THE OCTOBER 2012 GROCERY CHALLENGE

[dancinmama]

On behalf of suzi and all of the gals here, WELCOME, WELCOME, WELCOME to the Grocery Challenge from me - dancinmama!!

If you have never clipped a coupon, or even if you have been using coupons for years, we'd love to have you join us. We are a crazy, fun-loving, and very friendly group of gals just chatting with one another about how to save big money using coupons. We are willing to help anyone, at any level, in any way that we can.

Don't think that you have to read through the pages and pages of posts to join in - most of it will be old, out-of-date information anyway. Just go to the last page of the thread and introduce yourself. Tell us what area of the country you're from and where you shop (grocery stores, national chain stores, Target, WalMart, etc.).

We'd love to have you join us on a regular basis, so don't be shy - just jump right in, have some fun, and save a ton of money in the process!!

Since we are trying to foster a sense of true community on this thread, please try your best to keep your fellow couponers in mind when you post. Here are some suggestions:

NEWBIES/OLDIES: If you post a HOUND ALERT requesting coupons from others, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE also post which insert/where the coupon can be found (Example: 1/2 SS) so that we can find it easily without having to research it ourselves. ALSO, if you need the coupon for a specific deal, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE try to remember to post the deal with your HOUND ALERT so that someone who may have the coupon(s) can decide whether they want/need to do the deal before sending out any of their coupons. THANKS!!

POSTING ABOUT A DEAL / HOT COUPON: Some people get overwhelmed by the number of posts and only have time to skim the posts for the information that they need the most. If you are posting a deal, please post something that makes it stand out like "CVS DEAL ALERT" or if you are posting to tell us that there is a new, hot coupon available, please post something like "$3/1 WHOLLY GUACAMOLE IP ALERT".

We want to make this thread as fun, friendly, and helpful as possible. These suggestions will save EVERYONE a lot of time when they are trying to "catch up" and read through past posts.

Okay, now let's have some FUN!! ;D

[marvholly]

I WON!!! I WON!!!
A local blogger had a giveaway of Mementos coffee coupon and Natural bliss creamer coupons. I won. I had also won one of Donna’s about 6 months ago. Sort of makes me want to enter other giveaways.

NOTE: I never try for stuff either I or other family members cannot/will not use.

I am torn. DWTS or the Bears game tonight. Guess I will be channel flipping.

This might be my Aldi and/or Dollar store stock up week. Link cards (food stamps) were loaded on Fri 9/28 so much of that shopping is probably done already. I have looked ahead and there is nothing I want/need on the upcoming Meijer ad. There is only a little I want/need on the current ads. Nothing for me at CVS. Little at WAG-if they even have stock. I DO need a MAJOR veg stock up at the assorted markets and I ‘might’ get some chicken legs today to make soup. It is supposed to get cold the end of the week.

Safeway has a new coupon book this month. It was even advertised in the Smart Source insert. It will be ‘interesting’ to see if my store (Dominicks) has it since they NEVER get any of the books on time.

[skubikky]

dancin': got your envie, thanks again
Beach: great haul baby!

gin1984:

Good job! I'm gonna guess that you're shopping at Tops to get the gas points. I think this bonus period ends on Nov. 11 which gives you a lot of time to rack up the points.

I made it to $0.90 off per gallon last month. Hoping to get it higher this time. Right now I'm at $0.20 off a gallon with 286 points.

[dancinmama]

Oct 1, 2012 8:14:04 GMT -5 skubikky said:

dancin': got your envie, thanks again

I made it to $0.90 off per gallon last month. Hoping to get it higher this time. Right now I'm at $0.20 off a gallon with 286 points.

skubikky: Wow, that was fast!!

$.90 off a gallon!! That is AWESOME!! Okay, when you get $.90/gal. off is that on a one time fill up? Is there a maximum to the number of gallons that you can get?

[murphath]

$.90 off a gallon!! That is AWESOME!! Okay, when you get $.90/gal. off is that on a one time fill up? Is there a maximum to the number of gallons that you can get?


