EXTREME SAVINGS: Publix Paid Me To Shop - Saved $206.72 - Extreme Couponing @ 100% Savings.

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How Fun!  Saving 100% at Publix.

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I knew that I had lots of high value coupons today.  But I never pre-tax total to be minus 82¢.  My plan was to use up some of my favorite coupons that were expiring 10/31/11.  Funny thing is I had in my pocket 4 Winn-Dixie coupons that I didn't even get to use for $5 off $30 from a charity drive booklet I purchased).  They are good until the end of 2012.  I'm sure they won't live to see 2012, though.

From My Publix Register Receipt Today:  


"Your Savings at Publix $206.72"


Order Total     -$0.82
Sales Tax         $5.20
Grand Total      $4.38


My sales receipt was over 2 feet long.

Recap:

• 1 Gallon Publix Organic Milk (no coupon)
• 1 Kraft Big Slices Swiss Cheese. (50¢ printable)
• 1/2 Pound Boar's Head EverRoast Chicken Breast from Deli ($1 off Publix coupon)
• 2 Arnold's Sandwich Rounds (BOGO, no coupons)
• 1 Pkg. Publix Split Chicken Breasts (no coupons)
• 2 Boxes Publix Raisins (no coupons)
• 2 Boxes Frozen Mussels (BOGO, no coupons)
• 2 Half Gallons Tropicana Light Lemonade (BOGO, no coupons)
• 2 Boxes Wheat Thins (2 printable mfr, 2 Publix coupons)
• 2 Giant-Sized Bags of Kit Kats, 22 oz each. (BOGO, 1 printable Target printables)
• 6 Sundown Vitamin Supplements (6 Publix coupons, 6 mfr coupons)
• 3 Crest Toothpastes (3 mfr coupons, 3 Publix coupons)
• 3 Oral-B Toothbrushes (2 mfr coupons, 3 Publix coupons)
• 2 64 oz. Apple and Eve Juices (2 mfr coupons)
• 2 12-Double Roll Angel Soft Toilet Tissue (2 mfr coupons, 2 Target printables)
• 2 Hefty Zipper Freezer Bags (BOGO, 1 mfr coupon)
• 24 Cover Girl Cosmetics (12 mfr coupons, 12 Target coupons)
• 2 Boxes Publix Baby Wipes, 80 ct. (1 Publix coupon)

Extreme Savings: $267.30 Worth Publix Groceries for $90.01 - 66% Savings

Extreme Savings - No Shelf Clearing - Far From It

I went mini-stockpiling yesterdy at Publix and did quite well, me thinks (and we don't even have double coupons in Florida).

These are the items for pantry:
4 Kashi TLC Pita Crisps, $1 each (already had 2 at home)
8 Fiber One Cereal, variety, 12.5 cents each (already had 4 other cereals at home)
6 Frozen Gardens Litse vegetable souffle, variety, $1 each
1 Stouffer's Healthy Harvest Mac & Cheese, family size, 92 cents each (had several at home)
10 Ragu Pasta Sauce, 1.03 each (had 5 jars at home - other brands)
5 Mueller's pasta, variety, All Free
6 Snackwell's snacks, cookies, popcorn, variety 84.5 cents each
ALL For $15.02

Plus, while picking up a prescrip at Publix, I bought:
12 Sundown Vitamins, 120+ ea bottle, variety, $1.75 each
ALL FOR $21.38

I bought a bunch of other goodies that get used up quickly like organics, juices, produce dairy, deli, bakery, etc.  Unfortunately, I haven't figured out how to safely and efficiently stockpile those items so that they are still tasty later.

All in all, the merchandise's value is $267.30 and I paid $90.01 = 66% savings. 

Lots of yummy stuff.  Mmmmmmmmm.

Share your stockpiling and your extreme savings with us here.  I'm happy to share any details about the coupons used here in this mini extreme couponing adventure.


