For this week’s shopping, I’m already starting with a frig full of fresh produce, and a freezer well stocked from National Frozen Foods Month deals. I have $49 left from my Costco rebate, in cash. My goal is simply to replenish my stockpiles of nonperishable items while keeping the actual costs under $25 for the week. I also needed to find baking goods, like butter, for the upcoming holiday.
I started with Safeway. I hadn’t expected to find much with their $5 off every ten items, but I analyzed the participating product list and matched up my coupons before I left the house. Although the promotion reads as an effective 50 cents off every item, the actual cost can be much less. This is because the discount is off the total purchase price, and items costing less than $1, even free after coupon, still receive the additional $5 discount. I also had a $10 off frozen food coupon from my previous shopping trip. Since my freezer is packed with nutritious food from previous deals, I decided to use this coupon on some “luxury” items that were also “participating” products in the deal, namely fudgesicles.
Safeway
|
Product |
Regular Price |
Sale Price |
Coupons |
# items |
|
Eating Right Carrots, 2 lb |
$3.29 |
$2.79 |
$1 (1) |
1 |
|
Eating Right Soy Crisps |
$2.19 |
$2.19 |
$1 (1) |
1 |
|
Fresh Express Salad Trio |
$2.99 |
$1.25 |
$.75 [dbl] (2) |
2 |
|
Kraft Ranch dressing, fat free |
$3.69 |
$2.00 |
$1.50 (5) |
5 |
|
Organic Apples, 3 lb |
$5.99 |
$3.00 |
$1 (1) |
1 |
|
Mushrooms |
$3.00 |
$2.00 |
$.50 (1) $1 (2) |
1 |
|
Propel |
$1.29 |
$1.29 |
None |
2 |
|
Fuse |
$1.69 |
$1.25 |
$.25 [dbl] (8) |
8 |
|
DH Cake Mix |
$2.29 |
$1.25 |
$1/3 (5) |
15 |
|
Fudgesicles |
$4.69 |
$3.00 |
$2/2 (1) |
3 |
|
Dial Complete |
$2.64 |
$2.00 |
$.35 [dbl] (2) |
2 |
|
Halls Naturals |
$2.49 |
$1.29 |
$1 (5) |
5 |
|
Mix and Match discount |
|
|
$5 (4) |
|
|
|
|
|
$10 OYNO frozen foods |
|
|
|
|
|
$6 OYNO |
|
Additional Checkout received: None
Total at Regular Price: $121.15
Total at Sale Price BEFORE coupons: $72.98
-
% savings at sale price: 40 %
Total Paid: $3.58
-
% savings with sales and coupons: 97 %
Plain lettuce is not something I regularly purchase, but it was free after coupon, and it works well for tacos. I don’t usually use cake mix, either, but it was a great price, and I know I will need to bring baked goods to several parties this summer.
Superfresh had few deals this week. I wanted to pick up Sargento cheese on sale, and check their price on Barilla Picollini pasta – a new product with a 50 cent coupon in Sundays paper. Surprisingly, the Ronzoni pasta from this weeks sale, at 2 for $1, was not in stock, and the store had opted for a substitution – Barilla! So, an unexpected sale, and with double coupons, an overage (profit) on each box.
Superfresh
|
Product |
Regular Price |
Sale Price |
Coupons |
# items |
|
Barilla Picollini Pasta |
$1.49 |
$.50* |
$.50[dbl] (4) |
4 |
|
Marcal Small Step paper towel |
$1.29 |
$1.29 |
$1 (1) |
1 |
|
McCormick Lemon Extract |
$4.99 |
$3.39 |
$.75[dbl] (1) |
1 |
|
Dannon Activia |
$2.99 |
$2.00 |
$1 (1) |
1 |
|
Dannon Activia |
$2.99 |
$2.00 |
$1 (1) $1**(1) |
1 |
|
Reynold’s Cooking Bags |
$3.39 |
$1.99 |
$1 (3) |
3 |
|
Sargento Cheese |
$3.69 |
$1.67 |
$.50 [dbl] (4) |
4 |
|
Carnation Evaporated Milk |
$1.49 |
$.99 |
$.50/2 [dbl] (4) |
8 |
|
Land of Lakes Margarine |
$1.69 |
$1.00 |
$.50 [dbl] (1) |
1 |
Notes: * substitution by management for a sale item
**Managers additional discount due to short expiration date
Additional Checkout received: None
Total at Regular Price: $56.76
Total at Sale Price BEFORE coupons: $ 32.25
-
% savings at sale price: 43 %
Total Paid: $12.75
-
% savings with sales and coupons: 78 %
My final stop was Acme. I didn’t need much, but spending $20 would complete a Spring savings deal to receive a free Ham or Turkey Breast coupon for use on a future shopping trip. They also had the best price on butter for my Easter baking needs.
Acme
|
Product |
Regular Price |
Sale Price |
Coupons |
# items |
|
Reynolds Plastic Wrap |
$3.99 |
$2.69 |
None |
1 |
|
Dole Pineapple |
$1.99 |
$1.00 |
$1/3 (2) |
6 |
|
CutRite Waxpaper |
$1.99 |
$1.00 |
$.50[dbl] (10) |
10 |
|
Land of Lakes Butter |
$3.99 |
$2.34 |
$.55 [dbl] (6) |
6 |
|
Fresh Express Coleslaw Mix |
$2.00 |
$1.50 |
$.75[dbl] (3) |
3 |
Additional Checkout received:
· FREE ham or turkey breast
· FREE bakery bread
· $2/$10 produce
· $2/$10 fresh meat
Total at Regular Price: $65.77
Total at Sale Price BEFORE coupons: $ 37.23
-
% savings at sale price: 43 %
Total Paid: $14.13
-
% savings with sales and coupons: 79 %
The butter and cabbage went straight into the freezer. I’ll make Minestrone, egg rolls, fried cabbage, or other dishes over the months. Butter freezes well, and will be excellent for making candy over the holidays, as well as pies during the summer. And the Wax Paper has an infinite shelf life, and will be used for candy making, layering produce to freeze during the summer, drying leaves during the fall, and making December treats.
That leaves a total of
Regular Price: $248.68
Total Paid: $30.46
A bit over my budget, but subtracting out the Costco rebate cash, it’s free this week.
Tonight’s dinner will be vegetarian tacos, using that lettuce and cheese, along with a baked Spanish rice. Tomorrow the remaining mushrooms will become part of a beef stroganoff, with asparagus or organic salad on the side. I’ll probably need to prepare or freeze some of the other produce. Hmmm…off to plan!
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