Tops 7/31 - 8/6: 70% saved on today's purchases!

After so many blah weeks of sales, I was excited to shop at Tops today and take advantage of the Dollar Doublers (these make your $1 manufacturer coupon worth $2!).  Since there is a limit of 4 Dollar Doublers per transaction (plus a minimum $15 spend before doublers), I made 2 transactions today in order to take better advantage of thems.  Here is what I bought today:

Transaction #1:

10 packages Keebler cookies - $1.23 each
To be honest, this was still a good deal (in my opinion) but it didn't work out as well as I had planned.  Select Keebler cookies are on sale 2/$4 with a store promo being offered -- Buy 10 select items, get $5 off instantly.  I swear all 10 cookies I picked out were labelled 2/$4, but some rung up more than that and some rung up less.  I was using the self-checkout and my kids were wandering, so I just went with it instead of trying to figure out which weren't the correct price.  The cookies totalled $23.28, I had $5 deducted for buying 10, I used 3 $1 off 3 Keebler products coupon found here (must register), plus I used 3 $1 Doublers from the ad.  The total for the cookies dropped to $12.28, or $$1.23 each.  I plan on putting these away until back-to-school and using them in my kids' lunches.  They will last quite a while!

2 boxes Keebler Granola Fudge Bars - $1 each
On sale 2/$5, used 2 $0.75 off coupons (double to $1.50 each) also from the above link

2 Hormel Compleats Kids meals - $0.89 each, plus earned $1.50 Catalina coupon
Priced at $2.39 each, used 2 $1 off coupons from here (registration required) and 1 Dollar Doubler from the ad.  Also, there is a YourBucks offer currently running -- buy 2 Hormel Compleats Kids meals, get a $1.50 Catalina coupon for use on your next order.

1 package Land O' Frost premium lunchmeat - $1.89
On sale for $2.99, used $0.55 coupon (doubles to $1.10 even though it states "do not double" on it) from 7/24 Red Plum coupon insert

2 Hatfield ham steaks - FREE
On sale 2/$4, used 2 $2 coupons from registering here (There is also a $1 coupon from "liking" their Facebook page.  I'm planning on using these FB coupons along with Dollar Doublers to score some more free ham steaks later this week!)

Total retail cost was $59.73 and I paid $18.25 after discounts and coupons.

Transaction #2:

10 boxes of Kellogg's cereal - $1.40 each, plus I will be receiving $10 in gift cards (like paying $0.40 per box!)
On sale 4/$10.  These are also part of the "Buy 10, get $5 off instantly" promo.  In addition to the instant $5 off, I used 3 $1 off 3 coupons from here (register, or you can also find $1 off 3 coupon from the 7/24 Red Plum insert), and 3 Dollar Doublers from the ad.  There were several varieties included in the sale, but I chose Apple Jacks and Froot Loops.  Not only are they my guilty pleasures, but they were the only 2 varieties at my store that were labelled with the Cars 2 promotion where 4 boxes' codes equal a $5 prepaid Visa card.  I already entered and redeemed 8 of the 10 codes from today and 2 $5 cards are on their way. 

We are super stocked on cereal for a while now.  So, is anyone surprised we're having "breakfast for dinner" tonight? ;-)

1 box Ronzoni Garden Delight pasta - FREE
Priced at $1.99, used $1 coupon from the 5/15 SmartSource coupon insert and 1 Dollar Doubler from the ad

I also used the $1.50 Catalina coupon from Transaction #1.

Total retail was $41.89, and I paid $12.49 after discounts and coupons.

Overall, total retail of both transactions was $101.63, I paid $30.74, and had a savings of approximately 70%.  I'm also collecting gas points and am up to $0.50 off per gallon.

I'm planning on making 2 more transactions later this week.  I can't wait to see how much my total week's savings will end up being!

$1 Doublers at Tops starting 7/31!

My Tops ad for 7/31 - 8/6 arrived in yesterday's mail and I'm kind of excited...I think it might finally be a good sales week!

