Winter Shopping

I find myself in the midst of the Winter Shopping Season.
Around here, like in other areas among the Snow Belt, in the Winter you never know when you'll be able to get out to the stores.  Storms sometimes are predictable and more often than not, they are not.
So having a stockpile is a very good idea around here during the Winter at least.

I usually do my shopping on Wednesday(the last day of the Weis ad)but find I have to go out earlier this week as an all day snowstorm is predicted for tomorrow.
I already did this week's Mix and Match Deal at Weis this week.........I bought other things but I wanted to show you the M&M Deal most as it was the best deal...........

1 x Pinesol on sale=$1.99
1 x Lysol wipes on sale=$1.99
1 x Lysol toilet cleaner on sale=$1.99
2 x Mardi Gras napkins on sale=$1.99
1 x Sandwich Bros. on sale=$3.49
SubTotal.....$13.44

Coupons Used
1 x .75¢/1 Pinesol(fully doubled)=$1.50
1 x .50¢/1 Lysol Wipes doubled=$1.00
1 x .50¢/1 Lysol toilet cleaner doubled=$1.00
2 x .55¢/1 Mardi Gras(fully doubled)=$2.10
1 x $1.50/1 Sandwich Bros=$1.50
Coupon Total......$7.10

$13.44-$7.10=$6.34-$6 M&M discount=$.34 +.38¢tax=.72 OOP for all 6 items.  8-)))

I also picked up more Eggland's eggs on the trip above as they were still half price and I had another $1/2 ManuQ, making the eggs .75¢ per dozen.

I decided to go out to Weis again this morning and do the Mix and Match Deal a couple more times.  Of course when I got to the store, they were out of Lysol disinfectant wipes so I had to punt and get this instead........

The 5 Lysol items, Pinesol, Hidden Valley Ranch dressing, the 2 Celetano Eggplant parms, the 2 Sandwich Bros. sammiches and the Ling Ling Yakatori were all part of the Mix and Match Buy 6/Get $6 Off Instantly Deal.  After sale prices totallying $34.38, fully doubling up to .99¢ Qs totaling $12.50 and $12 instantly off, all 12 items came to $9.88.   8-)))
I also bought 4 bottles of Palmolive dish soap($1 after sale and Qs) and 4 bottles of Ken's salad dressing(after B2/Get2Free and $1 off peelies on 2 of the bottles they were .99¢ per bottle).

Not pictured in my order was a half gallon of milk, a bag of 50% off bagels and 2 cartons of ice cream(gotta have ice cream during a snowstorm)along with these.........

8 bottles of Sun brand dish soap.  These are being discontinued at my Weis Markets so they were .62 per bottle.  I believe Dollar Tree carries this brand so other than this clearance price you can't get them for under $1+ tax around here otherwise.
If there are any left on my next trip day there I'll get more but 8 bottles should last us a long while(plus the 4 bottles of Palmolive I also picked up this trip).

I spent $36.51 OOP for all the above, a savings rate of 61% according to my receipt.
I love to see anything over a 40% savings rate when I shop.


With the storm coming in Wednesday I am sad as it might keep me from going to Rite-Aid for the Wellness Wednesday.  WW is the first Wed. of the month and there are one day only R-A coupons available to stack with Manu/IPQs.  This sometimes makes for very cheap or free items at Rite-Aid.

On Sunday I worked up a plan for Rite-Aid for WW.  This plan involves using a $20BC that expires beginning of March(plus another $3 BC)and earns me 2 x $15 BC(doing the Spend $40/Get $15 BC Back Deal x 2)back as well as between $6 and $7.50 in SavingStar cash rebates.

It also involves buying a LOT of laundry detergent but that is something I can give to the local Food Bank and they will gladly accept it, so no worries.
If I can't get to Rite-Aid tomorrow I'll figure something else out.  I might not try to do the Spend $40/Get $15 Back in BC if Wednesday is a washout.  I'll use that $20BC on something like OTC nasal spray or turmeric capsules(the turmeric is BOGO this week). 
It is always wise to have back-up plans.


