This week I made 5 purchases… and spent a total of $33.16 after coupons, rebates and SCR’s… Here’s what I purchased:
On Monday I went to Rite Aid and after coupons and SCR’s my total was $13.99 oop… I was left with $14 in Up Rewards and a $3 off my next $15 or more purchase survey coupon at the bottom of my receipt. So… in the long run… it was a moneymaker 
You can read more about this specific trip HERE.
I was also able to come across a bunch more of those $5 Similac coupons (4/3 SS) so I used them to my advantage and played the overage game at Walmart again this week. Two items caught my eye while I was shopping #1 A box of Kellogg’s “Try Me Free” fruit filled mini wheats… and the other was the Toy Story 3 Operation Game… The “Try Me Free” cereal was a no brainer… but the Toy Story 3 Game… even though my kids are teenagers … I still picked it up… because for only $2 (after the $3.00 off any Operation Game Coupon) I thought it would be the perfect gift to add to my Toy’s For Tot’s Christmas gift stash.
And… because you can only use 1 Similac coupon per transaction… I had several receipts… Which is fine with me… after all… I was able to score a bunch of produce, bread and other odds and ends for ultra cheap with my overage PLUS pick up a bunch of free formula for the food bank
With Fresh Express salad on sale this week at Safeway for only $1 a bag (prices good through Tuesday) I simply used (5) .50 cents off 1 bag of Fresh Express coupon 4/3 SS to score .50 cent salad and spinach salad blends. 1 Bag of FREE Beef Jerky. And…just to point out I’m totally human… I paid FULL PRICE for 5 apples and a bag of caramels… My daughter finally had her braces taken off and requested carameled apples for dessert. So this particular trip was a rather pricey one $7.01 Yikes!
Mavis + Albertsons Double Coupons = $8.79 oop! You can find all the match up’s HERE
Rite Aid .79 cents oop
My total for 2 gallons of milk, 1 box of Kellogg’s “Try Me Free” cereal and 16 Snickers Eggs was $15.79 before coupons. I used a $3 off $15 survey coupon, 2 $2 Up Rewards (from my first Rite Aid purchase) and 8 $1 off M&M products coupon from the 4/10 SS. After I factor in the .44 cent stamp for mailing in the cereal rebate form from the box… I will receive $4.05 back from Kellogg’s for the “Try M Free” cereal offer.
So after Rebates and SCR’s… this week I spent a total of $33.16 oop. Plus I still have a FREE case of Albertsons water catalina (the person before me didn’t take their coupon) a $10 Up Reward I received on Monday and another $3 off $15 purchase survey coupon from the bottom of my milk ,cereal,eggs purchase.
Total Spent This Week $33.16
Total Spent Year To Date $368.49
So how about YOU? What was your #1 FAB deal you scored this week?
Best transation at Albertsons: 1 Finish dishwashing tabs, two McCormick grill spices, free eggs, used 75 cent Finish Q, two $1 McCormick Q, Albies free eggs Q, egg Q (55 or 65 cents, don’t remember) and 3 doubles. Total OOP= $0. Wish I would have done that first so I would have known
Can you explain how the Similac coupons and Walmart/overage works?
Thanks,
Sarah
Sarah, Walmart’s coupon policy states if your coupon is over the price of the item, (i.e you have a coupon for $5.00 and your item is $4.00) you get the overage back. http://walmartstores.com/7655.aspx
I’m new to these blogs, but am wondering what Mavis does with the baby formula she used the coupons for??? I know someone who can actually use this formula since the shelves are bare because of this latest coupon.`
I donated all the baby formula to the food bank
I am pregnant with twins and need to start stocking up on formula. Where were those coupons from? Such a great deal since formula really adds up.
4/3 SS
You can join The Coupon Swap on Facebook. It is a great way to get rid of your unwanted coupons and get some that you do want. Just tell Lauren that Jackie Nice sent you. Happy couponing.
I have a few of those coupons I won’t be using. I would love to send them to someone who actually needs the formula.
