Maximum savings on a trip to the store

[Amorphous02]

What was the best shopping trip you made todate?

Spendings on the trip: $52.00
Date: 12 th June

Mine was when I saved $30.00( according to the cash register receipt) + $10 in check out coupons + $5.50 in wine tags etc.
Havent had similar luck recently.
I have "exelled" it.. but wanted to share this.
Number of coupons used: 7
Number of rebate checks: 2( $4.00, $1.00)

After one sees $330 for $27.00 by flash ( by now you know where it is) one does try to get similar savings.

Wish my husband would join me, but he says its too much hassle. "If you see one brand on sale and its $0.50 less than the other brand, would not buy it?", I asked him. I do the same, via coupons.
Of no use.

[GoodBuyGirl]

If I were to just go and buy things with coupons that I could get for free or nearly free, I would have incredible savings.
Unfortunately there are not always coupons on everything I need grocery wise so on average I usually save about 40-50% using coupons.
I've seen people brag about how they went to the store and save 90% but all they were buying was health and beauty items. I would love to see what percentage these same people save when they actually buy groceries.
My best store trip here lately.
Oscar Mayer hot dogs were on sale for 10/$10. You got a $4 catalina when you buy 6.
I used 3 .55/2 coupons doubled bringing the price down to 3.00 minus the $4 catalina equals $1 profit.
I had enough coupons to run this deal 5 times. Kraft cheese was on sale 3/$5 when you bought 6 you got a $4 catalina.
So
6 packs of hot dogs= $6.00
6 packs of cheese = $10.00
Total $16.00
minus 3/.55 coupons $13.00
minus $4 catalina $ 9.00
recieved 2 $4 catalinas for a final cost of
$1.00 for 6 packs of Oscar Mayer hot dogs and 6 packages of Kraft cheese.

[Ima saver]

The most I saved was when sprite was on sale and I saved $6 on 4-12 packs plus they gave me $5 worth of bottled water. So I saved $11 on a $21 purchase. I never seem to find coupons anywhere.(we don't get a paper)

[slimcustomer]

I can't remember what the exact numbers, but a couple of years ago the perfect grocery shopping storm occured. Near the end of the year. I was able to stack 5 "10% of your entire shopping order" coupons for 50% off my order. My grocery store also matched a local competitors triple coupons offer so I got that as well. I then used my 5% off everday spending credit card for the entire order. I filled up three grocery carts and spent nearly 4 hours completing what will probably be the grocery shopping trip of a lifetime.

[Amorphous02]

After reading all that you have to say, I feel that unless you buy brand naes and use coupons for every item, you wont be able to duplicate Flash's "$330 for $27.00"( See her blog via www.grocerycouponguide.com.)
Some claim that they cannot do this all the time. Hang in there..I am appreciating conditional produce coupons only now.

[Amorphous02]

GoodbuyGirl,
Good for you. Thank you for posting the deals you got. May be if we mention how we got something free after sales and coupons, everyone could learn a lot. It provides the one percent inspiration we need so badly.

[jodi]

I finally got the grocery gods to shine down on me this week. After reading mjrube's post about the rebates at Walgreens, I made my first stop there.
I bought:
2 cans of mandarin oranges $.99, $.39 each with coupon
5 boxes of Royal gelatin $.69, 5/$1 with coupon
1 bottle of Sunsilk condition $4.49, free after rebate
1 bottle clearance kids shampoo, $2.19 (I don't know what the original price was)
3 boxes Kotex products at $3.49 each, used $3 in coupons, will receive a $10 gift card

My total was $25 before coupons. I paid $17.30, but I will get $14.94 back after rebates for a total of $2.36 paid!

[GoodBuyGirl]

Originally Posted by Ima saver

The most I saved was when sprite was on sale and I saved $6 on 4-12 packs plus they gave me $5 worth of bottled water. So I saved $11 on a $21 purchase. I never seem to find coupons anywhere.(we don't get a paper)

I actually used two catalina's from my first 2 hot dog runs and got that same coke deal for $2. It was a PITA having to go through the store that many times but well worth it.
If you don't like getting a paper you can use a clipping service and just get coupons that you know you will use. You can also print coupons on many Manufacture web sites and Boodle.com.
Some stores will not accept internet coupons but I have had no problem with them at Krogers.
You can also email companys and tell them how much you like their product and they will usually send some nice coupons for your efforts.
There are also programs where you can send in UPC's and get Free product coupons.
FastFixinFanatics.com and Kroger coffee
both send free product coupons when you mail in 10 UPC's

[Amorphous02]

Thank you Goobuygirl, Ima, jodi.. every one! I am learning so much. You guys rock. BTW, I have that i have to get a newspaper to get coupons. If we could petition the companies like "NewAmerica"(SS) and Valassis to send us coupons via the newspaper co, we could be saving space in our homes and saving a rain forest.
The Journal Sentinale from Milwaukee has 2 mil readers on weekdays and 4 mill on Sunady. Goes to say that the extra 2mill only want the coupons?
It would be in the interest of the manufacturers as well to get us these coupons.
Every one knows that coupons cause the sales of a brand name to increase by 34%...

[flash]

Originally Posted by GoodBuyGirl

If I were to just go and buy things with coupons that I could get for free or nearly free, I would have incredible savings.
Unfortunately there are not always coupons on everything I need grocery wise so on average I usually save about 40-50% using coupons.
I've seen people brag about how they went to the store and save 90% but all they were buying was health and beauty items. I would love to see what percentage these same people save when they actually buy groceries.
My best store trip here lately.
Oscar Mayer hot dogs were on sale for 10/$10. You got a $4 catalina when you buy 6.
I used 3 .55/2 coupons doubled bringing the price down to 3.00 minus the $4 catalina equals $1 profit.
I had enough coupons to run this deal 5 times. Kraft cheese was on sale 3/$5 when you bought 6 you got a $4 catalina.
So
6 packs of hot dogs= $6.00
6 packs of cheese = $10.00
Total $16.00
minus 3/.55 coupons $13.00
minus $4 catalina $ 9.00
recieved 2 $4 catalinas for a final cost of
$1.00 for 6 packs of Oscar Mayer hot dogs and 6 packages of Kraft cheese.

