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.