Grocery Lists this Week

If you haven't had a stock-up shopping trip in a long time, this week may be your week! Both Albertsons and Smiths are running some hefty sales, PLEASE check out the Grocery Smarts lists, ok??

The sale at Smiths will take off your savings instantly at checkout, so it will very easy to make sure you get the right price (most of the items they had last week they are continuing with this week). The sale at Albertsons is a but trickier - save $15 off your next shopping trip (three $5 coupons will print out) when you spend $30 AFTER coupons and tax. Grrr... I tried it this morning and I had to spend the $30 after coupons in order to get the catalinas.

OK so that little detail may trip you up a bit, BUT the good news is that with the Grocery Smarts lists, the bottom line price is on the right side, so just add that price up and make sure you hit $30 before heading to the store. Save yourself LOTS of frustration.

Also, it seems that some the printable coupon match-ups that the listmakers work so hard to get right switched on us overnight (the coupons which were there on Tuesday are no longer there today) so if you are having trouble finding them, you aren't blind. They might now be there. Take a deep breath and crack open your coupon binder instead.

I am eyeballing the Huggies boxes though - you can't beat the price after catalinas. If you need diapers, head to Albertsons!

Happy shopping everybody!!

Free GrocerySmarts Coupon Class In Utah County

Want to Save Money? Utah County

In about an hour at my FREE class you will learn how to shop smart, spend less, save more, & still stock your pantry.

How do I shop smart? It's so easy. I use GrocerySmarts.com to plan my weekly shopping list. Then I get coupon inserts from the Sunday paper (1 per person in the family) And, by combining the online shopping list with the coupons, I literally save hundreds of dollars each month on my groceries, toiletries and household products.

At the class you will learn you how to organize coupons with a "5 minute method" and how using the website will help you cut your grocery bill in half. Plus I will hook you up with a sweet deal on the Las Vegas Review Journal for as little as $.75 for the Sunday only Newspaper Subscriptions.

This is a great opportunity to really understand how to save the most money utilizing the GrocerySmarts website & our blog. For more information on the class see the left hand bar.

Call Jennifer @ (801) 341-4426 or e-mail smilebehappyjennifer at yahoo dot com to RSVP to the next class this Thursday @ 7-8PM!

**Please Email Sarah to find out when the next class is in Las Vegas**

Sweet Sale at Albertsons This Week!

I just went to Albertsons and bought $99 worth of groceries for $16! I am now all stocked up on popcorn, pasta, and Splenda. My camera is on the blink, so I have no picture to show you right now, but take a look at the Grocery Smarts list and plan your visit. The Ronzoni pasta is a HOT DEAL and when I went just now they were almost cleaned out, so go soon.

Happy shopping and be sure to send me your success stories!

Coupon, Coupons Everywhere!

My friend The Grocery Geek (i.e. Jen) had some great ideas to help all her coupon friends out. I am about to pass out from gratitude!

First, she posted a list of all of the coupons that expire the end of September. So in case there is anything on your list you haven't purchased but have been needing to, or you would have purchased it had you known there was a coupon to take advantage of a deal you had in mind -take heart! Consult her list and get shopping!

Second, for those of us with bulging coupon binders, Jen compiled a list of the current inserts we should be keeping and the ones we can toss since all of the coupons are expired. Whew! I can just feel the joyful rush now from all the decluttering I am about to do.

Thanks Jen!

Cheap Libby's Vegetables at Smiths

Smith's caselot sale is here again, and although you all know I am NOT a fan of buying in bulk at caselot time UNLESS it is a good deal according to Grocery Smarts (just because you buy it by the case does NOT make it cheaper) there is a good deal to be had on Libby's vegetables.

Here is a printable coupon for $1.00/3 cans. PLUS awhile back Sunday's Parade magazine had coupons for $1.00/3 cans which I clipped and filed away in my loose coupon organizer. So if you have access to a couple of computers or you and some other coupon-clipping friends combine forces, you can get free vegetables. Otherwise, it is still a great deal. I can print two coupons and I have 4 coupons from Parade, so that will save me $6 on a case of vegetables, essentially making them only $.25/can. YEAH!

