The Coupon Challenge

Hampton Roads (Virginia) Coupon Blog

My Shopping Trip

Reader Brittney’s Shopping Trips

by Dana Zeliff on
in My Shopping Trip

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

Brittney emailed me with the results of her FIRST couponing trip.  I had to share her amazing shopping trips with you all.  She did fantastic and it shows that this can really be done!  She now has ECB’s and RR’s to use later and further lower her OOP.

Here’s what Brittney sent me:

CVS  (they didn’t have everything I wanted (edge shave gel, colgate, and reach toothbrush) so here’s what I got:
-Easter grass – .99 – ECB .99 – FREE
-Nivea Body Wash – was 5.99 OSF 3.88 – used $3/1 = .88   (wish I waited so I could’ve gotten it for FREE at Walmart 🙁  only had one coupon)
-Newspaper – 1.25   (wanted more inserts)
Retail – $8.23
OOP – $3.12
ECB – $0.99
Total – 2.13

Walgreens   (they also didn’t have a lot that I wanted – went on Monday and they were ALREADY sold out of Always, Crayola Color Wonder, and Airwick freshmatic) but heres what I got:
-(2)Dove Candy Bars – 1.59 – in-store coupon to .39 a piece – used .75/2 = .03 for both
-Gillette Fusion Pro Glide Razor System – 9.99 – $4RR – used $3/1 = 2.99  (have a $5/1 will use before end of week)
-Lysol Healthy Touch – 11.99 – $4RR – used $3/1 = 4.99
-Nivea for Men – 3.74 – $3/1 = .74  (again, wish I wouldve used at Walmart 🙁 )
-(2)Colgate – 2/$6 – $4RR – used (2)$1/1 = FREE
-Reach Floss – $2.99 – $2RR – used $1/1 = FREE
Retail – $38.53
OOP – $22.74
RRs Received – $14
Total – $8.74    (not too bad for first trip…. now I have some RRs for future trips)


Farm Fresh   (double Wednesdays)
-(8)Orbit Gum – 1.00 – used (4)$1/2 = FREE
-French’s Brown Mustard – .99 – used .50/1 = FREE
-Breakstone Sour Cream – 1.39 – used .50/1 = .39
-(2)Dole Canned Fruit (needed for Easter recipe) – 1.29 – used .50/2 = 1.58
Retail – $12.96
OOP – $1.97

Walmart   (these are just the items I got for free plus overage, I had more things that my overage paid for in my trip but I just took a picture of the free stuff)
-Purex 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets (travel) – .97 – used $1/1 = FREE + overage
-Secret Clinical Strength – 2.47 – used $3/1 = FREE + overage
-Bic Comfort 3 Razors – 3.12 – used $3/1 = 0.12
-McCormick Taco Seasoning – .54 – used $1/1 = FREE + overage
Retail – $7.10
OOP – None!!, had overage for other items!

Thanks for sharing Bittney!

4 comments

My Farm Fresh Trip (04/20)

by Dana Zeliff on
in Farm Fresh Weekly Ads, My Shopping Trip

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

I made a HUGE mistake that cost me about $6 at Farm Fresh today.  In the store I looked at the wrong Nestle size for the Ice Cream Promo.  My goal was $2 after the coupons and CAT.  Oh well, I’m still under budget and I can make myself feel better with an ice cream cone 🙂

Get your Farm Fresh coupon matchups here

Bananas $0.92
Strawberries $2.49
1 FF bread $1.09
2 Folgers $9.98
4 Dole Pineapple $1.16
Lays Chips $0.89
2 Mission Chips – $1/1 peelie $1.58 (yes, again)
2 Edy’s Smoothies $2
1 Skinny Cow $2
1 Nestle Cones
1 Haagen Dazs ice cream
2 Kraft with Philly Cheese – $1/1 tearpad (from previous shopping) FREE
2 Wholly Salsa – free product coupon FREE
2 Orbit Gum FREE
2 Gain Dish FREE
2 French’s Spicy Brown FREE
2 Wheat Thin Stix FREE

Total Paid $29.92 (high, I know)
Total Saved $45.04
Earned $4 CAT
Also earned $0.07 off gal of gas

How did you do?

