Saturday at Super One

I went grocery shopping on Saturday with Raina and Ollie. I saved $91.54, or 39%, on my groceries this week. Here are the best deals:
Farmland bacon wrapped pork tenderloin--10/$10, used 4-$0.75 and 2-$1 coupons (Farmland sends me a sheet of coupons every few months)=$1 for all 6 of these. They were awesome cooked on the grill!

SoBe Lifewater--10/$10, used 2 buy 1 get 1 free coupons from the SoBe website=$0.50 each

Special K Low Fat granola--$2.50-$1 coupon=$1.50. Also used coupon for 2 free Dannon yogurts when you buy Special K granola.

Act II popcorn--10/$10, used 2-$0.40 coupons=$0.60 each

Red Star yeast--$1.00-$0.35 coupon=$0.65; I see homemade pizza crust in our future!

Sun Chips--FREE with coupon from Facebook promotion

Keebler crackers--$2 each, used $2/2 coupon=$1 each

They also had some good produce on sale:
Pink lady apples for $1/pound
Romaine lettuce for $1/bunch
Mini carrots, $1 for 1 pound bag
Green beans for $1/pound
Celery for $1

Kidism

It's funny to overhear kids talking sometimes. I cleaned the bathroom today, and when Raina came home from school I heard her say, "Whoa, the bathroom is all sorted out!"

Stockpiling

Stockpiling groceries allows me to buy food we'll use at the best possible price. To do this, I wait for a good sale and use coupons to bring the cost down. This is why I bought ten packages of Green Giant Steamers (regular price $1.79, on sale for $0.99, used coupons of $0.40 or $0.50 for an average final price of $0.51):

Keebler Club crackers (regular price $3.99!, on sale for $1.97, used coupon for $2 off 2, for a final price of $0.97 each PLUS had a coupon for $1 off Kraft cheese--that was $1.66--when you buy 2 Keebler products, making the cheese only $0.66).

Shasta root beer (was $1.25, used coupon for $1 off soda when you buy 2 Kraft dressings, that were on sale 2/$4 and I used a $1 off 2 coupon, making each bottle of dressing $1.50):

Ritz crackers (regular price $3.79, on sale for $2.50, used $1 coupon, final price=$1.50)

Cheez-Its (regular price $4.19!, on sale for $2.50, used $2 off 2 coupon, final price=$1.50)

Wheat Thins (regular price $3.39, on sale for $1.99, used $1 coupon, final price =$0.99)

Jell-O (regular price $0.89, on sale for $0.67, used $1.25 off 3 coupon, final price=$0.26)

Fisher sunflower seeds are always $1.29. I seem to have a never-ending supply of $1 off any Fisher product coupons, so I buy a bag or two for Barry every time I go to Super One.

Polaner All Fruit (regular price $2.59, I used $1 coupons over several shopping trips before my coupons expired, paying $1.59 and stocking up on 6 jars of it)

Wishbone Dressing (regular price $2.89, on sale for 2 for $2, used $1.25 off 2 coupon, final price =$0.38)

Dole pineapple (regular price $1.69, on sale for $0.97, used $1 off 3 coupon, final price=$0.64 each)

Skippy peanut butter (regular price $2.49, on sale for 2 for $2, used $0.75 off 2 coupon, final price=$0.62 each)

Ragu pasta sauce (regular price $2.49, on sale for 2 for $2, used $0.75 off 2 coupon, final price =$0.62 each)

Ham was on sale for $0.95 per pound, but there was also a store coupon for $5 off ham when you buy $20 in Kraft products. I bought: Starbucks coffee (on sale for $6.99, used $1.50 coupon=$5.49), Philadelphia cream cheese (for $1.09 after sale and coupon), Jell-O, Kraft cheese, Kraft tartar sauce (on sale for $1.50), and Ritz crackers. Even though I bought $20 in Kraft products I used about $7 in coupons on the products, so for spending $13 I got $5 off a ham--the almost 9-pound ham was $3.28 after the $5 savings. The regular, non-sale price for that same ham? $16.65!

