I will go ahead and admit it. I am learning to embrace being "cheap". It's actually turning into a really fun game for me. I have been posting a lot on twitter about the savings I am getting at Publix, and have been getting a lot of emails and comments wanting to know how I do it.
I will be posting "cheap finds" on twitter more frequently than here. Sad, I know...but it's easier to post a one liner from my phone than do a blog post. Poor neglected blog, and long story short. My friend Mr. Mac is dealing me fits, we need to pray for his healing or $300 to fix him. :) So you can follow me on twitter here. And if you think I twitter a lot, then just read this post...Ummm, Monique You Twitter Way Too Much.
Okay. First, I don't know all the ins and outs yet of coupons. I am learning. I didn't want to start because of this, and realized that I would just have to learn along the way. I still have no clue about all the drugstore stuff...apparently you can get really good deals there too, but I'm having to master one store at a time, and I have started with Publix.
Okay, I know what you are thinking. There are many things at Publix that are MUCH higher than let's say, Walmart. Okay. You are right. So here is the deal, DON'T BUY THOSE THINGS. When I shop at Publix, I am ONLY buying things that I can get a crazy good deal on. This was very difficult for my mother to understand on our first trip when I went to show her the ropes at Publix. She kept saying, look, you can get this at Walmart for $1 cheaper, and I would say, "we aren't buying that here, buy that at Walmart"...so keep that in your mind...you are getting stuff ON SALE.
Now, in saying that. You need to know your prices. Do you know how much you spend on your favorite items? If you don't know how much things cost that you normally spend money on, start taking a notebook with you when you are shopping and write it down...don't laugh, I have done that. :)
The other thing about coupons is that I don't buy it unless it's something we use or like...or it's just something I would be getting for pennies.
So let's talk about Publix. Their weekly ad comes out on Wednesdays. I am embarrassed to admit, I am giddy on Tuesday night and have even found sites that will show sneak peeks a few hours before it's released. You can view the Publix ad on their website www.publix.com
Okay. Not every Publix has the same policy on coupons. You need to know their policy before you shop. You figure that out by asking. :) Basically, you need to know if they accept competitor's coupons, and if so which ones and which they don't.
I went to two different stores on the way back from Montgomery the other day and got to the check out and they BOTH would not take my competitor coupons, so I took the coupons back, left my stuff there and said I would just get it at "my" publix, cheap, I know. These were the ones in Alabaster.
The Publix at Lee Branch and the Publix on Overton Rd, both take competitor coupons. Alright. Let's get down to the nitty griddy.
At Publix, every week they have Buy One Get One Free Items. Today, let's just talk about these items, because this post could get lengthy, not that posts aren't always lengthy....anyway. Many times the BOGO items end up being the price of, let's say, Wal-Mart. Example. Last week, Publix had their Crystal light packets BOGO, they were $3.99 at Publix and $1.97 at Walmart. (See, it's important to know your prices) Well. At Publix on your BOGO you can use TWO coupons. One for the "buy one" and one for the "get one". Also at Publix, they will DOUBLE .50cents and under coupons. So if you had TWO .50cent coupons for Crystal light that would be $2 more off. Does that make sense...you can use TWO coupons.
Now let's make this a little more rewarding. Let's say you have a coupon from Target for $1.00 off a box of Crystal Light. You can use those coupons as well...we call this stacking coupons.
So let's give a recap of how you can save.
BOGO Crystal Light Reg. $3.99 with the BOGO deal they are $1.99 each
You have TWO .50cent manufacturer coupons. These are now DOUBLED. Now you are getting the Crystal Light for .99 cents a box.
Now, let's stack our Target coupons...you have TWO $1.00 coupons.
Now you are getting the Crystal Light for free.
I am just using the above as an example...I believe I ended up getting the Crystal light last week for .99 cents a box, didn't have a target coupon, but I am just trying to give you an example how you can get stuff FREE or just pennies.
Now. Let's say you only have one coupon and don't have two. Well, with the BOGO you can just buy ONE item and it's 50% off. You DO NOT have to buy two. How cool is that?
Okay. Now here is some homework. Or "play" work.
Here is a link to some TARGET coupons.
Notice you can type in a number of how many you would like to print. Cool, huh? Okay. If you notice the coupon for the strawberries. Well. They have those strawberries on sale at Publix right now for 2 for $4. Well, print 2 coupons and you are getting the strawberries 2 for $2. That's a good deal. That is about the cost I got my strawberries for that I picked myself.
Okay. That's enough info for right now. I will try letting my next post be all about other sites that are out there and where I find coupons online and such.
Oh, and last and final tip. A Sunday paper is normally a great place to find coupons. Of course, you knew that. Well, how much do you pay for your Sunday paper? $2 at Walmart. Well, you can get it at Walgreens for $1.50 and hold your breath...$1 at the Dollar Store. :) So why not pick up 2 to 4 papers at the Dollar store, so you can use them on the BOGO deals at Publix. ;)
Be sure to watch the paper on Wednesdays...Publix is great about putting $5 off your purchase of $30 or more, yep, stack that on top of all your savings. :) Gotta love Publix. Do you want to be amazed even more? Well, watch for coupons from places like Whole Foods...they will have $5 off $25 of produce or meat....you can use that at Publix as well. :) Ahhhh, good stuff.
Hope some of this was helpful. I am just now learning all this. There are so many more with WAY more knowledge than me on this, so if you have some additional tips post them here. My next post will introduce you to different sites around the web that will suck you in. :) I'm not posting them today, because to be honest, they intimidated me at first, they have their on secret language and codes and it made me not want to start bc it was info overload...so let's take baby steps...let this sink in, they will we visit that next. :) :) :)
Have a great Thursday. Think we may go to the pool until the storms make us leave. See ya!!!!