Small Grocery Haul week of 1/22/2012

I didn't need a ton of groceries this week, but I did run up to pick up mascara, freebies, and deals that hovered around the $2 and under mark.  I visited CVS, Meijer, and Target this week.  Stores tend to run out of items that are free or super cheap, so it is best to go before the middle of the week.  If you are like me this week and you missed out on the Sunday - Tuesday shopping, be sure to find out when your local store plans to restock; you never know what the stock will actually be until the merchandise is put on the shelves, but you MIGHT get lucky mid- to late-week as well. Here are a few of the items I picked up this week:

 CVS
1- International Delights 16 oz Creamer                                         
1- Kotex U Panty Liners                                                                   

Target

1- Up and Up single roll paper towel                                                   
1- Market Pantry 64 oz Apple Juice                                                  
6- Healthy Choice Frozen Meals                                                   
5- Marie Callendar Frozen Meals                                                  
1- Revlon Photo 3D Mascara                                                      

Meijer

1- Carmex lip gloss                                                                          
1- Aquafresh Extreme Clean travel size toothpaste                                      
2- Lipton Green Tea 18 ct.                                                              

Total Retail Value:  $50.28
Total after sales, in-store coupons, and manufacturer's coupons:  $ 19.75

I think I'm getting better at couponing :)  I even remembered to use my Meijer Mperks.  They didn't actually lower my bill this time around, but practice makes perfect!       

Meijer Clearance Deals week of 1/22/2012

I meandered through Meijer today to take a look at their clearance deals.  I was surprised to see that there were items in almost every department with clearance sales.  Couponing aside, clearance finds can be a great way to save money.  Keep in mind that clearance items are rarely, if ever, listed in the weekly circular that stores produce.  In a few instances, such as Office Max, they will have a little flyer at the door to highlight some of these deals; otherwise, you're kind of on your own.  With that in mind, it is a good idea to kind of wander through a few aisles that you didn't plan to walk through--you never know what you might spot.

Here are a few of the highlights of what I saw at Meijer this week:

I stayed in the Home department for quite some time.  There was almost an entire aisle dedicated to clearance items there:

This is just one example of the tableware they had on clearance.  That's a 16-piece dinnerware set for about $25.  Not too shabby.

If you want to play off of the earth-tone theme, they also had a number of wood and dark metal kitchen accessories on clearance:

Wire boxes with handles, wooden bowls (I have a few of the bowls in this picture, but there were sets of them in various sizes also on clearance).

Here is a close-up shot of a few of the items such as wooden leaf coasters ($4.79), wooden spoons ($4.79), and a decorative wire bowl ($8.99).

 If you prefer color, they had their entire line of colored bakeware and bowls on sale as well.  There are bowls of all sizes there, ramekins (single or in sets), casserole dishes, etc. Prices start at $1.19 and increase from there.

They also had flatware sets on clearance.  Here are a couple of 20-piece examples from Pfaltzgraff and Cambridge (both priced at $20.99):

And in case you missed out on the IKEA clearance $7.99 wicker waste basket I posted about a few days ago, Meijer also has their wicker baskets on sale for...$7.99.

 

There were other deals as well:

Twin-size flannel sheet sets for $12.49 (full for $17.49)
Fleece throws (mostly Xmas-themed) $3.99

In the pharmacy section:
They still had a few cartons of the Tylenol on clearance.
You might also spot Viviscal hair products, or higher-end shampoo and conditioner by:
Giovanni
Alba

JĀSÖN

Nature's Gate
Aubrey Organics
Shikai

Be sure to check out women's accessories (necklaces, earrings), makeup bags, as well as $3 pairs of clearance gloves.

Meijer deals week of 1/22/2012

The deals this week at Meijer are mostly in the 10 for 11 deal posted below.  I have listed a few of the other decent deals on grocery products and then a post on the VAST NUMBER of baby items that are on sale this week as well.  I have an impending post about the clearance deals at Meijer.  These wouldn't be in your weekly circular, but they could be worth checking out.


