Items to Purchase in January

Cuckoo for Coupon Deals recently posted a list of the best items to purchase in January.  I didn't think it was the greatest list, but it was worth reading through.  I would ad canned goods (especially soups) to the list. 

I tend to think sales are weather-based. 
{{Cold Weather = Cold & Flu Season = Sales on Cold Medicines and Soup}}
So, keep an eye out for things you'd be likely to purchase when it's cold outside.  Plus, Spring is right around the corner so I'm seeing more and more displays for cleaning products!  As for soda, I think the best sales for soda usually take place near Fourth of July for our area.  I did get Sunkist 12-packs for $3 each at Kmart yesterday!

Free Menu Planner

I am horrible when it comes to planning a menu.  It's something I'd really like to do, it just never gets done.  I am encouraged by this cute (and free) Menu Planner from Homeschool Creations!  Maybe I'll find some time this weekend to give this a try!

DIY Dish Washer Soap Packets

I haven't tried this, but I am intrigued by the idea of making your own Dish Washer Soap Packets!  Lady with the Red Rocker shows you how!  If you give it a try, let me know how it turns out!  I especially like the idea of saving money by making these myself!

UPDATE: Staples & Charmin

Well, just when I thought I had this Charmin sale figured out...... My kiddo and I headed to Staples yesterday afternoon to checkout the deal.  I was just too curious to pass it up.  I had to know if the store had the 16-roll pack for $5.99.  And they do!  There is a big stack of them near the print desk. 

However, if you weren't lucky enough to get the sale ad in your Sunday paper, you're not getting lucky with the instore ad because it doesn't have the coupon on the bottom of the front page.  Maybe it was hiding somewhere in the pages, I didn't flip through to check.  But, the ad does show the 16-roll package on sale for $5.99.  I don't know what was wrong with the online ad.  I hate it when there are discrepancies!

You can not use the $5 off a $25 purchase AND the 25-cent manufacturer's coupons.  I  know you probably read that you can combine them, but the store coupon clearly says "no other coupons".  You have to make a choice, use one or the other.  Obviously you want to use the Staples $5 coupon!

Deal Idea: Buy 4 packages at $5.99 for a total of $23.96 then find something for $1.04 to push your total up to $25.  Even better, shop with a friend and split the TP so your out-of-pocket will be less!  You're still getting a heck of a good price even if you only purchase one package at $5.99 and you could use your 25-cent coupon on it!  You should also be able to price match this sale at Walmart (if they carry the 16-roll package).

Dollar General: Fresh Start Sweepstakes

I didn't win anything in the Fresh Start Sweepstakes Instant Win Game, but I did get an awesome Dollar General store coupon for All by sharing with three friends by email!  You need to have three email addresses handy and click the "save now" button near the bottom left.  Simply enter the emails and wait for your coupon to arrive in your email inbox!  And, yes, these are STORE coupons so you should be able to "stack" them with a manufacturer's coupon!  Awesome!  Thanks, Leigh!

1/4 Market Place Coupon Matchup



Market Place Coupon Matchup
Sale dates: Wednesday, January 4th - Tuesday, January 10th.

Gime Me $5 Savings (Save $5 instantly for every 10 "give me $5" items you purchase!  Price below is AFTER instant savings.)

• Frito Lay Chips $1.48
• Folgers Country Roast Coffee $5.98 {-.25/1 Folgers coffee product, 3 oz +, RP 12/04
• Kraft Homestyle or Liquid Dinners $1.48 (That's my stock up price!)
• Premium Crackers $1.48 {-$1/2 Nabisco crackers (Facebook) printable
• Kellogg's Special K $2.48 {-$1/3 Kellogg's Special K cereals, 11.4 oz +, RP 1/01
• Viva Paper Towels (6-8 roll) $6.98 {-.50/2 Viva towels Big Roll or (1) 2 pk+ printable
• Taco Bell Dinner Kits $1.48
• Special K Bars/Crackers or Keebler Right Bites $1.98 {-$1/2 Keebler or Sunshine 100 cal Right Bites snacks, 6 pk + printable
• Cottonelle Toilet Tissue (12 roll) $6.98
• Red Gold Ketchup $0.48
• Murray Sugar Free Cookies $1.88 {-$1/2 Murray sugar free cookies, 4.44 oz + printable
• Pictsweet Vegetables $0.68
• Jello Cups 6-packs $1.98
• Pillsbury Biscuits (6 pack) $1.48
• Kraft Cheese Singles $2.98 (larger package than the Kraft $5 Event)
• Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs or Turkey Dogs $1.48
• Oscar Mayer Subs or Cracker Combos $1.48 {-.50/1 Oscar Mayer Lunchables with fruit printable
• Oscar Mayer Carving Board $2.98 {-$1 off Oscar Mayer Carving Board meats printable

