Thursday, March 4, 2010

Thrifty Thursday: Coupon Tips

Looking for the BooBoo and Norm GIVEAWAY? Check it out HERE until March 11.
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Here are a couple little tips I thought I would share with you after this weeks shopping trip!

1. Take your own bags if you have them. Most grocery stores will give you a $.03-.07 credit per bag if you bring your own. You might have to ask about it, but I have even been given the credit at some of the big stores just from asking. The worst the cashier can say is no... but you might be surprised by how often a cashier will give you a discount just for asking! *And this is so much better for the environment than using the plastic bags!*

2. Keep your eyes peeled for in-store coupons. This week I got Seattle's Best Coffee for $3.99 a bag. Here is how:
Regular Price: $8.99
Sale Price: $6.99/1 or $4.99 wyb 3
In Store Coupon: $1/1
Bringing the total to $3.99 each when you buy 3 bags. This is like getting 3 bags of good coffee for the regular price of one bag! Wahoo!
I also found coupons for Starbucks Coffee as well!

3. Check your products for additional deals... cereal boxes, rice boxes, coffee bags, etc for additional deals. I found that when you buy a marked bag of Starbucks coffee, you can get a free tall beverage! Just take the empty coffee bag in to your local Starbucks and exchange it for your drink! That means that I got a bag of coffee plus a tall drink for $7! That is a super deal!

4. Keep your eyes peeled for clearance deals. Coupons still work on clearance! This week there was a $1/1 coupon for Physicians Formula makeup... and I know that I saw some clearance items at Target this last week.

5. Take your coupons with you! I was out of town this weekend and I had to run to Target to get some baby wipes (of course I would forget something) and I came across so many good clearance items that I had coupons to match... and I hadn't brought my coupons with me. I am hoping to find some of those same items at my local Target, but I am not sure if I will.

6. If you have a Chick Fil 'A in your area... keep your eyes (or ears) open for awesome deals! At my local CFA, if you visit on Friday (March 5) and save your receipt, you can return in the near future (I think within the month) and get everything on your receipt for free! That is a major BOGO deal! CFA is often doing great deals like this. In January, I was able to get a free chicken sandwich each Wednesday... and I know of another CFA that had a free breakfast item every day for a week! So listen on the radio for details, or check out their website to see if you can score some free chicken!

7. Beware of stores that don't accept coupons. Many discount stores won't accept manufacturer coupons. This is true of Big Lots and Fresh and Easy. However, many stores do price matching or price beating. Target will match prices if you have the current advertisement in hand. So if you see a great sale at a store that won't take manufacturer coupons, take it in to a price matching store... get the sale price and use your coupon! Check your store policies for more details!!

Best Deal This Week:
All this should have cost: $62.30... but I got it all for $16.85 (plus a $5 gift card and a $15 rebate)
Here is how:
Kashi: $2.88 - $1.50/1 coupon = $1.38
Excedrin: $7.29 - $1.50/1 coupon = $5.79 - Free Coupon = free (up to $5.99)
3 Venus Razors: $5.99 ea - $2.00/1 coupon = $3.99ea
3 Olay Body Washes: $5.50 (+$5 gift card wyb 3) - free wyb Venus Razor coupon= free
4 Gillette Body Wash: $1.79ea -$4/2 = $.84 overage
Lip Tint $1.12 on clearance
All this came to $16.85 plus the $5 gift card and I am submitting for a $15 rebate here. To make this a moneymaker!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you go to Kashi's web site and join their mailing list, you will get lots of free samples in the mail along with coupons for free items (and regular discount coupons too).

I know that you are big on the green cleaners, but i think you'd be pretty shocked to find what's in the personal care products here!

Michelle Turner said...

Anonymous... Yeah... I haven't pushed the green personal products on my husband... so he will use the Gillette body wash... as for the Olay wash... it is going to be donated... because I do insist on using a more "green" soap for myself. I will be posting about that in the weeks to come. I am pretty aware of the things that go into body products... Most of the products for personal products get sent overseas unless I can get a money-maker deal like this... or items that are free/nearly free to be donated.
Thanks for the info on Kashi too! I will check it out!

Marion Acres said...

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Anonymous said...

Thanks for your response! I know it's HARD to come up with "Green" men's products (it almost seems emasculating). I'd love to see a blog post on it if you find anything good. I have purchased Avon men's products in the past because at the very least they aren't tested on animals, but still the same chemicals.

I recently found a company that you may love for yourself and Karsie, it's called Earth Mama Angel Baby. The lotion has a 0 rating on skin deep, and it smells like an orange creamsicle :-)