Buy 10 items for $10 and get the 11th Free Sale:
Red/Orange/Yellow Peppers (At my Meijer, the red bell peppers were twice the size of the orange/yellow)
Broccoli Crowns
Hothouse Cucumbers
Yellow Flesh or Red Potatoes (3 lb bag)
Meijer 8oz Whole White or Minibella Mushrooms
Baby Carrots (1 lb bag)
NewStar or Aunt Mid's Spinach 10oz
Dole 9-12oz Salads
Bar-S Franks or Bologna 16oz
Armour Lunch Makers 2.6 - 3.3 oz
Healthy Ones Lunchmeat 5oz 
Hormel Pepperoni (Deli Style) 4.5oz use $.55/2 Printable OR use $.55/2 mPerk
Aunt Jemima Frozen Breakfasts
Michelina's Entrees - use $1/5 Printable
Banquet Frozen Meals 4.66-10.25 oz.
Totinos Pizza Rolls - use $.40/2 Printable
Green Giant Frozen Vegetables (7-10 oz box or bags)
 Aunt Millies English Muffins 6ct
Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper - use $.80/4 Printable or HERE  OR use $.80/4 mPerk
Meijer Pasta 12-16oz
Kraft Easy Mac Cups 2.05 oz, Macaroni & cheese Whole Grain 5.5-6 oz, Velveeta Shells & Cheese Cup 2.19-2.44 oz.
Campbell's condensed Soup - 40 cents off 2 coupon from Smart Source
Hunt's Tomatoes (14.5 oz) - Save 45 cents on 3 from Smart Source
Bush's Best Variety Beans 15 - 16 oz
Manwich or Wolf Brand Chili 15- 16 ozPepperidge Farm Goldfish Crackers
Chex Mix 7.5-8.75oz - use $.50/2 Printable OR here OR from 1/8GM
Kraft BBQ 18oz
Hunts Snack Pack - use $.45/3 from Smart Source
Jello Instant Pudding
Chobani Greek Yogurt - use $.30/1 Printable (Can print this twice)
Pillsbury Grands - use $.30/2 Printable OR $.30/2 coupon from General Mills insert
Pepsi, Sierra Mist, Mountain Dew, 7-Up, A & W Root Beer or Sunkist 2 liter bottles
Meijer Essentials Paper Towels - 1 big roll
Renuzit Adjustables - 7.5 oz

Other Meijer deals:
Bob Evans Rolls or Links $2.79
Use $1/2 Printable
Total: $2.29 each wyb 2

Oscar Mayer Carving Board Packs 2/$6
Use $1/1 Printable
Total:  2/$5.00

Sargento Shredded Cheese 3/$6
Use $.55 off 2 coupon from Smart Source
Total: 2 for $3.45

Kraft Chunk Cheese 3 for $5
Use $.55 off 2 coupon from Smart Source
 Total: 2 for $2.78

Healthy Choice Dinners 5/$11.00
Use $1/2 Steamers
or  $1/3 Complete
Total:  as low as 2/$3.40


Lipton Green Tea Bags 18- 20ct $2.22 on Price Drop
use 2 $.75/1 Printable
AND use $3 off 2 coupon in Meijer printout ad *if you don't have one, pick one up in the store
= 2 for FREE!


Other than that, Meijer has a number of baby items on sale this week.  So, if you have a new one on the way or if you have any baby showers to attend over the next couple of months, this is a good time to shop:
Enfamil 16-25.7 oz (Buy 3, get $10 off instantly)
Huggies, Pull-Ups, or Goodnites Products (Buy $50 worth and get $10 off isntantly)
Buy 2 Pampers Giant Pack Diapers Select Swaddles, Cruisers or Baby dry--Get a $15 Meijer gift card
Luvs Big pack Diapers 66- 108 ct: $16.99
Buy $20 of Gerber Baby Food, Graduates Meals, or Snacks and get $5 off instantly
Buy 2 Gerber Layettes and get One Free
Playtex Diaper Genie II: $21.99


Meijer also has an assortment of baby and toddler clothes on sale (buy one, get one half off), baby bibs, feeding accessories, Plum Organics baby food (11 for 10--use plum organics coupon), baby strollers, cribs, feeders, etc!

