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Kroger Deals- 3/22

Is it obsessive to go to the grocery store first thing in the morning just to get a few deals? Probably, but I did anyway :)

I needed to get more free pasta since I was given a few more coupons. The boxes are on sale for 49 cents (when you buy 10 participating items) and I had 2 $1/2 coupons and one $1/1 coupon. I was paid 55 cents to take these off the shelves! I am well stocked on pasta now. I hope enough to last until the next big pasta sale.

I also was able to get more of the Philadelphia Cooking Creme. I tried the original this week in place of cream cheese, and I was really pleased with the results. I also used the Santa Fe version for fajitas and they were so good. I am sold. Though the $2.99 price tag makes it something I won't get often, unless it is on sale. It was $1.99 after buying 10 participating items, and I had three $1.50/1 coupons so I got them for 49 cents apiece. Not too shabby :)

I needed 2 more items to get 10 participating ones so I grabbed the Danimals yogurt ($1.55 after sale) and Sunny D (99 cents after sale). I had a $1/1 coupon for the Danimals and a 25 cents/1 coupon for Sunny D so I paid a little over $1 for both items. Worth it to save $5 total, I had a coffee playdate today and the Sunny D was a hit with the kids who came.

Speaking of a coffee playdate, I got the coffee cake marked down to $1.79. I planned to make my own and picked up sugar (since I was out- $2.29, ouch!) but saw the bakery marking these down and thought it'd be worth it to save myself the trouble of making it. I also picked up bananas to have on hand as a snack. I think next time I'll cut them in half so that they last longer. The Yoplait Kids yogurts were $2 for 4, but I had 2, 50 cent coupons that doubled to $1 making them $1 for a 4 pack. I also used my 2 FREE Coffeemate coupons on the creamer so I am stocked up for future coffee playdates.


I ended up spending $9.71, saving $30.52. Completely worth going to the store first thing in the morning :)

Kroger Deals! 3/16

I did something I haven't done in awhile, I left Kroger feeling good about what I spent! I saved $49.44 and bought what I went there to buy- which is a victory in itself! I actually saved more than the receipt reported because I bought a few things on Manager Special and that doesn't reflect the total savings on the receipt.

This was the first deal. Kroger had boneless skinless chicken breasts for $1.99 lb, but these were marked down to $1.95 per lb (not a huge difference, but I'll take the pennies!). They also had a $1.50 coupon for the Philadelphia Cooking Creme on them, which was on sale for $2.50, so I got it for $1 each! I actually had a $1 coupon that I planned to use, so this was even better.

My next find was stew meat. Usually this is too pricey for me to get, but it was marked down to $5 cheaper than even the sale price! I buy meat in bulk and then divide it on my own to make meal-sized servings, so these packages of meat will last a long time for us.

These were completely free after coupon! I had 2 free Johnsonville coupons from my House Party left (I tried to get it before the party but my store didn't restock in time), I redeemed the free Philadelphia Cooking Creme coupon, and I had a 50 cent Softsoap coupon that doubled up to $1 making the soap free.

These were all under $1. The baby food was 89 cents (I will plan better with coupons for this next time. My son loved the sweet potatoes so I wanted to grab another one). The Ronzoni Smart Taste were $1.34 each, but I had two $1/2 coupons, making them 84 cents each. I try to hold out for free pasta or under 50 cents, but I didn't want to risk not getting any at all. I have more coupons to use if it happens to drop soon. The Ronzoni Garden Delight pasta were $1.29 and I had two $1/1 coupons making them 29 cents each. The yogurt was $2 and I had a 50 cent coupon that doubled to $1 off. I also used another $1.50 coupon from the Kraft First Taste mailer on the Cooking Creme.

I bought the two Cascade items to try them out (I'm still enjoying the novelty of a dishwasher!). The rinse aid was $3.99 on sale, I had an ecoupon (that I forgot about) for 50 cents, and a 50 coupon that doubled to $1, making it only $2.49. The dish tablets were $4.29 and I had an ecoupon for 50 cents and was able to use another $1 coupon, making it $2.81. The Bounce sheets were $4.99 and I had a 50 cent ecoupon and a 50 cent coupon that doubled to $1, making it $3.49.

I also got soda for my husband, lunchmeat, ice cream, and stuff for his lunches.

Sales on Hold

Blogging has been difficult since the birth of my son. He will be 2 months on the 16th and in the whirlwind of having not only a long pregnancy but a difficult delivery and recovery, I haven't been able to focus on sales as much as I used to! I have also learned that you can't do everything. Pick what works for your family and in the end if you're saving money and able to have a life, then you're winning. Even if others save more- what matters is how you make it work for your family.

