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Retail Therapy

Posted on August 3, 2009 by auburnchick

Well, I didn’t get the job I interviewed for.

Don’t feel bad for me though.  I know that God has a plan, and I trust in that.

I’m a little relieved because of the stress placed on the FCAT.  Reading is an integral part of it, and to go in as a first-year 10th grade reading teacher would be a huge responsibility.

I figured a little retail therapy was in order, though.

My idea of shopping is a little different than most women’s idea.

In fact, instead of shopping for such designer labels as Gianni Bini or Gucci (not that I can afford these), I was on the hunt for Kelloggs and Betty Crocker.

Oh yeah…it was time for Round 2 at Publix.

The only reason I ventured back was because the Mr. picked up a paper from the big city that Chicky’s travel team is based out of.

Compare the coupon sections in Podunk City Newspaper (mine) and Big City Newspaper…

Podunk City Newspaper Inserts

Big City Newspaper Inserts

Don’t let the outsides of those inserts fool you.  They might look the same, but inside, there were a ton more coupons from the big city.  My jaw dropped in awe.

So, this morning I got busy and looked at my store ads again…planning my adventure…cutting coupons, taking notes, in general, getting very excited.  Oh yeah, I was one happy girl.

First, a picture of the haul…

Now, let me tell you how I got all of the above for $28.74.  My bill, before my savings of $77.40, would have been $106.14.  That’s a savings of 73%.

Kraft Mac & Cheese – B1G1 @ $2.67
I had 4 $1.50/2 coupons (printed from the internet)
Total:  $.59 per box or $4.72 total

Kraft BBQ Sauce – B1G1 @ $2.79
I had 4 coupons for free sauce with the purchase of two Kraft Mac & Cheese — peelies from boxes of Kraft Mac & Cheese
Total:  FREE

Pop Tarts – B1G1 @ $2.45
I had 4 $.75 TargetWeb coupons AND 2 $1.00/2 mfg coupons (remember that you can stack store and mfg coupons)
Total:  Moneymaker of $.05 per box

Pringles – $3/2
I had 1 $1/2 mfg coupon
Total:  $1 per container or $2 total for both

Yogurt – B1G1 @ $2.87
I had a $.80/2 mfg coupon
Total:  $1.04 per yogurt or $2.07 for both

Pickles – B1G1 @ $2.19
I had 2 $.15 mfg coupons
Total:  $.95 each or $1.89 for both

Ragu – Not on sale, but I needed it for dinner – $2.59 each
I had a $2/2 Food Lion coupon and a $.75/2 mfg coupon
Total:  $1.22 per jar or $2.43 for both

Worcestershire Sauce – Not on sale, but I needed it – $1.79
I had a $.50 mfg
Total:  $1.29

Milk – Not on sale and no coupon – $3.99

Granola Bars – B1G1 @ $5.49
I had a $.75/1 Target coupon and 2 $.40 mfg coupons
Total:  $1.95 per box or $3.94 for both

Betty Crocker Brownie Mix – B1G1 @ $2.63
I had a $.75/2 mfg coupon
Total:  $.94 per box or $1.88 total

Lipton Onion Soup Mix – Not on sale and no coupon – $1.49

Kellogg’s Cereal – B1G1 @ $4.09
I had 2 $1/1 Food Lion coupons and 1 $1/2 mfg coupon
Total:  $.55 per box or $1.09 for both

Eggs – Not on sale and no coupon – $2.09

I went to Walgreens after leaving Publix and bought a package of manilla mailing envelopes for $.09 after using a $.50 coupon.

I also went by Office Max and picked up four packs of Bic pens that were free after the two $1/2 coupons I had.  Combined with the six folders @ $.01 each, I walked out of there spending $.20.

So, although I didn’t walk in the house with bags of new clothes, I had something even better…stuff that the entire family can use for a fraction of the cost.

Oh, and in case you’re wondering, the kids and I have started two bags for donation:  one for extra groceries and the other for extra school supplies.  My church collects food one Sunday a month, and a local Christian radio station is having a school supply drive this week.  I figure if I’m paying next to nothing for things, someone else besides my family might as well benefit.