Pardon me, but I made a POINT to shop 4 separate times, use NO "FREE" product coupons, and buy things across the board, from fish to produce to organics to basics. Laura's Lean Ground beef...nothing cheap there. I never said 90% everytime, Jeffrey's challenge to me was to show people how to cut 80% off their groceries once, and I did it SPONTANOUSLY on assignment, in 4 separate unplanned trips, with fairly strict guidelines so that ANYONE can do it. The key is actually in stockpiling and thinking things through.

[Amorphous02]

It can be done.. thats my hypothesis as well. There are some fabulous deals right now, but i cannot stock-up because of the move. (I hate my life...
Rent $1000
scorpions
heat 115)

[GoodBuyGirl]

Originally Posted by flash

Pardon me, but I made a POINT to shop 4 separate times, use NO "FREE" product coupons, and buy things across the board, from fish to produce to organics to basics. Laura's Lean Ground beef...nothing cheap there. I never said 90% everytime, Jeffrey's challenge to me was to show people how to cut 80% off their groceries once, and I did it SPONTANOUSLY on assignment, in 4 separate unplanned trips, with fairly strict guidelines so that ANYONE can do it. The key is actually in stockpiling and thinking things through.

My post was not directed towards you. I'm sorry if you thought otherwise. I agree with you on the stockpiling and seperate shopping trips. But someone just starting must realize that savings of that magnitude does take a certain amount of time and effort. It can be done though.
My statement was out of curiousity on how well the people who do the Walgreens rebates and such actually do savings wise on their actuall grocery bill.

[Amorphous02]

Goodbuygirl,
The following bears repitition:
Thank you so much for posting such genuine, original observations!
Its exactly this kind of discussion that is helping me. (Shouldnt Walgreens pay us for this indepth research and authentic reports?)

[GoodBuyGirl]

Well I wouldn't go as far as saying that. It's just that the Walgreens deals are well advertised and pretty much spelled out for people. Their ads even state if there are additional coupons in the Sunday paper you can use along with their in ad coupons. It couldn't get any easier.
Stockpiling groceries takes a bit more effort. You haveto have your coupons ready when the sales hit. Once a sale hits most everyone wants the same coupons which makes them harder to find.
I got the great deal on the hotdogs because I gathered coupons up a few weeks ahead of time because I knew they would go on sale for the 4th of July. That's one of the keys knowing what foods will go on sale when. That way you can get one step ahead.
Like soups and things go on sale when its cold weather. Mexican food in late April early May, baked goods November- December. ect...

[Amorphous02]

Flash,GarthBarth, GoodBuyGirl, ImaSaver, Joan.of.Arch, Jodi, Princess... everyone, I request all of you to please take a look at the checkout coupons list I have posted.
Checkout coupon list/db: community involvement requested

[flash]

Thanks A-!

GoodBuyGirl, you are exactly right. I wasn't trying to be sensitive, but that's exactly why I set up my shopping trips the way I did. Too many people collect up all their free product coupons and rain checks and then hit a super deal, save 90%, and tell everyone they can do it. When people can't duplicate it, they give up.

It doesn't work that way. There is a huge start up curve, and a learning curve, and a process. And if you aren't aware of things, you can spend more on phantom sales (tomatoes regular 89 cents a can, on SALE for 10/$10). and coupons for products you wouldn't otherwise use.

We've got some really smart shoppers here, with some really great tips and insights!

[Amorphous02]

tomatoes regular $0.89
On sale 10/$10.. I would not have remembered that. This feels as good as a CompSci discussion.
Thank you all.
If I were a millionaire, i would have paid you.

Wow! I'm impressed with all of you guys. I have never got any major savings like that. I'm new to the whole world of coupons and saving money. I always thought I was getting a good deal, but after reading some of your posts I'm so embarassed about my grocery bill. I get around 30 items for like $75. I occansionally get coupons in the mail. Majority of the time I don't use that product. I do get a newspaper, but never clip coupons. My hubby won't let me print coupons because the ink costs more than the coupon is worth. How do you get such amazing savings?

[getforfree]

My hubby won't let me print coupons because the ink costs more than the coupon is worth.

I print coupons in black only. I set my printer to use black ink only for everything, if I am printing something where the colors are necessary, I will reset it. I buy my ink at 123inckjets.com, like 4 times cheaper than at walmart or any other store.

As for the newspaper, I would never ever pay for it if it wasn't for coupons. All the news that are in the paper you can read online or watch tv or listen to the radio for free. I do buy it sometimes, and only when I am low on coupons, but I check it first if the coupons are there, and then go pay for it.

I bought tons of food at BigLots this sunday with the 20% off coupon, spent $62. $6 was for Ds's toys and the rest was food and tp. So I am set with pasta, ranch, juice, veg oil, tp and coffe for the next 6 months or so.

[scrava]

I saved 40% at Shaw's last night w/o even trying, LOL.
I love to go on my "stock up" trips and save 80%+.
But, most of my trips are for stuff we need and I usually save 30-60% on those.

Even just shopping the sales really really helps!
Last night I got 4 free toothpaste's, 1 free deodorant and a bunch of stuff we needed.