They say the early bird gets the worm. Today I got an early start hitting up one of my favorite stores, Meijer. I arrived there just a little before 8:30 a.m. with my niece Jacara in tow. Having her with me was so nice, because not only did we get to spend some quality time together, it was also a teachable moment where I got an opportunity to show her how she can save money. Each one, teach one, right?
Today’s Haul:
Retail value $337.30 . Total cost with coupons and savvy savings $84.08, out of my pocket $23.08.
Meijer Breakdown: I did 3 different transactions in order to use all of my coupons and mPerks.
20 boxes of Betty Crocker Potatoes – on sale for 10 for $10, used a .50 cent off coupon (doubled to a $1), paid .50 cents for each box.
24 boxes of Zatarain Rice – on sale for 10 for $10 w/ the 11th item free, used a $1 off 4 coupon, and a *Meijer Mealbox coupon for $1 off 5. I paid .60 cents for each one.
6 DiGiorno Pizzas – on sale for $3.99, used a $2 off 1 coupon = $1.99 per box. Plus, for every 2 that you buy you receive a Meijer $1 off *Catalina (which can be used towards your next order). You have to split the pizzas up in separate transactions in order to get all of your $1 off Catalinas.
4 V8 Fusion Drinks – on sale B1G1 free. $3.43 each, used a $1 off 2 coupon = $2.43 for 2 bottles. PLUS a $1 off mPerks offer, so I paid $1.43 for 2 bottles or .71 cents per bottle.
15 cans of Spaghetti O’s – on sale for .50 cents each (6 for $3), used a $1 off 5, and a mPerks offer for $1 off 6. I paid .16 cents for each can.
9 Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom/Chicken Soup – on sale .79 cents each, used a .40 cent off coupon (which doubled to .80 cents), plus a .40 cents off mPerks coupon = $3.59 for 9 or .39 cents each.
6 Swanson Chicken/Beef Broth – on sale for $1.98, used a $1 off 3 coupon, which = $9.84 for 6 or $1.64 each.
6- 59 oz.Tropicana Orange Juices – on sale for $2.00 for 5 (or $2.50 each), used a $1 off 2 coupon, and a .75 cent mPerks = $3.25 for 2 or $1.62.
Total retail $201.91, I paid $62.48 ($61.00 came from items I told in a garage sale this weekend), so my out of my pocket cost? I swiped my debit card for $1.48. Even if I had to pay the $61 from my food budget I still would have realized a total savings of $139.43, still a nice savings. Now I can use my total dollar savings towards other things. This is a great way to save money.
Helpful Tip: Always look around your house and purge – what can you sell, trade-in, or barter to gain extra cash. Using coupons is a wonderful way to start off if you are seeking to cut down on your monthly grocery bill, but always continue to think outside the box.
Walgreen’s Breakdown:
4 Quaker Oatmeal 42 oz. for $2.99 = FREE (used 12 in RR)
3 Cottonelle Bathroom Tissue 12-pack cost $5, used a $3 off coupon, and $1 in-store coupon = $1 per 12-pack or about .08 cents per roll!
4 bags of Hall’s Cough Drops, on sale for $1. Used a $1 off 2 coupon and received a $1 off RR for each 2 that was purchased. FREE after the RR.
4 Smart Rinse Kid’s Listerine, on sale for $2.74, used a $1 off coupon = $1.74 per bottle. Also, on 2 of those bottles I had an in-store coupon that gave me an additional $1 off 2. So I paid $1.74 for 2 bottles, and $1.24 for the other two.
5 16.9 oz Zero Cavity Listerine, on sale for $2.89, used a $2 off coupon for each one. Paid .89 cents for each one!
2 bags of Ricoala, on sale for $1.79 each. Used a B1G1 free coupon, paid $1.79 for 2, or .89 cents per bag.
Total Walgreen’s retail value $108.25, I paid $17.00 OOP! Saved a whopping $91.25!
Target Breakdown:
6 packs of Trident Gum, .99 cents each. Used a $1 off 3 coupon, and a Target in-store coupon of b1g1 free. Paid $1.98 for 6, or .33 cent per 18-Count pack of gum.
Assorted Halloween stuff cost $1.00
Total retail $16.54, OOP = FREE! (I traded in some items to receive a gift card. I will explain more about how to maximize your savings by getting rid of things you don’t use/need).
Dollar General Breakdown: (my first time using coupons in this store.)
Nivea Lip Balm $2.50 for a 2-Pack. Purchased 4, used a $3 coupon off 2. Total retail $10.60, I paid $4.60.
Your Meijer trip sounds just like ours this past weekend, we did it in 5 orders and saved 100$ off retail 🙂