Where do I get my coupons?

Well - no big deals to report lately (although there are a couple shopping trips this week that I am getting ready to do).

I thought I'd go ahead and post how I come across all my coupons.

• I get the Chicago Tribune delivered every week (it has better coupon values that our local paper). I've actually considered bumping up to 2 Sunday papers from there.
  
• I also go out and buy a couple copies of our local paper (more if there's good coupons)
  
• My family saves their coupon inserts for me (usually just my grandma & my great aunt)
• Coupon trades
• Writing to companies for coupons and to get added to their mailing list
• Printing from the internet (can print 2 copies of most coupons per computer)
  
• My most "profitable" coupon source is the recycle bins around my town! Us couponers call this "Dumpster Diving". There are about 10-12 sites where people can drop off their recyclables here in town (no curbside recycling). I like to hit these on Monday mornings and get a "stash" of papers that newspaper delivery people have tossed out. Sometimes I find 20 or more of the coupon inserts this way!
• Newspaper carriers - I don't currently have this "source" but I have in the past. Usually the newspaper carriers have to stuff the papers with the ad/coupon inserts on Sundays. These inserts come in bundles of a predetermined number and sometimes the carriers have extras. My source for this had to give up his route though - so I am still searching for a new one.

I thought this might help those who are new to couponing and give them some ideas of where to get papers from.

May 24th, 2008 - Schnucks, Jewel, Meijers, Walgreens

Did MORE shopping today (hubby loves it! LOL) Did the Meijers trip with my 5 yr old - didn't think we were going to both make it out of the store - made me remember why I don't take him "coupon" shopping with me. LOL

I've also decided I would try to post the price/coupons/deal I use next to the items I purchase. We'll see how long I can stick to that :-)

Walgreens
2 bottles Suavitel (on sale 2/$2.79 - used $1 cpns)
2 Barbosal shaving cream DOUBLE packs (sale $0.99)
9 Kleenex (sale $0.89, $0.50/3 cpn)
$25 Papa Johns gift card
$15 Starbucks gift card

Total was $50.24 and I paid using my Walgreens gift card so $0.00 OOP

Jewel
6 bags mini marshmallows (sale $1.00, $3 cat wyb 3 bags)

$0.06 OOP

Schnucks
2 Solo grips bowls (2/$4 sale, $2 cpn, $4 cat wyb 4 pkgs)
2 Solo grips cups (2/$4 sale, $2 cpn, $4 cat wyb 4 pkgs)
16 Solo paper plates, asst sizes (2/$4 sale, $2 cpn, $4 cat wyb 4 pkgs)
8 Smuckers toppings ($1 sale, $1.25/2 cpn, $0.55 cpn doubled to $1, B3G1F, Rebate - Buy 4 get $4 in movie rental value)
1 5 pk Spill Proof cups ($3.39 sale - no cpns but these tend to mysteriously disappear in our house)

$4.97 OOP

Meijer
2 single string cheese ($0.39 ea - occupied my son for all of 5 minutes)
3 Johnson's Buddies bar soap ($0.99 ea, B2G1F sale, $2.50 off 3 cpn)
9 pk girls underwear ($5.89 sale)
1.43 lb bananas ($0.50 lb - $1.30, $1 produce cpn)
1 bag apricots ($2.42 sale, $1 produce cpn)
6 pk Yoplait drinkable yogurt ($2.69 sale, free item cpn)
3 lb bag apples ($3.49, $3 produce cpn)
6 oz blackberries ($2.50, $1 produce cpn)
3 Edwards frozen slice pies ($1.25 sale, $0.75 cpn)
6 bags shredded cheese, 8 oz ($1.54-1.64 sale, $1 Meijer cpn, $0.40/2 dbl cpn, $0.75/2 cpn)
1 canteloupe ($2 sale, $1 produce cpn)
1 South Beach dressing ($1.67, free item cpn)
3 Bagel-fuls ($1.67 sale, $1 cpn)
1 Vlasic sweet relish ($1 sale, $1 cpn)
2 6 oz boxes raspberries ($2.50 ea sale, 2-$1 produce cpn)
2 pkgs melon chunks ($0.46 clearance, 2 - $1 produce cpn)

$10.72 OOP

So all in all - I spent $15.75 OOP & will be sending in to get (4) $4 movie rental vouchers. Not bad...

