Publix Trip #2 1/15 Saved 96%

After reading every ones Friday Totals over at I Heart Publix I realized I missed a bunch of great deals, so back to Publix I went this morning. I got lucky, my husband had to go to Lowes which is right next door so he just dropped me off. Before we went there we had to drop off our recyclables. I got lucky, in the newspaper bin there was a bunch of coupons right on top! I got a $5 Maalox coupon and a bogo stayfree coupon out of it!!! Saved me $8.35 today and I didn't even have to dumpster dive!!! LOL

This morning I saved $60.85 or 96%. I spent $2.39. I could have got everything for free and had some overage for something else but I was missing the 2 MQ for the Kleenex which would have taken another $1.00 off and I chose the Maalox and vitamins that I needed instead of just getting the cheapest.
Here is the break down:
4 Vitamins, between $2.99 & $4.29, used 2 PQ $6/2 from green flyer and 4 $1/1 mq = .74 cent money maker. I was running low on vitamins so I am thrilled at this deal:)
2 Stayfree $3.35, used bogo mq, $1 mq and 2 $1 PQ = .17 cents each
3 Maalox, liquid was $4.99, tablets were $4.49, used 3 $5.00 MQ = $1.03 money maker
4 Lysol , bogo $3.59, used 2 $1.50 mq = .30 cents each
6 Kleenex, sale $1.25, used 3 $2/2 PQ = .25 cents each
The cashier missed one of my $5.00 Maalox coupons, I am glad I was paying attention! This is twice in a row that the cashiers have made mistake. Be sure to check the screen as they scan or at least check your receipt before you leave!
Still no Jala yogurt bars :(
I just LOVE Publix!!!

Publix and Winn Dixie shop 1/14

I was going to try and not shop this week but that didn't work out! I didn't even make it until the weekend! To many good deals to pass up.
Here is my Publix trip

I paid $12.83 OOP and saved $40.36 for a savings of 76%

4 Special K - Bogo rain check from last week, used 2 bogo IP and a $1.00 TQ = $1.00 Money Maker
2 Kikkoman soy sauce, no sale $1.19 each, used bogo IP and $1/1 IP = .19 cents  for both
Yo plus yogurt, no sale $2.00, used .50cent mq = $1.50
3 apples, sale $1.00 lb = $1.63
2 Sundown vitamins $3.99 & $4.69 , used $6/2 from green flyer and $3/2 IP = .32 cent MM ( first time in a long time that I got free vitamins, I might have to go back for some vitamin D when they get it in stock)
2 Glad trash bags, sale $5.49 ea, used 2- $3.00 IP and 2 - $1.00 TQ = $1.49 each ( great price!)
2 Pepperidge farm bread, bogo $3.89, no coupon  = $1.95 each
2 ocean spray trail mix, bogo $1.99, no coupon = $1.00 each
1 Pedigree dentastix, sale $3, used $2 mq = $1.00

Today I had a brand new cashier and he had to call the manager for help on the coupons. He was telling me that I couldn't use a competitor coupon with a manufacturer coupon. I knew that wasn't right. The other problem that I had and didn't notice until I was walking out to my car was that he rang up my rain check cereal at half price so when he took off my bogo coupons it was only half price. I had to go back in and have customer service correct this, it was a $4 mistake! They understood and told me he was brand new, Thank God for great customer service at Publix!!!!
Here is my Winn Dixie Stop

Last week my husband ran in to Winn Dixie to pick up a head of lettuce ,on his receipt was a free WD Q for a pack of scott natural wipes, so I used that coupon today. Scott wipes $2.29, free coupon = free
WD kidney beans, sale .60 cents each (could anyone tell me if Publix ever has beans on sale, I never noticed)
Kens blue cheese, bogo $3.39, used $1/2 mq = $1.19 each ( thought the coupon was for $1/1 and I had 2 of them. Only got to use the one)
Taco seasoning, no sale .99 cents each, used .60/2 IP = .69 each
cabbage $1.83 (terrible price but I needed it for some soup)
Mission corn tortillas, no sale $2.49, (noticed my $1.00 coupon had expired before I handed it over )
College Inn broth, bogo $2.89, used $1/2 = .95 cents each (I didn't have any of the coupons that matched this weeks broth sale at Publix)
This trip I spent $13.75 and saved $12.37, a saving of only 47% .