4 comments

My Farm Fresh Shopping Trip (04/13)

by Dana Zeliff on
in Farm Fresh Weekly Ads, My Shopping Trip

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

I picked up several goodies at Farm Fresh today.  The Mt. Pleasant location has a basket of Covergirl lipstick reduced to $1.50 each.  Use the $1/1 any Covergirl product coupon from the P&G insert to get FREE lipstick!

3 Milk – Free product coupons from promo 2 wks ago = FREE
2 Wholly salsa – free product coupon (get a chance to win 1 at 12pm EST) = FREE
1 Potatoes = $1.99
1 Onions = $1.99
4 Stride Gum $1.19 – $1/2 from the 04/03 SS = $0.76
3 Idahoan potatoes = FREE
2 Stove Top Stuffing = FREE
2 Crystal Farms Cheese = $3.98
1 Oreo = FREE
1 Wonder bread = $0.40
2 Mission chips $2.79 – $1/1 peelie = $1.58
6 bird eye = $2
2 Mission tortillas = $5
1 Eggs = FREE
2 Temptations = FREE
2 Halls = FREE
2 covergirl -$1.50 reduced – $1/1 from P&G insert = FREE

Total Paid $17.77
Total Saved $53.51
(I would have done better but I prefer Mission brand tortillas & I needed potatoes and onions)

See my Target, WAGS & Walmart trip here

How did you do this week?

7 comments

My Target, WAGS & Walmart Shopping Trips (04/11)

by Dana Zeliff on
in My Shopping Trip, Target, Walmart

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

I was a crazy game lady this weekend.  I ran out on Sunday to hit up Target and Walgreens then over to Walmart today.

Walgreens
2 Mars Candy (for filling eggs for school)
1 Carefree Liners
2 Crayola Wonder Travel
1 VA Pilot
– $2/2 Mars All you coupon
– $1/2 Mars WAGS coupon
– $0.50/1 Carefree coupon
– (2) $1/1 Crayola coupons

Total Paid $4.30
Total Saved $12.18
Earned $1 RR
(I was going to use the $1 RR to buy my paper, but everyone in the store decided to checkout right behind me)

Target
1 Elphen $15
2 Bop-it $30
2 Cuponk $16
2 Bubbles $1.88
2 Reese’s Eggs FREE after promo
1 Hershey’s Egg FREE after promo
– $3/1 Elphen
– (2) $3/1 Bop-it
– (2) $3/1 Cuponk

Total Paid $48.98
Total Saved: $54.82
Will submit for Hasbro/Tombstone MIR for 5 Free Tombstone pizza coupon = avg value $35

I will be using 2 games for the kids Easter baskets, along with 2 eggs and the bubbles.  I will also use 1 of the games for a b-day party next week.  The remaining 2 will be used for gifts later this year.

Walmart
2 Candyland $5 each
1 Thanksgiving onesie for my soon-to-arrive nephew $0.75
– (2) $2/1 candyland coupons

Total Paid: $7.29
Total Saved: $4 (not including reg. price of onesie)
Will give my mom the receipt to submit for 2 Tombstone pizzas since I maxed out my limit – if I could use the rebate, I would have “made” about the cost of 1 pizza!

I will either be gifting these games or using them at Christmas for donations – it’s never too early to plan ahead!

Have you had any good shopping trips so far this week?

4 comments

My Farm Fresh & CVS Trips (04/06)

by Dana Zeliff on
in CVS, Farm Fresh Weekly Ads, My Shopping Trip

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

The kids are out of school today, so I’m just going to put up my picture and totals.  We’re heading out the park; the kids need to run off some energy.

I was of kilter today at Farm Fresh.  It’s been awhile since I’ve had to take both kids to the store.  If any other coupon shoppers had been in the line behind me, they would have shaking their heads.  Luckily the cashier sees me every week 🙂 

All the CAT’s printed and my trip went off just as planned.  I bought a bunch of Catalina offers plus used 1 free milk coupon from last week, a free product coupon for the Egg Beaters and $1/1 Minute Maid printables from awhile ago.  Love free OJ!

They had MORE peelies on the Mission chips.  You know I couldn’t say no!  Monkey said, “Mommm, don’t you think we have enough of those already?  I think you need to stop shopping!”  He, he

See my Farm Fresh coupon matchups here

In 2 transactions
Total Paid $17.70
Total Saved $57.35
Did you see the $6.03 chicken, 2 sausages and detergents!

