Ok, so who has been watching that new show "Extreme Couponing" on TLC? I admit, I have been watching-honestly, the show makes me SO mad! I think my hubby gets more annoyed at my sudden loud outbursts and incessant commentary directed to the television- because they can hear me, right? (Now you know how I feel when you watch sports honey!)
What makes me so angry you ask? Well for starters, not every grocery store in the US doubles every coupon! There is no way I could ever get a $600+ grocery bill down to less than $20 using coupons here in SoCal!
Another issue I have with the store is the obvious- these people are organized hoarders! 50 bottles of dish soap? 100 sticks of deodorant? 67 bottles of mustard? Yes, it looks so pretty in those nice little rows on those plastic shelves in your bedroom, but, seriously?!?! Does one really need all that stuff??? The answer is no! In my opinion, these people have a shopping addiction and get a high from getting stuff for free, whether or not they need it or not!
The show also neglects to show how much money these people are spending on coupon clipping services and how many "free item" coupons they are using. If you coupon long enough, and follow money saving blogs and sites, you can get coupons for free things all the time. Manufacturers like to give out freebies of new products for people to try, in efforts to spread the word and have the consumer tell people all about it. If you watch on the show when the cashier is scanning the coupons, you will see "FREE" coupons in the pile, clear as day! Why don't they mention this? Because it would take away from the "reality" and will make the viewer think that not everyone can drastically decrease their grocery bills like those on the show, if they don't have those coupons for freebies.
My biggest problem with this show is fact that the majority of the food items these people are getting for free is all crap. Sorry to be blunt, but come on! Soda, processed snacks, candy, cake mix- all crap. When I go to the store, I buy a variety of healthy fresh foods and try to limit my junk purchases. Don't get me wrong, I won't pass up a good deal on cereal and fruit snacks, but at least I know that my kids will also be getting food with nutritional value in their diets as well. I challenge these extreme couponers to go shopping, get all their stuff for free, then go home and make a healthy, nutritious meal for their family using only what they got at the store. It isn't possible. Watch the show. Do you ever see a single fresh fruit, vegetable, or lean meat in their carts? Never.
I like to call myself a "practical couponer." I use coupons paired with store promotions and sales to save my family money on items we need and will use. I can not rationalize clearing a shelf of mustard just because I have coupons that will make it free! Where is the logic in that? I understand some people use these items to donate to food banks and whatnot, and I am all about that. If I had 40 extra hours in my week, no kids, and no social life, I may do the same. Unfortunately, with 4 growing kids and a hectic schedule between school, sports, and a life, it isn't a priority for me. By all means, if you are able to donate free items to those in need, go for it! Just be respectful to those at the grocery store who may need just one bottle of mustard from the shelf you just cleared.
If you watch the show, what do you think? Tell me about it, I'd love to hear what you have to say!
-Ambra
Thursday, May 5, 2011
2 FREE 8x10 Collage Prints at Walgreens
Now through May 7, you can score 2 FREE 8x10 collage print from Walgreens! Pick up a cute, cheap frame and voila- instant Mother's Day gift! Use the code FREECOLLAGE and/or FORMOM and choose the pick up in store option to avoid shipping costs and make this deal totally free!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Walgreens- Cheap TP, free flossers, cheap razors, and free body wash!
Made a quick trip to Wags when the hubby got home from work- we were out of toilet paper! Good thing there is a sweet deal this week! While I was there, I picked up a few other items as well :)
Cottonelle 12 pk TP
*Current RR deal: buy 2, get back $3 RR, buy 3 or more, get back $4 RR* (until 5/15)
I bought 2 packs and used the following coupons:
2x .50/1 MQ (Manufacturer Coupon) (print 2)
1x $1/1 IVC (Instant Value Coupon- found in the booklet in the front of store) takes off $2
$10- $3= $7, got back $3 RR= $4 for 2 packs of TP
I also picked up:
Noxema 4pk. disposable razors $3.99- *$3 RR
used $2/1 (5/1 RP)
Paid $1.99, got back $3 RR (profit $1.01)
GUM Ez flossers $2- *$2 RR
used .75/1
Paid $1.25, got back $2 RR (profit $.75)
2 Right Guard Body Wash- BOGO
used BOGO coupon (5/1 RP)- both FREE (I will still have to pay tax on this!)
My total was a little over $10. I used RR from last week to "pay" for everything (also got some cheap nail polish as "filler" items) and got back $8 in Register Rewards for my next trip ;)
Again- my coupon philosophy is to buy things when they are on sale or running with a store promotion- and to only buy things my family WILL use!
Don't forget- at Walgreens, your total number of coupons CAN NOT exceed the number of items you are purchasing! Throw in some cheap candy or pencils (called "filler items") to be sure your coupon to item ratio is at least equal! Register Rewards count as coupons too! Before I check out, I do a quick count. Items and coupons. If I have more coupons than items, I simply grab some gum or the cheap candy at the front to make my totals equal. It's worth it in my book.
