THÊ JÚLY 2011 GROCERY CHALLENGE

[dancinmama]

I cashed in my DIAMOND NUTS free coupons today that would have expired on 7/31. I bought 4 C. bags of walnuts that were regularly priced at $5.29; the coupon was good up to $5.99.

I obtained the coupons by calling the 800 number on the back of the Emerald Nut glazed pecan packages (Diamond/Emerald is the same company). Anyway, the pecans WERE NOT glazed; they were candied. I was very nice to the CS person who then offered to send me (4) coupons for FREE bags of nuts. ;D Now I will have enough walnuts for probably a couple of years or more. I keep them in the freezer and just take out what I need as I need it.

[p8nt]

Finally a good coupon shopping trip: I hope everyone doesn't mind these detailed transactions, I find it helpful when others post theirs. I'm glad I typed this, because I found a $3.70 error on my BOGOF Schick razor deal. I'll be going back tomorrow.

WAGS -
Transaction #1
Crest 3D White 2/$4.98
Scunci Hair Ties 2/$3.00
Twizzlers 2/$3.00
Total : $10.98
Used: 2 $.75 Twizzlers Coupons
2 $.75 Crest
Total: $7.98 and Got $7.00 RR's ($3 Scunci, $3 Crest, $1 Twizzlers)

Transaction #2
Huggies Wipes 2@$2.49 each
6 Three Musketeers 6@$.49
Wags Batteries 2@9.99 (B1G1F)
Chicken Broth 4@$.50
Total: $19.99
CouponsUsed:
2 $.50 Huggies (Manufacturer)
2 $1.00 Huggies(Wags coupon book)
3 $.50/2 Three Musketeers
Rolled the RR's for $7.00
Total OOP with tax: $9.50 (Less than the price of one package of batteries )

On to CVS -
Card #1
Free Pens $1.99
KotexU Tampons $3.49
Used $1/1 Kotex U Coupon
Got $3.99 EB's

Card #2
4 Oreos for $5.00
Pens $1.99
Skintimate Cream 3@$2.49
KotexU Tampons $3.49
Schick Xtreme Razors 2@$7.99
Total: $33.93
Used:
Two $1/2 Oreos
$1/1 KotexU
Three $1.50/1 skintimate
1 BOGOF Schick Razors (She only credited me $4.29 but should be $7.99)
USED $10.49 in EB's
Total OOP: $13.53 But should have been less $3.70
I received $14.99 in EB's and will be going to get my money back tomorrow on the razors that I was shorted.

[leanna]

I like detailed transaction P8nt.

My amusing RA moment:

When the Manager rang me up today he asked me to go the new cashier next time because he wants me to break her in. LOL.

[p8nt]

That's funny leanna. I have a coupon friend whose daughter just got hired at CVS. We're very excited that there will be a clerk we don't have to break-in. Her momma taught her well.

[debinwa]

Jul 23, 2011 15:26:07 GMT -5 nickyleey said:

Did ya'll see that the Pioneer Woman is now on Food Network? I knew it was just a matter of time!

nickyleey: I noticed that too. I'm anxious to see what she'll be doing. I love her site.

[debinwa]

Pity party for me. I lost $14 in Ups at RA today because I didn't pay attention! They expired yesterday-- yikes. There's been so little going on that I just forgot. I thought they expired on the 27th, but I pulled them out to use this morning and the date was the 23rd. Sob!

[leanna]

Oh, Wah! So sorry Deb!

That is SUCH a bummer.

[rubyslippers]

Jul 24, 2011 22:01:22 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

I cashed in my DIAMOND NUTS free coupons today that would have expired on 7/31. I bought 4 C. bags of walnuts that were regularly priced at $5.29; the coupon was good up to $5.99.

I obtained the coupons by calling the 800 number on the back of the Emerald Nut glazed pecan packages (Diamond/Emerald is the same company). Anyway, the pecans WERE NOT glazed; they were candied. I was very nice to the CS person who then offered to send me (4) coupons for FREE bags of nuts. ;D Now I will have enough walnuts for probably a couple of years or more. I keep them in the freezer and just take out what I need as I need it.

