Dillon's Mega Event through November 6, 2012

$11.58 for all pre-tax

Dillon's is having another one of their Mega Events this week. Their are some fairly good deals but this is one of those promotions you have to be careful to make sure you purchase items in the right quantity.

I will probably go back later in the week and pick up a few more items after I have a chance to match up more coupons with sale/event items.  For example, the creamer is $2.49 (if you purchase 10 participating items) and after 55 cent coupon which doubled, it was only $1.49. The Windex is $2.51 and after 50 cent doubled coupon was $1.51 each. If you want to be really frugal, it's easy to make your own cleansers.

 

I actually went to Dillon's in an emergency to buy butter...I paid $2.49 (on sale) for this butter and it almost killed me because the regular price of butter at Wal-Mart and Aldi's is about $1.78.

 

The baggies were $1.21 after coupon. I have a baggie obsession. This was cheaper than the store brands anywhere else but obviously if I had to drastically cut my grocery budget, baggies would be be an easy cut.

 

I had coupons for all of the items pictured above. This, combined with the sales event made many of these items very inexpressive.

 

The toothpaste was free after coupon. I frequently see items such as this at garage sales. Extreme couponers turning around and selling items they have obtained free or almost free. They would take this toothpaste and resell it for around 75 cents. I've been to a couple of garage sales where the seller literally had hundreds of items. Of course, I recognized the items since I had recently purchased them, just not in near the same quantities.

 

Many of Dillon's mega event items do have current coupons. I suggest making an exact list including the number of each item you plan to purchase. If you miscount by 1 item, you could end up paying full price for 9 items. Such a mistake would cost you $4.50.

HyVee Two Day Sale November 1 & 2

$10.24 before tax

Don't miss HyVee's 2 Day Sale (Nov. 1 & 2)!  Eggs are just 98 cents a carton (limit 2) and soda (Pepsi, Dr. Pepper, 7-up, Mountain Dew, RC or A&W) is only 68 cents a 2-liter bottle (limit 4). Ocean Spray Juice is also on sale for just $1.79.  This is the same price as Aldi's juice but there are many more varieties in OceanSpray. Personally, I love the White Cran Peach.

 

Lettuce is on sale all week (through Nov. 6) for 99 cents.  This is cheaper than Apple Market which usually sells their green leaf lettuce for $1.29. The potatoes were 99 cents for 10 pounds.

 

I estimate I paid about 50% off the normal price for these items and that is without using any coupons.

 

HyVee is also starting a new fuel saver program. You have to sign up for the program and get a plastic tag to put on your key chain. It works quite a bit differently from Dillon's program. With Dillon's, you basically earn a point for every dollar you spend. At HyVee, you will earn so many cents off a gallon based on buying specific items.

 

For example, each week in their ad, they will state which items earn fuel discounts. Let's say one week you can earn 5 cents off per gallon for every box of Kellogg's cereal you purchase. If you purchase 5 boxes, you will earn 25 cents off a gallon.

 

I never earn more than`10 cents off a gallon at Dillon's. This is because I really don't buy very many groceries at Dillon's. I have to spend a $100 to earn 10 cents off and it takes me all month to spend that amount at Dillon's.

 

My neighbor says he purchases gift cards at Dillon's and then uses those to pay for his groceries. He earns points when he purchases the gift card and then again when he uses the gift card to pay for his groceries. He says he saves about $70 a month in gas by accumulating double points in this manner. He also accumulates his points until he reaches the highest possible discount, then takes both of his cars to the pump at the same time, filling first one car and then the other without turning off the pump. I asked him if this was allowed and he said no one has ever told him he couldn't do it.

 

HyVee's new program does not start until December 5. There are restrictions but it sounds as if you may be able to earn some rather large discounts. We will have to wait and see...

Dillon's Deals through October 30

$14.20 pre-tax

I found lots of great deals at Dillon's this week. First, Dole pineapple is $1 a can. After my 50 cent coupons which doubled, each can was just 50 cents.

