Martin's Summer Saver Coupon Book

In the Foyer at Martin's, you will find a free-standing, cardboard display with the Summer Saver Coupon Book. I would grab a couple because they are good thru 8/30 or later!! While it does state Manufacturer's coupon, it says redeemable at Martin's so you may be able to stack it with newspaper or printables. Here is a list of the coupons:

This Week's Matchup with Sale Flyer:

Tropicana Pure Premium 59 oz $2.99
$1.00/2
Del Monte Fruit Cups 2/$4
$1.00/2
Newman's Own Pasta Sauce 2/$4
$1.00/2
Smucker's Snack.n Waffles $2.09
$1.00 any
Arm & Hammer Litter $4.99
$1.00/2

The Coupons:
 $0.50 Giant Brand Mustard 20 oz 9/30/11
 $1.00 Fresh Fruit wyb 2 POST Cereals 9/30/11
 $1.00 wyb 2 Tropicana Pure Premium Products 59 oz 9/30/11
 $1.00 wyb 2 Del Monte Fruit Cups, Chillers, or Canned 14.5 oz + 8/31/11 
 $1.00 wyb 5 Contadina prouducts 12 oz + 8/31/11
 $1.00 Smucker's Snack'n Waffles 8/31/11
 $1.00 DOVEBAR multipack, Minatures, or Ice Cream 8.67 fl oz + 8/31/11 
 $1.00 wyb 2 Sorrento Products 8/1/11 
 $1.00 wyb 2 Sun-Maid Raisin or Cranberry 6 pack 7/31/11
 $1.00 wyb 2 Weber Seasonings, Grinders, or Marinades 8/31/11
 $1.00 O-live & Co. olive oil 16.9 or 25 oz 12/30/11 
 $1.00 wyb 2 Final Touch, Ajax, Dynamo or Niagara Laundry Products 9/30/11
 $1.00 Barilla Pasta Sauce Free wyb Barilla Pasta 9/30/11
 $1.00 wyb 2 Diamond Crystal Sea Salt 9/30/11
 $1.00 Snickers Fun Size Peanut Butter Squared 11.5-21.5 oz 9/30/11
 $1.00 wyb 3 Maruchan Yakisoba 8/30/11
 $1.00 wyb 2 GUM Oral Care Products 9/30/11
 $1.00 wyb 3 Pearls Sliced Ripe Olives Canned 9/30/11
 $1.00 wyb 2 Milo's Kitchen brand 100% Real Dog Treats Bags 9/30/11
 $1.00 wyb 2 Milk-Bone Healthy Favorites Dog Snacks 9/30/11
 $1.00 Kibbles 'n Bits Bistro Meals dog Food 9/30/11
 $1.00 wyb 2 Arm & Hammer Clumping Litter 7/31/11
 $1.00 method laundry Detergent 50 load 9/30/11
 $1.00 Energizer MAX(AA/AAA-8 +, C/D-4, 9V-2 only) 9/30/11
 $2.00 Energizer Ultimate Lithium or Recharge (AA/AAA-4 only) 9/30/11
 $1.00 wyb 2 Playtex Gloves 9/30/11 $1.00 Hefty Waste Bags 6/30/11 
 $1.00 wyb 2 Newman's Own Products 8/1/11  

Sunscreen Deals 5/22-5/28

I thought you might like an update of this for this week:

This week thru 5/28:

Target: 

Neutrogena Wet Skin and Pure & Free Baby Sun Care 8.99 each

All other Neutrogena Suncare 10% off

$1.00 Neutrogena Wet Skin Target Coupon printable

$2.00/1 Neutrogena Suncare from here (must sign up)

$1.00 from 5/8 SS

Stack Target and $2.00 Makes it $5.99 each

Walgreens:

Coopertone Suncare $9.99-$3 Register Rewards=$6.99

$1.00 off printable

$1.00 off from 5/22 RP

Makes it $5.99 after coupon and RR

Hawaiian Tropic or Banana Boat Sun Care $7.99

$1.00 off May ALL YOU Magazine

$1.00 off from 5/22 SS

Makes it $6.99 after coupon 

Walgreens Brand Suncare Buy 1 Get 1 50% off

RiteAid:

Coopertone Suncare BOGO 50% off Starting at $7.99

$1.00 off printable

$1.00 off from 5/22 RP

Banana Boat or Hawaiian Tropic $7.99

Spend $25 on Banana Boat or Hawaiian Tropic Get $10 +Up Rewards

$1.00 off May ALL YOU Magazine

$1.00 off from 5/22 SS

Deal: Buy 4 for $31.96, use (4) $1.00 coupons and get back $10 +UP

Final Cost $17.96 or $4.49 each

NO-AD Sunscreen BOGO Starting at $7.49

Ollies:

Banana Boat Sunscreen $3.99 (if still available-can't use a coupon)

CVS:

Coopertone Suncare Buy 2 Get $8 ECB

$1.00 off printable

$1.00 off from 5/22 RP

CVS Suncare 2/$12

KROGER:

Coppertone Sun Care $5.99

$1.00 off from 5/22 RP

Also Shortcuts.com (ecoupons) has $1.00 Hawaiian Tropic so add that to your account so you can use it if you see it on sale.