May 23rd, 2008 - Meijer, Jewel, & Schnucks

I went on a marathon 3-4 hour shopping trip this afternoon. I hit Meijer, Jewel & Schnucks and did QUITE well (if I DO say so myself!). Here's what I came home with:

Jewel
3 bags mini marshmallows
3 bags big marshmallows
4 napkins (120 ct)
4 plastic forks (24 ct)
4 plastic spoons (24 ct)
2 lb strawberries
1.8 lb bananas
6 oz blueberries
6 oz blackberries

Schnucks
4 bags sugar (4 lb)
4 Smuckers toppings
4 Solo paper plates (dessert size)
4 Solo paper plates (dinner size)

Meijer
2 Frank's Hot sauce
3 Johnson's soap buddies
1 bacon bits
24 Sprite 2 Ltr
17 jars Chi Chi's salsa
10 Vlasic relish
21 Bush's grillin beans

And all together I only spent $4.51 OOP!!!

I have receipts to send in for (2) $4 off movie rentals and I earned (2) $3 cats at Jewel & (2) $4 cats at Schnucks to use in the future.

May 22nd, 2008 - CVS

I had ECBs expiring so went to CVS to use them up.

1 Edy's Ice cream
1 24pk Aquafina water bottles
2 12 pk CVS toilet paper double rolls
1 Colgate 360 toothbrush
3 Aquafresh Advance tooth paste
1 Absolutely Divine cookies
1 10 oz ground Espresso
1 CVS toilet paper single roll
1 Fresh popcorn bag

Total OOP $4.37
Walked out with $9.xx to us next trip.

May 20, 2008 - Kroger

It appears I am a few days behind here... and I don't have any pictures either.

3 Barilla whole wheat pasta
4 Banquet Brown N Serve sausages
2 Mini Carrots
2 Nestle Quik bottles (single serving)
2 50 oz Wisk laundry detergent
1 loaf Kroger bread (clearance)

OOP $8.07 (would have been $2 less if I had remembered my coupons for the carrots - OOPS).

May 17th, 2008 - Meijer, Walgreens, & Target

Another evening spent shopping. It was a nice reprieve after having the kids all day while Daddy worked.


Meijer
1 gallon milk (not pictured)
16 Kraft Pasta Salad kits
4 Ortega hard taco shells
2 Ortega taco seasoning packets
36 Country time lemonade
5 Cattleman's BBQ sauce
10 French's Spicy brown mustard
10 French's Yellow mustard

Spent $11.81 OOP
Have $4 cat to use next trip

Target
4 12 pks Diet Pepsi Max
4 12 pks Diet Dr Pepper
4 12 pks Diet Sierra Mist
2 Planters cocktail peanuts
2 Planters Sunflower kernals
5 Lay's Cracker Crisps

Spent $29.42 OOP
Will send in for (3) $10 rebates from Pepsi
Net OOP (after rebate) = ($0.58) earned money on this one!

Walgreens
2 Walgreens pads (Easy Saver rebate item)
3 Kickers Energy sprays (Easy Saver rebate item)
1 20 oz Diet Coke Plus (free coupon)
3 4pks 60 watt lightbulbs (Easy Saver rebate item)
1 Orajel kids plaque rinse (Easy Saver rebate item)
3 Pert Plus 3 in 1 shampoo (Easy Saver rebate item)
1 Gillette 2 in 1 body wash (free coupon)

Paid $32.75 with Walgreens gift cards & will get my money back after my rebates.

May 14th, 2008 - Target, Kroger, Meijer, & Jewel

No wonder my husband thinks that all I do is shop! Hit another 4 stores today.

Target
4 12 pks assorted Pepsi products
1 Baby onesie (for the baby)
6 mini flower grow pots (for teacher gift)
2 16 qt plastic see through boxes

Used up 3 gift cards
Paid $10.75 OOP (after gift cards)
I'll send in the Pepsi UPCs for a $10 rebate
Net OOP (after rebate) $0.75

Kroger
1 loaf white bread

Paid $1.26 OOP

Meijer
36 Countrytime Lemonade (assorted flavors)
12 Kraft Pasta Salad kits
2 Valentine cello treat bags (for school parties next year - on clearance)

Paid $8.16 OOP
Have $4 cat to use on next trip

Jewel
8 Smuckers ice cream toppings
12 Hebrew National beef hot dogs
36 Chef Boyardee microwave bowls
5 cartons Egg Beaters

Spent $7.38 OOP
Have $10 cat to use next time
Will send in (4) rebates on the Smuckers for $4 credits on movie rentals = $16.00
Net OOP (after rebate) = ($8.62) - making money in the end

May 11th - Schnucks

Took advantage of the General Mills deal again at Schnucks.

