Walgreens
This week we will have three parts:
1. Rules for shopping at Walgreens (and there is alot!)
2. This week's deals
3. Homework! Deal scenarios to try shopping at Walgreens
MOMumental Savings at Walgreens:
-The key to saving at Walgreens is using a Register Reward in combination with a sale. Register Rewards are like "Walgreens cash" that come out of a machine at the register after you pay. They can be earned by buying a specific amount or number of items as advertised in the weekly ad. This allows you to purchase items at their lowest possible price by combining manufacturer coupons, store coupons and the register rewards.
-You do not need a store card to earn RR's
-At Walgreens (and most other stores) you cannot have more items than coupons. Your coupon to item ratio must remain 1:1 or less.
-While I describe the RR"s as "Wags Cash" the register treats them as manufacturer coupons. This means that if you do this transaction:
Triaminic--Buy 3, get $5 RR
and you use (3) $1.50/1 coupons (one for each bottle)
AND you use (1) $2/1 Store coupon
And you want o pay using $2 Register rewards
You will not have the 1:1 Ratio.
In this case, you will have 3 items and will be using 5 coupons (the RR reward counts as a Manuf. Q)
You will need 2 "filler" items to even out the ratio. Plan these in advance!! You can usually find items under $1 in the weekly ad.
-If you are using in-ad coupons, cut them out BEFORE YOU GO! This past week I paid full price for 2 Starbucks Frappicino and forgot to use the 2/$4 in ad Q because I had not cut it out. DOH!
-You can only earn the RR once in a transaction. If you are buying Hall's that will generate a $1 RR, and you buy 3 in one transaction, you will still only get $1. Buy each one in a separate transaction to get those other two $1 RR's.
-You cannot "roll" RR from the same item. If you get a $7 RR for Vaseline lotion, you cannot go buy another Vaseline lotion, use the $7 RR and get ANOTHER $7 RR. Alternate transactions instead. Buy the Vaseline in one transaction, another item in a second transaction to use the $7 RR, then buy the second Vaseline in the third transaction.
-RR cannot be replaced (they are like cash) and usually expire 2 weeks from the date they were generated.
This sounds confusing, so let's look at the weekly and monthly deals and I will give you some scenarios to try this week.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Because it's okay to take a break
I just wanted to make a point that sometimes it is okay to take a break. I know we are in the middle of learning about the deals and how to utilize those coupons and sales, but remember it is okay to take a break from it.
This week I am not feeling it--I didn't even buy a paper this weekend! We are pretty stocked up on most things that we need right now and I wasn't out to get a paper today and that is okay. Because you know what? The deals will always come around again. So keep that in mind as we start shopping in the next few weeks. We are all busy and it is okay to take a break and not chase every deal (because sometimes it DOES feel like a "chase"!!)
I even went to the grocery store this week (for produce and milk) and didn't take ONE coupon!!!
Walgreens lesson coming tomorrow.....
This week I am not feeling it--I didn't even buy a paper this weekend! We are pretty stocked up on most things that we need right now and I wasn't out to get a paper today and that is okay. Because you know what? The deals will always come around again. So keep that in mind as we start shopping in the next few weeks. We are all busy and it is okay to take a break and not chase every deal (because sometimes it DOES feel like a "chase"!!)
I even went to the grocery store this week (for produce and milk) and didn't take ONE coupon!!!
Walgreens lesson coming tomorrow.....
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Sneak Peek Week 3: Drug Store shopping
Starting next week, we will be starting our lessons on shopping at drug stores. Our first store is Walgreens and WOW will you be amazed at everything there is to be had for FREE. In preparation for our week of lessons, there are a couple of things you might want to grab if you are out at Wags this weekend.
1. Healthy Savings Coupon Booklet--usually found near the pharmacy--ask if you cannot find it!!
2. Walgreens Coloring book $.99. This Children's Activity book has many Wags coupons in it (I bought two copies!) and you will more than make your money back. I found mine in the Seasonal aisle hanging off a side of a box filled with Webkinz.
I hope the pictures help. I can't WAIT to tell you all about how you can save at Walgreens! It is better than you think!!!
In the meantime, check out iheartwalgreens for previews of the weekly ads!
1. Healthy Savings Coupon Booklet--usually found near the pharmacy--ask if you cannot find it!!
2. Walgreens Coloring book $.99. This Children's Activity book has many Wags coupons in it (I bought two copies!) and you will more than make your money back. I found mine in the Seasonal aisle hanging off a side of a box filled with Webkinz.
