Not a good couponing month

**NewLeaf** · 02-24-2010, 12:37 PM

February has not been a good month for couponing for me. I haven't found any good sales either. Maybe March will be better.

How has it been for the rest of you?

**frugalwarrior2** · 02-24-2010, 01:13 PM

Sorry,It has been extraordinary for me. 8 free chex mix,5 free reach toothbrushes,6 free reach dental floss,2 free creme ribbon olay,Got 10 Target $5. G.C. which I rolled bach into purchases to save even more and get more free things,2 free 20ct. compact tampon (pearl) for DD, Got about $20. in thank you for shopping here Catalinas at Meijer.
Just got 2/1 nivea and cherry chapsticks for.50 each,Greenwork natural gallons $1.67 after clearance and C,
What stores are you shopping. What are you looking for?
Try-Macombmoneysavers.com and A fullcup websites to help you match up. It is not your area but the philosophy is the same.
Target has Quaker oats granola bars $2. and C. are out for $1./2 and when you buy it you get a new granola squares free. (true something)? $8.-$2.=$6. or $1.50 less a free new granola bar (6ct.) feature. Good luck.

**JanieD** · 02-24-2010, 01:24 PM

February has been OK. I could use some great sales in March to stretch my grocery money further though. I need to stock up in several areas if/when the sales finally hits. I've noticed the sales have really changed here. I'll get excited about a deal, but once I'm at the store I end up walk away from the display empty handed for one reason or another. Things have really changed & its much harder to stay within the budget most months.

**NikoSan999** · 02-24-2010, 01:28 PM

Not good for me either but in self defense I'm comparing to the last 6 months of last year when I was stockpiling big time and the sales were fantastic.

Goal was 6 months by Jan 1st and pretty much made it so only doing what is needed or BOGO's with coupons etc. The BOGO's are stinking this month and alot of the stuff on sale I can't use. Have very little freezer room left.

I look at 4 sale papers plus Walmart and here at least, the sales are sad or not much of a sale compared to last year. So I agree with you, here the sales aren't much to dance about. I was actually thinking about starting a thread about the very same thing. Thanks, waiting to hear what everyone says.

**druthb00** · 02-24-2010, 05:44 PM

I don't have much couponing "past" to compare the month to, but I feel like I've done pretty well this month. My Publix receipts have been coming back with "savings" (including advantage buys, store promo's, & coupons) being sometimes double what I pay out of pocket, especially for the smaller trip I seem to be making bi-weekly to take advantage of things I know I'll miss out on if I wait until my normal "shopping" week. Yesterday I went specifically for Crisco EVOO that was BOGO and there were .75/1 coupons in the paper a week or two ago. I also got Free cat litter and BOGO Lays Chips. My total was $9.55 and my savings was almost $19. I NEVER used to be able to do things like that LOL. Of course I never used coupons like I have been since we moved. The CVS deals have been nothing to write home about lately, though. I've taken advantage of a couple this month but my major savings was a fluke (long story) and I don't expect it to happen again anytime soon LOL. I do wish milk prices would go down....I'm sick of paying over $3 a gallon for it. At Kroger in Indiana they are still running (according to my father) the 4/5 half gallons, I really wish they did something similar here because my BF doesn't really like 1% (he used to drink whole and I got him to switch down to 2%). I guess we'll see what March brings huh?

**Shelli_wnj** · 02-24-2010, 05:53 PM

One thing I noticed is that the sale prices in the fliers are higher than the regular prices just a few months ago. That being said, I haven't shopped for almost a month - if not longer, except for milk and eggs. Our coupons aren't the same as "national" or "city" coupons - you may get $1 off one item, and ours is $1 of two items. Or your sale is bogo, and I have NEVER seen a bogo here on anything. So, no - not a good coupon month

**frugalwarrior2** · 02-24-2010, 05:53 PM

D-my DH came to me a whole milk person and now drinks skim. It will take time but it is so much healthier. My kids drank 2% and i bought both at that time. Step him down so he'll be around.

I think Mi. may have the best food prices. I keep seeing price drops. $1.99 a sale gal. for Milk is frequent. This week at Kroger buy 4 Kelloggs cereals and get 2 gal. milk free and a $2. Catalina at the register - cereal C. Not bad.

