We're continuing our Road to Savings with our second stop.
Step 2 in saving money:
Sign Up For Club Cards
You should always sign up for your store's savings cards. Whether it is Vons, Ralph's, Albertsons, CVS, or wherever; if your store offers a club card, sign up for it! This step is crucial to saving money. Aside from getting special discounted prices you can also load electronic coupons to most club cards which you can use in conjunction with paper coupons to get extra savings! You can easily request a card at your store either at customer service or during checkout. Or you can sign up online at the store's website. The only problem with this is that you need to wait for the card to get sent in the mail which can take up to 3 weeks whereas requesting one in-store allows you to start saving right away.
Here are the online links to request club cards:
Vons - fill out and print application and take to the store
Albertsons - Request Online
CVS - Request Online
Ralph's - you need to request in-store.
Homework assignment: Request club cards or print applications to take with you the next time you go to the store.
Up next in our Road to Savings: Electronic Coupons!
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Road to Savings
I don't exactly consider myself an expert in this field. I still have plenty to learn but I do know quite a bit about couponing and I will try to explain as best as I can how to begin saving money and using coupons. This is the first of several future posts in my Road to Savings series.
Step 1 to start your savings:
Make a menu.
This may not seem like a big deal, but it really is. I plan my menu out monthly but you can certainly do it on a weekly basis as well.
Start by looking in your pantry and freezer to know what you have on hand. Plan your meals based on this information and whatever you need but don't have add it to your shopping list. This allows me to look in the weekly sales flyers for the best deals on the items I use most or will need for future meals. This also saves me money because I don't have to make pit stops at the grocery store to get any items I ran out of. Remember, the more often you go to the store the more likely you are to make impulse purchases. Not to mention you are wasting time and gas just to go there.
Even though I plan my menu I am still very flexible. Just because I planned spaghetti for dinner on Friday and Quesadillas for dinner on Tuesday doesn't mean I won't switch and make spaghetti on Tuesday and Quesadillas on Friday depending on what's easier or what I'm in the mood for. Since I already knew and purchased ahead of time the items I needed, I will have everything I need to make either meal. A menu is a very useful guide to help ease up the problem of deciding what to make for dinner every night.
So, tonight's homework: make a menu. Whether it's a weekly or monthly menu is up to you. Find out which works best for you.
Step 1 to start your savings:
Make a menu.
This may not seem like a big deal, but it really is. I plan my menu out monthly but you can certainly do it on a weekly basis as well.
Start by looking in your pantry and freezer to know what you have on hand. Plan your meals based on this information and whatever you need but don't have add it to your shopping list. This allows me to look in the weekly sales flyers for the best deals on the items I use most or will need for future meals. This also saves me money because I don't have to make pit stops at the grocery store to get any items I ran out of. Remember, the more often you go to the store the more likely you are to make impulse purchases. Not to mention you are wasting time and gas just to go there.
Even though I plan my menu I am still very flexible. Just because I planned spaghetti for dinner on Friday and Quesadillas for dinner on Tuesday doesn't mean I won't switch and make spaghetti on Tuesday and Quesadillas on Friday depending on what's easier or what I'm in the mood for. Since I already knew and purchased ahead of time the items I needed, I will have everything I need to make either meal. A menu is a very useful guide to help ease up the problem of deciding what to make for dinner every night.
So, tonight's homework: make a menu. Whether it's a weekly or monthly menu is up to you. Find out which works best for you.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Best Deal on the Nintendo Wii
Amazon has a very good deal for the Nintendo Wii. Nintendo recently dropped the purchase price to $199.99 plus you can also get a $25 Amazon gift card when purchasing! (Don't forget this also qualifies for free shipping!) Gift card details
New Coupons
The coupons at coupons.com have reset this month with lots of good ones. There are also some hot coupons for childrens toys that could be paired with all the upcoming holiday sales! Don't forget, you are able to print 2 per computer. You can click through the image on my sidebar or click here to start printing.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Cake Mania Free on Amazon
I currently have this game on my iPhone and I absolutely LOVE it! You can download it for free at Amazon right now. Just click on the image above.
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Coupon Preview 9/20
There will be two coupon inserts in this sunday's paper. It will be one Red Plum and one Smart Source. To see the full preview of the upcoming coupons click here.
Friday, September 11, 2009
Target Coupon Policy
Target has finally put up their coupon policy on their website. Go here to print it out and make sure to take it with you whenever you go to Target.
Thanks, Krazy Coupon Lady!