I miss it, but in some ways my life is a little more simple when I make a list, make a menu, and just go with the flow in that way rather than match sales to coupons, organize multiple trips, and walk out with a lot of stuff but not enough to make 2 weeks of meals with unless you have other stuff stocked up already. That doesn't mean that I don't feel a twinge of jealousy when I see friends posting about their coupon freebies!

I still plan to keep this blog going because there is more to life than coupons and even using them wisely can really help in the long run. I still don't have to buy pasta at full price and enjoy a bagel with free cream cheese each morning ;)

Some things that I hope to bring up on the blog in the future are:

Winter Entertainment
Christmas Activities
Frugal Gift Ideas
Menu Planning
Freezer Cooking


I do have to say that stocking up on diapers while I could watch the sales was a great idea. We went through them and I was left trying to find good deals as we needed more, which is more difficult. I did join Amazon Mom which gives 15% off of many diapers and by using that, the subscribe and save option (another 15% off), AND coupons found in magazines I was able to get Pampers for 10 cents a diaper. Add in the fact that I used my Swagbucks, not bank account, to pay for them and you've got cheap AND free diapers :D

So stick around to see more of how I make one income work with 3 kids :)

Frugal Finds- Freebies!

Ever wonder if it is worth it to sign up for the different freebies found online?



I think it is.

It may take awhile to start getting stuff in the mail, but if you keep signing up after awhile you'll get weekly treats in the mailbox. This is not all from one day, but was over the past couple weeks. The little lotions and hair care samples are perfect for traveling (or to keep in your travel box if you have one). I plan to use them in my hospital bag for when I deliver, so I don't need to go and buy small bottles, but still have the convenience of something travel-sized.

Another tip with the free samples is that many times you will get a higher value coupon with them. I signed up for one freebie and got a free pizza. For one of the pampers samples I got a $3.00 off coupon for any Pampers diapers.



Then when stopping by Kroger for a quick trip I saw that they had pampers marked down to $6.00 a package (regular price $9.77). Since I carry my coupons with me everywhere, I was able to pull out the $3.00 off coupon and make a pretty good deal into a really awesome one. I won't need size 5 diapers (the only ones marked down) for a while, but when I do need them I'll have them and for a cheap price.

So my tips for today are to sign up for samples whenever you see them (they can come in handy for travel, gift baskets, and come with coupons), bring your coupons with you wherever you go so that when you spot deals you are always prepared, and combine sales/clearanced prices with coupons whenever you can to make the savings even better.

Frugal Finds- Kroger 6/23

It has taken me awhile to get this post up, but I went to Kroger on Wed and though I didn't get as many deals as I had hoped for, I did find quite a few good ones :)



Ronzoni had to be the best deal (and was the reason I went Wed rather than Thurs). They were on sale for $1.00 each box. I combined that sale with 4 coupons:

(1) $1/1 = one free box of pasta
(1) $1/2 = 50 cents per box of pasta
(2) .75/1 = 25 cents per box of pasta

I bought 5 boxes to use the coupons (original price $9.70) and saved $4.70 with the sale and another $3.50 with coupons, spending only $1.50 on 5 boxes of pasta :) I won't use it all this week (and was sure to watch expiration dates) but it was better to get it now with this sale than to wait until I needed pasta to go to the store.

The Kraft Cheese was another pretty good deal. They were on sale for $1.99 for the 8oz packages. I also had a coupon for $1/2. The original price for the 2 packages of cheese would have been $8.38, but with the sale I saved $4.40 and another $1 with the coupon making it only $1.49 per package.

The Kraft Singles were a similar deal, $1.99 each package and I had a $1/2 coupon making them cheaper than the generic cheese at $1.49 a package for a total savings of $4.20.

Lifesavers were $1 each and I had a $1/2 coupon making them 50 cents a bag for a total savings of $3.78.

The marshmallows were $1 each and I had a $1/2 coupon making them 50 cents each.

The Hunts ketchup was more than the Kroger ketchup was at $1.29 (Kroger brand was $1.00) but I had 2 .20/1 coupons that would double for 40 cents off each bottle. This made them only 89 cents each, beating the Kroger price.

The sour cream was on sale for $1 each and I had a .50/2 coupon to use. This made them 75 cents a container.

The Dawn dishsoap was not on sale at $1.49, but the coupon I had was a higher value ($1/1) and would expire soon so I bought it for 49 cents.

Finally the spaghetti sauce was only 88 cents and I felt like it'd go well with all the pasta.