Dancinmama: It's probably the same program that Safeway has here. You get .10 off each gallon at their gas station for every $100 spent. If you buy gift cards, you get 2x the points. Just bought a $50 Target gift card for a friend's son, so I now have .20 off per gallon. It's a one time use. Don't know if there's a gallon limit. I see RV's there all the time. Those big ones take @ 100 gallons so the savings can add up.

[973beachbum]

Hi all! Does anyone know if the nexxus deal is a reg priced items that gives ECB's type deal that I could use with a % off coupon?

I don't have/cang get any of the coupons for nexxus products and I didn't want to have to actually pay for them.

I also haven't gotten a $/$$ in months.

[murphath]

Hi all! Does anyone know if the nexxus deal is a reg priced items that gives ECB's type deal that I could use with a % off coupon?

If they aren't a discounted/sale price, then the 25% CRT will work even if EB's are given back. CVS' deal is usually "buy $20 of Nexxus products, get $10 EBs back." If you get total to $20, then you'd get the item/s for $15 plus tax and receive $10 EBs back. HTH.

[skubikky]

Oct 1, 2012 8:20:51 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

Oct 1, 2012 8:14:04 GMT -5 skubikky said:

dancin': got your envie, thanks again

I made it to $0.90 off per gallon last month. Hoping to get it higher this time. Right now I'm at $0.20 off a gallon with 286 points.

skubikky: Wow, that was fast!!

$.90 off a gallon!! That is AWESOME!! Okay, when you get $.90/gal. off is that on a one time fill up? Is there a maximum to the number of gallons that you can get?

Yeah, like Murphath wrote, a one time deal. The period of time to accumulate points is about 2 months. Not sure if there's a limit on the number of gallons though. Will have to check.

[rubyslippers]

Murpath: Thanks so much as I got your envies today. That was quick!

It has turned cooler here so I'm planning on making soup. The deals aren't great at either Meijer or Kroger this week, so I'm taking a pass. I will need to be making chicken broth so will be keeping an eye on chicken prices in the near future. If Aldis has apples on sale this week, I might get a couple of bags. Our fruit bin is getting close to empty.

[dancinmama]

Oct 1, 2012 10:38:50 GMT -5 murphath said:

$.90 off a gallon!! That is AWESOME!! Okay, when you get $.90/gal. off is that on a one time fill up? Is there a maximum to the number of gallons that you can get?


Dancinmama: It's probably the same program that Safeway has here. You get .10 off each gallon at their gas station for every $100 spent. If you buy gift cards, you get 2x the points. Just bought a $50 Target gift card for a friend's son, so I now have .20 off per gallon. It's a one time use. Don't know if there's a gallon limit. I see RV's there all the time. Those big ones take @ 100 gallons so the savings can add up.

Safeway's program does me absolutely no good as we do not have a Safeway gas station in our town.

[Sam_2.0]

One of our grocery stores does gas rewards. $.10 for every $50 purchased, for a max of $1 or so per gallon. And the max you can get is 20 gallons. So spend $500 to save $20? I would rather just shop at Aldi and only spend $350 on my total groceries.

[skubikky]

Oct 1, 2012 13:43:55 GMT -5 rubyslippers said:

Murpath: Thanks so much as I got your envies today. That was quick!

It has turned cooler here so I'm planning on making soup. The deals aren't great at either Meijer or Kroger this week, so I'm taking a pass. I will need to be making chicken broth so will be keeping an eye on chicken prices in the near future. If Aldis has apples on sale this week, I might get a couple of bags. Our fruit bin is getting close to empty.

Had some serendipitous timing this weekend. We live in a rural area that is predominantly farming. Was driving down the western part of my road on Saturday and noticed young farmer Brett out in the orchard with the pickers. I pulled up and asked him if I could purchase some drops from him. He said sure, how much do you want. I showed him one of my cotton like reusable shopping bags and I said, about this much. He said $3. I said great.

Filled up the bag with Crispins and Empires. I'm guessing maybe 15 lbs worth. He said any time I want to get more that's fine.
20 cents a pound...not bad. It had occurred to me that getting apples from anywhere but on my road was silly?

[dancinmama]

Who else has a stockpile of Dawn that seems to just keep growing?