In the new ad, there are 4 $1 Doublers!  For those of you not familiar with them, they are coupons that will make your $1 coupon worth $2 and Tops puts them in their ad occasionally.  There is a minimum $15 purchase requirement to use them and you are limited to 4 per transaction, but I'm pretty sure you can use more than 4 if you make separate shopping trips, though. :-) Don't forget to pick up an extra ad or 2 while you're in the store so you have enough doubler coupons.

They are also running a Kellogg's/Keebler/Sunshine promo -- buy 10 select products, get $5 off instantly.  Between manufacturer coupons, dollar doublers, this promo, plus the Cars 2 promo I blogged about before (back on June 8th), this could make for some awesome prices on various cereals, cookies, and crackers. I'm thinking about a back-to-school lunch stock-up with this sale!

I'm still in my planning stage for next week's shopping (trying to get the most for my money with the doublers as well as maximize my gas points) but I'm hoping to make a trip to Tops tomorrow.  I'll be sure to update what deals I pick up!

Hot Philly Cooking Creme coupon!

Head over to coupons.com and print a $0.75 off Philadelphia Cooking Creme coupon.  This has gone on sale before at Wegmans and Tops for $2 or less.  Paired with a sale and the coupon doubled to $1.50, this will make for some cheap cooking creme.  Hopefully there will be a sale soon, but print the coupon now before it disappears!

Foot care products for under $1 each

My husband often complains of foot pain when he has to be on his feet for long periods of time, so I'm always on the lookout for deals on insoles.  I just picked some up at Rite Aid because of a great deal they are running:

3 Profoot Foot Care products - on sale 3/$15
Used 3 $1 off manufacturer coupons found here, and used $1.50 in +Ups
Paid $11.10 after tax
Submitted the $10 Single Check Rebate when you buy 3 Profoot foot care products (offer #2) at riteaid.com
Final cost = $1.10 or $0.37 each!

Keep in mind that while the $10 rebate is valid now through 8/30, the 3/$15 sale ends on 7/30.

Need a shave? There's a money maker at CVS!

I am so stoked from my shopping trip at CVS today!  I bought 2 packages of disposable razors and a can of shaving cream for only $1.40 (tax) and received $10 in ExtraBucks.  Here's what I bought and how it worked:

2 packages of Schick Extreme 3 razors (4 ct.) - $8.89 each
Used 1 B1G1 Free manufacturer coupon from the 6/26 SmartSource coupon insert (The limit on the coupon is "up to $13.99" so I had planned on the $8.89 being deducted.  Imagine my surprise when my cashier informed me that the system automatically took off $13.99 instead of beeping and instructing her to manually enter the amount.  How cool is that?!?)

Used 1 $3 off manufacturer coupon from Facebook (CVS will allow the B1G1 coupon on 1 pack and the $3 coupon on the second pack)

Used 1 $2 off CVS coupon from here (it says Energizer on the screen but prints out correctly as Schick -- I asked if I could use 2 of these coupons since they allow stacking of 1 manufacturer coupon with 1 store coupon, but the cashier said not in this scenario because I was already getting 1 pack free)

1 can of Skintimate cream shave - on sale for $2.49
Used 1 $1.50 off coupon from here

The subtotal before coupons was $20.27.  They are running a promo -- spend $20 in any Schick or Playtex products, receive $10 in ExtraBucks -- so my total qualified.  After my coupons were taken off, my subtotal became -$0.22, the tax amount was $1.62, and my final total was $1.40 out-of-pocket.  Plus, I now have $10 in ExtraBucks to use toward upcoming purchases (plus another $3 in ExtraBucks I already had and planned on using today until I realized I was getting a better than expected deal with that B1G1 coupon!). 