Now Booking GrocerySmart Classes in Utah

I am now moved in & am excited to announce that I am now booking GrocerySmart Classes in Utah. If you are in Utah or have someone that needs to save tons of money on their grocery bills please have them call Jennifer @ 801.341.4426. Plus if they meet the a few requirements they can get a free gift card!!

Shopping Success Stories!

I love, love, LOVE hearing stories from people who have attended my Grocery Smarts classes and are now on the road to saving big at the grocery stores. Here is one to inspire you today:


I attended your Grocery Smarts class last month. I wanted to share my most recent savings. I am really proud! I went to Albertsons' and spent $6.16 on groceries valued at $64.37 which is a 88% savings!!!! I did 2 separate transactions. I had $26.96 in coupons and saved $29.53 in store incentives. I went to Smiths' as well and spent $6.29 on groceries valued at $65.45 which is a savings of 91%!!!!! I only did 1 transaction and had $31.03 in coupons and $28.13 in store incentives. I am so glad (my friend) introduced me to Grocery Smarts. Our family has saved so much and I have only been using it for about 1 month or so. Thanks so much for teaching me the ins and outs of Grocery Smarts. ~ Amy

Great job Amy!! Keep it up!!

$2.50 Electrosol Coupon Expiring Soon

For those of you smart shoppers who get your multiple copies of the Sunday newspaper, I wanted to give you a heads up.

In the Smart Source insert from 7/12 there was a $2.50/1 coupon for Electrasol Powerball Tabs which will expire on August 9, this coming Sunday. Although I DO NOT recommend you ever run out to the store and use a coupon on a full-price item (which is breaking coupon rule #1, for those of you who have been to my classes!), in this case I would hate for you to miss out on using this high-value coupon IF (and only IF) you really need dishwasher detergent.

I have been keeping my eyes peeled for a sale/coupon match-up and was excited to hear there might be one at CVS this week; alas the CVS sale did not happen in Las Vegas (although other parts of the country got it, bummer!) and I have not seen it go on sale anywhere else.

So in the end if you use this coupon at Wal-Mart, the box would be about $1.00, which is a good price in the scheme of how much things costs these days, even though this is not my normal advice or operating procedure. So please, nobody leave me a comment scolding me for using a coupon on a full price item, deal?

Shopping Trips This Week

I have been really skimpy with my grocery shopping time this summer. A fully stocked pantry plus being extra exhausted from pregnancy in 106 degree weather put a big dent in my motivation. But nothing like a bumper week at the stores to push me out the door (with some help from the hubby, who watched the kids at home so my trips could be quicker). Here's a few of my steals:

Albertsons

Last night I hit Albertsons to stock up on their rockin' "Spend $30, Get $15" sale. As you can see, I am now fully stocked up on laundry detergent (13 to be exact!), cereal, and Country Crock:

Total Value: $187.62
Total Spent: $41.05 (over three transactions)
78% Savings

Plus I have another $17 in coupons to use on my next shopping trip!

Smiths
I also hit Smiths to take advantage of their "Buy 4, Save $4" promo, plus the printable coupons for cheese:

Total Value: $31.85
Total Spent: $10.57
69% Savings

Vons
At Vons I stocked up on milk (using the printable coupons from the Grocery Smarts list), steak and hamburger (using a $5/$15 catalina they gave me on my last trip), plus other large ticket items which were on sale - dog food, toilet paper, paper towels - using several other Vons catalinas for "$x/$XX", including a $10/$80 and a $3/$10 for produce:

Total Value: $157.04
Total Spent: $57.04
64% Savings

CVS
At CVS I stocked up on Stayfree products and school supplies and actually made money buying only items that were essentially free after Extra Care Bucks and then using coupons on top of the savings.

So I think I am all set for baby's arrival. My mother-in-law, who is going to be such a blessing by staying with us for awhile after the birth, should find everything fully stocked up!

A Few Good Deals Around Town

CVS
Stayfree pads are $5 and you get $5 ECB wyb $10 worth. Use the B1G1 FREE coupon from SS-6/28 to get two packages FREE.

Many school supplies are free after ECB Sunday-Tuesday. Check out the full line-up at Grocery Smarts. And remember - if they are out of something when you get there, just ask for a raincheck to get it free later on.

Walgreens
There is an in-ad store coupon for JELL-O, $2/1. Use this $.50/2 printable coupon to get each box for $.25

Walgreens has released another Coloring Book with coupons in the back. I got one last year and it was invaluable! Go here to see what the coloring book looks like AND which coupons it contains.