If I have a $.75 coupon and it's on sale, I almost always use it as a filler in my scenarios. AND I haven't used ANY in probably over a year. I'm still working on my stockpile of Gain dish soap and have (23) bottles left of that in spite of the fact that it seems like I'm always going to the laundry room to grab another bottle out of the stockpile.

[dancinmama]

Oct 1, 2012 14:13:18 GMT -5 Sam_2.0 said:

One of our grocery stores does gas rewards. $.10 for every $50 purchased, for a max of $1 or so per gallon. And the max you can get is 20 gallons. So spend $500 to save $20? I would rather just shop at Aldi and only spend $350 on my total groceries.

EXACTLY!! I don't let that kind of reward influence my shopping either. This also applies to CVS and the beauty club EBs. My sales tax on $50 worth of beauty club items would be almost $5, so I'm not going to buy make up or anything else that I won't use just because it's free in order to get beauty club points. I buy when it is advantageous to me and if I get an "extra" reward as a result, all the better.

[dancinmama]

Oct 1, 2012 14:16:24 GMT -5 skubikky said:

Oct 1, 2012 13:43:55 GMT -5 rubyslippers said:

Murpath: Thanks so much as I got your envies today. That was quick!

It has turned cooler here so I'm planning on making soup. The deals aren't great at either Meijer or Kroger this week, so I'm taking a pass. I will need to be making chicken broth so will be keeping an eye on chicken prices in the near future. If Aldis has apples on sale this week, I might get a couple of bags. Our fruit bin is getting close to empty.

Had some serendipitous timing this weekend. We live in a rural area that is predominantly farming. Was driving down the western part of my road on Saturday and noticed young farmer Brett out in the orchard with the pickers. I pulled up and asked him if I could purchase some drops from him. He said sure, how much do you want. I showed him one of my cotton like reusable shopping bags and I said, about this much. He said $3. I said great.

Filled up the bag with Crispins and Empires. I'm guessing maybe 15 lbs worth. He said any time I want to get more that's fine.
20 cents a pound...not bad. It had occurred to me that getting apples from anywhere but on my road was silly?

I want cheap apples <<whining>>.

[emhalf]

Oct 1, 2012 14:38:35 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

Who else has a stockpile of Dawn that seems to just keep growing?

If I have a $.75 coupon and it's on sale, I almost always use it as a filler in my scenarios. AND I haven't used ANY in probably over a year. I'm still working on my stockpile of Gain dish soap and have (23) bottles left of that in spite of the fact that it seems like I'm always going to the laundry room to grab another bottle out of the stockpile.

I had one before I moved. I even started "donating" it to work so that I could get rid of some. They went through a ridiculous amount of dish soap in the breakroom. Now my "stockpile" consists of one partially used small bottle and one large bottle, but I'm sure it will be more than enough to last me until another deal rolls around.

Giant Eagle has great fuel perks. You get .10 off for every $50 you spend, and they offer various products in the ad where you can earn bonus fuel perks. They had one deal a couple of months ago where tuna pouches were 4/$5, and if you bought 4 you got an extra .30 off per gallon. Assuming you could fill up the maximum of 30 gallons, that would mean $9 off a fill up for every $5 spent on tuna. Plus there were coupons available, so you didn't even have to spend $5. One guy on HCW earned like $35 in fuel perks, so that would mean 8-10 totally free fillups plus a shit-ton of tuna. I only had enough coupons to do the deal once, since I don't eat tuna and .30/gal is only worth about $4.50 to me.

I remember when I used to shop at Kroger, the fuel discounts were calculated on the pre-coupon total, so you didn't have to spend nearly the required amount to get the discount on gas.

[murphath]

Re Safeway gas: since I just cherrypick the deals at Safeway, it's worth it to me to get the gas discount.

marvholly: re the Safeway Fall of Savings q pamphlet: Be sure to take the ad from the inserts with you because these aren't out at all Safeways yet. I had to ask at mine, show them the ad, and then a cashier said, "I have one on my clipboard".

The coupons in the pamphlet are for Safeway only. The bar code begins with a "0". Does that mean you can use a regular man. q with this one?

