[Csimeneta]

I got a job & don't have time to coupon anymore. I also have a 1 year old & a 2 year old. I was thinking, now that I am not couponing it seems like when I was couponing, I would buy whatever was on sale and that I had a coupon for so that I could get it at 50% off or less. Which meant that we were forced to eat junk and stuff that we normally would not buy. For example, one time I got 10 cans of Pringles and 3 things of dip and the dip basically rotted and the Pringles I gave some to my friend and we reluctantly ate the rest so that they wouldn't go to waste. The coupons in the paper are for mostly junk like cookies, boxed noodles, butter, frozen pizza and frozen appetizers, etc. I really want to get away from eating like this. Now that I am not couponing, I am actually spending less on food. And I believe that we are eating less b/c there isn't the pressure to eat so much just b/c I stocked up on it. I know there are items that aren't junk food like household cleaners, t.p., paper towels, etc. and that is fine, I am just telling of my experience. I do miss the rush of saving so much, but I feel like I wasted a lot of time & money buying junk food just b/c it was on sale & I had a coupon for it.

[shannon_578]

I had to do several transactions in order to use all of my coupons since they only allow 2 alike coupons per transaction to double. Took awhile to check out but it was worth it!

9 bc warm delights $1ea
4 bc cookie mixes $1ea
2 grands biscuits $1ea
2 land o lakes butters $1ea
2 cans Dole pineapple $1ea
3 aunt millies breads $1ea
4 breyers pints of ice cream $1ea
4 Totino's pizza rolls $1ea
2 chef boyardee $1ea
2 Hormel pepperoni $1ea
2 cans Dole mandarin oranges $1ea
4 bi-color corn $.20ea

Used: (d=doubled)
9x $.50/1(d) betty crocker warm delights ip & mfr q's FREE
4x $.40/1(d) betty crocker cookie mix ip .20ea
2x $.35/1(d) pillsbury grands biscuits .30ea
2x $.55/1(d) land o lakes butter FREE
1x $.55/2(d) dole pineapple $.45ea
3 Aunt Millie's breads (my 11th items) FREE
2x $1/2 any breyers products ip's $.50ea
2x $.40/2 totino's pizza rolls $.60ea
2x $1/1 can chef boyardee FREE
1x $.75/1(d) any hormel pepperoni FREE
1x $.55/1(d) any hormel pepperoni ip FREE
1x $.55/2(d) dole mandarin oranges ip .45ea

Total OOP:$8.40
Total Savings: $63.11

[Katie0413]

I never stock up on junk. My coupons are mostly for dairy, veggies, canned fruits (some fresh), HBA, household needs, and baby needs.

[shocker65]

twix bar
2 betty crocker cookie mix
3 land o lake butters
1 dole pineapple
4 - 1 pint breyer ice creams
1 6 oz. edy ice cream
2 pizza rolls
2 coffemate creamers
1 arm and hammer laundry detergent
1 can mighty dog dogfood
bananas (no coupon)
newspaper (no coupon)

saved 32.72
spent 4.15 paid for it with my $25.00 gift card I got from cat. (buy 25.00 card get 5.00 off)

[BoilerGIrl]

Originally Posted by Katie0413

I never stock up on junk. My coupons are mostly for dairy, veggies, canned fruits (some fresh), HBA, household needs, and baby needs.

i have cut our grocery/household spending in half, we are eating better, and i have lost 20 pounds since i started couponing! woot. PLUS, i can more easily afford to buy the natural/organic products that i really love to use.

i will be shopping at meijer with Qs for the first time this week (while visiting family), and i have to say that i am a little too excited about the sales.

[clarinetb]

Originally Posted by Csimeneta

I got a job & don't have time to coupon anymore. I also have a 1 year old & a 2 year old. I was thinking, now that I am not couponing it seems like when I was couponing, I would buy whatever was on sale and that I had a coupon for so that I could get it at 50% off or less. Which meant that we were forced to eat junk and stuff that we normally would not buy. For example, one time I got 10 cans of Pringles and 3 things of dip and the dip basically rotted and the Pringles I gave some to my friend and we reluctantly ate the rest so that they wouldn't go to waste. The coupons in the paper are for mostly junk like cookies, boxed noodles, butter, frozen pizza and frozen appetizers, etc. I really want to get away from eating like this. Now that I am not couponing, I am actually spending less on food. And I believe that we are eating less b/c there isn't the pressure to eat so much just b/c I stocked up on it. I know there are items that aren't junk food like household cleaners, t.p., paper towels, etc. and that is fine, I am just telling of my experience. I do miss the rush of saving so much, but I feel like I wasted a lot of time & money buying junk food just b/c it was on sale & I had a coupon for it.