I hope the pictures help. I can't WAIT to tell you all about how you can save at Walgreens! It is better than you think!!!
In the meantime, check out iheartwalgreens for previews of the weekly ads!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Coupon Institute: OAMC Part 2
The second method of OAMC is for the more brave. It requires more planning, an entire day to cook and (maybe) someone hired to watch your kids. I like to enlist help also!
2. Once a Month Cooking Day:
I start about two weeks in advance by searching through my recipe books for menus. I try to find things I know my family will eat AND that will freeze well. I will give you some resources for this later, but I have always just used my own cookbooks (I am partial to Southern Living!)
After I have finalized my recipes, I make a master ingredient list that I will later use as my shopping list. I go through the ingredient list and cross out items I have already or adjust amounts accordingly (maybe I have 2 cups of shredded cheese already, but my recipes call for 6 cups).
Then I start looking through the weekly grocery circulars to find as many of the items as I can on sale. Inevitably, there will be things that I do not have a coupon for, or that are not on sale. In those cases I buy the store brand (which is usually cheapest). It is rare that a name-brand can of diced tomatoes has a coupon--the store brand was $.39/can, and really, can you tell a difference in CANNED tomatoes? Overall, I try to keep my budget to $100-$150 (including meats) and I will generally be able to make 10-12 recipes.
Once your shopping is done and help enlisted, prep any OAMC items the night before-chop, shred, dice veggies, etc....this will help your day to go faster. Get up early and get started! If you have crock pot meals, start them first so they can cook all day while you are cooking other things.
I don't use anything special for freezing--just my Tupperware or Gladware containers, freezer bags or aluminum foil (for meatloafs, etc...) What you MUST do, though, is LABEL everything. I label the item with it's name and the date it was frozen. This is very important if you make, say, a Chili and a Spicy Black Bean Soup. Once frozen, you won't know which one is which!
I have condensed it here, but I cannot stress enough the importance of PLANNING. As with couponing, organization is the key to being successful. My last cooking day I even finished earlier than anticipated!
3. Resources and tips
Here are some great websites for OAMC/Freezer meals:
Once a Month Mom: gives you everything you need including menus, shopping lists, cooking order and even printable labels. Click on Cooking.
MomsBudget: gives you downloadable forms for planning your cooking day
MomsbyHeart: has a nice OAMC tutorial
Recipe books I love:
I use this one ALL THE TIME
Another favorite!
Frozen Assets--there is an entire series of these books. They are considered the "Bible" of freezer cooking.
Tips:
2. Once a Month Cooking Day:
I start about two weeks in advance by searching through my recipe books for menus. I try to find things I know my family will eat AND that will freeze well. I will give you some resources for this later, but I have always just used my own cookbooks (I am partial to Southern Living!)
After I have finalized my recipes, I make a master ingredient list that I will later use as my shopping list. I go through the ingredient list and cross out items I have already or adjust amounts accordingly (maybe I have 2 cups of shredded cheese already, but my recipes call for 6 cups).
Then I start looking through the weekly grocery circulars to find as many of the items as I can on sale. Inevitably, there will be things that I do not have a coupon for, or that are not on sale. In those cases I buy the store brand (which is usually cheapest). It is rare that a name-brand can of diced tomatoes has a coupon--the store brand was $.39/can, and really, can you tell a difference in CANNED tomatoes? Overall, I try to keep my budget to $100-$150 (including meats) and I will generally be able to make 10-12 recipes.
Once your shopping is done and help enlisted, prep any OAMC items the night before-chop, shred, dice veggies, etc....this will help your day to go faster. Get up early and get started! If you have crock pot meals, start them first so they can cook all day while you are cooking other things.
I don't use anything special for freezing--just my Tupperware or Gladware containers, freezer bags or aluminum foil (for meatloafs, etc...) What you MUST do, though, is LABEL everything. I label the item with it's name and the date it was frozen. This is very important if you make, say, a Chili and a Spicy Black Bean Soup. Once frozen, you won't know which one is which!
I have condensed it here, but I cannot stress enough the importance of PLANNING. As with couponing, organization is the key to being successful. My last cooking day I even finished earlier than anticipated!
3. Resources and tips
Here are some great websites for OAMC/Freezer meals:
Once a Month Mom: gives you everything you need including menus, shopping lists, cooking order and even printable labels. Click on Cooking.