Dancin: Wow! Was this a special offer or was this like the J&J cotton swabs deal last year? Thanks to you, I have enough swabs for a couple of years. Getting free walnuts would be awesome. I keep mine in the freezer too.

CVS: Yesterday I paid $6.29 and got the 6 Herbal Essence shampoos and 6 stylers, 2 Schick Shavers, 1 Edge shave cream,
Zyrtec (raincheck), Bic pens and Bengay. I received $10.00 ECB and $10.00 gas card. My OOP would've been lower, but they were all out of Skintimate. I used a 5/20 CVS skin care Q on the Schick deal and two $2.00 CVS Schick Q's. My sister did really well as she was holding a BOGO Schick raincheck and she had a 35% off CVS Q.

[ohmomto2boys]

Good morning!
I have $6 in UPs to use this week....what the heck am I going to do with them??? I may have to burn them on food....eggs, milk....

I need to start watching CVS because ours has finally opened!! Need to jump in with little OOP.

[marvholly]

I am beginning to think my fav store mgr is the one responsible for all his product shortages on the CVS ads even though I often give him a heads up BEFORE his weekly order when I see it posted. He generally blames the vendor reps or warehouse for ‘shorting’ him. I stopped around 11 am Sun to do the pepsi deal (wanted sierra mist) and you could count on the fingers of your 2 hands (NO toes needed) the number of pepsi products, both 2L & 12 pk, on his shelves. NO Sierra Mist. Stopped at the store 21/2 miles away (SAME district) and that store had plenty of both sizes. Got my Mist.

After reviewing the ad, I have quite a bit I do want/need this week, which is good since I have an $8 EB to use & I can fill in w/stuff for my dad if needed. I plan to give my fav store 1 more chance on Tue. IF I cannot get everything I want/need I will be changing main stores. The next store is MUCH closer to my house anyhow.

Since my local Dominick’s (Safeway) is advertising matching of all Jewel (Albertsons) and Target ad prices I FINALLY signed up for their specialty on-line card program & loaded everything onto my loyalty card. Too bad the ONLY thing I want at either competitor this week is NOT carried by Dominicks so I still have that extra stop.

Checked on Sun and as per usual my Dominicks has NOT gotten the Safeway $5 on Frozen Foods coupon booklet. I have email NUMEROUS complaints to Safeway corp but gotten NO response. NOT going to waste my time again but I will NOT be buying ANY frozen food there until I can get the booklet.

Leanna
Had the new cashier thing at CVS a couple weeks ago. I got him trained on something he had never done before too. Don't exactly remember what.

[saveinla]

Jul 24, 2011 23:35:27 GMT -5 debinwa said:

Pity party for me. I lost $14 in Ups at RA today because I didn't pay attention! They expired yesterday-- yikes. There's been so little going on that I just forgot. I thought they expired on the 27th, but I pulled them out to use this morning and the date was the 23rd. Sob!

deb,

It happened to me once at CVS and I asked her before doing my transaction and she said it was ok. So, it never hurts to ask. The worst thing that could happen is they would say no.

[saveinla]

Jul 25, 2011 7:36:55 GMT -5 ohmomto2boys said:

Good morning!
I have $6 in UPs to use this week....what the heck am I going to do with them??? I may have to burn them on food....eggs, milk....

I need to start watching CVS because ours has finally opened!! Need to jump in with little OOP.

ohmomto2boys,

Wait until the 27th and do the Reach deal, so that it will count for the Oral care deal (5$ WYB 25$ of items and is valid for more than a month).
I bought 10$ worth of combs this week and got back 5 Ups just to roll my Ups. I also bought 6 composition notebooks and got back 2 Ups. HTH

[saveinla]

Jul 25, 2011 7:55:02 GMT -5 marvholly said:

I am beginning to think my fav store mgr is the one responsible for all his product shortages on the CVS ads even though I often give him a heads up BEFORE his weekly order when I see it posted. He generally blames the vendor reps or warehouse for ‘shorting’ him. I stopped around 11 am Sun to do the pepsi deal (wanted sierra mist) and you could count on the fingers of your 2 hands (NO toes needed) the number of pepsi products, both 2L & 12 pk, on his shelves. NO Sierra Mist. Stopped at the store 21/2 miles away (SAME district) and that store had plenty of both sizes. Got my Mist.