Strange place to post this since it is a thread about shopping trips to Meijer... but I know plenty of people who shop sales and don't coupon who do the same thing with junk food, heck a lot of people who just buy junk food! Your choice as to what you buy always and if you choose to use coupons to buy lots of junk food, that's your choice! I buy some junk as a treat occasionally, but generally stick with healthier foods, coupons have made the more expensive healthier items often less expensive than the crappy items (the good bread opposed to white bread, whole wheat pasta oppose to white pasta, etc) There is the trap some fall into of using a coupon because you have it or buying something just because it is cheap and not because you need or want it. The trick is to avoid that temptation, like all the other bad temptations when you're shopping!

[pgree3]

Yeah, you know, I'm with you, clarinetb, regarding buying healthy food. I work and have two teenagers, so I'm really busy. (really, probably most of us are.) We eat alot of fruit & veg, whole grains and so forth. Still, kids are kids - grown kids are kids too! - and we like occasional treats. My teenaged son loves cereal and everyone loves the occasional treat around here.

Coupons have been really handy for that. Today, I went Meijer-ing and got treats for the stash plus a "needed" item:

Warm delights reg $1.99 X 3
Pillsbury Grands Biscuits reg $1.78
Land O Lakes Spreadable Butter reg $2.19
Totino Pizza Rolls reg $1.67 X 2
Aunt Milly Hot Dog buns reg $1.50
Breyers Ice Cream (pint) $2.00 X 2
Haagen Daaz single cup $2.00

These were all 10/$10 items + 1 free
It was double coupon day for coupons $.50 and under

I had a coupon for each item, with doubling, they totalled $ 5.75 + .03 tax

TOTAL OOP = 4.22 / 11 items = 38 cents per item

WOO HOO! This stuff will last for a while, will supplement the health foods and is a heck of alot cheaper than just buying treats on the fly!

[Bethtoons]

Big trip this week, more expensive than usual since I got kittie stuff & soda. Will be revisiting a few more times this week to use up my stash of Warm Delights Qs, Tony's Pouches Qs, Aunt Millie bread Qs, and Hormel Pepperoni Qs... after I clean out the freezer of course...

However, between Kroger and Meijer, the coupon fairy was kind to me, and I think I came home with more Qs than I left with! Someone was leaving some gems on the shelves at meijer, and I found tearpads at both stores this week in addition to the usual blinkie raiding I partake of at Kroger!

So, Meijer...

2 cans Friskies Cat Food $0.69 each, used BOGO Q
Tidy Cat 20lb litter $8.99, used $2 Q
Iams Cat Food $13.99, used $2 Q

Bananas $1.01
Milk $1.98
Velveeta $3.49
Zucchini $1.30
Green Pepper $.57
Tomatoes $1.16

2 Ritz Crackers $2.50 each, $2 Q wyb 2 Ritz & Coke product
2 Wheat Thins Crackers $2.50 each, used 2 buy 1 Ritz, get 1 wheat thins Qs
1 16 oz jar Peanuts $2.99, Free w/ purchase of Wheat Thins

2 Keebler Sandies $1.99 each, Used 2 $1 Qs
2 Breyers $2.50 each
Reddi Whip $1.99, used $1 Q
2 Tyson Frozen Chicken, $5.99 each, $2/2 Q
3 CF Diet Cokes, 2 RC Cola 12 packs + deposit

All the 10 for 10s:
2 Warm Delights, 2 $.50 Qs doubled, free after Qs
2 Tony's Pizza Pouches, 2 $.50 Qs doubled, free after Qs
3 Hamburger Helper, $.75 off 3 Q, $.75 each
2 Grand Biscuits, 2 $.35 Q doubled, $.30 each
Land O Lakes Butter, $.40 Q, $.20
2 Hormel Pepperoni, 2 $.75 Q, $.25 each
Dole Pineapple, $1.00/6 cat (left on shelf), $.83 each
2 frozen Ground Turkey, $1 each
4 Pizza Rolls, 2 $.40 each Qs, $.60 each
2 Grape Jam, $1 each
1 Aunt Millie Bread, $.35 Q doubled, $.30
6 Haagen Daz Cups, 2 $1/3 Qs, $.66 each
1 Edys cup, Catalina for one free, FREE
Organic Mushrooms, $1