I find I always have to use my printout. Last week I purchased two Arm and Hammer trial size toothpastes at $1.07 each and when I handed the cashier the $3.00 off two coupon she refused it. I got out my coupon policy and told her she could adjust the coupon. She said she was confused because the managers had always told her to refuse coupons that had a higher value than the item. So she called her manager to confirm what I had told her. The manager seemed very upset and said it was common sense to know that the manufacturer did not intend for this coupon to be used on trial size items. I told her, as politely as I possibly could, that it was common sense to read her store's coupon policy and to make herself familiar with it. When she noticed I had gotten upset over her remark she immmediately apologized and said she would only give me the discount today but next time she wouldn't. I really don't like going to Target but unfortunately, they have some really good deals. If only they would update their employess on their policies!
Anyways, I hope this will help us on our trips to Target.
Thanks, Krazy Coupon Lady!
I find I always have to use my printout. Last week I purchased two Arm and Hammer trial size toothpastes at $1.07 each and when I handed the cashier the $3.00 off two coupon she refused it. I got out my coupon policy and told her she could adjust the coupon. She said she was confused because the managers had always told her to refuse coupons that had a higher value than the item. So she called her manager to confirm what I had told her. The manager seemed very upset and said it was common sense to know that the manufacturer did not intend for this coupon to be used on trial size items. I told her, as politely as I possibly could, that it was common sense to read her store's coupon policy and to make herself familiar with it. When she noticed I had gotten upset over her remark she immmediately apologized and said she would only give me the discount today but next time she wouldn't. I really don't like going to Target but unfortunately, they have some really good deals. If only they would update their employess on their policies!
Anyways, I hope this will help us on our trips to Target.
Henry's Deals 9/9 - 9/16
Don’t forget that if you shop on Wednesdays at Henry’s you get the sale prices of both this and last week’s circular.
Produce:
Produce:
Green and Red Romaine Lettuce 2/$1
Yellow Peaches $0.88/lb
Strawberries 1lb package $0.88 each
Broccoli Crowns 2lbs/$1.00
Bartlett or Bosc Pears 2lbs/$1.00
Hass Avocados 2/$1.00
Roma Tomatoes $0.88/lb
Organic Produce:
Hass Avocados $0.97 each
Gala Apples $0.97/lb
Bartlett Pears $0.97/lb
Yellow Peaches $0.97/lb
Carrots 5lb bag 2/$5.00
Grocery:
Cascadian Farms Organic Frozen Vegetables 2/$5.00 use $1.00 here
Annie’s Homegrown Organic Mac & Cheese 3/$5.00
Horizon Organic Lowfat/Fat-Free Yogurt 6oz. $0.75/each
Meat & Deli:
Natural Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs $0.79/lb
Natural Boneless Rib Eye Steak $5.99/lb
Wild Fresh Coho Salmon Fillets $5.99/lb
Mild cheddar cheese $1.99/lb
Buying in Bulk:
Pinto Beans $0.89/lb
Long Grain Brown Rice $0.69/lb
Free Lesson Planner
This may come a little late since most of us homeschoolers have already planned out our next school year but just in case, Knowledge Quest Maps is offering a free lesson planner. Click here to be taken to the link.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Vons 9/9 - 9/15
Here are the best deals and coupon matches for this week. Thanks to Abundant Food Savings for her help in compiling these.