After reviewing the ad, I have quite a bit I do want/need this week, which is good since I have an $8 EB to use & I can fill in w/stuff for my dad if needed. I plan to give my fav store 1 more chance on Tue. IF I cannot get everything I want/need I will be changing main stores. The next store is MUCH closer to my house anyhow.

Since my local Dominick’s (Safeway) is advertising matching of all Jewel (Albertsons) and Target ad prices I FINALLY signed up for their specialty on-line card program & loaded everything onto my loyalty card. Too bad the ONLY thing I want at either competitor this week is NOT carried by Dominicks so I still have that extra stop.

Checked on Sun and as per usual my Dominicks has NOT gotten the Safeway $5 on Frozen Foods coupon booklet. I have email NUMEROUS complaints to Safeway corp but gotten NO response. NOT going to waste my time again but I will NOT be buying ANY frozen food there until I can get the booklet.

Leanna
Had the new cashier thing at CVS a couple weeks ago. I got him trained on something he had never done before too. Don't exactly remember what.

marvholly,

This happened to me too, but the CVS that ran out of stuff early Sunday morning had very heavy traffic and I could not blame the store. Now I have found a favorite store that's on the way to my son's school and has everything in stock. They are great with Qs, but I just have to go when all the younger kids are working.

Regarding the frozen booklet, it should be available starting this week or next, since the coupons don't start until 8/1. So we just have to keep on looking.

[frugalsuz]

Jul 24, 2011 18:40:45 GMT -5 misspt said:

I had $7 in RR to use at WAGs, so I bought the following:

1 Wags brand tampons $1.50 get back $1.50 RR
2 Scunci hair bands (18ct) $3 get back $3RR WYB 2
1 Dentek flosser $2.99 used $1/1 IP, get back $2 RR
and I bought a peanut butter and strawberry jelly 2/$4, as nobody wants to put strawberry jelly on sale, so this is the best price I've seen in a while and I have a 4 yr old PB&J fanatic right now. So, I used the coupon and RR noted above, paid for the PB&J and got back $6.50 of my $7 worth of RR.

Yeah, what's up with that Misspt? I am not a grape jelly fan and it seems like that's all that's ever on sale. I want some cheap strawberry jelly!

[ohmomto2boys]

Wait until the 27th and do the Reach deal, so that it will count for the Oral care deal (5$ WYB 25$ of items and is valid for more than a month).
I bought 10$ worth of combs this week and got back 5 Ups just to roll my Ups. I also bought 6 composition notebooks and got back 2 Ups. HTH

saveinla - Thank you so much. I have some $1 VV q's to use too, so that will help.

[debinwa]

Jul 25, 2011 8:27:39 GMT -5 saveinla said:

Jul 24, 2011 23:35:27 GMT -5 debinwa said:

Pity party for me. I lost $14 in Ups at RA today because I didn't pay attention! They expired yesterday-- yikes. There's been so little going on that I just forgot. I thought they expired on the 27th, but I pulled them out to use this morning and the date was the 23rd. Sob!

deb,

It happened to me once at CVS and I asked her before doing my transaction and she said it was ok. So, it never hurts to ask. The worst thing that could happen is they would say no.

saveinla: I did try. He scanned one and the register gave him an error message. I guess Rite Aid must have their registers set to read their expiration dates (?).

[saveinla]

Jul 25, 2011 10:50:04 GMT -5 debinwa said:

Jul 25, 2011 8:27:39 GMT -5 saveinla said:

deb,

It happened to me once at CVS and I asked her before doing my transaction and she said it was ok. So, it never hurts to ask. The worst thing that could happen is they would say no.

saveinla: I did try. He scanned one and the register gave him an error message. I guess Rite Aid must have their registers set to read their expiration dates (?).

Wow. That is not good then. Sorry about that.

[murphath]

Question for all you southern Calif. gals, specifically San Diego area: do any of your supermarkets double q's? I'm training DS in grocery shopping techniques so he can save $ his final year in college! (and beyond!). What's the best place to shop there?

Thanks for your help.

[973beachbum]

Hi all! I love the posting deal scenarios or actual deal ides. So thanks to everyone who has.