Parade Magazine Coupons

Do you check the Parade Magazine for coupons? Almost every week there is a coupon hidden in there. This week was $3.00 off any Glade Sense and Spray starter kit. I have seen Covergirl and various medicines. So make sure you check!!

Saving Star-easy coupon cash back!

So here is a new way to get cash back on the things you buy. Savings Star is an online coupon company that rewards you directly for using their service.

How it Works:

• Go to SavingStar.com, set up your account, pick your stores and upload your customer loyalty card numbers for your stores, like Kroger, Martin's and Foodlion.
• Pick your coupons from the monthly updated lists.
• Shop.
• These savings go into an online account and when you have more than $5.00 Saving Star will issue a pay out of your choice; Paypal, bank account, amazon giftcard.

Consumer Reports- Don't Skimp on these Items

From The Richmond Times-Dispatch 5/8/2011:

" 'According to a new ShopSmart national poll, more than three-quarters of American women buy stuff they don't need just because it's sale,' said Lisa Lee Freeman, editor-in-chief of ShopSmart.
   Here are the eight things that ShopSmart says are worth the price:

• Paint
• Gas Grills
• Big-Screen TV's
• Blu-ray Players
• Fire Protection
• Mattresses
• Grass Seed
• Canister Vacuums

-Consumers Union Inc."

I always wonder if some things are"too good to be true deals."  According to this article, they are. Mostly, it seems inferior quality materials or ingredients used in things like mattresses and fire extinguishers can not only not save you money but cause years of back aches or be dangerous!

A Few Words about Organics

Do you know what you are eating?

          At my Mommy group this morning we had a speaker on organic products and what they mean. I think a lot of us understand the concept but don't understand the impact.

          Basically, organic products (certified organic) haven't been messed with. They don't have pesticides, hormones, antibiotics or any other natural or man-made contaminates. Apparently, the food we, as Americans, eat is full of these things to make the profit margin higher for manufacturers(not farmers).

          So, as a Mom, I want the best for my son and want him to be a healthy adult. I think, from what I heard today, the more products I can provide for him that haven't been messed with, the better.

         So what does this mean for our grocery budget and my couponing????

Well, first of all there are coupons out there for organic or less messed with stuff:

                                                           Organic Food Coupons

                                                               Mambo Sprouts

                                                      Best Organic Food Coupons

                                                                 WholeFoods

Then also in the regular places:

Smart Source.com 

Red Plum.com

The organic section is included in deals all the time at Kroger-I stocked up on Annie's MacnCheese when it was $.50 with the Mega Ten Event.

It was advised to try to take Baby Steps in converting to organic items because they are more expensive and especially for kids, may be a shock to your pallet.

To reduce your daily toxins by 80% avoid the dirty dozen(only buy these organic):

Celery

Peaches

Strawberries($1.99 4/29 Wholefoods)

Apples(Organic $1.69 Kroger this week)

Blueberries

Nectarines

Bell Peppers

Spinach(Organic 2/$6 Kroger this week)

Cherries

Greens

Potatoes

Grapes

So switch the animal products, like milk, meat and cheese, first as these will have the biggest impact then look at wheat, corn, etc.

By saving on things like paper towels and toilet paper, it will allow you to spend more on organic and feel better about what you and your family are eating. There are sales out there on organics and I will try to highlight them when I see them!

BJ's Wholesale Info

• BJ's is the only price club that accepts manufacturer's coupons. They also issue monthly printable coupons on their website and weekly coupons that are available in-store. The in-store coupons generally are good Thursday thru Wednesday. The great news is you can stack BJ's with manufacturers! I have received conflicting info as to whether you can stack multiple man. for each individual item in the pack, like 3 man coupons for 3 shave gels in addition to a BJ's coupon. I will find out for sure soon and repost. 
• There are also free trial memberships in the newspaper pretty frequently. This is a great way to try it out and stock up without the annual fee. 
• The annual fee is $50 for a regular membership. However, in January, I found a coupon for $10 off a membership for new members. My trial expired in December, so I took the coupon to customer service. They weren't the most knowledgeable, but they were helpful and it was obvious they wanted to get the best deal for me and to make me happy.
• Normally, you renew your membership at the register, so they had me do that and it rang up for $45(I think they had just increased their fee to $50 and the register wasn't reflecting that yet). So, I received a gift card for $10 and the membership was essentially $35.
• Most registers at BJ's are self-checkout but they have an associate floating to help. 
• The first time I went with multiple coupons for 1 item, he told me I could use only one manufacturer's coupon per item, but he fixed it for me that time. When you scan the coupons, you have to put them in a hole as you scan, so be careful that they are right before they go bye-bye.
• BJ's also has sales that they call instant savings. Their website is good for scanning through these and as far as I can tell, they last approximately a month.

