Weekend Shopping - Check Your Receipt!

I had fun shopping this weekend. I haven't had a big shopping trip at Fred Meyer in a long time, and I enjoyed walking the familiar aisles of my favorite grocery store again! I spent $25.11.

Coffeemate - $2.00 sale (1.00 MC) = $1.00
FM preserves - coupon for $1.00 each
Formula - $3.99 sale ($5.00 MC check) = FREE + $1.01 Overage
Tea - $1.19 regular price
Darigold flavored milk - $1.00 sale ($1.00/2 MC) = $.50 each
Yogurt cups - $.30/ ea sale
String cheese - $2.50 sale ($1.00 MC) = $1.50
2# White cheddar cheese - $3.99 coupon
Campbell's healthy soup - $1.00 sale ($1.00/3 MC) = $.66 each
Yogurt Danimals - $1.29 clearance ($1.00/2MC) = $.79/4 pack
Tomato - $.98/lb sale
Organic Apples/Pears - $.78/lb sale
Tortellini - $1.99 clearance



I went to QFC specifically to buy formula they had on clearance and ended up with a bunch of other stuff. I spent $20.05.


Powder Formula - $13.29 clearance ($5.00 MC check) = $8.29
Liquid Formula - $4.49 clearance ($5.00 MC check) = FREE + $.51 overage
Oatmeal - $1.50 sale
Food Should Tast Good chips - $2.00 sale ($1.00 MC) = $1.00
Organic NF milk - $2.89 clearance
Oscar Meyer turkey breast - $1.99 clearance ($1.00 MC) = $.99
Snickers - $.50 sale (B1G1 MC) = $.25/ea

I generally review my receipt before I leave the store but have gotten a little lazy about it recently. I had picked up a sugar-free jam at Fred Meyer that I wasn't sure would qualify for the $1.00 coupon, and sure enough, when I checked the receipt, the discount hadn't been taken off. So I waited in line at customer service hoping for the discount, but alas, the sugar free jam wasn't included on the coupon even though it didn't say 'selected varieties' or anything like that. Oh well. So I returned it.

At QFC I also checked my receipt and I'm glad I did because I was charged for 4 gallons of milk instead of 3. Again, I waited in line at customer service to get refunded.

Because both of my shopping trips had errors in the checking process, I'm recommitted to reveiwing my reciept before leaving. It won't work for me to check it when I get home or even when I'm in the car because there's no way I'm getting four kids out of the car for my $2.00 or whatever. So my new plan, and I encourage you to do this to, is to just leave the chekcout line and step to the side to look your recipt over before heading to the car. You might be surprised at what you find.

Katie

How I Grocery Shop - Put it all Together

Now that the "How I Grocery Shop" series is concluded I wanted to show you an example of all the pieces together including my random, organization thoughts.

I usually grocery shop in the wee hours on Saturday morning, but I was hosting a baby shower this particular Saturday and knew the shopping would be delayed until Sunday sometime. I did, however, need to pick up some balloons for the shower so I dashed down to Fred Meyer and of course, did quick run by the clearance bins. Here's what I found:


Nice 'n Soft TP - clearance $2.49
MD TP - clearance $2.49
Hamburger buns - clearance $.79 (note to self - eat pulled pork from freezer)
Bread - clearance $.79

On Saturday my priority was eating stuff out of the freezer (as ever) so I'd have room to freeze berries before I made jam mid-July. My aunt found me a used canner at a garage sale but I won't see her until the weekend of July 10th so I planned to save berries until then.
So Saturday night DH and I watched a movie and I made my menu plan and grocery list.

