If you haven’t used coupons.com before, check out this post.

Newest Coupons

• $2.00 off 1 HUGGIES Baby Wipes
• $0.50 off Minute Ready to Serve Rice Product
• $1.00 off ALMAY one coat dial up™ mascara
• $2.00 off any RoC Anti-Aging Product
• $1.50 off Purina brand Moist & Meaty Dog food
• $10.00 off any ONE (1) AVEENO AGELESS VITALITY™
• GET $10 Rebate when you buy qualified J&J product
• $1.00 off any LUBRIDERM Body Lotion or Cream
• $1.00 off any PURPOSE Skin Care Product
• $2.00 off any TWO (2) AVEENO Products
• $1.00 off Any CLEAN & CLEAR Product
• $1.00 off any ONE (1) AVEENO Product
• $4.00 off Any Real Health product
• $1.00 off Any Sambucol Product
• $1.00 off any ONE (1) Dove gofresh Body Wash
• $2.00 off Garnier Nutritioniste™ Ultra-Lift Cream
• $1.00 off Any Two Weight Watchers Sweet Bakery
• BOGO On Any Edge Shave Gel

Posts like this

• New Printable Coupons on Coupons.com Plus Some Expiring Soon
• $50 ProFlowers Giveaway for Mother’s Day – CLOSED
• Cereal & Granola Coupons, Plus Lots More
• Get a Coupon. Save Some Money. Fight Breast Cancer.
• Free Baby Formula, Ziploc Coupons, Free Chili’s Appetizer, Coffee Deal

You may be prompted to install a toolbar: don’t worry there are no virus’s or malware with their toolbar. It is 100% clean and just enables your printer to print coupons that can be scanned at your local grocery store. Keep in mind some of these coupons go fast so if you see a coupon you want to print then print it now as it may be gone tomorrow. Here are just a few of the great coupons that are currently available.

$1.00 off any one Hormel Always Tender product.

$2.00 off Mac and Me or Little Monsters on DVD

$2.00 off when you buy one Happy Sensation Body

$1.00 off when you buy any one Nivea Body Lotion

$4.00 off on Zegerid OTC™ 42 count

$0.55 off on ANY ONE (1) DanActive 4-pack

$3.00 off any Non-Drowsy Claritin

$0.50 off on ANY SIX (6) Light & Fit 6 oz. Yogurt Cups

$0.50 off on ANY ONE (1) Light & Fit 4-pack

$0.75 off on one (1) HORMEL Fully Cooked Bacon

Plus here are new coupons just released today:

$1.00 off any ONE (1) AVEENO Product

$2.00 off any TWO (2) AVEENO Products

$10.00 off any ONE (1) AVEENO AGELESS VITALITY™

$1.00 off Any CLEAN & CLEAR Product

$1.00 off any PURPOSE Skin Care Product

$1.00 off any LUBRIDERM Body Lotion or Cream

$2.00 off any RoC Anti-Aging Product

$0.50 off Minute Ready to Serve Rice Product

GET $10 Rebate when you buy qualified J&J product

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• Hot Printable Coupons on Coupons.com
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• Site for Free Samples and Coupons

Newest Coupons

• BOGO Starburst Gummibursts Pouch 1.5 oz
• $0.25 off the cover price of Woman’s Day
• $1.00 off REMBRANDT Paste or Rinse
• $1.00 off any one Hormel Always Tender product.
• $2.00 off Mac and Me or Little Monsters on DVD
• $2.00 off when you buy one Happy Sensation Body
• $1.00 off when you buy any one Nivea Body Lotion
• $4.00 off on Zegerid OTC™ 42 count
• $0.55 off on ANY ONE (1) DanActive 4-pack
• $3.00 off any Non-Drowsy Claritin
• $88.99 for 2 Pairs of Eyeglasses
• $0.50 off on ANY SIX (6) Light & Fit 6 oz. Cups
• $0.50 off on ANY ONE (1) Light & Fit 4-pack
• $0.75 off on one (1) HORMEL Fully Cooked Bacon
• $0.75 off on ANY ONE (1) ACTIVIA 4-pack
• $1.00 off DOVE PROMISES Silky Smooth Chocolate
• $1.00 off Purina Tidy Cats brand Cat Litter
• $1.00 off Purina Friskies brand Canned Cat Food
• $1.00 off Purina Friskies brand Dry Cat Food
• $1.00 off Purina Friskies brand Cat Treats
• $1.00 off six cans of Purina Alpo brand Dog Food
• $1.50 off 2 packages of Purina brand Dog Snacks
• $1.00 off 3.5 lb or larger bag of Purina Dog Chow
• $1.50 off Glade PlugIns Scented Gel
• $2.00 off On One Weekend White Kit

Last Chance To Print
(Date is when coupon will no longer be available to print, but may return at a later date)

• $4.00 off on Zegerid OTC™ 42 count

9/18/2010

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• $50 ProFlowers Giveaway for Mother’s Day – CLOSED
• Cereal & Granola Coupons, Plus Lots More
• Get a Coupon. Save Some Money. Fight Breast Cancer.
• Free Baby Formula, Ziploc Coupons, Free Chili’s Appetizer, Coffee Deal

