Whew! I am exhausted. It is 11:30 at night, I am just now posting for the day. Why is that? Because I have been grocery shopping since 8:00 this evening. I hit Walgreens, CVS, and then Kroger. BUT, I am done. Thank goodness!
How did you do this week? Need some incentive to begin cutting coupons and saving money? Aren't convinced the Grocery Game ( please use referral moneysavingmethods.com ) is for you? Haven't checked in with Mommy Snacks or Money Saving Mom for their saving ideas? It is a good time to start all of the above.
So, lets take a gander at how I did this week! Or, take a peek over at Carrie's Cooking for her take on the program. She was one of the first people I ever convinced to try it. And, I told her...you won't see a difference at first. It takes a good 3 to 6 months to really get in the groove, get all the coupons, etc. But, once you do..the grocery bills are low and stay low! And, she is reaping the benefits now.
And, don't forget...your lists and prices will be different based on region of the US. But, the Grocery Game puts your list together based on your area and your Sunday paper coupons.
My day at the stores....
Walgreens
- 4 Pack Walgreens Light Bulbs = .99 ( will get $ back in rebate next month )
- Reynolds Wrap = $1.59
- Reynolds Wrap = $1.59
- Reynolds Wrap Walgreens Coupon = -$1.68
- Reynolds Wrap Man. Coupon = -$.55
- Reynolds Wrap Man. Coupon = -$.55
Subtotal = 1.39 plus tax $.16 = $1.55
Paid on Walgreens Gift Card that I got from rebates from previous months
Out of Pocket = $0 plus I will make back $1.09 for my light bulb rebate plus 10% ( for taking it on a Walgreens Gift Card )
Walgreens 2nd Order
- Lady Speed Stick = $.99 ( after Walgreens Coupon )
- Lady Speed Stick Coupon ( found on Money saving mom ) = -$1.00
Subtotal = -$.01 plus 6 cents tax = $.05
Out of Pocket = $.05 but I will make $1.00 for putting it on my Chase Debit Card. I chose to put it on here, instead of using my Walgreens Gift Card, since I need to try and get to my 10 transactions to get $10 free. The break out is that I am earning $1 per transaction.
CVS- Dole Fruit Cups = $1.67
- Dole Fruit Cups = $1.67
- Palmolive Dish Soap = $1.39
- Palmolive Dish Soap = Free
- All Small & Mighty = $6.49
- All Small & Mighty = Free
- Cheez Its Twin Pack = $6
- $3 Off $15 CVS Coupon = -$3.00
- All Small & Mighty Coupon = -$1.50
- All Small & Mighty Coupon = -1.00
- Dole Fruit Cups Coupon = -$.75
- Palmolive Coupon = -$.25
- Palmolive Coupon = -$.25
- CVS Extra Care Bucks = -$1.50
Subtotal = $8.97 plus $.22 tax = $9.19
Paid with a CVS Gift Card I got from filling a prescription there last month.
Out of Pocket = $0 plus I made $3.00 in Extra Care Bucks
CVS 2nd Order
- Cover Girl True Blend Foundation = $9.49
- Cover Girl True Blend Foundation = $9.49
- CVS $3 off $15 Coupon = -$3.00
- Cover Girl Buy one Get one Free Coupon = - $9.49
- Cover Girl Coupon = -$1.00
- CVS Extra Care Bucks from previous transaction = -$3.00
Subtotal = $2.51 plus $.82 tax = $3.33
Paid with the CVS Gift Card again. I still have $17.48 left on it, too.
Out of Pocket = $0 plus I made $12 in Extra Care Bucks
Kroger
- Eggo Waffles = $2.59
- Eggo Waffles = Free
- Eggo Waffles = $2.59
- Eggo Waffles = Free
- Kroger Applesauce = $1.63
- Kroger Applesauce = $1.63
- Kroger Applesauce = $1.63
- Starkist Tuna = $.66
- Starkist Tuna = $.66
- Starkist Tuna = $.66
- Starkist Tuna = $.66
- Starkist Tuna = $.66
- Starkist Tuna = $.66
- J&J Suddzing Bar = $.99 ( I get 3 of these free a week...buy it 1 time w/coupon from paper for free, and Kroger prints out a new coupon for $3.00 off 3 J&J items..which makes 3 of them free again. It keeps repeating. )
- J&J Suddzing Bar = $.99
- J&J Suddzing Bar = $.99
- Kroger Cheese = $1.99
- Lite and Fit Yogurt = $2.50
- FiberOne Yogurt = $2.69
- Suavitel Fabric Softner = $3.78
- Suavitel Fabric Softner = $3.78
- Pure Protein Bar = $1.00
- Pure Protein Bar = $1.00
- Tyson Bagged Whole Chicken = $5.59
- Tyson Bagged Whole Chicken = $5.59
- Kroger Prescription Credit = -$20.00 ( paid $5 to have my vitamins filled there..made $15 )
- Eggo Coupon = -$1.00 ( all coupons listed will be the value after doubled )
- Eggo Coupon =-$1.00
- J&J Suddzing Bar Coupon = -$3.00
- Kroger Cheese Coupon = -$1.00
- Lite and Fit Yogurt Coupon = -$1.00
- Fiber One Yogurt = -$1.00
- Fabric Softner Coupon = -$1.00
- Fabric Softner Coupon = -$1.00
- Pure Protein Coupon = -$1.50
- Tyson Bagged Chicken Coupon = -$2.00
- Tyson Bagged Chicken Coupon = -$1.00
- Recycled Bags = -$.25
Subtotal = $10.17 plus $.60 tax = $10.77
Out of Pocket = $10.77 but I will make 6% on my credit card ( $.65 ) and 4% is donated to the charity I chose ( $.43 )
Grand Total = I made $3.92
And, do you realize that is over $225 worth of products? So, are you convinced? Start clipping those coupons. You won't be sorry!
