Saving Money | AuburnChick's Adventures

Favorite Deals of the Week

Posted on October 31, 2009 by auburnchick

I went grocery shopping yesterday and took advantage of a few good deals. I thought I would share my favorites.

Uncle Ben’s Rice
B1G1 @ $1.49

Used: $1/2 mfr
Paid: $.25 per box

Near East Rice
B1G1 @ $2.19

Used: $1/2 mfr
Paid: $.60 per box

Mueller’s Pasta
B1G1 @ $1.49

Used: $.55/1 mfr and $1/2
Paid: $.20 per box w/first coupon above and $.25 per box w/second coupon

Green Giant Frozen Vegetables
B1G1 @ $3.49

Used: 1 $.60/three mfr AND 1 $.40/1 mfr AND $4/4 Publix coupon off of four General Mills Products
Paid: $.50 per item

Pillsbury Ready to Bake Cookies
$2 each

Used: $1.25 mfr AND $4/4 Publix coupon off of four General Mills Products
Paid: NOTHING!! This was a MONEYMAKER of $1

Filed under: Saving Money | Tagged: couponing, General Mills, Green Giant, grocery shopping, Pillsbury, publix, Saving Money, Uncle Ben's | Leave a comment »

Free Tuna and Other Finds

Posted on October 26, 2009 by auburnchick

If you’re like me, Mondays are usually not good days. We’ll just say that my alarm and I don’t get along very well.

That’s one reason why I find it refreshing to have Mondays off…just to make the adjustment easier.

Today, though, I woke up knowing I would be making a visit to my local auto repair shop.

Joy, joy (said sarcastically, of course). I feared the worst, thinking that my car needed either a new starter or alternator…pricey parts.

Fortunately, all the car needed was a new battery. Woo Hoo! So, that news started off my day well. I even managed to get in an hour of knitting while I waited. Woo Hoo!

Oh, and if you’ve ever had problems starting your car, you know the sweet joy that comes over you when it purrs as you turn the key.

From Sears, I drove to Hobby Lobby, where I used a 40% coupon to pick up a skein of yarn for my newest project. I’ll post pictures when I’m done, but no hints before that!

From Hobby Lobby, I went to Publix where I picked up three bottles of spices for $.49 each (saving $1.50 per bottle)!!

As I was leaving the parking lot, I got a call asking me to run by a restaurant to pick up money for an ad for Chicky’s high school soccer team’s program. We are allowed to sell advertisements to help offset the player fees. What an unexpected surprise!!

It was turning out to be a good morning, but the fun was only beginning.

I went to Target next, picking up the following goodies…

The soap was on sale for $7.29 each (ouch), but I had $1 mfr coupons. The great thing about this purchase was that I got a $5 Target gift card, which I used to purchase the dog food. Of course, I had $3 mfr coupons on the dog food, so they were only $1.26 each, leaving a little money on the card.

Next, I ran to Walmart, where I picked up the following…

Now, I know what you’re thinking. I have dogs, not cats. Why would I purchase cat treats?

Well, my friends, it’s because I cannot turn down a free deal.

One of the recent inserts had coupons for FREE cat treats.

Yep…totally free.

You know what I’m gonna do with them?

Feed them to Molly, who thinks she’s a cat anyhow.

No, seriously…I’m going to donate them.

The Green Works dish detergent was $2.98, and I had a $2 coupon. How often do you find a large bottle of detergent for under a dollar?

After leaving Walmart, I went home to eat lunch with Chicky.

Now, I’ve gotta tell you something. The longer you do the couponing thing, the more observant you become while you’re in stores.

You notice everything that’s on sale, making mental notes of prices because your mind vaguely remembers seeing coupons somewhere for those items.

That’s what happened today during my first (yes, I’m saying FIRST) trip to Target.

I had noticed Clean & Clear products on sale, and my heart dropped.

On Sunday, Chicky had purchased the facial oil wipes. Before she left, I discovered that by registering at Clean & Clear’s web site, I could download a $2 coupon (of course, I printed two coupons by hitting my browser’s back button). She had only used one of them.