Keep your eyes peeled for the new one and snatch it up if you find it. The best part about these coupons are that they are Walgreens coupons, which means you can stack them with manufacturer coupons to achieve even more savings.

VONS
As it is now officially August, for those of you who purchased the 2009 Entertainment Book, don't forget about the $5/$50 VONS coupons in the front of the book. The new quarter is here and you can now use the coupon which begins August 1. Vons has some pretty good sales this week (check out the latest Sunday ad) and I have a bunch a catalinas they keep giving me (including a $10/$80) so I will heading in to pick up a few things tomorrow.

Albertsons
There was a special insert in the Sunday paper today with a few extra Albertsons coupons. They had one for Tony's pizza for $.88. Combine that with the $1/2 manufacturer coupon from the SS-6/7 to make each pizza only $.38!

Target
I have heard that the toys on clearance at Target are now 75% off. So maybe do a quick trip down that aisle (preferrably without the kids!) to see if there are any good deals to score now and stash away for the holidays or birthdays.

One of the Many Reasons I Love Grocery Smarts

This week I ran out of sugar since I did a little stock-up baking before the new baby comes. And I see that it is on sale at Albertsons this week - $1.40 after coupons! Loving it! I still have some flour leftover from a previous Albertsons sale (anybody remember the deal on Gold Medal?) so once I stock up again on sugar, I will be all set.

The hummingbirds will be happy also , as they have been circling my backyard for days but I ran out of "juice" on their feeder. Now I can replenish that too!

Want to know how I do it? Contact me to set-up a class and start getting your discounted Sunday papers for all of those awesome coupons!

Coupons 101 - Printable Coupons

Awhile back we talked about manufacturer coupons. Printable coupons are also manufacturer coupons, but we tend to encounter a few more problems/rules with printables than the coupons we receive in the Sunday newspaper. Colette, once again, has a great post on the in's & out's of printable coupons, full of all the little tips you might need to ensure a successful shopping trip.

***

My most frequently asked questions are usually about printable coupons, how they work, troubleshooting with them, etc... so I thought it was time for a post! :)

• You can only print 2 of each coupon, your IP address is tracked by the website you are printing it from and you will be locked out once 2 have printed.
  
• You cannot copy printable coupons (much the same as you can't copy coupons from your SmartSource/RedPlum inserts) - if you notice in the picture above, in the top right corner of all printables is a unique serial code or number. Even though the coupon is the same, each time it is printed, this number is unique. This is what distinguishes your coupons as authentic - so if a cashier ever questions you (thinking it's a copy) point out the unique number to prove it's an original, authentic coupon.
  
• If your printer is not turned on or jams or you run out of ink in the middle of a print, you can't reprint that particular coupon because to the website, the coupon was sent to a printer - it doesn't know that you ran out of ink or that your printer jammed so it still counts as one of your prints.
  
• Don't skimp on ink... if you print on a draft or fast setting and the barcode is too light to scan, the store doesn't have to honor it. To save on ink, set your printer to grayscale or black and white, the coupon does not have to be in color to be valid.
  
• Is printing coupons worth the paper and the ink? ABSOLUTELY! I save an additional $8-10 per week from my printables alone and that is far more than it costs me to print them. That's about $40 a month in EXTRA savings!
  
• What do you do if your computer or printer has trouble printing coupons? Because everyone's computer and computer settings are different, it's hard to offer an easy solution for everyone having print issues... but here's a few links I found that address common problems:
  
  Troubleshooting with Printables
  
  How to Print Your Coupons
  
  Troubleshooting Guide for Printing Coupons
  
  HTML Help for Printing Coupons

Hopefully if you've had problems printing coupons, one of the above resources can help! :)

Thanks Colette! Make sure to stop on over to her blog, Shop Smart in Vegas, to get more valuable tips on how to make the most of your grocery budget.

Plan Ahead a Little... and Help Someone Else Out

You know I am a big supporter of donating most of the free deals I find (and post here). It is my way of giving back when my family is like many of yours - on a tight budget.