**frugalwarrior2** · 02-24-2010, 05:55 PM

Shell-I would suggest doing internet coupons then or trading w/ other areas or buying off the net??

**ladytoysdream** · 02-24-2010, 07:54 PM

I am just seriously getting back into doing coupons, so I don't have much to compare to yet. I did not see a lot of coupons that I wanted to use this month. So I had to pick the ones we do use and do quanity on them.
I ended up with over 100 single rolls of the marcal TP.
Also 2 of the big TP packages that were $ 8 something, for
$ 2.99 after store sale and the coupon. Then 3 pkgs of the 4 packs for 1.89 initial cost/ then after coupon only 4 cents for the package. I had to buy most of these coupons online btw.

I am currently working on buying Hormel pork using $ 1 coupons and finding the markdowns with peelies $$ off, to pair them with. So very cheap meat. That is what I am concentrating on this month and next.

March , I am looking to do liquid laundry detergent. Currently there is a Purex coupon for B1G1. Haven't got my game plan figured out yet for this, but hopefully it will come together.

Also in February, I did stock up on some Dawn. I found some for .99 cents and then used .25 off coupons. Not a great deal but it did get me ahead, so now I can look for better deals.

We have a store that will double .99 and below. Sounds good till one realizes, a lot of coupons are the $ 1.00 ones.

Only hint / tip, I can suggest is...
cut the coupons out...and put them in your purse....and then when you find a deal....bingo.....you got the coupons

Then when you get serious, you carry a coupon binder.
I'm not there yet though. Just a nice fat wallet type thing that goes in my purse bulging with coupons

**Ssindi** · 02-24-2010, 08:02 PM

I thought it was me not seeing good sales this month. Even with coupons I didn't see much to buy. So I've been trying to use what I have on hand. I may only spend $50 for groceries this month.

**AnW819** · 02-24-2010, 08:50 PM

This time last year I was stockpiling big time. The sales were great...now the sales STINK. I can't get one thing free around here with Q's. Ugh!

**mamamia** · 02-25-2010, 04:31 AM

It's been "okay" enough, I guess. Tonight I ran up to Publix because I had the $1/1 mftr, and $1/2 Publix coupons to use on their Kraft Parmesan on sale for $3. We go through a ton of it, so very happy for the discounted price

Also lots of other Target coups for Bakery and Deli that I got to put to good use. My hubby loves the Boars Head pepperoni, so picked up that with the sale going on and the coupon. I'll see how I do when I do my 'big' food shopping though.

It'll get better NewLeaf! Hang in there!

Theresa

**NewLeaf** · 02-25-2010, 08:32 AM

I have plenty of coupons but I wish we had a Target, Kroger or Publix..... Even CVS dissappointed me. They didn't have alot of the products I needed for the "deal scenarios" I saw on some websites. I can't find Marcal tp anywhere here either!!!!! No free tp for me.
Another problem is that I have been stuck in the house w/kids home from school due to snow!!!! I try not to take my kids coupon shopping - I just can't concentrate.
I'm going to take today (another snow day w/kids) and update my coupon binder to get ready for March.....
I will be visiting www.afullcup.com and www.hip2save.com to put together some ideas.
In the meantime I've been getting alot of reduced items like cheese, juicy juice and some meat.
I also go to the salvage groc. store

**frugalfriend** · 02-25-2010, 02:40 PM

I am normally a coupon queen (LOVE it, like a hobby for me!) but have found little to nothing lately.

I know I need to get remotivated and spend more time searching . . . because it does require searching for the deals these days. The manufacturers have changed the coupons so much, less value, and a lot less of what I would buy is out there. I look through the weekly inserts here in my local area, and there are maybe two or three that I would even use. The only way to make it work it seems, is to go online and print coupons (hassle since have to use dh's work printer and the ink is expensive) or buy coupons online. I miss the good ol' days when it was EASY to get lots of free stuff or for pennies on the dollar.

I am going to work harder at it in March and see what happens!

NewLeaf ~ I've never seen Marcal either!

**Ssindi** · 02-25-2010, 04:36 PM

I find Marcal here at ShopRite but it is not as popular as some other brands.
Target and CVS are not in my town either. The few things CVS may have are not really worth the 15-20min drive. Target is 5-10min down the road from CVS. They end up being more trouble than it's worth to go there.
Got theShopRite ad in the mail awhile ago,didn't see much again.