MAJOR Savings by Stacking Coupons

Quick Couponing 101 lesson: Stacking Coupons

Stacking refers to using TWO coupons on ONE item.  Find out your store's coupon policy on this.  My grocery store will accept ONE store coupon (issued by the store) and ONE manufacturer coupon (issued by the manufacturer) on EACH item.  Some stores limit you to a certain number of times you can do this or will only allow you to purchase a certain number of the items at the special pricing with coupon. 

Stacking store and manufacturer coupons along with a SALE is when you get deep savings of 70%-100%.

Here is what stacking did for me tonight:

Yep.  I paid $1.44 out of pocket (OOP) for nearly $50 of groceries.

Here is how I did it:

6 boxes of Fiber One cereal on sale for 2/$5

(only two kind work for this scenario--Raisin and Caramel)

Use 6 $2/1 any GM cereal (also on back page of weekly ad)

Used 6 $.75/1 Fiber One from the 1/1 SS

Overage $1.50 on 6 boxes after coupons

2 Phazyme $3.49 each

Used 1 $5/2 Publix coupon--Green Advantage Flyer starting 1/28

Used 2 Printable coupons: $2/1 Phazyme MQ

Overage $2.02 

2 Sominex $3.29 each

Used 1 $5/2 Publix coupon--Green Advantage Flyer starting 1/28

Used 2 Printable coupons: $2/1 Sominex MQ

Overage $2.42

2 Gallons of milk $3.79 each

$1.44 OOP for $48 of groceries

97% Savings!!! (Definitely a personal best)

Just to give you a REALISTIC perspective on this as well, I will add this to my weekly shopping totals from earlier this week.  

My total OOP was $105

Savings: $213

Retail: $318 of groceries/cleaning products/produce/health and beauty/paper and plastic/pet food

77% savings for the week!

This is largely a food bank donation.  We will keep 2 boxes of cereal and the milks and donate the rest to our local food bank.  They are always so appreciative and I am happy to support their efforts to help the community.

Say it with me "Stacking is my friend!"

Find out how you can stack coupons at your local grocery store too.  Knowing the coupon policy is going to be your FIRST key to saving money.

Questions?  I love to help you learn how to save MOMumentally!

Customizing your weekly meal plan (E-MEALZ)

It's no secret that I use and love E-mealz!  Today I wanted to share with you exactly HOW I use it in conjunction with my couponing and money saving efforts.

First things first--what IS E-mealz?  E-mealz is a meal planning service.  You sign up for a subscription based on store, diet, family preference, etc.... Then each week you log on and download your 7-day meal plan with complete instructions and suggestions for sides.  You also get a grocery list--conveniently divided by sections of the store--that you can take when you go shopping. Check it out and see ALL the meal plans they have for different stores and diet preferences (including organic and gluten-free meal plans!!) 

Today I want to share with you my FIVE steps for customizing my weekly E-mealz meal plan for our family.  It takes about 10 minutes TOTAL, but helps me make it work best for our family and save me some more money in the process.

1. Print your list and decide your meals

Some weeks I make all 7 meals, while other weeks I may scale it back to 4 or 5 depending on what we have going on that week (or what leftovers we still have in the fridge.)  You can see this week I am cooking 4 of the meals on the list.

2. Cross off ingredients

Next I work off my grocery list and cross off any ingredients from the meals I am NOT making (in this case meals 1, 2 and 3) so I don't have to search through the entire list while at the store.  I also cross off the staples list at the bottom for the meals I am not cooking that week.

3. Shop your stockpile

As a couponer, I have a stockpile in my pantry, freezer and fridge, so that is my first "shopping trip!"  I consult the remaining ingredients and cross off any I already have in my stockpile.  I also make any necessary changes to quantities.  For example, if I originally needed 2 onions for my meals, but I have one already, then I change that quantity on my list to just 1 onion.  

I also use this opportunity to decide what substitutions I can make.  If one of the meals pairs the Tilapia with some brown rice, but I have a box of Rice-a-roni in the pantry, I make a note of that on my weekly menu.  Then I cross the brown rice off my grocery list.

By simply shopping my stockpile I am using what I have and reducing my out of pocket expenses when I go shopping.

4. Highlight purchases

Next, I go through my list with a highlighter and mark what I will be purchasing at the store. Although this isn't a ground breaking step, it certainly helps you to shop quickly when you have two cranky toddlers with you right before lunch time!  Plus I ensure that I don't miss anything when I am at the store.  This is just one little thing, but it has really made a big difference in my time in the store!

5. Search for coupons

Finally, I look at my list of highlighted ingredients and I search for coupons.  The easiest way I find to do this is by using a Coupon Database that you will most likely find on your favorite coupon matchup website.  

For example you can see from my list that one of my ingredients is Keebler Townhouse crackers and the E-mealz team has noted it is on a BOGO sale at my store this week.  So I will go to the coupon database and search for those crackers to find any coupons that I can use to go with that sale.  You can also simply search the term "Crackers" if you aren't brand specific to also find coupons that way.  The coupon database will tell you WHERE to find the coupons--either in a past insert, or in printable form.  I love taking just a few minutes to check some of the ingredients with this database as I find I can usually shave another $5 off my total weekly grocery bill for this meal plan.