Target had them marked on sale for $3.23!! I just knew Chicky had paid more. I couldn’t wait to get home and see.

Sure enough, she paid $4.99!

Ugh.

Here’s what I did.

I registered the other three members of my family and printed out six more coupons. So, I had a total of seven because of the one that wasn’t used yesterday. When I went to Target, I bought eight (one without a coupon) and turned around and returned the extra (since Chicky had already opened the package she bought yesterday) to Publix, getting my full-price back.

I don’t think Chicky will need to go shopping for this item any time soon!

Are you exhausted yet?

Yeah, so was I, but I wasn’t done shopping!

I went BACK to Publix one more time, returned the above-mentioned facial wipes, and then got these…

I had $1 mfr coupons, and these were priced at $.99.

So I got them for free.

There’s almost nothing better than getting something for free. It’s like finding hidden treasure. It’s there if you just look for it.

Then, it was time to go home, where I opened one of the packages of tuna and treated myself to some tuna salad.

Filed under: Saving Money | Tagged: couponing, grocery shopping, Saving Money | 1 Comment »

My Week – In Pictures

Posted on October 23, 2009 by auburnchick

Well, I worked four days this week, leaving little time for pictures. But I did manage to snap a few…

Chicky's post-game meal last weekend...that girl was HUNGRY!!

It's cool enough in the mornings for hot chocolate. Like the mug? It came from Starbucks and reminds me of the cables I love to knit.

I bought these bags this week for $1 per bag (I saved 83% on each bag). Wanna trick or treat at my house this year?

Pele is sooooo happy it's Friday!!

Filed under: Pets, Saving Money, soccer | Tagged: couponing, dogs, Nestle Hot Chocolate, Pets, Saving Money, soccer | 2 Comments »

GREAT Deals at Target!

Posted on October 22, 2009 by auburnchick

So, I haven’t posted super in-depth shopping tales because I was worried that maybe I was starting to bore you. But, Tabby told me she misses my stories, so I thought I would share my latest and greatest.

This week, I scored BIG TIME…two different days…at Target.

I got the stuff below for $1.08…

The next day I went back to Target and did even better by only paying $.52 for everything in the picture…

Everything in both pictures was free. All I paid was tax.

Now, I know you’re wondering how in the world I do what I do.

First off, I am subscribed to Attention Target Shoppers. It’s a free website that lists the latest and greatest Target deals. By using Google Reader, I am able to keep up with posts on all of my favorite shopping sites.

Now, the way I got everything free was that I was able to capitalize on HUGE coupons that were money makers on several items, thus allowing me to use the overages to help pay for the other items.

There were $1.50 mfr coupons off of one Degree deodorant or body spray and $3 Target coupon off of one Degree deodorant AND one Degree body spray.

The body spray was on sale for $3.29, and the trial size deodorant (located in the travel size bins), only cost $.97. Many times, coupons will specify “Excludes trial sizes,” but my coupons said “Any size.” Thus, I bought the cheapest items I could find. By using a $1.50 mfr coupon on each deodorant and mist (saving $3) and stacking them with the $3 Target coupon, I made $1.74.

It might make more sense if I list it this way:

Body Mist:
Deodorant: Total:

$3.29
$0.97
$4.26

Subtracting Coupons (“Q”)…

Target Q:
Mist Q:
Deo Q:
Total:

$3.00
$1.50
$1.50
-$1.74

See how that works?

I did something similar for the Ponds facial wipes, although I did not have a Target coupon to stack. Instead, I had a $1.50 mfr coupon. The wipes were the trial sizes and only cost $.97, so I made $.53 on each one.

The dog food was $4.26, and I had a $3 mfr coupon (from last weekend’s paper), making it only $1.26. However, I used the overage from the other items to help pay for them, so I got them free.

I also had $3 mfr off of the Neosporin Lip Balm. It cost $3.34. Again, the overage from my other deals was substantial enough to pay the remaining $.34.

In my second picture, you’ll note the absence of the lip balm. Thus, I had to find “fillers” to help offset the overage. You see, Target doesn’t like its items zeroed out. So, I got two loaves of bread and a trial size soap (which we had also run out of) for free.

