Praise Aldi

I haven't been doing too much food shopping lately b/c we had plenty in the stockpile, and then we were out of town for 4 days, so I have been a little behind on things. The only things I bought were produce, and we all know that is something that is hard to find coupons for!
But I finally needed to get some necessities and went to Aldi b/c I know it is an easy place to shop and get great deals without having to organize very much beforehand.
I just want to take a moment to praise all that is Aldi. That place is fan friggin tastic! I can go in there and wander around without a list and buy all kinds of stuff I didn't plan on, and still come out basically unscathed in the wallet department.

Here's what I got:
Hot dog buns .79
Bag of mini bagels 1.89
Fudge stripe cookies 1.09
Bag of frozen salmon patties (4 filets, wild-caught) 3.99
2 bags of deli-sliced cheese (muenster and colby) 1.49 ea.
Real fruit frozen bars (box of 4) 1.99
Multi-grain frozen waffles (box of 8) 1.29
Red grapes (a damn lot of them, and really good ones too!) 2.29
4 pears (pre-packaged) .99
Broccoli crowns (pre-pack) 1.29
3 Zucchinis (pre-pack) 1.29
Bananas (pre-pack) 1.00
64oz 100% apple juice 1.29
Welch's aqua juice 1.99
Gallon skim milk 1.44
100% juice fruit punch 2.19
1 plum .33

Total: $28.12

And also I want to give props to them for an extremely readable receipt!
Seriously folks, if you don't have time/energy/desire/organization skills/etc. to put up with the coupon game, just go to Aldi. You will still get a bag of quality groceries without feeling cheated!

That same day I also stopped in at Kmart and took advantage of double coupons to get Huggies wipes for 1.99, Pampers for 7.99, and a tub of Oxiclean for 4.50. Not the best deals on the planet, but still pretty alright.

Tomorrow I will be making my way to Bigg's for my 2nd try at the Kraft rebate (it ends tomorrow btw!), and maybe heading over to Kroger for a quick tap into the mega-sale b/c I haven't even touched it yet...

Bigg's 8/12

Today I stopped by Bigg's to take advantage of the $25 Kraft rebate. I got:

4 Planters trailmix
1 California pizza for one
2 Kraft shredded cheddar
1 Kraft cheddar snacks (indiv. wrapped cheese blocks)
2 Kraft American cheese singles
1 Digiorno pizza
2 Philly cream cheese tubs

Total was $25.94
I used $7.50 in MFQs
OOP = 18.44

However, the rebate did not print out at the end of my receipts for some reason, so I went to the customer service desk and the lady there oculdn't figure out the problem in a few minutes, so she just gave me a $25 gift card. I will just use this on a second go at the rebate and really be maximizing my dollars! Basically I spent 18.44 and will be getting back $50 ($30 in groceries, which you know will be a lot of groceries once I add coupons, $20 on a prepaid Visa card from the rebate)!
Coincidentally, the same thing happened to my friend's dad, and he will also be trying for the rebate again, using his gift card as payment.
Moral of the story: Bigg's has great customer service! Now if only they would double coupons everyday!

Staples 8/2 - Free Label-maker

My last stop today was Staples for the Casio label-maker. I have been wanting to buy a label-maker for a while now to really organize my stock-pile, as well as everything else in my new abode, so I jumped at the chance to get this one for FREE after rebate. This is the first time I have ever done a Staples rebate, but I hear it is really fast. It was really simple to fill out the form online.

It was $14.99, I used a 10% off coupon that I printed. Paid $14.37 OOP, and will get a rebate making it free. I am not sure, but I think I will actually get a full rebate of $14.99, so that's a .62 money-maker! I won't spend it all in one place! haha

Kroger Trip 8/9

8 bags of Goldfish @ .99 ea. (this is the best price I ever see, so I stock up)
3 bags of Puffs to go @ 1.79 ea. - used .25/3 eSaver Q and .25/3 MFQ = $1.62 ea.
3 Playtex Handsaver gloves @ 1.99 ea. - used rain check, making them .99 ea. and $1/1 MFQs = FREE
2 Chiquita apple bites @ .79 ea. - used $1/1 IPs = FREE
2 Chiquita pineapple bites @ .79 ea. - used B1G1 peelies = FREE
1 Tide in-wash stain release gel packs @ 5.88 - used 1.50/1 mailer MFQ and $.50/1 eSaver Q = $3.88
4 Covergirl nailpolish @ 2.77 ea. - used 2.50/2 MFQs = $1.01 ea.
1 Oscar Meyer weiners @ 3.19
1 Kroger muenster cheese slices @ 1.99
1 Suddenly pasta salad @ 2.15 (forgot my MFQ!)
2 Lance cracker boxes @ 2.89 ea. (these were cheaper at my old Kroger!)
1 broccoli stalk @ 1.48
1 Buitoni parm cheese @ 3.69 (one of my expensive guilty pleasures)
1 Kroger milk 1/2 gallon @ 1.25
1 bag of red potatoes @ 3.99
1 bag of clementines @ 3.88
1 bag of grapes @ .87/lb = 1.44
1 nectarine @ 1.48 lb. = .78
1 green pepper @ .68
1 bananas @ .48/lb. = 1.30
1 Kroger tortillas @ 1.49

-$4 P&G promo (for Covergirl nailpolish)
-$4 P&G promo (for Puffs and Tide)

Q savings of $16.33
Kroger plus savings of $24.91
OOP = $48.55
Total savings of $41.14 aka 46%!!!!

Not bad for not having many Qs with me.

CVS Trip 8/9

I had a very busy day, hitting up 3 stores! (actually I went to Target too, for some free cookies, but they didn't have them, wah!)

