[Trish]

Let me begin this by saying I am totally embarrassed to post this. I have taken break and got out of the coupon/deal game for over 6 months. I haven't even looked @ a Sunday paper or a coupon in months!!!!! My grocery bill has skyrocketed. Giant here has a thing were you can shop online, you drive up to the window and pay and they come and load the groceries in your car. So every other week or so I sit here while I am working and make out our grocery list and DH picks it up on his way home from work. This week it was $242!!!! I just can't get back into it. I need help/motivation.....whatever!! Please!!!!!!!!! (a lot of the snacks are for VBS we don't eat that much ice cream and chips in a year!!!)

Here is what we got:
Order Summary

---

upc	description	dept	qty/wgt	price
01600044740	Betty Crocker - supreme chocolate chunk brownie mix with hersheys kisses	Baking Needs	2	$2.00
07654500111	Swiss Premium - orange drink	Beverages	1	$2.03
04900000639	Coke - cola classic soda	Beverages	8	$1.25
01200080995	Diet Pepsi - cola soda	Beverages	2	$3.00
01200081014	Diet Sierra Mist - caffeine free lemon lime soda	Beverages	2	$3.00
02400016724	Del Monte - fruit naturals light pear halves	Canned Goods	2	$1.29
68826702641	GIANT - sliced carrots	Canned Goods	2	$0.63
68826702410	GIANT - cream style golden corn	Canned Goods	2	$0.63
03700035080	Febreze - deep cleaning fabric refresher	Cleaning & Laundry	1	$3.99
68826700010	GIANT - ultra concentrated liquid dish detergent antibacterial	Cleaning & Laundry	1	$1.79
01111129110	All - 2x ultra free & clear	Cleaning & Laundry	2	$3.50
02420006022	Purex - 2x seaside with softener	Cleaning & Laundry	1	$3.49
02100064532	Kraft - miracle whip	Condiments	1	$1.69
03010047302	Keebler - wheat & cheddar cracker	Cookies / Crackers / Snacks	1	$2.00
03700037712	Pringles - pizza licious potato crisp	Cookies / Crackers / Snacks	2	$1.00
03700037706	Pringles - barbeque	Cookies / Crackers / Snacks	5	$1.00
68826707827	GIANT - soft spread 48% vegetable oil bowl	Dairy	1	$1.79
68826707471	GIANT - regular unsalted stick butter	Dairy	1	$2.00
68826707470	GIANT - regular stick butter	Dairy	1	$2.00
07047014325	8th Continent - light original	Dairy	1	$2.89
	comments: fat free 8th continent or if not in stock this one is fine
23772500000	Land O Lakes - new york american cheese	Deli	0.25	$6.49
23742700000	GIANT CAFÉ - pepperoni & cheese stromboli	Deli	1.00	$4.79
07350420001	Mama Lucia - italian meatballs	Deli	1	$3.49
07892933587	Lloyd's - pork bbq	Deli	1	$5.49
07192102529	Digiorno - garlic bread pizza	Frozen Foods	1	$5.00
06233878046	Airwick - scented oil warmer	General Merchandise	2	$1.23
06233878671	Airwick - scented oil refill	General Merchandise	2	$2.96
04650015730	Glade - candle	General Merchandise	2	$2.59
06233879717	Airwick - oil refill	General Merchandise	1	$5.58
68826707267	GIANT - peanut butter creamy	Grocery	3	$1.59
05150005711	Smuckers - regular all natural jelly	Grocery	2	$1.67
01111112224	Dove - unscented body soap sensitive	Health & Beauty	1	$5.49
04152031361	CareOne - dual action denture tablets	Health & Beauty	1	$1.99
07457003310	Haagen-dazs - ice cream bars	Ice Cream / Frozen Desserts	1	$3.49
07756722480	Breyers - ice cream	Ice Cream / Frozen Desserts	1	$2.67
07756722482	Breyers - ice cream	Ice Cream / Frozen Desserts	1	$2.67
07756725005	Breyers - extra creamy ice cream	Ice Cream / Frozen Desserts	1	$2.67
68826704804	GIANT - ice cream	Ice Cream / Frozen Desserts	1	$2.50
07255400152	Nestle Drumstick - chocolate & nut covered sundae cone	Ice Cream / Frozen Desserts	2	$2.50
07629501070	Berks - grill franks	Meat & Poultry	6	$1.34
07091902380	Hatfield - maple flavored ham steak	Meat & Poultry	2	$2.50
20309600000	GIANT BUTCHER SHOPPE - pork sirloin cutlets boneless value pack	Meat & Poultry	2.50	$5.29
03600028090	Kleenex - expressions facial tissue white	Paper & Plastic Goods	2	$1.50
03040076499	Angel Soft - double roll bath tissue	Paper & Plastic Goods	1	$6.69
03040076103	Angel Soft - regular rolls bath tissue	Paper & Plastic Goods	1	$1.19
04200044708	Brawny - paper towels	Paper & Plastic Goods	2	$7.55
04200044711	Brawny - pick a size paper towels	Paper & Plastic Goods	1	$3.25
68826708023	GIANT - deluxe mac & cheese	Pastas & Sauces	3	$1.75
68826707634	GIANT - egg noodles in butter sauce	Pastas & Sauces	1	$0.89
04100002802	Lipton Asian Side Dishes - microwaveable oriental teriyaki noodle sauce mix	Pastas & Sauces	3	$1.20
04100002248	Lipton Noodles & Sauce - microwaveable beef noodle sauce mix	Pastas & Sauces	1	$1.20
07490832441	Del Grosso - regular italian style with meat plain spaghetti pasta sauce	Pastas & Sauces	4	$1.19
03320002300	Arm & Hammer Super Scoop - absorbant clumping cat litter	Pet Supplies	1	$8.99
05000042504	Friskies - all cats	Pet Supplies	15	$0.39
01113210860	Alpo - chophouse	Pet Supplies	1	$0.64
01113211755	Alpo - chop house	Pet Supplies	2	$0.64
24401100000	GIANT PRODUCE - bananas	Produce	2.00	$0.42