God’s timing, as usual, was perfect. We had run out of dry dog food (yes, all of those free bags were GONE!), and we also needed bread…and we needed both items to get through the week until the Mr. got paid.

What an awesome God, and what an awesome week for shopping!!

Filed under: Saving Money | Tagged: attention target shoppers, couponing, Saving Money, shopping, Target | 2 Comments »

AuburnChick Gets a New Coupon Binder

Posted on October 21, 2009 by auburnchick

On Tuesday, I received a package in the mail from Coupon Queen. If you’ll recall, Coupon Queen is my mother-in-law.

Here’s what I saw when I opened the box…

Hmmm…what was under that bubble wrap?

It was a new binder (and an envelope of coupons, of course)! She found the binder at Office Depot, and it was on clearance for a ridiculously low price…even SWEETER as we both LOVE deals!

Now, this is no ordinary binder.

It’s extra-special.

Why?

For several reasons.

First – It’s a two-inch binder.

My previous binder was only an inch thick, and I was at the point where I desperately needed a new one.

Second – It has LOADS of pockets and slots for pens!!

It looks like the following picture is a duplicate of the one above, but it’s ANOTHER pocket, on top of the other one!!

Another reason why I like this binder is because all of my pages fit with room to spare…

If When I need to add more pages, I’ll be able to expand the binder by unzipping part of it, much like a suitcase…

For now, I’ve zipped up that expandable piece because there is, as I said before, AMPLE space…

Another fantastic feature of this binder is the cloth covering. It is made of the same heavy-duty material as backpacks, so I think it will hold up well.

After getting it zipped up, I clipped on the adjustable strap…

What a fantastic product! I will be able to carry it around without fear of losing my precious coupons…

By the way, this find coincides with my friend, Tabby’s, recent search for a more workable coupon-keeper. Thanks, Tabby, for being the inspiration for my “upgrade!”

And thanks, Coupon Queen, for YOUR generosity. You are a wonderful mother-in-law who I haven’t always appreciated properly. Muah (that’s a kiss in the Internet world).

Filed under: Saving Money | Tagged: binder, coupon organizer, office depot, Saving Money | 4 Comments »

My Week – In Pictures

Posted on October 16, 2009 by auburnchick

Spent $24.66. Saved $84.02. Saved 77%! Woo Hoo!

Look at that mileage! And we still have 19 payments to go...

It was a rainy morning when the new Super Walmart opened. There wasn't an empty parking spot to be found...

The Pillsbury Doughboy made a special appearance for the grand opening. Yes, folks, that's how you do things up fancy-like in the South. Yee Haw!

Molly LOVES to ride in the car!!

Rooster used his camera phone to capture this amazing photo of Molly. Doesn't she remind you a little of Snoopy?

One of my favorite finds this week...a money maker of $.50 per packet at Target!!

Ironing clothes for my interview...

One of six baskets of yarn in my house. The scarf is the Branching Out pattern (free on Knitty.com)

Pele - engaging in one of his favorite activities. Don't you just want to crawl up and snuggle with him?

Look at that face! Muah!

Filed under: Pets, Saving Money | Tagged: Pets, shopping, walmart | 6 Comments »

Teaching the Teacher

Posted on October 10, 2009 by auburnchick

Saturday was jam-packed with activities…mostly shopping-related.

The day started off with a phone call to Rooster’s 9th grade English teacher. I’ve had the privilege of subbing for her quite a few times. Her students are well-behaved, and I know it’s due, in great part, to her leadership.

I stopped by her classroom last week to chat, and during the conversation, the topic of couponing came up.

Well, you know me…all I need is an invitation, and I throw open the door.

I gave her a brief overview of what I do, and she casually said, “I want to go shopping with you.”

“Really?” I said.

“I’m serious,” she said.

So, we made arrangements to get together today. I called this morning and invited her over to look over my shoulder at the prep work I do on the computer.

She did better than that by bringing her laptop.

Perfect! She was the model student, bookmarking my favorite shopping sites and quickly getting sucked into my world. She was amazed at the sales listings.

