Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Walgreens Trip 9/29

Chapstick Fresh Effects $2.99
Vaseline Sheer Infusion Lotion $6.99
2 Nyquil 2/$10.00
Gillette Fusion Razor Cartridges $12.99
Emergen-c Immune $3.49
Venus Razor $7.99
3 Pantene Mousse 3/$10.00

Sub-Total: $54.45

Coupons used:

vaseline lotion - 1.50
(2) nyquil 1.00ea - 2.00
venus razor - 2.00
Walgreens $5 off $25 order - 5.00
Total coupons: $10.50
~~~~~~
Sub-Total: $43.94
~~~~~
rr used: 2.50 Thermacare
6.00 SoftSheen Carson
(2) 1.00 Glade
(2) 2.00 P&G
Total rr: $14.50

Sub-Total: $29.44
Tax: 4.41
Total OOP: $33.85
~~~~~~
rr received:
3.00 Chapstick
7.00 Vaseline lotion
5.00 Nyquil
4.00 Venus razor
3.50 Emergen-c
Total rr received: $22.50
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Then I bought:

64 oz. Softsoap $5.00
Bounce Dryer Bar $3.99
Oral B Advantage 1-2-3 toothbrush $3.00
Vaseline Sheer Infusion Lotion $6.99
Chapstick Fresh Effects $2.99
Nestle Crunch Bar .89
Total: $22.86
Tax: 1.78

Sub- Total $24.64
~~~~~~
Coupons used:
-1.50, Vaseline lotion
-1.00, Bounce dryer bar
Total coupons used: 2.50
~~~~~~
rr used:
-3.50 emergen-c
-3.00 chapstick
-4.00 venus
-5.00 nyquil
Total rr used: 15.50
Total OOP: 6.64
~~~~~~
rr received:
$7.00 Vaseline lotion
$3.00 Oral B Toothbrush
$3.00 Chapstick
Total rr received: $13.00
~~~~~~
Two order total: $83.50
OOP: $40.49
Remaining rr: $20.00
Savings: $43.01 + rr ($20.00) 75% SAVINGS!

Monday, September 28, 2009

SAVE NOW!!

$5 Off your $25 Walgreens Purchase
Valid Sept. 29 and Sept. 30 ONLY!

This in-store coupon is available at the following link:
http://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/5off25.jsp
To qualify for the savings, your order must total $25.00
before taxes &
after all manufacturer and Walgreens coupons.

Get going ladies!

Friday, September 18, 2009

Weekly Shopping - 50% Savings Goal


This week, aside from my Smith's snack and cereal visit, I was able to save $65.57 on my weekly shopping at Albertsons. The total of my transactions was $119.94. I paid $54.37. While this isn't my best Albertsons shopping trip, I still saved 55% on my total order. If you spend $50, you should be able to realize at least $50 in savings. If you spend $40, you should be saving at least $40. If you aren't, please call me! Attend a Grocery Smarts class. Get your friends together (you know they want to save money, too!) and hold a class in your home. You can earn free groceries. Ask me how! If you've already been to a class, let me help refresh the shopping tips you learned there. With the economic times we're all facing, now is the time to work towards getting the greatest return on the money you spend.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Because I'm Grandma


Because I'm Grandma, I'm expected by certain younger, shorter people in my family to have my pantry fully stocked with the favorite snack items. Fruit by the Foot is the current favorite. My children (who pay the dental bills) have disallowed these items in their own homes (but I did mention I was the Grandma, right?). So as you can see, I am now prepared. Interestingly enough I'm finding the '3 month coupon rule' is very accurate. Coupons on most items will 'recycle' at least once approximately every three months. The last time I stocked this item was in June when I found a 'killer' sale on them at Vons. I was down to one box in the pantry when I caught this sale at Smith's this week. :) I was able to buy 12 boxes of cereal and 16 boxes of Fruit by the Foot for a total of $22.82.
Total value of sale: $83.72
Coupon & store savings: $60.90
Total OOP: $22.82

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Albertsons Gas Rewards


"Albertsons Gas Rewards Program is being discontinued. 9/21/09 is the last day you may earn Gas Rewards. Gas Rewards issued on or before 9/21/09 will be honored until they expire." This is the notice printed on my Albertsons receipt today. Just be aware; don't let your gas savings expire before you can use them!

Monday, September 14, 2009


Walgreens continues to be one of my favorite places to shop! You'll see what I purchased today below and the savings are incredible. But while you're in the store, please look for he Walgreens "Children's Activity Book" at the camera or pharmacy department. Your kids will enjoy the activities, and you will love the coupons:
Neosporin, $2 off
Band-Aid Bandages, $2 off
Children's Benadryl, $1 off
Flavored Tylenol, $1 off
Braun ThermoScan ear thermometer, $5 off
Huggies diapers or training pants, $1 off
Gerber tooth & gum cleaner, $1 off
Zooth or Oral-B Stages toothbrushes, $1 off
Listerine, $1 off
L'il Critters Gummy Vites, $2 off
Walgreens Children's Allergy Relief, $.50 off
Walgreens Childrens's Ibuprofen 100, $.50 off
Crayola Color Explosion or Color Wonder, $1 off

Today's Shopping Trip:
2 Neosporin ointment, $3.99 each, $3 rr wyb 2
($2.00 coupon, childrens activity book, $.50 mfr coupon, SS 6/28)
3 Degree deodorant, $1.99 each on sale
2 Kleenex, $.89 each on sale
1 Glade soy candle, free with mfr coupon
2 Walgreens activity books, $.99 each
1 True North nut clusters, $3.00, $3 rr
2 Triaminic children's thin strips, 2/$10.00, $5 rr

Total value: $47.59
Coupons used: $29.50
Wag advertised savings: $9.26
OOP: $8.83
Register rewards received to be used on my next trip: $11.00