30 items total in b10 get 11th free, so 2 free (probably should have counted and grabbed 3 more things, but I wasn't that concerned about it)

Total Meijer Promotions: $5.99
Total Non-Coupon Savings: $47.68
Total Coupon Savings: $28.69
Savings Total: $82.36

Total OOP: $92.93

[madhousewife]

I did 3 transactions today:

#1
2 Warm Delights
3 Coffeemate
2 Land O Lakes butter
2 Cookie Mix
1 Sunny D
1 Biscuits
2 Life Cereal

Used:
2 50¢ dbl Warm Delights
2 40¢ dbl Cookie Mix
35¢ dbl Biscuits
2 40¢ dbl Land o Lakes butter
2 50¢ dbl Coffeemate
$1 Coffeemate
$1 Life Cereal
$1/2 Life Mealbox Q

Total OOP: $3.16!!
Receipt says I saved $22.37

Got $1 CAT for Coffeemate

#2
2 Warm Delights
1 Biscuits
1 Land O Lakes butter
2 Kraft BBQ
1 Pepperoni
4 Pizza Rolls
1 Kashi Waffle
1klb fresh green beans-89¢
2 Steaks-$12.94

Used:
50¢/2 dbl Warm Delights
35¢ dbl Biscuits
40¢ dbl Butter
2 40¢/2 dbl Pizza rolls
$1.50 waffle
$1 CAT

Total OOP $18.73 (most was steaks)
Saved $17.89

Got $1 CAT for BBQ

#3

6 Warm Delights
2 Pizza Rolls
2 Biscuits
Popsicles

Used:
2 50¢/2 dbl Warm Delights
2 50¢ dbl Warm Delights
2 40¢/2 Pizza Rolls
2 35¢ dbl Biscuits

Total OOP: $2.80
Saved $18.53!

[dealjunkie]

Originally Posted by madhousewife

I did 3 transactions today:

#1
2 Warm Delights
3 Coffeemate
2 Land O Lakes butter
2 Cookie Mix
1 Sunny D
1 Biscuits
2 Life Cereal

Used:
2 50¢ dbl Warm Delights
2 40¢ dbl Cookie Mix
35¢ dbl Biscuits
2 40¢ dbl Land o Lakes butter
2 50¢ dbl Coffeemate
$1 Coffeemate
$1 Life Cereal
$1/2 Life Mealbox Q

Total OOP: $3.16!!
Receipt says I saved $22.37

Got $1 CAT for Coffeemate




Saved $18.53![/color]

Where did you get the $1 life cereal q?

[dealjunkie]

I did a few transactions yesterday:

2 l o l butters .55 q x 2
FREE

(did this 3 times) for 6 butters

then
transaction 1 :

sugar $2.69
10 koolaids .10 each
used $2 off sugar wyb koolaid

2 bc warm delights $1 e
.50 q x 2 dbld = FREE

2 l o l butters $1 e
.55 q x 2 dbld = FREE

1 grands biscuit $1 e
.35 q dbld = .30

2 dole pineappe $1 e
.55/2 dbld = .45 e

3 coffee creamers $1 e
.50 q x 2 dbld = FREE
$1 ip = FREE

Lance snack crackers $1
FREE as 11th item

3 bumble bee tuna pouches $1.07 e
$1 q x 3

1 purina cat food $6.16
$3 q
$5 MB q = FREE + overage!!!

oop : 1.34 !!
and got $1 oyno Cat back for the creamers

[allaura345]

3 tubes of Crest
3 Hamburger helpers
Coffeemate Creamer
2 kids shampoo
2 bryers pints of ice cream
$23.50
Paid $3.50
Allen

[madhousewife]

Originally Posted by dealjunkie

Where did you get the $1 life cereal q?

It came inside a box of Life cereal I got a few months ago.

[championshaw]

You rock sticky!