Sluggy

Last Week Rite-Aid & This Week at Weis(PMITA)Markets

So like I said I'd probably do, I went back to Rite-Aid last Saturday and did another round of dental freebies and the cheap light bulbs..........

After Sale prices/Plenti points earned and Coupons used all 4 Dental items were free and the pack of GE LED light bulbs was $1.35(with tax)paid in Plenti Points.
$42.35 in retail items for $1.35 in PPs.  All of this will be coming to a Giveaway box soon.

This week I've been trying to eat from the pantry/stockpile plus I haven't been very inspired by the sales ad at Weis.
But I did go to check on discounted meats(got 1 package of ground turkey)and do 1 round of the Buy 6/Get $3 off Mix and Match items.........

2 x Minute Maid OJ on sale=$4.98
2 x Daisy cottage cheese on sale=$4.98
1 x Huggies diapers on sale=$6.99
1 x Huggies wipes on sale=$1.99
SubTotal.........$18.94

Coupons Used
2 x .50¢/1 Daisy product IPQ(doubled to $1)=$2.00
1 x $1.50/1 Huggies diapers ManuQ=$1.50
1 x $1/1 Huggies diapers WEis bookletQ=$1.00
1 x .50¢/1 Huggies wipes IPQ(doubled to $1)=$1.00
Coupon Total......$5.50

$18.94-$5.50=$13.44-$3 M and M Deal=$10.44
$10.44 for all 6 items.

I'll be able to sell the diapers for between $5-$6 locally so that brings my total down to between $4.44-$5.44 for the other 5 items I'll keep and use.

Plus there is that Minute Maid OJ Catalina running at Weis until Dec. 31st(buy 5 OJ/Get a $2 Catalina oyno)so I have 2 cartons toward earning another Catalina.

So what good deals did you find recently?

Sluggy

Last Trip for Weis Deals on Wednesday & Food Bank

Well I found another link for that $1.50/1 8 O'Clock Coffee Q(like their facebook page and scroll down to find a post with a link to another copy of that Q that can be printed off x 2) so I have 8 more prints of that Q but I decided NOT to use them today before this current sale at Weis ends.
These Qs are good until mid March and this brand coffee will be going on sale again there at least once before they expire, so I'll save them for later as I have already gotten 10 bags.  That should hold the coffee fiends around here for awhile....I hope. ;-)

So here is what I got Wednesday at Weis(PMITA)Markets in two separate photos as I couldn't get it all in one.
First the items that qualified for the Mix & Match 6/Get $3 Off Deal...........

2 x Hungry Jack pancake mix=$3.98
2 x Hungry Jack syrup=$3.98
2 x Tai Pei single serve lunches=$4.98
2 x Pillsbury cake mix/brownie mix=2.38
2 x Country Crock margarine=$5.98
2 x Weis soft cookies=$2.98
Subtotal=$24.28

Coupons Used
2 x HJ $1.25/2 1 mix/1 syrup IPQ=$2.50
2 x Tai Pei $1/1IPQ=$2.00
1 x Tai Pei $1/2 Weis QBook=$1.00
2 x Country Crock .55¢/1 IPQ(doubles to $1)=$2.00
2 x Instant $3 off wyb6=$6.00
Coupon Total=$13.50

$24.28-$13.50=$10.78 for all OR .90¢ paid per item above.
I was going to get more Scotties tissues but they were out so I had to get cake/brownie mix and cookies.  Awww, I am so sad to be forced to buy cookies......  ;-)

Then I also got all this......

2 x Weis ketchup @.77¢ ea.=$1.54
2 x Prego Farmer's Market pasta sauce @ $3 ea.=$6.00
2 x Pace Salsa @ $3 ea.=$6.00
2 x Gratify gluten-free crackers @ $2.50 ea.=$5.00
2 x Louis Kemp sea legs BOGO=$3.49
4 x Perdue chicken cutlets BOGO=$8.00
1 lb. mushrooms 50% off sticker=$1.99
1 lb. TranSea sea legs 50% off sticker=$2.00
Bakery muffins 50% off sticker=$2.00
Bakery rolls 50% off sticker=$1.49
Bakery bagels 50% off sticker=$1.29
Also not pictured is a box of Bob Evans breakfast sandwiches=$4.00 *reg. price item*
SubTotal for this lot......$42.80