Thanks to Sarah for some of these Meijer deals.

Friday is Filled with Freebies!

...and alliteration.


No major shopping for me this weekend (or this week even).  I stocked up last week.  But, I did pick up a few freebies from various sources this Friday.  ...Mostly little gifts with which to pamper myself over the weekend.

To start, I posted not too long ago about Aveda Salon's freebie on the Damage Remedy and Invati sample sets.  I already have the Damage Remedy, but today I stopped off and scooped up a sample of the Invati from a local Aveda-affiliated salon:

This one comes with a .34 oz sample of the shampoo and conditioner. This line focuses on reducing hair loss and thickening the appearance of your hair. 

According to the hair dressers at the salon I went to in Royal Oak, there are a number of Aveda salons in the metro-Detroit area, but many of them do not carry the samples.  It would be advisable to call the salon first to ensure that 1. they are participating in the deal and that 2. they have samples available.  Retrieve and print out the coupons for the two samples here and look up locations/phone numbers here.  

I also stopped at Meijer to pick up my free Aquafresh Extreme Clean travel-size toothpaste.  You can find these at pretty much every large supermarket (Meijer, Walmart, Target).  They should be priced at $1 and with the $1 off coupon from Smart Source (it was in last Sunday's paper, but is also available on the Smart Source website), it was FREE!

My last stop was to a local Bath and Body Works.  I just love walking in that store--it smells divine.  They are giving away 2oz bottles of their new Pink Chiffon body lotion.  It smells AMAZING.  ...it also smells free--which is a scent I adore :)

You just need to print out OR show the cashier a copy of the coupon from your smart phone.  The coupon is available on the Bath and Body Works Facebook page.  I believe you have to "like" their page in order to access the coupon.  If you want extra bottles, they are on sale for a buck each.  Regularly they'd retail for $3.50. Note that the deal is not available online, you have to go in person.  Thanks to Sarah for this deal.

Clearance Section: Meijer and Walmart

A quick tip to anyone looking for great deals in the market:  in addition to perusing the weekly sales paper, clipping coupons, and scouring the internet for additional manufacturer's rebates--be sure to check out the clearance items at your local supermarket.

There are many good deals to be had on items in the clearance section.  I will admit that sometimes the items are defective, chipped, scratched, or well beyond their expiration date.  That's why it is always best to examine the merchandise carefully and check the expiration date before making a purchase.  Assuming that goes well, then feel free to purchase the items + any coupons you might have available.

My local Meijer had Tylenol PM in the clearance section this week.

50ct. Tylenol PM Caplets: regular price $7.34
Clearance price: $5.13
$1 off coupon from Smart Source
Total: $4.13

Meijer also had the 90 ct. Tylenol PM gel tabs on sale for $9.79.  The $1 off coupon is also viable for this deal.  However, the expiration date on the 90ct. gel tabs was in November of THIS year whereas the 50 ct caplets weren't due to expire until 2014.  Given that I do not have a large family and my headaches aren't so frequent that I'd go through 8-9 tylenol a month, I decided to go with the 50 ct. box.

On to my next items:  2 coffee mugs in the clearance section of Walmart:

Now...I know you're thinking, "Wasn't Christmas LAST month"!?  Yes, yes it was. In my defense, the holiday will roll around again before you know it and when it does:  I will be sipping cocoa out of my chubby Santa and Rudolph with a lollipop Christmas mugs.  They were on sale for 90% off the clearance price:

18oz. porcelain Christmas-themed coffee mugs, regular price $1.48 each
Clearance price: .74 each X 2
90% off of the .74 price= 7 cents
Total: 14 cents for two coffee mugs or 7 cents per

So again, be sure to peruse the clearance section of your local supermarket while you're there.  You never know what you might spot there!

