WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T GET DEALS ON MEAT?

When we get meat or produce coupons, it makes our day!

I am excited about the new FLIP for $3 off $8 in the meat department. My plan is to buy bone-in pork chops next week (I have been craving them!)and maybe some ribs. I will spent $25 and then use three FLIPS and a $5/25 coupon. My total for $25 worth of meat will be $11!! You certainly can't beat that deal! Now all I have to do is find room in my freezer!!

My husband makes the best ribs in St. Augustine! I think he has perfected his recipe using a special rub and doing them with a rotisserie on the grill. My mouth is already watering thinking about the ribs.

MARCH MONTHLY TOTALS

The month of March is over and I am more than pleased with my totals for the month. Not only did I stock up on canned veggies and so much more, I was able to buy 11 gas cards worth $550 and paid only $440 for them, another savings of $110!!

My totals for the month of March for grocery and drugstore spending was $546.88. Remember this included 11 gas cards. When I back out the total for the cards, I spent $106.88 for the month of March!! I used to spend this and more in a week when I used to shop at Wal-Mart with their "everyday prices". You will NEVER beat a grocery store sale using coupons with Wal-Mart's everday price. This is a perfect example of it!

So far here are my totals since the beginning of the year:

JANUARY $144.79
FEBRUARY $162.31
MARCH $546.88 which includes 11 gas cards worth $440

DRUGSTORE SPENDING:

JANUARY $9.44
FEBRUARY $11.50
MARCH $5.11

PUBLIX 3/30/11, SPENT $7.01, SAVED 94%

The publix ad this week was not that exciting so I did not buy much. I wanted to use my Sargento cheese Publix coupons and paired that with my raincheck to get 9 of them for $.50!! I also utilized my Pepperidge Farm Bread raincheck to use the $1.50 off produce when you buy a P.F. Bread...so I basically got my vegetables for free. By the way, the bag is filled with 20 cans of Green Giant Vegetables!

This is what I bought:

9 Sargento Cheese (used raincheck, PQ and MQ to get all for $.50)
2 Pepperidge Farm Bread
2 English Muffins
2 Flat Out Bread
Fresh Green Beans (got $1.50 off)
Fresh Zucchini (got $1.50 off)
6 Peter Pan Peanut Butter (used MQ and PQ)
4 Ritz Cracker (used TQ and MQ)
2 Bertoli Pasta Sauce (used $1.50/2 q)
20 cans Green Giant Green Beans (used Italian Days q's)
Bananas
4 dozen eggs (used All the Trimmings book q)

This was the first trip they asked me if I had any $/$$ coupons first. I was able to use 2 of them thus taking off $10 before my coupons were deducted. My total before coupons was just over $66. My total I paid after coupons was $7.01. This was a savings of 94%!! The vegetables have an expiration date of 2013 so I will add them to the canned veggies I already have in stock. I already have plenty of lunchmeat from last weeks purchase and still have milk from the last Smart Balance milk sale. The timing was great because I only have two 1/2 gallons left, just in time to re-stock when the milk is on sale next week!

SOME GOOD DEALS FOR THIS WEEK

Sorry about the late post but I just got back into town on Monday and then had a class on Monday night. If you haven't done your shopping yet for this weeks ad, you may want to do these deals if your store accepts an expired Publix coupon.

Peter Pan Peanut Butter is BOGO at $2.49. Use the $1/1 coupon from the Home Tailgate Book. Then go here and print a manufacturers coupon for $.50/1. I think this means FREE peanut butter!

Also, don't forget the Green Giant Vegetables are BOGO again. If you have any of the Italian Days Coupons left, buy 20 cans, use five $1/4 and a $5 off when you buy 20 coupon and pay only $2.90 for 20 cans of vegetables. That is only $.15 per can! These vegetables should have an expiration date of about 2014.

SMART BALANCE MILK DEAL

I am so excited about the Smart Balance Milk on sale for $2.50 each starting next Thursday. I have already ordered my 20 coupons for $2.99 for $2/1 each 1/2 gallon of milk. To make this deal even sweeter, check your binders to see if you have the Publix coupon from the Harvest of Savings Book. Pair this $1/1 coupon with the $2/1 coupon and get $.50 overage for every 1/2 gallon of milk you buy. I have 2 left in my freezer so it looks like this sale will take me into the next few months of not having to buy milk again! Remember, this is an expired Publix coupon and not all stores will accept them. Make sure to check with your store to see if they will accept them!