Hey Elena, my best friend just had her second set of Twins, she is nursing one and giving the other a bottle, then switches on the next feeding. I have already used all my coupons for her plus bought some more off ebay. Luckily I was able to get them purchased for her today by specially ordering some more with walmart ( so I did not clear the shelf). But she is going through them quickly. She could really use some more, if you have extra coupons. Thanks
No problem. I live in Tualatin, OR if you’re close I could meet you somewhere or I could mail them to you.
Lacey,
I too have twins… boys, that are 17 months old… and I am still nursing them. They’ve never had to use formula ever. I don’t know if you’re stocking up on formula because you have to, or if it’s because people have scared you into thinking that you won’t be able to nurse them….. a lot of people tried telling me that I would need to supplement, but i’ve never had to. I just wanted to throw that out there to give you a vote of confidence!! You can certainly nurse your precious babies if that is what you desire. I hope that you are having a lovely pregnancy <3 Best of wishes!! P.S Twins RULE!!
Congratulations on your double blessing!
I too have twins, and it is good to be prepared. I live in the Seattle area and nursing is normal and expected here. The nurses encourage it/expect it. I tried for weeks to nurse and met with the LC AT LEAST 6 times, I eventually ended up nursing and supplementing at every feeding for the first 10 months. I never made enough milk to feed two babies, although I tried, tried, tried for 10 months to up my milk supply every way possible. I sort of beat myself up over it in a way. Anyway in my twin group of 7 families, all of the mommies nursed and only one was able to nurse fully (and we all tried, tried, tried, swapped remedies, swapped ideas to increase supply, etc.)
So stock away formula if it is free! If the formula isn’t free, don’t stock up for your twins until you know they will be able to drink it…. some babies don’t do well on certain formulas.
Good luck with your twins, get help at home the first month!
Mavis, I love your posts and was so motivated by your Albertsonsdoublers post yesterday that I decided to swing by my local Albertsons to see if I could get some of the same deals -scaled down of course, it’s just me and the hubs
I did three transactions with just three items in each one, and the grief I got from the cashier for using double and having three transactions was enough to make me not want to go back. Any tips or tricks of the trade for how you’re able to swing it? I didn’t have anyone in line behind me until mid-way through the second transaction, and when I appologized to her she said she had no prob. Thank you!!
Sometimes you just get a cashier who’s having a bad day… I’d chalk it up to that, and next time it’ll be better! (If not, talk to the manager… they get away with charging more for stuff because of their excellent customer service!).
I’ve gotten rude treatment from an Albertsons cashier or two regarding coupons as well, but, sometimes it goes smoothly… and the deal is usually worth it.
Which Albertsons were you at? The majority of them allow the 3 transactions in a row. Like Becky said, you may have just gotten a grumpy cashier (get in someone elses line next time).
Don’t let her discourage you! You can do it!
Thanks so much for the feedback, you guys are aways so helpful. I was at the Bethany store in Portland earlier, but tonight I stopped by the Albertsons in Hillsboro off Cornell and they were a-mazing!! The customer service gal was super friendly and they had a big ol’ stack of doublers sitting right there on the counter. Way bigger store with tons more product, definitely worth the little extra commute. The cashier was very kind and said they’ve been slammed ever since the couponing show came out.
i find it best to shop early morning or late evening, seem to have nicer cashiers then, i’ve never gotton grumpy ones, i ususally do one, then come back and do three. I’ve had more problems with walgreens cashiers, walmart is too crowded anytime i go, not sure i’ld do 3 transaction in a row there. Target scanners don’t like my coupons manfacture printed or my own for some strange reason.
My best trip was Albertsons: 2 Trop OJ (rang up $2 each) doubled $1 off FREE OJ plus FREE eggs, Used my FREE milk coupon and doubled the $1 off milk/Nabisco cookie coupon to buy Easter Oreos for $0.49. Total OOP $0.49 for everything!
