Hi trainlady:
Glad the Extreme Couponing show got you gung ho on coupons again. Great savings you had . Even without double coupons you can save a lot. I don't use the e-coupons you can load on the store site on the internet directlly onto your store card, but I know people who do. I do use the in-store coupons that I get at Customer Service in the grocery store. Yesterday, I had a $5 coupon on Nature's Bounty Vitamins, and a $1 mfg. coupon, combined them for a bottle of cal/magnesium/zinc which was $6.49. With my senior discount and overage from other bottles of vitamins, it was free. I know there are stores, other than in the South, where you can get in-store coupons. Here, Target has groceries and they put out their store coupons. I see on sites that Target also has printable coupons which can be combined with the mfg. coupons. We also get coupons in the store ads in the home delivered papers that are for $5 off a $30 order. Food Lion was sending coupons in the mail to those that have their store card and their coupons were for $10 off a $30 order.
Just after Christmas, there was a clearance sale on the 25.9 oz. bottle of Pantene shampoo, sale price $1.49, retail price $6.99. Although I don't use it, my daughter does. The $3/2 coupons were good on that, so it was free. We do have sales tax on such items, but one store charged me sales tax and another in the same city did not.
I big change I've seen in the past 6 months is you used to be able to load e-coupons to your store card AND use a paper coupons as well. But the Extreme Couponing show put an end to that plus a lot of coupons now have a limit of 4 like coupons so you aren't able to wipe out the store like they did in many of the shows.
At Kroger if you have a e-coupon the register will kick out the paper one. And the paper one doubles so I am careful about what coupons I add to my card so I don't hurt myself at the end.
The Walgreens Drug Store that I go to 12 miles from my home the employees are so helpful and nice. I've been told before that they will ring as many transactions as I need to get what I want. In November they had a lot of items that were free after the rewards coupon and when I got there a cashier told me where to find a cart of the items as the shelf was empty and said to get as many as I wanted and she would ring them up individually to be free.
I use separate transactions at CVS, Walgreen, Rite Aid to use the "cash back" that day as CVS is the only one in my town. I will ring up the items with the cash back then in another transaction ring the items that don't and pay with the cash back coupons so they don't expire on me.
The Walgreens I go to the staff is great and most recognize me and some even know my first name. The Rite Aid all know me by sight and name. No $$ spent today as was with Steven & Kent while Gina had a 4 hour surgery on her nose and ear the ear part was to take a sliver of bone from it to repair her nose. She looks like she has been in one heck of a fight. I am so glad it is Friday so Kent can be home with her. We got to hosp at 6 and did not leave till 3. Been a long tiring day so good nite friends. Oh I was clipping out of All You while waiting
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Thought for the Day If you didn't start your day with a smile, its not too late to start practicing for tomorrow.~~~God Bless All
Train, you are right, these days the swing has swung over to more cleaning, and health and beauty aids coupons than food ones.
And I am going to less and less prepared food of any kind (sticking to the produce and fresh meat case), so I am able be less dependent on those kinds of food coupons. But, there are always those little "necessities" that I like - one being French's Fried Onions. I like them as a snack.
Roberta, you and I think alike about a store that is a distance away. I do the same thing with the CVS coupons. Make the initial purchase with money, earning the Extra Care Bucks. Then use the Extra Care Bucks to save on the next order.
Ladies, better go for now. Take care all, and Happy Clipping!! Norma
I'll be stopping at both Walgreen & Rite Aid tomorrow to use up my rewards. I have $15 at Walgreen (bought a lot of cat liter for my sister & myself LOL) and $3 at Rite Aid.
Patti, I will be looking forward to receiving those envies. Thank you for sharing.
Roberta, I bought $50 of Petsmart litter when they were offering - buy $25 and get a $25 gc, limit 2. That litter is taking me through the winter, and the gcs are paying for her wet food. I am getting down to the last few boxes of the last free dry food, so am hoping for a new kind with a free coupon to come out soon. She is a happy kitty to know that all her immediate needs are met.
I only got one Smartsource also.
Ladies, better go for now. Take care, and Happy Clipping!! Norma
