Other Random Good Deals 5/8-5/14

These are just a few good grocery deals I've found while skimming the ads from the paper so far...

Tyson Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breasts - $1.87/lb. at Kroger (with card)

Strawberries (16 oz.) and Blueberries (6 oz.) - 3 for $5 at Kroger (with card)

Dove Shampoo or Conditioner (12 oz.) - BOGO Free at Walgreens (not sure if a card is needed - pair with a coupon if you have one??)

Gallon of Country Fresh Milk - $2.99 +$1 back in Extra Bucks at CVS (with card)

CVS Covergirl Deals

Hey all! I'm working on a Covergirl products deal at CVS this week. I'm excited to go and see if it works!

CVS' ad this week includes a $3 off ANY $10 cosmetic purchase. All you have to do is scan your Extra Care card at the coupon center scanner in the store (looks like a price checker). There is also an ad for $3 in extrabucks when you buy $10 of Covergirl products. So here's what I'm working on so far...
Spend $10 in Covergirl products - get $3 off with coupon center coupon and $3 in extrabucks after purchase. Use $2.50 off 2 Covergirl products coupon (exp. 5/31). I will also use the $2.77 in extrabucks that I already have from last week's toothpaste purchase. So if I spend $10 exactly, I will pay $1.73 plus tax and get $3 in extrabucks!

I'll let you know if I try this deal and whether or not it works out!

Couponing 101

I am reposting this from a facebook note that I wrote recently. Hopefully I'll learn more tips and be able to share them in the future!

Lots of people have been asking me lately how I get such good coupon deals. Although I'm no "extreme couponer" or anything like that, I try to be as frugal as possible with the limited time I have to search for deals. I'm just going to post a few tips to help you get started.

1. Buy at least one Sunday Free Press. These papers have inserts like Smart Source, Red Plum, and P&G Brand Saver (usually once a month) that are filled with coupons. We usually buy one, sometimes two if there is a coupon for something we need. Some people I know buy 5 or 6 - we personally don't feel that it is necessary to have a super stockpile right now. If you miss the paper, try www.coupons.com. They usually have many of the same manufacturer coupons, though not all of them.

2. Look for store coupons. Store coupons can be paired with manufacturer coupons (ones from the paper, coupons.com, etc.). For example, Target has a coupons link at the very bottom of their home page (it's small). These Target coupons can be paired with other coupons. (Hint: Manufacturer coupons usually have a different first number under their bar code than store coupons).

3. Use coupons with items that are on sale. For example, if your store is offering a BOGO deal on an item and you have a manufacturer BOGO for the same item, you can get them both for only the cost of tax! I have done this before - it's rare, but good to watch for.

4. Shop at drug stores. Even though their prices are typically higher, stores like Rite Aid or CVS have good coupon opportunities. Start by getting their membership cards (Rite Aid's is called a Wellness+ card, CVS has an Extra Care card). These cards will get you lower prices on certain items each week. Check the store ads in the Sunday paper. Both Rite Aid and CVS have a register reward system as well. Each week, certain items will come with "register rewards" or "up rewards." When you buy those items, your receipt will include coupons for the next time you shop - good on anything in the store! Pair those with coupons, and you can get a ton of stuff for just a little money. If you keep buying things that get you register rewards, you'll rarely have to pay any cash out of pocket. Rite Aid also has a "video value" coupon. Google Rite Aid video values, sign up, and watch brief Rite Aid commercials. When you do, you'll be able to print store coupons for those items.

5. Use your prescriptions to make money. Many stores will offer gift cards for new or transferred prescriptions. There's nothing wrong with transferring your prescription every time you need a refill. In my experience with Meijer, I used a coupon to receive a free $10 gift card when I transferred my prescription. Now both times I have gone to refill it, they have given me a new coupon for a free gift card, which means I have gotten a $10 gift card every time. This week, Target's ad includes a coupon for a $10 gift card with a transferred prescription. I have also seen $25 gift cards for Rite Aid, but these are rare.

6. Use digital coupon offers. Although I've heard that other stores have the same thing, I am only aware of Meijer's mPerks program for digital offers. If you sign up with your telephone number, you can go online and "clip" digital coupons. When you check out at Meijer, click the mPerks logo on the screen and enter the same phone number and pin. mPerks will automatically apply any coupons for which you qualify.

That's all you really need to get started! If I come across any other ideas, I'll post them.