I get very little food free or close so I really have to brag here for a second. I got some catalina last week from Acme plus a free milk catalina. Turns out the free milk is now an actual catalina as far as the register is concerned. Instead of asking the cashier for a price prompt since it says free milk it just took $4.50 off my order, even though my milk was "only" $4.09.

So here is what I bought from Acme, I bought a
lb of scallops, a lb of flounder and a gallon of milk and after coupons my grand total OOP was $3.35. That was of course after I almost .

[dancinmama]

Jul 25, 2011 10:50:04 GMT -5 debinwa said:

Jul 25, 2011 8:27:39 GMT -5 saveinla said:

deb,

It happened to me once at CVS and I asked her before doing my transaction and she said it was ok. So, it never hurts to ask. The worst thing that could happen is they would say no.

saveinla: I did try. He scanned one and the register gave him an error message. I guess Rite Aid must have their registers set to read their expiration dates (?).

debinwa: I am sorry to hear that. Although I have never had a reward expire before, I have come very close a couple of times. Most of the time, I have a plan for the reward before I even get it, so I think that has helped A LOT.

CVS's registers are programed to beep if the CRT or EB has expired too, but the cashier can override it. It can probably be done at RA too (they CAN push them through as has happened when the register "claims" that the reward has already been used), but I have never known them to do it for an expired UP.

[saveinla]

Ladies,

If you have an account on cvs.com, check if you have a 5$/25. I was checking to see if my 25% off Q was still available and found this one instead. It expires 7/30. HTH

[saveinla]

Jul 25, 2011 12:09:06 GMT -5 murphath said:

Question for all you southern Calif. gals, specifically San Diego area: do any of your supermarkets double q's? I'm training DS in grocery shopping techniques so he can save $ his final year in college! (and beyond!). What's the best place to shop there?

Thanks for your help.

murphath,

I am not in the San Diego area, but here are some details based on what I have, which I think will be similar to San Diego.

SW - It's called Vons/Pavilions here doubles the fist coupon up to 1$
Kroger - It's called Ralphs here doubles all coupons up to 1$

If a coupon is 30c, they will only double it as 60c - not 1$ as in most areas that double in both SW and Kroger.

We also have Albertsons, but I am not sure on the rules there. HTH

[dancinmama]

Jul 25, 2011 12:13:06 GMT -5 973beachbum said:

Hi all! I love the posting deal scenarios or actual deal ides. So thanks to everyone who has.

I get very little food free or close so I really have to brag here for a second. I got some catalina last week from Acme plus a free milk catalina. Turns out the free milk is now an actual catalina as far as the register is concerned. Instead of asking the cashier for a price prompt since it says free milk it just took $4.50 off my order, even though my milk was "only" $4.09.

So here is what I bought from Acme, I bought a
lb of scallops, a lb of flounder and a gallon of milk and after coupons my grand total OOP was $3.35. That was of course after I almost .

beachbum: Isn't it awesome!!?? I love it when these little deals pop up.

Back in the day, we're talking waaaay waaaay back (like pre-2003), I used to get doubled coupons at Safeway and could get several food items very cheaply and sometimes for free; however, free non-perishables were almost unheard of. Now things have reversed: free non-perishables are plentiful and free food is more difficult.

The thing that we have going for us today that we did not have back in the day, is the drug chain reward that can be spent on ANYTHING including food. I can't tell you the amount of free food that I have been able to get by combining a great sale, with a $5/$20 or $3/$15 (at CVS or RA), a great coupon, and a rewards offer, paying my OOP with "for-profit" rewards that I already have.

Just yesterday I bought (3) 12 packs of Pepsi at CVS using a Hawaiian Tropic $10EB (a $4MM) to pay for the Pepsi and the recycling fee ($1.80), with a little bit left over for a filler. Without the drug chain rewards, there are several items that I would otherwise be buying at the grocery store and paying a lot for in OOP (even a sales prices); but thanks to drug chain rewards, I don't have to!! ;D

EDIT: A lot of lurkers reading this might think that the ONLY kind of food that you can get at a drug chain is junk, but that is not true. I have spent drug chain rewards to purchase butter, eggs, milk, mayonnaise, tuna fish, canned clams, nuts of all types, peanut butter, applesauce, rolled oats, cream of wheat, coffee, creamer, spices, soups, refried beans, and on and on.