Coupons Used (watch the total magically lower)
2 x Prego .50¢/1 IPQ(doubles to $1)=$2.00
1 x Prego $1/2 Weis QBook=$1.00
2 x Pace .50¢/1 IPQ(doubles to $1)=$2.00
1 x Pace $1/2 Weis QBook=$1.00
2 x $2/1 Gratify item IPQ=$4.00
2 x Louis Kemp $1/1 item IPQ=$2.00
2 x Perdue $1.25/2 prepared items IPQ=$2.50
Coupon Total....$14.50

$42.80-$14.50=28.30

$10.78+$28.30=$39.08 OOP  (no taxable items)

Spent $39.08, saved $60.44(over reg. retail), savings percentage of 60%.
Now THAT'S how to start off a new month of grocery savings!  8-)

The glulten-free crackers were an impulse buy(well, impulse with coupons).  No one here has gluten issues so I'll either work them into a Christmas gift basket for someone OR haul them up to the food bank before the end of 2016 in a donation.

And speaking of Food Bank Donations......

I have taken a break most of this year from shopping extras to donate to our local food bank.
There are two reasons for this--
First off our eldest is having a hard time with money being tight so if I have extra I would like to supplement his pantry first.  Charity beings at home and all that.
And secondly, Daughter decided to move back in earlier this year and bring her BF(with our blessing)so she could finish her degree and have a better chance in life supporting herself well.  I knew our expenses would be going up so I stopped contributing around April to the food bank for the short term, until I could get a feel for just how much more we would be shelling out around here for the household costs.

I am considering resuming buying extras again to give away as long as I can get needed items for cheap or free.  And if I shop prudently I know I can at least help a little and it not impact our finances very much.

So if you can spare something, remember your local food bank/pantry not only this Holiday Season but all year long.  The need does NOT go away after Christmas is over.

Sluggy

Awesome Grocery Trip

I hit Weis(PMITA)Markets on Monday.

Used bunches of coupons and stocked up on a few items we use a lot of.
I made a video about this trip......



 I misspoke on the video-the Old El Paso shells were on sale for $1.50 each(not $2 each)and the Refried Beans for $1.27.  After Q($1) and Savingstar Rebate($1)I paid $2.27 for all 3 of those products.

Plus I used a $5 off your purchase Catalina I earned last week which helped my savings rate a bit.

After SavingStar rebates my savings rate becomes 71.20%.
Woohoo!

Now I'm off to work on my Meal Plan for the week as it is waaaay late!

Sluggy

A Couple of Deals Earlier This Week & A Mystery

Even though I was deliriously sick earlier this week I still got my butt up to Weis(PMITA)Markets for a few good deals.

Part of the Mix & Match/Buy 6, Get $3 off Deals were Huggies wipes and Country Time lemonade.
Both were $1.99 on sale and I bought 12=$23.88.
I paired various IPQs totaling $11.50 with the deal...$23.88-$11.50=$12.38
Subtract the $6 for 2 x the Deal and my OOP was $6.38 for 8 packages of wipes and 4 canisters of lemonade.

Snapple bottles of tea were on sale for $1 each and almost all of them had BOGOFree hangtag Qs on the bottles making the tea bottles .50¢ each after sale/Q.
But these hangtag Qs all rang up for the regular retail off of $1.49, making each bottle .25¢ after sale/Qs.
$3 for 12 bottles.  These are a treat for me.  I love Red Rooibos tea.

I also picked up a package of uncured natural hot dogs for 1/2 off at $2.  Also picked up a package of salmon filet for $4.39 and a package of beef strips for stir-fry at $4.91.  Each of those had $3 off instant meat discount stickers on them.

2 trips to Weis this week with a savings percentage of 54% on 1 trip and 45% on the other trip.

I also made a trip to the farm stand because I was seriously Jones-ing for a REAL tomato!

Those tomatoes were almost as big as the cantaloupe I got! lolz
The 'loupe was $1 and each tomato was $1.25.

I've already finished off 1 of those big maters..... ;-)

And there is a mystery veg lurking in the garden.
I spied this baby 2 days ago hidden under the lush undergrowth......

