Tops 12/2 - 12/8 trip #2: cheap Silver Palate & Grain Berry products

I absolutely love Grain Berry and Silver Palate cereals and crackers, so I was so excited when I saw they were on sale this week at Tops.  Not only do they taste great, but inside all the boxes are several dollars worth of awesome coupons (with no expiration date -- how cool is that?!) as well as mail-in rebates for free product coupons (again -- how cool is that?! There is also a mail-in rebate form in the 12/2 Red Plum insert, next to some decent coupons).  Here is a look at the items I picked up today:

2 Quaker Real Medleys oatmeal cups - $0.50 each
Used a raincheck from when they were on sale last week 2/$3, used 2 $0.50 coupons (double to $1) printed from here
Note: These each earned 5 bonus anniversary points.

2 boxes Krusteaz Bakery Style cookie mix - $1.00 each
On sale 2/$4, used 2 $1 coupons printed from here

1 can Tops fruit cocktail - $0.75
On sale 10/$10, used a $0.25 Tops coupon from the golden anniversary game

1 box Grain Berry cereal - $1.00
On sale 2/$4, used a $0.50 coupon (doubles to $1) from a prior product purchase (there is $1 off 2 coupon in the 12/2 Red Plum coupon insert, making them $1.50 each)

1 box Grain Berry crackers - $0.50
On sale 2/$3, used a $0.50 coupon (doubles to $1) from a prior product purchase (there is $1 off 2 coupon in the 12/2 Red Plum coupon insert, making them $1.00 each)

2 boxes Silver Palate oatmeal - $0.50 each
On sale 2/$3, used a $0.50 coupon (doubles to $1) from a prior product purchase (there is $1 off 2 coupon in the 12/2 Red Plum coupon insert, making them $1.00 each)

8 boxes Duncan Hines cake mix - $0.75 each
On sale 4/$5, used 4 $1.00 off 2 coupons here

The retail cost of this shopping trip was $33.07 and I paid $9.25 after coupons and discounts, for a savings of 72%.  My gas discount is at $2.50/gallon.

I have more coupons, Grain Berry and Silver Palate especially, that I'd like to use this week so I should be hitting up Tops another time or 2 during the week.

Until then, happy shopping!

P.S. -- Another deal I would have loved to have taken advantage of today, but couldn't because the coupon has not been reset since I last printed it is...

Butterball turkey bacon - on sale 2/$3, if you've not already printed the $0.75 coupon here, it will be FREE after the coupon doubles!

11/18 - 11/24 Tops shopping: rebate = cheap turkey!

With this week being Thanksgiving and my time at a premium, I took the opportunity to make a quick run to Tops this afternoon.  Take a look at today's deals I picked up:

2 bags Hershey's baking chips - $1.50 each
On sale 2/$4, used the $1 off 2 coupon from the 11/11 SmartSource coupon insert

12 cans Dole pineapple - $0.67 each
On sale 10/$10, used 4 $1 off 3 coupons printed from here (there is also a $1 off 3 coupon in the 11/14 SmartSource coupon insert)

2 bags (5 lbs) potatoes - $2.00 each
On sale BOGO ($3.99), no coupon

3 blocks Heluva Good cheese - $1.00 each, see note
On sale 2/$4, used 3 $0.50 coupons printed from their website (there is also a $1 off 2 coupon in the 11/11 Red Plum coupon insert and a $1 off 2 printable here, making them $1.50 each)
Note: This purchase triggered a $1 off any Heluva Good Bold variety Catalina coupon to print at the register.

1 Tops frozen turkey - $6.15, see note
On sale for $0.48/lb., no coupon
Note: I found a tearpad on the frozen turkey cooler case with the following "no beer purchase required" rebate...

So, I will get $6.00 of the $6.15 purchase price returned back to me after submitting the rebate.  That makes the final cost of my turkey just $0.15 or about a penny per pound!!!

I have several more coupon deals to pick up this week, so stay tuned for additional Tops shopping trip details.  Happy shopping!

Just in time for Halloween -- pumpkin rebate

Whenever I shop at Tops, I always make it a point to mosey on over to the beer section to look for "no beer purchase required" rebates.  I was pleasantly surprised to find one today that will come in handy...

Save $4 via mail-in rebate on the purchase of a pumpkin.  Compliments of Shock Top.  Purchase price of the pumpkin must exceed $4.  No beer purchase required.  Valid for residents of AL, AR, CT, HI, KY, MA, ME, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NY, RI, UT, and WV only. Purchase must occur between 9/16/12 and 10/31/12.  Request must be postmarked by 11/14/12.  Limit: $4 per address.

So, if you're like me and have completely slacked off going out pumpkin picking, you might be able to grab a cheap pumpkin at the grocery store and submit the rebate. :-)

More new no beer purchase rebates: water, ice & lobster

I'm on a "no beer purchase required" rebates roll!  Check out the 3 new ones I found today in the beer department of the Mt. Read Tops:

Save up to $3.00 via mail-in rebate on the purchase of water (24 count or larger), compliments of Busch and Natural Families.

• Rebate amount will be equivalent to the purchase price of water, excluding sales tax, not to exceed $3.00.
• No beer purchase required. Valid for residents of AL, AR, CT, HI, KY, MA, ME, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NY, RI, UT, VA and WV only.
• Purchases must occur between 7/23/2012 and 9/2/2012.  Request must be postmarked by 9/17/2012. 
• Limit: $3.00 per address.

