Target Trip #1:
2 Merona t-shirts, 2 Merona Purses (was able to snag them on clearance and use the $5 coupons from online for each), 8 travel sized arm and hammer toothpaste, 1 travel size tide, 10 travel sized clean and clear, 6 travel sized St. Ives.
OOP $13.07
Target Trip #2:
2 Merona shirts, 2 packs Merona socks, $1 rake/shovel set, 3 packs Lunchables, 4 Tide travel size, 13 St. Ives travel items, 6 arm and hammer travel toothpaste.
Total OOP: $5.50
Regular Retail $88.18, total OOP: $18.57 total savings: 78%
I know it seems like I have an excessive amount of travel sized items, but don't worry with 5 kids and my husband and I we will use half of the body wash and face cleaner when we go to the beach this summer for a week, and half will be donated to the women's shelter. I was able to actually get overage on the travel sized items, which almost never happens for me at Target.
Total OOP week: $90.55 Total % saved: 77%
Total OOP month: $362 Total % saved: 76.5%
Total over budge for month: +$12
Hey! I found your blog through Southern Savers. Great deals! I'm fairly new to all this and have a question, how many papers do you buy or how do you get enough coupons to cover 4, 13, or 6 items? I'm guessing you buy the travel size so that a coupon covers most of the cost and then buy many... but I just don't have that many coupons! Just curious, and looking for some tips.
ReplyDeleteWhen there is a really good coupon that doesn't restrict travel size or good coupon in general, I go on ebay to look for it. I was able to get 20 - St. Ives $1 off coupons (no size restriction) for $.99 shipped, the same went for the toothpaste and the clear and free face cleaner. I spent $2.97 and was able to get 60 items for free and in some cases with overage (depends on store). I live in Charlotte. We get two papers, and if the coupons are going to save me well over $15 or more (of items I would actually use) then I pick up 2 - 4 more copies depending on how good they are. I also am able to get neighbors, friends, etc who do not believe in the power of coupons to give me what they don't use. It is also important to print a coupon of something you are pretty sure you will use as soon as it goes online. The target $5 coupons for the merona purses, $2 merona socks, and the merona shirt printable coupons are already off the site even though they don't expire till May 2. I also have two computers and printer (one is my husbands work computer) so I am able to get more printable coupons since most are limit of 2 per computer. If it is a super printable coupon then again, I ask a neighbor to print a page or two of the really good one's that they wouldn't use (such as diaper coupons when their kids are teenagers). Also, just because a coupon seems good, if the item is not also on sale, if you don't need it today ... wait. A lot of times the coupons in the newspaper only a few will be for items on sale that week, a lot more are of items that in the next few weeks will go on sale. If you wait, then you will get the most for your money.
ReplyDeleteHope that helps!
- Kathleen
Kathleen--
ReplyDeleteYou do a fantastic job on your site for someone like me! I am new to this couponing thing and I feel so lost and feel like there is so much more opportunity to save when i view blogs like yours! I have a few questions: on the clean and clear purchase above from target, what coupons did you use? I LOVE the morning burst products and would LOVE to find great coupons so I can buy them! I also printed the coupons for the merona purses and shirts, but was not aware that I could print more than one! Thanks for that info! :) Thank you for helping me out! I look forward to viewing your blog daily! :) Paige gwuchik04@aol.com
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteLet me start with the Clean and Clear. I went online to ebay and purchased a set of 20 clean and clear $1 coupons for $0.99. These were coupons from the actual paper that someone collected and cut out (do not buy printable coupons online, you have no idea to know if they are fraudulant). The coupons did not restrict sizing, so I was able to use them at Target for the travel size free. Some that I purchased the cashier put the $1 in, another time the cashier adjusted it to $.97 that the price was. These coupons are good through April 30, so I am not sure if you went online now you would get them in time.
On Target.com you can print each coupon 2 times (and on rare occasion more) per computer. We have two computers so I am able to print 2 each for a total of 4 of each coupon. If something is a really good deal, I will see if my neighbors or family will use that coupon and if not I will ask to print from their computer to get a few more.
I currently have a stack of 20 arm & hammer $2.50/2 toothpaster coupons that I bought off of ebay for $.99. These usually sell for $.97 to $.99 each for the travel size, and they do not restrict the size. Some store will give you the overage since they will be getting the full amount of the coupon back, when that happens it is a bonus because you get money for buying the product off your other items. These are also great for when you are at Rite Aid and are using a coupon for $3/$15 or $5/25 to use as fillers. At Rite Aid the dollar off total can be used before all other coupons, so it really helps if you have a few items that are free after coupon to offset the one's that aren't.
I personally am not one to clear a shelf unless the shelf is practically cleared. When I bought the St. Ives travel products I did get the very last face scrub, but the lotion and body wash bins were completely filled, so there was still plenty left. If it is an item I am not really needing now, I myself feel guilty to take them all just to use as fillers. Everyone has their own take.
I just started blogging in April, so I will be posting more basic info. soon about couponing. I am a little behind with end of soccer season tournement for my son. Thank you for reading and never hesitate to ask a question or even if you find a great deal letting me know!
I hope that helps and thank you again for reading!