Here is an example searching for cream cheese coupons:

After I have all that done, I do some quick math to add up what my total should be (pre tax) after coupons and sales.  You can see from my list that I am going to be able to get my 4 meals this week for just $35!  That is under $10 a meal that will feed us and leave some left overs for our "left over" night we have every week.

Not bad!

This really does make my life so simple and I am never left to wonder what we are going to do for dinner!  I usually go shopping over the weekend in a separate trip from my weekly "couponing shopping trip." This is my Monday- Friday menu, so I want to pick up the necessary items, along with the fresh ingredients, only a few days before I use them.

I hope you will give E-mealz a try!  They have been so so kind and given my readers an EXCLUSIVE code to save 15% off your subscription. Click any of the E-mealz icons to get your subscription started!   I ask that you become a follower here and on Facebook in order to use this code and save 15%: MOMUMENTAL.

AMAZING ORLANDO NEWSPAPER DEAL!

***Edited--Deal expires WEDNESDAY 1-18-12!!

Yay!  I can finally tell you about the incredible deal I am able to offer those local to Orlando!!!

Groupon has this deal today:

Now for a limited time only, Friday 1-13-12 through Wednesday 1-18-12, you can enjoy the most powerful source of savings delivered to your door for only pennies a week, The Orlando Sentinel!  It is power packed with yearlong savings including coupons, retail circulars, peelies, samples, and restaurant discounts!

The Couponer’s Special, Wednesday through Sunday, is just $20 for the entire year.  
Yes, that’s not a typo, just 
$20 for the entire year!  
Only 39 cents a week to enjoy the paper delivered to your door! Room service for savings!

This amazing Investment is a 94% savings on newsstand price! And you can get up to 4 subscriptions delivered to your home! For example, if you have one already coming to your home, you can get up to THREE more with this deal!!!

More papers + more coupons = more savings!


Here's the deal: it is NO SECRET that the number one source for coupons is the Sunday newspaper.  If you are even REMOTELY serious about saving money--even a little bit--then you must get this deal! 
You can easily recoup the cost of two subscriptions in just ONE WEEK's shopping trip.  And then do it again and again and again for the other 51 weeks of the year 
(Do the math on that!  MEGA savings!!)

Now although it's a GROUPON deal, you I am asking you to purchase this deal through the link below.  When you do, you will be supporting a non-profit that is near and dear to my heart:

I truly believe in the motto "In helping others, we help ourselves"  
By subscribing through MOMumental Savings and The Simple Truth Foundation, you will get this great deal while also helping to support local food banks, shelters and other help centers. 
(And doesn't that make you feel good??)

And don't forget about me!!!!  To help you maximize this opportunity I am available to teach a class of 12 or more. If you are the hostess for the class you will receive a $25.00 appreciation fee! 
Please share this information to anyone you feel will enjoy this tremendous opportunity.

Order now!! It's time to CHEER, you can lock in the Orlando Sentinel for PENNIES this year!!!

CVS shopping 78% savings!

Here is the breakdown I promised from Facebook.  And no picture because my sweet little helpers came and got my things out of the car!  Maybe this can help some of you with your CVS scenario this week!

It was my first week since before Christmas to shop CVS, so I had my quarterly ExtraCare Bucks to spend (yay!) and the Magic Coupon Machine also awarded me a free pack of Huggies diapers 

(such a happy surprise!) 

That being said, many times !MANY TIMES! I will have some scenarios worked out and get to the store and they are out of things or my coupons do not match up.  I actually expected that to happen tonight, because my coupons were fairly complicated, but it amazingly worked out!

You have until Saturday to get similar deals at your store! 

 Let me know how it works out for ya!!

Transaction 1:

6 Stayfree pads $4.49 each

1 Huggies Snug and Dry $11.99

1 Finish Gelpac $3.50

3 Fuze drinks $3

(The Stayfree, Fuze and Finish were all apart of the Buy $30, Get $10 cash card promo)

Used (3) Stayfree buy one get one free coupons from 1/8 SS 

Used (1) $1/1 Finish coupon from 1/1 SS

Used my Free Huggies coupon (deducted $11.99)

Used my $4 quarterly Extra Care Bucks

Total: $14.97 and a $10 Cash card

Savings: $50.12

Transaction 2:

6 All small and mighty 32oz sale 2 for $8

1 Angel Soft Toilet paper 12 Big rolls for $5

1 Fuze drink $1

(All of these are apart of the Buy $30, Get $10 cash card promo)

Used (6) $1/1 All coupons from 1/1 RP

Used (1) $.45/1 Angel Soft from 11/13 RP

and the $10 cash card from Transaction 1

Total $13.55 and $10 cash card

Savings: $34.37

Transaction 3:

4 Mountain Dew 20oz 2 for $2.50

1 Mars candy $.75 and get $.75 in ECB

2 Triaminic $5.79 each (Buy 2, get $3 in ECB)

Used (2) $1/2 20oz Mountain Dew--Printable coupon NLA

Used (2) $3/1 Triaminic coupons 12/4 SS

and the $10 cash card from Transaction 2 (which covers tax too) 

Total: $0 with $.29 left on cash card and $3.75 in ECB

Savings: $14.52

Transaction 4:

(2) TG Lee Milks 3.79 each ($1 ECB earned on each)

Used (2) TG Lee coupons from here

$3.75 in ECB from Transaction 3

$.29 from cash card

Total: $1.54 and $2 in ECB for next week!