Today's Great drug store experience

I didn't like leaving my blog post on a negative note so today I decided to do some more shopping! LOL...it sounds like a great excuse to me :) I ran to a different CVS to pick up the two cottonelle wipes to complete my deal from the other day. The oop and $10 ecb back was included in the previous post. Then I went across the street to Walgreens. I have to tell you that the Dade City Walgreens is the best! If you use the cosmetic counter, the young cashier is so friendly and helpful!!! Today my bogo coupons weren't scanning right so she called the manager. This is the first time I have dealt with this women so I was holding me breath! It turns out she is awesome too! They worked all my coupons different ways until they wouldnt beep :) To be sure I was doing everything right I copied what another blogger did and which coupons to use first, last ect. Both the cashier and manager were glad to learn that if you use the walgreens coupon last, the other manufacture coupons won't beep. We even talked about the TLC extreme coupon show and how people come in and clear the shelves and then other customers come in and yell at the manager. We had a great friendly talk about coupons. I spent $5.40, saved $29.79 on this trip or 85%!!!
When I got home I was so thrilled that they were friendly that I called Walgreens corp. and told them how awesome these two are!!! I just wish I had gotten their names. (no I did not call CVS the other day)
So I am back feeling great about my coupon use and deals that I get. I did end up going over budget this week but I looked at the Publix ad coming out on Thursday and I don't need anything, so that will make up for it......but I always say that. We will just have to wait and see.
I also stopped at the produce stand and picked up a big bunch of bananas, basket of tomatoes and 4 sweet potatoes for $4.28. At Publix they were out of the Jala ice cream and special K so I got rain checks. I bought 2 yoplait smoothies, yoplait yo plus yogurt and a kashi go lean crisp cereal all for $4.44, saved $7.69 or 63%.

CVS 1/9 Horrible experience

Today I am not adding a picture of what I bought or even listing the items with coupons. I will tell you that I spent the most ever at CVS. I bought $232.68 for $47.67!!! I bought all the major deals and a bunch of B1G1 50% off in two trips. It seems like everything on sale this week was stuff that I use:) I did come home with $30 ecb which makes me feel better about spending the $47. You all know how I hate to do more than two transactions.  I know I missed at least 2 coupons that would have saved me another $3.40.

Instead of my normal post I want to tell you what happened to me and see what you think. Please leave a comment after you read this.
I got up early and went to my favorite CVS store, as usual. I like going early Sunday mornings. Well today they didn't have the signs up. Boy is it hard to find the right items with no signs! I asked an employee for help and she told me all the wrong info concerning the gas x and maalox deal. I bought the gas x prevention anyway, she told me it wasn't part of the deal! It wasn't until I got home and noticed at the bottom of my receipt that is was part of the deal and I needed to buy one more for the $10 ecb. I also realized that I forgot about half of the things that I wanted. For some reason I circled the items in the flyer but didn't add them to my list! UGH...well I knew I was going out later in the afternoon and would be going by another CVS store so I would just stop there to get the items that I needed. BIG MISTAKE! I will stick to my favorite store from now on! I brought my husband along to try and teach him how to coupon and that didn't go over to well. I told him to buy the gas x first to get the $10 ecb and then buy the rest of the items. The cashier, which happens to be the store manager asked why are we buying that! What??? Why would he be asking this??? He said that it's not even on sale. SO WHAT! I then tell him that I needed one more to get the $10 ecb because I didn't buy enough this morning at another store. He than asked my husband if I had a job!!! again WHAT???? My husband told him couponing was my job and I save the same as a part time job. I asked him if he was hiring. (I have actually thought about working there since I love their deals) The store manager then says "if you worked here you would really know how to coupon and only pay .25 cents for all of that!' Now keep in mind we have only rang up one item at this time! ....On to the next transaction....I made the big mistake of grabbing the smaller size Listerine to use for a rain check that I got last week and to top it off I didn't tell my husband to hand the rain check first. Well the manager just has a fit!!! Goes on and on about the wrong size and the rain check and how he will have to fill out a report if he subtracts anything from the register...on and on...I told him it was a very honest mistake and that I was sorry. I said that I was excited to get it because I went to 3 stores last week and didn't find any. He then says" well its because people like you take it all and they don't have it because they don't want us in the store!" WHAT!!!! I then tell him I will be very happy to never shop in his store again and at my favorite store they love me! He asked which store it was and then just goes off about how bad that store manager is and no wonder she has to go to his store and get stuff and they must take any coupons and on and on......At this point I am in total disbelieve that he is saying all this and another employee was too, she came up behind him and said to me " don't shop at that other store, we love having you here" I think this made the manager realize that he was way out of line and he changed his tune. I think she must have kicked him behind the counter, LOL. He went on to say that he was just joking and that it was so good he could kid around with customers and that I didnt take him so seriously.
OMG its been over 15 hours since this trip and I am still fuming!!!! Let me just say one more thing....I am not a shelf clearer. Its just me and my husband so I only buy a couple of any one item, I don't need a million of one item. For example, I could have bought 7 of the dishwashing tabs but I only bought 4 and then some of the other items in that deal and on the gas x I bought one maalox and a couple different gas x items, not all maalox even though that would have been the best deal. I try and do my very best with the coupon match ups but sometimes we all make mistakes. I am not out to commit coupon fraud, just to save where I can.
Ok so what would you do if this happened to you? My husband said use it to make yourself a better couponer. I have thought about calling corporate about the whole thing but that is not like me.

