Coupons 101

Hey Everyone!

I know that several of you are asking about how to save so much money in groceries each week so I figured this may be the best way to answer questions and help out! Let me start off by saying that this is SUPER easy once you understand it and it makes you feel so good about saving so much money for your family. Matt and I are now able to set aside for the Thanksgiving Offering, go on a date occasionally and purchase the things we need each week that are not allocated in our normal budget. You may feel overwhelmed at first but know that, "Blessed are those who find wisdom!"

Most of what I will discuss will be from the site that I use. There are others out there that may work for you. I am just using this blog to discuss what works for me. I will post what I do each week and you can comment, ask questions, share your successes and we will all be better off learning from one another! There are tons of things that I don't know yet about how coupons work at other stores - so any other info you learn would be GREAT! I currently use Publix only but I am venturing into Walgreens and we can discuss this at another time. So, here goes;

I use www.southernsavers.com
Click on the getting started guides and read those
Then venture onto the tab on that says PUBLIX

She lists Archives here for Publix - you want to find the weekly Ad that is dated for the week you are planning to shop. She posts the B1G1 sales on Wednesday and they start on Thursday (at the Publix on Conners/Liberty Rd.) and last for one week.

UNDERSTANDING THE WEEKLY ADS:
Once you are on the Weekly Ad here you will find each item that is on sale at Publix. Under each item in RED are coupon options that you could use. For Instance:

• Betty Crocker Hamburger, Tuna or Chicken Helper, at $1.99- Normal Price (.99¢ - will ring up as this because it is B1G1)
  -$1/3 Helper Meals SS 9/13, 8/09 or “Better at Home” booklet
  -.75/3 Helper Meals SS 9/13, 8/09 or printable or here
  -$1 off Ground Beef wyb any Hamburger Helper SS 9/13 or printable
  Free Publix Bag wyb (2) General Mills products SS 9/13 or printable
• **Deal Idea**
  Buy: (3) Hamburger Helper .99¢ ea
  (1) Hamburger 1 lb $1.99
  (1) Resuseable Bag
  Use:
  -$1/3 Helpers
  -$1 off Ground Beef
  Free Bag
  Total Due: $2.96 for 1lb of ground beef, 3 boxes of hamburger helper & a free reusable Publix shopping bag (I LOVE THESE!)

You simply click the link that you want that says PRINTABLE and print your coupons. Sometimes you may want to print two so you can more. When you first start you will have to download the coupon printer to your computer.
Sometimes she will list Deal Idea's for you. Other coupons you can find are in your AJC although I don't use alot from AJC and I still save alot.

PENNY ITEM:
I go to Publix on Sunday and get my weekly things like - milk, bread, eggs, AJC and I also pick up there penny item. A Penny Item is only on Sundays & Mondays. If you spend $10 they give you an item for one penny. The item is chosen each week for you. I think two weeks ago it was Publix Special Roast coffee - that I got for 1 penny! This is also how I get my AJC (since I have to spend $10).

DOUBLE COUPONS AT OUR PUBLIX:
Publix will double any coupon that is .50 or under. For instance last week the Green Giant Frozen Veggie's are on sale for $1. There is a link to print .50 off Green Giant Frozen products. Once doubled I get this item for FREE! I printed as many as my computer would let me - I think 3. These are also General Mills products so I also printed the Publix Free Reusable Bag and got ANOTHER bag for free. SO - 3 boxes of frozen veggis and a reusable bag - ALL FOR FREE!

You can also use a STORE Coupon AND a Manufacture Coupon on any one item. They also accept TARGET coupons!! For instance: One week I used a $1/2 boxes of Cinn. Toast Crunch TARGET coupon AND a $1 off General Mills Cereal Man. Coupon. The Cinn. Toast Crunch was on sale B1G1 (originally $3.99 rings up half off at $1.99) - so I got this box of cereal for .50. Of course I printed as many as possible and got 4 boxes for only $2.

So - visit www.southernsavers.com and fiddle through the site...then upload any questions on here (I will check frequently). Also, I shop on Friday mornings if you'd like to go with me! We are pretty stocked up this week in groceries so I will just be buying some freebies and necessary items. I'll post what I get and my reciept when I get back this afternoon. ALSO - next week I'll share how I menu plan. HAPPY COUPON CLIPPING!!! Plz call or email with ANY questions!!

- Abi Shaffer