Free Heluva Good Product For Facebook Fans!

Jerri let me know you can go HERE to become a Facebook fan of Heluva Good Dip.  Complete the registration and they will send you a coupon for a FREE product! My husband loves this stuff!  Maybe it will go BOGO and you folks who have true BOGO will then be able to use the coupon to score TWO free tubs!

Thanks a bunch Jerri!!

Print Before They Reset

We have a busy weekend ahead so I thought since I am printing I would remind you guys!  It is almost the end of the month–that means many printables will reset in a few days.  Print what you might need as they may not be back (if they are you will be able to print again!!)

Coupons.com
SmartSource
Redplum

Coupons–We All Win

This is a guest post by Brandy over at I Prefer Publix.  I thought she did such a good job breaking down coupons and sales and what it means to us and the store.  I also like that she does it with a sense of humor…or is it sarcasm?   I loved it and think you all will too!  Be sure and visit Brandy HERE for more great deals!

One of the things that bugs me the most about being a couponer is that people (and by people I mean, cashiers, managers, other customers) think I am getting away with something, ripping off the store, cheating the system, some even say I am stealing. And it makes me furious.

This attitude comes from a lack of knowledge about how coupons work. If you’re here reading my blog, you probably know how coupons work. Here’s a quick reminder for all of us…

Manufacturer’s coupons: When the stores submit these to the clearinghouse, they are reimbursed FULL FACE VALUE plus $.08 per coupon. So the store makes MORE money by accepting your coupon than by the average shopper handing over cash/credit.
*If a coupon is difficult to read/scan at the fault of the manufacturer/design, the store can charge the manufacturer even more for the handling of these q’s.
*Most Clearinghouses are huge conveyor belts that scan coupons to tally the reimbursement value, so that cashier that agrees to “give it to you for free, shouldn’t that be enough?” by marking your $1 coupon down to $.75? Just made $.25 for the store. That huge scanner doesn’t pay a single inkling to that little $.75 the cashier wrote on your coupon.
*Stores even get reimbursed postage for the cost of shipping the coupons to the clearinghouse.

Doubling/Tripling coupons: A gimmick to get you in the door. The store eats the cost of doubles/triples. They consider it worthwhile if it causes you to shop there rather than at… Wal-Mart.

Competitor Coupons: This is truly a loss for a store. There is no reimbursement value for competitor coupons. Like doubling/tripling, accepting competitor coupons is a gimmick to get you in the doors to buy all your other items at their store rather than the competitor. Stores that accept competitor coupons are using a brilliant marketing strategy. They are counting on you wanting to buy all your items in one place, and hoping that if you have a competitor’s coupon that you can use at their store, you’ll stick around for the other things as well.

Store Coupons: Store coupons are a little tricky to define. Let’s take Publix as an example. Regular Publix shoppers will notice that those Advantage Buy Flyers have coupons and sales that rotate on a regular basis. One that appears often is the $6.2 Sundown Vitamins coupon. The CEO of Publix may be a nice guy, but he’s not browsing the local store looking for things to give away. I promise. What happens is, some head honcho at Sundown gets together with some head honcho at Publix and they strike a deal. The value could be based on number of coupons redeemed, or number of stores that run the sale. Specifically for Publix, the most recent numbers show that Publix is getting reimbursed approximately 75-80% of the Store coupons’ face value. So don’t let anyone say to you “Publix doesn’t get reimbursed for these” “We can’t give it to you for free” “We can’t pay you to take it”. Because that shows lack of knowledge of how these q’s work.

BOGO deals (Publix): You may not be aware of this, but like the store coupons, sales like the Mega sales at Kroger and BOGO sales at Publix are also marketing ploys that are reimbursed by the manufacturer! If Publix is selling Scrubbing Bubbles BOGO at $3.99/ea, that means, you, the consumer, will pay half price for the item, or $2.00. At the end of the sale, Publix tells Johnson and Johnson, hey, we sold 100 bottles of Scrubbing Bubbles, costing us $199, now pony up. And Johnson and Johnson PAYS Publix for running the special and promoting the product. It is another form of advertising. Most recent numbers show that BOGO sales at Publix are reimbursed at approximately 70-80%.

It makes me crazy that people have this mindset that people who use coupons are abusing the system. I hate that. As long as you are an honest couponer, using legit coupons and following the store rules, then you are doing no such thing. Abuse comes from illegal photocopies, stacking two manufacturer coupons on one item, and so forth. That is true abuse of the system. Most of us? We are just honest people looking for a good deal.

And in the end? The store wins. The store wins BIG by catering to couponers. Let me show you what I mean. . .

When I shop at Publix, I use the trick of buying multiple moneymakers to build up overage to afford the items I need. This helps reduce my out of pocket expense. Do I need 10 bottles of Aleve? 8 Rolls of J&J gauze? 10 boxes of Phazyme? Not right at the moment, and I certainly wouldn’t walk into Publix and pay for all of that with cash. So Publix makes a higher profit by selling to me than the average person who runs in for a few things.

My most recent shopping trip:

For Items I use regularly that I stockpiled or needed (eggs, Morningstar, fruit, etc)
Total Cost: $125.61
Total store coupons: $5
Total Mq’s: $64.15
(Quantity of mq’s presented: 51: $4.08 handling fees)
Total doubles: $4.50
Total BOGO: $60.49

For Moneymakers:
Total cost: $108.96
Total store coupons: $103
Total Mq’s: $82
(Quantity of mq’s presented: 41: $3.28 handling fees)

For this scenario, we’ll go with an 80% return on BOGOs and store q’s.
So, for this trip, after reimbursement, the store will have received approximately $288.50, losing $38.20 in store coupons, doubles and BOGOs.