CVS:
3 packs of Twizzlers @ 2/$4 - used $1/3 MFQ = $5 for 3
1 pack (6) Hershey's milk choc bars @2/$6 = $3
1 pack (6) Hershey's almond @ 3.99 - used $1/2 Hersh 6 pks. = $5.99 for both
3 Dove bars @ 2/$1
3 Snickers bars @ 2/$1 - used 4 Free Chocolate Fridays mailer Qs = 4 Free + overage and $1 for the extra 2 bars
1 Neutrogena moisture shine lipstick @ 6.99 - used $3/1 MFQ
1 Revlon mineral foundation @ 9.99
1 newspaper @ 1.75

Used $13.94 ECBs
Used $5/$25 CVS printable Q for taking autofill online quiz
(saved $41.90 total)

OOP = $6.47
+got 11.99 ECBs (for Neutrogena and Revlon)
Net = profit of $5.52

This trip did not actually go as planned, for better and worse. I thought the Hershey almond 6 pk. was part of the candy deal of spending $15, get $5 ecbs, but it turned out not to be and I didn't realize until I was out of the store. So I spent .99 more than I had planned and didn't get my ECBs (I need to still spend $3 more on the correct candy to get the $5 ECBs). I could return it, but I will probably just eat it instead ;D On the bright side, my Free Chocolate Friday coupons took off the pre-sale price of the candy bars, so I actually made overage on those, which kind of makes up for the previously mentioned accidental purchase.

Target Trip 8/3

1 Swiffer wetjet starter kit @ 17.00 (on sale from 19.99) - used $2/1 MFQ = $15.00
2 Electrasol power tabs @ 3.59 ea. - used $2.50/1 MFQs = $1.09 ea.
1 Irish Spring bodywash @ 2.99 - used $2/1 IP = .99
1 Softsoap body wash @ 2.99 - used $2/1 IP = .99
2 Silk soymilk @ 2.94 ea. - used $2/1 MFQs (from ebay) and .50/1 Target Qs = .44 ea.
1 bag of raisin boxes @ 1.97 ea.
1 Archer Farms sorbet @ 2.99 (I thought this was on sale for less, but must have read the sign wrong)
2 Softsoap Ensemble pumps@ 5.79 ea. - used $1/1 IPs and $2/1 Target Qs = 2.79 ea. (I thought the $5 gift card promo was still running on these, but it's not, so I will probably take them back)
1 Morningstar Farms chik'n patties @ 3.39 - used $1/2 MFQ and $2/2 Target Q = $1.89 ea.
8 boxes of poptarts 8 ct. @ 1.75 ea. - used $1/2 MFQs from 8/2 Kellogg's insert and .75/1 Target Qs = .50 ea.

OOP = $40.81
Saved $41.71
will submit for $10 Kellogg's rebate
Net = $30.81 ($25.23 when I return ensembles)

Gotta love saving more than you spend!
The best thing about this trip was that I got things I actually need right now, such as the wetjet and the Electrasol. A lot of things I buy are to put in the stockpile for later, which is nice, but it's always pleasing when I get to buy urgent necessities at rock bottom prices.

Meijer Trip 8/1

2 flashlights @ 1.69 ea. (clearance)
1 convoluted foam mattress pad @ 13.99 (on sale from 15.99)
1 pack muenster cheese @ 2.59
2 packs Bar S hotdogs @ 1.00 ea. - one was FREE b/c it was my 11th sale item
3 Hamburger Helper @ 1.00 ea. - used $1/3 MFQ = .67 ea.
2 Warm Delights @ 1.00 ea. - used $1/1 MFQs = FREE
1 Hormel Pepperoni pack @ 1.00 - used $1/1 MFQ = FREE
2 Aunt Millie's hotdog buns @ 1.00 ea. - used .35/1 MFQs (dbls to .70) = .30 ea.
1 Dole Salad bag = 1.00
2 Kashi waffles @ 2.00 ea. - used $1.50/1 IPs = .50 ea.

OOP = $26.69
saved $20.20 ($11.80 in sales and $8.40 in Qs)

This is the trip I sent Jon on and he did a stand-up job!

CVS Trips

*CVS Trip 8/1:

2 boxes of Kashi crackers @ 3.33
1 box of Kashi chewy bars @ 3.33

used $1/1 and $1.50/1 IPs
used $5.98 ECBs

OOP = $1.53
(saved $11.64)
+got back $5 ECBs
Net = profit of $3.47

*CVS Trip 8/2:
2 Pampers crusier packs @ $10 ea. - used $1/1 MFQs from 8/2 PG
2 stretch book covers @ .99 ea.
2 notebooks@ .99 ea.
2 compasses @ 1.50 ea.
2 rulers @ .99 ea.
1 permanent marker @ .01
1 CVS mouthwash @ 2.59 - used FREE CVS gift Q from previous trip's receipt print out
1 face mask @ 1.99
2 newspapers @ 1.75 ea.

used $9.95 ECBs
used $5/$30 CVS email Q

OOP = $19.05
(saved $31.19)
got back $13.94 ECBs (for school supplies and diapers)
net = $5.11

Santa Cruz

Just a reminder that the Santa Cruz organic lemonade 4/$5 sale at Kroger ends tomorrow (as far as I know), so make sure to use any of those coupons you might still have from the site. It was in PDF format, so I have it saved on my computer if anyone wants it, let me know and I will email it to you. The coupon is good until 9/30.

Jon is currently doing my CVS and Meijer trips for the sales ending today. I couldn't go b/c Penny was in bed and if she wakes up and I'm not here, all hell breaks loose. I have faith in the ol' DH to come back successfully couponed though! I will update the trips later.

Free Food at Your Doorstep!

Check out myfrugaladventure's post about how to get $10 of free food from Schwan's delivered to your home. I just ordered some couscous and veg!