I wrote a couple of months ago about attempting to make use of Safeway’s Mix & Match special, and the absolute torture that experience was. Safeway is at it again, and I stopped by tonight to do some shopping and stock up. This time, though, I was armed. *AND* with coupons.
Some highlights:
Barilla pasta
Regular price: $1.67
Club card price: $1.39
Price after the M&M sale: $0.89 cents
Prego pasta sauce
Regular price: $3
Club card price: $1.99
Price after the M&M sale: $1.49
Then things start to get better. Observe.
Johnsonville breakfast sausages
Regular price: $4.29
Club card price: 2 for $6, or $3 each
Price after M&M sale: $2.50 each
Price after my $1/2 coupon: $2 each
Kraft BBQ sauce
Regular price: $1.25
(no club card savings on this one)
Price after M&M sale: $0.75
Price after my $0.50/1 coupon: $0.25
DiGiornio Singles frozen pizza
Regular price: $4.69
Club card price: $2.99
Price after M&M sale: $2.49
Price after my $1/2 coupon: $1.99
I ended up buying 40 items in the Mix and Match sale. At $5 off every ten items, I saved $20, just with that deal. I also saved an extra $8.36, and used 12 coupons. I also got a $0.15 credit for bringing five of my own bags.
I was pretty happy with the price of the pasta at $0.89 - I’ve found that about $1 for 16 oz. of pasta is a pretty good deal. Trader Joe’s carries pasta for $0.99 for 16 oz., so that is my price to beat if I am going to buy pasta. I really like Barilla as a brand, so I stocked up on a bunch of boxes.
I’m starting to feel confident in this whole couponing thing. Now that I’ve been clipping coupons for a couple of months, and have a stockpile of coupons, I just watch for those items to go on sale at the store and try to combine them with a store sale for better savings. I know there are coupons for things I will never buy, so I don’t even bother with those, but for things I know I will, or am not brand-loyal about, I keep them all.
The bottom line?
My Safeway trip cost me a total of $127.38. My club card savings, including the Mix & Match sales, saved me $89.72. The additional savings from coupons brought my total savings to $98.08. My receipt tells me I saved 44% off the price of my groceries. I also got a catalina (a register coupon) for $2 off my next shopping trip.
For veteran couponers, this might not be big savings, since they ALWAYS save that much or more off their grocery bills, but for a newbie like me? Well, I’m pretty thrilled.
Bonus
Also, I found out that Walgreens has Reach dental floss on sale for $0.99. I have coupons for $1 off of those, so I went to Walgreens before I went to the grocery store. The clerk couldn’t ring it up without manager approval, because the coupon was for more than the sale price of the item, so after he spoke with the manager, he manually adjusted the price up a penny, and I got two packages of dental floss for FREE.
Good thing, too. A package of razor blades cost me 20 freaking bucks.
girl, i have to tell you that it’s all due to you that i ALWAYS read the finance blogs, even if i don’t read my friends blogs, i am HOOKED on finance blogs. not alot of them and not the stiff ones, just the ones that help to keep me frugal & focused. why is it your fault? cause of your post earlier this year where you described your finances & mentioned finance blogs you read. it has really helped me alot. so, THANKS! i can’t get too much into the coupon/shopping savings blogs because i think i already have a good enough system and just can’t keep up with all the suggestions they list at all the different stores. don’t get me wrong, i read them ( like your above post) and i give you guys a mental high-five, but i don’t take notes. you know. although i do watch the CVS flyer alittle closer and pay attention to the extra bucks now that i know what they are! i’m just rambling. oh, something i do about the whole astronomic price of razors….i started using an epilator! costs $40 and you never need to shave again. there’s some pain involved but no more than what you feel when you have to buy razors all the time. i got my husband his blades at costco. luckily they carry just the one he likes…got a pack of 30 or something…they’ll last him the next 10 years, but i also use them too (for “other” parts) and for a quick shave if i want. i figure, they work great for his face and we have PLENTY of them. he said he gets like 2 months from one razor! i think that’s crazy, not sure if that’s normal for guys, but then again, he’s REALLY frugal.
Whoa! I am super impressed. I really want to start couponing. I need some schooling!
I read posts that tell me how to coupon and get money back, and it just wipes me out from exhaustion. It’s a full time job! So kudos to you.
Do you know about that site that matches up coupons with stores in your area? I think it costs a bit of money but is supposed to save you tons.