I know I already said it, but I just have to say it again...How cool is that?!?  Of course now I have no excuse for hairy legs! ;-)

Tops 7/24 - 7/30: 50% saved and 332 gas points earned

I'll be totally honest...The weekly grocery sales have been pretty crummy for several weeks now and this week is no exception in my opinion.  It makes me happy that I've been able to stock up on good deals when I've seen them in the past so I don't have to buy when the prices aren't that great.  In a nutshell, my bill this week totalled $50.36, I paid $25.66 after discounts and coupons (approximately 50% saved), I earned 332 gas points (worth $0.30 off per gallon of gas -- I earned $2.90 off per gallon last time and would like to match or beat that this time), and had some Catalina coupons print out.  Here's what I picked up:

2 boxes Barilla piccolini pasta -  $0.75 each
On sale 4/$5, used $1 off 2 coupon from 6/26 SmartSource coupon insert

2 jars of Chi Chi's salsa - averaged $1.35 each
Bought 1 jar for $1.69 with in-ad coupon (limit 1 with $20 minimum purchase), bought 2nd jar on sale for $2, used $1 off 2 coupon from 6/12 SmartSource coupon insert

1 box of Old El Paso taco shells - $0.99
On sale for $0.99 with in-ad coupon (limit 1 with $20 minimum purchase)

2 Luigi's Italian ice - $1.50 each
On sale 2/$5, used 2 $0.50 coupons (double to $1 each) printed from Red Plum

6 rolls of Tops paper towels - $1 each, earned $3 Catalina coupon
Part of featured promo in ad (buy 6 select products, earn a $3 coupon good on your next shopping trip)

2 bags of McCain's Purely Potatoes - $1.50 each
On sale 2/$5, used 2 $1 off coupons from "liking" McCain's Facebook page

6 cans Chef Boyardee pasta - $0.67 each
On sale $1 each, used 2 $1 off 3 coupons from here (use code 74575328)

4 Banquet frozen meals - $0.50 each
On sale $1 each, used 2 $0.50 off 2 coupons (double to $1) from here (use same code as above)

I also bought some strawberries.  They were on sale 2/$4 and I had hoped to use a $0.50 coupon (doubles to $1) from registering at the Driscoll's website, but unfortunately my Tops was not selling the Driscoll's brand.

Since I used 10 manufacturer coupons and Tops gives 10 gas points per coupon (limit of 100 points), I earned 100 gas points (worth $0.10 off per gallon of gas) for that.  According to my receipt, I apparently also earned 200 bonus points for buying the 6 rolls of paper towels (another $0.20 off per gallon).  My understanding is that you also earn 1 gas point per dollar spent, so I'm not sure how they arrived at the remaining 32 points. 

Also, along with the $3 Catalina that printed from the paper towels I had 2 additional coupons print out: $1.50 off any Axe product and $2 off any Axe product.  I have no idea what I purchased that prompted those to print.  There is no size restriction listed on the coupon, so I would imagine these might get free (or very cheap) trial sizes. I know my Tops has the Axe body wash in the trial size (which works great for portion control and a tween boy!), but I'm not sure if there are any other Axe products in the small sizes.

$2.50 off Bounce dryer bar coupon

Vocalpoint members can click here to get a high-value $2.50 coupon towards a Bounce dryer bar!  Not a Vocalpoint member yet?  Registration is fast and free, and it's a great source of freebies and coupons.  Hurry, supplies are limited and will be mailed out in 4 - 6 weeks!

Free John Frieda at Wegmans!

I'm not sure if this is happening at all Wegmans, but today at mine I found the John Frieda Root Awakening Strength Boosting leave in spray being discontinued at $1.94 each.  I used 2 of the $2 off any John Frieda product coupons from the 6/5 SmartSource coupon insert and got them both for free!

I noticed there were several brands of hair stylers also being discontinued (sorry, I don't remember particular products but I know I saw some things by Pantene, Dove, and Loreal), so if you are in need of some bargain hair care products you may want to check the HBA section of your local Wegmans.

New Recyclebank points available!

