Grocery Ads

The 411 on Grocery Ads is this....

• Browse them! Don't discard because you have your PYP lists. This week alone there were a few errors between the grocery ad and the PYP list.
• Good news, you don't have to make a list from them or memorize for a quiz later. Just compare the items you are going for to ensure you've got the lowest price displayed in your ad. If it doesn't match up, might want to consider purchasing the item another day.
• Note what day they arrive in your box. I don't check my mail everyday, but it is wise to check it the day the ads come, peruse them that night/matching to the PYP lists. This way you are on the "door breakers" in time. There are a lot of PYP-ers out there and you want to get in on "your share":)

My ads arrive on Wednesdays, so that is the day I coupon. It takes me all of 20 minutes at this point. 20 minutes on Wednesdays, 20 minutes on Sundays (clipping newspaper coupons) and I am good for each week. An hour a week is dynamite to cut my grocery bill in half.....which is exactly what I've done. I'll be posting those details, so be watching!

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Idiot Lesson #1

After a quick peruse of the PYP hot shopping lists yesterday, I found a deal I wanted to chase at Walgreens. So, I pulled coupons from my binder for the 3 items I was going for (Mistake #1). I took off, ready to throw elbows and make a scene (ok, not really). When I arrived, I was able to take advantage of 2 out of 3 deals....YIPEE! But, THEN I noticed, 4 other good deals (Mistake #2 if you are on a budget:)
I was super excited and went to grab my binder.....whoopsie! It wasn't there! (BIG mistake)
It would have taken me less time to take my binder than to pull the coupons. Learn this from me and ALWAYS take your binder. Some of the deals I found (like $.64 boxes of Trix Cereal) were better than the ones I was chasing. I MUST BE AN IDIOT!
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Have a fabulous, idiot-free day!

Is Couponing Worth the Investment?

Since this blog is devoted to untangling the web of Couponing Dogma, I have come to a conclusion about the worth of Couponing vs $ Invested. My last shopping trip (consequently, my 1st trip with my binder and new-found knowledge) saved me $119.00. If you are looking at numbers alone, the money I have invested is now repaid with a $20 surplus.
The jury is still out on time invested and mental sanity....but I'll keep you updated. Just thought I'd share the exciting news. And YES, in the words of my sister, that amount of savings was a total buzz!!

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Printable Coupons Tip #1

Have you ever been online, perhaps on PYP Forums or GrocerySmarts, followed a link to printable coupons and they wouldn't print? Or, even worse, they had "disappeared"? I went to the bottom of this abyss and figured it out!
Every manufacturer has a limit on how many coupons they will allow to be printed. (example: 50,000 Quaker Granola Bar Coupons) That's why we have to install those special printer options to even print them in the first place....they track how many are printed in the entire universe. (isn't that amazing?) Anyway, here's the skinny: Printable Coupons reset at the beginning of the month, so they are more likely to be gone towards the end of the month. If you are picking up what I'm putting down, print your coupons around the 5th of the month. I'm just sayin....

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The PYP Savings Sheet (Tracker) Revealed

In my humble opinion, trash the Tracker. I was being a diligent girl, sat down with my receipts at the computer and began entering item by item....only to realize that the figures I was looking to compute ($ savings, percentage saved, free items) were already at the bottom of my receipt. Granted this was a Smith's receipt, and they are FABULOUS to have this quick reference. However, my Macey's receipt was too much brain damage to enter as well.

SO, I have begun a simple ledger that has:

• Date


• Store


• $ Saved


• % Savings

I am doing this for personal reference, because I want to rock! If you're into Tracking, I highly recommend doing it this way versus wasting time on the Excel sheet posted on PYP and here.

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Smith's Week....need a list?

My Sister just did a FANTASTIC job at Smith's! Here is the list she used if you are looking:

• 4 Kraft Cheese 8 oz (see PYP website for 2 coupons) .99 each
• 3 Lays Potato Chips $1.78 each
• 2 Nabisco crackers (see PYP for $1 off one)
• 4 Quakes .50 each
• 2 Goldfish crackers .88 each
• 2 Granola Bar boxes (see PYP for $1 off 2 boxes) .99 ea
• 2 Solo Papercups (see PYP for .75 off & for 1.00 off) .50 and .75
• 1 Electrosol Dishwasher Soap (see PYP for 2.50 off) .49

(This promotion is off of 10 items, so the above is the list she used.)

She spent 26.63 and saved 39.78!!!! YEAH!!! I'll race you to Smiths!

Re-Cap Week 1

Ok, shoot the slacker....I went on a trip to Phoenix after getting well so it feels like forever. Thought I would recap the steps up to this point. Keeping it simple:

1. order newspapers


2. figure out a file box/system for hanging files/manila envelopes/accordian


3. figure out binder (preferrably with zipper & strap) and baseball card holder inserts


4. file weekly ads with coupons in labeled files (ex: marker 1/25 on front of file)


5. print off price book and save the Savings Tracker Sheet (see link Step#3) to your computer.

If you have completed the first 5 steps give yourself a BooYa! Let's get this party started though, I'm not saving yet:)

TOTAL TIME (TO DATE): 3.5 hours

TOTAL COST (TO DATE): $98.24

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