 

Stove Top was not on sale ($1.29 each) but I had a coupon for $1 off two. Heinz gravy is on sale for $1 a jar and if you purchase both Stove Top and Heinz gravy, you will receive a $1 off a future order coupon at checkout.

 

Duncan Hines cake mix is on sale for $1 a box. No coupons but still a pretty good price. Cream cheese is also on sale for $1 a package which is about as cheap as you ever see it. Uncle Ben's is on sale on $1 a package minus coupon made the rice just 50 cents a package.

 

The yogurt is not on sale (90 cents each) but after doubled coupon was only 30 cents each.

 

The three packages of Crest, Hot sauce, carrots and noodles were all free after coupon. All together, I saved $19.09 with my coupons. Of course, I had to purchase a few essentials not on sale and for which I didn't have any coupons. My "total" bill was $36.13 (with tax) and according to Dillon's calculations (coupons and sale items), I saved 55% off my total bill. The percentage off would have been much higher had I only purchased sale items and coupon items.

 

I find free stuff almost every week (usually the item is on sale and after double coupon is free). If you don't have an enormous stockpile of toothpaste, you simply aren't trying very hard. At this point, I try to send toothpaste home with every guest as a party favor.

Today's Dillon Deal



Ready to go to the store



Today is the last day of the Dillon's current Mega Event.  If you haven't taken advantage of these deals yet, get on it.  I decided to go to Dillon's and use a few more of my coupon match-ups yesterday.  I had a Catalina (store issued at register) coupon for $3.00 off my next shopping order plus a Catalina coupon for free bacon I wanted to use.  These type of coupons typically have short redemption periods so I always try to use them right away before I forget and let them expire.  

This event requires you purchase 10 items to get $5.00 off. I scoured the advertisement for items for which I had coupons and pulled out the ones I thought applied and planned on possibly using.

All for $6.84 before tax

Here's what I ended up purchasing.

The Hefty storage bags had a 50 cent off Internet coupon which you could load to your Dillon's card.  I am very careful about what coupons I load to my Dillon's card.  Why?  Because they don't double.  If I have a paper coupon less than $1.00, it will usually end up the larger savings. The coupons I load to my Dillon's card are the $1.00 or more coupons because even if I have a coupon, those don't double. You cannot "stack" paper and Dillon's Internet coupons...it's one or the other and if you have a Dillon's coupon loaded to your card, the cashier will not accept your paper coupon.  You don't have the option to choose not to use the Internet coupon. In this instance, I did not have a paper coupon so went ahead and loaded the Dillon's coupon for 55 cents, they were on sale for .99 (after 50 cent deduction for mega event), so I paid 44 cents for the storage bags. They normally cost $2.49.

I purchased five boxes of Granola Bars. The mega event sale price was $1.99 each.  I had five coupons for 50 cents off which doubled making the boxes 99 cents each. Here's a tip for you: Pay attention to those notices that print out at the register.  I received one stating all Fiber One bars would result in a coupon off a future shopping order between 8/6/12 and 9/2/12, buy 3 get $1 off coupon, buy 4 get a $2 off coupon, buy 5 get a $3 off coupon.  I purchased five boxes last week at the sale price with coupons and received  a Catalina coupon for $3 off a future shopping order plus I received another $1 off coupon this trip. Altogether, last week and this week I purchased 10 boxes of granola bars for 99 cents (sale price minus doubled coupon) and received $4 off a future shopping trip.  On average, I paid 60 cents a box for granola bars.  These bars typically cost between $3.05-$3.69 a box.

There is another similar promotion at Dillon's currently. Buy participating Kraft Food products between 8/19-9/15 and get coupons for money off future orders. For example, buy 3-5 items and get $2 off, buy 6-9 items and get $5 off, buy 10 or more and get $10 off a future order. This may end up being a good deal, if these items go on sale and/or you have any matching coupons. Some Kraft brands included are Crystal Light, Kraft dressings, Kraft Mayo, Mio, Planters Peanuts, Velveeta and some Oscar Mayer products.