I showed her my coupon binder and folders for my inserts and also gave her tips for using Google Reader to keep up with postings.

And then it was time to shop! She could hardly contain her excitement!

We headed to our local Publix, and I began our hands-on learning experience by explaining that she needed to check the front for circulars and coupon booklets. This was a new concept for her, and she got excited when she found a coupon for two free reusable shopping bags with the purchase of Energizer batteries. Too bad she didn’t have a coupon on the batteries (I’ll pull one from my stash and have her go back and get her money for it).

And then the real fun began.

Up and down each aisle we went. I had my shopping list in hand (did you know that you can now print shopping lists directly from Southern Saver’s website? Tres cool!). I pointed out several blinkie machines and instructed her to save the coupons for later. We actually found a better deal using a blinkie coupon we found on Hunts tomatoes ($1/4) which beat the coupons I had planned to use.

I shared a few of my own coupons with her…enabling her to get free yogurt and almost-free Au Gratin potatoes.

Watching her in the store was like watching a child in a toy shop. She usually shops at Walmart, so she had never seen some of the items at Publix. She was giddy with joy.

When we got in line to check out, she mentioned to the checker that her friend (me) was teaching her how to shop with coupons. I beamed.

I let her have her groceries rung up first because she had the fewest items. She eagerly watched the register’s screen and uttered shock when she saved more than she spent. She had never done that before.

She turned around, saw a checker she knew, and announced the grand news that she had saved more than she spent.

It was endearing.

Meanwhile, my groceries were being run up. I saved over $60 and spent $49.49. It wasn’t my best day for savings, but that was only because there was a lack of competitor coupons to stack with my manufacturer coupons. Considering that I still had coupons on nearly every item I purchased, I did well, saving 55%. I’m used to saving a minimum of 60-70%, but I consoled myself with the fact that without the savings, I would have spent $110.

Here’s what I got…

The only items I did not have coupons for were the bread products, fruit, and meat.

As we parted, I spied my friend happily walking away, new shopping bags slung over her shoulder.

It was a grand feeling to know that I had taught the teacher…opening up a whole new world for her in much the same way she does for her own students.

Filed under: Saving Money | Tagged: grocery shopping, publix, Saving Money | 1 Comment »

AuburnChick Pays a Quarter for Shampoo

Posted on October 10, 2009 by auburnchick

Does your store have shelves with clearance items? Target typically uses the endcaps on the inside ends of the aisles to display their “must-get-rid-of’s.” My Publix has a small, four-sided shelving unit near the registers for these types of items, and I look at it every time I go to the store. I’ve gotten things for great prices this way.

During my visit to the grocery store this morning, I noticed Gillette Shampoo on the clearance shelves…marked down to $1.75.

If you read my previous post about my Target savings, you’ll remember that I found great deals on Gillette products, using coupons from a recent Proctor & Gamble insert. I remembered this as well and couldn’t help but wonder if I had coupons on the shampoo.

When I got home, I took a peek, and sure enough, I found two $1 mfr coupons. In addition, I wanted to buy popcorn that was on sale.

So, I headed back out to the store, coupons in hand.

Here’s what I bought…

The popcorn is B1G1 for $3.09, and I had two $1.50 mfrs when you purchase two larger bags of M&M’s. Not factoring the price of the M&M’s, which I returned after paying for the groceries (I didn’t need them…not for $4+ per bag), I only paid $.09 for both boxes of popcorn. I saved 99% on the popcorn.

AMAZING!

After using the coupons on the shampoo, I found myself paying $.75 per bottle. Not bad, I thought.

I went home, took a picture of my loot, and started straightening up my coupons.

That’s when I came across $.50 Publix coupons…on the Gillette Shampoo!!

Now, remember that you can stack store coupons with mfr coupons on the same item. Had I seen this coupon 30 minutes before, I could have saved another $1 on both bottles.

In addition, Coupon Queen reminded me, via our post-shopping conversation (we like to talk about our deals and compare notes) that I could have gotten two more free shopping bags with the purchase of four items I got during my first trip to the store.