[championshaw]

I have to say I know what you mean--- but it truly is all about keeping things in perspective. Sometimes the deals seem too good to pass up - but if you don't need them, then you really are wasting money. One of the first things was to create a budget and not exceed the budget. I then began to make a menu based on the sales item. Finally, I found a really cool website (and there are several that are wonderfully easy to use) where I track the calorie/carbohydrate/fat/proteins of the meals I'm serving. I have save money and my entire family has lost weight-healthily. It's all about the balance!

[jap631]

Originally Posted by Csimeneta

I got a job & don't have time to coupon anymore. I also have a 1 year old & a 2 year old. I was thinking, now that I am not couponing it seems like when I was couponing, I would buy whatever was on sale and that I had a coupon for so that I could get it at 50% off or less. Which meant that we were forced to eat junk and stuff that we normally would not buy. For example, one time I got 10 cans of Pringles and 3 things of dip and the dip basically rotted and the Pringles I gave some to my friend and we reluctantly ate the rest so that they wouldn't go to waste. The coupons in the paper are for mostly junk like cookies, boxed noodles, butter, frozen pizza and frozen appetizers, etc. I really want to get away from eating like this. Now that I am not couponing, I am actually spending less on food. And I believe that we are eating less b/c there isn't the pressure to eat so much just b/c I stocked up on it. I know there are items that aren't junk food like household cleaners, t.p., paper towels, etc. and that is fine, I am just telling of my experience. I do miss the rush of saving so much, but I feel like I wasted a lot of time & money buying junk food just b/c it was on sale & I had a coupon for it.

Well, many coupons are for junk, I agree. However, I've found coupons for whole wheat pasta, Tyson chicken, dole canned fruit, birdseye and green giant frozen veggies, pineapple, generic produce coupons (like, wyb 2 Kraft dressing), and so forth. I even find them for flour, sugar, bread, butter...

[jap631]

Meijer: I did many transactions to maximize coupons (my store only doubles 2 like coupons per transaction)

#1:
purina cat food 6.16
milk 1.98
heluva dip 1.50
2 warm delights @1.00 *
pillsbury grands 1.00 *
2 land o lakes @1.00 *
hormel 1.00 *
3 coffeemate @1.00 *
2 lettuce @1.00 *
4 kraft dressing @1.50
tp .99 * (??? this didn't get included in the buy 10 get 1 free... but I still got 1 item free... weird)
After mfcs and mealbox coupons, I paid just $.55! And I got 1.00 oyno for coffeemate and 4.00 oyno for Kraft.

#2:
purina cat food 6.16
carrots 2.50
green beans .91
3 betty crocker helpers @1.00*
2 warm delights @1.00*
2 land o lakes @1.00*
2 creamer @1.00*
2 dole canned pineapple @1.00*
4 kraft dressing @1.50
I paid 10.05 after mfcs and mealbox coupons, and received another 4.00 oyno from the Kraft dressing.

#3:
bananas 1.59
2 limes @15/$1 =.14
2 dozen eggs 1.83
2 cup o cereal @1.00*
3 betty crocker helper @1.00*
2 warm delights @1.00*
2 land o lakes @1.00*
2 hormel @1.00*
3 sweet corn @.20
3 Kashi waffles @4/$9
After mfcs, mealbox coupons and one of the 4.00 and 1.00 oyno from the transactions above, I paid 2.91 (and still had one 4.00 oyno left)

[kelagreg]

This is my best shopping trip yet!

15 Warm Delights (it was all they had left)

used 15 coupons (.50/1 which doubles)

TOTAL BEFORE SALE: $29.85
SALE PRICE TOTAL: $14.00 (got 1 free due to 10 for $10 - 11th free sale)
TOTAL OOP: $ 0.00

15 WARM DELIGHTS FOR FREE!!!!!



*********
I went through a self-checkout. The system didn't like my coupons so I said something to cashier. He told me that since my coupons were all under $0.50 that EACH ONE should double. I mentioned the policy and he said I should be okay. The system never did like any of the coupons, so he had to assist and allow each one. But, with his help, 15 of the same doubled coupons in one transaction! I was SO thankful!!

Oh, I did also pick up a rain check for the warm delights. We all know the sale ended yesterday and I still have Q's to use for them!!

