My 5000 Plan

In case you aren't familiar with my reason for starting this blog, a few weeks ago I blurted out my goal to save $5000 using coupons/sales in 2012. I thought about how I would be able to make that happen, and I decided that starting a blog would be motivation to complete the goal.

What I'm doing now, is basically warming up my coupon and deal expertise! I also find that when I motivate others, I am more successful. I will work off of both these premises and strive to meet my goal!

In the past week, I've saved about $300 using coupons. This is very exciting to me, and perhaps I'm a bit obsessed. However, I only need to save about $96 a week to actually meet my goal. If I can continue at this pace, I would meet my goal in about 4 months. I can't guarantee that this will happen every week, so it was refreshing to see that I have time to stretch it out.

One thing I am going to mention is that my freezer is overflowing with ice cream. We don't eat ice cream very often, so anyone who visits is bombarded with dessert! I have plenty of storage space, but I fear that at some point I will have a very adequate stockpile of... well... everything. Part of my expects my organization skills to improve consistently throughout the next year.

I hope to share my storage experiences here as well, coming up with creative ways to store 50 jars of peanut butter without displacing the toddler from her crib! I don't expect that to happen, but I've seen that hoarders show. Yikes! Please let me know if you become alarmed that I'm storing too much. I'll start hosting more parties or something!

That's my story! Are you up to the challenge? I want to hear from you!

This afternoon's trip.

I found out that the cinnamon LOL butter IS included in the 2/3 sale. And, so I was able to use 3 75/1 coupons to get those free.  I had $4 RR from this morning.

I noticed that gillette body wash is 2/$7 and I had 2 $2/1 coupons. I ended up with:

First trans: 12 more Edys (I have no more room in the freezer) = $0 OOP + $4 RR
Second Transaction: 12 more Edys, 2 gillette body washes, 2 boxes of green tea bags, 3 cinnamon butters, 3 KC Masterpiece BBQ sauce. After coupons & one $4RR, I paid 59 cents OOP.

Third Transaction: 3 more boxes of tea bags, 2 8 o'clock coffees (2/$9 with a $2/2 coupon). I should have used 2 $4 RR coupons, but the cashier refused to take both. That cost me about $4 OOP.

I have $8 in RR left.

I checked at customer service and the RR coupons CAN be used several at a time. There are BLUE ones that can only be used one per order. Good to know!

I'm waiting for 10 more BBQ sauce coupons, but I'm too tired to go back again!

This Morning's Giant Eagle Trip

Here's my plan!

Transaction 1:
12 Edy's Smoothies - $1 each
Total = $12
(12) $1/1 coupons
=FREE + $4 OYNO (on your next order)

3 KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce - $1 each
Total = $3
(3) 50/1 coupons (8/21 insert)
=FREE

2 Yoplait Kids packs - 3/$5
Total = $3.34
(1)75/2 coupon
=1.84

Out of Pocket: $1.84
OYNO: $4

Transaction 2:
12 Edy's Shakes - $1
(12) $1/1 coupons
=FREE + $4 OYNO

8 Salada Tea - $1.99 each
(8) .75/1
=$3.92

Use $4 from Trans 1

Out of Pocket: $0
+$4 ONYO

Transaction 3:

12 MORE Edy's smoothies - $1 each
(12) $1/1 coupons
=FREE + 4 OYNO

8 Crescent Roll 4 pks. - $1 each
4 50/2  coupons
=$4

Use $4 from Trans 2

Out of Pocket: $0
+ $4 OYNO

Transaction 4:

2 LOL Margarine - 2/3
(2) .40/1
= $1.40

6 Biscuit 10pks = $1 each
(3) 50/1 coupons
=$3

2 Kraft Mayo - $2/6
(2) .75/1 coupons
= $3

Use $4 from Trans 3

Out of Pocket: $3.40


Total Out of Pocket for all items: $5.24

Last Night's GE Trip

30 Jars of Planter's Peanut Butter, 2 LifeWaters and 1 pack of gum.

Total before coupons - $116.79

Total AFTER coupons - $2.79