Publix 1/6

I am happy to report I was under budget last week. I only spent $44 on all my shopping!!!

ok so here is what I purchased at Publix for week 2

1 ziploc vacuum bag, sale 2.00 used $1.00 IP = $1.00

6 yoplait smoothies (cant wait to try these) bogo $3.19, used 2 - $1.25 IPs and 4- $1.00 MQ =  .52 cents each

eggs, no sale $2.55

hot dog buns, no sale $1.19

3 packs of boneless chicken breast, sale $1.99 lb = $9.59

4 special k cereals, bogo $3.99, used $1.00/2 target Q., 1 -$1/2 mq and 2 bogo IP = $2.00 Money Maker!!!

6 martha white corn bread .89cents each, used 2- b2g1 free PQ and 3- .55/2 mq = .32 each

Spent $17.31

Saved $50.36 or 74%

CVS 1/2/11 & Publix 1/3

I will start with the bottle of Olay. That came from the Dollar General store. It was on sale for $2.00 and I had a $2.00 mq. I only had to pay tax, .14 cents!
The rest of the items came from CVS.
5 Wisk, $5.00 each, used 5 $2.00 mq, got back $10 ecb, thats like paying only $1.00 each!!!
2 Maxwell house coffee, $2.50 each, used 2 $1.00 IP = $1.50 each
3 Extra gum, 3/$2, got back $1.00 ecb
I paid using $6.00 in ecbs and a $4/20 email coupon
Total OOP was $15.66
Got back $11.00 ecb for next week
Saved $43.20 or 73%

I also stopped at Publix this week. I didn't need much. Picked up 2 Al Fresco apple sausage, bogo for $5.49, used 2- $1.00 IP = $1.75 ea
4 Texas Toast croutons .99 cents each, used 4 - .50 mq = .49 each
For lunch I picked up two packs of Sushi, but that will come out of my lunch spending money and not grocery money. I got seaside combo for $5.99 and rainbow roll for $8.89.
To thank my hubby for detailing my car that morning I bought 2 Tbone steaks for $12.65. That came out of my personal spending money since it was a splurge item! Never go to the grocery store hungry! I spent an extra $27.53 on this trip!!!!
Overall I did great and stayed under my new lower budget amount :)

Publix trip 12/29 and yearly totals

I made my last trip to Publix for 2010 on 12/29. Here is what I purchased:
1 avacado, $1.69, used free IP coupon
2 healthy choice steamers, $3.39 ea, used 1 free mq (facebook) and 1 $1.00 mq
4 tgif snacks ( saving for superbowl), bogo $2.95, used 4 $2.00 mq from all the trimmings booklet = $2.10 money maker
1 yo plus yogurt $2.00, used .50 mq = $1.50
2 bag salad, bogo $3.69 = $1.85 ea
1 bag dried plums/prunes $3.79 (thought the price was $2.79) used $1 mq = $2.79
6 international delight creamers, $1.50 ea, used 5 $1.00 mq blinkies = .50 cents ea
1  lg pudding, not on sale $1.39
2 coast soap, bogo $2.15, used 2 $1.00 IP = .15 cents
2 gatorade recover $2.00, used 2 $1.00 mq blinkie and 2 $1.00 PQ from yellow flyer = free
6 clorox wipes, $2.00 ea, used 6 $2.00 pq from all the trimming booklet = free
2 arnold rolls (sub and wheat buns) bogo $3.19, used .75 mq = $1.22 ea.
I spent $15.64, saved $63.81 or 79%

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This year I just about cut my shopping cost in half and have so much more to show for my money. This is my first year couponing so I don't have a very accurate record from last year but I do know it was more than $6,000. I didn't start writing things down this year until May but I was on a $300 a month budget so I will figure the totals from that.
I spent $3,829
Saved $8,122 or 68%
This total includes everything that comes out of Publix, CVS, Walgreens, Winn Dixie. Groceries, toiletries, pet food, health and beauty items, etc.
That averages to  $319 a month. I am very pleased with this number even though it is just a little over budget. When I started to coupon I did not have any stock so I spent a little more than I normally would do build this up. I also went a little over board on the holiday meals and we had some family stay with us for an extended period of time throughout the year that added to the food totals. I was able to give away so many products to friends, family and neighbors. I even loaded the car up with extras and donated them to the local food pantry.

For 2011 my goal is to try and see if I can get our cost down to $200 a month or lower, now that my stock pile is full! In 2010 I had fun couponing and tried all sorts of products that I would not normally try because they were either free or very cheap. Now that I have tried just about every thing in the store (lol) I now know what we like and what we don't. I am going to try and eat a little healthier this year, not so many boxed or canned items!

How did you do this year???