When I pulled into the driveway with all of my loot, I had an extra surprise…

Nine flowers are blooming right now!!

Nine flowers are blooming right now!!

Nine of my flowers are now blooming…all at the same time!!!  That’s just one bunch too!  I have three more blooming beside the garage!

Sure, I didn’t get the job, but I have something much more special…a God who loves me and continues to bless me.  My primary job is passing on these blessings to others so they might see how good He is.

Filed under: Saving Money | Tagged: , , | 3 Comments »

Part 2 from the Previous Post

Posted on July 23, 2009 by auburnchick

I’ve been chatting with a friend who reads my blog, and I realized that I left some things out of my previous post…say it ain’t so!

First off, I want to say that I think The Grocery Game is fabulous!  There are many good reasons to sign up for it:

  • The format of the lists makes it easier to recognize good deals.  Each grocery store list has a column for the percentage you save on each item.  You quickly learn what is considered “rock-bottom” prices.  The higher the percentage saved, the better the deal, obviously, and you start being more discriminatory about what you will and will not purchase.
  • Another neat thing about the lists is how items are color-coded.  Free items are in green, rock-bottom items are in blue, and sale items (but only buy if needed) are in black.  The lists are organized according to the layout of the store, but you can sort the lists any way you want.  You can check mark what you plan on getting and only print those items.  Lots of planning went into how these lists were devised.
  • You learn patience.  Just because an item is on sale does not mean that it’s the right time to buy something.  After four weeks (the trial period), you will probably see an item go on sale twice.  In my case, it was the Hebrew National Hot Dogs that I’m so fond of.  This go-round, I had two coupons, so I stocked up.

The main downside to The Grocery Game lists is that they don’t come out until Sunday in order to factor in the coupon inserts for that week’s Sunday paper.

My stores’ ads last from Wednesday through Tuesday, so that leaves me only two and a half days to shop.  When I’m working, this isn’t good because the week gets hectic.

If I come across a coupon in the Sunday paper for an item I bought a few days earlier (using my other web sites), I know that I can take my coupon back to the store, tell them I didn’t have my coupon during my purchase, and get my money back.  If the store gives you a hard time, return the item and re-buy it with the coupon.

Other things to remember…

  • Keep your coupons with you.  I started to put mine in the car when I went to Starbucks the other day but changed my mind.  I went straight to Walmart, where I found a great deal…if I had my $1 coupons that were at home.  Back I went, wasting precious time in my day.  It was worth the trip but unnecessary.
  • Buy two Sunday papers.  I found having two inserts invaluable this morning as I prepared to shop.  There were a couple of B1G1 items, and I was able to clip two coupons to use on them.
  • When printing coupons from the Internet, hit the back button to print them a second time.  Most sites will allow you to print two copies of a coupon but no more than that unless it’s a PDF you can download.
  • Printing coupons from the Internet is notorious for being a hit or miss thing.  A couple of the sites require that you install a coupon printer and have Java enabled on your browser.  Try different browsers.  I have the most success using Safari.  Check out THIS link, which helped me print coupons from SmartSource and RedPlum.  Folks, it can be done.  Be persistent.
  • Watch carefully while your cashier is taking off your coupons.  Just this morning, I caught one of my coupons (a biggie…$3) not being scanned.
  • Know how much items cost and watch them get scanned as well.  Several items at CVS did not ring up correctly last week.  A couple of the problems were due to signage (not my mistake, but I got the price advertised) and a couple of problems were with the way the prices were entered in the system.  I always check my receipt after I leave.
  • I have found that keeping a list of the coupons I’m using and what the item will cost me afterward helps me keep my ducks in a row and helps me when I’m looking over the receipt later.  I typically have a general idea of what I’m spending before I get to the register.  This helps me recognize a problem instantly.
  • Create a spreadsheet and enter your savings.  It’s hard to see how much you’re saving unless you put it down in black and white.

