad coupon (first 4)

2 lb. Peeled Mini Carrots
$0.98 each with in-ad coupon (first 4)

Extra Savings Booklet

Look for this 28-page booklet next to the store circulars when you first walk in. If that fails, ask Customer Service. Also note that the stores in general doing a good job of placing Extra Savings coupons on the shelves. At my store, they are small orange coupons. This month's booklet is good through March 2nd. I'll do my best to check this list each week to make any updates.

As with any Fred Meyer ad, I'm only going to highlight the ones that stand out to me. I encourage you to flip through this booklet yourself - it's quite possible other deals will stand out to you.

Fred Meyer 100% Juice
$2 each with in-ad coupon (first 2)

Fred Meyer Frozen Vegetables
$0.79 each with booklet coupon (first 4)

Fred Meyer Hoagie or Outdoor Rolls
$1.50

Private Selection Organic Bread
$2.50

Stash Tea
$2.33 each with booklet coupon (first 6)
Stack with $0.50/1 printable coupon
Bottom line: $1.83

Fred Meyer Pudding Cups
$0.79 each with booklet coupon (first 4)

Fred Meyer Refried Beans
$0.69 each with booklet coupon (first 4)

Fred Meyer Food Storage Bags
$1.67 each with booklet coupon (first 3)

Fred Meyer Rice Cakes
$1 each with booklet coupon (first 5)

Fred Meyer Butter It's Not! (anyone else love this name as much as I do???)
$0.88 each with booklet coupon (first 3)

Pampers
$1/1 Fred Meyer booklet coupon (first 1)
Stack with $1.50/1 coupon from 2/7 P&G
Bottom line: ???

Dixie Plates or Bowls $2
$1/2 coupon from 1/24 Red Plum (some areas may have gotten a $0.55/1 version)
Bottom line: $1.50 each

Kozy Shack Pudding $2.50
$0.55/1 any chocolate Kozy Shack coupon from 2/7 SmartSource
Bottom line: $1.95

International Delight Coffee Creamer $1.79
$0.55/1 printable coupon
Bottom line: $1.24

Hebrew National Franks $2.50
$1/1 printable coupon
Bottom line: $1.50
(Note: this is a GREAT price on Hebrew National!)

Schiff Glucosamine
Save 50% from regular prices

Earth's Best Organic baby Food
$0.68 each with booklet coupon (first 10)
Stack with $1/7 printable coupon
Bottom line: $0.54 each when you buy 7

Big K 2-Liter Soda
$0.50 each with booklet coupon (first 4)

Kraft Shredded Cheese, 16 oz. (Mexican varieties)
$3.33 each with booklet coupon (first 3)
Stack with $1/2 printable coupon
Bottom line: $2.83 each

Tully's Coffee, 12 oz bags 
Buy 1, get 1 free with booklet coupon (first 4 includes FREEs)

Krusteaz Pancake Mix
$1.99 each with booklet coupon (first 2)
Stack with $0.50/1 coupon from 12/6 SmartSource (exp. 2/28)
Bottom line: $1.49

Deals from around the store

This is the part where I tell you what you can find on sale beyond those grocery aisles! This week is looking rather sparse, but the 50% off clearance sales might be worth poking around.

Extra Bonus Coupons:
15% off all music CDs, videos or vinyl in stock
Save an extra $10 on Skechers for men, women & children
Senior Discount Day is Tuesday - get an extra 10% off if you are 55 +

Apparel Deals:
Big jewelry sale going on for Valentine's Day - see special insert
French Dressing Knit Separates $12.99 (reg $22) - women's sleepwear
All children's sleepwear is 50% off
Save an extra 50% on accessories & shoes (2/7 - 2/10 ONLY)

Home Deals:
Save an extra 50% on home clearance - includes luggage (2/7 - 2/10 ONLY)
Farberware Millenium Soft Touch 12-Piece Cookware Set $79.99 after $50 MIR (was $149.99 regular)

Find more Fred Meyer and grocery store deals at The Grocery Gathering!!

Rite Aid deals 2/7 - 2/13

Remember to watch those Rite Aid AdPerks videos for Rite Aid coupons, including a $5-off-$20 printable! Plus, there's that Game of Life in progress where you can earn tokens per purchase and for buying featured items. Collect them and win neat-o prizes.

With so much going on at Rite Aid, it's important to thoughtfully plan out your trips. A tweak here or there might make a big difference! After I've shown you the deals, I'll give you an example of exactly what I mean.