Menu Plan Dinners:
Sunday -Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Monday - Beef Fajitas (need to use an old bell pepper)
Tuesday - Ham/Potato soup (freezer meal) & garden salad
Wednesday - Spanish Rice w/Ground Beef (freezer meal) & garden salad
Thursday - Garlic Chicken in White Wine Sauce (freezer meal), macaronda, & salad
Friday - Pork Chops, Cheesy Broccoli Rice, Salad
Saturday - Beefy Enchilada Casserole, spanish rice (leftover?), & salad
Sunday - July 4th BBQ
Monday - Russian Chicken, rice, salad
Tuesday - Beef Stir Fry

Grocery List

Must Buy: Whipping Cream for promised Strawberry Shortcake

Should Buy/Getting Low:
Cooking spray
Vegetable oil
Potatoes
Milk - both whole & nonfat
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Bananas
Other fruit -whatever's on sale
Cream cheese
Toilet paper - Got this one!!!
AA Batteries
Olives - both green and black
Pork loin

It's always nice when there is so little on the "must buy" list as I'm planning so many freezer meals and we have been getting such great lettuce from the garden. Basically I get to just shop the good deals! So I made a list for each of the ads (including Fred Meyer's new ad) and had short lists (4-7 items each) for Fred Meyer, QFC, Top, and Safeway. I prioritized like this: QFC (whipping cream on sale), Safeway (waiting for cream cheese at $1 for 3 weeks!), Top (great 77Cent sale this week), and Fred Meyer. Albertson's just wasn't anything spectacular and unless they had double coupons I didn't plan to go.
Sunday I had sick kiddo and didn't make it to church. DH picked up some bread for us. Usually we select one or two items. I don't know how DH ended up with all this, but here's a picture and the list: A double pack of ciabatta long loaves, 2 loaves of wheat bread, a package of bagels, a dozen croissants and 36, yes 36, white dinner rolls. Hmm.



I saw all of this bread in the car as I was getting ready to leave for grocery shopping. I did a quick evaluation and figured we'd be eating bagels, croissants, and french toast for breakfast. Thank goodness cream cheese was on sale! We'd also have lots of sandwiches for lunch on the rolls. Again, yay for lunch meat in the freezer! The loaves of bread would keep in the freezer - good bye berry freezing plans.
Now it was time to shop! I decided to go to Albertson's after all when I saw their double coupon in the Sunday paper. I can always a good deal with those. I also went to Safeway, QFC, and even stopped at Walgreen's for a couple items. I was exhausted by the time I got home and didn't even want to think about Top or Fred Meyer. That's what usually happens and why I prioritize where I need to go. Overall I shopped about 2 hours and spent $42.52. $21.33 of that was on gift cards so I only spent $21.19 out of pocket. And I also have a mail-in rebate to send for $3 and a $3 Walgreen's Reward to spend in the next couple of weeks.


Here are the details - grocery sales are still on through Tuesday night.

Albertson's:
2 boxes Cinnamon Toast Crunch -sale $2.49 ($4.00/4 store deal)($1.00/2 MC doubled) = $.49 each
2 boxes of Cheerios - sale $2.49 ($4.00/4 store deal)($1.00/2 MC doubled) = $.49 each
S'Mores Deal - Hershey's, marshmallows & graham crackers on sale totalling $6.49 ($2.00/all store deal) ($1.00/all 3 MC in-store) = $3.49 for all 3
Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce - sale $1.00 ($1.00/2 MC doubled) = FREE
Vegetable Oil 1 gallon - sale $6.79 (much cheaper than the $10 at cash'n'carry!)
Turkey & Ham lunchmeat - clearance $0.99 each
Bananas $.59/lb
Gillette Hairspray - clearance $1.00 ($1.00 MC) = FREE
I have a gift card for Albertson's so I decided to get the bananas here as well as go ahead and splurge on the bulk purchase of vegetable oil. I bought the last gallon sometime last summer so I figure this jug will last another year or so. Also the clearance lunch meat and free hairspray made me really glad I came.

Safeway:
Caesar dressing - sale price $1.49 (1.00 MC) = $.49
Cream Cheese - sale price $.99
Grapes - $.99/lb
Cucumbers - $0.50 each
Coffeemate powder tubes - $1.29 (50% off clearance)($.50 MC) = $.14
Walgreens:
Finesse conditioner - $3.99 (BOGO Sale)($1.00 MC)($3.00 MIR) = Both for price of stamp $.44
Blistex 3 pack - $2.99 ($3.00 coupon for next Walgreen's trip) = FREE
2 pears - $.50 each (weird to find pears at Walgreens, but pears haven't been on sale for awhile and I thought $.50 would be close to $1/lb.)

