Works for Me Wednesday: Strategic Couponing

I tried something new last week.  Instead of looking at the grocery store’s sales circular and making a list, then pulling coupons for items on the list, I went about it sort of backwards.

First of all, I didn’t use the circular.  I always feel like I have ADD when I look at them… there are too many pictures, too many colors, and too much fine print.  Instead, I used the store’s online version of the circular, which is SEARCHable.  I let my computer do the hard work of scanning for good deals so my poor mind and eyes could take a bit of a break.

Second, instead of looking for items and then checking my coupons, I checked my coupons FIRST.  I pulled every single coupon out and searched the store’s circular to see if the items I had coupons for were on sale.  If they were, the coupon stayed out and the item went on the list.

It  took slightly longer to do it this way but I believe it was worth it.  Check out some of my real steals:

• Land O Lakes butter:  reg $4.19, on sale for $1.99, additional $1 off for buying 3 Pillsbury items, coupons for 50 cents (doubled) = two pounds for 98 cents / 49 cents each!
• Daisy sour cream:  regularly $1.49, on sale for $1.00, coupon for 60 cents (doubled) = I got paid 40 cents to take two containers home!
• Barilla whole grain pasta:  regularly $1.89, on sale for 89 cents, coupon for $1.00 off of two = 78 cents for two boxes / 39 cents each!
• Barilla Piccolini pasta:  regularly $1.89, on sale for 89 cents, coupon for 50 cents (doubled) = I got paid 11 cents to take this home!

(Oh, and just for the record, I think these “regular” prices are pretty ridiculous!)

In total, I would have paid over $74 for the groceries without any discount card or coupons.  But I ended up paying less than $29!  My total savings was 61%.

I should point out that this trip to the store was not without its problems.  I grabbed a can of Duncan Hines frosting (not on sale) when I meant to grab a Betty Crocker.  Instead of paying  50 cents for the Betty Crocker, I paid $1.99 for the Duncan Hines.  Naturally, I didn’t realize my mistake until I got home and went over the receipt.

Additionally, the cashier didn’t scan the  coupon I gave her for some juice boxes, so I ended up paying the sale price ($2.00) instead of $1.50.  Again, I didn’t realize this until it was too late.

I would like to think that I might have caught these mistakes if I hadn’t been so busy telling Sophia and her friend to be quiet / keep their hands in the cart and no-you-may-not-have-any-candy.  We’ll see if I fare any better this week when I try to do it shopping solo.  🙂