Save $4.00 via mail-in rebate on the purchase of lobster, compliments of Stella Artois.

• Purchase price of lobster must exceed $4.00
• No beer purchase required. Valid for residents of AL, AR, CT, HI, KY, MA, ME, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NY, RI, UT and WV only.
• Purchases must occur between 8/1/2012 and 9/30/2012.  Request must be postmarked by 10/15/2012.
• Limit: $4.00 per address.

Save $4.00 via mail-in rebate on the purchase of water or ice, compliments of the Budweiser family.

• Purchase price of water or ice must exceed $4.00.
• No beer purchase required.  Valid for residents of AL, AR, HI, KY, ME, MN, MO, NC, NY, SD, UT, VA and WV only.
• Purchases must occur between 6/24/2012 and 8/18/2012. Request must be postmarked by 9/1/2012.
• Limit: $4.00 per address.

I honestly usually avoid bottled water sales because I tend to think buying bottled water is silly (after all, we have access to it home and can dispense it into a bottle if we have to be on-the-go), but with these rebates I may buy some.  While the Busch rebate specifies it must be 24-ct. or more, there is no such restriction on the Budweiser one.  I noticed Tops has gallons of spring, purified, and distilled water (which I use for my recently acquired Shark mop) on sale for $1 each next week, so that might be an option for using that rebate.

Money Saving Challenge - week 29 in review

Here is a run-down of things I did to help save money this week:

• I matched sales and coupons at Tops to help lower my grocery bill.
• I submitted a Staples rebate online, which will return some of my spent money to me plus I saved the cost of a stamp by not mailing it in.
• I returned an empty printer cartridge to Staples and will get credit to use on a future purchase.
• We utilized the local public library for books and kids' activities.
• I combined errands on outings to help save on gas.
• I avoided using the oven on the hottest days in order to keep the house cooler and help save on air conditioning costs.
• I opened the windows to catch the cooler morning and evening breezes to also save on cooling costs, and avoided using the AC completely on a cooler day.
• I picked a lot of free raspberries from our plants at home.
• I cut the dishwasher tablets in half for each load.
• My kids played several games in a free softball league.
• I paid a bill online and saved the cost of a stamp.
• I used a free rental code at Redbox in order to enjoy a free movie at home.
• I noticed the condensed water dripping outside from an air conditioning window unit, so I placed a bucket underneath it to catch the drips and used it to help water my plants.
• I placed an online order through Ebates in order to get part of my purchase price returned to me.
• I redeemed my 3300 Tops gas points in order to get gas for just $0.29 per gallon.

Did you do anything in particular this week to help save some money? I'd love to read it in the comments below!

New "no beer purchase" produce rebate

It can be a challenge to find coupons for fresh produce, so I always get excited when I find a good deal.  That's why I was so excited when I found a new "no beer purchase required" rebate at Tops this week!

Here are the details...

Save $4.00 via mail-in rebate on the purchase of oranges, compliments of Shock Top.  Purchase price of oranges must exceed $4.00.  No beer purchase required.  Valid for residents of AL, AR, CT, HI, KY, MA, ME, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NY, RI, UT, and WV only.  Purchases must occur between 7/1/12 and 8/31/12.  Requests must be postmarked by 9/14/12.  Limit 1 $4.00 rebate per address.

I didn't notice any at the Ridgemont Wegmans, but there were quite a few at the Mt. Read Tops. 

Money Saving Challenge - weeks 24 - 26 in review

I can't believe it's been so long since I've chronicled my attempts to save money!  For a while there, I was really good about jotting down my efforts on a daily basis and somehow I just got out of the habit.  I'm sure there are a few things I've forgotten over the past few weeks, but here are the things that come to mind:

• As a special treat, we took the family to see a movie (Madagascar 3 -- it was very cute!).  I used a free movie ticket I earned from a Kellogg's promotion, plus the tickets we bought were cheaper since we went to a matinee.
• I received a rebate check from a previous no beer purchase rebate for fresh fruit.
• I planted tomato plants that were given to me (free) and lettuce seeds (cheap).
• I cut roses and tiger lillies from my yard to enjoy, instead of buying flowers.
• I matched sales and coupons at Tops and Wegmans.
• We've been enjoying free fruit from the strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries picked from our yard and a relative's yard.
• In order to limit my air conditioning costs, I've been keeping the curtains and blinds closed as well as opening the windows to catch the cooler morning and evening breezes.
• I used a free Redbox code to enjoy a movie at home.
• I cashed in Swag Bucks for a $5 Amazon gift card, to be used to offset Christmas gift expenses later this year.
• I combined errands on outings in order to save on gas.
• Now that school is out, we've been utilizing the public library more for books and free kids' activities.
• I received a free cereal coupon in the mail from a giveaway at Thrifty Ways and Ideas (thanks, Maria!).
• I received a free Target cosmetic bag in the mail, packed with nice samples and Target coupons.
• I paid a couple of bills online to save on stamps.
• I received a mailer from Tops containing store coupons.
• I've been running the dishwasher with half of a dishwashing tablet.
• I cashed out my SavingStar balance.

