Today we'll talk more about how grocery store sales work and about recognizing marketing tricks. If you're new to my blog and my Coupon Boot Camp posts or you need a refresher, here are the links to the first 4 lessons:
Lesson 1: Introduction to Couponing
Lesson 2: Getting Organized
Lesson 3: The Right Way to Menu Plan
Lesson 4: Stockpiling and Budgets
I've been posting a new lesson each week on Thursday and Friday. To be honest, I'm not sure how many lessons there will be, I'm just kind of winging it. The plan is to cover all the basics of couponing in these lessons and then continue Coupon Boot Camp by highlighting different deals each week that you can go to the store and get yourself (Like I've been doing with the Shop Rite deals, click here for this week's.)...armed with your coupons of course! :)
I've had quite a few questions asked, messaged and emailed to me since I started these posts and I'll be working on a post to compile and answer them all. If you've got a question about couponing or anything we've covered so far, please feel free to leave a comment or email me and ask so that I can include it.
Now on to Lesson 5. :)
Here are some things you should remember about how grocery store sales work to help you save more:
Most store sales run Sunday through Saturday. Some stores have special sales that run mid-week.
It's important to know that while most sales are advertised, some are not. Be on the look out for unadvertised sales and Manager's Specials. When I first started couponing, I would put all the coupons I knew I wanted to use (based on what was on sale in the store's weekly circular) in an envelope and take it to the store with me. It didn't take me long to realize there were items on sale that weren't in the ad. I got frustrated a few times because I saw something on sale that wasn't in the ad. and knew I had a coupon for it....at home. That's when I came to use the binder system for organizing my coupons. Now I have all my coupons with me at the store so I don't miss out on unadvertised sales.
Also look for clearance items and items marked down as Manager's Specials. If you have a coupon for an item that's been reduced, you can almost always still use a coupon to buy it and save even more. Always keep an eye out for Manager's Specials in the meat and produce departments. You're not going to see a lot of coupons for meats and fresh fruits and veggies, so the more money you can save otherwise in those departments the better. Just last night I picked up (3) 1 lb.+ packages of hot Italian sausage for under $1.00 each. They were marked down as a Manager's Special from $1.99/lb. to .88 cents a pound because they had tomorrow's expiration date on them. They're sitting in my freezer for future use. Meats that are close to their expiration date and on Manager's Specials are a great way to reduce your budget. If it's going in your freezer anyway, it doesn't matter if it expires 24 hours after you buy. It'll be frozen and totally safe. I don't see as many markdown's on meat as I'd like to, but when I find them I jump on them.
Look for price hints in sales flyers. Sometimes you'll see an item on sale for $3.99 and then in smaller print it may say "Save up to $2". If it's not an item you're familiar with, you can assume the regular shelf price is $5.99 and decide if it's really a good deal or not.
Many sales run longer than a week. Certain items might be on sale and only advertised for one week, while the sale might last 2-3 weeks longer, but unadvertised in the following weeks flyers. I've found this to be true of Shop Rite a lot.
If an item is on sale and out of stock, request a rain check. As with sales that last for several weeks, rain checks can give you more time to locate coupons for the item. It can be a bummer when you've got coupons for an item that's on sale for a great price and the store is out of that item. Get a rain check and say a prayer they get that item in before you coupons expire. You won't be able to use an expired coupon, even if your rain check was issued when the coupon was still good.
Here's a few things to remember about marketing tricks:
Grocery stores and food manufacturer's are in the business of making money, not saving you money. There's all sorts of marketing tricks they use to get you to spend more money. You've got to think long and hard about some deals to see if you're really saving yourself any money. A lot of new couponers fall for these tricks.
10/$10 deals are a fav. of mine. Especially when I have coupons for those items. A 10/$10 deal usually doesn't mean that you have to buy 10 of that item to get them for $1.00 each. You can usually buy 1, 2, 5, 10 or 20 and still get the items for $1.00 each. If the sale states that the item on sale is "$1 each when you buy 10", then a minimum purchase of 10 is required to get them for $1.00 each.
Buy 1 Get 1 Free deals are great too. At some stores B1G1 Free items will ring up at 50% off each item (which is what a B1G1 Free deal really is) as opposed to the first item ringing up at full price and then the second item ringing up free. This is great because you can then use coupons on both items you're buying.
You'll need to decide if promotions that require you to spend a certain amount of money in order to save money are really a good deal. These kinds of deals can be a great way to stock up your pantry, but if you don't carefully plan it out and use coupons, you could fall for the trick and spend more than you would have.
Tomorrow we'll learn more about combining store sales with coupons to maximize your savings and starting a price book, which is essential to smart couponing!
*Image courtesy of coolsprings.com*
Mama said there would be days like this... she just never said there would be so damn many...
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Coupon Boot Camp - ShopRite Deals for the Week of 05-08-11
There's tons of great deals at Shop Rite this week. I wish I had the time to post them all, but I just don't. Here are five deals you can score using printable coupons online.
Sort through the coupons you've been collecting and you're sure to find more deals on top of these. Look for items that are on sale that you also have coupons for. We'll talk more about matching coupons with store sales later this week.