Remember the other day when I blogged about earning points at Recyclebank and using them to get high-value coupons?  Well, they have 45 new points available!  To get your points, log in and click on "Green Your Vacation," then select "Staycation."  It only took me a few minutes to click around and earn 45 points.

If you aren't a member yet, click here to sign up!

Honest Tea $1 coupon

In the past I have seen Honest Tea on sale for $1 per bottle at some of the drugstores as well as Tops.  Until Friday, July 22 (or until supplies last), you can "like" Honest Tea's Facebook page and get a $1 printable coupon (remember to hit the back button a couple of times after the first print so you can print a second one!).  I'm guessing this will score some free (or at least pretty cheap) tea if there's an upcoming sale.  Since I've never tried this brand before, does anyone else have any opinions on it?

$1.24 kids' jeans at Target!

Last week, I picked up a pair of jeans on clearance for my son.  With the $2 off kids' jeans Target coupon they were under $5, which made me happy. 

Well, today I had to make a return and stopped to check the clearance racks before I left the store.  My store had more boys' jeans marked down further today and I was able to find some for $3.24, making the price after coupon only $1.24!

Tops 7/17 - 7/23: 50% savings on my shopping trip

After a couple of weeks of really crummy sales, this week's a little better.  My bill before coupons and discounts was $100.65 and I paid $50.90, for a savings of about 50%.  Here is what I bought:

2 boxes of Kellogg's Fiber Plus cereal - $1.10 each
On sale 4/$10, used 2 $0.70 coupons (double to $1.40!) from here

2 packages of Butterball turkey breast - $2.83 each
On sale 3/$10, used $1 off 2 coupon from one of the Sunday coupon inserts from a while ago (I can't remember which one, sorry!)

1 package of Jennie-O ground turkey - $5.97
On sale, priced at $1.99/lb., no coupon :-(

2 half gallons of Silk Almond milk - $1 each
On sale 2/$5, used 2 $0.75 coupons from here

1 half gallon of Silk Coconut milk - $1.25
On sale 2/$5, used $1.25 off coupon from the 7/10 SmartSource insert

4 cartons of Edy's ice cream - $2.50 each, plus see note below
On sale 2/$6, used 2 $1 off 2 coupons (1 from the 6/10 SmartSource insert, 1 from here after registering)
Note: These are part of a promotion - Spend $12 in select products, earn a $4 Catalina coupon for use on your next shopping trip.  I now have a $4 coupon off my next visit plus with the weather, this is a great day for ice cream!

1 box Tops ice cream cones - $1
On sale for $1, no coupon (but who can resist a 4-year-old who asks nicely for ice cream cones to go with the ice cream she just picked out?)

1 package of WhoNu cookies - $1.50
On sale 2/$5, used 1 $1 coupon from the 7/10 SmartSource insert (Did I mention my kids think I'm awesome for buying ice cream *and* cookies today?  I rarely buy either!)

5 packages of Bimbo hot dog and hamburger rolls - $1.60 each
On sale 5/$10, part of a promotion - save $2 instantly when you buy 5 selected promo items

2 boxes of Hefty OneZip bags - $1.17 each
On sale 3/$5, used $1 off 2 coupon from the 7/10 Red Plum insert
Note: If you buy these, check the boxes first.  Some have peelie coupons on them.  Mine each had $0.15 coupons attached (not great, but may come in handy someday so I saved them)

2 packages (12-pack) Cottonelle toilet paper - $4.99 each, plus see note below
On sale $5.99 each, used 2 $0.50 coupons (double to $1) from here (unlike most other "bricks" coupons, this one would only let me print 1 per computer instead of 2)
A while ago I signed up for the YourBucks program, which is sponsoring a Cottonelle promotion through 7/31 - buy 2 12-packs, get a $3.50 Catalina-type coupon for use on your next order.  In addition to my $4 Catalina from the Edy's deal above, I now also have a $3.50 coupon to use on my next shopping trip.