Kraft Buy 5 Save $5 {You can order a Kraft Make it Delicious Cookbook that includes $30 in Kraft coupons!  The fine print says the book will arrive in 2-4 weeks, so you won't be able to get it in time for this sale, but it might be worth checking out!  Find it on HSN}

• Kraft Cheese Singles $1.75 each (wyb 5 items)
• Kraft Chunk or Shredded Cheese $1.48 each (wyb 5 items)
• Kraft Natural Slices $1.48 each (wyb 5 items)
• Kraft Velvetta Cheese $4.38 each (wyb 5 items)
• Kraft Parmesan Cheese $2.48 each (wyb 5 items)
• Kraft Philly Cooking Cream $1.38 each (wyb 5 items)

Regular Weekly Ad Matchup

• Lean Cuisine Entree's 5/$10 {-$1/5 Lean Cuisine product, SS 1/01
• Totino's Pizza Rolls $6.75 {-.40/2 Totino's Pizza Rolls, SS 12/11 or -.40/2 Totino's Pizza Rolls printable or -.50/2 Totino's Pizza Rolls printable
• Land O Lakes Butter $3.28 {-.40/1 Land O Lakes margarine printable
• Country Crock $2.98 {-.40/1 Shedd's Country Crock spread (Facebook) printable or -.40/1 Shedd's Country Crock spread, excl honey and pumpkin flavors printable
• Prairie Farms Cottage Cheese 2/$5 {Prarie Farms website printable
• Bar-S Franks 4/$5 {-.50/2 Bar-S franks (Facebook) printable
• Fast Fixin Chicken Wings or Meatballs $5.97 {-$1 off Fast Fixin or Fast Classics product printable
• TN Pride Sausage $2.87 {-$1/2 Tennessee Pride sausage product printable
• Pillsbury Grands Biscuits 2/$3 {-$1/2 Pillsbury Grands reg or Jr refrigerated biscuits printable or -.30/2 Pillsbury Reg or Jr Grands biscuits, SS 12/11 or -.30/2 Pillsbury Refrigerated Grands biscuits, SS 11/13
• Yoplait Light Granola Yogurt $1.88 {-.75/1 Yoplait Light with Granola package printable
• Red Gold Tomatoes or Sauce $1.28 {-$1/3 Red Gold canned tomato products, 10 oz + printable or -.50/2 Red Gold tomato product printable or -.75/1 Red Gold diced tomatoes w/ green chilies printable
• Red Gold Tomato Juice $1.28 {-.50/2 Red Gold tomato product printable
• Keebler Chips Deluxe $1.98 {-$1/2 Keebler cookies printable
• General Mills Cereal 2/$5 {-$1/2 General Mills Cheerios cereals printable; there should be many printables available!
• Pringles 2/$3 {-$1/4 Pringles Super Stack cans, 180g +, PG 1/01
• Bunny Bread $1.48 {-.25/1 Bunny Bread, SS 10/30

Non-Coupon Good Buys

• Boneless Chicken Tenders $1.87/lb
• Best Choice Vegetable Oil $1.98
• Tyson Fully Cooked Bacon 2/$5
• Best Choice Apple Juice $1.28
• Best Choice Great Northern or Pinto Beans 2/$1
• Red Gold Tomato Sauce 2/$0.78

$4 Extreme Saver "Stock-Up" List

• Best Choice Vegetable Oil $1.98
• Tyson Fully Cooked Bacon 2/$5
• Best Choice Apple Juice $1.28
• Best Choice Great Northern or Pinto Beans 2/$1
• Red Gold Tomato Sauce 2/$0.78

1/4 Food Giant & Sureway Coupon Matchup

Food Giant and Sureway Coupon Matchup
Sale dates: Wednesday, January 4th - Tuesday, January 10th.