Today I walked away with:

30 fruit snacks
4 Cheerios
5 Fruity Cheerios


I spent $40.65 out of pocket.

But I earned (19) $3 cats = $57.00
AND (7) movie passes each worth 2 free tickets

So in the end I made money. I am not sure what happened to the picture for this trip - so no pic. Sorry!

May 13, 2008 - Schnucks, Jewel, & Meijers

Did a few shopping sprees today - Schnucks, Jewel & Meijers. Here's what I came home with:




Schnucks
34 fruit snacks
5 Cinnamon Toast Crunch
5 Cheerios

Paid $6.10 out of pocket
Earned (21) $3 cats = $63.00
(8) movie passes (2 tickets each)

Jewel
7 Peter Pan Peanut Butter
8 Hebrew National beef hot dogs
10 Chef Boyardee microwave bowls
5 Marie Callendar frozen dinners

Paid $5.13 OOP
Have 1 $10 cat leftover to use next trip
I also discovered that I can use the $3 Schnucks cats to pay for things at Jewel.

Meijer
18 Country Time lemonade (pink, yellow, & raspeberry assorted)
8 Kraft Pasta salad kits

Paid $5.93 OOP
Have $4 cat left over to use next trip

May 12th - Schnucks, Jewel & Kroger

Got more General Mills cereals & Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks at Schnucks. I got:

5 Regular Cheerios
4 Fruity Cheerios
2 Lucky Charms
4 Fruit Gushers
15 Fruit Snacks

Total cost $33.80
Paid with:
$10 gift card
2 $3 cats (from previous trip)
$17.80 OOP (cash)

Walked away with:
(15) $3 cats
(6) cats for 1 PAIR of movie tickets

Went into Kroger for a sale on meat & produce. Here's what I came away with:
6 pkgs of boneless skinless chicken breasts ($1.77/lb - each package 2-4 lbs)
8 ears of sweet corn

Paid a total $24.03 OOP (cash)

Also went to Jewel-Osco. They have a beverage promo going on right now. Buy $20 of participating products (determined by regular price - not sale prices) and receive a cat for $5 off your next purchase. They also have a Con Agra deal going on where you buy $20 of participating products (regular price - not sale price) and receive a cat for $10. Between these deals I got:

4 Hebrew National beef hot dogs
12 2 Ltrs of Coke products
2 Smuckers ice cream toppings

Paid $5.86 OOP (cash) after coupons. I also received $15 worth of cats to use next time. In addition - I will send in the receipt on a Smuckers mail-in offer for $4 off movie rentals. So in the end - they paid me to take this stuff home!

May 10th, 2008 - Schnucks & Meijers

My mom alerted me of a deal at Meijers (actually she did the shopping for me) while she was shopping there.

They had Kraft Pasta Salad mixes on sale for 4 for $4. Each box had a peelie coupon for $0.50. The Meijers in town doubles coupons up to $0.50 - making each box FREE! She picked up 8 boxes for me. These will come in handy this summer when we go to potlucks, picnics, etc. The only thing you have to add is the mayo.

I also went to Schnucks because they had a General Mills/Betty Crocker cereal & fruit snacks deal going on. Here's the details: Buy any 2 and receive a $3 cat. There was also a movie deal on the same products: Buy any 5 and receive a cat coupon for 2 free movie tickets to any Warner Bros film. I took full advantage of both of these deals, sale prices, AND coupons and did great! Below are the details of what I got and what I spent:

5 boxes Fruity Cheerios
4 boxes Regular Cheerios
8 Fruit By the Foot
3 Fruit Gushers
19 Fruit Snacks

Spent $40.65 OOP
Have $30 in cats to use on anything in the store on my next visit.
Have 7 pairs of movie tickets (14 tickets total)

So in the end I ended up paying $10.65 for 14 movie tickets ($0.76 a ticket!!) and got free cereal & fruit snacks!