I have a feeling I'm forgetting some things, but there are still quite a few things I was able to do to help us save money.  If you have been tightening your budget, I'd love for you to leave a comment with the things you're doing to help stretch your dollars!

Money Saving Challenge - week 19 in review

Here is the list of things I did this week to try to save money:

• I combined sales and coupons at Tops in order to save money.
• I combined errands on outings in order to save on gas.
• We ate leftovers for dinner 2 nights this week.
• I received in the mail a coupon for a free quart of International Delight creamer.  I love saving free product coupons for a Tops gas points earning period -- not only do I get free stuff, but I help pad my gas discount this way!
• I also received my Johnson & Johnson coupon mailer from the Healthy Essentials rebate.
• I received my Renuzit Try Me Free mail-in rebate check. Between the coupon I used, the rebate, and store promo at the time, this ended up being a money maker for me.
• I read my MyPoints emails in order to keep increasing my point balance so I can cash in for several gift cards later in the year.
• I always run the dishwasher using a half dishwasher tablet.  I noticed that my husband cut the tablet in half, too, when he ran it earlier this week. :-)

  If you're doing things to help you maintain a frugal budget, I'd love to hear about it!

Money Saving Challenge - week 17 in review

I felt very productive this week in my quest for being frugal and saving money.  Here is the rundown of what I did:

• I downloaded a free ebook onto my Nook.
• I received a bunch of freebie goodies in the mail this week: a coupon for a free drink at Dunkin Donuts, a full size bottle of MiO water enhancer, a Target beauty bad containing samples and coupons, and a bunch of Crest coupons. 
• I matched coupons and sales at Tops and Wegmans to save money on my groceries and deposited a portion of my savings into our bank account.
• I cashed in my Swagbucks for a $5 Amazon gift card, which I will use towards Christmas gifts later this year.
• I combined errands on my outings to help save on gas.
• I mailed out a $3 rebate which will make some fruit I bought a money maker. 
• I read my MyPoints emails to rack up points for gift cards that I will use for gift giving or a treat for my family.
• Since my car was on fumes, I used my gas points at Tops. I had a $4.00/gallon discount which enabled my to get about 17 gallons of gas for $1.00!  And to top that off, I did more shopping after my fill-up and am already up to another $0.50 per gallon discount with a full week's worth of shopping left in this earning period.
• I was in desperate need of a hair cut.  I went to the Supercuts close to my house (cheap price, plus saves on gas), used a coupon (even cheaper), and will get my next cut free (used my buy 8, get the 9th free card).

Did you do anything to help save money this week? I'd love to read about them in the comments below!

4/22 - 4/28 Tops deals

Wow, I feel like I've been so busy between shopping trips that I haven't had a chance to sit down and blog about them until now!  I've made several visits to Tops this week, so here is a rundown of my purchases (not everything is pictured above):

Transaction 1

3 boxes Kraft Milk Bite granola bars - $1.50 each, see notes
On sale 3/$6, used 3 $0.75 (double to $1.50) coupons from here
Notes: The regular price of these at Wegmans is $2.99, but for just a penny difference I opted to buy them at Tops so I could earn the gas points from my coupons.  On the subject of coupons, I was able to print my normal 2 coupon prints per computer when I didn't enter a zip code.  I regularly play around with entering random zip codes in order to see if I can find any new coupons.  I realized that these Milk Bites coupons were resetting for several zip codes I tried (30030, 77477, 90210, and 60303) so I was able to print a bucketload of them.  It's a good thing my kids love them!  I printed them out on Sunday, so hopefully they are still available if you haven't printed them yet.

1 bottle Upstate Farms Intense milk - $0.50
On sale 10/$10, used a $0.25 coupon from the 4/15 SmartSource coupon insert

The retail cost of this transaction was $12.06 and I paid $5.00 after discounts and coupons, for a savings of about 59%.

Transaction 2

3 boxes Honey Bunches of Oats Fruit Blends - $0.90 each
On sale 2/$5, used 3 $0.80 coupons (double to $1.60, good on Fruit Blends varieties only) printed from here (FYI, this only allows 1 print per computer)

The retail cost of this order was $11.97 and I paid just $2.70 after discounts and coupons, for a savings of 77%.

Transaction 3

1 2-liter Pepsi Next - $0.01 (plus deposit)
On sale for $0.99, used the previously available coupon from the Tops "Burst the Bags" game
Funny side note: Purchasing this triggers a Catalina coupon for a free 1.25 liter Coke.

4 boxes Honey Bunches of Oats - $1.00 each
On sale 2/$5, used 4 $0.75 coupons (double to $1.50) from here (try zip 30030 if you don't see it)

0.55 lb. Sara Lee oven roasted deli turkey - $2.34 ($3.99 per pound)
On sale for $6.99/lb, used a $1.50 coupon printed from here (watch the video, then you will be able to print the coupon)

1 bag (1 lb.) Earthbound Farms organic carrots - FREE
Priced at $1.49, used a $0.75 coupon ("doubles" to $1.49) from registering on their website (note: if you register, they seem to be issuing new $0.75 coupons every few days lately)

6 Balance Bars - $0.63 each
On sale 10/$10, used 2 $1.10 off 3 coupons from their Facebook page (there is also $1 off 5 here)

I also bought 2 chickens for $9.32 (no coupons, but they are on sale for $0.88/lb, which I realized after the fact is the same price as Wegmans).