[dancinmama]

Oct 1, 2012 16:49:24 GMT -5 murphath said:

Re Safeway gas: since I just cherrypick the deals at Safeway, it's worth it to me to get the gas discount.

marvholly: re the Safeway Fall of Savings q pamphlet: Be sure to take the ad from the inserts with you because these aren't out at all Safeways yet. I had to ask at mine, show them the ad, and then a cashier said, "I have one on my clipboard".

The coupons in the pamphlet are for Safeway only. The bar code begins with a "0". Does that mean you can use a regular man. q with this one?

murphath/marvholly: Are there too many coupons to list them here? What does the pamphlet look like (size/picture on the front) and where did you find it?

I'm kind of bummed that they're Safeway coupons. In the past when they had coupon booklets, I always used more at other stores than I ever used at Safeway.

[murphath]

So I did get my rear to CVS. This is what I did:

8 Pantene shampoo $32.00
1 bag CVS chips $2.00
4 Robitussin $19.96

Minus
2/$1 off 2 Pantene q's (thanks for the hint in giving this q first)
3/$3 off Robitussin q's from 9/30 RP
4/BOGOF Pantene q's from 9/16? SS = -$27.96
$5 EB
$10/$50 CRT
Total OOP: 0 + 2.77 tax.

Rec'd $10 EB for Pantene and 2/$3 EB's for Robitussin

The cashier was going to enter $4 for each of the BOGOF Pantene's but then he scanned it and it took $6.99 off automatically. He didn't know what to do, so I told him that CVS would get reimbursed the $6.99 + handling. He just needed to fill in that amount in the box. So that's what he did, and I got a deal. I really thought he would just scan the four of them and not think about it, but he didn't. I lucked out anyway because he didn't want to cancel the transaction and a line was starting to form.

I got my quarterly EB's today as well: $1.50. My receipt indicated that I had spent $40.02. My YTD savings are: $1,017.49. I'll take that.

[murphath]

murphath/marvholly: Are there too many coupons to list them here? What does the pamphlet look like (size/picture on the front) and where did you find it?

Safeway Fall coupon booklet (@ 8.5x11" in size) (Dancin: there's a one page ad for it in one of this week's Sunday inserts--RP or SS).

$1/1 pgk. South Beach Diet Snack Bars
$1/2 South Beach Diet Protein Fit Bars
.50 off 1 Post Cereal (9.5 oz or larger)
$1 35.3 oz homosexuale greek yogurt
$/2 Early Calif. or Pearls 6 oz pitted ripe olives or 6.5 oz sliced olives
$1 Truvia baking blend with sugar
$1 any pyrex product
$1 knorr homestyle stock product
$1/4 knorr sides products
$1 Lipton tea product
$1 Martinelli sparkline classic, prickly passion or mango lemonade
$1/2 6-16.9 oz A&W, 7Up, Ginger Ale
$1/2 Sierra Mist 2 liter botles
$1 any Contessa convenience meal
$1 Lan O Frost Sub Kits 20 oz
$/2 Uncle Bens rice cups
.50 Safeway Farms broccolini
$1 O Organics Salads 5-7 oz
$1 Snack Artist veggie Tray with new improved did
$1 Safeway Select trail mixes 10-14 oz
$1 Open Nature vegatable snacks
$1 The Snack Artist Pistachios
$/2 hefty Products: 14-85 ct trash bags, 30-50 ct fooam plates or bowls, 13-40 ct storage bags or 20 ct cups
$1 Rubbermaid food storage or beverage container
$1 all 16 oz cetaphil products
$1 Goody Styling Tool (min. 3.99)
.50/1 Goody fashio hair accessory
$1 Playtex gentle glide 360 or Playtex sport tampons 36 ct
$1 Purex Ultrapacks laundry detergent
$1 Soft Scrub cleanser

[dancinmama]

Oct 1, 2012 17:05:26 GMT -5 murphath said:

murphath/marvholly: Are there too many coupons to list them here? What does the pamphlet look like (size/picture on the front) and where did you find it?