Eat from the Pantry Challenge, Part 1

Eat from the Pantry Challenge, Part 2

Eat from the Pantry Challenge, Part 3

As I hopefully mentioned in the segment (you never know what I’ll forget because of my nerves) —  you can and should try some new recipes during your challenge. After you take your inventory, do a Google search for recipes with some of the ingredients you found. I found one of my all-time favorite recipes during my challenge — this amazingly easy pizza crust recipe (which I adapted some) that takes less than 15 minutes to make and saves me a bundle on pizza (delivery and frozen, because my kids like my homemade pizzas BEST):

EASY PEASY PIZZA CRUST RECIPE:

• 1 TBS active dry yeast (this was the only ingredient I didn’t already have in my pantry, so it cost me $2 to buy a few yeast packets)
• 1 C warm water (make it pretty darn warm)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 TBS vegetable oil
• 2 1/2 C flour

Dissolve the yeast in the water and then add the rest of the ingredients. Dump the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 3-5 minutes. (This recipe is meant for one pizza, but I think it’s too thick and too hard to get cooked thoroughly, so I divide it in half, and it makes two 14-inch diameter pizzas).

Roll dough out onto a greased pizza pan or stone and then season with your favorite seasonings (I use a Salt for All Seasons from Market Day, but I’ve also used salt, basil, oregano and parmesean cheese).

Bake at $450 for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven, flip over and season the other side. Then bake for another 3-5 minutes.

Remove from oven and add sauce, toppings and cheese. Bake again for 8-10 minutes.

HINTS:

• When I make this crust, I make three or four batches, and then divide them and freeze in balls in individual Ziploc bags. That way, the next time we want a homemade pizza, we just thaw the dough for a few hours, roll it out and voila!
• I save leftover spaghetti sauce in Ziploc bags, too, so I usually don’t even have to open a can of sauce to make my pizzas. But if I do, you can bet I bought it for less than $1/can or jar by shopping sales and stacking coupons.
• If I brown beef for another recipe, I’ll save some in a bag for my pizzas, and I’ll do the same with leftover hamburger patties or chicken breasts. I also boil whole chickens and then pull the meat and freeze it in smaller portion bags to use on pizza.
• By doing these things, you can make your pizza for a little bit of nothing and it will be one of your kids’ favorite meals!

My first appearance on  Great Day St. Louis was on ways to trim your grocery bill using coupons and other techniques, so let me direct you to some of the resources on this site that offer more details than a television segment can provide.

I’d also invite you to peruse the other posts in my Coupons and Frugal Living categories, where you’ll find posts about what coupon inserts to expect in the weekend paper, great deals or coupons I’ve discovered, and tips I’m learning for more frugal living. Plus, you can  find weekly deals at Walgreens here and at CVS here; you can try my weekly Walgreens $10 Challenge here and find coupons in my coupon database here.

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• Welcome Great Day Visitors (Coupon Stacking)
• Getting Started Part 4 – Change the Way You Grocery Shop
• $2 John Freida Coupon
• Walgreens $10 Challenge and Deals July 25 – 31, 2010
• Walgreens $10 Challenge and Deals July 18 – 24, 2010

Target Shopping 101

Shopping at Target is like a sporting event for me. You need to know how to play by Target’s rules and have the tools at your fingertips to be successful. I have taken many of my original blog posts and put together a running list of tools, links and need to know info to help make your shopping trip much easier on your budget. Here goes…
There are many ways to save at Target and it begins at the front door.
- Use an ad. If you don’t get the Sunday paper you can access it according to zip code at the Target web site.
- If you are lucky enough to have a Super Target, you can access the coupons for the grocery section from the site.
**Remember you can use one Target coupon and one manufacturers coupon per item and stack the savings.
- Next, you should become familiar with “Perimeter Shopping”. This means going around the outer most aisles and cruising all of the endcaps with clearance merchandise while peeking down the interior aisles for clearance tags.
There is nothing more satisfying than finding an item in the grocery or HBA section marked down and having a store and a manufacturer’s coupon for that item. You feel like you have SCORED!

Your homework is to set up some bookmarks, find out how to access and use the ad on the site if you don’t get a Sunday paper and get a notebook to take some notes. There is a lot more info to come.