That dark green orb looks like an acorn squash.
Now I have NEVER planted acorn squash before but last Fall I bought some and probably threw the "guts" from them out into the garden bed.
A lone volunteer squash "of some sort" plant appeared in the garden in early July and has been flowering for the last 3 weeks.  There were no baby veeggies on that plant when we left for Maine but now there is.
I'll get Hubs to take the netting system down over the garden this weekend so we can check this out, check for zucchinis on those plants and weed the bed.
While this netting system he set up keeps us out of the garden it has also kept whatever was eating everything in there last Summer out too(I suspect it was deer and/or racoons.)

More on the mystery veggie later......

Have you found anything unusual in your garden this Summer?


Sluggy

Monday Grocery Shopping Videos

So I went up to Weis(PMITA)Markets on Monday for my main grocery trip for the week.

I got so much it couldn't all fit on top of the freezer for a photo shot so I did two short-ish films.

First what I went to get(what was on my list) is located HERE.

Then the rest of what I bought is located HERE.

$61.42 spent on $106.64 of retail price goods.
A savings rate over retail of 42% and I used not a single coupon either.
It just goes to show how you can buy meat and get a good deal if you focus on buying on sale and/or clearance foods.

I got enough meat for at least 10 meals for 2.  Not a bad haul with all that meat, right?

Sluggy



 

Last of the Shopping This Week

With snow due in on Saturday *Update--we got 5 inches so far* I finished my shopping for the week on Friday.

First I took some Qs and my $10 off your next order catalina I earned earlier this week and bought all this at Weis.........

4 x Barilla pasta on sale .88¢=$3.52
3 x Spaghetti-o's on sale .88¢=$2.64
1 x Weis sour cream=.88¢
4 x Musselman's apple sauce cups on sale=$5.48
3 x Oreo cookies on sale=$5.91
1 x Pretzel rolls 50% off=$1.49
SubTotal............$19.92

Coupons Used
2 x .75¢/2 Barilla pasta IPQ(coupons dotcom, doubled to $1)=$2.00
2 x .75¢/2 Musselman's ManuQ(doubled to $1)=$2.00
2 x .50/1 Oreo's IPQ(coupons dotcom but I think they are NLA, doubled to $1)=$3.00
Coupon Total......$7.00

$19.92-$7.00=$12.92
I used the $10 Catalina and paid $2.92 OOP.
The Spaghetti-o's purchase will earn me .40¢ back in my Saving Star account. ;-)

Savings rate of 92%.
$36.85 reg. retail worth of items.

The Spaghetti-o's and the cookies are for College Boy(except the pumpkin spice ones are for me ), the applesauce is for Hubs' lunches, the pasta & sour cream are for the stockpile and the rolls were for dinner last night.

Then I had $4 in +Ups to spend/roll at Rite-Aid before Saturday night so I got this stuff.....

5 x Palmolive dish liquid on sale $1=$5.00
2 x Nature Made Vitamin C BOGO=$7.69
SubTotal.....$12.69

Coupons Used
4 x .25¢/1 Palmolive dish liquid IPQ(coupons dotcom)=$1.00
1 x $7/1 Nature Made item ManuQ(mailed to me)=$7.00
Coupon Total.....$8.00

$12.69-$8.00=$4.69 + .20¢ tax=$4.89
I used $4 in +Up Rewards and paid .89¢ OOP.

I earned $1 in new +Up Rewards($1 wyb 5 Palmolive).

After Qs and +Ups earned the dish liquid comes out to .60¢ a bottle(if you don't pay with +Ups)and the vitamin C bottles were .69¢ for 2.....that's all before sales tax of .20¢ here.

My next batch of +Ups expire 1/29 so I'll be going back to Rite-Aid early next week.  I've got about $30 in +Ups to spend/roll then.

After looking at next week's ad online I am figuring my trip will include facial cleaners and shampoo and maybe some snacks(it's Super Bowl deals time)like frozen pizzas and chips(for Hubs).  We'll see once the new Video Values come out after midnight and we see how they will pair with the available Qs and sales ad.

Did you get any great deals at the stores this week?

Sluggy