Stayfree Maxi Pads $1.99
Buy one, get one free coupon from 1/3 Red Plum
Bottom line: $0.99 each

o.b. Tampons $1.99
$1/1 coupon from 1/3 Red Plum
Bottom line: $0.99

Comtrex $3.99
$1.50/1 coupon from 2/7 SmartSource
Submit for $1 Rite Aid rebate
Bottom line: $1.49

Dove Men Body & Face Wash $4
$1.25/1 coupon from 1/31 Red Plum
Submit for $4 Rite Aid rebate
Bottom line: ($1.25)
(Also a money-maker at Walgreens this week)

Clairol Nice 'n Easy Hair Color $7.49
Save $2.50 with in-ad coupon
Stack with $1/1 coupon from 2/7 P&G
Bottom line: $3.99

Schick Disposable Razors $4.99
$3/1 coupon from 2/7 SmartSource
Bottom line: $1.99

Schick Quattro Razor $8.99
Submit for manufacturer rebate (form found in 2/7 SmartSource)
Bottom line: FREE!
(Do this deal at Walgreens instead, and you should turn a small profit)

Satin Care Shave Gel $2.99
$0.55/1 coupon from 2/7 P&G
Submit for $1 Rite Aid rebate
Bottom line: $1.44

Kotex Pads, Liners, Tampons
Buy 2 for $6
$2/2 pads printable coupon
$1.50/2 tampons printable coupon
$1.50/2 liners printable coupon
Submit for $1 Rite Aid rebate
Bottom line: $1.50 - $1.75 each
(lower prices at Walgreens this week on these products!)

GE Reveal Light Bulbs
Buy 2 for $5
$0.40/1 AdPerks coupon
Stack with (2) $1/1 coupons from 1/3 SmartSource
Submit for $2 Rite Aid rebate
Bottom line: $0.30 per 4-pack

Finish Automatic Dishwasher Detergent $4.49
$1/1 AdPerks coupon
Stack with $1/1 coupon from 2/7 SmartSource
Submit for $1.50 Rite Aid rebate
Bottom line: $0.99

P&G VISA Rebate Offer:
Spend $100 on select products - earn $35; $50 - earn $15; $25 - earn $5

Here is an idea I came up with to use the above rebate offer on a Pampers sale:
Buy 3 packs of Pampers at $8.99 each
Use (3) $1.50/1 coupons from 2/7 P&G
Use the $5-off-$20 AdPerks printable coupon
Submit for $2 Rite Aid rebate for the Pampers, and the $5 VISA rebate for P&G
Bottom line: $3.49 per pack!

About Rite Aid Rebates

If you've never used Rite Aid's rebate program before, you'll be glad to know it's easy. Start by creating an online account here Then, come back and simply enter a few pieces of info from your receipts. At the end of the monthly rebate cycle, submit for your check and viola!  you're done. Of course, you could do it the old fashioned way by circling items on receipts and mailing them all in...but why would you?

Don't forget you can find other Rite Aid deals from around the blogosphere at BeCentsAble's Grocery Gathering.  

Walgreens deals 2/7 - 2/13

This is a particularly GREAT ad and I hope you take the time to look through it and bring it with you to the store. Why? Because this ad encourages you to use coupons. I'm not kidding. Check out the top of page 8 - the top headline reads "Use your P&G brandSAVER coupons with these Walgreens offers!" Then it proceeds to list Register Reward deals, sales, and store coupons! I also liked the store coupon on page 16 for $4 off Digesitve Relief. RIGHT ON the store coupon it reads "Coupon savings in most Sunday papers!"

This would be a great ad to bring with you in case you have any difficulties at checkout.

There are quite a few terrific deals this week to go with the great coupons. Here are some that stood out to me.

Dove Men's Body Wash $5.99
$1.25/1 coupon from 1/31 Red Plum
Receive a $5.99 Register Reward
Bottom line: ($1.25)

Lindsay Olives
$0.99 each with in-ad coupon (limit 3)
Stack with $1/2 printable coupon
Bottom line: $0.49 each

2 Liter Soda (Dr Pepper, 7 Up, A&W, Sunkist, Canada Dry, Hawaiian Punch) 3 for $4
Receive a $2 Register Reward
Bottom line: $0.67 each

Wet Ones Wipes (40 pack) 2 for $4
(2) $0.75/1 printable coupons
Receive a $1 Register Reward
Bottom line: $0.75 each

Hefty One Zip Bags
Buy 1 at $3.29, get 1 free with in-ad coupon (limit 4)
Stack with $1/2 coupon from 1/31 Red Plum
Bottom line: $1.15 each

Gillette or Old Spice Deodorant $3.99
Old Spice $1/1 coupon from 2/7 P&G
Gillette "buy one deodorant, get a Gillette body wash free" coupon from 2/7 P&G
Receive a $1.50 Register Reward
Bottom line: $1.49 for Old Spice; $1.25 per item for Gillette
(Note: only ONE Register Reward per transaction - if you want one of each, do two transactions)

Gillette Fusion or Venus Embrace Razor $8.99
$4/1 Fusion coupon from 2/7 P&G
$2/1 Venus coupon AND "Free Olay Body wash when you buy a Venus razor" coupon from 2/7 P&G
Receive a $4 Register Reward
Bottom line: $0.99 for Fusion; $1.49 per item for Venus/Olay
(Note: only ONE Register Reward per transaction - if you want one of each, do two transactions)

NyQuil/DayQuil
Buy 5 at $4.49 each for $22.45
(5) $1.50/1 coupons from 2/7 P&G
Receive a $10 Register Reward
Bottom line: $0.99 each

Aveeno Register Reward Deal (excludes sun care and baby)
Buy $25 or more, get $10 Register Reward
Aveeno is 20% off this week, too!
$2/1 coupon from 1/10 SmartSource
Bottom line: will vary....