This sounds like a lot of work, doesn’t it?

It’s really no different than deciding to eat healthier.

What you’re doing is training yourself by developing new habits.  Once you decide that this isn’t a fad for you, then you’ll be permanently hooked.

Consider older people today.  The generation that lived through the Great Depression learned how to save money.  When times got easier, still they penny-pinched.

Life-long habits reap life-long rewards.

Filed under: Saving Money | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

Will I Pay for the Grocery Game?

Posted on July 23, 2009 by auburnchick

Tomorrow (the 24th) is the last day of my free trial period of The Grocery Game.

For one month, I’ve used the lists as a springboard for saving money.

You have all been reading about my shopping adventures.

Remember…I am not a celebrity.  I’m just a regular gal…the kind you run into every week at the grocery store.

I have not been paid by anyone to try this thing out, nor am I being paid to promote various web sites.

As I said, I’m just your ordinary blogging friend.

What have I learned this month?

  • Saving money takes some work.  Is it worth it?  Heck yeah!  I used to loathe shopping.  Just ask my family.  That’s one reason why Chicky started doing it for me.
  • Repeat after me:  “Thank you, Lord, for technology.”  Thanks to the Internet, there are loads of resources available to help you.  Remember…Google is your friend.  Need a coupon for Kotex (as I did this morning).  Just Google it.  What about Scotch Tape?  I Googled and found a great coupon that I used at CVS this week.
  • Stacking coupons saves you even more money.  Keep in mind that you can use a store coupon along with a manufacturer coupon on the same item.  Use two coupons on B1G1 (buy 1 get 1 free).  You’re getting two items, so you can use two coupons.  This is in addition to any store coupons you might have.
  • Stock up when prices are low.  Web sites such as Frugal Coupon Living, Southern Savers, and I Heart CVS put out lists of weekly store sales.  Make sure you click on coupon links!  Also be sure to check out the comments under these sites’ posts.  There are people just like us trying to figure things out.  In my case, a coupon wasn’t available at the link provided, but I found it at a different link and posted the information.  It’s all about helping out one another.
  • Subscribing to the RSS feeds of shopping web sites such as those above saves a lot of time when hunting for new posts.  Google Reader is my personal favorite.
  • Don’t buy what you don’t think you’ll use.  This is something I’ve done a good job of.  Although I’ve been uber-excited about all of my savings, I have honestly asked myself questions such as, “Will my family eat this?” and “Will this go to waste before we eat it?” and “How many school supplies do the kids really need this year?”  Don’t buy what you don’t need.  Or, if something is free, and you can’t use it, consider donating it to a food bank, school, or homeless shelter.
  • You will, initially, spend the same amount of money as before.  However, as your stash grows, you’ll notice that you don’t need to buy as much.  They say it takes about three months for this to happen.  I think in my case, it will be about two.
  • Save your coupon inserts and write the date on them.  Don’t cut them out before you need them!  Frugal Coupon Living and Southern Savers refers to the name and date of each supplement when providing coupon information.  Trust me.  It’s much easier to find coupons this way.  And, just because you don’t think you’ll need something, you might change your mind later.

Ok…time for some hard-core evaluating.  Will I pay for my Grocery Game subscription?

No.

Here’s why.

After recently discovering the Frugal Coupon Living and Southern Savers web sites, I think I can save money without paying for the “lists.”  These sites put out very similar lists only in a different format.  Their lists come out the first day store sales begin.

Southern Savers put out this post today that explains that they only list sales that reflect best prices, so if something is on sale but not on their list, try to hold off.  Chances are great that the item will be cheaper the next time it’s on “sale.”  This is, essentially, what The Grocery Game does only in a different format.

I will, however, continue to read The Grocery Game’s forums.  They are free.  The ladies there are awesome and will answer your questions quickly and in a friendly manner.

I am so glad my neighbor told me about The Grocery Game.  Her small comment got the wheels in my brain turning, and it piqued my curiosity.  They say curiosity killed the cat.