Oy! My brain hurts from trying to remember too many things. Well, really it was my fault for not paying attention to the list on Southern Savers, which clearly stated that my purchase would entitle me to the free bags.

Armed with four coupons, I headed back out to the store…for the third time today. It’s really a good thing that I only live about a mile from the store.

I approached the customer service desk, explained my boo-boo at not having my coupons with me, and they refunded me the $1 and allowed me to get two bags (I paid $.12 tax on those).

My additional savings means that I only paid a quarter for each bottle of shampoo. They are regularly $3.99, so I saved 94% on this purchase.

Total out-of-pocket for the above items? $.80.

I love couponing!

Filed under: Saving Money | Tagged: couponing, Gillette Shampoo, grocery shopping, publix, Saving Money | Leave a comment »

AuburnChick Loves Clearance Items!

Posted on October 10, 2009 by auburnchick

Yesterday, I went shopping at Target and picked up some GREAT deals!

I’ve recently discovered Attention Target Shoppers. If you’ve never visited this site, I strongly advise you to do so. It will only take one post to convince you to subscribe to it in Google Reader.

After finding some good deals listed, I headed out. I had the entire afternoon to myself with Chicky and the Mr. gone to see Guy Friend and watch a Rollins game (remember that she will be playing soccer at Rollins next year) and Rooster playing in the band at an away football game, so the natural thing to do was shop!

Here’s what I got…

I spent $19.18 and saved $37.90 for a savings of 66%. Let’s look at how I did it.

First, let let say that I’m going to include savings percentages on individual items. I always run my numbers before I purchase something to make sure I’m getting a decent deal. I have gotten to the point where I won’t buy something if I can’t save at least 60% or more on it.

Snuggle is on sale this week for $3.99. One of the coupon inserts had a $3 coupon, making each bottle $.99. The savings on each bottle was 75%. I cannot wait for Chicky to see it because we don’t use our dryer, and she’s missed the nice smell from dryer sheets.

Skippy is listed for $2.09. I matched a $1/1 Target coupon with a $.40 mfr coupon, making these $.69 each. Think about this…that’s a savings of 67% on this product alone!

Now…clearance items are the best…especially when you can find coupons on them. The Rimmel was regularly $5.29, but it was marked with a clearance sticker of $2.64. I used a $1 mfr to make this $1.64…a savings of 69%.

That was all this Target had, so I headed to the SuperTarget located on the beach.

I went specifically looking for the razors, air fresheners, and Febreeze (below) but found an unexpected deal when I spied the shaving cream on clearance for $2.30 from $3.29. I am so glad I took my P&G savings booklets, because I pulled them out and found a $1/2 mfr. Since each twin pack had two items, I used one coupon for each duo, making each set $1.30. Divide that in half, and I spent $.65 per can. You cannot buy shaving cream that cheap. Overall, I saved 60%.

The razors were also on clearance…marked down from $7.94 to $6.74. I had a $4 mfr, taking the price down to $2.74, making for a savings of 65%. I figured it was cheaper to buy new razors than the refills for them. Sure, it’s probably not the “greenest” thing to do, but I have to save money right now.

I had $1/1 mfr on Febreeze. I had read that there were small bottles located near the cash registers. These weren’t available in my “town” Target, but I found them at the beach. They were on clearance for $1.67 from $1.99, dropping my price (after the coupon) to $.67 for a savings of 66%. These will be great to stick in the car.

One of my favorite deals involved the reed diffusers above. They are on sale for $4.49, and I had printed $3.50 mfr coupons from the internet some time back, keeping them filed for over a month. The coupons made them $1 each for a savings of 77%.

I was thrilled to walk out of that second Target, although I did notice when I studied the receipt, that one of my $3.50 coupons had not come off. I walked right back into the store, approached the cashier with the issue, and walked back out with the $3.50 in my pocket…which she gladly refunded. ALWAYS check your receipts!

I know you’re probably sitting there shaking your head in amazement. You, too, can do this. All you need to do is read the sites I’ve provided above and in the sidebar on my blog. These blogs do the work for you! All you need to do is keep your eyes peeled, your coupons filed, and your head in the game.