Markdowns
Below are some of the basic tips to maximize your shopping trips to Target.
1. Stick to the outside walls of the store (perimeter) and always check the endcaps (ends of the aisle shelving). This is where all the markdown merchandise is usually relocated after the price is reduced. However, as you go around the outer aisles, peek down the aisles and look for clearance there too. This will save some time and steps.
2. Markdowns are typically done Monday thru Friday. It makes sense to hit Target on Tuesday since Monday’s are used to deal with the weekend returns and have time to work the markdowns for the week.
Monday – Electronics, Kids Clothing and Stationary (Cards, GiftWrap, etc.)
Tuesday – Domestics, Women’s Clothing, Pets and Market (food items)
Wednesday – Men’s Clothing, Toys, Lawn & Garden, Health and Beauty items
Thursday – House Wares, Lingerie, Sporting Goods, Shoes, Music / Movies, Books, Decor and Luggage
Friday – Auto, Cosmetics, Hardware, and Jewelry
3. Markdowns take place every 2 weeks. Target will continue to mark down unsold clearance merchandise every two weeks until sold. After that you can bet the clearance merchandise will end up at your local Goodwill Store.
4. If an item is damaged and you can repair it or don’t mind the blemish, then be sure to ask the cashier for a discount. Cashiers are authorized to give you a 10% discount.
5. Check near the dressing rooms for carts of opened or unused items from nearby departments, etc. Every store will have its own little spots for great deals of shopworn merchandise.
6. Know how to read markdown stickers. These are the little orange stickers like in the picture with this post. The original price at the top right corner plus a code: 15A, 30A, etc. This is markdown percentage.
Holiday Deals – Target always slashes prices on seasonal merchandise.
Clothing prices drop like a rock during their after-holiday clearance. Look for seasonal t-shirts and sweatshirts and get huge discounts.
Their holiday markdown schedule is usually as follows:
(Note: Christmas markdowns tend to be larger to start)
50% off the day after holiday for three days
75% off the fourth day after holiday for three days
90% off the seventh day after holiday for 1-2 days.
Cautionary notes about Target shopping:
If you find an item at 75% off, and you want it, don’t let it get away!
Target rarely marks non-holiday items down past 75%
If it the price ends in the number 4, it is probably your last chance to buy.

Clearance
You have a craving for a Target clearance. You don’t have the foggiest clue as to what you may find marked down. You WANT to know. Well, now you can from the comfort of your own home before you ever leave your computer. Visit these two sites:
http://tinyurl.com/2y8lauhttp://tinyurl.com/2oyfxw
Still want to know if the local store has what you want in stock? Okay, now you can.
Target Search Store Inventory by local zip code: http://tinyurl.com/2few6h
The 9 digit numbers next to the items are the DPCI numbers. The DPCI can help you check the price/availability in the store. You can check w/ the in-store price scanners. Some stores have scanners that allow you to type in the DPCI numbers. You can also check if an item is in-stock or what the price is by taking that DPCI number to the Guest Services. They can also check if other stores in your area have it in-stock.
**Note- If the DPCI number is not available on the clearance list sites, try locating the item on Target.com to get the DPCI number and then plug into the Search Store Inventory link.

All markdowns are ideally done at the same time in all stores. But anyone that has ever gotten the above info and gone into a store will eventually see that this isn’t a perfect world for clearance either. So, how about trying to make nice with an employee in one or two departments and see if you can get inside info on how your local store does markdowns and if they are strict or lax on the markdown schedule.

When Target pulls their clearance merchandise from the sales floor, it is donated to Goodwill Industries. They have done this for years. I’ll be honest, in some cases I know that the lowest Target price is less than what Goodwill sells it for. Not always, but sometimes it is. So it is important to know your prices and be aware this can happen.

Using Coupons Effectively @ Target

Step 1 – Know Target Coupon Policy – Print to take with you.
Dear Target Guest,
Thanks for asking again about using coupons at Target. Coupons are a great way to save even more when shopping at Target, andwe make it easy to use them at our stores. But because of the variety of coupons available to our guests, we do have some guidelines for how coupons can be redeemed at Target:
-We accept two kinds of coupons: Target-issued coupons and manufacturer-issued coupons.
-We’ll accept one Target coupon and one manufacturer coupon for the same item, unless either coupon prohibits it.
-We can’t give cash back if the face value of a coupon is greater than the purchase value of the item; in that case, we’ll adjust the value of the coupon to equal the price of the item.
-We can’t accept coupons from other retailers, or coupons for products not carried in our stores.-All valid coupons should be presented to the cashier at the time of sale.
In addition, Target empowers the store to limit the number of items a guest buys with coupons. We reserve the right to limit purchases to reasonable family-size quantities. Have questions or want more information about using coupons at Target? Check with a Guest Services Team Leader at your local store. You can also give us a call at (800) 440-0680, or visit us on Target.com. Either way, we’re here to help!
Thanks for shopping with us. We’ll see you again soon at Target.
Sincerely,
Larry
Target Guest Relations
www.target.com