Mavis, I noticed you didn’t get eggs. You said you have chickens, right? How many chickens? How many eggs to they lay? How much do you spend to feed them? Thanks!
High 5 on the groceries
You did awesome! A lot of people have dogs and cats for pets… But we have 4 hens (plus some baby chicks we ordered a few weeks ago). Typically we will find 2 or 3 (if we are lucky) eggs in the nest at the end of the day. We didn’t originally get the chickens for their eggs… it was because our daughter wanted a pet chicken 
Well… you can’t exactly just have 1 chicken… the poor thing would get lonely… so we bought a few more to keep her company. I’d say I buy a bag of organic of chicken feed ($25) every 3 months or so… they “free range” during the day and scratch around for bugs plus I toss out oatmeal, free corn and kitchen scraps for them too. They’re fun.
Thanks!
Mavis,
Ask at your local day-old bread store if they give away stale atuff for animal feed. We were able to feed out chickens for practically nothing this way. I would whiz up our egg shells very fine to add to it to make sure they got enough calcium. Fresh eggs…YUMMMM!
i agree – stop using your coupons to get free stuff you don’t need and donating it to the foodbank, but it makes it hard for those of us who need formula for our babies – we can’t get it cheap cuz ppl are out playing the coupon game. stay in your lane people! i am tried of gong to the store to get cheap to free mustard/ formula/ cereal/ whatever it is, and it’s gone, cuz some extreme coupone person got it free! well good for you! now I have to pay full price for what my family needs – thanks alot!!
Why would the fact that it’s gone make you pay full price? Those coupons don’t expire for months… go to customer service, place a special order… they will order it in for you (yes, even Walmart does this) and keep it separate from the regular stock. I know Albies gets trucks in 2x or 3x a week, and Walmart get’s them everyday… So, it shouldn’t take long.
sorry becky- i can’t go to the store every day – i have a baby and do childcare and clip coupons to make ends meet. i live in a rural area and only have one of each store to go to. and yes the coupons last for months, but the sale prices don’t. and sometimes by the time i’m done in the store, i have to take a screaming child out so getting a rain check doesn’t always work for me.
It’s called a raincheck. and have heard of breastfeeding, it’s free and you don’t need coupons.
I’m sorry but that is TERRIBLY rude. I have 2 children, tried breastfeeding both of them and it didn’t work. I’m not going to take the time to get into the details of it because people like yourself obviously don’t care about other people anyway. Trust me, if I had the choice to nurse or formula feed I would have nursed as long as I could.
Go be annoyed somewhere else and have a little respect for other people.
I really have to stop reading these comments. The level of self-righteousness is getting off the charts lately.
Just a couple of comments about the donating to food banks issue: First, it isn’t generosity if the reason you’re buying something is to first make money off of it and then pat yourself on the back for how awesome you are for donating. The way some of you think of charity is incredibly self-serving and makes me think of a camel trying to squeeze itself through the eye of a needle.
Second, if your friend needs formula, why isn’t she getting WIC? That would seem a more reliable source of formula, since outside of Mavis’s neighborhood, it doesn’t get donated that often.
And, finally, I don’t guess some of you realize it, but there are a lot of poor people who are just barely over the line for being able to qualify for things like food stamps, and most of those people do whatever they can not to have to be on any kind of assistance. That includes taking your “overage” items from a food bank. I know that you don’t realize how incredibly insulting some of you are to those people, but you are. Your attitude is very, very “let them eat cake.” Or let them eat Crispix or whatever other item you made money off of but do not want. I guess on some level you’re trying to help people, but your attitudes are…not charitable.
I don’t have anything against Mavis or her posts, and I don’t think she’s doing anything wrong. I just don’t think some of you have really earned this level of self-congratulation.
self serving uh…ok
i purchase and donate because it helps others. I for one got wic only after my husband lost his job. We struggled at times, espcially when the boys were first born, we had insurance but had to pay high deductables plus pay the insurance payment each month, plus utilities, mortage, and other basic needs, we did eat out ( couldn’t afford too), didn’t have fancy clothes or cars (still don’t). But until my husband lost his job completely we did not qualify for wic.