Safeway Fall coupon booklet (@ 8.5x11" in size) (Dancin: there's a one page ad for it in one of this week's Sunday inserts--RP or SS).

$1/1 pgk. South Beach Diet Snack Bars
$1/2 South Beach Diet Protein Fit Bars
.50 off 1 Post Cereal (9.5 oz or larger)
$1 35.3 oz homosexuale greek yogurt
$/2 Early Calif. or Pearls 6 oz pitted ripe olives or 6.5 oz sliced olives
$1 Truvia baking blend with sugar
$1 any pyrex product
$1 knorr homestyle stock product
$1/4 knorr sides products
$1 Lipton tea product
$1 Martinelli sparkline classic, prickly passion or mango lemonade
$1/2 6-16.9 oz A&W, 7Up, Ginger Ale
$1/2 Sierra Mist 2 liter botles
$1 any Contessa convenience meal
$1 Lan O Frost Sub Kits 20 oz
$/2 Uncle Bens rice cups
.50 Safeway Farms broccolini
$1 O Organics Salads 5-7 oz
$1 Snack Artist veggie Tray with new improved did
$1 Safeway Select trail mixes 10-14 oz
$1 Open Nature vegatable snacks
$1 The Snack Artist Pistachios
$/2 hefty Products: 14-85 ct trash bags, 30-50 ct fooam plates or bowls, 13-40 ct storage bags or 20 ct cups
$1 Rubbermaid food storage or beverage container
$1 all 16 oz cetaphil products
$1 Goody Styling Tool (min. 3.99)
.50/1 Goody fashio hair accessory
$1 Playtex gentle glide 360 or Playtex sport tampons 36 ct
$1 Purex Ultrapacks laundry detergent
$1 Soft Scrub cleanser

[mizbear]

Just dropping in to say Hi! to the hounds!

My latest wonderful hounding trip was actually for clothes. I will spare you most of the gorey details (like having to pay full price for sneakers ), but I have to pass this one along because it was just too cool!

Momma Bear and I went into Kohl's- and I found a shirt I liked- $34.00. It was on clearance for $6.80! I had several Kohl's coupons for 20% off. I figured they wouldn't let me use it because of the already clearanced price- WRONG! They gave me my 20% too! So I ended up paying $5.44 for that shirt!!!!

Then we went into Macy's and I landed a $139.00 blazer for 75% off because it was a discontinued style!

[twinsandmoremomma]

I really really wanna thank whomever mentioned The House Party site (my apologies the name has completely slipped my mind )
I entered and actually won a Fisher Price Party. We wound up with almost $300 worth of Imaginext toys
I invited a few friends I've been wanting to have over anyways and had a good time and my kiddos <3 the toys!!
so from the bottom of my almost broke heart thank you thank you thank you so much for sharing!!!!!!!

[dancinmama]

RITE AID AND WAGs SHOPPERS

For those of you who are shopping at WAGs and Rite Aid, I'd like to hear what you think of the changes that each has recently made. Have you noticed that your OOP is more or is it about the same? TIA

[dancinmama]

CVS SHOPPERS

On WUC, several people seem to be reporting that they have been told at their respective CVSes that they are no longer allowing the auto-deduct on P&G BOGOs when they did allow it in the past.

I thought it was kind of strange that some stores were allowing it where others weren't. If CVS was going to get reimbursed the maximum value on the coupon regardless, it seemed very odd to me that ALL stores would not pass those savings on to their customers. So either CVS has been informed by P&G that they will not be reimbursed the maximum value (which I think is probably the case) or CVS is denying the auto-deduct, but will be making a little extra on the side when they redeem the coupons.

My store usually reduced them down, but this week when I bought the Pantene the cashier noticed that they auto-deducted, shrugged his shoulders, and continued scanning. I have a 24 hr. store and was shopping between 11:15 PM and 12:30 am.

Anyway, the fact that it is no longer being allowed (at a lot of stores) is just another sign of the times.

