Coupon adventure = fail
So after watching the new TLC show on extreme couponing I have decided that I need to get more serious about couponing because every week we are going over budget and things are going to burst here soon. Plus I would love to only spend a few dollars to get a few whole carts of groceries like the moms on the show do so then we will have the other hundred of dollars each month that can be put towards things that are needed - dh needs his brakes done on his car so that is a few hundred out of our budget right there.
So I have been researching how to do this the last few days and I know things wouldn't be great yet since Sunday hasn't come yet so no coupons from the paper yet, but I did have a handful of coupons that I got from the grocery stores during other weeks and that along with the store flyers I thought I was all set.
Now saying this we didn't need very much this week since I have stocked up a lot over the past few weeks so I was planning on this being a low week in terms of buying stuff. I used to average $80 a week for groceries and lately that has gone up to $90 with last week being like $105 (not including the $30 worth of products I got for free through WIC) so I was planning $70-75 this week (not including coupons).
First I went to Target since they now sell produce and sent us a coupon for a free 2L bottle of pepsi. They also had dh's turkey slices for cheaper than the grocery store so I picked those up there. Then I also got granuloa bars and coke that was on sale the same price as stop and shop but at Target also included a free 8 pack so I got the coke here.
Grand total was just over $19 - that included the coupon for the free pepsi and the ad for the free coke.
Then I went to Shaws. Had a coupon for a free milk and a coupon of $1 off a large infant cereal. Brought baby carrots and bag of onions both on sale for a $1. Brought dh his chicken legs which the cheapest ones I found were $2 something. Oreos were 2 for $5 - then there was two different $1 off coupons for two different new types of oreos so I grabbed those coupons and brought a box of each (with the store sale it should then work out to $3 for the both of them). Brought dh half and half which was on sale but was a very small bottle so should have picked it up at another store for cheaper. Got 2 bags of chips for BOGO. A package of cookies and cupcakes off the reduced rack. And my veggie burgers were on sale from $4.99 to $4.49.
The girl at the cash goofed up the oreos - one of the boxes ran through for $3.50 instead of $2.50. Grand total after this was fixed $26 - this is with using 4 coupons.
Then I went to Stop and Shop. Got a small coffee on sale with coupon if you spend $15. 4 boxes of cereal for $2.22 each with $1.50 off coupon if you buy 4. 2 gerber puff containers because I had a $1.50 off if you buy 2. 10 yogarts because they were on sale for 50 cents a piece. Lean Cusines 5 for $10. Frozen soup on sale for 2 for $3. Bag of donuts from the reduced rake, 2 large cans of tomatoe sauce - on sale for 2 for $5. Shampoo and Condition - on sale for 79 cents each. Sausages for dh that were on sale for $2.99. I also had a $5 off coupon if you spend $30. Grand total $37 and 3 coupons used.
So in total I spent $82 and this was with 8 coupons and multiple store sales. I don't understand it. I never used this many coupons before and never ended up spending this much for groceries during a low week. Plus it isn't like I got a lot of stuff - my trunk still had plenty of room after I was done which is very unusal after going grocery shopping (usually it is full to the max) so I don't know.
So I have been researching how to do this the last few days and I know things wouldn't be great yet since Sunday hasn't come yet so no coupons from the paper yet, but I did have a handful of coupons that I got from the grocery stores during other weeks and that along with the store flyers I thought I was all set.
Now saying this we didn't need very much this week since I have stocked up a lot over the past few weeks so I was planning on this being a low week in terms of buying stuff. I used to average $80 a week for groceries and lately that has gone up to $90 with last week being like $105 (not including the $30 worth of products I got for free through WIC) so I was planning $70-75 this week (not including coupons).
First I went to Target since they now sell produce and sent us a coupon for a free 2L bottle of pepsi. They also had dh's turkey slices for cheaper than the grocery store so I picked those up there. Then I also got granuloa bars and coke that was on sale the same price as stop and shop but at Target also included a free 8 pack so I got the coke here.
Grand total was just over $19 - that included the coupon for the free pepsi and the ad for the free coke.
Then I went to Shaws. Had a coupon for a free milk and a coupon of $1 off a large infant cereal. Brought baby carrots and bag of onions both on sale for a $1. Brought dh his chicken legs which the cheapest ones I found were $2 something. Oreos were 2 for $5 - then there was two different $1 off coupons for two different new types of oreos so I grabbed those coupons and brought a box of each (with the store sale it should then work out to $3 for the both of them). Brought dh half and half which was on sale but was a very small bottle so should have picked it up at another store for cheaper. Got 2 bags of chips for BOGO. A package of cookies and cupcakes off the reduced rack. And my veggie burgers were on sale from $4.99 to $4.49.
The girl at the cash goofed up the oreos - one of the boxes ran through for $3.50 instead of $2.50. Grand total after this was fixed $26 - this is with using 4 coupons.
Then I went to Stop and Shop. Got a small coffee on sale with coupon if you spend $15. 4 boxes of cereal for $2.22 each with $1.50 off coupon if you buy 4. 2 gerber puff containers because I had a $1.50 off if you buy 2. 10 yogarts because they were on sale for 50 cents a piece. Lean Cusines 5 for $10. Frozen soup on sale for 2 for $3. Bag of donuts from the reduced rake, 2 large cans of tomatoe sauce - on sale for 2 for $5. Shampoo and Condition - on sale for 79 cents each. Sausages for dh that were on sale for $2.99. I also had a $5 off coupon if you spend $30. Grand total $37 and 3 coupons used.
So in total I spent $82 and this was with 8 coupons and multiple store sales. I don't understand it. I never used this many coupons before and never ended up spending this much for groceries during a low week. Plus it isn't like I got a lot of stuff - my trunk still had plenty of room after I was done which is very unusal after going grocery shopping (usually it is full to the max) so I don't know.