So i know there are families are on the fringe that don’t qualify but need the help. Our middle school has set up its own pantry to help fill a need and they do this with donations like us to help these kids that are on the fringes of these programs, the pantry is open to them all week long and they can shop as they need. Grads and attitudes are improving because one mom took the iniative, they have a small amount to share, but they share wether it be through couponing or paying full price for the items on the shelves for these kids.
If i can purchase something that i don’t need but helps me to purchase somthing i do need (aka cereal that gets me free gas card and milk) yes i’m gonna buy it and donate if saves me money (my sister’s family actually likes the cereals i bought, they keep till we can take them too her or my parents happen to come this way and deliver for us). I have and will continue to purchase items for our children’s recieving home (which is run on donations – those kids deserved to be fed, diapered, clothed too love and a roof over thier heads only goes so far), and will continue to donate to our food bank, which struggles to keep up to the needs of our community, they service over 10 organizations that serve our community. I’m sorry if you think it self rightous. I will be proud and show/share/pat my self on the back for doing it, because i’ve struggled and thanks to couponers like the fab gals i can feed my family for less and share too.
I don’t see the problem with playing the coupon game and collecting items to donate to others in need. It inspires me to want to use the coupons to help out local charities; I had never thought about that until I started visiting this site. Looking at the above pictures, it doesn’t look like any shelves were cleared out to get the free stuff.
Wow, did really just tell people to stop donating to the food bank??? Wow. Not like those people who need the food bank to survive don’t have it bad enough, you want people to stop helping them. Totally awesome.
Um, I think it’s pretty freaking awesome that she’s able to buy groceries her family needs AND donate to the local food bank. Honestly, who says something negative about someone donating to the food bank?!? The only reason anyone says anthing negative on here is because they’re jealous
FYI – the coupons were for $5/1 so couponers were purchasing the ready made versions priced right around $5, not the $20+ cans, cases, and other forms so if you found stores cleared out of all formula, you might want to take up that issue with management of that particular store. I’m sure if you had a bunch of coupons for the formula that you would’ve purchased as much as you could have too.
I am a mother of 2 and I suppose I am less sympathetic to the matter because I breastfed my boys and never had to rely on a store being stocked up on formulas anyways.
Well, at least that’s a different kind of self-righteousness. I’m sure if she was as good a mom as you are, she would be breastfeeding, too. Yes, that’s it. People deserving of sympathy are not people who use formula.
Charity in action.
I guess that part about brestfeeding my own children could be taken wrong. I know plenty of moms…some brestfed without issue, some tried and for one reason or another it didn’t work, or they chose to fomula feed without considering brestfeeding. My point is, regardless if you knew there was a coupon or potential shortage, there are other forms of formula that can be substituted in most cases. As previously stated, the coupon was for $5/1 so the items that fell around that amount were the ready made liquid bottles and cans. So, it is not as if the shelves were completely empty of all Similac varieties and forms. And again, if a person stuggling to make ends meet came across 50 $5/1 coupons, we all know that shelf would be cleared. I only bought 1 bottle and I gave it to my coworker who has an infant daughter that uses the same brand/type. He was happy to take it.
Oh and Julie, when you are able to score free product (and make a donation) regardless if there is an overage or not , it is called a WIN-WIN situation…you get the items you want/need for your family and then you donate the rest. Anyone donating to the food bank deserves a pat on the back. So, what do you propose? We either donate items or we don’t. Does it really matter how the items were obtained (assuming no laws were broke and the items are safe to consume/use)?
irritated:
I have the same problem some weeks when i go to get items and we have 2 Albies, 1 target, 2 walgreens, 1 cvs, and 1 walmart, but we make do with what we can get. I don’t clear the shelves unless its the last item there. I learned to stock pile slowly during sales before couponing, and it helped us through 6 months of unemployement. I was lucky that my youngest allowed us to recieve wic, as do to the fact that the way the chips fell my husband didn’t qualify for any type of unemployment checks for those 6 months, plus we had to make long distance trips for 2 funerals adding stress to the situation. I’m hear to tell you that we made it through on what i had stockpiled, wic, the genorosity of others (did not have a food bank in the town we moved from) and what we had in savings, my hubby found work 340 miles away and we moved, living in a motel for 3 months, paying living expenses in 2 states wasn’t cheap or easy, we didn’t lose our house (it’s still on the market, but is rented out).