Well, in my case, curiosity saved me enough money to buy an entire litter, if I was a cat person!

Quite simply put, shopping will never be the same for me.  I like challenges, and that’s how I approach each planned trip to the store.  How much can I save?  Just how close to free can I get something?

It’s addicting.  And it’s like a virus that spreads to those around you.

The gal who bagged my groceries last week watched my bill go from $115 to $37.  She asked if I used web sites, and I gave her three to write down.

Today she bagged my groceries again.  You could see the look of anticipation as she waited for my total.

$54.55…before coupons.

After?

$16.43.

For this:

I had a coupon for every item in that picture.  In some cases, I had two or three coupons.

The Chef Boyardee was free…even a money maker of $.15 after my $1 coupon.

I got six packages of Carefree for $.34…total.  That’s $.06 a piece for a savings of 96% on that item alone!

The bagger was amazed…once again…and told me she had visited the sites I gave her and was planning on giving it a shot.  I wished her well.

I hope I haven’t bored you with my shopping adventures.  I will continue to update my total on the sidebar of my blog.  And there will be posts where I can’t contain myself and will just have to share stories of my latest shopping trip.

I hope I’ve inspired you to start saving.  If this poor economy does nothing but causes us to be more mindful of what we spend, then at least that’s one positive, right?  Why waste money if you don’t have to!

Oh, and for the record, since June 30th, I’ve spent $445.56.  I saved $519.12.  So, WITHOUT the coupons, I would have spent $965.08.  My savings was 54%.

With the numbers laid out like that, I find it a bit disconcerting to think about how much money we’ve been wasting the last few years.

My ultimate goal is to cut grocery and “miscellaneous (i.e. Target/Walmart/CVS)” shopping in half.  I think I’m on my way!

Filed under: Saving Money | Tagged: , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

Meekness and Couponing Battle Each Other

Posted on July 15, 2009 by auburnchick

God has an interesting way of molding us sometimes, doesn’t He?

I’ve been reading my way through a series of teachings that deals with Biblical meekness.  Nancy Leigh DeMoss, of Revive Our Hearts, started the series on June 18th, and I believe it ran through June 30th.

I HIGHLY recommend that you read or listen to, at minimum, the first day’s teachings.  You’ll be hooked.  I printed out the series to read at my leisure as I tend to be a visual learner.

Meekness is about surrendering yourself to God’s will.  It’s not about being a doormat or being mousy.  It’s also not about being pushy and demanding your way, as is common in these days.  The feminist movement left an indelible imprint on most women’s lives, and it has not always been for the best.

The lessons I’ve read thus far have made my head spin and convicted me of many areas in my life that need changing.

I am not (nor are any of us) naturally meek.   There are times when I’ve found it easier to hold my tongue and accept whatever is laid before me.  Those instances are far and few between.

Using coupons at stores is not one of those times.

Boy, oh boy, do I struggle when I head to the register after shopping for deals.  You see, I know a store’s policy (or so I think), and I’m just waiting for the battle that’s about to ensue as soon as I hand over my stack of coupons.  Some people are embarrassed to use coupons.  They don’t want to make waves.

I’ll guiltily admit that I think a small part of me loves the thrill of it.

Did that just sound bad?

Yeah, I guess it did.

It’s not that I go looking for a fight.  I just expect it as stores don’t want to lose money, and I don’t want them to have mine.

Today was a classic example of the small battle that I fight against myself.

I went to Target armed with an arsenal of firepower (i.e. coupons).  I browsed shelf prices looking for items that I could purchase for 60% off or more.  And I found a few good ones.  I had coupons that would allow me to get a nice razor for free, two sticks of deodorant for $.49 each, and five frozen dinners for $.79 each.  I think I had 14 or 15 coupons for these few items.

When my total rang up, I knew it was wrong, but I wasn’t sure what the problem was, so I sat in the car and tried to figure things out.  Armed with my receipt, I marched back in and headed to customer service.  Sure enough, my cashier had not taken off $6 in coupons, nor did one of my razor coupons ($2) scan properly.