[pgree3]

Hey! Ran into Meijer while I was on that side of town this morning. Got a few more thinks of the 10/$10, 11th free sale, plus a few things that I needed:
Large eggs $.98
Meijer milk $1.98
2 BC Warm Delights $2
4 Aunt Millie's bread $4
4 Haagen Daz individual cups $4 (btw, only way I'm going to buy this is with big sale/coupon)
1 Bumblebee Tuna $1
Luzianne Iced Tea Bags $ 1.88

Coupons:

Tuna - FREE (as 11th item)
Warm Delights - $.50 X 2, doubled = $2 (so, FREE)
Luzianne - $.60 off
Haagen Daz - $1 off 3 items
OYNO - $2 off
Milk - $4.50 off

SAVINGS = $22.26
OOP = $4.74

BTW, my Meijer only doubles two same coupons per checkout.

[madhousewife]

My best trip of the week so far.

2 Trix Cereals
2 Kix Cereals
100ct Lipton Tea
2 6pk Jello Cups
Cool Whip Can-Free
2 Skippy PB
Aunt Millies Bread Loaf
Gallon of Milk
2 Kraft Cheese

Used:
2-55¢ Trix
2-75¢ Kix
40¢ dbl Skippy
60¢ Jello
2 50¢ dbl Kraft
50¢ dbl Lipton
$1/2 Skippy Mealbox Q
$1 Lipton Mealbox Q
$2 Jello Cat
$1 Cat
$2 Cat
Free Milk Cat (took off $4.50!!!!)

Total OOP-$4.71
Saved $31.01

Got back $1 Cat, $2 Cat, $2 Jello Cat and Free Milk Cat

[Csimeneta]

Yea, you're right, I was just buying junk b/c it was on sale & I had a coupon for it. I still coupon but not as often. I do like doing it, and I actually miss it. I started getting my stay at home mom friend to coupon. She used to make fun of me and tell me I was lame when I told her how much I'd saved and now she is telling me how much she's saved. They are building a Meijer 2 miles away, so I will probably have to start couponing again and just *try* to avoid the junk!

[mandi379]

4 packs gerber baby food used: (2) .50 cats
2 cans mighty dog (2) mq=FREE
2 kool-aid jammer 10 cts $1/2 meijer discount q
3 meijer turkey bacon raincheck 3/$5
1 lipton 20 ct herbal $.50 mq dbld and $1/1 mmb
4 mountain dew 6 packs no q in 2 day ad $1.99/each limit 4
1 jell-o gel 6 pack $2 OYNO of jell-o gels
1 cinn. toast crunch cereal $1/2 gm cereals mq $1.99 in 2 day ad
1 honey nut cheerios cereal 2 day ad $1.99
2 kraft 2% bags of shredded cheese (2)$1/1 ip

Also used a $1 OYNO cat - thanks to skippy and a $5 OYN meijer brand purchase - from the Entertainment Book

got the following cats $1/6 jars gerber baby food, B1G1 cans pedigree +, and $5 any size Iams dog food

OOP: $20.72
Savings: $36.76

[mandi379]

(2) Nesquik chocolate syrups
sale 20% off $1/2 mq $1/2 MMB
(2) Quantum Electrasol tabs
sale 3.50 (2) 2.50/1 mq
Danimal crush cup
sale 2/$4 $1/1mq $1/1 MMB FREE
danimal drinkable yogurt
sale 2/$4 $1/1mq $1/1 MMB FREE

OOP: 4.24
Savings: 15.22

[shannon_578]

bananas $.94
milk $1.98
2 purina one cat food 3.5lb bags $5.99ea
2 honey nut cheerios cereal cups $1ea
tyson chicken breasts $6.04
nectarines $1.46
5 kelloggs cocoa krispies $1.88ea
meijer applesauce $1.50
2 kelloggs yogos $2ea

Used: (d=doubled)
-$4.50 free milk cat FREE plus overage
-2x $1/1 purina one cat food peelie's
-2x $5/1 purina one pet food meijer q FREE
-2x $.55/1(d) cheerios cereal ip FREE
-1x $1/1 tyson fresh chicken product $5.04
-5x $1/1 Kellogg rice krispies vocalpoint q $.88ea
-2x $.50/1(d) kelloggs yogos $1ea

Total OOP: $12.85
Total savings: $38.90
75% savings

[addsav2]

Wish our camera had been charged. Brought home 50 items for a little over $52, including huggies diapers! Saved over $50 w/instore coupons, MQ's, & ad savings! So basically, I paid like a bit over $1.05 per item.