I just wanted to take a minute and talk about the idea of planning ahead a bit. Although I haven't been the best poster child for this idea, I took about 30 minutes just now (maybe an hour) and looked at the upcoming weekly ads for CVS and Walgreens (leave me a comment if you want to know how) to see what I could get for free. Then I put in an order at Coupons by Dede for a few extra coupons to use not only at the drugstores (Gilette Fusion, Huggies, Reach toothbrushes) next week, but also for Degree at Target, Tide at Vons, and a few other things that I needed or wanted to buy in order to give away.

On Sunday my church was bringing attention to the needs of the congregation and items they were looking to collect and I was convicted. I had been really good in the past about focusing on collecting the free items in order to donate them, but I have been slacking. So I decided to jump back into the thick of things.

By planning ahead a little I think I can make a big impact in others lives through donating items I have learned to get for free. I can also try and anticipate some needs, such as school supplies. You and I both know the time is coming when all the kids will need to start gathering materials for the upcoming school year. So I am planning on starting to collect those supplies now, when the back-to-school savings are in the upswing.

So please keep this idea in mind. If planning ahead is just too much for you to accomplish right now, no worries. But perhaps you can pop into one of the back-to-school sales and add a few extra things to your basket in order to donate. I have every confidence that many, many people will benefit from our forethought. Good luck!

Grocery Smarts = Target & Fresh & Easy

Did you know that you can now get all the great Target and Fresh & Easy Deals on the Grocerysmarts website under Other Stores? Check it out!!
Click here to go directly to the Target & Fresh & Easy Match-up!

GrocerySmarts Expanding!!!

Grocery Smarts has now expanded and is available to help you save money!! We have Passport Codes and lists now available in all of the following areas:

Southern California - "g92ro1"

Idaho - "g83ro1"

Eastern Washington - "g99ro1"

Utah - "g84rcm"

Coming Soon... Arizona, Western Washington, Oregon & Northern California! So keep an eye on my blog for more information.

Do you live in Las Vegas and haven't been to a GrocerySmarts Class? or You need a refresher class to get answers to all your questions & have a friend that would like to learn how to save lots of money too? I have a class that still has openings this Tuesday night @ 7PM in zip code 89084. Call me if you would like to attend this FREE class @ 395-5815.

Free GrocerySmarts Coupon Class

Want to Save Money?

In about an hour at my FREE class you will learn how to shop smart, spend less, save more, & still stock your pantry.

How do I shop smart? It's so easy. I use GrocerySmarts.com to plan my weekly shopping list. Then I get coupon inserts from the Sunday paper (1 per person in the family) And, by combining the online shopping list with the coupons, I literally save hundreds of dollars each month on my groceries, toiletries and household products.

At the class you will learn you how to organize coupons with a "5 minute method" and how using the website will help you cut your grocery bill in half. Plus I will hook you up with a sweet deal on the Las Vegas Review Journal for as little as $.75 for the Sunday only Newspaper Subscriptions.

This is a great opportunity to really understand how to save the most money utilizing the GrocerySmarts website & our blog. For more information on the class see the left hand bar.

Call Jennifer @ (702) 395-5815 or e-mail smilebehappyjennifer at yahoo dot com to receive an invitation for the next class in Las Vegas !

PS-Want to make $20? If you host a party & get at least 8 people who have never been to a GrocerySmarts class you will receive $20!

NEW Grocery Smarts Lists are Here!!

Hello readers! I am excited to report (for those that follow Grocery Smarts along with Jennifer and I) that the new lists for Vons and CVS are up and active! Yours truly is doing to Vons list, so always feel free to email me with your fun finds or any deals I didn't spot - AS WELL as post it on the Pinching Your Pennies forum for all others to read. The more we educate each other, the better savvy shoppers will be.

I wanted to share a few of my thoughts on the lists with you if I could and highlight any deals:

• Walgreens & CVS lists - Now that both the Walgreens and CVS lists are live at Grocery Smarts, I will NOT be doing my usual Walgreens and CVS line-up post every Sunday. If I see any screamin' deals, I will highlight them but I will not be doing a complete coupon match-up.
  
  
• Diaper Deals - For any of you looking for diaper deals, I would head to Vons this week (and the next). When you do the math on buying a box of Huggies with the Living Well promotion and the printable coupon, a size 4 diaper is $.15 and size 3 diapers are $.13. A good price! Some of you may gravitate to Walgreens this week thinking the Register Reward is a good deal. It really isn't. You only get $1 RR per diaper package, so if you do the math the price per diaper is actually better at Vons.
  
