Savings Report

Last year I stepped up on my efforts in using coupons. I was happy with the results and I think I did trim off a bit on the weekly budget. This year I have a new plan in trying to reduce our spending while allowing for more to be put into savings.

My main store for buying clothing is JC Penneys. I like the quality, they treat me very well with regular $10.00/$15.00 off coupons and it is just 6 minutes from my home. The other day I bought Mary a beautiful top and some fun bangles for $7.00. Did I seriously "need" those bangles...no, but they look nice and I bought a bunch of them (so I can mix and match) and they make me happy.

Target will continue to be my store for anything I cannot find at Aldi. Target is my main store for using coupons and I also use a Target charge card to get an additional 5% off. When I shop at Target, I write the amount in my checkbook with a little ( ) that I will eventually check. When the bill comes I write the date of the statement then check the box when I pay it on line. This system is working great....the bill comes and the money is right there for the bill.

Aldi is going to be my main grocery store. I've always known this, but Aldi really does have the best price for many items...and it is simple to use since I don't need coupons. The produce selection can vary, but on the whole I can get almost everything at the store. Plus, it reminds me of Germany and I like that connection....a lot!

Pick-n-Save will be my secondary grocery store. Sometimes I will shop their deals especially on some produce and cereal. This week I will be picking up free milk and eggs which I got from the cereal deal last week.

We are going to remain members at Sam's Club....we have a few items that we like to buy there: toilet paper, Tide, fabric softener,  little cups, dog food, french bread, rice, frozen vegetables, almonds, and gum. I do enjoy having access to other deals, as well.

Woodmans is my primary source for gluten free food. When I visit the store I do stock up on some other things, as well.

I still follow many blogs posting deals and freebies on line. I enjoy signing up for lots of samples and I will continue to do so as time permits. I have no problem marking 100 posts as "read" even if I never looked them over. I using Nexus shampoo samples this week!

We still have a stockpile down stairs and it has been wonderful to take things from there as we need them. Over the years, though, I have accumulated lots of things that I am trying to use up, now...shampoo, lotions, toothpaste, etc.... I don't know if I should continue to stockpile or just keep using things up until they are gone? Right now drawing from the stockpile is cutting down on our expenses and that gives us more money to put into savings....and with two in college and one in a private school, that is good thing!

Saving's Report

I only publish some of my savings reports to encourage some of you to think differently about where you shop. Yesterday I shopped at our local chain grocery store, Pick-N-Save. I spent about $70.00 with over $50.00 in savings. Some key finds were a large bottle of Pantene shampoo, normally over $7.00. It was on sale for 50% off, using a coupon for $1.00 I got a large bottle of good shampoo for under $2.50...that I will pay. :) I had coupons for free Yo-plus yogurt (received by mail) and a package of Capri Sun (coupon from the store on a previous purchase). I bought 4 Tombstone pizzas on sale...that gave me a free gallon of milk coupon to be used another time. I had a catalina (coupon you get from the store) to get another Tombstone pizza for 1/2 price...but I had to buy 5...since I was already buying 4 I thought it would be a good time get one more. I stocked up on cereal...if you shop the sales and switch brands you never have to pay even close to full price. I also had two coupons to lower that price even more.

Savings Blogs

I just updated the list all the Savings Blogs I follow on the right side of my blog. I follow about 72 blogs, in total, and I would not be able to do that without Google Reader. (I can't get the URL to post...just search it.)This keeps track of all the blogs so I don't have to keep checking a blog I like to read every day. Google Reader will pick up all the new posts and makes it very handy and simple for me. I also made lists that make my blog reading even more organized. I have sorted them by category...Loopers, Friends, Family, Savings Blogs, Thoughtful, Theological, etc. When I read my Savings Blogs I click on the title of that list...this brings up all the new posts on my savings blogs list. That list can be over 100 postings! I scroll very quickly through that list looking for high value coupons, rebates, and great free samples. I can go through that list in about 7 minutes...and even order a few things along the way. Hope that helps some of you savers...or those of you who want to be.