Actual cost would have been a lot cheaper (I would have been paid to take the stuff after the cats) if I would have bought all fruit snacks instead of mixing in the fruit by the foot & fruit gushers (these were not on sale).

Walgreens 5/9/08 & 5/10/08

Last 2 days of the deal:

WAG 5/10/08

9 Charmin

6 CG nail polish

8 CG blush

2 CG bronzer

2 CG 3-in-1 sharpeners

1 CG Sponge Puffs

3 CG Powder Puffs

1 water gun

1 Memory Foam show insoles

19 seed packets (clearance for 10 for $1 – filler for gift cards)

2 CG lip slicks

4 $10 TGI Friday's GC

1 $10 Darden restaurants GC

$168 reloaded on my Walgreens gift card

I paid using my Walgreens gift card from previous trips so I paid nothing out of pocket.

And for a visual:

Late Night Run to Walgreens 5/9/08

I meant to go during the day but my 'To Do' list got the better of me today. So I made a run to 2 stores and did 3 orders at each place. Here's what I got:

12 Olay Ribbons body wash
5 Cover Girl Sponge Puffs
4 Cover Girl Powder Puffs
2 Cover Girl 3 in 1 sharpeners
2 Cover Girl eye shadows
4 Cover Girl blushes
7 Cover Girl nail polishes
4 Nutter Butter
4 Double Stuf Oreos
4 Chips Ahoy
1 Granola cereal
1 Cocktail sauce

Paid with gift cards $122.82
Left with $138 in RR (will add to gift card tomorrow)

May 8th, 2008 Jewel & Wal-Mart

Went to both Jewel & Wal-Mart last night. Here's what I got:

Jewel
12 Fiber One granola bars
4 Pop-Secret popcorn
2 Reese's Puffs cereal
2 Lucky Charms
cereal
2 Mac & Cheese popcorn seasoning ($1.50 each on sale)

Paid $2.22 OOP after Avenu, coupons & the instant savings on the General Mills deal.

Wal-Mart

Baby Gummy Bears
1 pr character socks
Kids fuzzy slippers (clearance)
2 pr kids sandals (clearance)
Cream Cheese (not pictured)
6 pk Bagels (not pictured)
1 Cheese Danish (clearance)
1 Peach Turnovers 4 pk (clearance)
2 Seasoning Salt (clearance)
Grape Jelly
Parmesan cheese
Big bag of french fries (not pictured)
Salsa
Sunflower seed kernels
3 lb Gardetto snack mix (clearance)
4 bananas
1 10oz can of espresso

Spent $36.26 OOP

Walgreens 5/8/08

Stopped at Walgreens again today for the Proctor & Gamble deal.



All in all I got:

3 Cascade Gel

1 Charmin wipes

4 Febreze air Effects

1 Febreze Noticeables

4 Zantac

4 Oreo Cakesters

2 Oreos

2 Chips Ahoy

Dog Toy

17 Ramen noodles

2 CG Makeup Puffs

2 CG Makeup Sponges

2 CG 3 in 1 sharpeners

6 CG nail polish

6 CG Blush

$50 Darden gift cards

$20 Subway gift cards

$20 Chuck E Cheese gift cards

There's also a deal going on right now that when you buy 2 packages of Nabisco cookies, you get a $3 RR.

The Zantac was another deal as well. Sale price was $3.99 and generated a $3 RR. I also had $5 off coupons for each package.

The only down side to Walgreens RR deals is that you have to ring each one up seperately - so I had NUMEROUS orders.

Here's the $$ situation:

Started with $99.23 on WAG gift card

Spent $1.62 cash

Left with $128.28 on same WAG gift card

So Walgreens paid me another $27.43 to leave the store with all this stuff!

Jewel 5/7/08

Did another round of the General Mills deal at Jewel.



8 Fiber One bars
4 Fruit Roll-Up
2 Fruit Stackers
2 Plastic Spoons
2 Reese's Puffs
2 Chex Chocolate
2 Chex Strawberry
2 Fiber-One yogurt 6 pks (not pictured)


Paid $5.72 OOP

Walgreens 5/6/08

My friend and I took a road trip to the next town to do more Walgreens deals. The other town is about 50 miles away. They have 10 Walgreens there. We wanted to hit them all - but only got to 3 before we had to come home to get our kids from school.

