Just a reminder that you may want to go print some coupons before the end of the month!  Some may not be available on the 1st of next month.  You can also print coupons.com coupons directly from our sidebar.

I had a hard time planning this trip.  There were multiple rebates involved, and I was purchasing items for the Kraft rebate from multiple stores, so it was a bit complicated.  It took me much longer to plan out than I usually spend, which was frustrating.  However, it was worth it as I got quite a bit of stuff on our $50 budget (I went over by $1.44).

Total before sales / coupons: $379.49
Total after all sales, coupons and rebates: $51.44
Also earned $14 in coupons that I can use like cash on future purchases

Total Time Spent planning: 2 hrs 15 min (I don't know why it took me so long, but I felt like I was in a fog trying to plan this one!)
Total Time Spent Shopping: 2 hrs 30 min
Total $$ "earned" per hour: $69.05


 
Here is the breakdown so you can see exactly how it worked.  I think this can be helpful / encouraging when you are just starting out.  If after reading it, you have any questions at all, please leave a comment and I will try to clarify!

HENRYS
2 Pineapple - $1.76
1 10 lb bag potatoes at $1.49 - $3.25
4 lbs strawberries at $0.88 - $6.77
10 Bell Peppers at $0.33 ea (they freeze really well diced or sliced and then used in sauces / soups) - $10.07
2 Squash at $1.99  - $12.05
2 Zucchini at $0.99  - $12.84
1 Cucumber at $0.33 - $13.17

ALBERTSONS
Kraft Olive Oil Mayo - $3.59
Kraft Mini Cream Cheese at $1.89 - $5.48
3 Kraft Cheddar Cheese at $2.49 - $12.45
Rojos Salsa at $1.69 - $14.64
5 Cool Whip at $1 - $19.64
5 lbs grapes at $0.79 / lb - $23.48

• Used $10 off purchase catalina coupons earned during a previous transaction - $13.48
• Used FREE Kraft Olive Oil Mayo Coupon - $9.89
• Used FREE Kraft Mini Cream Cheese Coupon - $8.00

CVS
2 David Sunflower Seeds at $1.50 - $3
2 Gillette Body Wash at $4 - $11
5 Ritz Crackers at $0.98 - $15.90

• Used $1 off 2 David - $14.90
• Used Buy one Get One Free Gillette - $10.90
• Used 2 $1 off 2 Ritz - $8.90
• Used $8 in ECBs earn on a previous transaction - $0.90

RALPHS
English Muffins - $1
Kraft Salad Dressing at $2 - $9
1.5 lbs Tri Tip Steak at $3.99 / lb (a rather high price, but we really wanted it for Memorial Day) - $14.68
Ralphs Bacon at $2.50 (Something I usually keep in stock, but I skipped the last great sale, so we ran out and I need it for a recipe this week)  - $17.18
3/4 lb Swordfish at $5.99 / lb - $21.67
Huggies Jumbo Diapers at $8.99 ea - $48.64
2 Colgate Toothbrush at $0.99 ea - $50.62
Ralphs Whipping Cream at $1.99 - $52.61
Just over 2 lbs bananas at $0.67 / lb - $53.86
Just under 2 lbs Gala apples at $1.29 / lb (pricey, but the boys specifically asked for apples) - $55.96
Just over 2 lbs Peaches at $0.88 / lb - $57.83
Blueberries at $1.50 - $59.33
2 Milk at $4.98 -  $64.31

• Used $7 Ralphs Reward Points certificate (points are accumulated during each purchase, but awarded quarterly as a certificate that can be used like cash) - 57.31
• Used three $3 off Huggies - $48.31
• Used $3 off $10 or more meat purchase - $45.31
• Used four $0.55 off Kraft Salad Dressing (the first one "doubled" to $1) -$42.66
• Used two $0.75 off Colgate (the first one "doubled" to $1) -$40.91
• Save $3 instantly when you buy $15 in Huggies - $37.93

RITEAID
Transaction #1
Duracell 8 pk AA - $4.99
Duracell 4 pk C at $4.99 - $9.98
Huggies Jumbo Pack at $8.99 - $18.97
2 Candy Bars (not pictured) at $0.75 - $20.47