QFC:
Cottage Cheese - sale price $1.00
Whipping Cream - sale price $1.00
Dozen Eggs - sale price $1.00
Fresh Mozarella - clearance price $2.69 ($1.00 MC) = $1.69 (this is a total yummy treat for me)
Tomatoes - sale price $1.00/lb (cheaper at Top, but I wanted a couple to go with the mozzarella)

Top:
Top is really having an excellent sale this week, especially with the $1.00 off deparment coupons inside the ad. I will probably try to make it over there still for the $.77/lb tomatoes and 3/$1 kiwi with the $1 produce coupon. I will also try to use the $1 grocery coupon with the $3.77 block of cheese and possibly Zararin's rice.

Fred Meyer:
I will probably skip FM entirely. They have a great deal on Ben & Jerry's and I have an MC, but it's an extra and pregnancy + ice cream is not good for me. I seriously ate two whole 1.5 quart cartons by myself in about 5 days last week. So we can skip the Ben & Jerry's. I got BBQ sauce at Albertson's and enough other fruit that I don't need the $.88 peaches.

So that's about it - my week in shopping. Oh - it turns out DD's won't eat mini-sandwiches on the white dinner rolls so I'm thinking I'll give them a try as french toast next (thanks for the idea, Ruth!).

Katie

How I Grocery Shop - Grocery Ads & This Week's Shopping

Once I have made my menu plan and the corresponding "must buy" and "should buy soon" shopping lists I have a look at the weekly grocery ads. The ads arrive in Tuesday's mail for the new sales starting Wednesday. The exception is the Fred Meyer ad which comes in the free Friday paper and the Sunday Times.

I go through the weekly ad for each store, looking specifically for the items on my shopping list and also for any really low prices on other items. It takes some time to learn what a "good price" is if you aren't already paying attention.

Keep in mind that just because an item is in the weekly ad doesn't mean it's a good price or even that it's on sale. Also keep in mind that a 10 for $10 sale doesn't mean you have to buy 10 items - you can just buy one for $1. Sometimes stores have a "Buy 10 and save $5" promotion. Typically you don't have to buy 10 of the same items for these either, but you will have to buy any 10 of the participating items to get the $5 off.

This week I made a short list for 4 stores, though it is unusual for me to visit more than 2 each week. Usually I just pick the 2 stores with the best sales and choose to miss out on the other stores' deals. This week I visited 3 stores because of Joanna's birthday party and the quantity of items I must buy immediately.

Generally I have very few "must buy" items and lots of "should buy soon" items. I can take several weeks sometimes to find a price low enough to buy on a "should buy soon" item so I try to give myself plenty of time to find the best price. I want to get the good prices on those "must buy" items this week, so I made time to visit an extra store.

My short lists were for QFC, Safeway, Top and Albertson's. I elected to skip Safeway because while Coffeemate was at a low enough sale price, none of the items on the list for that store were on the "must buy" and only two, the Coffeemate and non-sugar cereal were on the "should buy soon" list. QFC and Albertson's had "must buy" items at low prices and Top had a few produce prices I didn't want to miss. So those were the three for this week's shopping.

Here's what I got at QFC for $13.00 (used a gift card):



10 Yogurt Cups - $.6o BOGO = $.30 each
2 bags Egg Noodles - sale price $1.39 each
32 oz. yogurt - markdown $1.51
Cream Cheese - $1.69
6# bananas - $.59/lb

Here's what I got at Top & Albertson's for $26.81:


5- 2 liter generic sodas - $.69 each sale price (for Joanna's party)
2 cans Black Olives - $1.00 each sale price (for Joanna's party)
1 jar Pimento Olives - $2.29 sale price (for Joanna's party)
2- 2# bricks of cheese - $3.99 each
2 - Oscar Mayer lunch meat - $3.49 regular, markdown to $.99, ($1.00/2) MC = $.49 each
2 - Lunchable Deli Creations - $.299 regular, markdown to $.99, ($1.00/1) twice MC = FREE plus $.01 overage
Bell Peppers - $.69 each sale price (for Joanna's party)
Cucumber - $.79 (for Joanna's party)
Celery - $.89 (for Joanna's party)
Carrots - $.79 (for Joanna's party)
Grapes - $1.38/lb
Kiwi, lemon, limes - $3/1.00
Tomatoes - $.79/lb

There are still a few more things on my "must buy" list for these two weeks of menu plan and Joanna's party. I'll have a look at the ads for the new week to see what kinds of deals I can find.