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Publix - Save 56% - 75% Using This List & Coupons - Kashi, Voskos, Boar's Head, Fresh Produce, Odwalla, Sundown, More

Slashed More Than Half of Grocery Bill

56% Off Lots of Good & Healthy Stuff (well there's 1 M & C)

We are pretty well stocked up at home this week, so this was a smaller shopping trip with the real purpose of picking up roast beef and turkey for deli sandwiches.

4 Chock Full of Nuts coffee 

1 Odwalla Superfood Juice, 64 oz

2 Kashi TLC Pita Chips

Head lettuce

Bag of grapes, 2+ pounds

Bunch of bananas, just under 2 pounds

1 Stouffer's Healthy Harvest family size entree 

2 Voskos Greek yogurt $1.00

Boar's Head Top Round roast beef, 1/2+ pound

1 Hormel Naturals - Nitrate-Free Smoked Turkey

1 Sundown vitamins - A

1 Sundown vitamins - D3 

Total Value =  67.89

Total Paid = 30.13

Total Saved $37.76  =  56%

Coupons Used (check data base for details and more coupons)

0.75/1 Chock Full of Nuts (4 of these) - from insert

1.50/1 Kashi pita chips (2 of these) - from pkg (there are printables out)

1.00/2 Kashi chips, crackers - Target  - printable

1.50/1 Stouffer's Family Size - Target - printable

1.00/1 Stouffer's Family Size - insert

0.75/1 Voskos (2 of these) - printable

3/1 Sundown vitamins - Publix Advantage flyer (2 of these)

1/1 Sundown vitamins (2 of these) - insert

Save 75%

Could I have done better?  Of course.  Had I shopped more like the extreme coupon users seen on TV, I would not have bought the fresher items like lettuce, grapes, bananas, roast beef, turkey and Odwalla.  That would have made my total savings 75% (11.37 paid, 44.77 value, 33.40 saved).  But, alas, man & woman cannot live on free Sundown Vitamins alone.

CVS - 85% Savings This Trip - Hershey's ECB Deal is My Favorite of the Day

Paid $6.11 -- Value $41.21 -- Saved 85% 

Started with -0- ECB -- Finished with $1.98 ECB

Transaction #1
1 ThermaCare Heat Wrap, back & hip

Total Value = 4.19
Total Paid = 3.79
Total Saved = 0.40
ECBs Rec'd = 3.79


Transaction #2 (I really like this Hershey Deal)*
2 (New) Hershey Drops, 8 oz.
6 Hershey bars, single size, B2G1 (so I paid for only 4)
6 Hershey Air bars, single size, (these were all FREE)

Total Value = 22.07
Total Paid = 1.59
Total Saved = 20.48
New ECBs Received = $3.00

Coupons & ECBs Used =

• $2/2 Hershey Drops CVS Store coupon 
• $1/1 Hershey Drops (used 2)
• 6 BOGO - Hershey Air bar single size WYB another Hershey bar

Transaction #3
2 Bumble Tuna, 5 oz cans
1 Homedics Travel Sound Machine (clearance bin)
2 Excedrin, 8 caplets

Coupons & ECBs Used =

• $1/2 Bumble Bee 
• $3 ECB from Transaction #2

Total Value = 14.95
Total Paid = 0.73
Total Saved = 14.22
ECBs Received = 1.98

I guess this shopping trip counts as Extreme Couponing.  

*Because of combining Hershey B2G1 advertised deal with the Hershey B1G1 coupons, things got a little kooky when all was rung up.  But it worked out just fine in the end even though I gave cashier one too few Hershey bars - which meant that I lost out on the extra free one from the B2G1.  But, it looks like the cashier somehow deducted one too many coupons for the B1G1 Air bar.  

Extreme Coupons (but polite): $424.19 Saved (72.5%) at CVS, Walgreen's, Pier 1 & Publix This Week

...and, didn't clear any shelves or even come close to it; bought a big variety.  