• Used $5 off $20 - $15.47
• Used $3 off Huggies - $12.47
• Used two $1 off Duracell (they were attached to the packages) - $10.47
• $2 SCR on Huggies - $8.47

Transaction #2
Duracell 8 pk AA - $4.99
Huggies Jumbo Pack Pullups at $8.99 - $13.98
Huggies Jumbo Pack Diapers at $8.99 - $22.97
2 GUM 2 pk Crayola toothbrushes at $3.79 (buy one get one free) - $26.76

• Used $5 off $25 - $21.76
• Used $2 off Pullups - $19.76
• Used $3 off Huggies - $16.76
• Used $1 off Huggies Video Values Coupon - $15.76
• Used $1 off 1 Duracell - $14.76

Transaction #3
3 Schick Intuition Razors - $26.97

• Used $5 off $25 - $21.97
• Used three $4 off Intuition - $9.97

Transaction #4 - 
3 Nivea Men's Body Wash at $5.49 - $16.47
1 Schick Intuition Razor - $25.46

• Used $5 off $25 - $20.46
• Used three $3 off Nivea Men's - $11.46
• Used $4 off Intuition - $7.46
• $5 SCR on Nivea - $2.46

 

One simple thing we do to save a few dollars each year is pay our life insurance premium annually and our car insurance premium semi-annually. 

Many people I know make these payments monthly b/c it is difficult to find 6-12 months worth of premiums all at once.  To solve this problem, we still set aside money for these bills each month - we just put it in savings (where it earns interest) instead of giving it to the company.  Then, every 6 - 12 months, we take the money out of savings and pay our bill.

Insurance companies like to have the money up front, so they will often offer you a discount for paying less often. 

If you are paying these bills monthly, try to find 10-15 min this week to call your insurance companies and ask what sort of discount they offer for paying less often.  If they do offer a discount, it will be well worth your 10 - 15 min of time!  We get a discount of about $150 / yr on our car insurance and about $100 / yr on our life insurance. 



 

PRODUCE:
Personal Mini Watermelon - $1.49 ea
8 Hrs only (Thurs May 27th from 1 pm - 9 pm)

Peaches - $0.88 / lb

Blueberries (4.4-6 oz) $1.50

MEAT:
Johnsonville Sausage (19.76 oz) - $1.99
8 Hrs only (Thurs May 27th from 1 pm - 9 pm)

• Use $0.55 off 1 printable (the first one per "doubles" to $1)
• FINAL COST - $0.99 for the first per transaction with coupon, $2.46 for each additional in the same transaction
  

Tri Tip Roast (untrimmed) - $1.97 / lb

Scallops (Large) - $5.99 / lb

REFRIGERATED / FROZEN:
Krusteaz Frozen Pancakes (12-19 oz) - $2

• Buy 2 and use $1 off 2 from 02/28 SS insert
• FINAL COST - $1.50 each with coupon

Cool Classics Arctic Blasters Fudgsicles (12 ct) - $2

NON-FOODS:
Huggies Jumbo Pack Diapers - $8.99

• Use $3 off 1 printable
• FINAL COST - $5.99 with coupon

Raid Ant & Roach Killer (17.5 oz) - $2.50

• Use $1 off 1 from 05/23 SS - $1.50
• Buy 3 and submit for$5 SC Johnson Rebate (can be done up to 3 times)
• FINAL COST - FREE plus overage with 3 coupons and after rebate

Colgate Regular or Wave Pro Toothbrush - $1

• Use $0.75 off 1 from 05/23 SS (the first one per "doubles" to $1)
• FINAL COST - FREE for the first per transaction with coupon, $0.25 for each additional in the same transaction

Colgate 4.2 oz Total - $1

• Use $1 off 1 from April Issue of All You Magazine
  
• FINAL COST - FREE with coupon

OTHER:
Padrinos Tortilla Chips (13 oz) - $1.98

• Use $1 off 1 from 04/18 SS insert
• FINAL COST - $0.98 with coupon

Mission Tortilla Chips (22 oz) - $1.98

• Use $0.75 off 1 printable (no longer available to print)
• FINAL COST - $1.23 with coupon