Cottonelle 12 pk TP
*Current RR deal: buy 2, get back $3 RR, buy 3 or more, get back $4 RR* (until 5/15)
I bought 2 packs and used the following coupons:
2x .50/1 MQ (Manufacturer Coupon) (print 2)
1x $1/1 IVC (Instant Value Coupon- found in the booklet in the front of store) takes off $2
$10- $3= $7, got back $3 RR= $4 for 2 packs of TP
I also picked up:
Noxema 4pk. disposable razors $3.99- *$3 RR
used $2/1 (5/1 RP)
Paid $1.99, got back $3 RR (profit $1.01)
GUM Ez flossers $2- *$2 RR
used .75/1
Paid $1.25, got back $2 RR (profit $.75)
2 Right Guard Body Wash- BOGO
used BOGO coupon (5/1 RP)- both FREE (I will still have to pay tax on this!)
My total was a little over $10. I used RR from last week to "pay" for everything (also got some cheap nail polish as "filler" items) and got back $8 in Register Rewards for my next trip ;)
Again- my coupon philosophy is to buy things when they are on sale or running with a store promotion- and to only buy things my family WILL use!
Don't forget- at Walgreens, your total number of coupons CAN NOT exceed the number of items you are purchasing! Throw in some cheap candy or pencils (called "filler items") to be sure your coupon to item ratio is at least equal! Register Rewards count as coupons too! Before I check out, I do a quick count. Items and coupons. If I have more coupons than items, I simply grab some gum or the cheap candy at the front to make my totals equal. It's worth it in my book.
Grocery Store Lists
The newest lists and match-ups are available from Grocery Smarts now! Click on your store of choice below, the new lists are good from 5/4- 5/10. When you are checking out the lists, look for the "*****" in the left column for the best "stock-up prices" and bargains!
Great News!
Grocery Smarts now has current sale lists and coupon match ups for CVS, Walgreens, and Wal-Mart!
*Please be sure to check the dates on all lists! Not all stores are on the same sale cycles.
Todays CVS Trip
A few of you were able to make it to my very first coupon class, Coupons 101. Thank you to those who came to be my guinea pigs. I may try to do another class- hopefully things would go a little faster and have less hiccups :)
During the class, I told everyone how much I love drugstores like CVS and Walgreens to score everyday necessities like toiletries. So today, I want to show you how you can get "paid" by buying the following items using coupons from last Sunday's paper.If you got 3 or 4 papers like I suggested, these deals are completely do-able.
Today's trip summary:
2 Right Guard body wash $2.49 ea. *Get $1 Extra Bucks when you buy one (limit 2 per card)
2 Colgate toothpastes $2.77 ea. *Get $2.77 Extra Bucks when you buy one (limit 2 per card)
3pk of Ivory soap .99
Total before coupons: $11.41
Coupons I used:
1 BOGO Right Guard body wash (from the 5/1 Red Plum Insert) -$2.49
2 .75/1 Colgate toothpaste (from the 5/1 Smart Source Insert) -$1.50
1 .50/1 Ivory Soap (I had this coupon from a booklet P&G mailed me) -$.50 --------> -$4.49 off with coupons.
The total looks like this: $11.41- $4.49= $6.92 (plus tax)
I used $7 in Extra Bucks from last week (I bought the soap so I wouldn't waste any of the $7)
And got back:
$2 EB from the body wash
$5.54 EB from the toothpaste -------> $7.54 EB for next time!
SO my total (when you factor in the EB's) is negative .62! I made money to buy these products! If this is your very first CVS trip, you would have to pay out of pocket the $6.92, but then you would have $7.54 to pay for your next trip! And the next trip- try to buy things that have Extra Buck rewards and keep the cycle going! You will never pay for toothpaste, body wash, razors and more ever again, it's the best :)
During the class, I told everyone how much I love drugstores like CVS and Walgreens to score everyday necessities like toiletries. So today, I want to show you how you can get "paid" by buying the following items using coupons from last Sunday's paper.If you got 3 or 4 papers like I suggested, these deals are completely do-able.
Today's trip summary:
2 Right Guard body wash $2.49 ea. *Get $1 Extra Bucks when you buy one (limit 2 per card)
2 Colgate toothpastes $2.77 ea. *Get $2.77 Extra Bucks when you buy one (limit 2 per card)
3pk of Ivory soap .99
Total before coupons: $11.41
Coupons I used:
1 BOGO Right Guard body wash (from the 5/1 Red Plum Insert) -$2.49
2 .75/1 Colgate toothpaste (from the 5/1 Smart Source Insert) -$1.50
1 .50/1 Ivory Soap (I had this coupon from a booklet P&G mailed me) -$.50 --------> -$4.49 off with coupons.
The total looks like this: $11.41- $4.49= $6.92 (plus tax)
I used $7 in Extra Bucks from last week (I bought the soap so I wouldn't waste any of the $7)
And got back:
$2 EB from the body wash
$5.54 EB from the toothpaste -------> $7.54 EB for next time!
SO my total (when you factor in the EB's) is negative .62! I made money to buy these products! If this is your very first CVS trip, you would have to pay out of pocket the $6.92, but then you would have $7.54 to pay for your next trip! And the next trip- try to buy things that have Extra Buck rewards and keep the cycle going! You will never pay for toothpaste, body wash, razors and more ever again, it's the best :)
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