So woe is me, you do what you have to do, and you learn to cook with what you have and what you can get. I now buy extra and give to my sister when I can, who has 4 kids and a hubby and can’t coupon because thier nearest Albies is 70 miles away and the nearest Walmart is over 100, she pays full price plus high gas prices when she shops cuz she doesn’t have interet (can’t afford it), and they don’t get a sunday paper no sunday papers deliver to thier area. My parents just came through town, and took back 6 boxes of cereal that lasted for a week in thier house, that’s all i was able to purchase with the coupons i had, and I didn’t clear the shelves). And you know what my sister was great full.
If shelf clearing is a problem in your area, call a head, before you go if its something that gets cleared like cereal.
I am very new to the coupon game. But what does “4/3 SS” mean??
It means it came out of the April 3rd SmartSource newspaper insert.
Thank you… I’ll catch on!!
Ask anytime!!! We are always happy to help! And please don’t let the negative nancy’s on here discourage you!!!
If you need any more help, just let me know 
My email is BeckyFabFruGal at hot mail dot com 
PS-I love how you spell your name! My momma spells it the same way, and I think it’s the best!!! Makes me love you right off…
SS stands for Smart Source. It was a coupon book found in the newspaper from 4/3 (April 3rd).
That means the coupon came from the April 3rd Smart Source insert. You can read more of the “lingo” here: http://fabulesslyfrugal.com/lingo
Ha ha! It looks like we all read your comment at the same time but didn’t see each others!
We have so many awesome and helpful readers on this blog!
I think this coupon thing is getting a little out of hand as well. It’s becoming very frustrating, and it seems like the stores are not restocking the hot items as quickly as they normally would because of all the FREE brags and sport this is turning out to be. I have to drive 20 minutes just to get to the damn store because I live in a rural area. I plan my shopping trips and clip my coupons just like everyone else only to find everything or almost everything on my list gone. It’s retarded. I think some coupon edicate is needed in a major way.
We are all free to choose where we live. Just because you live in a rural area doesn’t mean we have to wait for you to get here before we buy ours just so you don’t waste a trip. We are all doing the same thing here trying to provide for our families. I don’t think people are buying stuff just for the sport of it. We all have different needs some families need more than others. Being rude on a website doesn’t help anybody.
You are in luck then. Apparently you are assuming that the women who run this site are just like the TV show you have obviously been watching. You are wrong.If you take a few minutes to look around and go back a week or so, you will find that these women unlike many other coming sites teach the correct way to coupon, how to only get what your family will use, not uo clear the shelves ect. Before you lash out at everyone who uses a coupon take some time to read up on what they’re doing with them! Good job Mavis for donating to the foodbank!
You are in luck then. Apparently you are assuming that the women who run this site are just like the TV show you have obviously been watching. You are wrong.If you take a few minutes to look around and go back a week or so, you will find that these women unlike many other couponing sites teach the correct way to coupon, how to only get what your family will use, not uo clear the shelves ect. Before you lash out at everyone who uses a coupon take some time to read up on what they’re doing with them! Good job Mavis for donating to the foodbank!