2 chunks of Heluva Good cheese - $1 each
On sale 2/$4, used 2 $0.50 coupons (double to $1) I had printed off the Heluva Good website a while ago and are no longer available (sorry!), but I believe there is a $1 off 2 coupon from the 6/19 SmartSource insert which would make these $1.50 each (still a good deal in my opinion!)
Note: I did not see this advertised in the sales ad, but noticed them in the store.  I either missed it in the ad (entirely possible) or this might be a sale that varies by location (the Mt. Read store in Greece definitely has them).

Off to make some dinner and looking forward to enjoying ice cream for dessert!

Target 7/17 - 7/23: Great deals on Kashi & school supplies

I'm so excited about my Target purchases today!  I spent only $5.77 and this is what I got for the money (I printed all of my Target coupons last week, so hopefully if you don't have them yet they are all still available):

3 bottles of Vitaminwater - $0.67 each

On sale for $1 each, used Buy 2 Get 1 Free Target coupon

1 package of Wet Ones wipes - $0.47

Priced at $0.97, used $0.50 Target coupon

6 packages of BIC Cristal pens - FREE

On sale for $0.50 each, used 1 $1 off 2 Target coupon and 2 $1 off 2 manufacturer coupons here

1 package of Papermate pens - FREE

On sale for $1, used $1 Target coupon

1 roll of Scotch Magic Tape - FREE

On sale for $0.50, used $0.50 off Target coupon (if the Target coupon isn't available, the $1 manufacturer coupon is still available here on page 2)

5 packages of Kashi cookies - $0.63 each

These are priced at $2.79 each with a "buy 4 get the 5th free" Target promo being offered this week.  I used the $2 off 4 Target coupon and 3 $2 off coupons from Recyclebank* (if I could have gotten a 4th $2 coupon, these cookies would've been even cheaper!).  Paid $3.16 for 5 packages, or $0.63 each!

I had originally seen the Kashi cereal and granola bars in the ad priced at $2.99 each, but noticed in the store that the cookies were less expensive.  Plus, I have a pretty large stash of both of those foods, and I almost never buy cookies (although ironically I bought cookies at both stores I shopped at today - go figure) which earned me high marks from my kids!

Total before coupons and promo: $26.15, total paid: $5.77, and a savings of approximately 80%.

*Note about Recyclebank:  If you're not already a member, sign up!  You earn points for "green" activities and can cash them in for discounts and high value coupons.  Right now, there is a "Green Your Vacation" activity on their website that can rack you up a lot of points quickly!

$1.98 jeans at Target!

Target has some great apparel coupons right now.  They're also clearancing a bunch of ladies' jeans at $4.98.  I used the $3 off denim jeans coupon and bought a pair for $1.98.  Woo-hoo!  There were also some kids' jeans on clearance, so I grabbed a pair for my son for $4.48 by using the $2 off kids' jeans coupon, too. 

Target shopping: back-to-school & other deals

Here are the back-to-school deals I picked up with coupons at Target this week:

1 2-pack of Sharpie markers - FREE

On sale for $1, used $1 Target coupon

1 roll of Scotch Magic Tape - FREE

On sale for $1, used $1 coupon found here (on page 2)

1 package of Papermate pens - $0.02

Priced at $1.02, used $1 Target coupon

2 packages of BIC pens - $0.50 each

Priced at $1 each, used $1 off 2 Target coupon

The non-school supply deals I bought are:

1 package of Wet Ones wipes - $0.47

Priced at $0.97, used $0.50 Target coupon

3 bottles of Vitaminwater - $0.67 each

On sale for $1 each, used Buy 2 Get 1 Free Target coupon

2 canisters of Kool-Aid - $1 each

On sale for $2 each, used $1 off 2 Target coupon and $1 off 2 manufacturer coupon found here

1 loaf of Market Pantry whole wheat sandwich bread and 1 dozen eggs - $1.19 for both

Bread on sale for $1, eggs priced at $1.19, used $1 off bread and eggs Target coupon

1 Reach dental floss - FREE

Priced at $0.89, used $1 off Catalina coupon that printed at the register on my shopping trip last week

Back-to-school shopping at Staples

Can you believe it?  The kids have only been out of school 2 full weeks and the back-to-school sales have already started.  Time to start stocking up! 