Smart Shopper Savings

• 18 count Large Eggs $2.48 {sorry, no coupon

Regular Weekly Ad Matchup

• Campbell's Chicken Noodle or Tomato Soup 2/$1 {-.40/3 Campbell's condensed soup, excl chicken noodle, tomato or Great for Cooking soup, SS 12/04 or -$1/5 Campbell's Condensed soup, excl Great for Cooking printable
• Prairie Farms Cottage Cheese 2/$5 {Prairie Farms printable
• Green Giant Boxed Vegetables 4/$5 {-.60/3 Green Giant frozen boxed vegetables, SS 11/13 (exp 01/07) or -.60/3 Green Giant frozen boxed vegetables, SS 12/11
• Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal 2/$6 {-$1 off Honey Bunches of Oats cereal, 13 oz + printable
• Campbell's Select Soups 2/$3 {-$1/4 Campbell's Select Harvest can or bowl, SS 12/04 or -.50/2 Campbell's Healthy Request Chunky or Select Harvest soups, SS 1/01
• Bunny Bread 2/$3 {-.25/1 Bunny Bread, SS 10/30
• Snack Well's Cookies 2/$5 {-$1 off Nabisco Snackwells cookies, brownies or popcorn printable
• Pampers Easy-Ups or Diapers $9.98 {-$1/2 Pampers bags or $1 off one box of diapers or pants, PG 1/01
• Downy Liquid $9.98 {-$.50/1 Downy liquid fabric softener or dryer sheets, excl trial size, PG 1/01
• Puffs $1.98 {-.25/3 Puffs singles or one 3 pk., PG 1/01
• El Montery Burriots $2.98 {-.50/1 El Monterey burritos, family pk, SS 10/16

Non-Coupon Good Buys

• Boneless Breasts or Tenders, Family Pack $1.98/lb
• Best Choice Canned Vegetables 2/$1

$4 Extreme Saver "Stock-Up" List

• Campbell's Chicken Noodle or Tomato Soup 2/$1 {-.40/4 Campbell's condensed soup, excl chicken noodle, tomato or Great for Cooking soup, SS 12/04 or -$1/5 Campbell's Condensed soup, excl Great for Cooking printable        --Only 30-cents each after double coupon!
• Best Choice Canned Vegetables 2/$1

Get your Charmin at Market Place TODAY

If you read my earlier post about Charmin on sale this week at Staples, you will be happy to hear that Market Place has the same 9-roll package of Charmin on sale through today (1/3) for $3.98!  Plus the 25-cent coupon from Sunday's paper will double at Market Place!  So, get it at Market Place and not at Staples!  Pay $3.48 for a 9-roll package!  That's about 39-cents per roll. 

That is more than Cuckoo for Coupon Deals stock up price of 19-cents per roll.  But, it's going to be hard to find 9-rolls of TP for $1.71.  So, here's my rule of thumb....The White Cloud brand at Walmart costs around 50-cents per roll for a 12-roll package.  So, if you can get the brand you prefer for less than 50-cents a roll, it's a good price!

First Sale Week of the Year

Good Tuesday morning!  I don't know about you, but I think I'm ready for Spring Break.  It was way too cold outside yesterday!  Any hoo, I had a thought that I wanted to share with you.  This is the first Sale Week of 2012.  It's a great time to begin your serious coupon journey and to start keeping track of the money you're saving by using coupons and price matching.  It's also a great time to begin watching weekly sales to see when items go on sale and for how much.  Think of it as the beginning of your "price book".  Being brand loyal will come in handy because you'll only need to spot trends for products you already use. 

And it's looking like a great year to save, too!  Kroger is starting off with a great P&G stockup sale.  Plus, Kmart announced that you can double coupons every Wednesday and Saturday through April!  If you're planning to start stocking up on donatable items, be sure you look for expiration dates in the end of 2014 range, that way your items will still have plenty of shelf life when you donate them in the fall!

It's only Tuesday, so we have the whole week ahead of us to start saving.  I'm going to begin by making myself a list of what I have in stock.  My goal is 6-8 months of stuff (because back-to-schoool sales are only 6-8 months away!)  If you have a great system for keeping track, message me at couponforchange@live.com so I can get started, too!  I didn't keep up with my "rock bottom price" or coupon savings at all in 2011 so that's one thing I am determined to do this year!  Wish me luck!

Don't Miss the "Save $4 P&G Sale" at Kroger this Week

Kroger is having a "Save $4 when you buy 4 participating Proctor & Gamble products" sale this week and you can find some amazing deals!  Visit I Heart Kroger for great deal ideas.  Just remember that the P&G coupons are coded so you can only use 4 in one cash register transaction.  This means you'll have to do a lot of small checkouts if you're doing a whole lot of shopping.  So, be kind to the line forming behind you.  If you've got a buggy full of goodies, do the right thing and go to the back of the line!