All together, a very rewarding trip!

Sunday, September 13, 2009

General Mills Savings


Don't miss the General Mills coupons in today's paper. When you are receiving multiple Sunday newspapers, make sure you check closely through all the sales ads in that first newspaper. This booklet was an unexpected bonus for me. I didn't want you to miss these great coupons!

Saturday, September 5, 2009

I'm So Excited!


I've been using Grocery Smarts since May, but I began tracking my savings in the middle of August. From August 15 through August 31, I bought $679.50 worth of groceries and household items. (Btw, this is unusually high for me, but I stocked up on some over-the-counter medications that I just couldn't pass up.) I saved $379.71 and spent $299.79 out of pocket. That's an average savings of 57%! By "household items" I mean things like toiletries, paper products, and cleaning supplies. Of course my individual sales receipts vary in their percentages saved, but having almost 60% savings overall on things I use everyday is exciting to me. I should probably mention that my husband is VERY happy with the savings. He always asks, "How much did you save today?" By taking the extra few minutes to search the Grocery Smarts website and organize my coupons before leaving my house, I am saving so much money! Let me show you how. Call me or email me and schedule a class. I would love to show you how you can do the very same thing . . . save money . . . every week!!

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Brand Loyalty vs. Savings


I love Jif peanut butter. I guess you could say I'm a peanut butter snob. Who knows why I love the products I do, but I've always used Sure Deodorant, Pantene hair products, Heinz ketchup, and Tide detergent just to name a few. There's no accounting for some peoples tastes. When our kids were younger, I would experiment with generic brands to try to save money but was not often satisfied. I like name brands. And I like my favorite name brands best. Since becoming a Grocery Smart shopper, I'm stepping out of my comfort zone and experimenting with other brands -- other name brands, not generics -- and finding I can sometimes be just as happy with the outcome. I recently discovered Hunts ketchup is pretty good (my family didn't even notice the difference)! Don't get me wrong. I'm still on the lookout for great buys on my favorites so I can stock up, but I'm also more open to the possibility of being surprised by products I would not have even considered in the past. Using Grocery Smarts and my newspaper coupons, I don't have to spend a lot of money to try something new. Who would have thought?

Monday, August 31, 2009

Pinching Your Pennies


Want to share deals or post big savings tips? Pinching Your Pennies is an AWESOME forum for doing just that! There isn't a ton of participation yet in the Nevada Forum so I thought I'd do a post to get awareness out there so we can all start using it! Basically, you just register then can share info on extra deals you find as you are out shopping. The Grocery Smarts lists are great, but if you find something extra - this is where you can post it for everyone to see!I get emails all the time from gals with more deals to share and if we can pass the word around and all start using this forum, it will become a great resource for all of us!

Walgreen's Trip 8/31/2009


3 cans Geisha Peaches
1 can Geisha Pears
1 Rembrandt toothpaste
1 Mens Zone
1 6 Razor pack
1 Theraflu Cough/Cold Syrup
3 Jello
2 Kraft Velveeta Cheese Dinners
2 Kraft Deluxe Mac & Cheese Dinners
1 Colgate Reach Toothbrush
1 Colgate 360 Toothbrush
4 cans Sardines
Total: $56.10


Walgreens 15% Discount: $ 6.40(15% discount for one day onlyfrom Walgreens.com)
Coupons: $10.84
Walgreens advertised savings: $12.09
Register Rewards Used: $21.00

OOP: $ 5.77

Plus I received $14.00 rr

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

FAQ



What is Grocery Smarts?
Many shoppers who want to save money at the grocery store spend hours scouring over the ads and digging through piles of coupons to find what matches up. Grocery Smarts puts an end to all of that craziness and simply matches local store ads to current coupons (found in the Sunday paper) in an easy to use list. The list is updated each week as new ads are released and even links you instantly to any online printable coupons that are out there. Using an easy "5 Star" rating system, the list even tells you which deals are the BEST deals! And, the greatest part about these lists is they are free! Free for anyone to use, anytime... and you don't even have to register or fork over your email address to use the service. Nice, huh?

How can I learn how to use the lists?
The best way to learn how to use the store lists is to attend a class. If you haven't ever been invited to one, consider hosting your own! In-home classes work the best, so grab your friends and family to attend and contact me to book one anytime!

What's a class like?
Classes generally last about an hour (depending on how chatty the ladies get). In that time, I teach you the benefits of shopping the sales, show you how to do it, and give you recommendations on how to stay organized. It's not complicated or difficult to learn because the list does all the hard work for you.

