Earning $$$ from Shopping

I have been improving on my savings % slowly but surely. I have come close to having a 100% savings with my total being $1.12 and having a $2 register reward which actually makes me +.88 cents but I never got to walk away with groceries without actually paying money, until today!

I went to Dollar General because they are having a sale where for every 3 Kraft items you buy $2 is deducted from your total.  Well I got there about 10 min. too late because a "Shelf Clearer", basically someone who will take 100+ items of the same product leaving none for anyone else, got there before me.  I was still able to score some stuff though and will get the chance to get more when they get a new shipment on Wednesday, it's always good to make nice with the employees because they will give you valuable shipment information.

I was able to score 1 Kraft Home style singles meal, 1 box of Jello, 6 Big Caprisuns, and 4 pouches of Country time mix.  Everyone one of those items was a Kraft product featured in the ad so $8 was deducted from my total automatically at the register.  I then handed over my coupons which brought my total, including tax, down to +.04 cents!  I thought Dollar General didn't allow overage but maybe it's different depending on location, I'm not sure but you can always call your local Dollar General or what ever store you shop at and ask what their policy is.  All I know is the cashier handed me 4 cents which is in the picture above, that's over 100% in savings AT the register!  This is a first for me!  Even if I didn't get 4 cents back I still walked out of that store paying nothing from my wallet which was always my goal!

This is exactly why I started this blog to help people who may not be able to afford much food and show them how they can get stuff for free or almost for free.  I hope so far in my short time writing this blog that I have helped at least 1 person.  Until my next blog, TY for reading!

-Southern Savings Mommy

You VS the Store!

An incident that happened to me a few days ago is what inspired me to write about it and pass on my knowledge and experience to you so if you are caught in the same situation you can stand up for your rights and prove yourself smarter than the store employees!

We will leave the store name out because in all honesty this can happen anywhere but let me say I was not at all shocked that this happened to me.  I hate this store with all my passion and regret shopping there every time I go but for some weird reason this store seems to have a couple items that I can't for the love of me find anywhere else! 

I was at self check out because I didn't have a ton of items and I hate dealing with store clerks and coupons.  I had all my stuff scanned and I was scanning my coupons and when I came to my Black Flag coupons they scanned but kept saying that the coupon didn't match the item.  The coupon CLEARLY stated $1 off ANY Black Flag product, I was buying fly ribbon.  The clerk they have that assists anyone needing help at self check out came over and read the coupon then looked at my item, she then over road the system and punched in the coupon.  I told her I had 3 more, she then tried scanning it but she was holding it wrong so it wouldn't scan.  I didn't want to tell her how to do her job so I just stood there.  She then looked at the coupon more closely and said "I know why this won't scan it's a copy!"  I told her it was NOT a copy and she says "Yes it is they all have the same number" as she points to the WRONG set of numbers you're supposed to look at.  I then proceeded to tell her she was looking at the wrong numbers and I did NOT break the law by photo copying a coupon and that I had 2 computers and you are allowed to print 2 coupons from each computer which means 4 coupons which I had!  She then says "I can get a manager to tell you the same thing" I said "Ok good!"

The Manager comes over and says "If a coupon can't scan we can't accept it" I say that's fine but these DO scan but YOUR system says the coupon doesn't match the product, I left out the part about her associate not knowing how to scan a coupon.  I scan it for her and show her what the system says.  She then wants to see what product I am buying and how much it is.  Finally she over rides the system and manually puts in my 3 coupons.  She then adds "I see you're a "clipper" so you might want to checkout with a cashier next time since they can over ride the system if there is a problem." Oh I'm so sorry I made you do your job AND what the heck is with calling me a "Clipper"?! So ya I was embarrassed because there were people behind me who heard the first employee accuse me of ILLEGALLY trying to use photo copied coupons and then heard me being called a clipper.

Ok so now that you know what happened to me and I am going to show you what information you need to know about a coupon so if this happens to you, and it probably will, you'll be prepared to show those employees that they don't know their job!