My favorite purchases from Staples:

2 packages of Staples arrowhead cap erasers - $0.01 each (with $5 minimum purchase, limit 2)

2 packages of BIC Round Stic pens - $0.01 each (with $5 minimum purchase, limit 2)

2 bottles of Staples school glue - $0.01 each (with $5 minimum purchase, limit 2)

2 packages of BIC student choice mechanical pencils - $0.25 each (limit 2)

2 reams of Staples multipurpose paper - $0.25 each after rebate
Priced at $5.99 each, there is a $5.74 rebate (limit 2 rebates).  Since there is a $5 minimum purchase in order to buy the $0.01 items, the paper helped out in that regard too.  If you've never filed for a Staples rebate before, you can do it easily online.  I entered mine as soon as I came home.

2 pairs of Westcott 7" scissors - $1 each (limit 2)

1 Staples 3-hole binder punch (limit 2) - $1 (limit 2)

The $0.01 deals are only valid until Wednesday, July 13th, so make sure not to miss the sale!

Tops shopping for the week

I have to say, I was pretty disappointed overall in this week's sales.  Since I have been able to stock up on other foods the past few weeks, I only bought a few things this week.  Here are the sale items I found worthwhile for our family:

Marie Callender's Fruit Pies - $0.67 each
On sale 3/$5, used $1 off coupons from here

Banquet Frozen Meals - $0.50 each
On sale $1 each, used $0.50/2 coupons from this site (use code 74575328)

Chef Boyardee canned pasta - $0.67 each
On sale $1 each, used $1 off 3 coupon from the above website, same code used

Ore-Ida Bagel Bites - $1.19 each
On sale for $2.19 each, used $1 coupon from here (coupon will be avaialable after you take the pledge)

Yoplait Go-Gurt - $1.15 - $1.25 each
On sale for $2 each, used $0.85 off 2 coupons from here and $0.75 off 2 coupons from coupons.com

Jamba Juice frozen smoothie mix - $1.50 each
On sale 2/$5, used $1 coupons from coupons.com

I was able to stock up an Go-Gurt (which is practically a staple in our house) and try some new products (the smoothies are good!), but wasn't too happy with the sales.  Hopefully next week will be better!

I bought gas for $0.89/gallon today!

Does everyone know about Tops' gas points program?  Periodically, they reward points based on how much money you spend (1 point per dollar) as well as a coupon bonus (10 points per manufacturer coupon you redeem*).  For every 100 points you accumulate, you earn $0.10 off per gallon of gas at one of their gas stations.  The current earning period ended today, my husband's car was on empty, and I was visiting my mother who lives near a Tops with a gas station.  I redeemed my 2900 gas points, which equals $2.90 off per gallon.  I bought about 15 gallons of gas and paid $13.50, which was a savings of $43.53!  The best part is that the vast majority of my points came from simply redeeming coupons while I shopped rather than spending tons of money at the store.  I can't wait for the next earning period to begin!  Maybe I can hit the $3 off mark.

For more information about the gas points program, click here.  To find a gas station location, see the list here.  There aren't many in the Rochester area, but I was told by a front end manager at the Mt. Read store in Greece that they will be getting one in the future (although she didn't know how far into the future).

*Note:  When they offer the 10 points per coupon bonus, they cap it at 100 coupon points per transaction.  Since I often have well over 10 coupons for a shopping trip, I learned to split my transactions up so that I'm not using more than 10 coupons each time and maximizing my gas points.

