Extreme Couponing

Have you seen this new show on TLC? These people buy hundreds of dollars worth of groceries and only pay cents for the whole transaction. It is amazing to me! So it has become our summer project to be couponers--just not quite as extreme :)

I am proud to report that on my first coupon trip, I saved $102.78.

Here's how it went down:

1. I scanned the store circular and then searched for specific coupons on sale items. Last week, there were tons of items that were Buy 1, Get 1 for 1 Penny, so I looked for these first. I found great coupons for the featured tenderloins, Goldfish, pasta sauce, toilet paper, Ziploc, cookies...all items that we normally buy!

2. Then I made a list of how many of each I needed depending on how many coupons I had for each. For example, I needed to pick up 8 jars of sauce since I had four coupons and then four would be only a penny!

3. It all worked out as planned despite about $5 worth of items not reduced for some reason. We spent about $150 and got all kinds of free food. (The bill was a couple dollars more after buying bouncy balls for my helpers, too.) Plus, the cashier helped me double a few coupons! My favorite buys we came home with:

--4 tenderloins for $16, normally would have been $40

--8 jars of pasta sauce for $7, normally $22

--2 packages diapers for $13, normally $20

--Brookshire's Real Big Deal: Bought 1 package franks, got buns, relish, onions, and chips FREE

4. Then we drove home blaring "I'm in the Lord's Army", feeling very victorious.

Next week's target...rice, cereal, and free milk!