Katie

Next up: What's a "good price?"

Weekly Grocery Shopping

I visited 3 stores this week: Safeway, QFC, and Costco. I did not make it to Albertson's to use the double coupons because they were CLOSED when I arrived Tuesday night. Grr. I was pretty ticked. Next time I'll head to Woodinville instead of Redmond if I need to shop after 11PM.

Safeway Spent $8.02 & Saved $16.91:

Best Foods Mayo - sale price $3.79, store coupon (SC) reduced to $1.99, & Manufacturer's Coupon (MC) for $.40/2 = $1.79 each (needed these for meal swap)

Oscar Meyer hot dogs - sale price $1.98 each, SC to $.99, MC $1.00/2 = $.49 each

Lucerne Yogurt - clearance to $.30 each

Cinnamon Toast Crunch - clearance to $.174 each, MC $1.00/2 = $1.24 each

Wishbone Dressing - sale price $1.29, MC ($.75) = $.54

QFC Spent $4.03 & Saved $8.03

I was at QFC to have a prescription filled for my kiddo. I used a $20 prescription coupon to get grocery credit. While the 3 girls and I waited for the prescription we checked out the deals.
QFC Yogurt $.60 B1G1 sale = $.30 each (also printed a coupon for buy 7, get 3 free for next time)
Hummus - Clearance to $1.29

KFC Masterpiece BBQ sauce - Clearance to $.79, MC ($1.00) = FREE + $.21 overage

My Costco trip was $82.49 and included whole milk, nonfat milk, popcorn, romaine lettuce, canned applesauce, canned pears, feta cheese, parmesan cheese, brown gravy mix, chili powder, bananas, tortillas, chicken nuggets, and a jar of marinated artichoke hearts.

I needed some of the parmesan and all the artichoke hearts for the meal swap this month. The reaminder are things I consistently try to get at Costco because they are usually less expensive than the grocery store sale prices. I was disappointed I couldn't find the tub of whole garlic or the brick feta. I have gotten spoiled not having to peel fresh garlic and feta lasts much longer when it's in brick form, uncrumbled. Like I said, I'm disappointed.

I'll probably drop in to Fred Meyer today, too. They have bone-in chicken breast for $.99/lb. I prefer to buy boneless, skinless, but at $.99/lb the rib-in is actually a great price. It requires a small amount of work to skin & pull the bones, but you can't beat $.99/lb. I'm out of chicken so I'll likely stock up at get at least 10 pounds.

Katie

Cereal Deals at QFC and Albertsons

I never pay more than $1.00 for a box of cereal and we are getting low on the plain cereal (Cheerios, Kix, Rice Krispies) that the kids eat, so I was pleased to see some good sales this week.

QFC has sale on General Mills, Malt-o-Meal, & Kroger cereals this week. The General Mills cereal includes Cheerios, Trix, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and Cookie Crisp. They are $1.99 each, but when you buy 4 the price drops to $1.49 each. If you pair this deal with the $1/2 coupon at coupons.com (that you can print twice twice per computer) you'll get the GM cereal for $0.99 per box. I'll be getting 4 boxes of Cheerio.

Albertsons also has a great sale on Post Cereals including Honey Bunches of Oats, Raisin Bran, Pebbles, & Grape Nuts. They are $1.49 per box limit 4. I also have several $1/2 Post coupons that have come in the mailers recently. I'll pair those with the Albertsons double coupons that came in today's paper to get the cereal for $.49 each.

Happy Shopping!

Katie

Prescription Coupons

DH & I are blessed with great prescription drug insurance. We don't have a co-pay or deductible so we benefit greatly from prescription coupon/gift card offers.

Usually I run across coupons for a free gift card with the transfer of a prescription. This makes sense because pharmacies want you to move your prescription and then try to retain your business. Rite Aid has these at least once a month in their insert, sometimes they'll have a blitz of weeks and weeks in succession.

Harder to come by are the gift card offers for a new prescription. Target usually has one of these about once a month, but they are only for $10.