The pens were on the clearance rack for $1.00.  Both my husband and I am Pen-Picky.  I like a thin pen with a fine tip. My husband likes the chunky-size pens which remind me of the crayons I used in Kindergarten. We spent a lot of time digging through drawers looking for just the right pen.  If I was handed a pie chart at death as to how I spent my life, I would expect "digging for a pen in the junk drawer" to receive it's own sliver of time.

The, hmmmmm, personal female item was also 99 cents. Moving on, the Teddy Graham snacks were on sale for 99 cents. I had a coupon for 75 cents off two Nabisco snacks which doubled to a $1.00, making each bag of sugary little cookies 50 cents each.

The goldfish were 99 cents and I had a coupon but didn't read it close enough to see it had a size limitation of 30 ounces so the coupon didn't apply. Here's the deal...I can't read a lot of the tiny print on coupons, even with my glasses,  which makes me crazy.  Why don't they print the restrictions in normal size?  Since I am somewhat of conspiracy theorist, I assume it's so I will purchase the product based on the coupon then keep it even when I discover the coupon doesn't apply.  In this case, it worked because I needed ten items to get the $5.00 off.  Usually, I have no problem rejecting an item when I learn my coupon is invalid. I thought the goldfish were going to be free, instead I paid 99 cents. But then again, I love goldfish.

OK, so I now had nine items but needed ten in order to get the discount. I ended up purchasing a bag of macaroni because it stores a long time, I use lots of it and 49 cents is an awesome price for macaroni.

Chicken scratches

I keep track of my purchases as I shop. This is why I prefer to make 2-3 small trips a week instead of making everything in one big trip. It's easier to keep track how much I am spending and watch for mistakes at check out. This trip, I thought I would spend around $6.68 with tax. A $1.25 coupon ended up not applying due to a size restriction which also changed the tax amount so I actually spent $8.06. Had I realized the goldfish coupon didn't apply, I would have purchased another bag of macaroni instead, saving another 50 cents.

Spent a total of $8.06 with tax, saved a total of $30.83
81% off the total bill when including all savings!

Still not a bad haul, thirteen items for an average of 53 cents per item pre-tax. I wanted to spell out exactly how I did it because most money saving websites do not give detailed instructions or achieve huge savings only through fraud.  I try to be very honest when couponing and any mistakes are inadvertent.

But you can't live off granola bars and macaroni. Well, you can but it's not a very balanced diet. So grab deals when you can but continue to try and plan wholesome, inexpensive meals. After all, most coupons are for unhealthy, processed food, not dinner.

Feel free to stop by anytime. Don't be surprised if I offer you a granola bar.

How to Find Grocery Coupons in Topeka, Kansas

$5.40 for all before tax

I really don't spend all my time grocery shopping, though it may look that way.  I do try to make several small trips a week--the biggest reason is because it is easier to keep track of my purchases if I am spending $20, instead of $100 at once.  Also, multiple trips allow we to check for clearance items or unannounced sales. I try to go with a plan and be in the store no longer than a few minutes. Today, I wanted to go back to Dillon's to purchase a few more of their sale 10 for $10 sale items (mix and match).  Like a lot of sales, you don't have to actually buy ten items to get one of the sale items for $1. When in doubt, ask an employee, don't just assume you have to purchase ten items. I only purchased 7 items but all 7 rang up for $1. With the coupons I had, the above items cost $5.40 before tax and that is including the two steaks ($4.40) which are already marinating for tomorrow night.

Yesterday I mentioned the coupons for the BBQ sauce and soap. Plus, I discovered I had a coupon for $1 off the Lady Speed Stick which is on sale this week for $1. A couple of other great deals I noticed at Dillon's this week is half gallon of milk is on sale again for $1.25 (4 for $5).  It's much cheaper to purchase two half gallons for $2.50 than the gallon for $3.38.  Yet, how often do you just automatically reach for the gallon?

Also, Dillon's tortilla chips are on sale for $1 this week. I have never tried them. I really love the Calidad White Corn Tortilla Chips they sell at Dillon's for $1.99. But this week I decided to go ahead and try the Kroger brand since it is a $1 less (they normally sell for $1.25). Since I currently have garden tomatoes, I plan on making salsa.