Please explain to me how it is anyone else’s fault that you live so far from the stores? I live 30 minutes from all the stores, have small children, and use coupons to feed my family too! I may not always “score” the great deals but I feel blessed that I have this blog to go to, it makes my shopping much easier! These ladies spent countless hours putting together these lists to help you and now you are going to be mean and nasty to them! I have never seen these ladies clear shelves or not have “coupon etiquette” ! You should be thankful for all the HELP they give you!!!!
try this; when a great coupon blog posts “next weeks deals” call your store and place an order. I have had great success with this. Be pro active. I am a full time daycare provider as well and do NOT shop on Sundays so it is late Monday night (at the earliest) before I can get out and I understand not “getting a deal” but RAIN CHECKS make the sale price last until hopefully your store can get product in. I actually sometimes PREFER a rain check! if it is a good deal; you can call and place your order and then go gather your coupons and be ready for ONE TRIP to the store! I love it!
happy shopping
Kari
Happy Valley; Or.
One major possibility has not been stated. Times are tough for everyone these days so more people are starting to coupon. My husband was laid off for two and half years and couponing allowed us to make it. During that time we helped many people with donating food when they could not afford it themselves. Now my husband and I are teaching others how to coupon because there is such a great need. We all need to understand life is going to be getting much more difficult over the next few months due to inflation and the number of people couponing is going to increase. This is most likely why the shelves are being cleared. Yes there are some who buy large amounts who could possibly purchase less. Getting irritated with each other does not solve anything. If anything it will only ruin it for everyone else. So please stop bickering with each other and discuss how we can make the experience better for everyone.
I have put the local albertsons phone numbers in my coupon binder. Then when I read a post and there is a hot item before I head out and use up the gas I check the stores to see who has what in stock. I have also learned to do special orders on items that are great deals. I have found that many of the grocery managers are very friendly and try really hard to help you. I have been very impressed with them. Give it a try. It will help you greatly and save you time and frustration.
That is such a wonderful point! Thank you so much for inspiring me to follow and put the phone numbers in my binder.
you know what, there can be bare shelves because the stores don’t get in as much as they asked for or they weren’t prepared. My sister drives over 70 to her nearest store. She doesn’t complain, doesn’t coupon, and doesn’t always get everything on her list. She stocks up on sales if they are having one when she goes to town. I live in a large town that has lots of couponers that buy a few items each, but all couponers(in a city of or 50,000) that buys the one set of 4 boxes of cereals it takes to get the deal, will and does clear shelves, no one is intentionally clearing shelves, you also have the rest of the population buying these items too, so it happens.
Talk to your store manager about calling in your grocery list prior to your arrival and checking out when you arrive.
What’s the story with the ‘Try me free’ Fruit Filled Mini Wheats? I was out today and didn’t see it… that cereal is super tasty. Fill me in!
In the last 2 weeks I’ve spotted Try Me Free Cinnamon Cornflakes, Try Me Free Mini Wheats and yesterday it was Kellogg’s Smart Start… I think it’s just one of those things you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled for every time you go down the cereal isle… maybe you’ll get lucky
is it a peelie coupon on the box or a rebate or…?
The rebate form is printed on the inside of the box. Simply cut it out, mail in the upc code with the rebate form and your receipt and you’ll get your rebate within 8 weeks
I just received my rebate check in the mail today. Woo hoo!
I love your posts! But…do wonder, what do you eat daily if this is all you bought for the week? With four people in my house, this would be gone quickly!
Nicole, keep in mind that Mavis has been couponing for awhile now and has a well rounded stockpile. She is currently shopping in “stockpile maintenance mode”. So when she’s preparing her meals, she is using some items that she bought in January (for example). If you are a new couponer, you’ll have to plan on spending about 3-6 months building a well rounded stockpile and then you’ll just be in the maintenance mode too!
It works Nicole! and The Fab FIVE here are the best! I have been stockpiling / couponing since June and I love it when I can send my husband or son to the “Store” for an item… like last night I sent my husband out to the “store” in my garage to get some FREE VANILLA …
so much fun!
love you ladies!
kari
Awww! Thanks Kari!
Thanks gals! I “get it”. Stock pile mode. Okay! Just started so not quite there yet!