My Target freebies & cheapies

I stopped by Target today and grabbed some free and cheap items while I was there.  I still have multiples of several of the Target coupons, so I may go back and get more of the cheapies before the coupons expire.  Anyway, here is what I bought:

1 15-ct. package of Wet Ones wipes - $0.47

Priced at $0.97, used $0.50 Target coupon

1 bottle of Suave Creamy body wash - FREE

Priced at $1.94, used a coupon for a free bottle (I received it in yesterday's mail.  I can't remember for sure where it came from, but I'm thinking it may have been a Facebook offer.  Anyone know for sure?)

2 trial size Sensodyne Pronamel toothpastes - FREE

Priced at $0.99 each, used 2 $1 off coupons from here

1 package Bic "Cristal" pens and 1 package of Bic mechanical pencils - $1.98 for both (or $0.99 each)

Pens priced at $0.99 and pencils priced at $1.99, used $1 off 2 Target coupon (Although it would've been a better deal to get 2 packages of pens, we needed the pencils so I bought those.  I have another coupon and will probably use it on 2 packages of pens next time, though.)

1 package of Papermate "Eagle" pens - $0.02

Priced at $1.02, used $1 Target coupon

1 2-pack of Sharpie markers - $0.52

Priced at $1.52, used $1 Target coupon

1 package of Kandoo flushable wipes - $0.49

Priced at $1.49, used $1 coupon I received by requesting one here

1 bottle of Up & Up hair detangler (yes, I seem to buy this all the time with 2 long-haired girls!) - $0.84

Priced at $1.34, used $0.50 Target coupon

2 packages of Up & Up dental floss - $0.54 each

Priced at $0.79 each, used $1 off 2 Target coupon

1 roll of Up & Up aluminum foil - $0.72

Priced at $1.22, used $0.50 Target coupon

3 bottles of Vitamin water - $0.67 each

On sale $1 each, used Buy 2 Get 1 Free Target coupon

1 bottle of Up & Up ibuprofen (yes, I seem to buy this all the time, too!) - $0.47

Priced at $0.97, used $0.50 Target coupon

3 boxes of Pop-Tarts (my guilty pleasure!) - $1.19 each

Priced at $2.19 each, used $2 off 3 manufacturer coupon and $1 off 3 Target coupon

I also bought some Hanes socks for my son (priced at $7.49), since I had a $1 Target coupon.  In my opinion, socks are totally overpriced, especially since he will do something silly like run outside in them and ruin them in no time.  But, I was pleasantly surprised that several of the packages had $0.50 peelie manufacturer coupons on them, so I was able to stack that with my Target coupon for a better deal ($5.99).

Just a few notes...Keep in mind that Target prices sometimes vary from store to store, even within the same area, so your store's prices might be different (I shopped at the Greece Target).  Also, some of the Target coupons I used today were printed a couple of weeks ago, and may no longer be available to print.  If you see a Target coupon you like, make sure you print it before it disappears!

Save $ on summer grilling!

If you use a gas grill, grab the $3 coupon here to use on your next Amerigas cylinder exchange (if you see a $2 coupon, try zip 90210 for a $3 one).  Locally, this brand is sold at Home Depot or you can check out their location finder on their website.

To sweeten the deal, there is a $5 mail-in rebate offer on their website.  Find it here and enjoy all those summer BBQs for less!

My Tops deals of the week

I did well this week, in my opinion, but not quite as well as I had planned due to a glitch at the register.  I wanted to lower my out-of-pocket costs by rolling over some Catalina coupons I was earning (those are the coupons that print at the register and can be redeemed on a future order), so I separated my groceries into 3 transactions.  My first transaction was:

2 bottles of Hunt's ketchup - $0.50 each
On sale 10/$10, used 2 $0.25 coupons (these printed with "do not double" on them, but they automatically doubled to $0.50 at the register) from smartsource.com (use zip code 76018 if you don't see it)

4 boxes of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes - $2.00 each
On sale 4/$10, used 2 $1 off 2 coupons I printed online from the Kellogg's website (I don't see it now, but I'm not sure if it's just not available to me because I hit my print limit or if it is gone entirely)