Also a tip that came from making this entry is to check your receipt. I grabbed a 3 pack of chapstick that was clearanced for 75 cents but saw that it rang up for $3.49, so I will be bringing both the receipt and the chapstick the next time I go to the store to get the difference.

Grocery Shopping 5/28

I went to Kroger for our biweekly grocery run. Due to how my husband is paid we usually only shop once every 2 weeks, and go back if there is something we end up needing. I try to plan it so we don't need to go back though, it saves money to avoid the store sometimes. This is nothing close to a usual week. We will be in a cabin from June 6-13th so I did not have to plan for our meals for that week because we'll be doing that shopping later. I also wanted to take this time to use up what was in our freezer. I usually buy in bulk and freeze a lot of stuff and many times I'll get more than what we need in a week and even with meal planning some things wind up in the back of the freezer (or out in the deep freeze). I wanted to use that up before stocking up on the meat deals that usually happen during the summer.



My goal when shopping was to spend under $40, and my total was $39.03 so I succeeded. I ended up saving $27.02 ($29.02 if you count the $2 coupon that printed) on the order as well, $5.50 from coupons. This is really low on the fresh produce, but since I plan on using up what what have I wanted to be sure the fruit we had and the frozen veggies were used.

This was a tough week for sales. Meat was on sale but I didn't get much because I wanted to use up what we had (and I know they go in rotations and will be on sale again later). Here are a few of the good deals that I did find:

Nestle Water was $3.33 each. I had a coupon for $1 off 2, so I ended up paying $5.66 for the 2 cases. Then since I bought 2 participating products, I got a Catalina (register coupon) for $2.00 off my next order. Counting that, I saved $3 and only spent $3.66 total for the two cases of water. It would usually be $7.98 for 2 cases of that brand, so we saved a lot by combining a sale, coupon and promotion. I know many are thinking that we'd save even more by not buying water, but the reason we do is because of where my husband works. He is restricted on what kinds of things he can bring in, so we have to manage and accommodate that. So though it would be cheaper to drink from the tap, this is cheaper than having him buy drinks at work too. Sometimes being frugal means finding what works best for your family.

Another good deal was the Jimmy Dean Sausage. They are usually $4.19 a roll where I shop, but were on sale for 2/$4. I also had a coupon for $1 off 2 rolls, so I ended up getting them for $1.50 each. Buy getting both rolls, I got them cheaper than one would have been regular price, for a savings of $5.38. ETA This deal will be even better with the $2/2 coupon found here.

The bagged Dole Salad was also on sale for 2/$5. I had a coupon for $1.50 off of 2 so I only spent $3.50 total. Since they are usually $3.09 each I almost got two for the price of one.

I also bought the All for only $1.99 (though I did get it for 99 cents a couple weeks ago, so this wasn't as good of a deal). I did end up saving $2.26 off the total.

The Corn on the cob was only $1 for 6 so I made sure to get that too.

I was pretty pleased with how much I spent this week. I plan to make a menu post to show how much of our pantry and freezer we'll be using this week, so watch for that.

Birthday Freebies

It's your birthday- so get some free stuff! I checked on many sites to find the ones that fit my family's tastes, but feel free to check the sources to find even more that may be perfect for you!

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Baskin Robbins – Sign up for the Baskin Robbins Birthday Club and you will get a coupon for a free 2.5 oz scoop of ice cream on your birthday plus other special promotions.
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Bob Evans – If you sign up your child for the birthday club they will get a free kids’ meal on their birthday at Bob Evans
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Buffalo Wild Wings – You should get a coupon for a free dessert to celebrate your birthday at Buffalo Wild Wings.
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Burger King- If you register your kids for the Burger King BK Kids Club they will receive a Free Kids Meal for their birthday!
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Cracker Barrel – If you go to Cracker Barrel on your birthday you will get a free dessert and song. *I can't find where it says on the website, so check with your local store to see if they participate*
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Denny’s – Join the Denny's Kids' Birthday Club by filling in and mailing out this form for your child (10 and under). They will receive a birthday card entitling them to a free kid’s entrée and sundae.
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Dairy Queen - If you join the DQ Blizzard Fan Club (by website or on Facebook) you will receive six Buy 1, Get 1 Free Blizzard coupons emailed to you throughout the year including one on your birthday!
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Fazoli’s – Sign up at Fazoli's to receive a birthday surprise and coupons.
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Fire Mountain – If you join their mailing list you should get a free buffet on your birthday.
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On the Border – Join On the Border’s Club Cantina and get a free appetizer on your birthday and an instant coupon for a free bowl of queso or empanadas.
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Outback – If you go on your birthday you should get a free dessert and a song. *This is not on the website, so check your local location to see if they participate*
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Quiznos - Sign up for the Q Club and once you do, you’ll start receiving Quiznos Coupons via email. You’ll also get a free cookie on your birthday!
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Ruby Tuesday - Join the Ruby Tuesday So Connected Club and you will receive a Free Hand-Crafted Burger for your birthday!
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Sonic – If your child becomes a member of the Wacky Pack Kid’s Birthday Club, they will receive a coupon for a free Wacky Pack during the week of their birthday.
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Texas Roadhouse - If you become a Texas Roadhouse VIP you will receive a free appetizer and a surprise for your birthday!
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TGI Friday’s – If you sign up for Friday's E-Club you should get a coupon for a free appetizer to use on your birthday as well as a coupon for a free appetizer just for signing up!
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Toys ‘R’ Us – Join Geoffrey's Birthday Club (for children ages 2 – 10) and they will receive a birthday card and surprise gift from Geoffrey.