Hunt's Ketchup is on sale for .88 cents each. Use a .25 cents off (1) coupon (available at SmartSource.com, use zip code 07039 to find it), Shop Rite will double your coupon to .50 cents and you'll get your ketchup for .38 cents. Even better, if you picked up a copy of ALL YOU magazine in April, you can use the .50 cents off (1) coupon in it. Shop Rite will double your coupon, giving you $1.00 off. You'll get your ketchup for FREE and make .12 cents too!
Red Gold Diced Tomatoes (10 oz.) are on sale 2/.99 cents or .49 cents each. Use this printable coupon for $1.00/4 cans and you'll get 4 cans for .24 cents each.
International Delight Coffee Creamers are on sale for .99 cents. Use this printable coupon for .55 cents off (1), Shop Rite will double your coupon (giving you an additional .45 cents off) and you'll get your creamer for FREE.
Apple & Eve Apple Juice is on sale for $2.00 each (must buy 2). Use this $1.00/2 coupon and get them for $1.50 each.
Arm & Hammer 2X Laundry Detergent is on sale for $1.99. Buy (2), use this printable coupon for $1.00 off 2 and get them for $1.49 each.
Sort through the coupons you've been collecting and you're sure to find more deals on top of these. Look for items that are on sale that you also have coupons for. We'll talk more about matching coupons with store sales later this week.
Hunt's Ketchup is on sale for .88 cents each. Use a .25 cents off (1) coupon (available at SmartSource.com, use zip code 07039 to find it), Shop Rite will double your coupon to .50 cents and you'll get your ketchup for .38 cents. Even better, if you picked up a copy of ALL YOU magazine in April, you can use the .50 cents off (1) coupon in it. Shop Rite will double your coupon, giving you $1.00 off. You'll get your ketchup for FREE and make .12 cents too!
Red Gold Diced Tomatoes (10 oz.) are on sale 2/.99 cents or .49 cents each. Use this printable coupon for $1.00/4 cans and you'll get 4 cans for .24 cents each.
International Delight Coffee Creamers are on sale for .99 cents. Use this printable coupon for .55 cents off (1), Shop Rite will double your coupon (giving you an additional .45 cents off) and you'll get your creamer for FREE.
Apple & Eve Apple Juice is on sale for $2.00 each (must buy 2). Use this $1.00/2 coupon and get them for $1.50 each.
Arm & Hammer 2X Laundry Detergent is on sale for $1.99. Buy (2), use this printable coupon for $1.00 off 2 and get them for $1.49 each.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
I Now Pronounce You Hamster and Wife! - Zhu-Zhu Pet Royal Wedding Review
Last week people all over the world watched the Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton. This week at our house (a slightly smaller venue) we had a royal wedding of our own. I was honored to plan and officiate the wedding of the sweet and beautiful Princess Snowcup and the handsome and debonair Prince Dashington.
We were supplied with an awesome Zhu-niverse Royal Wedding Kit, which included the Bride and Groom, (3) Zhu-Zhu Wedding outfits, a Magical Princess Carriage, a Magical Princess Castle and a Magical Princess Ballroom.
We had fun setting up for this unique play-date! Our typical play-dates don't require decorations, but we were having a wedding, a ROYAL WEDDING at that, so we had to set the theme! A trip to the Dollar Store covered everything we needed to fancy the place up for a wedding:
Our guests arrived to the wedding dressed to impress and excited to test out the fun Magical Zhu-Zhu Princess line of toys!
A few of the non-battery powered guests (from L to R): Princess Nellie, Princess Mila, Princess Belle and Prince Sean
Our play date started off with some snacking, as any good gathering does. We then attempted to make the girls toilet paper dresses, however, my son was the only one interested in wearing a toilet paper wedding gown.
Which he then tore off in an Incredible Hulk type move.
Princess Isabelle wasn't interested in a T.P. gown, but we did manage to convince her to wear a toilet paper veil.
We also had to make Princess Snowcup a wedding gown from toilet paper. The pink dress she was wearing was lovely, but we felt she needed to be in white.
After the Bride was dressed, the Royal Carriage came to pick her up and carted her off to the Crystal Castle where Prince Dashington was waiting for her.
The Bride and Groom exchanged vows and the wedding ended with a kiss. Oh yes...we actually held a ceremony. The kids faces were priceless! I need to look into getting ordained, I think I may have missed my calling! Then the newlyweds went to the ballroom where they shared their first dance.
Our family is not at all new to Zhu-Zhu Pets. We've been big Zhu-Zhu Pet fans at our house for a few years now. You can learn all about the Zhu-Zhu line of quality toys, like the items from the Magical Princess line we were provided for our Royal Zhu-Zhu Wedding by checking out The Zhuniverse online here. It's been our experience that the zhu-zhu pets, play sets and accessories are fun, easy to operate and great for kids of all different ages.
Be sure to like The Zhu-niverse on Facebook too!
**In full disclosure: This is not a paid post, no monetary exchange took place. We were provided with the toys described to host a play date and share the fun with you here. :)**
We were supplied with an awesome Zhu-niverse Royal Wedding Kit, which included the Bride and Groom, (3) Zhu-Zhu Wedding outfits, a Magical Princess Carriage, a Magical Princess Castle and a Magical Princess Ballroom.
We had fun setting up for this unique play-date! Our typical play-dates don't require decorations, but we were having a wedding, a ROYAL WEDDING at that, so we had to set the theme! A trip to the Dollar Store covered everything we needed to fancy the place up for a wedding:
Our guests arrived to the wedding dressed to impress and excited to test out the fun Magical Zhu-Zhu Princess line of toys!