1 box of Kellogg's Raisin Bran - $1.10
On sale 4/$10, used a $0.70 coupon (doubles to $1.40 -- see above note about the printable coupons from the Kellogg's website)

4 boxes of Cap'n Crunch Crunch Berries - $2.00 each
On sale 4/$10, used 2 $1 off 2 coupons that I printed online that are no longer available

1 box of Cheerios - $1.50
On sale 4/$10, used $0.50 coupon (doubles to $1) I printed online that appears to no longer be available

While the above prices aren't stellar (especially for the Frosted Flakes and Cap'n Crunch), Tops is currently running an additional deal on cereal  that made it worth it to me.  For every 5 boxes of selected cereal you buy (all the ones I bought were included), you get a $3 Catalina coupon good on a future order.  Since I bought 10 boxes, I earned 2 $3 Catalinas which I used on transaction #2.  My total retail was $43.88, I paid $19.60, and I earned $6 in coupons to use on order #2.  Here is what I bought in my second transaction:

2 Gillette body washes, 2 Old Spice body washes, and 2 Old Spice deodorants - check out the math below!
On sale for $3.99 each, used 1 BOGO free coupon for the Gillette body washes and used 2 Buy 1 deodorant Get 1 body wash free coupon for the Old Spice (all coupons were from the 6/5 Proctor & Gamble coupon insert)

Tops is running a special where you buy $20 in select products, you get a $7 Catalina coupon.  This purchase qualified (6 x $3.99 = $23.94), and after my 3 manufacturer coupons (3 x $3.99 = $11.97 off) my total was $11.97.  Plus, I used my $6 in Catalina coupons from transaction 1 to get the total down to $5.97.  After tax, I paid $7.89 and earned a $7 Catalina coupon!  I was planning to use it on transaction #3 to reduce my out-of-pocket cost, but for reasons unknown the Catalina didn't print.  Since I already had everything loaded up onto the belt and didn't want to hold up the line, I went ahead and paid for the third order.  Afterwards, I took my receipt to customer service and they were able to print my coupon for me so I have it for the next time I shop there.  Anyway, here are the highlights of order #3:

3 cartons of Philly Cooking Creme - $1 each
On sale 2/$4, used 3 $1 off coupons (2 were online printables no longer available, 1 was from the 6/5 SmartSource coupon insert)

22 cups of Yoplait yogurt (yes, we love yogurt that much) - $0.45 each
On sale 10/$6, used 2 $0.60 off 8 coupons (each doubles to $1.20) from here and 1 $0.40 off 6 coupon (doubles to $0.80) from here

I also bought some produce items - no coupons :-(

A while ago I registered my Tops Bonus Card in the YourBucks program.  When I was printing yogurt coupons on the Coupon Network website, I noticed they list YourBucks Catalina coupon deals including one for Yoplait yogurt.  The offer expires 7/6 I think, but when you buy 20 Yoplait yogurts, you earn a $2 Catalina coupon to use on your next order.  So, I have that (plus my $7 coupon) to use the next time I shop at Tops.

Transaction #3 retail was $43.90, I paid $25.50 (would've been $18.70 had my $7 Catalina printed when it was supposed to - yes, I'm a little irked), and I earned $2 towards my next order.

Overall retail was $116.12, out-of-pocket cost was $52.99 for a savings of approximately 53%, and I have an automatic $9 in savings for next time.

Free organic veggies at Wegmans!

Select varieties of Cascadian Farm frozen organic vegetables are on sale for $1.49 each at Wegmans until 7/9.  Use the $0.75 coupons here and the $0.85 coupons here (you'll have to create an account for Betty Crocker to get this one, but they have some great coupons) to get them free after the coupons double.  Make sure to ask for a raincheck if your store is sold out (like 1 of the 2 I shopped at today).

Holiday weekend reminder

Don't forget that there will be no coupon inserts in Sunday's newspaper due to the upcoming holiday. Happy 4th of July!