The retail cost of transaction 3 was $48.04 and I paid $19.52 after discounts and coupons, for an approximate savings of 59%.

Transaction 4

1 2-liter Pepsi Next - $0.01 (plus deposit)
On sale for $0.99, used the previously available coupon from the Tops "Burst the Bags" game
Note: This triggered another free Coke Catalina coupon, plus I just realized it also earns an extra Tops Monopoly game ticket.

3 tubs Pampers wipes - $1.00 each
On sale 2/$5, used 3 $0.75 coupons (double to $1.50) printed from here
Note: These are priced at $2.49 at Wegmans, but just like the Milk Bites I decided that the penny saved there was wasn't worth it due to the gas points I earn.  Also, this is currently a product that earns bonus game pieces if you're playing the Tops Monopoly game.

1 1.25-liter Diet Coke - FREE (plus deposit)
On sale 3/$3, used the free Catalina coupon from the previous transaction (actually, i have a bunch of these Catalinas from when Tops had the same Pepsi Next coupon during their "Pop the Balloon" game, so I will be buying these Cokes for a long time!)
Note: This earns you an extra game piece in the Monopoly game.

2 Banquet fruit pies - $0.60 each
On sale 10/$10, used a $0.40 off 2 (doubles to $0.80) coupon I clipped from a previously bought Banquet meal

4 boxes Kraft Milk Bite granola bars - $1.50 each
On sale 3/$6, used 4 $0.75 (double to $1.50) coupons from here

1 bottle Upstate Farms Intense milk - $0.50
On sale 10/$10, used a $0.25 coupon from the 4/15 SmartSource coupon insert

The retail cost of this transaction was $29.98 and I paid $11.13 after discounts and coupons, for a savings of about 63%.

Transaction 5

1 2-liter Pepsi Next - $0.01 (plus deposit)
On sale for $0.99, used the previously available coupon from the Tops "Burst the Bags" game
Note: This triggered another free Coke Catalina coupon and an extra Tops Monopoly game ticket.

4 boxes Special K granola bars - $0.94 each
Priced at $3.69 each (ouch!) but part of a promo where you get $5 off instantly when you buy 4, plus I used 4 $0.75 coupons (double to $1.50) printed from here.
Note: Each box also earns an extra Monopoly game piece.

1 package (10-ct.) Solo Bare dinner plates - $0.50
On sale for $2.00, used a $0.75 coupon (doubles to $1.50) printed from here (this looks like it's no longer available which was weird -- I printed 2, I logged into another computer to print more and they were already gone)
Note: This earns an extra Monopoly piece.

1 package (15-ct.) Solo Bare dessert plates - $0.49
Priced at $1.99 each, used another $0.75 coupon above
Note: I was planning on getting 2 of the above dinner plates on sale for $2 each, but the store only had 1 package left on the shelf.  Instead of getting a raincheck, I bought the package not on sale for less money.

3 boxes Kraft Milk Bite granola bars - $1.50 each
On sale 3/$6, used 3 $0.75 (double to $1.50) coupons from here

1 bag Almond Accents - $1.49
On sale for $2.49, used a $1 coupon from the 2/26 SmartSource coupon insert (there was also a coupon in the 4/22 SmartSource insert)

The retail cost for transaction 5 was $35.94 and I paid $10.88 after coupons and discounts, for an approximate savings of 70%.

Transaction 6

1 2-liter Pepsi Next - $0.01 (plus deposit)
On sale for $0.99, used the previously available coupon from the Tops "Burst the Bags" game
Note: This triggered another free Coke Catalina coupon, plus an extra Tops Monopoly game ticket.

1 1.25-liter Diet Coke - FREE (plus deposit)
On sale 3/$3, used the free Catalina coupon from a previous transaction
Note: This earns you an extra game piece in the Monopoly game.

1 box Mission taco shells - $0.25, see note
On sale 4/$5, used a $1 peelie coupon found on the box
Note: This was one of my rare unplanned purchases.  I had seen them on sale in the Tops ad and had looked around for a coupon good enough to match up to make it a decent sale for me. I came up empty-handed but noticed in the store today that many boxes had $1 peelies on them!

1 bag (1 lb.) Earthbound Farms organic carrots - FREE
Priced at $1.49, used a $0.75 coupon ("doubles" to $1.49) from registering on their website

1 bag (3 lbs.) apples - $2.49, see note
On sale for $3.49, used the $1 Tops coupon previously available from the "Burst the Bags" game.  Note: Because the were priced over $3, I will submit this receipt for the fresh fruit rebate I found.  After the coupon and rebate, these will become a money maker for me!

2 Banquet fruit pies - $0.60 each
On sale 10/$10, used a $0.40 off 2 (doubles to $0.80) coupon I clipped from a previously bought Banquet meal

4 boxes Kraft Milk Bite granola bars - $1.50 each
On sale 3/$6, used 4 $0.75 (double to $1.50) coupons from here

3 packages refrigerated Jell-o Pudding Snacks - 1 @ $1 and 2 @ $2, see notes
On sale 2/$6, used a $2 coupon I printed from being registered with Kraft First Taste and 2 $1 coupons I received from people I emailed coupon offers to (they gave me theirs -- yay! -- there is also a $1 off 2 coupon in the 4/1 SmartSource coupon insert)
Notes: Buying 3 of these triggered a $2 off my next purchase Catalina coupon.  Also, after I got them home, I realized all 3 packages of mine had $0.75 coupons inside!  I can attest to the fact the Strawberry Sundae variety is delicious, so I may grab the coupons and head out for some more this week. :-)

The retail cost of this final transaction was $38.86 and I paid $15.12 after discounts and coupons, for a savings of 61%.