A few of the non-battery powered guests (from L to R): Princess Nellie, Princess Mila, Princess Belle and Prince Sean
Our play date started off with some snacking, as any good gathering does. We then attempted to make the girls toilet paper dresses, however, my son was the only one interested in wearing a toilet paper wedding gown.
Which he then tore off in an Incredible Hulk type move.
Princess Isabelle wasn't interested in a T.P. gown, but we did manage to convince her to wear a toilet paper veil.
We also had to make Princess Snowcup a wedding gown from toilet paper. The pink dress she was wearing was lovely, but we felt she needed to be in white.
After the Bride was dressed, the Royal Carriage came to pick her up and carted her off to the Crystal Castle where Prince Dashington was waiting for her.
The Bride and Groom exchanged vows and the wedding ended with a kiss. Oh yes...we actually held a ceremony. The kids faces were priceless! I need to look into getting ordained, I think I may have missed my calling! Then the newlyweds went to the ballroom where they shared their first dance.
Our family is not at all new to Zhu-Zhu Pets. We've been big Zhu-Zhu Pet fans at our house for a few years now. You can learn all about the Zhu-Zhu line of quality toys, like the items from the Magical Princess line we were provided for our Royal Zhu-Zhu Wedding by checking out The Zhuniverse online here. It's been our experience that the zhu-zhu pets, play sets and accessories are fun, easy to operate and great for kids of all different ages.
Be sure to like The Zhu-niverse on Facebook too!
**In full disclosure: This is not a paid post, no monetary exchange took place. We were provided with the toys described to host a play date and share the fun with you here. :)**
Friday, May 6, 2011
Coupon Boot Camp - Lesson 4: Stockpiling and Budgets
Miss the first three lessons of Coupon Boot Camp? Get caught up:
Lesson 1: Introduction to Couponing
Lesson 2: Getting Organized
Lesson 3: The Right Way To Menu Plan
Today we'll learn about Stockpiling and Budgets. Stockpiling is buying items when they are available at the absolute lowest prices (usually with the combination of sales and coupons) in bulk. Now when I say "in bulk" I mean a quantity large enough to supply for family until that item is available for a price that low again. Most of you have probably seen TLC's Extreme Couponing. Thosementally disturbed people are not just extreme couponers, they're extreme stockpilers. I don't know about you, but I don't have the room or the need for 1,700 jars of peanut butter. The idea is to, instead of buying just a few items on sale at a great price, buy just enough to get you through until that price comes around again. You'll need to start paying attention to store sale cycles.
Most store sales run in three month cycles. Give or take a little. Some sales only come around every six months, others just once a year. Once you start paying attention to sale cycles, you'll see which sales come around all the time and which sales are less frequent. The majority of sales are in three month cycles, so when you find an item on sale for a rock bottom price, you'll want to buy enough to last you for three months, until that item is available for that low price again.
For instance, if I'm using sauce in a jar, I like Paul Newman's. They are regular price $2.99 each at Shop Rite. They are often on sale 2/$5.00, so you'd pay $2.50 each, saving a whopping .49 cents. Less frequently they go on sale 2/$4.00, so you'd be saving .99 cents a jar. Once about every three months they go on sale 2/$3.00, so you're paying $1.50 a jar as opposed to $2.99 a jar - half the price. Paul Newman's issues .50 cent off any Newman's product several times a year. When these coupons come out, I get my hands on as many of them as I can. (Incidentally, there's Newman's Own coupons available online here at the moment.) I use my .50 cents off coupons when the sauce is on sale $1.50 each and get as many jars as I think I'll need until they go on sale for that price again. Shop Rite doubles my .50 cent coupons, giving me $1.00 off and I get my Paul Newman's for .50 cents a jar, a fraction of the regular price.
Following sale cycles and stockpiling is crucial to smart couponing! If you used the same coupons when the sauce was on sale 2/$5.00 or $2.50 each, Shop Rite would double your coupon, giving you$1.00 off. You'd be paying $1.50 a jar, which is less than you could have paid, but why would you want to pay $1.50 when you could get it for 50 cents instead? This is a great example of matching coupons with store sales to get the maximum savings possible! We'll talk about that next week.
Many items are on seasonal sale cycles. You're not going to see the sales on BBQ items like hot dogs or ketchup and mustard in December that you'll see in July. It pays to stock up on more seasonal items during their prime time. Build your stockpile on those types of items during the summer to have enough to last you through the winter.
I should also add that it's important to know you'll like and use a certain item before you buy 35 of them to add to your stockpile. One time Shop Rite had several varieties of Ajax laundry detergent on sale for .99 cents each. I had 16 coupons for .50 cents off Ajax. I bought 16 bottles, used my .50 cent off coupons which Shop Rite doubled. I got the detergent for free and made a penny on each bottle. Which was great...at that moment...until I used it and realized it was the worst laundry detergent on the face of the planet and was stuck having to use 16 bottles of it.
It's also important to use what you have in your stockpile! Can and will you use 42 cans of pinto beans before they expire? If you can't or won't, then it's not smart to get them...even if they are super cheap. It's all well and good to get free and really cheap stuff, but your budget can seriously suffer if you're buying a ton of stuff and not using what you're buying.
Speaking of budgets...