8 comments:
WOW! I have been doing the Grocery Game for 4 weeks and am still working on my stockpile. Each week I have gone I have saved AT LEAST the amount that I spent, normally more. I'm not getting those amazing deals where I spend nothing, but I'm still very happy with what I have been getting. I'm looking forward to when my grocery bills really drop in a couple of months!
Hi Erika,
It is fun. I remember I was always stuck at 50% savings it seemed for a long time. And, in all actuality...that was great. In fact, a lot of weeks I am right back at 50%.
But, it seems lately I can get down more around 80%, if I have had a real good stockpile week previously ( where I have spent more like $70 ). As you can tell, I didn't buy milk, fruit, etc. We still had leftovers from last week...and I have another prescription to fill ( spend $4 and get $20 ) at Meijer...so I plan to go there with that gift card and buy the rest of my stuff today.
But, I find combining the grocery game with my prescription refills ( I get my vitamins at least once a month & often times we need some for ear infections, etc...although hopefully that stops soon ) really saves me a lot.
Also, I check my coupon file for every item. For example, Grocery Game had their cheese listed in black, but when I checked my file, I had gotten a coupon from Kroger for their cheese for $1 off...making it a Blue purchase for me.
You always get printables at the register which often times are worth more than the coupons from the Sunday paper.
And, I always check coupons.com and bricks for better coupons quickly. AND, I use the electronice coupons to stack with the paper coupons. That way I get alot of stuff free.
And, with CVS and Walgreens...I pretty much pull my ideas from Money Saving Mom and then bring my grocery game list to fill in when I don't want all the items she has on her deal ideas...and plug some other blue items in it's place from the grocery game.
It sounds like a lot to do...but it really isn't. Electronic coupons are all loaded quickly. Prescriptions need to be filled anyway...just bring those coupons along. And, you are already shuffling through your paper coupons, so I just make sure there aren't higher dollar ones.
Hope that info all helps.
Carrie - you go GIRL!!! I didn't stop at Walgreens and now I'm kicking myself seeing what you got for that much! You always do so good at Kroger too! Awesome week for you!!
Woot Woot to YOU!
Just curious - what is your budget each week and what do you do with the money when you come in waaay under like this week? I'm still trying to finesse my system and am looking at others' ideas!
You did great this week, too. Did you post your Target deals yet? I need to go check. I finally logged into Hot Coupon World ( used your name as a referral ) to print all my Target coupons.
My goal ( really don't have a budget per say ) has always been to spend $100 or less a week at the grocery. It sounds like a lot now, but when I first started the Grocery Game, that would have been a great # for me...since I used to spend a lot more.
Now that it is always a lot lower, the money has just been stockpiling in our checking. I try to lower our checking balance once a quarter and invest it or we are saving for our vacation in June to Florida...so we may just leave it in there this time and use it for that.
Or, I may put the extra money I make and save all year against the house. We will see. I still haven't decided.
What do you do with your extra money?
Hi Carrie,
Did you have a coupon for the $20 prescription credits at Kroger and/or Meijer? And if so, where did you get them?? I'm just about to run out of my gift cards from CVS for prescriptions. I asked the last time I had one filled at CVS and they aren't offering any gift cards now. I have $10 coupon for a prescription at Meijer but not $20.
Thanks!!
Becky
Hi Becky,
The Meijer one was in the paper about a month ago, and I cut it out. It expires on May 3rd.
I saw that new $10 one last week...and I kept that, too.
The Kroger ones are all from when I bought all those Kroger Coupons $ off $ coupons on eBay a couple months ago. They all came with these prescription coupons, too. They expire the end of May.
You can almost always find the Kroger prescription coupons on eBay. Each coupon is worth $60, usually, since you can use 3 times for $20 each.
Hope that helps.
Carrie
I'll post my Target stuff later this evening - I want to take a pic and I always use my hubby's picture phone (hence the poor quality of all the photos :-) ). But, there wasn't really anything from the target q's that made me get really giddy - I did buy 40-All 3x Small & Mighty $1 q's on ebay and bought the trial size that cost $1 getting them free - so when I finish that purchasing spree, I will have four months of detergent for $5!
MSM's post from last week has really good suggestions on Target deals with Target q's and Mfg q's if you haven't done those yet - that made my heart palpitate :-)!
Right now, I'm just rolling my extra money to the next week. But, honestly, I usually spend it on "stuff" besides grocery (guess that's considered my salary..hehe). But, of course, this month, I didn't let myself do that since I was on my cash-only diet - and I haven't at all which I'm proud of. I need to do something "smart" with the money like you are...eventually I guess so I always appreciate all your posts on how your dividing your money. OK - wrote a book :-)
Hi Carrie! I have some Target deals posted on my blog.
All my extra money goes to debt right now, but eventually will go into savings.
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