Overall, I bought groceries with a retail cost of $176.85 and spent $64.35, for a savings of approximately 64%.  I also have a $2 Catalina to use on my next order, plus I will be getting $3 back from submitting a rebate. 

There were a couple other good match-ups that I decided not to buy, but I'll list them in case any of my readers are interested:

• Mueller's Pasta - on sale 10/$10, generally you get a $0.55 coupon ("doubles" to $1, making these FREE) when you register a new email address at their website
• Crest toothpaste - on sale $0.99, there was a $0.20 coupon in the 4/1 Proctor & Gamble coupon insert to make it $0.59

I hope everyone has/had a great shopping week!

Money Saving Challenge - week 16 in review

Despite a nasty cold virus that hit 3 out of 5 of us this week (including me, who seems to have been hit the hardest by it, which is so not fair!), I was able to do a lot of things to help save money this week:

• I stayed home 2 days this week, which saved money on gas.
• I combined errands on my outings to also save gas.
• I matched coupons and sales at Tops to save money on my groceries, while racking up a huge discount off their gas price which I will take advantage off when my car is on empty.
• I cashed in my Swagbucks for a $5 Amazon gift card, which I will use towards Christmas gifts later this year.
• I made homemade hair detangler for free.  It is so easy, I will post a how-to tutorial later.
• I found a couple great mail-in rebates while I was at the grocery store, including one for fresh fruit.  I will definitely be using this one!
• My mailbox has been full of money-saving coupons lately.  Over the course of the week I received: a mailer containing several Proctor & Gamble product coupons, a coupon for a free Zone Perfect bar, a Target mailer which included a coupon for a free dozen eggs, and a Seeds of Change catalog which contained a $2 coupon off any product (will make for cheap organic rice at Wegmans).

If you have any frugal activities you did this week to help save money, I'd love to read about them in the comments below!

"No Beer Purchase" mail-in rebates alert!

I love finding "no beer purchase requirement" rebates, but I rarely find them at the store.  Today I went to Tops for another round of Dole frozen fruit (I am absolutely loving the $3 Catalina/200 bonus gas points deal -- I'm already at $3.90 off per gallon of gas, so I'm thinking there's a good chance I'll be filling up for FREE this time around!) and happened to see 2 tearpads on the edge of the beer cooler case:

• Save $3.00 via mail-in rebate on the purchase of Lemons or Fresh Fruit, compliments of the Shock Top family.  Purchase price of lemons or fresh fruit must exceed $3.  No beer purchase required.  Valid for residents of CT, MA, ME, NJ, NY, and RI only.  Purchase(s) must occur 4/1/12 - 4/30/12 and must be postmarked by 5/14/12.  Limit one per address. 
• Save $4.00 via mail-in rebate on the purchase of Gourmet Popcorn, compliments of Stella Artois.  Purchase price of gourmet popcorn must exceed $4.  No beer purchase required. Valid for residents of CT, MA, ME, NJ, NY, and RI only. Purchase(s) must occur 4/1/12 - 5/30/12 and must be postmarked by 6/13/12. Limit one per address. 

I am so excited for the fresh fruit rebate, because let's face it, my kids can eat fruit at an alarming rate and how often do you find a deal on fresh fruit?! 

And I don't think I've ever bought "gourmet popcorn" before, but I'll have to see what I can find next time I'm out shopping, and see if it's worth buying for a $4 rebate.

I found these at my local Tops, but since it's not store specific, they may have them at Wegmans as well.

Money Saving Challenge - week 14 in review

 

Here are the things I did this week to help save money:

 

• I matched sales and coupons at Tops and Wegmans to save money on groceries.
• I combined errands on my outings to help save money on gas.
• I stayed home 1 day this week to also save money on gas.
• Since I have an overabundance of fresh oregano growing in my kitchen, I picked some and am drying it.  When I need dried oregano, I won't have to go out and buy it. 
• I mailed out a Renuzit "try me free" rebate.
• I packed leftovers for my husband's work lunches.
• I received a Chicken of the Sea coupon via snail mail.  After the coupon doubles, I will be able to get an almost free can of tuna.
• I received a coupon and lotion sample of gud by Burt's Bees via snail mail.
• I read my MyPoints emails in order to build up my account balance so I can cash in on a variety of gift cards.

What are some things you did this week to save money? I'd love to read about them in the comments!