In the coupon about you'll see a bar code on the bottom left side with a set of numbers about it and a funny looking bar code on the upper right corner with a set of numbers below it. Both sets of numbers serve a purpose.  The bottom left bar code and numbers identify what product the coupon is good for and it will ALWAYS be the same on every coupon you print out for this coupon offer.  This is the number the employee kept insisting was supposed to be different.  The number on the top right is a verification code which will tell if the coupon is fake or real.  The number will ALWAYS be different on these, if they aren't different that is how you can tell they are fake.

Above is another example of a coupon but the bar code in the upper right corner is a tad different.  It still has a bar code, just looks different.  The verification numbers under it are also different, they contain a series of numbers AND letters.  But 1 thing that is the same on both coupons is that the codes will ALWAYS be different with each coupon printed.

I often trade coupons online with people and there are some dishonest people in the world so to make sure I don't accidentally try to use a fake coupon I verify my traded coupons on http://www.couponsinc.com/crc/index.asp and http://verifymycoupon.com/vmc/qrverify.jsp.  You just type in the verification code from the upper right corner and it will tell you if it's a fake or not.  The first website is for verification codes from coupons like in the first picture and the second website is for verification codes like in the second picture.  I would suggest practicing with one you know is legit, like one you printed yourself, just to get the hang of it.  Also there are so many fake coupons floating around out there it's good to know just what's out there so you can spot a fake without even having to verify it.  I often go on the http://www.couponinformationcenter.com/psa-list.php website.  This website has a huge list of all the fake coupons that are out there right now, very informative website.

I hope none of you have to go through what I went through but with employees not knowing the regulations of coupons and what they're actually looking at, odds are you will probably run into this problem.  But at least now you know how to deal with the problem!  When in doubt ALWAYS remain calm and ask for a manager.

-Southern Savings Mommy

Got Coupons?

The number one question I get all the time is "Where did you get that coupon?".  Before I started couponing, the only place I thought you could get coupons from was the Sunday paper.  Well, times are a changing!  I'm going to tell you where I find all my coupons from and how to use them!
 

The Sunday Paper:
Before buying the Sunday paper I ALWAYS check to see what inserts will be in the paper, this determines how many I will buy.  The website I check is http://www.sundaycouponpreview.com/, this website has never failed me! The 3 main inserts to look for are the Smart Source, Red Plum, and P&G.   All 3 aren't always there together so don't expect them to be there every week.  Usually P&G is only in the first Sunday paper of the month.

Once I figure out what inserts are in the paper I look to see what coupons are available in each insert, they will be listed on the same website I listed above.  If there are a lot of high value coupons I buy 4 newspapers.  If there aren't many high value I only buy 2. The local newspaper where I live is $1.25 so I either spend $2.50 or $5 a week so I need to make sure there are really good coupons to make up for the cost of the paper.  This last Sunday there was a Smart Source and Red Plum insert and both were filled with LOTS of high value coupons so I bought 4.  I made my money back with just 1 coupon from 1 paper, it was for $5 off Head and Shoulders shampoo or conditioner.  The rest of the coupons were profit!

Now you are more than welcome to buy as many as you want but I never buy more than 4 because I'm not an "extreme" couponer and don't need 100 of 1 item lol.  If there is a high value coupon that I want more than 4 of but I don't want the rest of the coupons I will go to an online clipping service and order as many as I need to get.  Remember when you do buy the newspaper to buy in multiples...2, 4, 6, 8, ect.... so you can use the coupons on b1g1 free deals.

Online:
The internet is filled with a treasure trough of coupons!  I find a majority of my online coupons from the following sites:
http://www.coupons.com/
http://coupons2.smartsource.com/smartsource/index.jsp?Link=MKRU3JAAR6CCY, http://www.save.com/coupons/
http://www.couponnetwork.com/
http://coupons.target.com/

The rest of the coupons I find are by random google searches.  If I know there is a certain sale on an item that I really need to get I will google search for a coupon for it.  The only bad thing about online coupons is that you can only print out 2 per computer.  We have 2 computers so I can print out 4 at a time.  DO NOT photo copy coupons it is ILLEGAL and you can get arrested for coupon fraud.

You'll notice I listed a Target site for coupons.  This is a "magical" site that I print from a LOT!  Target is one of my favorite stores because you can use their stores coupons on top of a Manufacture coupon AND also with something new they started called Carthweel , and also if you have one of their store debit or credit cards you can get an extra 5% off.