The specifics of how you work your grocery budget really don't matter, so long as you know how much you're spending and what you're spending it on. You need a standard to look at so that you can see how you've saved since you started getting serious about couponing and saving money. Try to think of your budget as a monthly figure and not a weekly figure. It will help free you up for those times when certain things are on sale for great prices and you need to stockpile those items. Stockpiling can be tricky when you're on a really tight budget. If you only have $100 in your pocket to get food to last your family the next 10 days, it can be almost impossible to get what you absolutely need plus stock up on great sale prices. Start out slow and you'll find a way to make it work.
Try not to compare what your spending, what your saving or your budget to that of others. Just as everyone's family is different, so is everyone's budget. Your goal is to save as much money as you can. Don't get down on yourself if you can't get your budget as low as you might think it should be. These things take time. With proper menu planning, stockpiling and coupons, you'll be there before you know it.
A lot of people are interested in using coupons to get free stuff, especially with regards to stockpiling. You can and will get free stuff couponing. When I first started couponing I wasn't really saving any money...I had a closet full of free stuff, but I was spending as much as ever. The key is to both get free stuff AND reduce your budget.
Next week we'll learn more about how grocery store sales work, starting a price book and combining coupons with store sales for maximum savings!!!
Lesson 1: Introduction to Couponing
Lesson 2: Getting Organized
Lesson 3: The Right Way To Menu Plan
Today we'll learn about Stockpiling and Budgets. Stockpiling is buying items when they are available at the absolute lowest prices (usually with the combination of sales and coupons) in bulk. Now when I say "in bulk" I mean a quantity large enough to supply for family until that item is available for a price that low again. Most of you have probably seen TLC's Extreme Couponing. Those
Most store sales run in three month cycles. Give or take a little. Some sales only come around every six months, others just once a year. Once you start paying attention to sale cycles, you'll see which sales come around all the time and which sales are less frequent. The majority of sales are in three month cycles, so when you find an item on sale for a rock bottom price, you'll want to buy enough to last you for three months, until that item is available for that low price again.
For instance, if I'm using sauce in a jar, I like Paul Newman's. They are regular price $2.99 each at Shop Rite. They are often on sale 2/$5.00, so you'd pay $2.50 each, saving a whopping .49 cents. Less frequently they go on sale 2/$4.00, so you'd be saving .99 cents a jar. Once about every three months they go on sale 2/$3.00, so you're paying $1.50 a jar as opposed to $2.99 a jar - half the price. Paul Newman's issues .50 cent off any Newman's product several times a year. When these coupons come out, I get my hands on as many of them as I can. (Incidentally, there's Newman's Own coupons available online here at the moment.) I use my .50 cents off coupons when the sauce is on sale $1.50 each and get as many jars as I think I'll need until they go on sale for that price again. Shop Rite doubles my .50 cent coupons, giving me $1.00 off and I get my Paul Newman's for .50 cents a jar, a fraction of the regular price.
Following sale cycles and stockpiling is crucial to smart couponing! If you used the same coupons when the sauce was on sale 2/$5.00 or $2.50 each, Shop Rite would double your coupon, giving you$1.00 off. You'd be paying $1.50 a jar, which is less than you could have paid, but why would you want to pay $1.50 when you could get it for 50 cents instead? This is a great example of matching coupons with store sales to get the maximum savings possible! We'll talk about that next week.
Many items are on seasonal sale cycles. You're not going to see the sales on BBQ items like hot dogs or ketchup and mustard in December that you'll see in July. It pays to stock up on more seasonal items during their prime time. Build your stockpile on those types of items during the summer to have enough to last you through the winter.
I should also add that it's important to know you'll like and use a certain item before you buy 35 of them to add to your stockpile. One time Shop Rite had several varieties of Ajax laundry detergent on sale for .99 cents each. I had 16 coupons for .50 cents off Ajax. I bought 16 bottles, used my .50 cent off coupons which Shop Rite doubled. I got the detergent for free and made a penny on each bottle. Which was great...at that moment...until I used it and realized it was the worst laundry detergent on the face of the planet and was stuck having to use 16 bottles of it.
It's also important to use what you have in your stockpile! Can and will you use 42 cans of pinto beans before they expire? If you can't or won't, then it's not smart to get them...even if they are super cheap. It's all well and good to get free and really cheap stuff, but your budget can seriously suffer if you're buying a ton of stuff and not using what you're buying.
Speaking of budgets...
The specifics of how you work your grocery budget really don't matter, so long as you know how much you're spending and what you're spending it on. You need a standard to look at so that you can see how you've saved since you started getting serious about couponing and saving money. Try to think of your budget as a monthly figure and not a weekly figure. It will help free you up for those times when certain things are on sale for great prices and you need to stockpile those items. Stockpiling can be tricky when you're on a really tight budget. If you only have $100 in your pocket to get food to last your family the next 10 days, it can be almost impossible to get what you absolutely need plus stock up on great sale prices. Start out slow and you'll find a way to make it work.
Try not to compare what your spending, what your saving or your budget to that of others. Just as everyone's family is different, so is everyone's budget. Your goal is to save as much money as you can. Don't get down on yourself if you can't get your budget as low as you might think it should be. These things take time. With proper menu planning, stockpiling and coupons, you'll be there before you know it.