$15.16 for all before tax



Since I was already on Wanamaker today, I also made a run into Hy-Vee. Hy-Vee has some great sale items this week, particularly on butter and eggs.  Butter is $1.88 (most places are charging between $3-$3.50 for a pound of butter) and eggs are 79 cents for a dozen (limit 2). 

I purchased 4 pounds of butter. You might ask, "But didn't you just purchase butter?"  The answer is "yes" and I was down to the final package.  So, while I would like to think this much butter will last a 3-4 months, more likely it will last 3-4 weeks.  Butter stores beautifully. The expiration date on this butter is not until December 14--believe me, it will not be a problem.

Eggs also store well. According to www.eggsafety.org, eggs are good for 4-5 weeks after the Julian date (date packed, not the sell by date).  The Julian date is usually found right on the carton near the "sell by" date.  For example, the egg carton above has stamped on the side "Sell by August 16". Then directly below the sell by date is the code "200 P1909 10". Julian date just refers to a continuous count of days so 001 refers to January 1 and 365 refers to December 31st.  This egg carton indicates the eggs were packed on the 200th day of the year or as we generally refer to it..July 19th. Since eggs are good for about 45 days after being laid, we know these eggs will be good until around September 2nd.

So, if I was you, I would be asking "Where do you find all these coupons?"

I subscribe to the local paper but the easiest way to obtain coupons is to ask people to save them for you. Request that your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers pass along any coupons they are not going to use.  People in general like to be helpful and you will likely be amazed at how many coupons others will simply give to you. You really don't need more than 3-4 of most coupons.

Another good way to get coupons is to request them directly from the manufacturer.  Often times, if you visit a product's website, there is an option to print coupons. In order to save on paper and ink, I only print those coupons I know I will use and I try to always leave my printer setting at "black ink" only.  I hate printing a coupon and a full page "advertisement" prints along with the coupon, practically negating any savings. (This is why many opt for "Print-it-at-work"). If the website doesn't offer coupons, I will often email the company and ask if they have coupons and if yes, how to obtain them. Sometimes the manufacturer will send individuals coupons when requested.

Recently, I attempted to print a couple of dollar off coupons from the Wells Blue Bunny website.  I could not get the coupons to print so I emailed the company and told them how disappointed I was since I love their ice cream.  I received 6 Fifty-five cent off coupons in the mail in response to my email. The email took about 10 seconds and netted me $6 (when doubled up to a $1 by local stores) in savings. I used three of those coupons today since Hy-Vee has Blue Bunny Ice Cream on sale for $1.99. After coupon, I ended up paying 99 cents per package.

Coupon for free product

I was particularly proud of the free Gain detergent which normally costs $10.67.  How? I purchased some Gain fabric softener off the clearance rack for $1.40 a couple of weeks ago.  Something was wrong with it. It was thick like molasses. I emailed the company, explained I had purchased some softener (I left out the irrelevant detail that I paid $1.40) which appeared defective. I explained I had never had a problem with their product before and wondered if it was OK to use. They quickly and efficiently emailed me back stating they would mail me a coupon for a free bottle. They did, only it was for detergent, not softener. They included a few other coupons as well. I always complain nicely and never make demands.  

6 Fifty-five cent  off coupons

What deals are all of you finding?

Topeka Dillon's Deals July 25-31, 2012

I love Wednesday mornings. Why? Grocery ads, of course. The first thing I do is give each ad a quick glance for any great sales for which I might also have coupons.  Later, I sit down and make out my week's menu and grocery list. 

You may be thinking who has time to match up sale items with coupons? It's probably not who you think.  Studies have shown the heaviest coupon users are caucasian women, under age 54, college-educated, living in a country setting on the fringe of a large city with an annual household income over $70,000.  Amazing! You just can't make this stuff up.

In other words, if June Cleaver was a real person living in Topeka, Kansas today, she would be an extreme couponer.   I highly recommend www.moneysavingmom.com.  This blog describes itself as an upbeat and encouraging site dedicated to assisting you in finding deals. A nice feature of the blog is a tab entitled "store deals" which matches advertised specials with current coupons. I'm sure June would have used it.