Diet Pepsi, Crush or Pepsi 2 Liter - $0.79
Must buy 6 for price. Limit 1 transaction of 6

Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice Cocktail (64 oz) - $0.99
8 Hrs only (Thurs May 27th from 1 pm - 9 pm)

Ralphs Relish (10 oz) - $0.88

Kraft Salad Dressing (16 oz) - $2
Can also be used for $10 Kraft Rebate I've mentioned

• Use $0.55 off 1 from 05/02 SS insert or printable (the first one per "doubles" to $1) - $1 for the first per transaction with coupon, $1.45 for each additional in the same transaction
• Buy 4 and receive a $3 catalina coupon that can be used like cash on your next visit
• FINAL COST - $0.56 each after catalina when you buy 4 with 4 coupons
  

Nabisco Cracker (7-10 oz Snack) - $1.88
Can also be used for $10 Kraft Rebate I've mentioned

• Buy 2 and use $1 off 2 from 05/16 SS
• FINAL COST - $1.38 each with coupon
  

Mission Chip Dips (11.5-16 oz) - $1.98

• Use $0.75 off 1 printable (no longer available to print)
• FINAL COST - $1.23 with coupon

Tostitos Tortilla Chips or Ruffles Potato Chips (9-13 oz) - $0.99
8 Hrs only (Thurs May 27th from 1 pm - 9 pm). Limit 2

Would you like access to these deals and hundreds more in a search-able, sort-able, printable database? Well, check out our Weekly Grocery Shopping Tools where we rate and match coupons to each sale from 7 different stores and give you all sorts of other cool (and very useful) information!

**Note: This post contains an affiliate link. To learn more, read my Disclosure Statement.**

PRODUCE:
Corn on the Cob - $0.22 / ea

MEAT:
Tony Romas Baby Back Ribs (24 oz, Pre-cooked) - $14.99 (price not listed in ad, estimated based on online price)

• Buy 2 and get the 2nd FREE
• FINAL PRICE - $7.50 each when you buy two

Yello Fin Ahi Tuna - $6.99 / lb

Signature Cafe St Louis Style Smokehouse Red Ribs (26 oz Pre-cooked) - $6.99
4 Days Only: Fri 5/28 - Mon 5/31

• Use $1 off in-ad store coupon (pg 2)
• FINAL PRICE - $5.99 with coupon

Chicken Thighs or Drumsticks - $0.77 / lb

Pork Spareribs (10 lb box, Frozen) - $9.70

FROZEN / REFRIGERATED:
Safeway Select Frozen Lasagna (56-80 oz) - $8.99

• Use $2 off 1 in-ad store cpn (pg 3)
• FINAL COST - $6.99 with coupon

Lucerne Icecream Sandwiches (6-12 ct) - $2.49
Limit 3 with coupon

• Use $1 off in-ad store coupon (insert pg 1)
• FINAL COST - $1.49 with coupon

Oscar Mayer Lunchables (9.5-11.7 oz) - $2.49

Oscar Mayer Lunchmeat 10 oz Ham or Turkey - $3.99

• Buy two and get the 2nd FREE - $2 each when you buy two
• Use two $2 off 1 printables - FREE with 2 coupons

• Use one $1 off 2 from 05/16 SS insert
• FINAL COST - $1.50 each when you buy two with coupon

NON-FOODS:
Kingsford Charcoal (15.7-16.6 lb) - $7.99
Limit 1 with Vons coupon

• Use $2 off in-ad store coupon (insert pg 1)
• Use printable coupon to get a FREE Glad product, KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce, or Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing
• FINAL COST - $5.99 plus an additional FREE product!