A lot of people are interested in using coupons to get free stuff, especially with regards to stockpiling. You can and will get free stuff couponing. When I first started couponing I wasn't really saving any money...I had a closet full of free stuff, but I was spending as much as ever. The key is to both get free stuff AND reduce your budget.
Next week we'll learn more about how grocery store sales work, starting a price book and combining coupons with store sales for maximum savings!!!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Coupon Boot Camp - Lesson 3: The Right Way to Menu Plan
Lesson 3: The Right Way to Menu Plan
Menu Planning is plotting out what meals you’ll be preparing ahead of time. Like making a grocery list of two weeks worth of meals, then going to the store and buying everything on the list that you need to prepare those meals. Some people use a chart on the fridge or a calendar and actually plan what day they’ll have what meal ahead of time. I’ve known a few people who menu plan a month at a time. If you asked them on May 1st what they’re making for dinner on May 22nd, they can tell you.
Me personally? You could ask me at 4 o’clock in the afternoon what I’m making for dinner and I still might not know. I do plan my meals, but I don’t go so far as to plan what night I’m fixing what. If you are one of those people who heads to the grocery store and goes up and down the aisles grabbing whatever catches your eye, then traditional menu planning can save you money. You’ll save money by not making extra trips out the store to grab the items you need to complete a meal. Like the night you decide you want to make chicken fajitas and all you have is the chicken. It will also save you money by avoiding eating out because, “There’s no food in this house!”
Let’s say you’ve never menu planned before and you decide you want to give it a shot to make your shopping trip easier and to help you feel more organized. What would you do? Sit down and make a list of two weeks worth of meals and write down all the items you need to make those meals, right? Let’s say that out of the 14 dinners you’ve planned, you’ll be having chicken 6 of those nights. If you go to store and end up paying full price for the chicken, are you really saving? No. Not to mention all of the other items you’ll need to complete each meal that may not be on sale or may be on sale but not for the lowest sale price.
The right way to menu plan is to base your meals on what you already have in the house and what’s on sale for the best prices. When I make my shopping list, I evaluate what I already have on hand and make my grocery list based on what’s on sale for great prices. Then I plan my menu around those sale items. Making this small change in your habits can save you big bucks. It’s not all about couponing, though coupons sure do help. If you’re not menu planning the right way, you’re not going to be saving yourself as much money as you could be. You won’t need to stop fixing your favorite dishes, you’ll just need to be more strategic about when to make them. Once you start stockpiling, you’ll find it really is easy to pull meals together based on what’s on sale and what’s in your pantry. It helps if you actually like to cook too. Sometimes you have to get creative and sometimes your meals might not be exactly gourmet, but you’ll get there.
Remember: The right way to menu plan is to make your grocery list first, then make your menu plan.
Tomorrow we’ll talk about Stockpiling and Budgets, which go hand in hand with Menu Planning. :)
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Success Made Simple - GoalForIt.com Review
It's not often you come across a website that has the potential to change your families day to day life, to make your days more organized and less stressful and to bring your household more focus, balance and accomplishment. As a matter of fact, I don't think I've ever come across a website that could really bring those benefits to a family and make it so to easy to achieve success. GoalForIt.com absolutely has the potential to do all of those things for you and your family. And the best part? It's completely free!
So what exactly is this magical website?
GoalForIt.com is a free online resource that provides a number of quick and simple tools to help families achieve success. These tools include a Goal Setting tool with Goal Tracker, Chore Charts, Behavior Charts and To Do Lists.
The free Chore Charts and Behavior Charts can be made for either kids or tweens & teens. You're able to create a personalized chart for your child in minutes. The chart can then be used online or can be printed for more traditional offline use. The option to print the charts is great for use with little guys like mine, while the option to use them online will bring greater appeal to older kids. And these aren't the boring black and white charts you might be picturing in your mind when you think "chore chart". They have over 50 themes to choose from. Our background is currently that of aliens, which the boys absolutely love. You can also add an optional reward system where you're child can earn points for completing their chores or exhibiting behavior that is expected of them. I love that GoalForIt.com allows you to set responsibilities and behavioral expectations in a positive way that will keep keep kids engaged.
The world is a different place all together from the world we grew up in. Families have a lot more on their plates these days. I feel like a large part of the problem in our society today is a total lack of personal responsibility. Learning to accept responsibility for your actions starts at a very young age. I want to raise kids who have respect - for themselves and for others. I want to raise kids who know the value of accomplishing a task that's laid out before them, kids I can take pride in, kids that can take pride in themselves. I want to raise kids who are self motivated. Kids with a sense of independence. Kids who do the right thing simply because it's the right thing to do. I feel like GoalForIt.com is helping me to achieve these goals for my boys.
I honestly can't think of a single family I know who couldn't benefit from the Chore Charts and Behavior Charts at GoalForIt.com! Visit GoalForIt.com today and see how it can help you help your kids acquire essential life skills and learn valuable life lessons.
*In Full Disclosure, I received monetary compensation in exchange for my review of GoalForIt.com. However, my opinions and enthusiasm for the site and what it can do for your family are 100% mine and 100% real. :)*
So what exactly is this magical website?
GoalForIt.com is a free online resource that provides a number of quick and simple tools to help families achieve success. These tools include a Goal Setting tool with Goal Tracker, Chore Charts, Behavior Charts and To Do Lists.