COUPONING IN MIAMI

I went to Miami with my family to visit my daughter and her family. Of course we had to go to Publix to pick up a few things and I saw first hand what she told me months ago. Miami is virgin territory! There seem to be no couponers here. I was able to find 4 different booklets and found plenty of them! She said there are always plenty of booklets available here. South Florida coupon policies have changed already and they do not accept most competitor coupons we use here in North Florida. The only competitor they accept is Winn Dixie. They also will only let you use one Advantage Flyer Coupon per shopping trip. She said her grocery budget has close to doubled since she moved to Miami 2 months ago. The prices are the same but the coupons they accept and limit has changed. She also cannot use any $/$$ coupons.

We are fortunate here in Jacksonville/St. Augustine area. Our stores stlll accept coupons they will not accept in So. Florida. Unfortunately, I see that coming to an end soon. As more and more people start to coupon, I can see Publix tighening their belts to keep people from cleaning off the shelves. You can already see it when you get rainchecks. You are only able to get a raincheck for 5 deals. This is to keep peope from emptying the shelf. If you find you want multiples of an item, go to the customer service desk and place an order so they can get it in without the shelf being affected.

Also, please remember to be honest couponers. Do not use a coupon for an item that you are not buying and NEVEFR make copies of Manufacturer Coupons. They will not get reimbursed for these and eventually will put limits on us.

STEWART'S WEEKLY AD

Sushi Grade Tuna Steaks, $6.99 lb.

Fresh, never frozen Boneless Chicken Breasts,
5 lbs. or more, $1.99 lb.

Fresh Local Littleneck Clams, $3.00/dozen

Also local produce from Sykes Farm:

Broccoflower, Cauliflower, Cabbage, $1.00 head
Sweet Onions, $1.00 each
Strawberries, $1.50 quart

GREEN GIANT VEGETABLES

Lord knows I don't need any more Green Giant Vegetables, but they will be on sale starting Thursday for $1.29 BOGO. If you have any Italian Days Coupons left, you can buy 4 cans and use the $1/4 coupon and pay only $.40 a can. If you buy 20 cans you can use 5 $1/4 coupons and a $5 coupon wyb 20 GG veggies. That is your best buy because you will be getting 20 cans of vegetables for $2.90 which is only $.15 a can!! These won't expire until 2014 so stock up on your veggies!!

PUBLIX 3/21/11, SPENT $48.61, SAVED 94%

I apologize for not having a picture again, but something is wrong with my computer and I can't upload it. I went to the store this week with just a handful of items on my list. My main thing was to pick up the 80 cans of Green Giant Vegetables I pre-ordered during the Italian Days Promotion. They also agreed to honor my gas card coupon since they were not able to get in the vegetables until the day after the sale ended. My total was $48.61 which included a $50 BP gas card!! That makes my total of 11 gas cards I purchased during the gas card week!

This is what I purchased:

80 cans Green Giant Vegetables
3 Silk Soy Milk (used $2 MQ and expired PQ from Savings From The Heart yell. adv. flyer)
9 Philadelphia Cooking Creme (I can't wait to try this!)
2 Vigo Yellow Rice
2 Muellers Pasta (used 2/$1 q's)
Bananas
Fresh Green Beans
4 Sundown Vitamins (overage)
3 Oscar Mayer Carving Board Turkey Breast (used MQ and competitor q)
2 Aleve
$50 BP gas card

When I do the math, I charged $470.93 on my credit card but $440 of that was for gas cards. My cards totalled $550 in gas!!! I'll take $100 worth of gas anyday. That also means I spent $30.93 for 2 weeks worth of groceries. After I give my kids their canned vegetables, I'll still have plenty in my stock until they expire in February 2014!!