So, today the old cat gentlemen demanded I go get cat food. I wasn't really ready to do my weekly shopping but they declared an emergency. Angry, loud, hungry cats can be quite convincing.

Kibo & Howard threaten revolt

I made a dash to Dillon's. Of course, while there I made sure to check out the clearance rack.  I found a bag of gummy bears for 25 cents and a couple of packages of Blistex marked down to 25 cents each. I had a coupon for 25 cents so after doubling, both sticks were free. I also noticed Masterpiece BBQ sauce is on sale for a $1.00 this week, I had three 75 cent coupons which when doubled, made for three free bottles of sauce. I also had three coupons for $1 off Ivory soap which is also on sale for $1 this week. Can't beat free.

I also had a coupon for a package of free Oscar Mayer Bacon. I recommend the website www.kraftfirsttaste.com.  You must join the site but they often offer great coupons, sometimes even coupons for free sample items. I received this particular coupon in the mail after entering some kind of contest on the site. Yeah, I "won" bacon. I like free things.

I also picked up some of the Oscar Mayer shaved ham and turkey which is on sale this week for $1.99 (if you buy four packages, you receive an immediate $4 discount). I also had a couple of 50 cent coupons for the meat. All together, the items pictured below cost $6.25.

$6.25 for the above pictured items

I am hoping I will not need to buy many other groceries this week, other than a couple of sale items at other stores. I did not need to use all my groceries last week because my husband took me on a surprise date night one night and we ended up eating some leftovers another night. This week, I am planning on:

Chicken Pot Pie (if it cools off)
Salad
BBQ Beef Sandwiches
Stacked Ham Sandwiches (with meat above)
Steak and Baked Potato (a splurge at the grocery store is always cheaper than eating out)
Pork Chops
BLT's (Free bacon and garden tomatoes--yum)

Of course, the cook always reserves the right to change the menu.

When I got home, we had a strangle little rain shower. It poured for about five minutes as the sun shone. The ground sucked up the water so fast you couldn't even tell it had rained an hour later.

Glorious Rain!

Dillon's Deals - Mega Event through July 17

Here are today's money-saving adventures:

Clearance Rack Deals - $1.42 for all!

  Today's clearance rack at Dillon's was fantastic!  Here's the breakdown:

6 bags of Jolly Rancher candy at .50 each..............$3.00
3 Oral B toothbrushes at .99 each .........................$2.97
1 scrub brush.........................................................   .75
3 Kroger pantiliners at .50 each ............................$1.50
5 Pantene shampoo/conditioner at .99 ea...............$4.95
5 Suave shampoo/conditioner at .45 each..............$2.25
                                            Subtotal .................$15.42

3 coupons for .50 off two bags Jolly Rancher ..... -  $3.00
2 coupons for $3.00 off 2 bottles of Pantene....... -  $6.00
3 coupons for .75 off one Oral B Toothbrush...... -  $3.00
1 catalina coupon for $2.00 one bottle Pantene....-  $2.00
                                            Total......................    $1.42

This is the best I have ever done using coupons and is a rare event.  I don't want anyone to think I get these kinds of deals every week.  I just happened to have great coupons for almost everything I purchased off the clearance rack. And remember, Dillon's doubles coupons up to $1.00 which is reflected in the above totals.

In addition to the coupons, I received .50 cents additional off 5 of the above pictured items because they qualified as items included in Dillon's Mega sales event this week.  If you counted this additional savings, I actually had $1.08 credit to apply towards other groceries. 

I am a big believer is being honest with coupons so I always try to make sure I am purchasing the exact item for which the coupon was intended.  Not only would it be fraud to try to use a coupon for a purpose it wasn't intended, if people try to cheat the system, coupons may become a thing of the past.

I have watched TLC's extreme couponing show and find it very unrealistic.  Also, the show never demonstrates exactly how the individuals featured managed to purchase the items for the amount claimed. For that reason, I have documented the exact breakdown of today's shopping trip.