The cashier explained that Target doesn’t allow items to zero out (i.e. you can’t get things totally free), so I wouldn’t be able to use my second coupon on the razor.  I will admit that I argued a teensy bit, but keeping in mind the lessons of meekness that I’d read (and the fact that I’d already saved $4 on the razor, making it $1.99), I stopped out of respect for the store’s rules.

She did refund $6 for the other coupons.

I headed home, still unsatisfied.  I wanted my razor for free.

When I got home and studied my receipt again, I figured out that another $2 in deodorant coupons had not been taken off my bill.  To be sure, I consulted with the Coupon Queen (i.e. my mother-in-law), and based on my explanation, she agreed.

I headed back to the store.  Good thing it’s only a mile from the house, or I would have spent more than my coupon on gas.

I marched in, ready to do battle.

The clerk was patient.  She tried to explain that yes, I had gotten my coupon discount, but the receipt was written in some sort of weird accounting language (i.e. regular math, which I don’t comprehend).  She then re-rang everything on her register and allowed me to look at her screen, which looked totally different from my receipt.

Sure enough.  The store had taken off those $2 in coupons.

I hung my head in shame.  And embarrassment.

It’s not to say that I was rude to her, because I wasn’t.  But I had doggedly insisted that the store owed me that money.

We both got a laugh.  Thank goodness she was so nice about it.

As I walked out, I thought to myself that in today’s world, we don’t necessarily face Goliath’s…obvious enemies that loom large before our eyes.

No.  Most often, our battles are fought on our own turf and in small ways.

Meekness is something I’m trying to learn.  It’s difficult when you live with teenagers who will tell you the sky is green when, in fact, it’s blue.  Meekness is accepting God’s will in even the smallest things and not fretting about them.  Nothing happens with His allowing it.  Hence, did I really need to fret over supposed “lost” coupon money?

No.

I think He was using it as a bigger lesson. It’s one I did not learn very well.

Thank goodness for sunrises that bring new days and fresh beginnings.  I know that when I get up today, I’ll be given more opportunities to practice being meek.  I can hardly wait (I think).

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a comment »

The Cost of 3 Degrees

Posted on July 15, 2009 by auburnchick

You’ve all become familiar with my quest for saving money.  Ok…so I’m becoming a tight-wad.  In these difficult economic times, I think it’s acceptable.

We hang our clothes on lines that we’ve strung across the garage, we’re careful to turn off lights and fans when leaving the room, and – most importantly – I keep the thermostat set at 83 degrees during the day.

Say what?

That’s right…I figure if we’re going to freeze during the winter, we might as well sweat during the summer.

My efforts are paying off.  The electric bill for May was $99.xx.  June’s was $129.xx.  However a little something changed between June and July.  Or rather, a “someone” decided he wasn’t sleeping well at night, so he started turning the air down three degrees.

No big deal, he figured.  I’ve been turning it back up as soon as I roll out of bed in the mornings.  Of course, some days that’s not until 10am…adding up to about ten hours of extra cooling time.

The Mr. did not seem all that concerned.

Until the bill arrived this morning.

$198.xx.

It went up by $70.

I realize the increase might not be entirely due to the air conditioner being turned down at night, but I think it was the main reason for it.  After all, we’ve begun monitoring the length of time spent in the shower.  Chicky and I take lukewarm showers because it’s so hot here.

We have been cooking more, but I still don’t think it’s enough to account for a $70 increase.

When the Mr. told me about the bill, I nearly went ballistic.  He’s in the dog house…a very hot one to boot.

I don’t know what we’re going to do, but I just can’t forsee us continuing in this manner.  We’re all going to have to suck it up.  We’re fortunate that we have the technology to cool us off at our whim…unlike settlers of old.  Of course, times were very hard back then, and I can only imagine how miserable it must have been to live in Florida without central air.

Who would have thought that three degrees would make such a difference.

Now we know.

Filed under: This-n-That | Tagged: , | 2 Comments »

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