72 HOUR SALE Friday - Sunday
•Mission Tortilla Chips .99 cents
•Bumble Bee Tuna - .88 cents get $1 off 2 when you friend them on Facebook HERE = .38 cents each
•DiGiorno frozen pizza $3.99 use $1 off from 8/23 Smart Source = $2.99
•Starbucks Coffee $5.99
•Rice or Pasta Roni .89 cents
•Safeway Brand cheese singles .99 cents
•Safeway hamburger buns .99 cents - which is just silly because there is a Super coupon for these for .79 cents
SUPER COUPONS See each coupon for limits
•Hormel Lunch meat $1.99 use .55 cents off one HERE = $1.44
•Johnsonville brats or Italian Sausage $2.99
•Tyson Breaded selections chicken $3.99 use $1 off from 8/2 Smart Source = $2.99
•Safeway frozen boneless skinless chicken breast $1.69 per Lb ( 4 lb pack ) use $1 off HERE = $1.45 per lb
•Post Honey Bunches of Oats 4 for $6 - must buy 4 for that price use $2 off HERE - for Pecan bunches if you can find it
•Palmolive dish soap $1.99 use $1 off one HERE = .99 cents -- use zip code 85712 if you don't see it
•Chef Boy Ardee canned pasta .79 cents use .35 cents off 3 from 8/2 Smart Source = .67 cents each
•Bertolli Olive Oil $4.99
•Hefty Trash bags $3.99 use $1 off 2 from 8/30 Red Plum = $3.49 each
•Nabisco Saltine crackers $1.29 - use $1 off any 2 Nabisco cookie / crackers from 8/23 Smart Source or Back To School booklets = .79 cents each
•Tina's Potato chips $1.49
•Quaker Instant Oatmeal $1.77 use $1.25 off 2 from 8/30 Red Plum = $1.02 each
•Pepsi select products $3 off 3
•Coffeemate $1.99 use $1 off HERE = .99 cents
•Lucerne 18 count eggs $1.49
•Alpine Lace Cheese $1.99 use $1 off one HERE = .99 cents
•Eating Right mini peeled carrots .99 cents
•Lucerne ice cream 1/2 gallon $1.99
BEST BUYS / COUPON MATCHES
•Healthy Choice Frozen dinners $1.99 each when you buy 5 - use $2 off HERE = FREE (note stores may refuse an Internet coupon that is more that 1/2 the item value so this is variable ) get $1 off 2 HERE = $1.49 each
•Country pork ribs .99 cents per lb.
•Safeway chicken value pack thighs, quarters, drumsticks .99 cents per lb.
•Yoplait yogurt cups .50 cents each must buy 10 for that price use .50 cents off six HERE or buy 6 get one free from 8/9 Smart Source
•Progresso soup $1.88 use $1.10 off 3 HERE or HERE = $1.51 each
72 HOUR SALE Friday - Sunday
•Mission Tortilla Chips .99 cents
•Bumble Bee Tuna - .88 cents get $1 off 2 when you friend them on Facebook HERE = .38 cents each
•DiGiorno frozen pizza $3.99 use $1 off from 8/23 Smart Source = $2.99
•Starbucks Coffee $5.99
•Rice or Pasta Roni .89 cents
•Safeway Brand cheese singles .99 cents
•Safeway hamburger buns .99 cents - which is just silly because there is a Super coupon for these for .79 cents
SUPER COUPONS See each coupon for limits
•Hormel Lunch meat $1.99 use .55 cents off one HERE = $1.44
•Johnsonville brats or Italian Sausage $2.99
•Tyson Breaded selections chicken $3.99 use $1 off from 8/2 Smart Source = $2.99
•Safeway frozen boneless skinless chicken breast $1.69 per Lb ( 4 lb pack ) use $1 off HERE = $1.45 per lb
•Post Honey Bunches of Oats 4 for $6 - must buy 4 for that price use $2 off HERE - for Pecan bunches if you can find it
•Palmolive dish soap $1.99 use $1 off one HERE = .99 cents -- use zip code 85712 if you don't see it
•Chef Boy Ardee canned pasta .79 cents use .35 cents off 3 from 8/2 Smart Source = .67 cents each
•Bertolli Olive Oil $4.99
•Hefty Trash bags $3.99 use $1 off 2 from 8/30 Red Plum = $3.49 each
•Nabisco Saltine crackers $1.29 - use $1 off any 2 Nabisco cookie / crackers from 8/23 Smart Source or Back To School booklets = .79 cents each
•Tina's Potato chips $1.49
•Quaker Instant Oatmeal $1.77 use $1.25 off 2 from 8/30 Red Plum = $1.02 each
•Pepsi select products $3 off 3
•Coffeemate $1.99 use $1 off HERE = .99 cents
•Lucerne 18 count eggs $1.49
•Alpine Lace Cheese $1.99 use $1 off one HERE = .99 cents
•Eating Right mini peeled carrots .99 cents
•Lucerne ice cream 1/2 gallon $1.99
BEST BUYS / COUPON MATCHES
•Healthy Choice Frozen dinners $1.99 each when you buy 5 - use $2 off HERE = FREE (note stores may refuse an Internet coupon that is more that 1/2 the item value so this is variable ) get $1 off 2 HERE = $1.49 each
•Country pork ribs .99 cents per lb.
•Safeway chicken value pack thighs, quarters, drumsticks .99 cents per lb.
•Yoplait yogurt cups .50 cents each must buy 10 for that price use .50 cents off six HERE or buy 6 get one free from 8/9 Smart Source
•Progresso soup $1.88 use $1.10 off 3 HERE or HERE = $1.51 each
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