Dillon's Mega Event - Buy 10, Save $5.00

This week Dillon's is having another one of their save $5.00 when you mix and match any 10 participating items.  I purchased the above 10 items.  Here is the breakdown:

3 V-8 juice for $2.49 each.................$ 7.47
3 Secret for $1.99 each.....................$ 5.97
4 Cream Cheese for $1.49 each........$ 5.96
                            Subtotal.............. $19.40

minus 3 .40 V-8 coupons doubled....- $ 2.40
minus $5.00 mega event savings.......- $ 5.00
                            Total ...............    $12.00

Basically, I ended up paying on average $1.20 per item (10 items divided by 12).  Even Suave deodorant and store brand cream cheese cost more than $1.20 each. 

Chicken is $1.88 a pound through July 17 at Dillon's

Finally, if you do nothing else, go stock up on chicken this week.  Boneless chicken breast is on sale for $1.88 a pound this week.  I purchased three packages, then divided up the packages and used my foodsaver.  I usually add a little Italian dressing, worchestershire sauce or teriyaki sauce to the bag before sealing and freezing.  This way when I remove the bag from the freezer, the meat will marinate as it defrosts.

Buy in bulk, freeze for future use

So here is my menu for this week (my menu's usually run Thursday-Wednesday with the grocery ads):

Left Over Pizza (found in back of freezer)
Lasagna (using some of the .98 cent sausage and cheap cheese I bought last week)
Leftover Lasagna
Club Sandwiches (using some of the cheap bacon I purchased last week)
Fajita's (using a lot of fresh ingredients out of my garden)
Stuffed Acorn Squash
Baked Chicken and Baked Potato (using some of the $1.88 pound chicken)

So, is this post helpful?  What do you want to see more of? Less of?  What deals are all of you finding?

Fajita's for dinner

Fourth of July Savings

I recently developed a money-saving class I have been presenting to local women in Kansas.  The class, which consists of a power point about an hour long, demonstrates how to save money on groceries. After all, groceries are most families largest expense after their rent/mortgage. Your banker always demands you make your full mortgage payment but you can control how much you spend on groceries.  

In my class, the most popular element of the power point always seems to be coupons and how to use them to get grocery items for next to nothing.  While this is only one way I teach to save money, I have decided to start posting some of the best deals I find each week in the Topeka, Kansas area. If you have taken my class, you should know the basics. If you would like to schedule a class, please feel free to contact me at ksfarmgirl@live.com. I offer group and one-on-one classes.  It is my hope the class will start you on a path to saving thousands of dollars off your annual grocery bill.  Plus, it's fun!

Last week I was on vacation so I got behind in my grocery shopping.  However, holidays always bring great grocery deals that I didn't want to miss. So yesterday, I made a menu for the week based around what was on sale locally.  Being the Fourth of July, picnic items were cheap.  As I teach, always stock up on sale items.  I'm not talking about devoting a room in your house to shelves of groceries you will just eventually throw out.  No, when things go on sale, simply buy enough to last about three months. Most items go on sale about every 3-4 months so it is not necessary or desirable to stockpile more than a limited supply. 

This week, condiments, hot dogs and hamburger were all on sale. I may feel like steak and baked potato but in order to save money, we eat based on what is cheapest. Here is my menu for this week, based on what was on sale locally:

Tacos (just starting to get a few tomatoes out of the garden to use with the tacos)

Broccoli cheese soup in a bread bowl

BLTs and salad

Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and grilled zucchini and squash (also from the garden)

Homemade Pizza

Hotdogs and grilled potatoes

One night of leftovers or as I like to call them, Delicious Do-Overs

Here are some of the great deals I got this week.  My plan is to post the deals I find early so if you live in the Topeka area, you can also take advantage of local specials.  I imagine most areas in the United States ran similar sales this week.

I purchased these items at Apple Market. The French's mustard was on sale for 98 cents each.  I had a coupon for 30 cents off each bottle so after double coupon each bottle of mustard cost 38 cents.  This is enough mustard to last me a very long time because I hate mustard. The KC Masterpiece BBQ sauce was also on sale for 98 cents.  I had coupons for $1.00 off two.  I purchased four bottles at 98 cents each - two coupons totaling $2.00 off, for a final price of 50 cents a bottle.  In essence, I paid for four bottles what you would normally pay for one.  This is enough BBQ sauce to last our family for 3-4 months. 