Brita Freebie Update

Sooooo, in light of the moneymaker deal on the Brita Basic water filtration pitcher, I thought I'd head over to my local Walmart to get lucky.  I was not lucky.  I was beyond unlucky.  Not only was my local Walmart out of the coveted $8.97 Brita Basic water filtration pitcher, but (as the kindly salesperson informed me) the other two Walmarts within a 30-minute drive were also out of the pitcher.

To complicate things a bit further: if you look on the Walmart website, all of the pitchers under $12 have been snatched up.  So, apparently couponing is a competitive sport. 

Heartbroken, defeated even--I headed over to Meijer to see if they had any comparably priced pitchers.  I hadn't seen any of the other couponing websites mention Meijer so I didn't get my hopes up.  But...Meijer has them.  AND they are only a couple pennies higher than the Walmart price :)  So, if any of you ladies are interested in picking one up, try Meijer.

Brita Basic Water Filtration Pitcher
Regular Price:  $8.99 
Use $4 coupon from Smart Source
Redeem $10 rebate from Brita Corp.
Total:  $5.01 profit

If you still can't find a pitcher, CVS has them available for $8.99 here.  Even with shipping time, you should be able to redeem the $10 in plenty of time.  The rebate offer as well as the $4 coupon don't expire until March 31st.

Price Comparison This Week: Meijer, Walgreen's, Rite Aid, CVS

Most supermarkets will put the exact same products on sale during the sales week.  It's smart to compete with other retailers in that way.  It's great that a number of our favorite brands are on sale at pretty much any retailer we might visit; however, as consumers, we just want to know where we can get more bang for our buck.

In response, I thought I'd do a little price comparison between various supermarket and drug store sales this week.    Deals will be rated as: Good, Better, or Best.  Go forth and save money people!

First Up:  Curel Ultra Healing Lotion, 13 oz.

Good:

Meijer 

Sale: $7.99

Buy 1, use $1 off coupon from Smart Source

Total: $6.99

Better:

Walgreen's

Regular Price: $7.45

Buy 1 get one half off

Buy 2: $ 11.24

Use $1 coupon from Smart Source

Total: 10.24 for 2 or $5.12 per

BEST:

CVS

On Sale $6.99

Use $1 off Curel coupon from Smart Source

Earn Extra Bucks reward of $2=

Total:  $3.99

Second Contender: Jergen's Ultra Healing Lotion, 21 oz

 

Good:

Meijer

Sale $7.49

Use $1 off coupon from Smart Source

Total: $6.49

Better

Walgreen's

Regular Price: $6.99

Sale for buy 1/get one half off

Buy 2 = $10.49

Use $1 off coupon from Smart Source

Total = $9.49 or roughly $4.75 per

BEST

CVS

On Sale $6.99

Use $1 off Jergens coupon from Smart Source

Earn Extra Bucks reward of $2=

Total:  $3.99

Third Contender:  Cottonelle Bathroom Tissue

Good

CVS, 18 pk

OnSale $10

Buy 3 for $30 

Earn $10 CVS Cash Card for spending $30 on select items this week (in this case Cottonelle tissue)

Use .50 off 2 coupon from Smart Source

Total: $19.50 or $6.50 per 18pk

BEST

Meijer, 30 double-rolls 

On Sale $15.99

Use .50 off coupon off 2 from Smart Source, doubled coupon at Meijer = $1 off

Total: $30.98 or $15.49 per 

Looks can be deceiving here.  It looks like you get the better deal at CVS, but Meijer is actually selling the DOUBLE rolls of Cottonelle; this means that you are getting double the amount of toilet paper per roll.  If you do the math, you're actually saving about 10 cents per roll (or what would be the equivalent of one roll) if you stock up with Meijer this week.