Example: Yesterday I went to Target and they had Campbell to go soups on sale for $2.  I had a Manufacture coupon for $1 off the Campbell to go soup and a Target coupon for $1 off the Campbell to go soup.  On top of that, in the Cartwheel they had the Campbell to go soup for an extra 15% off.  The way Target's system works it subtracted the Store coupon first then it applied the 15% off, then used the manufacture coupon last. After everything was applied I actually MADE 15 cents!  So Target PAID ME to take the soup off their self!  I bought 4 so I made 60 cents which was applied to the rest of the total.  You can't beat that deal!  Below is an example of a Target coupon that I printed out, not all the coupons you print from the Target site will be Target coupons but the ones that are will have a Target symbol on it and it will say TARGET WEB COUPON.

 

Stores:

A lot of stores, such as Walgreens, CVS, Publix, ect....Have their own coupons you can get straight from the store.  Walgreens has a Monthly coupon booklet that you can pick up in store and they often have coupons in their Sunday paper insert ad.  Publix has 2 coupon book they keep at the front of the store when you first walk in, they are seperated into 1 for Personal items like Shampoo, laundry stuff, dish soap, ect....and 1 for Food items. They randomly have coupons in the Sunday paper also.

Now you know where I get all my coupons from but how do I know what to do with them!? I use a site called Coupon Mom.  This site is a godsend and the person running it definitely knows her stuff! She compares the sales and will match the sales with the current coupons out there.  She even tells you what newspaper the coupon came from and what insert.  If it's a printable coupon she will give a link to it, can't get any better than that!  I have saved so much time and effort using this website.  Another good site for sale comparing is Simply Southern Couponers.

I hope you have enjoyed reading my blog so far.  Until next time!

-Southern Savings Mommy

Shop smart, shop S-Mart!

If anyone has seen any of the Evil Dead movies you'll understand what the titles means lol. In this post I will be discussing the basics on couponing and how to stretch the all mighty dollar!
I went shopping at 2 places this week, Publix on Thursday when their new circular was released, and at Walgreens today when they had a restock shipment come in.  We'll start with Walgreens since my purchase there was small.

As you can see I only bought 2 different items.  I purchased 12 Glade Decor Refill Scents and 3 glade plug in warmers.  The glade refills fit in the glass holder or the car holder or you can use it as is.  It folds into a holder from it's packaging.  This is what I use it for that way I don't waste money on a holder!  And now for how to get these at the cheapest price possible!

Glade Warmers: Original Price= $2.29 each
Sale Price= $1 each (Must buy in quantities of 3 to get the deal)
3 Coupons from http://www.coupons.com/  and from the 05-05 Smart Source for $1 off ONE Glade Warmer.
3 Glade warmers x $1 = $3 - $3 in coupons = FREE!

Glade Decor Scent Refills: Original Price= $1.89
Sale Price= $1 each (Must buy in quantities of 3 to get the deal)
6 coupons from http://www.coupons.com/  and from the 05-05 Smart Source for $1 off 2 Glade Decor Scent Refills.
12 Refills x $1 = $12 - $6 in coupons = $6 making each refill $.50 each.

So right now my total before tax is $6 BUT I'm not done yet!  I had previously bought some mouth wash which gave me 2 register rewards for $2 off towards my next purchase, you can stack these too! So $6 - $4 in register rewards = $2

Original Total= $30.45
New cost after coupons and sales and added tax= $2.90
I saved $27.55, this is a 93% savings!!  One of my highest % savings but not my biggest haul.  This was just a little taste to get your blood going.


Now lets get to my bigger haul, not my biggest I've ever done but you will see how much money can be saved and how much more goodies you can get just buy spending a few hours a week clipping coupons and comparing sales!

This was a shopping trip I did at Publix, Publix is a southern store that has an AWESOME coupon policy and wonderful customer service!  I <3 Publix!

In this haul I scored 3 12pks of Ginger Ale, 4 bottles of Juicy Juice 2 pouches of Campbells Skillet sauce mix, 2 bags of Texas Toast croutons, 4 trays of Chicken Nuggets, 2 loafs of Arnold Bread, 1 carton of Almond Breeze Milk, 2 containers of Buitoni Pasta, 8 boxes of Hamburger Helper, 8 jars of Beechnut baby food, and 2 bottles of Sunlight liquid Dish detergent.