The fab ladies have receipts on this site for items that have been on good deals. I have been using a lot of the receipts and they are great. thank you ladies My family loved the german pancakes.
NICE JOB!!! And for all those formula comments….ignore them. I have a friend who regularly goes to the food bank (since neither her husband or herself can work right now) and she is so blessed by the formula that people have donated. For those of you that can’t find it, go to a different store! Cashiers are getting bombarded by people trying to use coupons in the wrong way due to that show. I am sure they are fine with those of us who do it the right way!
Mavis- Don’t forget to use the receipt for the Operation game to get a FREE Tombstone pizza! (up to $7.01 – weird price!)
Receipt has to be dated between 2/25 – 4/30
Form is at:
http://tinyurl.com/3nu4qrb
Thanks Susan …We LOVE free pizza
Rock on Mavis! Sending you coupon-love! As someone who is new to couponing and learning how to use them to stretch our budget…I quickly realized that I can do both; provide for my family AND donate at the same time! I feel uplifted and inspired because it allows me and my family to live/eat well and share with others too! Plus, if you are not comfortable giving formula away to a food bank, consider passing along your donations to a domestic violence home for women & kids or your church…trust me no formula is going to waste!
Wow what passionate people are on this website today. Mavis I hope you don’t take any of the negative things some are saying to heart. You did great on your trips. I just thought that I would mention I was at Albertson’s today and they have McCormick food coloring on sale for only $2.79. If you double the coupon from the 3/13 SS then you have some cheap egg dye for Easter. Also they had McCormick Parsley flakes $1.99 and the small bottles of McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract for $2.49. Also really cheap/free after doubles.
I <3 Mavis!!!!
Dear Negative HATERS – GET OUT OF HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This a free website intended to help, teach, & encourage us!!! These women are smart, talented and are WILLING to share their knowledge with us. If you don’t agree with something, just leave the website!
We are very fortunate to have the opportunity to learn from these ladies. Posting negative judgemental comments are NOT welcome!
Great job Mavis! This is what I got today with 5 sets of doublers and I started with $3 in catalinas: 4 pkgs hot dogs, 2 pkgs Oreo cremes, 2 boxes Capri Suns, 1 Coffee creamer, 9 Clif bars, 4 boxes Captn Crunch, 6 pkgs Idahoan Potatoes, 3 Nabisco Crackerfuls, 2 Jello Temptations, and 6 1/2 lbs ckn breasts. Total oop $17.08 (the ckn was $12.70) and I saved $82.85! My husband has started taking pictures of my “haul” on the kitchen counter and then showing some people at his work, lol.
Awesome
I loved this site before Mavis joined the group and now I love it even more!!! I love her sense of humor and that she shows pictures of her shopping trips. I hope you (Mavis) don’t let all these negative comments change the way you post. I check this site even more now so I don’t miss any of your posts
I totally agree!!!!!
Gosh, I remember well what it was like being overwhelmed with young children as well as my other responsibilities! Frustration was my release too, at times, so let’s be kind to one another, okay? Getting angry back makes two angry folks. If you notice, the fab gals set a good example by ignoring the rhetoric. Thanks, fab gals for all you do to teach us correct couponing behavior! Thanks, too to Mavis, for teaching us charity…a skill many of us could use today………
You go girl!! (that’s Mavis). I so look forward to your posts. Keep up the GREAT work!
I used an old coupon + double to purchase 3 cans Del Monte veggies. Then I noticed coupon on inside of marked cans for 1$ off 3 Delmonte fruits. After another purchase, I got 9 cans of Delmonte fruits and veggies for about 3$.
I’ve noticed over the past few weeks that some of the coupons used are printables. How do you get so many of them when the print limit is almost always two?
