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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A Word on Price Point Sheets & Book

As you can see the Price Book is pretty heavy once you've printed all 143 pages. It is too bulky to take shopping with you and like I said before, you can be a glutton for punishment like me and print it, or forego the whole thing. I am excited to keep it as a record of what brands I buy and when to figure out sale patterns. There's no going back on my geek status now huh?

This is a Price Point Sheet, it is an abbreviated version of the Price Book. It gives you the 3, 4 and 5 star price points. This is easy to keep in the front of your binder as a reference when a sale pops up on you and you're out and about without your Price Book.Copy of Price Points

Good Deal Alert!!!

Sunday I filed my coupons from the paper and am really looking forward to the "assembly" posts coming soon. (I hate perfectionism, I can't get myself to post until everything is Just Right, thanks for your patience!) In the mean-time, I cashed in on some great deals last night at Harmons that I had to share...

We go through cereal, granola bars and instant oatmeal like it's going out of style so we stocked up for $1 a box. Yay! This deal only comes in certain quantities, so be prepared to stock. Quaker Cereal was 10/$10, granola bars 5/$5 and Oatmeal (boxed instant packages) was 5/$5. There were other great deals.....but not all were GREAT, so be choosy. Yoplait yogurt was also great t 10/$5, but be sure to pick up an ad when you are getting your cart. You will need the "in-store" coupon. I've inclulded the Case-Lot List that runs until January 24th. Enjoy! Hope this helps!
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Strep-cation

So sorry to inform you that we are on a "Strep-cation"! Don't get jealous....the temperature's a balmy clammy 101.2 degrees. Can't wait to fill you in after we forget this day.

Day 4

Time: 2 minutes
Cost: 0

Binders will arrive tomorrow, so for today I only have one item of business: Downloading! Downloading(and understanding) the Tracking Sheets from PYP as well as a Price Book. You will need Excel to use the Tracking Sheets. From what I gather, when you have the time to fill them out (which for me will be after the kids crash:) you will need only your receipts from your shopping trip. Don't panic, I'll post when I actually start filling these out and it should make better sense. For now, just save it to your computer to use later. One last thing, they are BEAUTIFUL! I can't tell you how amazing they are going to be....get excited!

As for the Price Book, print this off to put in the front of your binder. It gives us a general idea of what a great price is on items. As we shop, we'll be able to get a better handle on this, but if you're anything like me...I have no clue what a rock bottom price would be. I seem to have missed them, until now!!! Mwuaaah!

Download Tracking Sheet
Download Price Book

Copy of Price Points
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Day 3

Time: 5 minutes
Cost: 0

It looks like our group is growing on Facebook, how exciting!! I'm so glad I'm not alone in wanting to save but being a newbie and not to mention....so busy that this whole process needs not be my life!

Another set-up day today. Got my filebox going with hanging files, you could also use manila file folders if that's what you've got lying around. I took all of the Sunday ads and put them in a hanging file that I markered 1/3. (Tip: Only put in the ads that have coupons, all others can be discarded) This only took me 5 minutes.

My binder has been shipped by Amazon so it's on it's way!! I'd love to hear your comments....are you doing what I'm doing? Are you doing something different? Are you laughing at me yet? Do you think I'm a dork?

Day 2

As mortifying as it is, I'd lose my integrity with this project if I didn't make an admittance. For 2 hours I couldn't sleep last night, so I cozied up in my office studying PYP. There, I'm a geek, go with it.

Today's To-Do List should be a cake-walk.

1) Got Mom and Sister enlisted and committed...it's scary how persuasive you can be with family, isn't it? I mean, they are excited! (Time: 30 min)

2) Eerie thing happened, MediaOne (Utah's newspaper handler) called yesterday and offered a deal of 52 weeks for $39.99. This was for Fri-Sun papers and Mon-Thurs Online Access. I subscribed to one Deseret News and one Tribune as per hubby's request for a total of 2 papers arriving this weekend! (Time: 10 min. Cost: $84.36)

3) Pulled an old file box from the basement, along with old baseball card sheets. Ordered a binder online at Amazon for $12.99. (Actually ordered 3, one for mom and sis which scored free shipping) This one didn't have a strap, but it zips and has all other assets and I decided to take the hit for a $12 savings, since those that do were around $25. (Time: 30 min. Cost: $13.88)

Now I wait for the Sunday coupons and my binder to come. Monday is "assembly" day, getting all my systems in place. Till then!

Time: 3 hrs 10 min
Cost: $98.24
Sanity: Still excited, so we're good

Day 1

Time: 2 hrs
Money: 0

My very first day of Couponing! So I started my venture on www.pinchingyourpennies.com (also known as "PYP") The brain-child of the Utah Couponers, I held my breath and dove into the forums. Word of warning, do not go here until you have LOTS of time:) I spent 2 hours reading every post for "Newbies". There were quite a few, with multiple themes repeated, and to save YOU the time I will list the most important points I was able to boil down. This is going to be a piece of cake people, we CAN do this! Here is my To-Do list from what I learned today:

1)Call and get Mom and Sister on board! "We'll all....go down....together"; Misery loves company? What I mean to say is: The more the merrier, right?

2) Subscribe to 2 newspapers. No matter how big your family is, I gathered to start with 2 and adjust as you see fit later on.

3) Gather supplies: 1 file box (to hold either hanging files, or manila file folders), 1 binder (with zipper, baseball-card holder pages, pocket and preferrably with a shoulder strap)

Game on girls, I'll hit this list tomorrow!
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