So, there are definately some good deals to be found at BJ's if you live near one. Check out their website and follow my posts for more info-like the P&G pampers points deal.

General Online Coupon Printing Info

Did you know that the coupon sites keep track of your ip address(your computer account) to make sure you don't print one hundred coupons?

When you do go to print an online coupon, you have to install the software (there are only a few different engines that serve up most coupons), then you can start printing. I am going to write up a separate post about Buying a Printer that my hubby (who worked on them in another life) has to share.

When you hit print and you see the little icon working on it, you can hit back on your browser to print a second copy. Of course, this doesn't always work, but most of the time.

Get FREE paper to print your coupons!! Staples offers rebates all the time on HP paper, were you will get a rebate with your receipt, go on Staples.com and fill it out. Check out this for examples!

Also, sometimes you will get one coupon to print on the top of the page. Flip this over and print another one at the other end to cut the paper use in half.

Claire's Top Ten Things New Couponer's Should Know

Start Small-   Don't go crazy right away and try to run to every store in town to get free toothpaste. I know it is tempting, but we are blessed to live in the land of plenty and believe me, there will be PLENTY more great deals. It can be overwhelming for new couponers to be exposed to so much info, so start with your regular grocery store and watch the receipts from one week to next. You will be stunned!

Educate Yourself-  Knowledge is definitely power or confidence in this case. You need to understand how coupons work, store policies, reward programs, rebates, etc. There is a ton of info out there on this, try Southernsavers, GroceryShopForFree and Hip2Save to start with (these are some of my favs).

Budget-  Have an idea of what you want to spend before you go to the store. I know this sounds basic, but when you are getting great deals, they do add up and all the sudden, you have a basket full of cereal and pasta and don't have money left for produce and meat. So pace yourself, it will take a couple of months, but before you know it, you will be so stocked up that suddenly, milk, bread, meat and produce will be the only things you need.

Organize, Organize, Organize- I think a lot of people don't use coupons because of organization. They get to the store, see a deal and start rooting around in their purse for a coupon, don't find it, and say forget it. If you have a small child with you screaming his head off and throwing things out of your basket, this is doubly difficult. So, to start, match up your list with your coupons and clip the ones you know you want to use together. If there is other stuff on sale that you think you might have one for, make a note of it, but unless it's convenient and accessible, maybe let it go and come back another time.

Get your Tools Together-  That being said, above, I have a binder. A 2 inch pink Avery binder that is full of baseball card holders and sectioned with tabs to the extreme. I carry it when I go to any of my main stores, and if I see something awesome, I can easily flip through(more about this here from Colin at Hip2save-she is awesome!) Also, bring your reusable bags with you. Most stores give you $.10 per bag so that can add up. Make sure you always have your store card-that would be a tragedy to miss in-store sales plus fuel points or perks.

Understand the Breakdown-     See my post about Pulling the Paper Towel Over my Eyes-I explain about the items per package concept and how marketing can be tricky.

Target your Big Ticket Items First- For my family, diapers, paper towels, toilet paper, soft drinks, beer, wine, meat and produce are the big expenses. It may be different for you (body and face products come to mind). Whatever they are, as a new couponer, look at last week's receipt (BTW-a financial advisor told me to keep credit/debit card receipts for 6 months), and see what the biggies were(maybe they were multiples). These should be the focus of your coupons first-where to get the best deal on diapers, etc.

Don't Buy It Just Because It's a Great Deal- I know, I know, isn't this our goal? To get a great deal? Of course, but if neither you nor your spouse will ever use a disposable razor, don't get it just because it is $1. Unless you know of an immediate use(maybe donate to disaster relief) for an item you wouldn't personally use, don't fill your closet with it. On the flip side, I have tried some great products for free or next to it, that I didn't think I would normally use and have been so surprised-This is the goal of the manufacturer.

Look at it like a Game- Don't Get Stressed about coupons!! Like anything that you get obsessed with, it can be addictive. Remember, the world won't stop turning because you didn't get an extra $.40 off fruit rollups. It's great to save money, but if the stress from couponing overshadows your day, take a break and pick it up next week.