Step 2 – Using Store and Manufacturer Coupons
After reading 100’s of posts on various message boards it seems you should be aware of these things:
1- Print a copy of the corporate coupon policy and take with you in case you are treated poorly. You will have exactly what corporate says is allowable as well as corporate’s phone number (add to cell phone!)
2- Any store manager has the right to refuse quantities. Don’t abuse the coupon savings by buying hoards of items and you should get what you want just fine.
3- It has been mentioned that you can “spoon feed” your coupons to the cashier if you’d like as the items go through the scanner. I see this as something you’d do if you have a really tough store to deal with.
4- I have also seen it mentioned that you should avoid unfriendly cashiers with a chip on their shoulder. Try to find a friendly one. If you like the cashier, you might try asking what days they work so you can visit their line again. You know as well as I do that some cashiers think the coupon savings comes directly out of their paycheck. Engage in chit chat early, get them smiling and talking. Any cashier will treat you better if you do. I know, some are just hags or man-hags. LOL
5- If your purchase comes out free, don’t set off any bells and whistles. Just purchase something you need to go with it. DO NOT END UP WITH A NEGATIVE BALANCE!!!!!!!!!
6- The goal is to get a reasonable amount of items on sale with a coupon, not have a negative balance, keep the cashier happy (while finding one that isn’t a coupon Nazi). Don’t get the manager involved because they are known to be jerks.
7- Target.com coupons at one time said “Super Target Coupons”. Now they simply say Target Web Coupons and if a non-super size store has the item, they should accept the coupon.
8- If hassled whether your coupons are printed or copied, lick your finger and smear it on a spot to show them it was printed.
9- if you are shopping in a store that is paranoid that all of your Target Coupons are fraudulent, just print them and do NOT cut them out. Just present the entire sheet of coupons with the Target Coupon page URL still intact on the bottom of the sheet. It is a bit more expensive to print in this manner but if you have problems, it may just solve the problem.
10- If you have complaints go to these and be heard.
Where to complain or compliment:
http://www.planetfeedback.com/
Target Corporate phone number : 1-800-440-0680
11- You’ll find Target coupons on Target.com, in magazines of all sorts, on company web sites that have large promotions going with Target, in mailers, the Sunday newspaper, on the coupon generators on Coupons.com or RedPlum.com, on product peel off coupons (peelies) or hanging on the neck of some products (hang tags). During the 4^th quarter, they release toy coupons in a small toy catalog.
Also, you can now sign up to receive mobile coupons via your cell phone. Once you have your account set up, you can access those coupons on your cell phone by launching the Internet browser on your phone and typing in/bookmarking http://target.com/save
Target Coupons – Print them from Target.com
Target Coupon Policy – Rules for using any coupons at Target
Target Return Policy – In store purchase
Target Return Policy – Returning a Target.com purchase to the store
Target.com Price Matching Policy
Target Store Low Price Promise (in-store price matching/adjustment)

Many thanks to Michelle for asking me to guest post today. I love her blog and info she brings to us. I hope you will drop by one or both of my blogs to find some deal info to help you stretch your budget. I blog at both AttentionTargetShoppers.com and FrugalInAlabama.com

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As I mentioned in the segment, the best way to really make couponing work for you is to use “coupon stacking.” Coupon stacking is using a manufacturer’s coupon in addition to a store coupon for an even lower price.

Then, if you “stack” the manufacturer’s coupon with a store coupon AND a store sale on an item, you can sometimes get it super cheap or in some cases, FREE!

For example, local retailers publish ads with the items they have on sale, and those ads often include coupons for those same items. So you might have a coupon for 50 cents off Kellogg’s cereal. That doesn’t sound like much. But if the store has published a coupon for $1 off a box of Kellogg’s cereal, AND the cereal is on sale 2/$5, then you can use TWO 50 cent manufacturer’s coupons, plus the $1 store coupon, and get two boxes of cereal for $3.

These savings become even more significant when you’re taking advantage of store reward programs such as Walgreens Register Rewards and CVS Extra Care Bucks (ECBs).

Each week, Walgreens and CVS reward their customers for purchasing certain products by giving you register receipts that work just like cash on your next purchase. You’ll see these items in the weekly ad.

Here’s an example:

In  recent Walgreen’s ad, Colgate Toothpaste was advertised for $2.99, with a $2 Register Reward (RR) good on your next purchase, so it’s like paying $.99.

Now, here’s the FUN part — the part where you can get stuff “free” or “more than free” by using the Register Rewards program and coupons. If you have a $1 coupon for Colgate Toothpaste, then you’re only paying $1.99 for that tube, and then you get a $2 RR to use on your next purchase. You make a penny on the deal!

Here’s another example: Last week, CVS adverised several buy one get one (BOGO) free deals. One of those items was a 27.8 oz container of Folgers coffee for $11.99. That price isn’t so great, considering that you can buy the same item at Target for $7.99. But when I got the second  container free with the purchase of the first one, and then I stacked the deal with 2 $1 coupons for Folgers coffee (which CVS lets you do, even if you’re only purchasing one),  I got both containers of coffee for only $9.99. That’s a good price.

Usually, there are limits on these deals, and most of the time, you can’t  “roll” Register Rewards or CVS ECB’s, meaning you can’t use the $2 you just made on the toothpaste deal to buy another tube of Colgate toothpaste. You can get all the details on how these programs work on my Web site under the “getting started” series.

My first appearance on  Great Day St. Louis was on ways to trim your grocery bill using coupons and other techniques, so let me direct you to some of the resources on this site that offer more details than a television segment can provide.