Luckily CVS still had everything I wanted on Tuesday.  I spent a lot OOP, but got back a bunch of ECB’s.  Not too bad since I only had $5 ECB’s to roll from a month ago.  I did the P&G deal and used the $5 off $40 coupon

Get your CVS coupon matchups here

In 2 transactions:
Total Paid: $21.59
Total Saved $49.45
Have $22.99 in ECB’s to spend next week!

My only other shopping this week will be back to FF to use another Free milk coupon and to get grapes for $0.99lb (we need to finish some of our other fresh fruit first)

How did you do?

12 comments

My Farm Fresh Trip (03/30)

by Dana Zeliff on
in Farm Fresh Weekly Ads, My Shopping Trip

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

First I have to start out with a HOT Kellogg’s coupon I found out about from another shopper while in FF today.  Print a coupon to save $1/2 any Kellogg’s cereal.  This will pair nicely with the 3/$5 Kellogg’s cereal and FREE milk promo.  Make sure to check the boxes for peelies too!

Next, I have to thank the manager Ryan at the Mt. Pleasant location for helping all the crazy coupon ladies piled up in his cereal aisle trying to figure out which cereal sizes were part of the 3/$5 deal.  Take a look at the bottom of your receipt to get details on completing an online satisfaction survey.  You will be entered into a sweepstakes for a $100 gift card!  The survey took me about 3 minutes. 

Get your Farm Fresh matchups here

2 Lysol Wipes $2
6 Kellogg’s Cereal $6
3 Kellogg’s Pop Tarts $3
2 Mission Chips – $1/1 peelies $1.58
Baby carrots $0.99
Oranges $2.99
Coffee Creamer $4.99
Also used a $1/1 produce peelie from the cereal

Total Paid $20
Total Saved  $14
BUT, I have 3 FREE milk coupons.  Factoring in the price of 3 gallons of milk – $9 paid on the Kellogg’s, I made $2.67!

**The Corn Flakes & Rice Krispies also qualify for the $10 Kellogg’s MIR

Oh, I ended up driving by Harris Teeter so I picked up Newman’s Own Salsa and a pineapple

Total Paid $3.07
Total Saved $5

How did you do?

9 comments

My Final Harris Teeter Super Doubles Trip & My Shopping Confession

by Dana Zeliff on
in Commissary, Dollar General, Harris Teeter Weekly Ad, My Shopping Trip

Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link.

I went back to Harris Teeter to get a few more deals on Friday.  I spent a ton of money but organic milk, strawberries & frozen pizza tends to bump up your total.

Today is the last day to take advantage of Super Doubles.

See my first HT shopping trip here

2 Organic Milk = $9.54
3 strawberries = $4.95
Doritos = $1.99
Pepsi Max – free wyb doritos coupon = FREE
Yakisob = FREE
Easy Frost = $0.50
2 Hanover pretzels $1.12
Organic baby greens $3.99 – $1/1 printable (gone) $1.99
Smart Chicken $4.14 – $1.50/1 peelie wyb philly cooking creme = $1.14
Philadelphia Cooking Creme = FREE
Kahiki = $0.12
2 Freschetta Pizza = $6
2 Butterball Turkey Bacon = $1
1 Guacamole = FREE
2 Excedrin – free product coupons = FREE

Total Paid $30.64
Total Saved $62.46

I’ve been looking all over for the $3.xx Gain fabric sheets.  They have been sold out everywhere I’ve looked for over a month!  I finally went to Dollar General, but they were sold out as well.  I didn’t want my coupons top expire, so I bought the $3.75 Softener.

Total Paid $1.88
Total Saved $6

On to my confession, I’m over budget for the month!  My mother-in-law took me to the Commissary on Saturday.  It has been over 6 months since I’ve shopped at the Commissary and I over did it a bit.  I spent $152.60, that’s over half my monthly budget!  Due to DECA regulations, I can’t give you a breakdown of my entire trip.  Here are a few items I purchased.

Gatorade Mix
Soup
Jelly
Baggies
Cheese
Fresh veggies
Fresh Fruit
Eggs
Tortillas
5 Ground Turkey
Turkey Sausage
Beef Sausage
3 Ground Beef
Beef Bottom Roast (over $10)

I’ll have to be selective in my shopping for April, so I can get back on track.
Pork Roast (under $10)

4 comments

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