NEXT COUPON WORKSHOP MARCH 28, 2011

As part of my goal to help as many people as I can save money, I teach couponing classes in Northeast Florida. I highly recommend attending a class if you can. I cover everything from how to use coupons effectively, to how to work grocery and drug store deals, and everything else in between. The class runs for about two hours and gives you the basics of how to get started. I’ve had every type of person, male and female, in my classes. They have been from the very experienced couponer to the complete novice. I’ve never had anyone leave saying they didn’t learn something. The best part is when you get an e-mail or run into someone in the store and they tell you how much money you have saved their family. Want to learn how? Attend the next ST. AUGUSTINE SAVERS COUPON WORKSHOP ON MONDAY, MARCH 28TH AT 6:30. The class will be held at Lighthouse Interiors, 304 Anastasia Blvd., across from Stewart's Market and Eclections. Please note the class on March 21 had to be rescheduled to March 28th.

HOW MANY GAS CARDS DID YOU GET?

I did my final trip to Publix this morning with the mindset of buying as many items as possible with the least amount OOP so I could get my gas cards. Today I bought 4 more gas cards (for a total of 9). My bill before coupons was $107.46. After coupons and purchasing four gas cards my total was $149.94!! Yes, you read that right!! My gas cards alone would have cost me 4 x $40 = $160. You do the math...I was able to get all my groceries for FREE plus got $10.06 towards my gas cards! I was able to use two $/$$ coupons which gave me the $10 overage towards my gas.

I had a raincheck for canned vegetables and they did not have them. I asked a manager and he said they would order them in for me AND would let me use the gas card deal on that purchase. After I get 80 cans of vegetables, use my italian days coupons, my $5/30 Publix coupon and my $5/25 CVS coupon, I will pay $1.60 for 80 cans of Green Giant Vegetables!! Plus, I will be able to get 2 more gas cards from that purchase!! My total in gas cards will be 11 cards. My total OOP for all the groceries will be $8.48 after all coupons! (See previous post)

This is what I bought today:

6 Kelloggs Crunchy Nut Cereal (used BOGO RC and comp. Q's), all FREE
6 Steam-n-Mash Potatoes (used BOGO RC plus MQ's and exp. PQ) all FREE
10 Progresso Black Beans (not pictured) used RC plus italian days coupons
Crescent Rolls
Muir Glen Tomato Sauce (not pictured)
6 Voskos Yogurt (paid $.25 each)
6 Steamfresh Vegetables
2 PF Deli Flat Bread
4 Heinz Gravy (used exp Q from All the Trimmings)all FREE
Corned Beef from Meat dept.
10 Blueberry Juice Drink (used BOGO exp PQ)all FREE
3 Fresh Blueberries (used exp PQ get blueberries free wyb Juice)
4 Crushed Tomatoes
1 Fels Naptha Soap
2 Puffs Kleenex
Bananas
$4.04 worth of Plums
2 Glad Storage Bags
4 Gas Cards = $160.00

The canned beans and Muir Glen were not in the picture because they were still in a bag on the floor. After I took the picture and started putting the frozen things away, I saw the bag on the floor! I didn't want to load everything back up on the counter!

How many gas cards did you get??

Next week looks like a slim week at Publix. That is a good thing for me. I will be using my stockpile to cook from and spend very little at the store. This will help me use my freezer stock, save on my monthly grocery expense and wait until a better sale ad the following week!!

FREE JUICE AND BLUEBERRIES

If you shop at a store that will take an expired Publix coupon, use the coupon from the yellow adv. flyer Happy Holidays to get the following deal. Ocean Spray Juice is on sale BOGO this week. Use the above coupon, Buy a juice, get one free to get both for FREE. To sweeten this deal even more, use the coupon from the yellow adv. flyer Back to School and use the coupon Buy 2 Ocean Spray Blueberry Juice and get a pint of blueberries for FREE. This coupon would attach itself to the blueberries. Get FREE juice and FREE blueberries!

Don't forget to use the FREE EGGS coupon wyb 2 Sargento Cheese from the All The Trimmings Booklet to get more free eggs this week. I had to give 3 dozen to my daughter because I had so many...and I am getting 3 more dozen today!