Nivea Skin Care, Lip, Bath or For Men Register Reward Deal
Buy $15 or more, get $5 Register Reward
Nivea is 20% off this week, too!
$1/1 coupon from 2/7 Red Plum
$2/1 and $5/2 coupons from 1/3 Red Plum
Bottom line: will vary....

L'Oreal HiP Cosmetics
$3 off (this is a sale)
$1/1 coupon from 1/31 Red Plum
Bottom line: will vary...

John Frieda Hair Care
Buy 3 for $15
Use (1) $5/2 printable coupon(for Root Awakening)
And (1) $2/1 printable coupon(for Root Awakening)
Receive a $5 Register Reward
Bottom line: $1 each!

Motions Hair Care
Spend $10 or more, get a $5 Register Reward
Relaxer system: $7
Select Hair Care: $3.33 each

Super Poligrip Denture Adhesive $2
$1/1 coupon from 1/3 Red Plum
Receive a $2 Register Reward
Bottom line: ($1)

Schick Disposable Razors $5.99
Save $1 with Walgreens February Coupon Booklet (in stores)
Stack with $3/1 coupon from 2/7 SmartSource
Bottom line: $1.99

Schick Quattro Titanium Razor $8.99
Receive a $3 Register Reward
Submit for Mail-in-Rebate of $8.99 (form in 2/7 SmartSource)
Bottom line: ($3)

Arrid XX or Arm & Hammer Deodorant
$0.99 each with in-ad coupon (limit 3)

Reach Toothbrush or Dental Floss $1.99
BIGI coupon from 1/3 Red Plum AND/OR $1/1 coupon from 10/18 Red Plum
Bottom line: $0.49 (if stores permit you to use both coupons) - $0.99 each

Listerine Total Care Mouthwash $1.99
$1/1 coupon from 1/3 Red Plum
Bottom line: $0.99

Kotex Feminine Care
Buy 2 for $6
$2/2 printable coupon for pads (same coupon found in 1/10 SmartSource)
$1.50/2 printable coupon for liners (same coupon found in 1/10 SmartSource)
$1.50/2 printable coupon for tampons (same coupon found in 1/10 SmartSource)
Receive a $3 Register Reward
Bottom line: $0.50 - 0.75 each

CryoStat Hemorrhoid Relief $5.99
Receive a $4 Register Rewards
Bottom line: $1.99

Walgreens Hydrogen Peroxide or Epsom Salt
$0.50 each with in-ad coupon (limit 4)

Children's Tylenol or Motrin
Buy 2, get a $3 Register Reward
Sale: $2 off (I'm unsure of what the prices are!)
$3/2 coupon from 1/3 Red Plum
Bottom line: I'm thinking a decent deal!

Triaminic/Theraflu
Buy 2 for $5 each: $10
(2) $1.50/1 Triaminic printable coupons
$1.50/1 Triaminic and Therafly coupons in 2/7 SmartSource
Receive a $5 Register Reward
Bottom line: $1 each

Halls Drops
$0.99 each with in-ad coupon (limit 3)
Stack with $0.50/1 coupon from 1/10 SmartSource
Bottom line: $0.49

Maybelline Cosmetics
40% off
$1/1 mascara coupons from 1/10 Red Plum
$1/1 - $2/1 coupons from 2/7 Red Plum

Huggies Jumbo Pack Diapers, Pull-Ups $8.99
$2/1 printable coupon
$2/1 Pull-ups coupon from 1/17 SmartSource
Receive a $3 Register Reward
Bottom line: $2.99
(Note: please note that the Walgreens Coloring Book coupon clearly states "off regular retail." I would not attempt to use it in this transaction!)

Joy Dish Detergent
$0.99 each with in-ad coupon (limit 3)
Stack with $0.30/1 coupon from 2/7 P&G
Bottom line: $0.69 each

Filler Item Ideas
As a reminder, you MUST have at least as many items in your transaction as coupons - and this includes Register Rewards. If you are heading to checkout with 4 items, and have 4 coupons and a Register Reward, you'll encounter problems. To remedy, buy a small "filler item" to make your transaction process. Walgreens coupons do not count. Here are my picks this week:

• Encore Gourmet Spices $0.50 each with in-ad coupon (limit 4)
• Disney Coloring & Activity Pad $0.33 each with in-ad coupon (limit 6)
• Valentine pencils $0.20 each wtih in-ad coupon (limit 10)
• Walgreens First Aid - epsom salt/hydrogen peroxide $0.50 each with in-ad coupon (limit 4)
  
   

Getting Started at Walgreens

Does the Walgreens Register Reward stuff leave you curious, clueless, or overwhelmed? You might be interested to read a two-part series on the topic I recently wrote for Steals & Deals. Read Part 1 and then Part 2 for help! I also wrote a post about acheiving success with Register Rewards here.

For more Walgreens matchups, don't forget to check out The Grocery Gathering.