Sale Shopping

Alright, I know...I stock piled on junk food! But here's what I was thinking. Hannah's graduation party is coming this summer...so I bought some soda for that event. The bags of munchies will last for awhile, especially during the Superbowl and perhaps the Olympics. Tostitos are great with a taco dip, so I will plan that into a family gathering. Pepsi/Lays had a deal...buy $20.00 worth of product and get $10.00 back in rewards cash at Walgreens. It is like having $10.00 cash to spend in the store, which I will use for next week's sales.

My greatest deal was the little bag of chocolate for $.39! (I used two $1.00 coupons at Target for that one!)I had two Stacy chip coupons...one for free! So, I got them for $1.00 each. Jello was on sale at Walgreen's for $.20 a box so I got flavors I cannot get at Aldi. I had a coupon for Special K buy 1 get on for free that made each box $1.50. Listerine had a coupon for $5.00 so I got three products for about $2.00. The Sobe vitamin drink did not go as I was planned. I had a coupon for buy one get one free. So I got two for $1.00 I had another coupon for $.50 but I don't see it on my receipt! So, my $.25 for each bottle failed. I should have checked the receipt at the store.

The chocolate covered rose was a freebie for buying three bags of chocolate on sale from Dove. I plan to use that for Valentine's Day. And...I had two coupons for Bath and Body Works. I can't stand having B&BW coupons in my purse. One of the helpful ladies in the store is going to know me by my name soon! I bought two items and got these two for free. They gave me another coupon...and I just got another in my email. Help!

Freebies

I have been having some fun requesting all sorts of samples from sites on line. Here is the list of things I am waiting to receive, so far:

Cash rebates:
Oil of Olay 16.00
Corningware 10.00

Free samples and hopefully some coupons!
Bag of prunes
After shave
Kleenex
Bounce
Purel
Kotex pads
Gold Bond Hand Lotion
Kotex Sample pack
Uni ball ink pen
Glad Bags
Tasters Choice Samples
Greenworks cleaning sample
Loreal hair care sample
Betty Crocker Coupon book ($10.00)
Benefiber sample
Kashi sample
Oreos (coupon for free package)
Cheerios coupons 4/1.00 coupons
Cream of Wheat (sample)
Freezer bags
Redeken hair gel sample

I have received some things in the mail: Slim Fast bar, coupon for a bag of Stacy's chips, perfume, and a free subscription to Weight Watcher's magazine...which is actually a nice magazine with decent ideas and coupons!

I became a fan of Dairy Queen on Facebook...and they send out 6 buy one get one coupons a year! That will be a fun treat sometime, soon!

We just began a Sunday subscription to the Journal Sentinel newspaper...mostly for the coupons and sales fliers, but also to be able to read about items of interest on actual paper! It is a pretty good deal to have it delivered to your door for $2.00 a week. I could pick it up for less, but then I would have to leave the house on Sundays...and I would rather not do that. As long as I make that up in savings, it'll be worth it!

Sales

I really enjoy shopping at JC Penneys for most of my clothing. The quality is good and when things are on sale the price of clothing is very reasonable. Last week I found three shirts for less than $5.00 each! Penneys is great at sending out $10.00 off $10.00 coupons throughout the year via email and snail mail. Sometimes they are even tucked within a catalog, so always be sure to look through those catalogs. Yesterday I had to run in to use a $10.00 coupon on something that we needed...Mary was the lucky recipient since she needed new work pants. The purchase was an easy one...we found the pants that were on sale for $20.00 with our coupon they were around $10.00. That is a nice price for a sturdy pair of pants. Now I am trying to calculate my savings...do I use the sale price or the so-called retail price. The sale price was $20.00 and the retail was $40.00! Does anyone ever pay that price?? Is the product ever set at that price? It seems to me the true price is around the actual sale price...I am just trying to figure out what my true savings should be.