How much time will I have to spend clipping coupons?
Virtually none! Seriously, the Grocery Smarts big wigs came up with literally a "5 minute" method that'll keep you organized, yet not feeling overwhelmed. You only cut what you need, when you need it!

Is it really worth it?
It is for me (and lots of my friends and family)! I've been couponing for along time and my budget is in good check and my pantry is full. My favorite part about shopping this way is I actually get to buy nicer brands. No more generics for me... nothing beats a name brand item when it's on sale and has a coupon to boot! Plus, my hubby praises me for my trophy receipts (the ones where I save more than I spent)! Seriously, I hang these on the fridge and he loves it!

So... What's the catch?
Several other similar online shopping services charge users a monthly membership fee to access their coupon matching service. However, in an effort to be a head above the rest, the founders of Grocery Smarts didn’t think charging a monthly fee to families who are trying to save money made any sense at all. They started thinking outside the box and realized that regardless of what service you use, in order to shop smart and to do it right, you need multiple sets of coupons from the Sunday paper. They thought, "Why charge a fee to the user… when the newspaper sits right in the middle directly benefiting from the concept we teach?" So, the Grocery Smarts big wigs presented their concept to the Review Journal. They quickly realized that when we teach our classes, we naturally refer new subscribers to the paper. So, you can imagine how quickly they jumped on the opportunity to open their market up to moms like us who typically wouldn't be getting the paper at all.

So here's the long and short of it... At the class, as I teach you the concept of shopping smart and show you how you can use the website to save money at the store. And, because having the right amount of coupons (1 set for each person in your household) is such a key part of saving big, it makes sense for me to hook you up with the papers you need at the class. I offer the Review Journal at amazing prices to anyone not currently taking the paper, plus can get you up to 4 more additional Sunday papers delivered to your door for less than a buck a week! And that's why the class is free... I make money based on how many new subscriptions I turn into the Review Journal. So, I guess we can all thank them for stepping up, getting involved and helping Grocery Smarts keep the classes and website FREE for everyone!

Start Here!!


After following the Grocery Smarts concept for the past four months, my pantry is very well stocked! Our youngest daughter, who is a junior in college, shops from the pantry when she makes her occasional weekend visits. Filling this pantry and saving money in the process is the most fulfilling part of the story.

How do you start?
I was first introduced to Grocery Smarts at a class I attended. I learned about the free website that would help me plan the best way to shop using coupons from the Sunday newspaper (I now get five Sunday newspapers). Each store has an individual listing of their weekly sale items. If coupons are available, they are also listed. It sounded easy, and it is! I have consistently saved an average of 60% on my groceries since using the website.

Have you attended a class?
If you haven't attended a class, contact me and we can discuss how you can hold one in your home and earn free groceries. When you do attend, I can show you how to save at least 50% on your groceries and hook you up with a sweet deal on your Sunday Review Journal. I'm hoping this blog will help keep you informed and excited about Grocery Smarts. I try to share ideas and tips that you can use to save money.

What's next?
Go to the Grocery Smart website HERE and print your shopping list. If you just ordered your newspapers, it will take some time to accumulate multiple coupons. Each week you will accumulate inserts and before you know it, your savings will increase. But you can start saving the very first time you go to the store by using the website to shop the sales more efficiently.

Do you have your newspapers already?You know you need multiple coupons to maximize your savings, which means you need multiple newspapers. The Grocery Smart concept is to have one set of coupons for each member of your family. For less than $1 a week, you can get an extra Sunday newspaper.

Current incentives for ordering your newspapers through me . . . .

$5 Gift Card for ordering 2
$10 Gift Card for ordering 3
$20 Gift Card for ordering 4 or more!


The savings go on and on! As you continue to use the website and experience the coupon savings, your pantry and shelves will be stocked. You will be amazed at the amount of money you are saving on groceries and other household items your family uses regularly. Before making a purchase, don't be surprised if your hubby or children ask, "Do you have a coupon for that?" You'll probably find that couponing is contagious. The more money you save, the more you want to save.

So bookmark my blog and check back each week to see how I have been using my coupons. Hopefully I can give you some ideas on how you can save even more money!