Looking at this weeks photo’s I can tell you I used/ printed 3 Wheat Thin Stix coupons, 3 Ritz Munchables, 2 Clif Bar, and 1 Peeps coupon. We have 2 computers… and so I’m able to print 2 of each coupon (if I wanted to). Another thing to remember: Different areas get different coupons and sometimes for different amounts. For instance… The Mc Cormick spice coupon… there was a $1.00 off coupon from the 3/13 RP, and in my 4/10 Sunday paper there was also a .75 cent off Mc Cormick spices coupon, and for a few days last week you could print (2) .50 cent off Mc Cormick coupons on redplum.com. I didn’t need to print any redplum coupons because I had plenty from the newspaper. Where you live and what paper you receive has a lot to do with it
sorry ladies! i didn’t mean to start something. that particular thing is a hot button with me right now. That said – i love and rely on these sites to find super good deals to help me buy cheap and free food to feed my family of 7. and i know that more couponers out there are like us than those extreme couponers out there. i just feel like they are giving us a bad name, and worry that pretty soon it will be even harder to get the deals. Every time I turn around a store has tightened up its coupon policy, and I don’t want to have to go back to paying retail. I hope that we can all exercise some good manners in the grocery stores as we shop and on these blogs, we are all in this for the same reason!!! again – my apologies!!
YAY! Thank you for coming back, and with a GREAT response! It is always so awesome when someone can just say a simple “I’m sorry” it takes a lot to realize when we have gone to far and then try to make it right~ That made my night!! I”m sure a lot of the girls here feel the same way, and if we lead by their example and coupon correctly we will set good examples for others in our communities!!!
THANKS!
thansk jen! i appreciated the reply from you. i felt bad all night.
I love Mavis and all of our positive frugal Friends! Thanks for the support everyone!
Mavis, thank you for all the information you post! You seem to draw a lot of attention from negative nellies! I hope you don’t get discouraged! You are doing a great job and lots of us truly appreciate all the time each FabFrugal spends helping others find great deals to help their families! I am amazed and encouraged each time I see your posts, so keep up the great work! And giving when you are able to is wonderful!!!
Just an fyi to the person who is having trouble finding the Similac formula in stores. And limited stores in her area.
U can always check out Amazon.com and do the subscribe & save. Get an extra 15% off plus super fast delivery. Plus it usually ships fast within a day or two. That way you wouldn’t have to take your kids to the store! :} Just trying to be helpful. Amazon has some good deals on foods too. So u may want to check them out!
Everyone is on a tight budget these days and watching there pennies. Food banks appreciate al these great donations.
This site is wondeful and I appreciate it so much!! This site has really helped me and my family out a lot! And lots of other people. I appreciate Mavis’s savings..and tips!! :} Thank you gals for a lovely site!!
Mavis….. Your ideas are awesome. Last week a friend shared 4 dozen eggs with me. So I thought of your blog about bartering. When I saw her the next day I took her some of my extra milk and cereal.
Today a friendly couponer saw me couponing and shared two wonderful deals she had found in the store. Then she share two OJ coupons with me. In turn I showed her some peelies on granola bars. It’s wonderful to help others and share the deals. I was truely touched by her act of kindness. Ladies reach out to other couponers you see around you. Share the kindness. It will make your couponing exsperience a lot better.
And Mavis thank you for your cute, uplifting and inspiring posts. I look forward to them every week.
Mavis – YOU ROCK!!!!
Oops, I wasn’t quite done posting yet but that is all I was going to write originally was YOU ROCK:) I’ve always liked this site but now I love to make sure and check in on monday just to see Monday’s with Mavis;) I love to show your trips to my husb! I’ve only been couponing since Jan and it’s been so fun and he’s very supportive. But sometimes the getting lots for a little newness wears off and I like to see him in a bit of shock again when I show him your amazing deals:) Keep it up, I’m so glad you are on the fruGALS team!! It’s made this site even better!! Thanks again for posting all your deals with the pics, love em!
Can you tell me how many transactions on average you do per store visit? Like on the baby formula deal, did you do several transactions each trip to the store, or all of them on one trip? Did you get in line again and again. Just wondering on the proper coupon etiquette is.
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Where do I get the double coupons for Albertsons? I have been looking for them but haven’t found one yet…