More can be found here and here. Have a Happy Birthday!

Dog food, Bologna, Hot Dogs and more

Another deal I got at Kroger recently was not baby related at all!



For these deals I spent a grand total of $23.54 before tax.

I used a $2/1 Pedigree dog food coupon (found here). It is on sale 20lbs for $9.99, the coupon makes it only $7.99 for 20lbs of dog food. I wish I had more of the coupons because it is a great deal and we know we'll use it.

The same site that has the Pedigree coupons should have $1/2 Oscar Meyer hot dog and $1/2 Oscar Meyer lunch meat coupons, I had 2 of each. At Kroger, the hot dogs were $1.50 each so I got each pack for $1, the bologna (my kids' favorite) was 88 cents a package, so I ended up spending 38 cents per package!! These sales last through Wed and the coupons are still able to be printed from what I saw earlier today! So if you plan on making hot dogs this summer or your kids like bologna, it'd be worth while to get these now because they last. The extra package of hot dogs was from following Kraft on Facebook and choosing from a variety of offers. It was completely free.

I also got $1.50 off 4 Kroger frozen veggies Catalina (the coupon that prints when you check out). Since the veggies were 88 cents each I got them for 51 cents a package.

More Huggies + Free

I went back to Kroger to find another Huggies deal. That is the brand I prefer for wipes, so to be able to have a good supply on hand just made sense to me. I use them now and know I'll use even more when the baby comes.



For this you print the other $2/2 Huggies wipes coupon twice (found here- this one will be off a 64 ct box AND the refills, not off any) and buy 2 packs of wipes and 2 refills (the wipes are on sale for $1.99 each, the 3pk refills are $5.99 each). This will make your total $15.96. Then you'll get $3 off your order for buying $15 in Huggies making it $12.96, then you'll use $4 in coupons making it $8.96 before tax for 2 boxes of wipes and 6 individual refills. That's pretty much getting a 3pk refill and a box of wipes free if you buy at regular price.

I also was able to print a $2/1 Dove deodorant coupon before it reached the limit. Kroger had Dove deodorant on sale for $2/4 so I was able to get both just for the tax! This deal isn't free, but if you print the $1/1 coupon found here, you will get it for $1.

I also saw that my local Kroger had clearanced Colgate Total toothpaste. I went on their website (here) and printed a coupon for .75/1 making the toothpaste 25 cents before tax.

These are all things we will use. Dove is my preferred brand of deodorant and I like Colgate Total, so I felt like these deals were even better because it wasn't just something for cheap- it was something I really would use for cheap. I think it can be easy to get caught up in getting a deal, but if you won't use the items it really isn't that great of a deal.

Huggies Deals

Since I am expecting a baby in September, I planned on starting to stock up now for when the baby is here.



I got this for only $12.94 before tax! $13.85 after. I ended up saving $17.16!

The before tax price on the diapers were $4.49 a pack ($9.77 original price, $8.99 on sale) and I got the wipes for $0.99 a box ($2.64 regular price, $1.99 sale price). When you spend $15 or more in one transaction you get $3 off your order!

To do this sale you need the $3/1 coupons for Huggies Little movers/snugglers (I found these here and here), and the $2/2 coupons for Huggies wipes (the one off any 2 64ct or bigger). Print 2 of each (your limit I think). Buy 2 packs of diapers and 4 boxes of wipes. Get $10.00 off in coupons and $3.00 off for spending more than $15 on Huggies.

I ended up doing this deal twice, but getting size 2 and 3 diapers the second time.