I’d also invite you to peruse the other posts in my Coupons and Frugal Living categories, where you’ll find posts about what coupon inserts to expect in the weekend paper, great deals or coupons I’ve discovered, and tips I’m learning for more frugal living. Plus, you can  find weekly deals at Walgreens here and at CVS here; you can try my weekly Walgreens $10 Challenge here and find coupons in my coupon database here.

Please remember, however, that just like anything else, it’s important to play by the rules and be polite when using coupons. Get to know the coupon policies of your favorite stores (most of them are posted on the Web sites or you can ask for a copy from the store manager). If you cheat with your coupons, it’s the same as stealing, in my opinion. Be courteous to sales clerks who are learning the ropes. And be courteous to other shoppers and let them go ahead of you if they only have a few items or simpler transactions, and try not to do extravagant coupon shopping during a store’s busiest times.

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Almost every week, CVS will offer a few items that will be completely free after ECBs. This means that you will buy the item now, and get a coupon printed on your receipt for that amount in ECB’s. For example, a few week’s ago, the CVS ad had a Blade 5 Razor System for $6.99, and you got $6.99 in ECB’s on your receipt when you purchased one, which you can use on your next purchase just like cash. That makes the item essentially free. Then, if you have a coupon for the Blade 5 Razor System, it’s “better than free.”

I know a lot of couponing bloggers claim to like the CVS reward system better than they like better than they like Walgreens Register Rewards. I have more experience with Walgreens because CVS just opened in my city a few months ago. But, as I get more and more practice at CVS, I’m starting to like it better, too.

Here’s how it works:

Apply for a CVS card (which you can put on your keychain). You can apply online or in the store. It only takes a minute to do in the store, there is no cost, and you can start using it right away. Every time you check out, the clerk will ask if you have a CVS card, which they will scan and then you get the sale prices that are only good with a CVS card, plus you accrue points that result in ECBs down the road, as well as the “instant ECB’s” you get for purchasing certain items.

Just like with the Walgreens Register Rewards, you can stack coupons with ECBs, which can make your items really cheap, free or “better than free,” as described above in the Blade 5 Razor System scenario. Stacking simply means that you can combine an ECB deal with a manufacturer’s coupon, and even a store sale. For example, the CVS ad this week has Pantene Pro-V shampoo and conditioner on sale 2/$6.97 with a CVS card, and you get $2 ECBs when you buy two. I have two $1/1 Pantene coupons from the 5/23/10 Parade magazine. So, I’ll get two Pantene products for $4.97 and get $2 ECBs, which is like getting two Pantene products for $2.97. Plus, I now have $2 ECBs to use on another transaction or in the future. Stacking sales, ECBs and manufacturer’s coupons is where you can really add up your savings. Sometimes I use my ECBs in the same trip (although you have to do separate transactions), and sometimes I save them and use them the following week. Either way, they work like cash!

CVS also offers many coupons for $3/$15 ($3 off a purchase of $15), $5/$20  and so on. These are another great way to make your ECBs go further and increase chances of free or better than free merchandise. Plus, CVS offers some monthly ECB deals in addition to the weekly deals. For example, CVS currently has Power Bars on sale for $1, and you get $1 ECB when you buy one, with a limit of 3 (and $3 in ECBs).

Like I  said in my Getting Started Part 5 – Walgreens 101 post, this process takes practice. I started out small, doing only $5 deals. But after awhile, I began making longer lists of deals and coupon scenarios. So, when you’re ready to do bigger shopping trips using ECBs and stacking, here is the process I use:

1) I comb the ad (and blogs) for ECB deals on products I want/need*.

2) I dig through my coupon binder and my coupon database for coupons to stack on products I plan to buy.

3) I make a list of the products I will buy in my first transaction, 2nd transaction and sometimes 3rd transaction (although I usually only do two transactions). This is important if you want to use ECBs you get in your first transaction on your 2nd transaction, etc.

4) I mark my coupons according to transaction (1, 2, 3) so I know which coupons to hand over on which transaction.

5) I put everything in an envelope and head to the store.

Tips

• *Only buy products you need, or it’s not a cost savings. Unless, of course, you can get the product free or more than free. In that case, even if it’s not a product you want or use, it’s free, so you can get it and give it to a friend or save it for the holiday product donation drives or the Girl Scouts, or whatever.

• Take your time and start small — with a few transactions like the ones I described above.

To read Parts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 of the Getting Started series, go here.

If you want to find more great coupons online to use in your “stacking” deals, go here.

If you’re looking for specific coupons, check out my searchable Coupon Database.

To read about my Journey in Frugality, go here. And go here to learn about the coupon lingo/abbreviations.

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• $2 John Freida Coupon
• Welcome Great Day Visitors (Coupon Stacking)
• Walgreens $10 Challenge and Deals May 1 – 8
• Walgreens $10 Challenge and Deals July 25 – 31, 2010

Each week, I will post a Walgreens $10 or Less Challenge in which you can get a lot of stuff for $10 or less using Walgreens Register Rewards, sales and coupons. Along with the challenge, I’ll share with you some other great Walgreens deals and steals. So be sure to subscribe to my site in the upper right corner so you don’t miss anything!