Money Saving Challenge - week 13 in review

 

This week felt to me like it was chock full of money-saving activities. Here are the things I did to help save money:

• I matched sales and coupons at Tops,Wegmans, and Target to save money on groceries and Easter goodies.
• I found a penny next to my car in a parking lot.  I know it's not much but every little bit counts, right? ;-)
• I combined errands on my outings to help save money on gas.
• I stayed home 1 day this week to also save money on gas.
• A few days this week I packed canned pineapple in my kids' lunches.  I saved the juice from the can and used it to add to a smoothie.
• I cashed in Swagbucks for a $5 Amazon gift card that I will use towards Christmas gifts.
• I packed leftovers for my husband's work lunches.
• I made sure not to run my dishwasher unless it was full, and I cut the tablets in half. I find this has really been a saver -- the tablets don't clean any differently when I only use half of one, so I'm getting them to last twice as long. I also picked up another big container of them at BJ's since they had a store coupon for them.
• I received some coupons and a packet of organic basil seeds from a giveaway I entered a while ago from Stonyfield YoKids. I can't wait to plant the seeds so I can use fresh basil along with the other herbs I have growing in my kitchen.
• I download a few free ebooks onto my Nook.
• After ignoring my MyPoints account for a really long time, I started reading the emails again.  I already have enough points sitting in my account to cash in for $10 or $25 gift cards.  I think I'll cash out and use them to give as gifts during the holidays, or when we're planning a special outing. (I'm not sure why I stopped reading the emails, because I really do like the MyPoints program.  If you're interested in joining, shoot me an email or leave me a comment and I'll send you a referral.)
• I mailed out my Johnson's Healthy Essentials rebate and will receive an envelope of coupons as a result.

What are some things you did this week to save money? I'd love to read about them in the comments!

3/25 - 3/31 Tops deals

I've made several trips to various Tops this week in order to stock up on some great deals.  Here are the groceries I bought and the coupon match-ups  (and let me apologize up front for any typos or things that don't make sense, since I've been interrupted about 83,674 times while trying to type up this post):

Transaction 1

6 bags Birds Eye Streamfresh veggies - $0.67 each
On sale 10/$10, used 2 $1 off 3 coupons from the 3/4 Red Plum coupon insert

3 bags Birds Eye Steamfresh rice varieties - $0.30 each
On sale 10/$10, used 3 $0.35 coupons (double to $0.70) printed from their website (click the scissors)

1 carton Friendship sour cream - $0.40
On sale 2/$3, used a $0.55 coupon from their website

2 blocks of Heluva Good cheese - $1.50 each
On sale 2/$4, used the $1 off 2 coupon from the3/25 SmartSource coupon insert
Note: There continues to be a $0.50 off 1 coupon link on their website, but I've had no luck getting it to print (it says the coupon is no longer available).  Hopefully some of you were able to print it while it was still available.

3 cartons Ehrmann Bavarian yogurt - $0.50 each
On sale 10/$10, used the $0.75 off 3 coupon (doubles to $1.50) from the 2/26 SmartSource coupon insert
Note: This coupon states "don not double" but it doubled automatically at the register.

1 GUM Star Wars toothbrush - $1.00
On sale 2/$5, used the $0.75 coupon (doubles to $1.50) from the March issue of All You magazine

The retail value of this transaction was $32.14 and I paid $10.88 after coupons and discounts, for a savings of approximately 66%.

Transaction 2

1 2-liter bottle Pepsi Next - $0.06 ($0.01 + $0.05 deposit)
On sale for $0.98, used the $0.01 Pepsi Next Tops coupon from their anniversary game (the game is now over)

2 boxes Fiber One granola bars - $2.00 each
On sale 2/$5, used the $1 off 2 coupon from the 2/26 SmartSource coupon insert

2 boxes Fiber One 90 calorie granola bars - $2.00 each
On sale 2/$5, used the $1 off 2 coupon from the 2/26 SmartSource coupon insert

2 boxes of Nature Valley Protein granola bars - $2.00
On sale 2/$5, used the $1 off 2 coupon from the 2/26 SmartSource coupon insert

4 boxes of Cheez-Its - $1.10 each
On sale 2/$5, used 4 $0.70 coupons (double to $1.40) printed from here (must register)

4 boxes of Kellogg's Rice Krispies - $1.50 each, see notes below
On sale 2/$5, used the $4 off 4 coupon from here (use zip 77477 if you don't see it)
Notes: If you plan on buying these, you may want to look for the boxes with this marking on it:



Inside the box you will find 1 of 3 Kellogg's coupon booklets.  Between the 4 boxes I bought, I was able to get all 3 coupon packs.  This post is going to be long enough as it is, so I'll post a list of the coupons in another post. :-)

1 bag Birds Eye Steamfresh rice varieties - $0.30
On sale 10/$10, used 3 $0.35 coupons (double to $0.70) printed from their website

2 bags Birds Eye Streamfresh veggies - $1.00 each
This annoys me. Now that I'm looking at my receipt, I realize that my $1 off 2 coupon did not get scanned.  These should have been $0.50 each after the coupon.

The retail value of this transaction was $62.17 and I paid $25.76 after discounts and coupons, for a savings of about 59%.

Transaction 3

1 2-liter bottle Pepsi Next - $0.06 ($0.01 + $0.05 deposit)
On sale for $0.98, used the $0.01 Pepsi Next Tops coupon from their anniversary game

2 boxes Chocolate Cheerios - $1.50 each, see note
On sale 2/$5, used a $1 off 2 coupon printed from here, plus a $1 off any General Mills cereal Tops coupon from their anniversary game. 
Note: I also activated the SavingStar eCoupon for $1 off 2 select Cheerios, so the final cost after the SavingStar rebate will be $1 each.