I'm Not a Crook-  There is a stigma attached to couponers that they are trying to get something for nothing and take advantage of the stores. Give me a break. Stores issue coupons to bring in customers. It is voluntary. As long as you stay within the perimeters of the coupon and the store's coupon policy, you are bringing them business. Plus, how many times have you left a store and realized they overcharged you for the things they already had marked up 100%?

Pulling the Paper Towel over my Eyes

Not all paper towel rolls are created equally. Do you really know what you are buying?

There are Regular rolls, Big, Double, Jumbo, Mega, Select-a-size and the list goes on. 

Say you have a Bounty $1 coupon and you want to maximize your savings, don't spend it on a 2 pack. It is true that you will save more with the higher count packages, but you need to check that size of the individual rolls to make sure you are getting a deal.

At the bottom of every package they breakdown the paper towels per roll, but remember if you get Select-a-Size, each little section counts as a paper towel.

Some examples: Walgreen's in April 2011-They are pushing these new Scott Naturals 6 rolls for $5-Choose-a-Size.

• So, with in-store coupon Scott PT $1 off 
• $1.50 Scott PT coupon from the internet= $2.50 for six or $.42 a roll. On the package it reads 68 paper towels per roll(one ply)- but this is for each section of the paper towel because it is perforated-so really 34 regular size towels per roll. Of course, the smaller size are great as napkins, so I always try to get select-a-size.

Then, at Target Bounty Extra Soft 12 Giant Rolls=18 Regular Rolls on package, 66 paper towels per roll(two-ply)

Bounty Extra Soft 12 Giant Rolls =  $14.99(sale)

• Bounty Extra Soft Coupon(12 rolls min) $2.00 (from P&G coupon book in Pampers box)
• Target $5 Gift card with purchase of 2 P &G items-I got Charmin too so apply half of $5 to the Bounty and the other half to the Charmin $2.50

Bounty (two ply) was 10.49 for 12 rolls at 52.43 sq ft a roll or 629.2 total = $.017 per ft
Scott (one ply) was 2.50 for 6 rolls at 37.9 sq ft a roll or 227.4 total = $.011 per ft
So Bounty is a little more, but that two-ply sure does go a lot further!

Anyway, I know this is a lot of math, but we all have used paper towels that aren't worth a toot and you have to use twice as many with some to do the same job as others. Keep in mind the thickness and ply and look at the bottom of the roll in the package. If you can see air pockets, that is not a good thing.

This concept applies to anything packaged in groups-like diapers, toilet paper, soft drinks, etc.

Because these items can be major portions of your budget(and everybody uses at least a few),  KNOW YOUR BREAKDOWN!!

First Post- About Me

      So this is my first post in blogger land. I never thought I would do this in a million years, but I have become so excited about the world of possibilities that coupons and deals present, that I wanted to share the love.
      I want to start by saying that I am appalled that for years I threw money down the toilet by not educating myself on ways to save. I understood the concept of a coupon from working at Kroger when I was sixteen, but it seemed like such a big hassle. I thought clipping them, then keeping up with expirations and remembering to take them with me to the store couldn't possibly be worth the $2 I could save on cat food.
      Then, the mortgage industry imploded and both my husband and I worked in it. We had a complete reversal of fortune and at the same time we found out we were expecting our little angel. So, times were tough, but despite a dramatic hit to our finances, we both agreed that I should stay home with our baby. After weighing the income minus the cost of childcare versus the benefit of me staying with him, we decided to struggle through it.
       So, there I was, someone who used to drop a hundred a week at Target and not even blink, and I'm wondering how to pay for diapers and formula. By the grace of God and help from our families, we got over the hump. My husband started a new job and I decided I needed to take the household finances off his shoulders and get us straight.
       I started organizing and realized that we paid way too much for groceries (I did not buy expensive stuff anymore). I started clipping coupons and keeping them in my little organizer. In the meantime, I was blessed to find a Mothers Of Pre-Schoolers(MOPS) group near my house and started attending. I hear the lovely women(SHOUTOUT!) in my group talking about these great deals they've found on these coupon websites. I went home that day and looked up these sites and boy, did I feel dumb. I didn't even know you could use coupons at Target. Well, over the next few months, I read and clipped, printed and stacked and became amazed at the amount of groceries I got for a lot less and the improved quality of the items. They created a Crazy Couponing Monster!
      I'm doing this blog to help other struggling moms who want the best for their families but need help. It can also be incredibly rewarding to be able to give back, like with Operation Christmas Child, where I would not be able to afford this without the coupons. I'm not gonna lie, I also get a rush from getting a great deal or free stuff, so it is a labor of love. Even if you learn one new thing from my blog that can save you money, I feel like this was time well spent for me.

Thanks!
Claire