The Checkout Chicks

The key to saving at the grocery store is simple: combine deep discount sale prices with coupons.

That’s too easy, right? But it really works.

The key is knowing your prices so that you’re paying rock bottom prices instead of marginal sale prices. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts on sale for $2.49/lb, while a decent price, is not the best price possible. Every 6-8 weeks, they go on sale for $1.89 or $1.99/lb. That’s when you want to buy extra and stock up. But it at $2.49/lb only if you’ve run out and really need it.

But how do you get better prices on non-meat products? Keep track of the lowest prices and look for manager specials.

This morning I purchased a 4-pack of Yo-Plus yogurt on manager special for $1.39. I had a $2.00 catalina coupon. I made a profit of $.61 which was applied to the rest of my purchases.

Yes, it takes a bit of effort to find the deals. Is it worth it to you? Free food is always worth it to me!

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Last week, Kroger had their Mega Sale. I cannot even begin to tell you how much I love the Mega Sale!  It’s a great opportunity to stock your pantry and deep freeze with some drastically reduced prices if you’re smart about how you shop.

The Mega Sale was held over for a second week of savings. Listed below are the Kroger deals for this week. Purchase 10 items in the Mega Sale categories and you get $5 off your total order. This $5 discount brings the price down to the prices listed below. You must purchase 10 items to get the rebate.

Using these sales prices combined with coupons, I was able to get $160 worth of groceries for $38.  Yes, $38!!!

Cattlemen’s BBQ - $1.00 - $.75 IP coupon LINK

Betty Crocker Cookie Mix - $1.00 - $.60 IP coupon LINK

Stouffers or Lean Cuisine Meals - $1.50 - $1/5 IP coupon LINK

Soft Scrub - $2 - $.50 IP coupon LINK (which will be doubled so it’s $1 off)

Soft Scrub - $2 - $.50 mfg coupon LINK

Brawny paper towels - Single roll is $1. Q for $.50/2 LINK. Tiffany was able to use this coupon even though it’s for a double pack when she purchased two single rolls. This would bring the price down to $.75/roll.

Hebrew National hot dogs - $2.50 - $.75q LINK

Ballpark hotdogs - $1.50 - $1/2 q makes these $1/pack

Softsoap - $1 - $.35q doubled makes the hand soaps $.30 each.

Speedstick/Lady Speedstick/Teen Spirit deodorant - $1 - $.50/2 q LINK. Double, this is $.50 each. OR use the $.75q for Speedstick 24/7 and it’s a final price of $.25.  (I checked tonight and the 24/7 is on sale as well.)

Palmolive - $1.50 - $.25 q LINK doubles to make this $1.

Daisy sour cream - $1 - $.50 q doubled makes this FREE.

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After over a week of extreme headaches and technical difficulties, we’re back!

Are you okay? Did you survive? I almost didn’t. I’ve been bursting at the seams to tell you about all the great deals I’ve been finding.

Office Max - 3 boxes of off brand 24count crayons, 3 kids scissors and 3 Sharpie mini highlighters — $.98 including tax!

Horizon organic milk - $1 manager special!!

Huggies travel packs of wipes - FREE last week at Kroger! (Sale price $1 minus $1 coupon)

Have you been deal hunting on your own? Tell me about it! Leave a comment and let me hear about your deals!

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Free subscription to Wired magazine

Free sample Wet personal lubricant

Free subscription The Scientist magazine

Free subscription to TV Guide

Free Tazo “Be Enlightened” tea sample

Sample of San Antonio Coffee Roasters (sign up for the newsletter)

Sample of Seattle’s Best Coffee

Free sample of Playtex personal cloths

Free subscription to Creativity magazine

Free sample Baby Phat Seductive Goddess fragrance

Free Mirena spa kit

Tampax Pearls sample

5,000 free tokens from Pogo.com

Free COPY (not subscription) of House Beautiful

Distribution Point tshirt

2009 Good Health calendar

SCOTT Xtreme Rags sample

Free subscription to Southern Boating magazine

Free subscription to More magazine

Four issues of Cosmo for free

Free sample for Fiber One Honey Clusters cereal and Fiber One Oats and Chocolate bar plus coupons!

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Today only, print out this email and take it to World Market to get a free reusable bag.

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If you were lucky enough to get $1 off 1 coupons for Dawn in your Sunday paper yesterday, CVS has Dawn 2 for $2 with $1 ECB…so if you have the mfc, you pay nothing out of pocket and make one ECB on every 2 bottles you buy.  *Money Maker* …Do the dance….

Also, there were coupons for buy one fabric refresher spray, get one air effects spray free.  If you buy 3 refreshers for 3.99 each, you can get three air effects sprays free, plus you’ll get $5 ECB’s back.  If you have coupons for the three fabric refreshers, you can sweeten this deal even more.

Finally,  Olay skin care is a good deal.  $10 ECB when you buy $20.  Remember, the $20 is before coupons at CVS!!!  The cheapest combination I could work out was to buy 4 Ribbons body wash, use the $2 off coupons for an out of pocket of $15.96 and get $10 ECB back.

Now.  If only I’d get off my computer and go shower and clean my house!

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Guest poster, Tara, here. Sharon, Aryn, and I all share a love for a great deal. Oh, the stories we could tell…

Well on to the deals, the back to school deals are starting and it’s just the first weekend in July. My son is starting Kindergarten this year and I have already printed off the school supply list. These lists crack me up, I totally understand the reason for requesting a specific brand. I still haven’t figured out why each child for my son’s class needs to bring 20 Crayola glue sticks. Yes, I said 20. I thought it was a typo until I scrolled own and saw that 1st graders needed 16. Yes, I said 16.

Fortunately, I have a stash of quite a few of the items needed on the list. My stockpile of free tissues and wipes have already come in handy! I’m feeling pretty good so far. But, my goal is to pay rock bottom prices for the remaining supplies if they aren’t free. As I perused the inserts today, I eyed the best deals in the Staples ad.

July 6-9, Staples is offering a few penny deals:

• 2-pocket folders with fasteners or without, limit 10 per customer
• Dixon #2 yellow pencils, 8-pack, limit 2 packs per customer
• Purell .5oz bottle, limit 2 per customer

Not a penny, but still a good deal:

• 1/2″ or 1″ binders for a quarter, limit 4
• Pentel Handy Lines retractable assorted highlighters, FAR (easy rebate)

Just a helpful hint, I understand they allow teachers a higher limit.

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