Now, here’s this week’s challenge — be sure to share your success or any other deals you discover in the comment section below.

Your budget: $10 or less

Your goal: grow your $10 (or less) into much more by using coupons and Register Rewards

Remember, scenarios don’t include tax, as that will vary by region.

Transaction 1

• Buy 2 U by Kotex 50 or 50 pack pantiliners or 18 pack tampons at 2/$7
• Use 2 $1/1 coupons, printable or  SS 4/18/10
• Total OOP after coupons: $5
• RR’s earned: $3

Transaction 2

• Buy 3 Garnier Shampoo or Conditioner products at 3/$10
• Use $3 RR’s earned above
• Use 3 $1/1 coupons, printable or RP 4/11/10
• Total OOP after RR’s and Coupons: $4
• RR’s earned: $1

Grand Total OOP: $9 for two boxes of  U by Kotex products and three Garnier Fructis haircare products, plus $1 RR left over to use on any of the deals below:

Other Walgreens deals May 1 – May 8 (thanks Deal Seeking Mom)

Irish Spring or Softsoap Body Wash (15 or 18 oz.), $2.99
Get $2 RRs
$0.75/1 Softsoap NutriSerums Body Wash printable
$0.50 off Irish Spring Body Wash or Bar Soap, exp. 5-15 (SS 4/25/10)
$1/1 Softsoap Body Wash (Reinventing Beauty, Mar)
$1/1 Softsoap Body Wash, exp. 5-30 (Reinventing Beauty, Jan)
As low as FREE after coupons and RRs!

Buy 3 Nivea Body Washes, $5.59 each
Get $5 RRs wyb $15
Use (1) B1G1 Nivea Body Wash For Women, exp. 5-31-10 (ALL YOU May ‘10)
Use (2) $4/1 Nivea Body Wash for Women 8.4oz-16.9oz (RP 5/2/10)
Pay $3.18 OOP
FREE plus $1.82 overage after coupons and RRs
(Your store must allow an additional coupon with a B1G1 coupon for the scenario above, but if they don’t, use (3) $4/1 coupons and you’ll still get all three FREE after RRs)

Dawn Dish Liquid (10.3 oz.), $0.99 (with in-ad coupon)
$1/1 Dawn Hand Renewal, exp. 10-31-10 (Decor Done Right) (if included)
$0.50/1 Dawn Hand Renewal, exp. 5-31-10 (P&G 05/02/10) (if included)
$0.25/1 Dawn Product, exp. 5-31-10 (P&G 05/02/10)
As low as FREE after stacked coupons!

Sure Antiperssprirant/Deodorant $2/3 (with in-ad coupon)
$1.50/1, exp. 6/30/10, (SS 5/2/10)
$1.50 for two after coupon

Maxwell House Coffee 34.5 oz $6.49
$1/1, exp. 5/31/10 (SS 3/21/10)
$1/2 printable

Other awesome Walgreens deals here.

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Now, I have become a “Register Rewards Couponing Apprentice” — I’m not a genius (yet), but I plan to be.  In January, after just a few weeks of practice, I left Walgreens with $70+ dollars worth of merchandise, having only paid about $22 OOP (out of pocket — go here to learn about the coupon lingo/abbreviations).

If  you’d like to learn a little more about how to make the Walgreens Register Rewards program, as well as couponing and “stacking” work for you, too, then read on.

Walgreens Register Rewards

This is Walgreens (WAGs) program to reward you for purchasing certain products during certain promotions. You will see these advertised in the WAGs weekly ad, showing the price of the item, the amount of Register Rewards you receive to use on your next purchase, and the “Like Paying” price after the Register Reward. For example, in the April 18, 2010 WAGs ad, it showed Colgate Toothpaste for $2.99, with a $2 Register Reward (RR) good on your next purchase, so it’s like paying $.99.

Now, here’s the FUN part — the part where you can get stuff “free” or “more than free” by using the Register Rewards program and coupons. If you have a $1 coupon for Colgate Toothpaste, then you’re only paying $1.99 for that tube, and then you get a $2 RR to use on your next purchase. You make a penny on the deal!

Note: Most of the time, you cannot use that RR to buy another tube of Colgate Toothpaste (that’s called “rolling” your Register Rewards, and it’s usually not allowed). However, you CAN use that RR to purchase other items that will result in RR’s.

Sometimes, items are completely “free” or “money makers” (a.k.a. “more than free”) after the Register Reward. For example, this week, the WAGs ad has Stayfree Maxi Pads for $2.99, and you get $2.99 in RR’s when you buy them. Plus, there was a $1/1 ($1 off 1) coupon in the Smart Source coupon insert on April 25. So, you get your pads for $1.99, and then you get $2.99 to use on your next purchase. That’s “more than free” — it’s a $1 “money maker.”