PUBLIX 3/11/11, SPENT $216.75, INCLUDING 5-$50 GAS CARDS

Wow! I can't believe I figured out how to download these pictures from the laptop! It was totally different than how I am used to doing it and I am not the most computer literate person in the world. When I have to do something different from the way I know how to do it, it gets scarey!!

My mission for todays Publix trip was to spend the least amount OOP and try to as many gas cards as I could. My total before coupons and purchasing the gas cards was $126.14. That meant I was able to buy 5 $50 gas cards and pay $200 for them. That is one FREE full tank of gas just for going to the store and buying my groceries! My total after coupons and five gas cards was $216.75. That means I bought all this stuff for $16.75!!!

This is what I bought for $16.75. Remember I dug out my rainchecks and took advantage of those deals to bring my total before coupons higher.

Bananas
Cantelope
3 lemons
2 Pepperidge Farm Deli Flats
2 doz eggs (used Q from All the Trimmings)
2 Graham Crackers
6 Ocean Spray Blueberry Juice Drink (used exp. yell. adv. q with bogo sale)
4 yoplait yogurt, 6 pk.
4 sargento cheese
2 Muir Glen tomato sauce
2 Muir Glen tomato paste
6 Athenos Feta Cheese
20 cans corn (used raincheck)
4 Lysol Cleaner
4 bags 8 o'clock coffee (used raincheck)
10 boxes Kelloggs Crunchy Nut Cereal (used raincheck) this cereal doesn't expire until 2/12!!
2 Honey Bunches of Oats Raisen Medley Cereal
12 Uncle Ben's Ready Rice (used raincheck)
AND...
FIVE (5) $50 GAS CARDS!!!

I plan on going on one more Publix trip to see if I could get at least one more gas card! Take advantage of the sales and your coupons to get some free gas!!

Then I went to CVS and bought 6 Dove Deodorant for FREE using the Dove $2.00 coupon on coupons.com and paid only tax! I LOVE free deodorant!!

MY COUPONS RESET, CHECK YOURS!!

I was so excited to see my Sargento Cheese coupons reset for me!! Make sure you print these $1.50/1 coupons and stack with the Winn Dixie Spring Forward for Savings Booklet for $1/2. I don't know how much more FREE cheese I can take!! Put it in your refrig and when you see it getting close to the time of expiring, throw it in your freezer to use in casseroles or baking.

Also, the Muir Glen coupon for $.75 off any Muir Glen product also reset for me. Stack with the $1/2 Italian Days Coupon (if your store will take an expired PQ) and get free plus overage tomato sauce or tomato paste.

Here's a few more deals I spotted:

General Mills Cereal is on sale for 2/$5. Use the $1.50/1 PQ that was on one sheet, one side being the coupons and the other saying "Great Breakfast", "Great Lunch", "Great Dinner", "Great Dessert". Use 2 Publix q's for $1.50/1 and stack with a $.75/1MQ to get cereal for $.25 a box!

Athenos Feta Cheese is also BOGO this week. Check your binders to see if you have any expired MQ's for feta cheese. My coupons expired a week ago and since my store will take an expired MQ for 2 weeks past expiration, I will get another $1/2 my already BOGO cheese. Speaking of cheese, Cracker Barrel Cheese is also on sale for 2 for $7. Check your binders for a $1/1 PQ (already expired) and stack with the $1/2 coupon from the Guy Game Day Playbook and pay only $2 each!! I still have a drawer full of Cracker Barrel cheese when I only paid $1 each!!!

STEWART'S WEEKLY AD

Here is Stewart's new weekly ad. Looks like this will be the last week for chicken breasts. While you are there, pick up some sweet strawberries for $8.99 a flat!

Boneless NY Strip Steak $5.99 lb.

Fresh, never frozen Boneless Chicken Breasts,
5 lbs. or more, $1.99 lb.

New Crop Plant City Strawberries, $1.00 pint, $8.99 flat,

Fresh Local Littleneck Clams, $3.00/dozen

3 lb. bag Onions, $1.50 each

Local Grown Hydroponic Lettuce, $1.50/head

NEXT COUPON WORKSHOP MARCH 21, 2011

The next class will be scheduled for March 21st at 6:30 pm. I am not sure where this class will be held yet. If you are interested in attending this class, please contact me via e-mail or call me at 540-5225.

