For a while, I avoided those center aisles in the grocery store. Recently, I have gone back to them. While I still pick and choose to try to provide the healthiest options I can for my family, I am taking advantage of cheap options to free up more funds for getting out of debt. Some things like Hamburger Helper, Betty Crocker potatoes and some other items have made it back into our menu, when I can get them for the right price.
I use a couple online sites to load coupons to my Kroger Plus card: Cellfire and Shortcuts. Say I load a coupon for Yoplait yogurt. When I purchase the yogurt at Kroger using my Plus card, the amount of the coupon is automatically deducted from my order. I can also use a traditional paper coupon for the same item, increasing my savings. Not only that, but I will wait until that yogurt is on sale to use the coupons.
Where do I get my paper coupons? I get some from the Sunday paper. We don't subscribe to the paper but we will buy a couple copies on Sundays for the coupons. We more than make up for the cost of the papers by using the coupons. Some other sources for coupons are online sources
( www.redplum.com, www.smartsource.com, www.pillsbury.com, etc.), in freebie packages, in/on the items themselves, and from the coupon dispensers at stores. I haven't tried buying any from e-Bay yet. I have participated in a coupon train before.
One area of caution is that not all stores in all areas will accept coupons printed from a computer. Some people can use these coupons at their local Wal-mart, but my local Wal-mart will not accept them.
today's breakfast: cold cereal and milk
today's lunch: chicken, rice, and stir fry vegetables with teriyaki sauce
today's afternoon snack: Tricuits with Colby cheese
I have to go scan the loss leader adds and then I'll be back later to report on my meal plan and shopping trip.
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I'm tired so I'll make this short. The only store we ended up making any purchases from tonight was Kroger. There were so many good deals, that I passed by some.
total number of items purchased = 77
balance = $96.50
manufacturer coupon savings = $24.55
bonus coupon savings = $6.03
store coupon & Kroger Plus Card savings = $55.57
total coupons = $86.15
total savings = 47%
My cupboards, which were nearly bare in January and February, are now bursting. I'm stocked up on several items.
I haven't made up my menu yet. I'll do that tomorrow.
Today's supper was carry-out pizza that we ate in between stops. I had promised that we would have pizza since Birdie and Monkey would have it at their over-nighter. I got carry out to save my sanity and so we wouldn't have to go home between dropping the girls off and grocery shopping.
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