  
• Vons Living Well promotion - The Living Well promotion at Vons (Buy $30 select products, Get $10 coupon for your next shopping trip) is running through 5/5. From looking at both the ads and the sale tags at the store, I am under the impression that the sale prices listed in the ad (and reflected on the tags) will run through 5/5 (it says that on the sale tags anyway), so there will be an extra week to take advantage of the sale prices. Check the Vons list at Grocery Smarts on Wednesday to make sure, but I don't anticipate changing too many of the sale prices on the LW items.
  
  To get the best deals during the Vons promotion, 1) try to keep your LW item total as close to $30 as possible. For example, I went the other day and bought 1 box of Huggies, 2 boxes of Electrosol, and a filler item (like Sun Chips) to hit the $30 mark. 2) Then take your $10 coupon and do a second transaction (and a third and so on....) You can roll (it's a fancy coupon term) your coupons into multiple transactions. In my shopping trip, I did a second transaction exactly like the first (box of diapers, 2 boxes of Electrosol, and a filler). Then I did a third transaction, using my $10 coupon to buy other non-LW items (strawberries, toilet paper, etc.) This will save you the most money!
  
  ALSO for any of you holding the $2.50 Electrosol coupon in your hand, now is the time to buy. With the sale and coupon, you can get the Electrosol for $.17!!! Make sure to check out the full list, because there are ALOT of 4 and 5-star items as part of the promo.

Happy shopping everybody!!

Why Do I Get Multiple Coupons?

One of the key couponing techniques that we teach at Grocery Smarts is that you need to have one set of coupons per consumer in your household. I have four in my household, so I get four Sunday papers every week. The reason I do this (and the reason Grocery Smarts teaches this) is so that when a good sale comes along, I can stock up and not have to run out to the store the next time I run out for the item. I want to shop my pantry, not the store. We know that sales run on a 12-week cycle, so having enough to get you through the 12 weeks is key.

When I got my four papers this past Sunday I couldn't help noticing how perfect the timing was - and I had to bring it to your attention. Electrosol released a $2.50 coupon the first part of January. At that time I stocked up on dish detergent with my four coupons and am now on my last box, knowing it's time to stock up again. BINGO! Four papers, four coupons for $2.50 off Electrosol at my front door on Sunday. Now I will sit tight until Grocery Smarts matches a sale with that coupon (the other technique we teach at a couponing class) and I will rolling in the soap again.

Now, did anybody do the math on this deal? Just in coupons for this one product I will save $20. Can you imagine how much more you can save when you start using multiple coupons on other products that you buy anyway? Want to know more about Grocery Smarts or how to start saving with your own newspaper subscriptions? Contact either Sarah or Jen - our contact info is on the left-hand side. We want to help you save the most money you can!!

Cheap Pantiliners at Albertsons

Do you have your newspaper coupons (SS) ready? You can get FREE McCormick Grill Mates!! Go to Grocerysmarts.com for all the information.

Plus make sure you print out these 2 coupons now (before they are gone) for cheap pantiliners at Albertson's. (Remember you can print out 2 of each)

Kotex Lightdays Pantiliners
$1/2 Printable Coupon
$.25 each

If you don't already get the newspaper & don't want to miss out on the best deals contact me now. Want to get a smokin deal on the Las Vegas Review Journal & get all the best coupons? Email Jennifer or call (702) 395-5815 or Email Sarah (702) 949-0775 to start receiving your newspaper today.

Don't understand the website or our blog? Don't worry! E-mail or call me for a free coupon class to explain everything in easy to understand language. You can start saving money now!

Want More Deals?

Want to share deals or post big savings tips? Pinching Your Pennies is an AWESOME forum for doing just that! There isn't a ton of participation yet in the Nevada Forum so I thought I'd do a post to get awareness out there so we can all start using it! Basically, you just register then can share info on extra deals you find as you are out shopping. The Grocery Smarts lists are great, but if you find something extra - this is where you can post it for everyone to see!

I get emails all the time from gals with more deals to share and if we can pass the word around and all start using this forum, it will become a great resource for all of us!

Read the GUIDELINES for joining HERE

Link to the NEVADA FORUM HERE