The free Chore Charts and Behavior Charts can be made for either kids or tweens & teens. You're able to create a personalized chart for your child in minutes. The chart can then be used online or can be printed for more traditional offline use. The option to print the charts is great for use with little guys like mine, while the option to use them online will bring greater appeal to older kids. And these aren't the boring black and white charts you might be picturing in your mind when you think "chore chart". They have over 50 themes to choose from. Our background is currently that of aliens, which the boys absolutely love. You can also add an optional reward system where you're child can earn points for completing their chores or exhibiting behavior that is expected of them. I love that GoalForIt.com allows you to set responsibilities and behavioral expectations in a positive way that will keep keep kids engaged.
The world is a different place all together from the world we grew up in. Families have a lot more on their plates these days. I feel like a large part of the problem in our society today is a total lack of personal responsibility. Learning to accept responsibility for your actions starts at a very young age. I want to raise kids who have respect - for themselves and for others. I want to raise kids who know the value of accomplishing a task that's laid out before them, kids I can take pride in, kids that can take pride in themselves. I want to raise kids who are self motivated. Kids with a sense of independence. Kids who do the right thing simply because it's the right thing to do. I feel like GoalForIt.com is helping me to achieve these goals for my boys.
I honestly can't think of a single family I know who couldn't benefit from the Chore Charts and Behavior Charts at GoalForIt.com! Visit GoalForIt.com today and see how it can help you help your kids acquire essential life skills and learn valuable life lessons.
*In Full Disclosure, I received monetary compensation in exchange for my review of GoalForIt.com. However, my opinions and enthusiasm for the site and what it can do for your family are 100% mine and 100% real. :)*
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Coupon Boot Camp - ShopRite Deals for the Week of 05-01-11
Ready to get some great deals at Shop Rite this week? Let's do this!
If you're not sure what Coupon Boot Camp is all about, check out Lesson 1 and Lesson 2.
In Lesson 1, I talked about Catalina coupons. To refresh your memory, Catalina's are coupons that print on or with your receipt. I've been able to get all sorts of free stuff, from tampons to mashed potatoes, with Catalina's from Shop Rite. I should clarify that Catalina's are not always for free products. Sometimes they are for $ off a certain item. Other times you have to buy a certain quantity of items or spend a certain amount of a particular brand to get them. Catalina's are usually for items that you regularly purchase or for items that are similar to items you purchase. For instance, if you buy Breyer's Ice Cream, you might receive a Catalina for free or $ off Turkey Hill Ice Cream. This encourages you to try a different brand than what you normally buy. Pretty smart marketing, right?
Anyway, there are several Catalina deals at Shop Rite this week where you need to spend a certain dollar amount on products from a certain manufacturer to receive money off coupons. These are my two favorites as well as a deal idea for each:
Nestle Products: Spend $20 Get $20 in Reward Certificates (Catalina's)
You'll need to purchase $20.00 worth of participating Nestle products in a single transaction between 05-01 and 05-14. There is a limit of 1 offer per customer per week. So you can do this deal twice. Once this week and once next week when the new sale starts. The certificates will print as (4) $5.00 Catalina's to be used on your next purchase of Nestle products. The Catalina's can be redeemed as follows:
$5 Catalina to be used during the week of 05-15 - 05-21
$5 Catalina to be used during the week of 05-22 - 05-28
$5 Catalina to be used during the week of 05-29 - 06-04
$5 Catalina to be used during the week of 06-05 - 06-11
There are tons of Nestle products that are included in this promotion, many of which are on sale. Here's one way to get the most bang for your buck out of this deal:
Buy (8) Nestle Retro Crunch Bars, regularly .50 cents each, on sale for .25 cents each (when you buy 4).= $4.00 ($2.00)
Buy (6) Juicy Juice 100% Juice (regularly $2.69 each), on sale for $2.00 each (when you buy 2) = $16.14 ($12.00)
These deals USUALLY work with the regular shelf price of the items, not the sale price and not the price after coupons.
That makes your total Nestle purchase $20.14, which qualifies you for the Catalina promotion. Though after sale prices your cost is $14.00.
Are you with me so far?
Use (4) coupons that are .50 cents off 2 Nestle Single Bars 1.5 - 2.1 oz. which can be found in this week's Smart Source coupon insert. That's $2.00 off in coupons, so you'd be spending $2.00 for (8) candy bars or .25 cents each. BUT...Shop Rite will double your .50 cent off coupons, which will give you a total of $4.00 off. That means you're getting (8) candy bars for free...plus $2.00 overage.
Use (1) $1.00 off/2 Nestle Juicy Juice Printable coupon and
and (4) .50 cents off (1) Nestle Juicy Juice Printable coupon from Facebook.
Shop Rite will double your .50 cent off coupons giving you $4.00 off (4) of your juices, plus $1.00 off for the other (2) juices.
That's $5.00 off the juice you were spending $12.00 for, so that's $7.00. Factor in the $2.00 you made in overage from the candy bars and you're spending $5.00 out of pocket...for (8) candy bars and (6) 64 oz. bottles of juice. But don't forget, you also just scored $20.00 in coupons to be used over the next 4 weeks. Also, you can do a Nestle deal next week and earn $20 more in Catalina's.