Sunlight Dish Detergent:
Original Price: $1.39
Sale Price: $.69
2 Coupons from the 05-19 Red Plum for $1 off each bottle.   $2 in coupons - $1.38 = +.62 cents.  Whattttt!??? The store actually PAID me to take the dish detergent!  Beware though not all stores do this, check your local stores coupon policy.  Publix will put the overage towards the rest of the total BUT they don't give money back :) Once again I <3 Publix!

Juicy Juice:
Original Price: $3.19
Sale Price: Buy 1 Get 1 Free making each one $1.60
2 Coupons from http://coupons.target.com/#?lnk=lnav_t_spc_x_x for $1 off 2 Juicy Juice products.  $6.40 - $2 in coupons = $4.40 making each bottle $1.10.
Now this deal is area specific.  My Publix take competitor coupons and Target is one of their competitors.  Ask your local store if they take competitor coupons and if they do which stores. Also some stores won't let you use a coupon on the "Free" item but some will so make sure you review your store's coupon policy!

Texas Toast Croutons:
Original Price: $1.69
Sale Price: Buy 1 Get 1 Free making each one $.85
1 coupon for $.50 off 2 bags, I randomly found this coupon at the base commissary.  $1.69 - $.50 = $1.19 making each bag $.60.

Arnold Bread:
Original Price: $4.29
Sale Price: B1 G1 Free making Each bag $2.15
No coupon used for this item.

Hamburger Helper:
Original Price: $1.89
Sale Price: Buy 1 Get 1 Free making each box $.95.
2 coupons for $.80 off 4 boxes printed from http://www.coupons.com/. $7.60 - $1.60 in coupons = $6 making each box $.75

Almond Breeze Milk
Original Price: $$3.29
Sale Price: $2.50
No coupon used for this item.  Normally I do have $1 off coupons for this item but there wasn't any at the time available!  I normally get this deal for $1.50.

Chicken Nuggets:
Original Price: $4.39
Sale Price: Buy 1 Get 1 Free making each package $2.20
4 coupons for $1 off each package from the 06-02 Red Plum. $8.80 - $4.00 in coupons = $4.80 making each package $1.20

Buitoni Pasta:
Original Price: $4.39
Sale Price: Buy 1 Get 1 Free making each package $2.20.
2 coupons for $1 off each package. $4.39 - $2.00 in coupons = $2.39 making each package $1.20

Campbells Skillet Sauces:
Original Price: $2.39
Sale Price: 2 for $4 making each 1 $2.
2 coupons for $1 off each pouch from the 04-14 Smart Source.  $4.00 - $2.00 in coupons = $2.00 making each pouch $1.00

Beechnut Baby Food Jars:
Original Price: $.59 each
Sale Price: $.50 each
1 coupon for $1 off 8 jars printed from http://hunt4freebies.com/coupons/new-beechnut-coupons/. $8.00 - $2.00 in coupons = $6.00 making each jar $.38

Ginger Ale Soda:
Original Price: $5.49
Sale Price: Buy 2 Get 1 Free making each 12pk of soda $3.66
1 coupon for Buy 1 Get 1 Free from the 06-02 Smart Source making each 12pk of soda $1.83.
This was an AWESOME deal, it basically came out to buy 1 and getting 2 free! 

Grand Total BEFORE store deals and coupons: $99.17
New Total AFTER discounts and coupons and this includes tax: $36.21, a 64% savings! Now this is not my highest % savings but I did save $62.96...that's like filling my car up twice! Mind you I did round up a 1/2 a cent here and there because some of the prices end is 9 but it all evens out in the end.

So this is just a crash course of how I coupon.  Don't worry if most of this passed over your heads or you're confused.  I just wanted to show a basic shopping trip and how I saved money using coupons.  On the next blog post I will discuss where I get my coupon information from.


-Southern Savings Mommy

A blog on how to save $$$$$!

This is a new blog dedicated to showing you ways on how to save money in MANY different ways from coupons, cloth diapering, making your own household cleaners, and more!  We are living in a time where every penny counts and the closer to free you get when shopping the better.  I can't wait to show you all the ropes of how to save money in many different ways that you may never have even thought of.