Reynolds Wrap Aluminum Foil (80 sf) - $2.99

• Use $0.75 off 1 from 04/18 SS (the first one per "doubles" to $1)
• FINAL COST - $1.99 for the first per transaction with coupon, $2.24 for each additional in the same transaction

OTHER:
IBC Soda (6 pk 12 oz) - $2.50

Safeway Hamburger Buns (8 ct) - $0.99

Best Foods Mayo (30 oz) - $3.99
Limit 2 with Vons Coupon

• Use $2 off 1 in-ad store coupon (pg 1 insert) - $1.99
• Stack with $0.75 off 1 printable (the first one per "doubles" to $1)
• FINAL COST - $0.99 for the first per transaction with both coupon, $1.24 for each additional in the same transaction

Wishbone Salad Dressing (16 oz) - $1.29

• Buy 2 and use $1.25 off 2 from 05/23 RP insert
• FINAL COST - $0.67 each with coupon

Zone Perfect Bars (1.59-2.9 oz) - $1

• Use $0.55 off 1 form 05/16 SS or printable (the first one per "doubles" to $1)
• FINAL COST - FREE for the first per transaction with coupon, $0.45 for each additional in the same transaction

Snyders Pretzels (16 oz) - $1.89

• Use $1 off 1 from 05/23 SS
• FINAL COST - $0.89 with coupon

Would you like access to these deals and hundreds more in a search-able, sort-able, printable database?  Well, check out our Weekly Grocery Shopping Tools where we rate and match coupons to each sale from 7 different stores and give you all sorts of other cool (and very useful) information!

PRODUCE:
Strawberries (1 lb) - $0.88

Russet Potatoes (10 lb bag) - $1.48

Roma Tomatoes - $0.88 / lb


Mangos - $0.50 per each

DAIRY:
Cascade Fresh Yogurt (1 Qt) - 2

Sun Harvest Butter Sticks (16 oz) - $2

OTHER:
Deli Fresh Cheddar Cheese - $1.99 / lb

I'd Love Your Vote!
I've just added Frugalicious to the list of awesome mommy blogs at Top Mommy Blogs.  They list and rank Blogs depending on how many "votes" each blog gets.  If you like Frugalicious, I would love to have you "vote" for me.  All you need to do is click on any link in this post or the Top Mommy Blogs button in my sidebar.  You will then be asked if you want to cast a vote for me.  It takes about 5 seconds total.  You are allowed to vote once per day.  Thanks in advance for your support!

ps...
What do you like about Frugalicious?
Is there anything you wish Frugalicious offered that we don't currently?



 

$5.99 Small Appliances
Kohls has the following appliances on sale at $19.99 with a $10 rebate.  Use code TWENTYMAY to save an additional 20% making them just $5.99 (Thanks, Moms By Heart!)

• Presto Cool Touch Electric Griddle
• Hamilton Beach 6 qt Slow Cooker
• Hamilton Beach Hand Mixer
• Hamilton Beach Classic Chrome Can Opener

Scrubbing Bubbles Moneymaker
Target has the Scrubbing Bubble Extend a Clean Shower Cleaner Starter Kit on sale for $8.69 (I bought mine at Vons earlier and I really like this stuff!)

• Use$5 off 1 from 04/11 SS or $5 off 1 printable - $3.69
• Use coupon for a FREE Target gift card WYB one from 05/23 SS - FREE PLUS OVERAGE!
• If you haven't done the SC Johnson rebate yet, buy three and submit for your $5 rebate - EVEN MORE OVERAGE

FREE Littlest Pet Shop Toys
**Note: This deal will depend on your Toys R Us, but if you are planning on going there anyway or really want these toys, it would be worth trying.  My Toys R Us lets me do this all the time, and from the comments online it looks like most do.  Technically, it should work b/c one discount is from the store and the other is from the manufacturer, but just be warned, they could say no.**

Littlest Pet Shop Toys are on sale Buy One Get One Free at Toys R Us

• Buy 2 and use Buy One Get One Free printable coupon 
• FINAL COST - Two for FREE!

 

Now that you know what a catalina is, you may be wondering just how to find them using the Weekly Grocery Shopping Tools. 

It is quite simple (so this will be a very short tip).  They are listed in the Coupon Database.  All you need to do is search for " A CAT " (Albertsons Catalina), " V CAT " (Vons Catalina), " R CAT " (Ralphs Catalina), or " S CAT " (Stater Bros Catalina).

Let me know if you have any questions!