[leanna]

Jul 25, 2011 8:30:27 GMT -5 saveinla said:

Jul 25, 2011 7:36:55 GMT -5 ohmomto2boys said:

Good morning!
I have $6 in UPs to use this week....what the heck am I going to do with them??? I may have to burn them on food....eggs, milk....

I need to start watching CVS because ours has finally opened!! Need to jump in with little OOP.

ohmomto2boys,

Wait until the 27th and do the Reach deal, so that it will count for the Oral care deal (5$ WYB 25$ of items and is valid for more than a month).
I bought 10$ worth of combs this week and got back 5 Ups just to roll my Ups. I also bought 6 composition notebooks and got back 2 Ups. HTH

OhMomto2Boys,
Congrats on getting a CVS! The more drugstores we have the better!

On your RA UPs, in addition to the Reach deal SaveinLA mentioned, you could also do the Mitchum deod deal, but you have to do it today or tomorrow.

Mitchum deod - price $3.99 (some higher priced stores have it at approx $4.29)
$1 mq (on coupons.com)
$2 VV (new one - August VV's)
$1 SCR

Limit of 4 on the SCR

SaveinLA,

You know what I did? I bought the Reach toothbrushes yesterday. Doh! Oh well. They were free after UP, and coupons, but still...DOH!

[leanna]

Jul 25, 2011 12:13:06 GMT -5 973beachbum said:

Hi all! I love the posting deal scenarios or actual deal ides. So thanks to everyone who has.

I get very little food free or close so I really have to brag here for a second. I got some catalina last week from Acme plus a free milk catalina. Turns out the free milk is now an actual catalina as far as the register is concerned. Instead of asking the cashier for a price prompt since it says free milk it just took $4.50 off my order, even though my milk was "only" $4.09.

So here is what I bought from Acme, I bought a
lb of scallops, a lb of flounder and a gallon of milk and after coupons my grand total OOP was $3.35. That was of course after I almost .

Nice shopping Beachbum!

[leanna]

Jul 25, 2011 12:52:20 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

SNIP

EDIT: A lot of lurkers reading this might think that the ONLY kind of food that you can get at a drug chain is junk, but that is not true. I have spent drug chain rewards to purchase butter, eggs, milk, mayonnaise, tuna fish, canned clams, nuts of all types, peanut butter, applesauce, rolled oats, cream of wheat, coffee, creamer, spices, soups, refried beans, and on and on.

I think that's a very good point you make DancinMama. I buy a lot of the same things you do at RA and Wags, because I can get them free, freap or definitely less expensive than the grocery store.

[rubyslippers]

CVS: There's a $3/15 coupon in this week's Weight Watcher pamphlet that doesn't expire until 8-30.

Rite Aid: I bought 2 Clean & Clear cleansers @ $5.49 each
minus 20% discount. Subtotal was $8.78 minus two $2.00 in ad
Q's and two $2.00 IPQ's. Total with tax was $1.35 plus I got another SURVEY!

[frugalsuz]

Pier One deal alert - like them on Facebook here: www.facebook.com/pier1?sk=wall and you can print a coupon for $10 off any $10 purchase good thru 7/27

[oreo]

murphath - I live in San Diego but I can only give you high-level info about the coupons. I only get 1 or 2 coupons that are the same (my ads plus my parent's ads) so I don't have an issue with too many of the same coupon (if there is one).

My local Ralphs will double coupons up to $1 TOTAL. So if you have a $.75 coupon, they'll discount another $.25. For some reason I kind of think Ralphs might only double up to 2 of the same coupon but that was info from a long time ago so I don't know about now

My local Vons does the same thing as Ralphs. (not sure about number of coupons)

My local Albertsons doesn't double anything except occasionally I get a booklet in the mail with 2 "doubler" coupons in it. Then they'll double any coupon up to $1. So if you have a $1 coupon, they'll double it to be $2.

Sorry I couldn't be more help!

[leanna]

MissPT -

Got the WhoNU cookie q's. Thanks! That was fast!


For RA shoppers...

Keep your eyes out for a $2 RA skincare coupon on your receipt. Can be used to get some cheap lotion. Could be good if you need to get a few cents over $15 to use the survey q.