You can’t use the $2.99 RRs to buy more pads, but you could use it to buy the Tone Body  Wash that is on sale at Walgreens this week for $3.99, and which then results in $3 RR. So, here’s how the deal could go down:

• You buy a package of Stayfree pads for either $2.99 or $1.99 if you have the coupon.
• You get $2.99 in Register Rewards.
• You then use that RR to buy the $3.99 Tone Body Wash, but you only have to pay $1 because you have a $2.99 RR.
• Then you get $3 in RR.
• You can use that $3 RR to buy more Stayfree pads or something else that will result in RRs, or you can use it for something else, like the Arm & Hammer laundry detergent that is on sale this week for $3.49, in which case you’d only have to pay 49 cents plus tax for your laundry detergent.

Let’s say you DIDN’T have the coupon, and you opted for the pads, body wash, detergent scenario. You would have paid about $4.50 plus tax for a package of Stayfree pads, a 18 oz. bottle of body wash and a 32-loads bottle of Arm & Hammer laundry detergent. If you had the $1 coupon, you would have paid about $3.50 plus tax for all three of those items.

Can you see how this adds up to huge savings?

I now buy almost all of my laundry detergent, shampoo, conditioner, feminine hygiene products, diapers and host of other household and grocery items at Walgreens or CVS (the Getting Started – CVS 101 post is coming), using RRs, CVS Extra Care Bucks, manufacturers coupons and store coupons.

Stacking

Walgreens, as well as most other stores, let’s you “stack” coupons, meaning you can use a manufacturer’s coupon and a Walgreens coupon on the same item. For example, in this week’s WAGs ad, there is a Walgreens store coupon for Campbell’s soup for 69 cents. I also have a coupon for 25 cents off two Campbell’s soups. I can stack those, and get two cans of Campbell’s soup for $1.13 plus tax. And don’t forget that each month, Walgreens publishes a coupon booklet that has even higher-value coupons that are good for the entire month. You can pick this coupon booklet up in the stand where they keep their store ads, usually at the front of the store.

Like I  said earlier in this post, this process takes practice. I started out small, doing only $5 deals which I will begin posting here now that I’ve got you started. But after awhile, I began making longer lists of deals and coupon scenarios. So, when you’re ready to do bigger shopping trips using RRs and stacking, here is the process I use:

1) I comb the ad (and blogs) for RR deals on products I want/need*.

2) I dig through my coupon binder and the WAGs monthly booklet for coupons to stack on products I plan to buy.

4) I also clip the coupons out of the WAGs ad for the products I plan to buy (You don’t have to do this, but it makes your transactions easier and you’re less likely to forget to ask the cashier to scan the ad for your coupons. Some of the WAGs cashiers remember to scan the ad coupons when you purchase a product that has a coupon, but not all of them do and it’s hard to remember when you’re trying to keep track of your transactions).

5) I make a list of the products I will buy in my first transaction, 2nd transaction, 3rd transaction, etc. This is important if you want to use RRs you get in your first transaction on your 2nd transaction, etc.

6) I mark my coupons according to transaction (1, 2, 3) so I know which coupons to hand over on which transaction.

5) I put everything in an envelope and head to the store.

Tips

• *Only buy products you need, or it’s not a cost savings. Unless, of course, you can get the product free or more than free. In that case, even if it’s not a product you want or use, it’s free, so you can get it and give it to a friend or save it for the holiday product donation drives or the Girl Scouts, or whatever.
• It’s important to hand your coupons to the cashier in the right order. According to Money Saving Mom, the deals work best when you do them in this order:

RRs

Manufacturer Coupons

Store Coupons

I’ve never strayed from this order at Walgreens or any other store, and it seems to work.

• Make sure you have as many items as you have coupons. When I first heard this, I thought I’d never have more coupons than items, but it does happen, especially if you’re stacking. So, if it looks like you’ll be short on items, grab a few “fillers” from the candy aisle. Keep them cheap, or they will eat into your savings.

Take your time and start small — with a few transactions like the one I described above with the pads, body wash and detergent. Before you know it, you’ll be  a Walgreens RR/Coupon Genius!

To read Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the Getting Started series, go here.

If you want to find more great coupons online to use in your “stacking” deals, go here.

If you’re looking for specific coupons, check out my searchable Coupon Database.

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The coupons are helping a great deal, but I’ve also significantly changed the way I shop for groceries, household and personal care items. So let me tell you what I’m doing differently when it comes to my shopping.

First let me say this:  Prior to my frugal journey, I did most of my shopping at discount grocers: Shop N Save and Aldi. I would visit the more expensive grocers in my area for things that we ran out of between my major shopping trips or for more gourmet items, but otherwise, I was a loyal SNS (Shop N Save) and Aldi shopper.

Going to Multiple Stores

It doesn’t sound like fun, and I’m not advocating going to three or four different grocery stores each week. In fact, let me say this loud and clear: THAT IS NOT NECESSARY. But here’s what I’ve discovered: while SNS and Aldi do have lower prices on almost everything across the board, it is very beneficial to comb the ads of all the grocers in your area and decide what sales work best for you. If I’m running low on ground turkey, cereal, bar soap and yogurt, and Dierbergs (known for being one of the more expensive grocers in my area) has a really good sale on these items that beats the price at SNS that week, then it’s worth it for me to make a trip to Dierbergs. Likewise, no one can beat the Aldi price on milk. But if SNS has a coupon in their ad for a free gallon of milk when you buy four 12 oz. bags of shredded cheese, and I need shredded cheese (who doesn’t? — it’s freezable) then free is even better than the price at Aldi.