I use the Target coupons the most often because we don't have many recurring prescriptions that would warrant a transfer for a refill. Usually it's some antibiotic for one of the kids and I just count myself lucky if it happens to be a week when Target runs their coupon.

I was please to notice the QFC ad has coupons this week for new or transferred prescriptions. The pharmacy there will credit your QFC card with $20 each for up to 2 prescriptions. We've done this before and it's like a gift card right on your shopper card. I think the store does this so you can't give the gift card away; they want you to come back into the store to shop.

I also found a $30 coupon with prescription transfer at the Safeway pharmacy in the Safeway ad this week. I love when these coupons are for grocery stores!

I was kicking myself when I saw these coupons because on Tuesday (the day before the coupons were valid) I went and filled two prescriptions at the Top pharmacy. I had heard that Top pharmacy gave away prenatal vitamins with a filled prescription (and they had a sign up advertising it), but as it turns out they need a prescription from your doctor which would have been free for me anyway. Ack! Yes, seriously kicking myself. On a positive note, Top pharmacy was giving away free Mr. Yuck stickers so I was happy to get my hands on those so I can label some scary stuff for the kids.

So here's my new plan for these coupons: I am pregnant with #4 and usually the OB prescribes super-strenth iron for me. Our insurance lets us fill a prescription & refill twice before having to use their mail order service. I will ask the OB today at my appointment for the prescription and get it filled at QFC for the $20 store credit (coupon good through 4/30). Then I'll get it refilled later this month at Safeway for a $30 gift card (coupon good through 4/27). I will be able to transfer once more so I'll probably go with Rite-Aid which is usually good for a $20 gift card, at least, or another offer if I find a better one by the time I need that refill. Let's hope my OB gives me the rx today or my plan will be foiled.

Katie

Speaking of prescriptions...

Weekend Groceries

QFC is having a sale this week on tomatoes & bagged lettuce so I headed over and discovered there was another deal I hadn't seen that was Buy 8/Get $4 off (or $.50 off each item). The items included in that promotion are things we normally buy and I happened to have related coupons so the prices were low enough to justify buying and I spent $25.00.

Here's what I got as part of the Buy 8/Get $4 deal:

2 Yoplus yogurt 4-packs. Sale price $1.99 ($.50 deal)($1.00/2)= $.99 each
Fiber One Yogurt 4-pack. Sale price $1.99 ($.50 deal) ($.50) = $.99
Yoplait Delights yogurt 4-pack. Sale price $1.99 ($.50 deal) ($1.00) = $.49
2 Itnat'l Delight Coffee Creamers. Sale price $2.99 ($.50 deal) ($1.00/2) = $1.99 each
2 boxes of Go-Gurt yogurt. Sale price $1.99 ($.50 deal) ($1.00/2) = $.99 each

I also found markdown organic yogurt tubes for $1.50 each, cottage cheese for $1.00, the lettuce, tomatoes, bananas, & finally, a sale priced wedge of parmesan. I went for the parmesan for the freezer meals I am making today. I don't want to be the meal swap slacker, so I thought adding parmesan to the homemade mac'n'cheese pie would help. Also, I have gotten better prices on coffee creamer but $2.00 is my max for quart size and we were almost out. DH needs this stuff to make his coffee drinkable and he definitely needs his coffee!


This was a quick trip to Fred Meyer to pick up cheddar and onions for the meal swap. I obviously found a few more things.

Here's what I got for $11.96 without any coupons:

2# cheddar $4.49
10# potatoes $1.50
3# onion $1.99
Fred Meyer slow-churned vanilla ice cream $1.25 markdown
Fred Meyer caramel sweet surprise ice cream $1.25 markdown
organic stir fry veggies (pre-cut) $.99 markdown
package of 6 english muffine $.49 markdown

We were having company for dinner and having a Razzleberry pie out of the freezer for dessert so I was very excited to find ice cream on markdown! I also bought the potatoes so we'd have real and not instant out of my pantry for company. I was reminded this week that DH loves english muffins when we received some as a gift, so I was also delighted to find the markdown package. There were also lots of markdown bread & buns, but I was able to resist by reminding myself that I want to empty my freezer and I already have several loaves of bread. Yay for resisting!

OK - back to those 10 macaroni & cheese pies.

Katie