CVS, Walgreen's, Publix & Pier 1 Imports

$582.39  Products Regular Cost
$158.72  Total Amount Paid 
$422.75   Total Savings+++$41.25 still left in new Publix gift cards

What did I learn:

1.  Make sure to have coupons filed properly (I missed a couple and could have saved a few more $$)

2.  Make sure to stop at the customer service desk before checking out (once  you have all the products in your possession) if you have any unique or obscure coupon or transactions that may necessitate the cashier calling a manager.  This avoids delays in the line.  Having the products with you when showing them the coupons helps a lot. 

*(Gift cards are newly obtained from this week's promotions, but will count the gift cards in future shopping trips' savings, instead of this week.  I included 2 McDonald's BOGO Smoothies deal in the above figures.)
Plus:

• got $20 Rhapsody MP3 download codes in Schick razor packages
• getting 1% cash back on credit card
• getting swag bucks for some of the printable coupons used (which will go toward free Amazon.com gift cards from swagbucks.com).  getting 2 amazon.com gift cards this month from swagbucks.com.

And some details:

• freezer is LOADED with food (Kashi, Cascadian Farms, Morningstar Farms, Stouffers, seafood, more)
• refrigerator is filled to the brim (produce, juice, dairy, deli, etc.)
• and i won't be needing toothpaste for at least 2 years
• and i won't be needing shampoo for a least 2 years
• and i won't be needing hair styling products for at least 2 years
• and i won't be needing razors for a year
• and i won't be needing cereal (hot or cold) for around 4 months
• and i won't be needing frozen entrees (Kashi, Morningstar Farms, Stouffer's, etc.) for a couple of months
• and i won't be needing bagels for a couple of months
• and i won't be needing granola bars for a month or two
• and i won't be needing almond milk for a few weeks
• grocery shopping for the next month will just be for fresh items - produce, dairy, juices, fish, poultry, meat (although don't eat much of last 3).
• 
  

Prefer CVS to Walgreens...past week, anyway. Lured by Kashi Cereal, Aussie, Oral-B.

First CVS Coupon Trip With Stacking Scenarios
It Is Like CVS Paid Me To Shop! 

  $37.45 in Products                   Final Cost to Me  -0-
Net Overage ECB’s = $1.68

So I finally made it to CVS yesterday with my coupons and detailed list in hand.  I have avoided shopping at CVS for deals (with or without coupons).  The ExtraCare Bucks really intimidated me, plus I’ve always had problems finding what I need in CVS (the stores seem disorganized and understaffed in my area).  I simply couldn’t resist grabbing a Kashi Cereal for $3 and using my $2/1 Recyclebank.com coupon.

Here’s How It Went:

Started with -0- ECB.  Received a bunch of ECBs after’ the first transaction for store and for specific products, since it had been a while since I used the card.

I realize now that I didn’t do the transactions to maximize my savings.  The first trans.  should have been for the toothbrush alone.

Transaction #1
1 Oral-B pulsar toothbrush (very nice)
1 Campbell Select Harvest Soup
2 Large Bartlett pear cans

Coupons & ECB Used
1 $3/1 on the toothbrush (was on sale)
0 ECB
Paid Out of Pocket $4.35 (plus tax)
Saved $10.21

Transaction #2
1 Oral-B Pulsar Toothbrush
1 Kashi Heart Healthy cereal

Coupons & ECB Used
1 $2/1 Kashi
1 $3/1 Oral-B Pulsar Toothbrush
1 $3 ECB from transaction #1
Paid Out of pocket paid 99¢ (plus tax)
Saved $11.49

Transaction #3
1 Aussie shampoo
1 Aussie conditioner
1 Puff’s tissues large box

Coupons & ECB Used
$3 Aussie
$3 Aussie
$2 ECB, product specific (Aussie or Pantene)
Paid Out of Pocket:  -0- (plus tax)
Saved $10.41

Ended Up With $7 ECB + another $ 2.50 ECB on Clairol–
That means I am $1.68 ahead (not counting the Clairol ECB) & my net payment is OVERAGE of $1.68 because of the $7 in ECB vs. the -0- I had when started today.

Happy Shopping, Happy Saving.RecycleBank.com