By stockpiling when products I use go on sale, I can wait for the next sale cycle to stock up again, and I don't have to pay the regular prices that can be 3-4 times what I pay when stockpiling.

Stuck in the Mud

Minnesota spring weather can be quite fickle, but the last week has been a breath of fresh air (literally)! No more snow, lots of sun, relatively warm temps--I know it may not last, but I'll take it! The kids are happy to be outside again. The ground is still pretty soggy, so I think the kids got their car stuck in the mud:

End of Winter Update

I haven't updated much lately as there hasn't been a lot going on here. At the end of February my sister Melisa and her kids visited for a couple days. The kids always have fun together, and Melisa and I did some planning for our other sister Abby's bridal shower. The next weekend, Mom and Dad and Abby came up for a day. It happened to be mom's birthday, so Abby brought birthday cake and we had a nice supper together. We don't spend a lot of birthdays with family, so that was nice! The next week, Barry finally came home after working in Florida since mid-January. He brought each of the kids a gift:

Jackson doesn't look too impressed with his new cards (the dinosaur skeleton was not part of his gift).

Raina's new Etch a Sketch and Barbie movie

Remy looks at his new Diego movie

The kids have been pretty healthy all winter, only coming down with minor colds, and not missing school or requiring doctor visits. Remy is in the midst of potty training. He doesn't quite have it down, but he's doing pretty well. Ollie will be 15 months old next week. It's fun to watch his personality and sense of humor develop.

In the Mail

Getting free stuff in the mail is a lot more fun than getting bills. Recently I got a pair of tongs from a game on the Kikkoman site, a sample of Kotex products with a dress I ordered online, a sample of 3 of the new Pampers diapers with a $1 coupon, and some organic tea and pasta samples plus coupons from Eden Organics. They also sent recipes and brochures about some of their products.

Groceries

It had been three weeks since my last big grocery trip, so we headed down to Super One last weekend to stock up again. I saved $124.32 or 41% this time by shopping sales and using coupons. The highlights:

Free Jumbo pack of Huggies because I won a giveaway from Poop and Boogies.

Yakisoba noodles: $1.00-$0.50 coupons=$0.50 each.
No Yolk noodles: $0.67, can submit for rebate=FREE
Also bought Jennie-O turkey roasts for $2.99-$1/2 coupon=$2.49 each, can submit for rebate of $2.99, making each one $1.00

General Mills cereals: 4/$6, used $1 and $0.75 coupons=4/$4.25=$1.06 per box
Quaker Oatmeal Squares: $2.50-$1 coupon=$1.50
Wheat Thins: $2.50-$1 coupon=$1.50
Planters Nut Bars: $2.22-$0.75 coupon=$1.47
Stretch Island Fruitabu: FREE with coupon sent by company
Golden Double Stuf Oreos: FREE with coupon from Facebook promo
Fisher sunflower seeds: $1.29-$1 coupon=$0.29

Earthgrain thin buns: $2.49-$0.55-$1 off produce wyb Earthgrain product=$0.94
Sara Lee Soft & Smooth bread: $2.49-$0.55 coupons=$1.94 each. Unfortunately, the bread rang up at $3.49 each, so if I go back soon I'll have to get my $2 back. I was also overcharged for Stouffer's Stromboli that was supposed to be buy 1 get 1 free at $3.39-$1/2 coupon=$1.20 each, so I'm owed $3.39 for the "free" one.

Chi-Chi's salsa: $1.66-$1/2 coupon=$1.16 each
Ken's dressing: $2.49-$2 coupon=$0.49
Polaner All Fruit: $2.59-$1 coupons=$1.59 each

Cottonelle 6 double roll: $2.99-$0.75 coupon=$2.24 each, or $4.48 for 12 double rolls

Purex laundry detergent: $2.99, used 3 buy 1 get 1 free coupons=$1.50 each