Stocking Up

That brings me to another point: Before my frugal journey, I would buy one of an item that I found on sale, thinking, “Wow, I saved 75 cents on my baby’s favorite juice today.” And because my grocery bill was already insanely high, I never wanted to buy more than I absolutely had to buy each week of any given item. Now, I think about it much differently. If I find a 75-cent coupon in the newspaper for my daughter’s favorite V-8 Fusion juice, and Schnucks has it on sale 2/$6 (normally it’s about $3.79 per container), then I’m essentially getting one container of her juice for $2.25. That’s a $1.54 savings off of one V-8 Fusion. So, doesn’t it make sense to try to collect as many 75-cent coupons as I can find (from friends, neighbors, or the purchase of additional newspapers) and then buy containers while they’re on sale, too? So if I buy six containers, it’s almost a $10 savings. And, I’m not constantly running out of her juice and having to go back to the store and pay full price for it.

Of course, this only works if items aren’t perishable, but a LOT of items aren’t perishable. Now when I find good sales on items my family regularly eats or uses,  and especially when I find sales combined with coupons, I stock up to the point that my budget can manage it or to the limit the store allows. We no longer run out of toilet paper, paper towels, deodorant, soap. laundry detergent, chicken broth, rice, pasta, pasta sauce, cereal, etc. I have a stash of these and many more items that I am buying in larger quantities when the price is right.

Plus, as you begin to buy things on sale and build your stock, your grocery bill continues to drop. I saw a 30 percent DECREASE in my grocery budget the first month I started couponing, and that was WITH the additional purchases I was making when I found things on sale. As I mentioned above, the month isn’t over yet, but I believe I will see more than a 50 percent cut in my grocery expenses this month! Part of the reason for that is my stockpile of groceries and personal care items. So, your savings add up over time.

Use the Grocery Ads and Make Lists

Previously, I grocery shopped according to what I wanted to cook for my family that week. I’d plan a loose menu in my head and then head to my regular store. If I found stuff on sale that was on my list, great. But if not, I still purchased the things on my list. Now, I grocery shop and build my menus and grocery lists according to the grocery ads. And remember this very important point — the store’s loss leaders (the items they’re willing to deeply discount and possibly even lose money on) are almost always the products on the front and back page of the ad. So, it’s wise to build your lists accordingly.

I also am much more disciplined about making my lists and sticking to it. For example, Dierbergs and Schnucks often run 10/$10 sales. These are usually great bargains (but not always). But Dierbergs also has lots of delicious, expensive convenience items that are usually slightly discounted to make them appear to be a “good deal” and tempt shoppers who are there for the 10/$10 items. So, I challenge myself to only buy items on my list! It’s hard, but I love it when I leave the store with a register receipt that is as tall as me but only cost me $50!

Remember, however, that not all items are a deal in the 10/$10 sales. For example, 10 Sobe Lifewaters for $10 means they are a $1 a piece. You can find much better deals on this product, and many other products that often are part of the 10/$10 sale, so it pays to know the prices and the sale prices of your favorite products so you don’t fall victim to the excitement of a sale that isn’t such a great deal, afterall.

Get Organized Before You Shop

In the four months I’ve been doing this, I’ve slowly perfected my organization method for grocery shopping. On separate pieces of paper, I make my lists for each store I will visit (and I seldom visit more than two stores in a given week). Then, I comb my coupon binder for coupons for the items on my list, and put the lists and appropriate coupons in separate envelopes labeled with the store name. I put those in my car, and hit the stores during the week as I run my regular errands. I still take my coupon binder into the stores with me, however, because not everything that is on sale is in the store ad, and sometimes I find deals on items we love, and I just so happen to have a coupon for that item, too! I love it when this happens!

Of course, I’ve started using lots of tips and tricks for shopping with coupons and taking advantage of store sales and reward programs that also have significantly reduced my grocery expenses, and I will continue to share those with you in the days and weeks ahead in this Getting Started series. I’ve changed the way I cook, participated in the Eat from the Pantry Challenge (Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3) , and I’m really perfecting my Walgreens and CVS shopping skills.  I’ll be writing about all of these things and more, so be sure to subscribe to my feed in the upper right corner of this site!

In the meantime, I highly suggest this book:   Miserly Moms: Living on One Income in a Two-Income Economy. It was a huge inspiration for me and really helped me realize that I could live frugally without sacrificing the things that are important to me and my family. In fact, we’re starting to see that we have more money for the things that are important to us. So, check it out.

And if you want to read the Getting Started Series from the beginning, here are the links:

Getting Started Part 1 – Why Clip Coupons?

Getting Started Part 2 – Building Your Stash of Coupons

Getting Started Part 3 – Organizing Your Coupons

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