Here's another Catalina Promotion this week at Shop Rite:
Dial Products: Spend $20 Get $20 in Reward Certificates (Catalina's). The rules are the same as above. You need to buy $20 worth of Dial/Purex products in a single transaction between 05-01 and 05-14. Again, there is a limit of one offer per customer per week. So you can do this deal twice too. The Catalina's will print the same and be valid for the same dates as listed in the Nestle promotion above.
Here's a deal idea for you...
Buy (4) 50 oz. Purex Laundry Detergents, regularly $2.99, on sale for $1.99 with your Price Plus Card. That's $11.96 regular price, $7.96 on sale.
Buy (3) Soft Scrub Cleansers, which are 2/$5, so that's $7.50.
Buy (1) Renuzit Solid Air Freshener, which are 3/$3, so that's $1.00.
So your regular price total is $20.46, which qualifies you for the $20 Catalina promotion. Your sale price total is $16.46.
Use (4) $1.00 off 1 Purex Detergent coupons (which were in this week's Red Plum insert in the mail). The coupons are good for the 50 - 100 oz. size bottles. The sale is for the 43.5 - 50 oz. bottles so make sure you get the 50 oz. size.That's $4.00 off the sale price of $7.96, so you're paying $3.96 for the (4) bottles.
Use (3) 0.75 cents off (1) Soft Scrub coupons for the Total Kitchen or Total Bath and Bowl Cleaner, which you can print here. Shop Rite will take off an additional .25 cents for each .75 off coupon turning those coupons into $1.00 off each. That's another $3.00 off, you went from paying $7.50 for (3) bottles of Soft Scrub to paying $4.50.
Add the $1.00 for the Renuzit (which you needed to make your regular price total over $20) and that's $9.46 for (4) bottles of Purex, (3) bottles of Soft Scrub and an air freshener - not too shabby. Plus you'll be receiving $20 in Catalina's.
Here's something important about Catalina's: Shop Rite or any other store has no control over the Catalina's. If you purchase the required products for a Catalina promotion and your Catalina's do not print, please don't go postal on some poor soul who makes $7.25 an hour. It's not their fault, there's nothing they can do about it and there's nothing the manager on duty can do about it either. If you have Catalina's that do not print, you need to contact the Catalina company for assistance. You can call them at 1-888-8COUPON or email them at coupon@catalinamarketing.com for help with your problem. I have had to contact them twice and their customer service was outstanding.
I also mentioned that these Catalina promotions USUALLY work based on the regular shelf price of the items. I haven't been to the store yet to test out these deal scenarios. I will tomorrow and I'll let you know how I make out. Remember in Lesson 1 I said that couponing was like a game, right? You win some, you lose some.
There's a ton of other Catalina promotions at Shop Rite this week. Be sure to check your Shop Rite ad., go through your coupons and see what kind of deals you can come up with.
Catalina's aside, here are a few other great deals at Shop Rite this week....
Goya Beans are on sale for 0.66 cents each. Buy (2) and use this 0.60 cents off/2 Low Sodium Beans coupon and pay 0.06 cents per can.
Friendship Cottage Cheese is on sale for $1.99. Use this $1/1 coupon and get them for .99 cents each.
Bar-S Hot Dogs are on sale for .99 cents a pack. Buy (2) and use this $1/2 Bar-S product coupon and they'll be .49 cents a pack.
BIC Soleil Razors are on sale for $3.99 each. Use this $3/1 Facebook coupon and get them for .99 cents each.
Happy Couponing! Make sure to come back on Thursday and Friday this week for the next two Coupon Boot Camp Classes!
Get an awesome deal at Shop Rite or anywhere else this week using the power of coupons? Be sure to leave a comment and let us know about it!
If you're not sure what Coupon Boot Camp is all about, check out Lesson 1 and Lesson 2.
In Lesson 1, I talked about Catalina coupons. To refresh your memory, Catalina's are coupons that print on or with your receipt. I've been able to get all sorts of free stuff, from tampons to mashed potatoes, with Catalina's from Shop Rite. I should clarify that Catalina's are not always for free products. Sometimes they are for $ off a certain item. Other times you have to buy a certain quantity of items or spend a certain amount of a particular brand to get them. Catalina's are usually for items that you regularly purchase or for items that are similar to items you purchase. For instance, if you buy Breyer's Ice Cream, you might receive a Catalina for free or $ off Turkey Hill Ice Cream. This encourages you to try a different brand than what you normally buy. Pretty smart marketing, right?
Anyway, there are several Catalina deals at Shop Rite this week where you need to spend a certain dollar amount on products from a certain manufacturer to receive money off coupons. These are my two favorites as well as a deal idea for each:
Nestle Products: Spend $20 Get $20 in Reward Certificates (Catalina's)
You'll need to purchase $20.00 worth of participating Nestle products in a single transaction between 05-01 and 05-14. There is a limit of 1 offer per customer per week. So you can do this deal twice. Once this week and once next week when the new sale starts. The certificates will print as (4) $5.00 Catalina's to be used on your next purchase of Nestle products. The Catalina's can be redeemed as follows:
$5 Catalina to be used during the week of 05-15 - 05-21
$5 Catalina to be used during the week of 05-22 - 05-28
$5 Catalina to be used during the week of 05-29 - 06-04
$5 Catalina to be used during the week of 06-05 - 06-11
There are tons of Nestle products that are included in this promotion, many of which are on sale. Here's one way to get the most bang for your buck out of this deal:
Buy (8) Nestle Retro Crunch Bars, regularly .50 cents each, on sale for .25 cents each (when you buy 4).= $4.00 ($2.00)
Buy (6) Juicy Juice 100% Juice (regularly $2.69 each), on sale for $2.00 each (when you buy 2) = $16.14 ($12.00)
These deals USUALLY work with the regular shelf price of the items, not the sale price and not the price after coupons.