MomsBudget: gives you downloadable forms for planning your cooking day
MomsbyHeart: has a nice OAMC tutorial
Recipe books I love:
I use this one ALL THE TIME
Another favorite!
Frozen Assets--there is an entire series of these books. They are considered the "Bible" of freezer cooking.
Tips:
- I split my recipes to get more for my $! Since we have little kids and most recipes serve 6-8 people, I will freeze them in two parts to get two meals out of one recipe. For soups and stews I can sometimes get THREE meals out of the recipe.
- These are great "take to work" options as well. Those items that are precooked, but just need reheating the day of eating it, take them out of the freezer the night before. In the morning, throw them in your lunch bag and reheat them at work. I love this for my husband (and no cooking for me!!)
- I keep a list on my fridge of the items I have in the freezer as well as how many servings I have of it. As I cook them I cross them off my list!
- Although this is called OAMC, I often get 45-60 days worth of food. Between leftovers, eating out twice a month and the occasional McDonald's treat, these meals last us.
- I make breakfasts and lunches as well as dinners. Don't limit yourself to dinners!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Week 2 Lesson 2: Once a Month Cooking
Once a Month Cooking (OAMC) is a concept that you cook one day of the month and have meals for the rest of the month. I first tried this idea when I went to Dream Dinners a few years ago. After we moved, I could not find a meal prep-type place around here, so I thought, "Why not try it myself?" Upon researching the topic there is a multitude of information available out there for it, but it's most basic concept is this: pick out your recipes, buy your ingredients, cook your meals, then freeze them. Really. That's it.
I am going to give you two methods, followed by some web resources and tips.
1. For beginners: Cook-once-eat-10-times method
When your meat goes on sale at your "stock up price" (which you will know if you are tracking the sales and keeping a price book) buy it and cook it. I like Moneywisemoms series of posts on cooking her meats this way.
For 10lbs of Groundbeef I would divide it this way:
4 baggies of meatballs (4lbs)
8-10 hamburger patties--child and adult sizes (3-4lbs)
2-3 bags of pre-cooked meatmix (2-3 lbs)
The meatmix can be thrown into a boxed dinner, spaghetti sauce, used for tacos, etc... you get the idea. You know the step in the recipe that requires you to first "brown meat and drain"? Well, now you'll have that covered.
For 5lbs+ of Chicken I would divide it this way:
3 baggies of pre-cooked, chopped chicken (3lbs)
2lbs of raw chicken breast, frozen
Depending on the recipes I have in mind, I might chop and cook all of it!
Both of these methods take about an hour each, so if you want the Try Me version of OAMC, this is it.
I am going to give you two methods, followed by some web resources and tips.
1. For beginners: Cook-once-eat-10-times method
When your meat goes on sale at your "stock up price" (which you will know if you are tracking the sales and keeping a price book) buy it and cook it. I like Moneywisemoms series of posts on cooking her meats this way.
For 10lbs of Groundbeef I would divide it this way:
4 baggies of meatballs (4lbs)
8-10 hamburger patties--child and adult sizes (3-4lbs)
2-3 bags of pre-cooked meatmix (2-3 lbs)
The meatmix can be thrown into a boxed dinner, spaghetti sauce, used for tacos, etc... you get the idea. You know the step in the recipe that requires you to first "brown meat and drain"? Well, now you'll have that covered.
For 5lbs+ of Chicken I would divide it this way:
3 baggies of pre-cooked, chopped chicken (3lbs)
2lbs of raw chicken breast, frozen
Depending on the recipes I have in mind, I might chop and cook all of it!
Both of these methods take about an hour each, so if you want the Try Me version of OAMC, this is it.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Coupon Institute Week 2 Lesson 1+Giveaway
{edited--Giveaway is now closed}
Using the grocery sales trends to predict your meals
Every grocery store has a 12 week sales trend, which means this: if paper towels are on sale this week, they may not go on sale again for 12 more weeks. This is the reason for stockpiling--to get your through those 12 weeks!
For meal planning, sales trends can predict your meals. If Hamburger Helper is on sale this week, and your family eats alot of it, stockpile it so that you can make it through the 12 week cycle until it goes on sale again. For us, that just might mean our stockpile of HH is 3 boxes. You have to determine what is right for your family.
Another way sales trends can predict your meals is to see what meats and produce are on sale. If lettuce and tomatoes are on sale this week, maybe we have tacos on Tuesday and fajitas with salad on Friday.