I paid 95 cents for the bananas.  Apple Market has what they call "Banana Tuesdays" and sell bananas for 39 cents a pound on Tuesday.  If you buy a lot of bananas, I doubt you will find them anywhere else in Topeka for less. The sausage was on sale for $1.29 a package.  This sausage is usually around $2-3 dollars a package.  I love sausage and it's cheaper than hamburger so I often substitue it in any recipe I can that calls for hamburger.  I bought four packages but then wished I had bought more at that price.  Lucky me, today's Apple Market ad indicates they are selling the same sausage for 98 cents a package.  This is an incredible deal.  I rarely see it for less than $1.00 a package.  Think of all the things you can make with sausage...spagetti sauce, pizza and goulash. Stock up people.   

All together I spent $9.17 (before tax) for the above pictured items.  Of course, I picked up a few other items while I was there since you can't live on BBQ sauce and mustard, spending a total of $26.53. I also bought Lipton Tea on sale for $1.79 for 24 large family size tea bags (about $1.00 less than most local stores). And I have to plug Apple Market's produce...they have some of the nicest in town and often the cheapest. For example, I bought a head of romaine type lettuce for $1.29 which sells at Dillon's for $1.89. I also bought some Kraft shedded cheese for $1.98 a package.

Ever have one of those days?  Yesterday was mine.  I left the house without my cell phone.  Though I grew up without a cell phone, now I feel lost without one.  Worse yet, I forgot my debit card.  I felt pure panic when I couldn't find it in my purse.  Thankfully, I had enough cash to purchase the items at Apple Market and Dillon's number one.  At the first Dillon's, I found these great bread bowls on the clearance rack for 49 cents each, some clearance cake for $1.49 and three containers of coconut pecan frosting on close out for $1.19 each, normally $1.99.  Before tax, the above items were $6.04. 

After running home to get my debit card, I went to Dillon's number two.  I had only planned on going to one Dillon's store but didn't have enough cash to get everything I needed.  Dillon's was running one of their buy 10 items, get $3.00 off now and a coupon for $2.00 off later. While these events can save you money, I find them complicated and a little stressful.  The $2.00 off coupon has a short redemption window so you have to remember to use it right away.  I assume the store hopes you will fail to ever redeem it. 

Anyway, I found these great deals at Dillon's.  A package of clearance hot dog buns for 99 cents, a bottle of Ajax dish detergent for 60 cents ($1.00 - .20 cent coupon doubled), four packages of Hefty storage bags (on sale for $1.19 with purchase of 10 participating items minus .50 cent coupon = .69 cents each or $2.76 for all four), and 4 more bottles of KC Masterpiece BBQ sauce for $1.50 or .38 cents each ($4.00 minus $2.50 in coupons). The Yakisoba noodles and Kraft Fresh Taste products were free after coupons.  All of the above items cost $5.85 before tax. 

These were great deals but I still had to buy other groceries totaling $57.34 at Dillon's.  One thing I have learned to do is always add up my coupons before check-out and double check they all were deducted.  I happened to notice this trip that not all my coupons had been credited and had to go to customer service to get it corrected. As I shop, I write everything down as I put it in the cart so I can make sure it scans correctly plus track my coupons.  Dillon's has a policy that if an item scans incorrectly, they will give it to you free.  Plus, I never want to get to the check out counter without knowing exactly what I am spending.  It is amazing how many errors I catch. 

Altogether, I spent $81.56 on groceries this week plus $8.89 tax (total $90.45).  I saved $26.44 with coupons and clearance items.  I do not keep track how much I save by stocking up on sale items though I imagine it would be the most significant savings.  After all, if all your meals are primarily made with items you bought on sale, the savings adds up. This week I spent around $1.84 per meal per person (21 meals x 2 people = 42 meals).

I hope to post some of this weeks deals tomorrow so you can share in the savings!  Let me know what you think.  Is this post helpful?