ANOTHER INSPIRING E-MAIL

I received this e-mail and wanted to share it with everyone. It's e-mails like these that make me happy to know that I have helped people save so much money with their grocery budget.


Hi Judi,
This is Priscilla although you probably don't remember me. I took your class a little over a year ago and it has been a tremendous blessing. With your help I have been able to save my family over hundreds of dollars.

I was just thinking of you and where my couponing journey started. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart!

GAS CARD DEAL BACK AGAIN STARTING 3/10/11

Woo Hoo!! The gas card deal is coming back again next week starting 3/10/11. Get out all those rainchecks you have been holding to bring your grocery total up before coupons to get more gas cards! For every $25 you purchase, you will be able to buy a $50 gas card for $40. I will be pulling out all the rainchecks so I can buy as many gas cards as possible. You are going to buy the gas anyways so why not save $10 on a $50 purchase. My car easily will take $50 worth of gas!!

Also next week Hebrew National Beef Franks will be BOGO. If you use two $1/1 Yellow Advantage Flyer coupon from 1/22, you will pay about $1.60 per package!

A FEW MORE DEALS

Aleve is on sale this week at Publix for $2.99 for the 50 ct. gel tablets. Go here and print a $2/1 coupon to get Aleve for only $.99 per box. Wait!!! It gets even better!! If your store will take an expired Publix coupon, use the $5/2 coupon from the Sweetheart Savings Green Adv. Flyer. Make sure you print 2 coupons and score some FREE Aleve!!

...and yet another deal...

Make sure you print the coupon for Buy Ore-Ida Steam-n-Mash product and get a Heinz Homestyle Gravy for FREE. Use the coupon from the Toss for Cash Booklet for Get a Ore-Ida product FREE wyb 2 Ore-Ida products. In the same booklet there is also a coupon for $2 off wyb 1 Gravy and 1 Steam-n-Mash.

You will get 3 bags of Steam-n-Mash, and 2 jars of gravy for $6, just $1.50 per item!

CHANGES POSSIBLY IN THE AIR FOR WD??

Tonight we ran into Winn Dixie to pick up some heavy whipping cream for a recipe. Winn Dixie was the closest store and we didn't feel like going up the road to Publix. I decided to buy a pound of american cheese and then realized after I paid for it they overcharged me by $1.35!!! I went up to the front desk and talked to the manager. He was very nice and refunded me my money. I asked him if WD was ever going to take competitor coupons like Publix and Walmart. He said they had just been talking about it in this mornings meeting! What a shock!! He said they have never talked about that before so who knows what can happen! Maybe WD will jump on the bandwagon and we can add another to the list!!!

I still have to admit that Publix will always be my favorite!!

CVS 2/27/11

I ran into CVS on Monday to get a few things. I did two transactions using different cards. I ended up spending $1.38 for 2 Oral B Power Toothbrushes, 1 Softsoap Body Wash, and 1 Crest Pro Health Rinse and got back $2.00, $3.29, and $6.00 in ECB's.

My second card was the same items purchased except the body wash and I spent $.96 OOP and got back $3.29 and $6.00 in ECB's!!!

LOVE shopping at the drugstores for FREEBIES!!

LAST MINUTE SNAPPLE DEAL

I know it is last minute and you will only have Wednesday (tomorrow) to do this deal. If you have time and your store will take an expired Publix coupon, buy the Diet Snapple Tea 6 ct. 16 oz. bottles and stack with two $1/1 Publix coupon from the All The Trimmings Book along with two MQ's from the 1/30 SS. You will pay only $1 per 6 pack.

Thanks to my good friend Bev for bringing this one to my attention!

FEBRUARY TOTALS

My totals are done for the month of February. I didn't post a few of my trips because I was having computer issues. Most of them had plenty of canned beans and tomatoes in the scenerio. I spent $162.31 at the grocery store for the month of February but ended up with enough beans and tomatoes to last me the better part of the year! My drugstore spending totaled $11.50 and I still have RR's and ECB's to roll.

I don't think I will be doing much shopping next week because the ad doesn't have much for me. I'll take that as an opportunity to take a break and use from the stockpile!