That makes your total Nestle purchase $20.14, which qualifies you for the Catalina promotion. Though after sale prices your cost is $14.00.
Are you with me so far?
Use (4) coupons that are .50 cents off 2 Nestle Single Bars 1.5 - 2.1 oz. which can be found in this week's Smart Source coupon insert. That's $2.00 off in coupons, so you'd be spending $2.00 for (8) candy bars or .25 cents each. BUT...Shop Rite will double your .50 cent off coupons, which will give you a total of $4.00 off. That means you're getting (8) candy bars for free...plus $2.00 overage.
Use (1) $1.00 off/2 Nestle Juicy Juice Printable coupon and
and (4) .50 cents off (1) Nestle Juicy Juice Printable coupon from Facebook.
Shop Rite will double your .50 cent off coupons giving you $4.00 off (4) of your juices, plus $1.00 off for the other (2) juices.
That's $5.00 off the juice you were spending $12.00 for, so that's $7.00. Factor in the $2.00 you made in overage from the candy bars and you're spending $5.00 out of pocket...for (8) candy bars and (6) 64 oz. bottles of juice. But don't forget, you also just scored $20.00 in coupons to be used over the next 4 weeks. Also, you can do a Nestle deal next week and earn $20 more in Catalina's.
Here's another Catalina Promotion this week at Shop Rite:
Dial Products: Spend $20 Get $20 in Reward Certificates (Catalina's). The rules are the same as above. You need to buy $20 worth of Dial/Purex products in a single transaction between 05-01 and 05-14. Again, there is a limit of one offer per customer per week. So you can do this deal twice too. The Catalina's will print the same and be valid for the same dates as listed in the Nestle promotion above.
Here's a deal idea for you...
Buy (4) 50 oz. Purex Laundry Detergents, regularly $2.99, on sale for $1.99 with your Price Plus Card. That's $11.96 regular price, $7.96 on sale.
Buy (3) Soft Scrub Cleansers, which are 2/$5, so that's $7.50.
Buy (1) Renuzit Solid Air Freshener, which are 3/$3, so that's $1.00.
So your regular price total is $20.46, which qualifies you for the $20 Catalina promotion. Your sale price total is $16.46.
Use (4) $1.00 off 1 Purex Detergent coupons (which were in this week's Red Plum insert in the mail). The coupons are good for the 50 - 100 oz. size bottles. The sale is for the 43.5 - 50 oz. bottles so make sure you get the 50 oz. size.That's $4.00 off the sale price of $7.96, so you're paying $3.96 for the (4) bottles.
Use (3) 0.75 cents off (1) Soft Scrub coupons for the Total Kitchen or Total Bath and Bowl Cleaner, which you can print here. Shop Rite will take off an additional .25 cents for each .75 off coupon turning those coupons into $1.00 off each. That's another $3.00 off, you went from paying $7.50 for (3) bottles of Soft Scrub to paying $4.50.
Add the $1.00 for the Renuzit (which you needed to make your regular price total over $20) and that's $9.46 for (4) bottles of Purex, (3) bottles of Soft Scrub and an air freshener - not too shabby. Plus you'll be receiving $20 in Catalina's.
Here's something important about Catalina's: Shop Rite or any other store has no control over the Catalina's. If you purchase the required products for a Catalina promotion and your Catalina's do not print, please don't go postal on some poor soul who makes $7.25 an hour. It's not their fault, there's nothing they can do about it and there's nothing the manager on duty can do about it either. If you have Catalina's that do not print, you need to contact the Catalina company for assistance. You can call them at 1-888-8COUPON or email them at coupon@catalinamarketing.com for help with your problem. I have had to contact them twice and their customer service was outstanding.
I also mentioned that these Catalina promotions USUALLY work based on the regular shelf price of the items. I haven't been to the store yet to test out these deal scenarios. I will tomorrow and I'll let you know how I make out. Remember in Lesson 1 I said that couponing was like a game, right? You win some, you lose some.
There's a ton of other Catalina promotions at Shop Rite this week. Be sure to check your Shop Rite ad., go through your coupons and see what kind of deals you can come up with.
Catalina's aside, here are a few other great deals at Shop Rite this week....
Goya Beans are on sale for 0.66 cents each. Buy (2) and use this 0.60 cents off/2 Low Sodium Beans coupon and pay 0.06 cents per can.
Friendship Cottage Cheese is on sale for $1.99. Use this $1/1 coupon and get them for .99 cents each.
Bar-S Hot Dogs are on sale for .99 cents a pack. Buy (2) and use this $1/2 Bar-S product coupon and they'll be .49 cents a pack.
BIC Soleil Razors are on sale for $3.99 each. Use this $3/1 Facebook coupon and get them for .99 cents each.
Happy Couponing! Make sure to come back on Thursday and Friday this week for the next two Coupon Boot Camp Classes!
Get an awesome deal at Shop Rite or anywhere else this week using the power of coupons? Be sure to leave a comment and let us know about it!
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