Savings: $6.15

Total was $29.97 before tax for a retail value of $135.10

Savings of $105.16 or 78%!!!!

5 Savvy Saving Secrets Every Couponer Needs to Know

Welcome Tatertots and Jello Readers!
Thanks for visiting MOMumental Savings!


So you can coupon!  Great!  But how can you take it a step further? I have 5 ways you can shrink that spending budget even more!

1.  How to save $10-$15 every trip by clipping ONE coupon.


I use the coupons in my local weekly grocery ads that frequently come out for $5 off a $30 purchase or $5 off a $50 purchase.  Since I get multiple newspapers, I have several of these coupons.  By simply splitting my groceries into 2-3 separate orders, I can use one of these coupons on each order! My grocery store also accepts competitor coupons from other stores so I bought several of these books for $10 each.  Each coupon book has FOUR $5 off a $30 purchase, so I actually MADE $10 for every book I bought! You might find similar coupons in your local Entertainment book as well.  When you do, buy in multiple so you can use these coupons often!

2. How to save money on meat:

I buy my meat in BULK! There are nationwide events currently listed for 40lbs of chicken breasts, ground beef and even bacon!  I recently bought the 40lbs of 93% lean ground beef and it has been AMAZING. So easy to pull out of the fridge and brown up for a meal! 
The price is great too! If you don't need all of it, split it with a neighbor or friend! Either way, you will have meat and can shop the grocery sales for all your other needs! ;-) This saves me money twice: 1) I don't have to buy (higher priced) meat at my local grocery store weekly and 2) When we are in a pinch for dinner, I ALWAYS have something in the freezer I can defrost and through in a recipe instead of having to go out to get food!

3. How to save money on Newspapers:


I subscribe here in Orlando through the Simple Truth Foundation (a non-profit that assists in connecting people to food banks) because they SUBSIDIZE my subscription! YEP! For every subscription you order, you get a $10 Publix gift card!! Each 13 week Wed-Sun subscription is around $24, plus $10 back! That's just about $1 a week. And seriously, if you can't afford $1 a week per paper, then you need to "hang up the scissors" as Fran the Coupon Man says. I completely agree.

And if you aren't local to Orlando, call your local paper and see what deals they offer for couponers! The saying is true: "You never know until you ask!



If you want to get "fiscally fit" for 2012, click on the link to the left to subscribe and start saving on your papers too!!!

4. How to save money outside of the grocery stores:

Make the most of online coupons, in store specials and store loyalty cards--then wait for a sale!!!


This week I bought:

• 2 Wii games for the kids
• 3 Easy Bake oven mixes and 1 cake pan
• an Orange Glow mop
• a pack of boys size 4 underwear
• superglue
• Sally Hansen Salon Effects
• and a dozen PERSONALIZED golf balls 

Coupons used:


• $10 Best Buy rewards (Reward zone card) used on two Wii games marked down to $14.99 each (originally $29.99)

• $5 any purchase at Toys R Us (Rewards R Us email coupon)

• $5 Rebate peelie on Orange Glow mop

• Sally Hanson nail art marked down half price in the Clearance section at Target


• $10 off $25 purchase at Dick's Sporting Goods

• Free shipping and golf ball personalization (in store special) at Dick's ($17 value)


Total retail value was around $90 and I paid just $50 after rebates and coupons!  Not too shabby for retail shopping!

The strategies of grocery store couponing really can be applied to everywhere you shop!! Collecting coupons, waiting for a sale and then paying attention while you SHOP!

MOMumental Savings Tip: I love the website Retailmenot.com to look up coupon codes and printable coupons for retail stores!

5. How to save money on non-sale grocery items you need to buy, but don't have coupons for?

Here is the secret: The Coupon Database.

Go to your favorite coupon matchup website and look for a section called "Coupon Database."  Once you click on it, you will be taken to a search engine type of page where you type in the name of the product you need coupons for.

  

For me it can sometimes be as generic as "sausage" and it the database pulls up every sausage related coupon of many different brands.  Other times, I might type in "Jimmy Dean" because I am looking for a brand-specific coupon for sausage.  Many times there are NO coupons for the things I am looking for! Oh well!  Other times, I might be able to print or clip as much as $5 worth of coupons for things that I NEED, even if they aren't on sale.  (And yes, that happens!!!).

So there you go!  5 MOMumental Savings tips to help you save even more!

Do you follow me on Facebook?  You should! 

 It makes me feel important.  ;-)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!