Here's what I got:

2 Febreze Air Effects
2 Febreze Fabric Refresher 800 ml
2 Febreze Feabric Refresher 500 ml
10 Cascade powder
5 Charmin wipes
13 Mr Clean wipes (clearance ones for $1.79)
1 Mr Clean eraser
1 dbl pk Skintimate shave gel (not on the deal but clearanced)
2 Venus Embrace razors
12 Olay Ribbons Body Wash
6 Olay In shower body lotion & Body Wash
3 Old Spice Body Wash
2 CG nail polish
2 CG 3 in 1 sharpener
6 CG blush
2 CG eye enhancers (eye shadow)
6 CG Powder Puff 3 pk
6 CG sponge Puffs 3 pk

And the $$ situation:
$191.75 Total value of receipts
$112.01 OOP cash/debit card
$79.74 Used WAG gift card balance (leftover from Sunday's trips)
$222 in RR leftover (will put on Walgreens gift card at my store here in town)

So Walgreens PAID ME $30.25 to take this stuff home. Even after paying for gas - this was still a "money maker" deal for me!

And a photo of all the stuff:

Jewel 5/4/08

Jewel has a special sale on select General Mills products this week. When you buy 10 items you get $10 deducted from your bill automatically.

My friend and I made a quick trip to Jewel (after we left Walgreens) and I did 3 orders and got the following:

2 Scotch Brite toilet scrubbers (used Try Me Free coupons)
2 fresh pineapples (on sale for $1.99 each)
1 Dark Chocolate Chex Mix
1 Pop Secret Popcorn
10 Fiber One bars
6 Caribou bars
1 Lucky Charms
1 Reeses Puffs
2 Strawberry Chex
2 Chocolate Chex
6 Cinnamon Toast Crunch

I paid $3.60 OOP after coupons and instant savings.

Here's a visual of the items:

Walgreens 5/4/08

Walgreens has a GREAT deal going on right now. If you buy 9 Proctor & Gamble products you get $20 in Register Rewards. These are coupons that you can use on your next purchase of anything in the store!

A friend and I went to our favorite Walgreens on Sunday and were there for 4 hours - figuring out deals & buying 2 full cartloads of stuff. Here's what I got:




6 Febreze Air Effects Air Freshener Spray
6 Febreze Noticeables Scented Oil Warmer Plug-In
6 Mr Clean Magic Erasers
4 Mr Clean Power Multi-Surface Disinfecting Wipes
4 Swiffer Dusters Starter Kit
4 Mr Clean Multi-Surface Cleaner
3 Cascade Dishwasher Detergent Gel
3 Cascade Dishwasher Detergent Powder
39 Charmin Freshmates Flushable Wipes (special order)
4 Crest Whitening Plus Scope Toothpaste w/ Bonus
2 Crest Pro-Health Nifght Toothpaste
8 Zantac 150 Max Strength
5 Gillette Mach 3 Disposable Razors
2 Gillette Venus Embrace Razors
2 Gillette Fusion Razors
3 Gillette Fusion Power Razors
8 Therma Care Heat Wraps (Rebate items)
1 Old Spice Red Zone Deoderant
1 Gillette 3X Deoderant
2 Zest Hydrating Effects Body Wash
9 Old Spice High Endurance Body Wash
5 Olay Botanical Fusion Body Wash
1 Olay In Shower Body Lotion
7 Cover Girl LipSlicks Lip Gloss 1 Cover Girl Clean Makeup Oil Control
7 Cover Girl Cheekers Blush
9 Cover Girl Nail Polish

And the $$ situation:
$337.11 = Total of all my orders after coupons

Paid
$20.00 = Cash
$47.30 = Debit Card
$67.30 = Total OOP (Out of Pocket)

I reloaded my Walgreens gift card with my Register Rewards as I went - so I used this to pay for the rest of my orders

$83.84 = Amt left on my gift card (was $0.00 when today started)
$22.00 = Amt coming back in Rebates (Therma Care)

$38.54 = what Walgreens essentially paid me to leave the store (with all this stuff)!

Starting Stock Pile Pics

These are pictures of how my stockpile looked BEFORE I started this Blog.

Cereal shelves












Food shelf #1



Food Shelf #2


Food Shelf #3


Health & Beauty Items #1



Health & Beauty #2 w/ cleaning products


Shampoo & Hair Color