To Whom it May Concern: Don't Take Your Famly Shopping With You!

Last night the fam and I decided to go out to dinner, because we were both too lazy to cook. Let me set the stage... I was exhausted, from staying up too late and working too hard during the day (well, kind of...). I didn't really want to go, but the alternative meant scrounging up a dinner for four with a very limited food selection. Around 7:30 we headed into town to go to Ruby Tuesday's. I forgot my coupon bag, and I didn't want to ask the hubby to turn around so I could grab it. I thought I would be ok since I just needed produce. We go to Ruby Tuesday's often during the summer months, and for a bonus, I had printed a BOGO meal coupon. So we ate, racking up a bill of 50.00 for mediocre food, even with the coupon. With a gut ache and an empty wallet, off we go to Meijer.

Since I started couponing in August, I have RARELY taken my kids shopping with me, and I have NEVER taken my husband. After last night, I remember why.

Last weekend my husband asked me, "Can you just get groceries like you used to?" The translation means, can you get junk food and not worry about the prices? I laughed at him and honestly told him I didn't think I could! I gave it my best shot and came home with 2 boxes of Little Debbie Strawberry Rolls and 2 bags of chips! I was pretty happy, and no one really complained.

Fast forward to last night. I guess I didn't satisfy the sweet tooth, because our cart looked like, well, just look at the picture. I had both kids and the husband, who have all been deprived of sweets and junk for some time now. The reason I wanted to go was to get fruit and veggies, but the produce looked awful. I wouldn't have taken any of it home, even if I didn't have to pay anything for it! So on we go, without anything green or grown from a tree.

At first I thought shopping might just be ok. The husband was comparing prices of name brand graham crackers vs. Meijer brand. After he realized what he was doing he looked at me and said "I can't believe you have me comparing prices!"

Then we came to the Little Debbie and doughnut section. Game over. Finished. Bye bye. Nutter Butters, Hostess doughnuts, Strawberry Rolls, and so many etc.'s it's not funny. 5.00 boxes of cereal! Easy Cheese? Not one bottle but two! Why? Because they were 2/6.00! Not 1/3.00? Pain!?*#!! Agony!($&#%@ Despair@*#&@)!! I tried acting out my best impersonation of a choking victim. That didn't work, and my cart was still full of overpriced junk food. So then I showed them my best panic attack show. After several panic attacks, I gave up and decided that this would be the last time for another nine months before they get to go with me again! I do have to say that the Nutter Butters are very tasty, and Hostess crumb doughnuts are very good as well.

My wonderful, adorable, lovely family cost me 75.00 last night. 75.00 on junk food and a fairly unnecessary shower head. 10 pounds of Russet potatoes was the only healthy and low cost purchase of the evening. It hurts. Still hurts today. And probably will tomorrow. Watching my adorable son happily and eagerly eat a big bowl of Cookie Crisp this morning didn't even help. I bet a few of you know what I mean.


Ouch. Nuf said.

See Any Good Deals? I Do!

I found some great grocery deals this week, especially at Meijer. So consider these deals as you are traveling around and running errands this week. It may pay off to stop in for a few minutes just to snag these deals! Here's what is on my list.

Meijer (Remember, Meijer will only double TWO identical coupons per transaction!)

Bounty Basic Paper Towel Roll 1.00
0.25 P&G Coupon
Final Cost: 0.50 per roll
This is less expensive per roll than buying the eight pack and using the 0.25 coupon!

Smart Balance Peanut Butter 2/4.00
1.00 SB Peanut Butter Coupon
Final Cost: 1.00 per jar

Dynamo Laundry Detergent 100 oz
B1G2 free
I've usually don't go with off brand detergents, but I might be willing to try this, once. Has anyone else used it before? I would love to know how well it works.

Kraft BBQ Sauce 18 oz 1.00
0.75 Kraft BBQ coupon
Final cost: 0.25 each

Aunt Millie's Multigrain Bread 2/3.00
0.35 Aunt Millie's
Final Cost: 0.80 per loaf

Strawberries 2 lb 2.99

Parmesan Cheese (Fresh/Grated) 2/6.00

Triscuit/Wheat Thins/100 Calorie Packs 2/5.00
Get a FREE Meijer brand milk gallon WYB two boxes
There are lots of coupons for these products, including a B1G1 Artisan (Wheat thins, I think). With this coupon, you get 2 boxes of crackers and a gallon of milk for 2.50!

Workin' Meijer

My Meijer trip seemed time consuming, but I was in and out in an hour and fifteen minutes. This included bathroom breaks, repositioning a seven year old from the end of the cart, into the cart, to under the cart, to the baby seat all the while NEVER missing a beat on his Nintendo DS, checking out three times, three calls on my cell, and a frozen checkout computer. Besides making the little old lady behind me very mad, I thought it turned out ok.

Meijer will only double 2 identical coupons per transaction. I've been burned before, so I set out to work the system! And it worked! I don't buy only junk food, either. Today I bought lettuce, 6 avocados, 3 quarts of strawberries, bananas, grapes, carrots, chunk cheese, sunflower seeds, canned beans, hummus, bread, and really good looking frozen pizzas!

Highlights from transaction #1
Spent 69.15
Saved 81.47!
59.89 of that was Meijer promotions and sales
and coupon savings was 21.58

Transaction #2 (remember they only double 2 identical coupons!)
2 Frank's Red Hot Sauce 0.99 each
2 Betty Crocker Warm Delights 10/10
2 Aunt Millie's Bread 10/10
2 BC Fruit Stickerz 1.67 each (3/5.00)
2 Frosted Cheerios 2.00 each

Coupons used:
2 0.50 Frank's
2 0.50 BC Warm Delights
2 0.35 Aunt Millie's
2 0.50 Fruit Stickerz
2 0.50 Cheerios

Total OOP 4.44
Total Savings 20.36!

Transaction #3
2 Frank's
2 BC Warm Delights
2 Cheerios
1 Fruit Stickerz

Coupons used (same amounts as above):
2 Frank's
2 BC Warm Delights
2 Cheerios
1 Fruit Stickerz

Total OOP 2.67
Total Savings 13.08

To put transaction #3 into perspective, the usual cost of one box of fruit snacks is about 3.00. I didn't spend that for 7 items, including two big boxes of cereal! My only concern now is how to consume all of this produce in a week or so! The babies' daddy is out of town all week for work, so we don't even have his help! Well, at least the kids and I will eat very healthy this week!

Meijer Sales 11/16/08

Finally this week there are a few sale items worth posting about at Meijer. I haven't been to Meijer since this summer, simply because I've been waiting for some good sales. This week I may make time to get over to Defiance.

Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers 12 oz bag 0.89
Use 1.00 off any GG Steamers for 0.11 overage

Land o Lakes Spreadable Butter 15 oz 2/4.00
Use 0.50 off LOL Spreadable Butter 1.00 Each
I'm hanging on to my coupons to wait for a 10/10 sale!

Progresso Broth 32 oz 3/5.00
Use 1.00 off any Progresso Broth 0.66 each

Hellmann's Mayo 24-30 oz 2/6.00
Use 1.50 off 2 from http://www.meijermealbox.com/
Also use 2 0.50 off Hellmann's (will double)
Final cost 2.50 for two, plus get a Knorr Soup Mix Free!

Pillsbury Crescent Rolls or Sweet Rolls 4/5.00
Use 1.00 off 2 Crescent Rolls from http://www.meijermealbox.com/
Use 0.25 off one Crescent Roll or 0.30 Pillsbury Sweet Rolls
Crescent Rolls 0.50 each
Sweet Rolls 0.65 each

I will add to this list if I find any more match ups!