 

My parents love this show!

Amazon has Everybody Loves Raymond: The Complete Series on sale for just $79.99.  It is regularly $200 and ships for FREE.  You will also get at $4 credit to  Amazon Video On Demand with your purchase.

Use code 4THECITY   to save$10 off any $10 (or more) purchase at JcPenney. 

Become a fan of priceline.com on facebook. ("like" them).  If they reach 100,000 fans by 11:59 EST on May 31st 2010, each fan will receive a $35 credit.  YAY for free travel!
Thanks, Money Saving Madness!



 

The Frugalicious Grocery Shopping Tools bring excitement to my shopping trips. I have four boys and one hungry husband. My grocery bill before Frugalicious was going up with each passing year. But after using the Grocery Shopping Tools for over a year now, my grocery bill is down. The amount of food in my home is up. This gets me excited because I know what is on sale each week. I never realized all the great deals and coupons that are available to me. It is so nice to have a program show me how to take advantage of these deals. I have used other shopping programs, but the Frugalicious Grocery Shopping Tools help me save the most money. The reason for this is the tools give me more helpful features than any other program. I know if an item is at its lowest price or if an item is a good deal. With this knowledge, I can decide how many of that item I want to buy. The program saved my family hundreds last year!  


 

What is Smart Shopping?
Smart Shopping, or Frugalicious shopping is based on stacking deals.  It isn't smart shopping to buy something just because it is on sale.  It isn't smart shopping to buy something just because you have a coupon for it.  It is smart shopping to buy something when it is on sale and you have a coupon for it.  Understanding this concept can do wonders for your grocery bill: and turn you into a money saving expert!

Smart Online Shopping
Have you ever thought about applying that same principle to other areas of shopping?  Online shopping, for example?  There are a lot of things that I buy online just to avoid the hassle of going to the store.  I am a very slow decision maker.  I like to be able to look at something again and again and compare it to other similar things again and again before buying something.  This is difficult to do at the store with three kids.  So, I shop online a lot.  Another reason I like online shopping is because there are lots of ways to stack deals.  Plus, I rarely pay shipping.  Just this last week, I bought some new clothes for my husband.  I stacked four deals:

• I found them on clearance at Kohls (about $8 per shirt)
• I used a 15% off discount code (now about $6.80 per shirt)
• I shopped through ShopAtHome for 5% back (now about $6.45 per shirt)
• I got $10 in Kohls cash for every $50 I spent (now about $5.80 per shirt)

Where to Find Discount Codes That You Can Stack With Sales:
One of the best places to find discount codes are cash back sites (ShopAtHome, Ebates, Cashbaq etc).  Not only do they offer cash back when you shop through them, but they also list discount codes that you can use in addition to getting cash back.

There are two other sites that I check if I can't find a code at whatever cash back site I am shopping through: The Coupon Shack and Retail Me Not.  Often, you will find similar codes at both places, but I also regularly find that one will have a code that the other does not. I recommend checking these sites anytime you shop online.  It will make stacking deals far easier and save you money!



 

If you requested the Kraft Sample Pack I told you about, you should be getting it soon.  I received mine today.  Make sure you look for (and keep) the rebate form:


You will get a $10 rebate when you purchase $30 in Kraft Products.  Purchases must be made by 6/13/10.  I'm sure this is going to make for some great deals.  There are currently some catalina deals going on Kraft products (Cool Whip, Salad Dressing, DiGiornio, etc).  In addition, the $30 is before coupons.  You should have also received coupons for 2-3 FREE products in your packet.  You can use these to bring your total up to $30 without spending anything!

Here are a few Kraft coupons you can print:
$1 off 100 Calorie Pack Cheese Bites
$0.55 off 1 Kraft Dressing
$1 off 2 Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs
$1 off 2 Oscar Mayer Lunchmeats
If you are a member of Kraft First Taste (you can join and you may get the coupons), you should be able to print the following:

• $1 off Kool Aid Fun Fizz
• $1.50 off Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Shaved Meats
• $1.50 off Ritz Crackerfuls
• $1.50 off Kraft 100 Calorie Cheese Bites
• $1.50 off Kraft Homestyle Macaroni and Cheese
• $1.50 off DiGiornio Deep Dish Pizza

Target also has printable Kraft coupons that can be stack with manufacturer's coupons for additional savings!  YAY for FREE Kraft foods!
T 

Yesterday Vicki asked me what a catalina was.  I responded to her in the comments of my weekly shopping trip, but thought this would also be a good opportunity to give you all some tips on catalina coupons as they are one of the best ways to save money at the grocery store. 