6 bags Birds Eye Streamfresh veggies - $0.50 each
On sale 10/$10, used 3 $1 off 2 coupons from their Facebook page (create a "veggie-powered plate" first)

The retail value of this transaction was $21.06 and I paid $6.06 after discounts and coupons, for an approximate savings of 71%.

Transaction 4

1 2-liter bottle Pepsi Next - $0.06 ($0.01 + $0.05 deposit)
On sale for $0.98, used the $0.01 Pepsi Next Tops coupon from their anniversary game

4 bags Birds Eye Streamfresh veggies - $0.50 each
On sale 10/$10, used 2 $1 off 2 coupons from their Facebook page

2 bags Birds Eye Steamfresh rice varieties - $0.30
On sale 10/$10, used 2 $0.35 coupons (double to $0.70) printed from their website

The retail value of this transaction was $12.68 and I paid $2.66 after discounts and coupons, for a savings of 79%.

Transaction 5

1 2-liter bottle Pepsi Next - $0.06 ($0.01 + $0.05 deposit)
On sale for $0.98, used the $0.01 Pepsi Next Tops coupon from their anniversary game

1 box Cheerios - FREE
On sale 2/$5, used a $0.75 coupon (doubles to $1.50) I received via snail mail, plus I used the $1 off any General Mills cereal Tops coupon from their anniversary game

4 Renuzit Fresh Accents air fresheners - 2 FREE and 2 @ $0.50 each
Priced at $2.99 each, I used a raincheck from when they were on sale 2/$3, plus 2 $0.75 coupons from here and 2 $1 coupons from their Facebook page (head's up: it involves gorgeous men LOL).  I also need to send in the "try me free" rebate  -- Hopefully I can find where I put it when I printed it, because it looks like it's not online anymore.

The retail value of this transaction was $18.49 and I paid $1.14 after discounts and coupons, for a savings of almost 94%.

Overall, I spent $46.50 for $146.54 worth of groceries, for a savings of approximately 68%.  I have earned a gas discount of $0.30 per gallon already for this new earning period.  Also, for each transaction where I bought a bottle of Pepsi Next, I received a Catalina coupon for a free bottle of Coke Zero or Diet Coke which will be nice treat! 

There was one item I wasn't able to buy on any of my shopping trip that I had wanted.  I did get a raincheck for Ziploc bags today that are on sale 2/$5, and I have 3 $0.60 coupons (double to $1.20 -- they were available at couponnetwork.com for a short time so was only able to get 3 of them, but if you buy 4 you'll get a $2 Catalina coupon at checkout).

Cheap Johnson's baby lotion

Wegmans currently has the 15-oz. bottles of Johnson's baby lotion on sale for $2.39.  Use the $0.75 coupon over here (you can click on the 'Baby & Toddler' link on the left to get to it quickly) and pay just $0.89 after the coupon doubles.

Don't forget, if you are collecting receipts for the Healthy Essentials coupon offer (which is valid on receipts dated until 3/8), this is a participating brand!

Money Saving Challenge - week 8 in review

This past week wasn't very good for me as far as saving money.  The kids were off school for February recess, we went and visited relatives out of town, and I've been sick, all of which made my regular penny pinching take a back seat (and explains why I haven't updated the blog in a week!).  Here are a couple of things I did, though, to help me with my money-saving goal:

• I received a coupon for a free tub of Land O'Lakes butter with olive oil via snail mail, from a previous mail-in rebate.
• We took the kids bowling because we had a coupon that got us each a free game.
• With the exception of picking up 4 bottles of Tabasco sauce for free after sale and coupons at Tops, I "shopped" from my stockpile.
• We turned the heat off in the house while we were out of town.
• This didn't save me money, but I wanted to give my husband credit for this: while we were out of town, he ran to the store to get some snacks. My coupon binder was in the car and he checked it before he made any purchases!  There were no coupons for what he ended up buying, but I was so proud of him for making the effort. :-)

Now that we're back home and the kids will be back to their regular school schedule (and hopefully I'll be feeling better soon), I'm going to really strive to do more this week to save money.

If you have any great money-saving tips, I'd love to read about them.  Just leave me a comment below!

1/15 - 1/21 Tops deals

It took me until yesterday to hit the grocery store and until today to post my finds, so I'm sorry for the delay.  I was getting low on yogurt, coffee, and frozen meals for my husband's work lunches so this was a great week for me.  Here's what I brought home from Tops (sorry for the crummy picture!)...

2 bags 8 o'clock coffee - $2.99 each
On sale for $3.99 each, used $2 off 2 coupon printed from here (click on the $2 coupon link in the upper right corner)

2 bags Fresh Express salad - 1 @ $1.50, 1 @ $0.40
On sale 2/$5, both bags were marked down an additional $1 due to a near sell-by date, plus used a $0.55 coupon (doubles to $1.10) I received via snail mail.