BUT If I wasn’t a couponer, and only bought the items I needed/wanted, and we’re assuming I am still stockpiling… The store would have made $120.62, losing $17.60 in store coupons, BOGOs and doubles.

When I shopped, I cost them $20.60, but I brought in an additional $167.88.

Now. Which stores was it that wanted to turn away the couponers????

Show Me Your Blog!!

I was chatting with some fellow bloggers and it got me thinking about all the fabulous blogs that I visit on a weekly–sometimes daily basis.  So I want to know who else is out there…so show me your blog!! 

I would love to check out some blogs that I might not know about. You can leave a link to your home page or show us your best deal.  I can’t wait to check you all out!

Kraft Cheese Coupon Reset!!

Woo Hoo-the Kraft Cheese $1/2 reset HERE!!

Heather reminded me there is a $1/1 Birds Eye Voila coupon there too…I am hoping my reminder will help it to go BOGO soon.  I love to make these as a quick lunch during our typically very busy weekends!

Angela let me know that there is a $1/1 Buitoni printable HERE and a $.75/3 Contadina HERE

Grocery Spreadsheet

I apologize for not getting this up on the sidebar until now.  But I am so glad so many of you are finding it useful…I know it is not everyone’s cup of tea.  You can now access the spreadsheet by clicking the picture on the right sidebar right below the contact me button I will do my best to get  the new one added every Tuesday. 

If you click and get the instructions–I just fixed the link and it should be working now

Just a reminder that you can always access the links for the ad with matchups, super deals, spreadsheet and IPAC list by clicking the Weekly Ad tab at the top of the site!

More Deals From My Inbox

 More deals from the readers.  Once again my inbox is full of great finds from you guys!

Before you toss your Quaker Oatmeal box (last week BOGO sale) look inside as Jennifer found $.75/1 coupon in her boxes!

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Melanie reminded me that there are two ways to win on the Pace website.  You can enter their sweepstakes HERE by submitting your recipe–you might win a $100 gift card.  Also you can still play the Hand Pick and Win game to get a FREE product coupon.  Meagan over at Frugal Fun & Fortune emailed that she just got her coupon from winning the last time I posted and is a $4/1 any size any product.  Since Pace is BOGO again…she will score two bottles for FREE plus overage!!

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Lisa let me know that she found Tropicana Trop50 for .99¢ –she used the $1/2 tearpad to score each carton for .50¢.  
She also found the PureVia 40 ct boxes for $1.99.  There is a $2/1 PureVia from 01-03-10 SS which makes each box FREE!!

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Inez found a new $1/1 Fiber One Cereal coupon HERE and I found a $.75/1 coupon HERE (will also print $.75/1 Fiber One Chewy Bars & $.75/1 Fiber One Yogurt).

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Amy over at Who Said Nothing In Life Is Free let me know you can go HERE to print a coupon for $1 off Keebler’s Fudge Shoppe® Cheesecake Middles.

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Tracie over at KC Penny Pinchin Mama let me know you can print a B1G1 Sobe coupon HERE.

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Sunny let me know that you should look for specially marked packages of Kellogg’s cereal.  The Wake Up To Breakfast coupon savings pack will include five $1/1 coupons.  Details are HERE.

P&G Booklet From Save-A-Lot

Christina let me know that the Save-A-Lot P&G coupon booklet is back.  You can go HERE to request your booklet.  If I remember correctly the last booklet was filled with manufacturer coupons…so if your store considers Save-A-Lot a competitor you should have no trouble using them! 

My store does not accept Save-A-Lot as a competitor so if they end up being store coupons it only took me a second to request them and I can pass them on to someone who will use them!!

Thanks Christina!!

Restaurant Roundup

You guys know I always take one night off from cooking for “mom’s night off”. Well– of course I try to keep our meals out as frugal as possible too.  Kai over at Smart Couponing makes it a bit easier as every week she provides a restaurant round up where she spotlights a few of the best places to grab a deal.  Here are her picks for this week:

• HOULIHAN’S: FREE Appetizer for joining eClub
• Black Angus: FREE dessert for joining eClub + FREE steak entree on your Birthday!!
• Chili’s: FREE Chips & Queso for joining eClub
• Uno Chicago Grill: FREE Appetizer for joining eClub
• GodFather’s Pizza: Buy one get one Free Printable Coupons

If my husband were to pick he would choose GodFather’s Pizza…apparently that was his favorite pizza hangout back when he was a youngster   If none of these restaurants float your boat you can visit Restaurant.com as they have their gift cards at 80% off when you use the code BONUS at checkout.  I looked and my favorites were sold out…maybe you all will have better luck!! 

Thanks so much Kai!

Rebate Roundup

Greta over at Friend Family Fun has your Publix Rebate Roundup for the new ad HERE. 

I know many of you have asked the best way to do theKimberly Clark rebate without buying diapers.  Greta has a great scenario posted where you can get 24 rolls of toilet paper, 16 rolls of paper towels and plenty of hair care products for less than $14 (after coupons and MIR). 

She also has a great scenario for the Keep The Jingle MIR too!

Great job Greta!

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