What is a catalina?
A catalina is a coupon that prints out of the little machine next to the register at a grocery store. The company that makes these machines is called Catalina so that is where the name comes from.

How do I know when a catalina will print?
In order to trigger a catalina to print, you must buy certain qualifying items.  For example, this week at Albertsons, they advertised in their weekly circular that  you would get a $10 coupon when you bought $25 in participating products.  Those participating products were listed in the circular. 
However, there are many catalinas coupons that are not advertised in the weekly circular.  These "mystery" catalinas are advertised elsewhere, but many people miss them b/c  they come out of the little catalina machine next to the register (just like the catalina coupons).  (How many times have you just told the cashier to "toss" whatever comes out of that machine!?!) They look very similar to a catalina coupon only they have no value.  They simply tell you about an upcoming catalina and which items you need to purchase in order to qualify for it. 
Obviously, it would be difficult for any one person to know about all current catalina promotions.  So, I visit online forums where people post when they get a catalina advertisement.  We then list these catalina deals in our Coupon Database so that you know about them.  We also match them to any current sales in the Current Deals List.

What makes Catalinas so great?
They can be stacked (used in combination) with sales, manufacturers coupons, store coupons, and/or mail-in rebates.  Because of this, they can regularly be used to get things for FREE or close to free.  An example of this happened last week at Vons.  The Scrubbing Bubble Shower Cleaner starter kit was on sale for $6.99.  I stacked that sale with a $5 off 1 coupon that I had which brought the price down to $1.99.  However, there was also a $3 catalina being offered on that product.  So, each time I bought one, the catalina machine printed out a $3 coupon that I could use like cash on my next purchase.  I actually "made" $1.01 by buying each one!

Anything else I should know?

• Typically, you can only get one "like" catalina deal per transaction.  So, in the above Scrubbing Bubbles example, I had to do a separate transaction for each catalina that I wanted.  
• Catalinas do expire.  You will usually need to use them within 2-4 weeks after receiving them.
• You will occasionally get other coupons out of the catalina machines.  These are usually manufacturer or store coupons that are for a specific product.  They cannot be stacked with other coupons.  They must be used exactly like any other manufacturer or store coupon.  I do not how to trigger these coupons in the Coupon Database.  They are triggered based on your own personal spending habits.  For example, I get a lot of coupons for baby products because I buy a lot of diapers.  Someone who buys a lot of frozen food would get a lot of frozen food coupons etc.

 

I overspent our $50 budget this week. But I think it is good for everyone to know that I'm not perfect at this.  Sometimes, I mess up.  However, it is still worth it!  Even though there are occasional weeks where I overspend, I'm still saving my family thousands each year.  The reason I overspent?   We ran out of pullups!  Since I potty trained the boys, I've stopped buying diapers for them.  I had quite a few pullups in storage, and I just didn't realize we'd gone through them ALL!  They absolutely still need to wear them at night, so I had to break down and buy them at FULL PRICE!  To make matters worse, they didn't even have the jumbo pack, so I had to buy a mega pack.  Ugh!  I made my CVS trip earlier in the week b/c I was there picking up a prescription already.  So, there are two pictures again:

Total before sales / coupons: $136.69
Total after all sales, coupons and rebates: $59.13
Also earned $14 in coupons that I can use like cash on future purchases

Total Time Spent planning: 60 min
Total Time Spent Shopping: 90 min (I didn't have any kiddos with me!)
Total $$ "earned" per hour: $31.02

 
Here is the breakdown so you can see exactly how it worked.  I think this can be helpful / encouraging when you are just starting out.  If after reading it, you have any questions at all, please leave a comment and I will try to clarify!