Fourth:  Scott 1000 Bathroom Tissue

Good

Meijer, 24 pk

On Sale $15.99

Use $1 off one 8pk or higher from Smart Source

Total: $14.99

Better:

CVS

12-pk - $7.49

Use $1 off coupon from Smartsource

Total:  $6.49

As listed above with the Cottonelle tissue, CVS is having a deal where you earn a CVS $10 Cash Card if you spend $30.  Let's say you buy 4 Scott-1000 12 pks for $29.96 plus one of the other items--such as the $1.33 Coke 2-Liter.  You could buy any of the other selected items, but for this example, I'm throwing in the Coke.  Then:

 

BEST

CVS

Buy $30 worth of selected items (in this case, 4 Scott tissue + Coke 2L example)

4 X $7.49

Use $1 off Scott tissue coupon from Smart Source

Buy $1.33 bottle of Coke

Earn $10 CVS Cash Card

Total: $18.96 for 4 Scott 12 pks or $4.74 per (+ the $1.33 bottle of Coke or whatever you use to get your total to $30)

Fifth: Coca Cola 12-pk cans

Good

Meijer 

$4 per  

Better

CVS

Sale $2.50 per

(Possibly) BEST:

CVS

On Sale $2.50 per

The difference between the CVS and Walgreen's deals is that at CVS, the 12 packs are marked for the Spend $30, Get $10 CVS Cash Back deal.  There is a limit of 4 on the Coke $12 packs, taking your total to $10, so as long as you spend $20 on some of the other selected merchandise, you're coming out quite a bit cheaper at CVS. 

Sixth:  Folger's Coffee 

The sales on Folger's Coffee aren't phenomenal this week.  Additionally, there are no coupons available on the coffee either.  However, if you are short on coffee and need to pick up Folger's:

Good

Walgreen's

Folgers Coffee, Black Silk (10.3 oz) or Classic Roast (11.3 oz) 

On sale for $3.99

Coupons no longer available (Red Plum Coupon expired Sunday)

Better 

CVS

Folger's Coffee 27.8 - 33.9 oz or decaf 22.6oz

On Sale $9.99 each

 

This week at Meijer...fatigue fail

There are a lot of good deals at Meijer this week.  I made my list of goodies to buy. I clipped my coupons from the Freep. I even scoured a few online sources for additional coupon savings...but, between the long lines and my growling stomach, I totally forgot to enter my Mperks number when my total was tallied *insert sad face*

Here was my mini-haul:

Teddy Grahams 10-15 oz varieties
On sale $2.50 each
MPerks coupon $1 off 2
Smartsource coupon $2 off 3
Buy 3
$7.50 - 2 - 1 = $4.50 or  $1.50 per box

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter 15 oz.
On Sale for $2
Buy 1
$1 off coupon from coupons.com
=$1 each

Campbell's Chicken Noodle or Tomato soup
On sale .59 each
Coupon for 40 cents off of three (coupons are doubled at Meijer) = .80 off 3
MPerks coupon 40 cents off when you buy 3
Buy 3
$1.77 - .40 (2) - .40 = .57 or 19 cents per can

Campbell's Condensed Cream soups (Mushroom, Chicken, Celery etc.)
On sale .79 each
Coupon for 40 cents off three (coupons are doubled at Meijer) = .80 off 3
Mperks coupon: 40 cents off when you buy 3
Buy 3
$2.37 - .40 (2) - .40 = $1.17 or 39 cents per can

Pilsbury Cookie Dough 
On sale $2 each
MPerks coupon $1 off 2
Smart Source coupon $1 off 2
Buy 2
$4 - $1 - $1 = $2 or $1 per pack

My total:  Unspeakable shame
For those of you who remember to use your Mperk rewards: $9.24