Before I would start couponing I would make my meal plan, then go through the coupons I had and pull the ones I would need for my ingredients. Little did I know, I was going about this ENTIRELY WRONG. Now I sit down, see what is on sale and what areas of my pantry/freezer is empty THEN make my menu for the week.
This is my Menu for this week:
Monday: Steak and potatoes left over from the weekend
Tuesday: Creamy chicken Divan
Wednesday: Pantry meal (maybe Hamburger Helper!)
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Pizza (always pizza on Fridays!)
Saturday: Chicken a la King
The two chicken meals come from my freezer that I made during my last Once a Month Cooking session.
I actually do not need very much from the grocery store, so I used this week to stock up on Gatorades for my hubby, Toaster Strudel for my daughter and wipes and diapers for the babies. There was more food at another grocery store that was on a pretty good sale, but I am taking my own advice and letting some deals go! Some weeks it is easier than others to make it to all my stores. This week's grocery bill was only $50 INCLUDING two packs of diapers a 720 ct. box of wipes and stocking up on the drinks and breakfast pastries.
So now you have a homework assignment: Look at your grocery's weekly circular and do two things:
1. Find out when the circulars come out and when sales are valid (this will help you in weeks 3-5 too). For me the new grocery sales ad comes out on Tuesdays and are valid Wednesday-the next Tuesday. CVS, Target, Walgreens and Walmart ads typically run Sunday-Saturday.
2. Looking at your grocery circular, make a meal plan. It can be for this week or next week, but make it based ONLY ON what you see in the ad+what you have on hand.
When we combine this skill with using coupons, you will be AMAZED at what you will save.
Using the grocery sales trends to predict your meals
Every grocery store has a 12 week sales trend, which means this: if paper towels are on sale this week, they may not go on sale again for 12 more weeks. This is the reason for stockpiling--to get your through those 12 weeks!
For meal planning, sales trends can predict your meals. If Hamburger Helper is on sale this week, and your family eats alot of it, stockpile it so that you can make it through the 12 week cycle until it goes on sale again. For us, that just might mean our stockpile of HH is 3 boxes. You have to determine what is right for your family.
Another way sales trends can predict your meals is to see what meats and produce are on sale. If lettuce and tomatoes are on sale this week, maybe we have tacos on Tuesday and fajitas with salad on Friday.
Before I would start couponing I would make my meal plan, then go through the coupons I had and pull the ones I would need for my ingredients. Little did I know, I was going about this ENTIRELY WRONG. Now I sit down, see what is on sale and what areas of my pantry/freezer is empty THEN make my menu for the week.
This is my Menu for this week:
Monday: Steak and potatoes left over from the weekend
Tuesday: Creamy chicken Divan
Wednesday: Pantry meal (maybe Hamburger Helper!)
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Pizza (always pizza on Fridays!)
Saturday: Chicken a la King
The two chicken meals come from my freezer that I made during my last Once a Month Cooking session.
I actually do not need very much from the grocery store, so I used this week to stock up on Gatorades for my hubby, Toaster Strudel for my daughter and wipes and diapers for the babies. There was more food at another grocery store that was on a pretty good sale, but I am taking my own advice and letting some deals go! Some weeks it is easier than others to make it to all my stores. This week's grocery bill was only $50 INCLUDING two packs of diapers a 720 ct. box of wipes and stocking up on the drinks and breakfast pastries.
So now you have a homework assignment: Look at your grocery's weekly circular and do two things:
1. Find out when the circulars come out and when sales are valid (this will help you in weeks 3-5 too). For me the new grocery sales ad comes out on Tuesdays and are valid Wednesday-the next Tuesday. CVS, Target, Walgreens and Walmart ads typically run Sunday-Saturday.
2. Looking at your grocery circular, make a meal plan. It can be for this week or next week, but make it based ONLY ON what you see in the ad+what you have on hand.
When we combine this skill with using coupons, you will be AMAZED at what you will save.
I'm here
I promised our first lesson today, I know. I am sorry to be behind!
I have to finish my post on meal planning tonight. The kids won't seem to let me get much done today. Good thing I had the week's meals planned so atleast that was easy!
More tomorrow!
I have to finish my post on meal planning tonight. The kids won't seem to let me get much done today. Good thing I had the week's meals planned so atleast that was easy!
More tomorrow!
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