1 bottle Top50 orange juice - $1.50, see note below
On sale 2/$5, used $1 coupon printed from their Facebook "True Resolution" offer
Note: Activate the $0.50 eCoupon at SavingStar for a final net price of $1.00

3 boxes Green Giant frozen veggies - $0.67 each
On sale 10/$10, used $1 off 3 coupon from the 1/8 General Mills coupon insert

10 Michelina's lean gourmet frozen entrees - $0.80 each
On sale 10/$10, used 2 $1 off 5 coupons printed from here (there is also a $1/5 coupon available here)

12 cartons Voskos Greek yogurt - $0.67 each
On sale 10/$10. used 4 $1 off 3 coupons from here

3 Nabisco Teddy Grahams Go-packs - FREE
On sale 10/$10, used the $3 off 3 coupon from the 1/8 SmartSource coupon insert

1 bag Mariani banana chips - FREE
On sale 10/$10, used the $0.50 coupon from the 1/8 SmartSource coupon insert (the coupon states "Do not double" but it doubled automatically to $1)

4 boxes Quaker chewy granola bars - $1.50 each
On sale 4/$10 plus part of a "save $2 automatically when you buy any 4 select items" promo, used 2 $1 off 2 coupons printed from their Facebook page

2 packages of Land O'Frost lunchmeat - $2.99 each
On sale for $3.99 each, used 2 $1 coupons printed from here

12 Banquet pot pies - $0.80 each
On sale 10/$10, used 2 $0.60 off 6 coupons (double to $1.20) found inside select boxes of frozen Banquet meals
Note: I feel like I should probably mention that you can get pot pies cheaper than this.  At my local Aldi, they sell them for $0.59 each.  However, my Aldi only sells chicken pot pies and my husband greatly prefers beef.  Since $0.80 is the cheapest I have been able to find beef pot pies, these are a stock-up item for me.

4 Banquet fruit pies - $0.60 each
On sale 10/$10, used 2 $0.40 off 2 coupons (double to $.80) found inside select frozen Banquet meals boxes

2 bottles Sunny D - $0.95 each
On sale 2/$3, used the $0.55 (doubles to $1.10) off 2 coupon from the 1/8 SmartSource coupon insert

4 bottles of International Delight coffee creamer - $0.57 each
On sale 3/$5, used 4 $0.55 coupons (double to $1.10) printed from their website (must register, will need multiple addresses to get more than 2 coupons)

1 4-pack Dannon Activia yogurt - $1.00
On sale 5/$10, used $1 coupon from the 1/15 SmartSource coupon insert

16 YoCrunch yogurts - $0.28 each
On sale 10/$6, used 4 $0.65 off 4 coupons (double to $1.30) from here

2 boxes Barilla whole grain pasta - $0.75 each
On sale 4/$5, used $1 off 2 coupon from the 1/8 SmartSource coupon insert (there are other varieties of Barilla pasta on sale, but the coupon I used is good only on the whole grain type)

4 boxes Nabisco Cheese Nips - $1.17 each
On sale 3/$5, used 2 $1 off 2 coupons printed from the Ritz Facebook page (even though it's Ritz, the coupon is good on any Nabisco crackers)

2 bottles of Kikkoman teriyaki sauce - $0.69 each
On sale for $1.69 each, used 2 $1 coupons printed from here (and more coupons are here), plus this triggered a $1.50 Catalina coupon to print at the register for me to use on my next shopping trip

3 Kikkoman seasoning packets - FREE
On sale 10/$10, used 3 $1 coupons printed from here and here

2 cartons of Land O Lakes Fresh Buttery Taste spread - $1.50, see note
On sale 2/$4, used the $1 off 2 coupon from the 1/8 SmartSource coupon insert
Note: there is a mail-in rebate here to get a coupon for a free package of Land O Lakes Fresh Buttery Taste with Olive Oil

The retail total for this trip was $168.68 and I paid $70.75 after discounts and coupons, for a savings of approximately 58%.  I also have a $1.50 Catalina coupon to use on my next shopping trip and will be getting a coupon good for a free Land O Lakes spread.

SoftSoap and Carmex lip balm deals at CVS

I had a small but successful day at CVS today.  Here is what I bought, what I spent, and what I earned:

2 bottles of SoftSoap hand soap - on sale 2/$6
1 Carmex Moisture Plus lip balm - $3.29

I used my $2 ExtraCare Bucks from taking the pledge here, 2 $0.70 coupons on the SoftSoap I printed here, and a $0.50 Carmex coupon from their Facebook page.  After tax, I paid $5.77 (silly me, I accidentally left an additional $2 in ExtraCare Bucks at my house so my out-of-pocket really should've been less but oh well, I'll use them next time).

I received back $4 in ExtraCare Bucks (the promo is get $4 ECB when you buy 2 SoftSoap body washes, hand soaps, or bar soaps), and I will get an additional $2.99 from the CVS/Carmex mail-in-rebate found here.  Between the ECBs and rebate, I made $1.22!

Tip of the day: Look closely at store displays!

You know how there are often several product displays throughout your grocery store?  Do you ever stop to check them out?  I mean really look at them?  Chances are if you aren't paying attention to them, you could be passing up coupons and/or mail-in rebates!

I very rarely paid attention to them until recently.  Just within the past few weeks I've gotten coupons for produce, milk, fruit snacks, Kool-Aid, and tortillas (just found this one today) and rebates for beer and granola bars by looking for tearpads on displays. 

So the next time you hit the grocery store, take a close look at those displays and see if you can find coupons and rebates to save you some extra money.  If you find a good one, I'd love to hear about it -- leave me a comment below!