[skubikky]

Oct 1, 2012 14:47:04 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

Oct 1, 2012 14:16:24 GMT -5 skubikky said:

Had some serendipitous timing this weekend. We live in a rural area that is predominantly farming. Was driving down the western part of my road on Saturday and noticed young farmer Brett out in the orchard with the pickers. I pulled up and asked him if I could purchase some drops from him. He said sure, how much do you want. I showed him one of my cotton like reusable shopping bags and I said, about this much. He said $3. I said great.

Filled up the bag with Crispins and Empires. I'm guessing maybe 15 lbs worth. He said any time I want to get more that's fine.
20 cents a pound...not bad. It had occurred to me that getting apples from anywhere but on my road was silly?

I want cheap apples <<whining>>.

Road trip!

[rubyslippers]

Oct 2, 2012 2:25:02 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

RITE AID AND WAGs SHOPPERS

For those of you who are shopping at WAGs and Rite Aid, I'd like to hear what you think of the changes that each has recently made. Have you noticed that your OOP is more or is it about the same? TIA

Rite Aid: I do not like the changes especially not being able to use the UPs right after receiving them. With the price of gas today, it's not feasible to keep coming back. Sunday I totally messed up on my one big transaction and went through too many UPS. I usually take it back and start over but this time I decided to "eat" my mistake. I still have a few UPS left, and I like having enough to get my eggs free but I'm not shopping there as much as I was earlier.

Wags: $19.00 left on a giftcard from a prescription transfer and since I wasn't able to buy stamps with it, I'm waiting for a good sale on canned mushrooms or fruit. I don't plan on doing any shopping there regularly.

Gas: We will be able to get $2.00 off a gallon of gas this month with Kroger's fuel rewards. We bought gasoline giftcards and giftcards for birthdays last month and earned quadruple points. We can fill up 35 gallons, so $70.00 in savings for us. Kroger sells the Shell giftcards and that's where we fill up anyways, so it makes sense for us to buy them and get some type of discount.

Apples: I too would pick apples for $.20 a pound. I treated DH and me by buying us each a honeycrisp apple this week, and they were not on sale for $.20 a lb. I need to find a farmer around here to see about getting a nice big bag of apples.

[skubikky]

Did this yesterday, still need $14 for the $30 total though.

Pantene Shampoo/Conditioner (4) 16.00
Lumene Day creme (1) 3.99

- Pantene BOGO -6.99
- Pantene BOGO -6.99
- CRT Lumene -3.99
- 25% CRT -0.78
- ECB -0.50

tax 1.18
Total 1.92(GC)
OOP= 0


Forgot to use the $1/1 Pantene Q. Then I could have saved the 50 cent ECB but you live and you learn. Sure was nice to get the $5/1 Lumene Q and see that they had one of the 3.99 face creams left on the shelf.

[marvholly]

Ruby
I need/want apples too but I am picky as to type (tart) and price. I will NOT pay $1/lb.

Dancin
I swear my Dawn behaving like rabbits…….and I keep my Dad stocked too.

Murpath
Thanks for the list. Honestly, the only coupon I am likely to use is the sierra mist IF it goes on sale.

Ruby
Honeycrisp are $2-$3/lb here.

Mon was NOT a good day. Just as I expected, Dominick’s did NOT have the coupon book advertised and I did have the ad with me. Gal just looked at me blankly. I also stopped at WAG for the Butterball bacon. WOW!! 9 pkg on the shelf. Then I looked at the expire date: Sept 25, 2012 (on Oct 1). Sent for mgr. He apologized all over the place but was told that “does NOT cut it w/me." Another health dept number I NEED to program onto my cell.

[saveinla]

Oct 2, 2012 2:25:02 GMT -5 dancinmama said:

RITE AID AND WAGs SHOPPERS

For those of you who are shopping at WAGs and Rite Aid, I'd like to hear what you think of the changes that each has recently made. Have you noticed that your OOP is more or is it about the same? TIA

I don't shop at WAGS anymore. At RA, I don't do transactions with Ups from the same day anyways, so no changes for me. My store is also on my way home from work, so no special trips. I have been trying to spend down my Ups, but that is due to personal reasons and nothing to do with the changes. This week has been great to spend my Allergy reward to stock up on Lays Stax, JIF PB, Nutella etc and since food is not taxed here.