[TigerGirl1226]

Can you use this service and use coupons?

[lovethecold]

I totally hear you. I took a TWO YEAR break. I just couldn't deal with coupons/sales any more.

I have just jumped back into the game with the fever again and I'm loving it. Remember that high from getting 4 bags of groceries for like $20?? I just did that and it felt great!

Start clippin'!

[Trish]

Originally Posted by TigerGirl1226

Can you use this service and use coupons?

Yes you can! It is a really great service but so easy to go overboard.

[kimmyann123]

make a game out it and see how much you can save for a vacation at the end of summer!!

[lesliec]

I can't seem to get the hang of saving in the grocery dept either. I have it down for baby products and HBA, but nothing more than $10 or so on groceries...

[TigerGirl1226]

Honestly, if I were starting over from scratch I would go with a clipping service. Baby steps, start with what you use weekly and move from there.

[Trish]

I'm going to start getting the paper again and getting my coupon file going again. It just seems so overwhelming.

Yes, I remember the highs of walking out and having paid next to nothing.

[Susuz]

Man, if I could use Q's and order online and have them LOAD them I would be in Heaven! When we lived in Florida you could have groceries delivered and it is GREAT. I see a bunch of things you could have used Q's on, the all, Purex, Kraft, Keebler, Brownies, Smuckers, Airwick, Dove, drumstix, Friskies, Alpo, Lipton side dishes all have Q's out there RIGHT NOW!

[Wednesday]

Start slow, get the paper and enjoy: the quiet time of looking thru the paper, the friends on our site and the $ you will definitely save. Maybe don't go so "hardcore" you definitely have earned 5 stars for a reason along with 4,000+ posts.

Since CVS seems to be slowing down, that will be a little less in itself. You are missed, welcome back

[therbel]

It does get totally overwhelming at times!!! I will sometimes take a week or two off from clipping coupons and send DH to the store to do the shopping...........

Seeing how much he spent usually snaps me right back into it!
But I do not feel bad for taking the week off!

[rach]

In these days more than ever we need to be saving money any where we can. Like others have said start slow..... don't think that you have to hit every store/sale every week. I would too recommend getting multiples of coupons you will use...or ones that you know will go nicely with sales that are upcoming...

I am sure that after a week or so.....you will be engulfed in the thrill of saving!

[GrannyGodley]

Oh Trish. Just enjoy the luxury of the experience. Do I go to spas? No - unless DS gives me a gift certificate. Then I go and enjoy the experience.

It certainly is a jolt when someone as savvy as you at couponing and saving see how much the real world is paying for groceries. But do what you have to do. Right now, it might be enjoying the luxury of shopping this method.

[Trish]

Thanks! I am going to put an order in to Coupon Clippers for next trip. And I'll keep y'all posted. Even if I could get it down to under $150 every other week that would be GREAT!

[armympwife]

Glad you are getting back in the game. I also took a break for a while and when I came back, the deals were still there for the taking.

[ahernandez]

What about checking out coupons.com or something like that. It doesn't take much time to scroll thru there pages and print a few coupons and it is free. My theory is hat it doesn't take long to cut out 5 coupons a week and use them. Most coupons are $1 or so so that would be $5 a week and you would save $260 a year. If you start out slow pretty soon you will be back in the swing of things.