Couponing in Cali: 2011

I had way too much to post on Facebook so i thought why not just start a blog! So I'll be blogging anytime I go "super couponing" and i'll also post any deals i think are worthy of passing on! :) I noticed alot of the super couponers and blogs are from people in the Midwest and they have the advantage of double coupons and many stores we don't have here on the West Coast so I hope this can help some of those on the left coast and most of all I hope whoever reads it enjoys it and is encouraged to start couponing themselves!

Now on with business!

My first super couponing experience was what seems to be "common" among first timers meaning, not only was I not able to find as many products as I had coupons for but I also couldn't find some of the items, they were no longer as cheap as I had heard of and to top it off a cashier at Target wouldn't even TRY scanning my $0.55/1 Shout coupons that I was trying to use on $0.97 Shout travel size wipes! From what I have read, even experienced super couponers have issues sometimes so it totally didn't turn me off of super couponing!

Ok drum roll please!

Sooo first I started at Walmart and sad to say I couldn't find the Brillo pads or Spic and Span and I didn't have the right coupon for the right Scotch tape I was hoping to get today. As you can see it wasn't a total loss though because I found the Speed Stick deodorant that I was looking for, it was $0.98 per stick and with a $0.75/1 Degree deodorant I printed off the internet a little while ago I ended up getting both sticks for a total of $0.22 a piece!

When I found the Kikkoman all they had were a few bottles of teriyaki sauce and these pour-spout bottles of soy sauce for $1.42 each. After thinking about it for about 2 seconds I figured I would get them regardless of the pour-spout bottles since I can probably figure out a use for those in the future! I had 1 $1.00/1 Kikkoman product that I printed off the internet and 4 $0.55/1 Kikkoman product so 1 bottle ended up being $0.42 and the other 4 came out to be $0.87 each! So I got 3 bottles of soy sauce and 2 bottles of teriyaki sauce for $3.90!

I had recently seen Huggies Flushable Moist Wipes on sale at WalMart and didn't have my coupons on me (BIG mistake learn from me ALWAYS take your coupons with you!). So when i went back to pick them up today there were only 2 packs left (I'm going to go back to another WalMart tomorrow to try and get some more)! So at $1.42 per pack with the $1.00/1 Huggies Flushable Wipes from the P&G saver a couple weeks ago I was able to grab them for $0.42 a piece...they are 42 ct. packages which makes them $0.01 per wipe! I thought this was a really good deal!

Then I went to Target and couldn't find the L.A Looks Gel I was looking for and no single Bounty paper towel rolls to take advantage of another offer BUT I think I did a great job anyway!

I cut out a Target coupon from an insert they had in the paper a few weeks ago for a free 40 ct. Charmin Freshmates flushable wipes w/ purchase of Charmin bath tissue so I got two packs of toilet paper at $9.99 each and got 2 free containers of flushable wipes! To make it an even sweeter deal I got a $5 Target giftcard for buying the 2! Which technically makes them $7.50 each plus the free wipes! I'm loving this!

Giddy with excitement I strode over and grabbed some energizer batteries that were on sale for $7.00 each (a 10 pack of batteries) and I had a $1.00/1 Energizer batteries I cut out of the paper a couple weeks ago so that brought them down to $6.00 each and I got 3 at a total of $18.00 for 30 batteries thats $0.60 per battery! (Funny enough after I got home and looked at the reciept I noticed they had charged me $5.64 for one of the batteries instead of $7.00 a $1.36 error in my favor and living so far away no way in heck am I going back over that little mistake plus I think it makes up for the meanie cashier not scanning my shout coupons)

After getting the batteries I picked up 2 8 lb. bags of Iams dog food for $12.75 each and had 2 $1.00/1 coupons that I cut out of a Target insert in the paper a couple weeks ago which brought them down to $11.75 each totaling $23.50 but I found a mail-in rebate for 1 8 lb. bag of Iams (I will try to find this again and post it) PLUS for buying 2 of them I got another $5 Target gift card bringing the total to $6.75 for both bags or $3.38 per bag OR $0.42 a lb!

So lets do a quick recap...

Speed Stick = $0.98 each original price I payed $0.22 each for a total of $0.44

Kikkoman = $1.42 each original price I payed $0.42 for one and $0.87 for 4 for a total of $3.90

Huggies Wipes = $1.42 each original price I payed $0.42 each for a total of $0.84

Charmin = $9.99 each original price I payed $19.98 (for 2) - $5 gift card for a total of $14.98 + Charmin wipes (2x)

Energizer = $7.00 sale price I payed $6.00 for a total of $18.00 (or would have without the error)

Iams = $12.75 original price I payed $11.75 each (for a total of $23.50) - $11.75 mail-in rebate - $5 gift card for a total of $6.75

Total for orginal prices = $78.38

Total with coupons and gift cards/rebates = $44.91 + 2 FREE 40 ct. Charmin wipes!

Thats a savings of $33.47 not even counting the free wipes!

Needless to say I think I did a pretty good job for my very first time every super couponing! I hope this helps and or encourages other to do it also! :)

Couponing in Cali

Friday, June 3, 2011

Free Trial Contact Lenses!

Some more deals before bed!

Iams Dog Food Offer

Super Couponing Trip #1 June 2, 2011