My First Coupon Shopping Escapade - May 6, 2011

I spent a few hours earlier this week preparing for my first big couponing shopping trip.  There is definitely a learning curve to doing this and it can get overwhelming at times.  I am finding that as long as I have a DETAILED shopping list and my coupons all arranged, I can make it work.  Still, I'm sure it takes me 2-3 times as long to get organized and actually do the shopping as others who have been doing this for a long time.

My first big haul! $145 worth of food for $64, all picked up in one trip to Safeway. I got an additional 6 boxes of cereal and 2 chocolate chips that aren't in the photo because I gave them away before I took the photo. Here's the breakdown:

TOTAL Regular Price: $145.47

Club Card Savings: $68.20

Coupon Savings: $17.70

Total Savings:  $85.90

6 - Del Monte fruit cups:  

Reg Price: $3.19 

on sale for $1.49 ea with in-ad coupon

6 - Nestle Toll House morsels

Reg Price: $2.99 

on sale for $2.50 

$1/2 coupon ($1 off when you buy two...so it equals $.50 each) 

= $2 each

16 boxes of cereal (Fruit Loops, Frosted Flakes, Quaker Oatmeal Squares): 

Reg Price $3.99-4.98 

on sale for $1.88 each - 

$9.50 coupons

 = average of 1.29 each

4  bottles Welches Grape Juice: 

Reg. Price $3.99 

on sale for  $2.99 

- $4 when you buy 4

- $1/1 coupon 

= .99 each

12 - Yoplait Yogurt

Reg Price: Unknown (i forgot to look)

on sale 10 for $7.50 ($.75 ea)

- $.40/6 coupon

 = $.68 ea 

(this is not a great discount I know...but we were out and we needed them.)

4 - Gallon Zip Lock freezer bags 18ct

Reg Price $3.29 

on sale for $1.49 

- $1/2 coupon

= $.99 each

2 - Clorox Bleach

Reg Price $2.29 -  

$1.49 with in store coupon

I spent an additional $20 on other stuff (eggs, butter, etc). didn't have coupons for those items but they were all on sale still. Think I did pretty darn good for my first big trip. I can see how this can be addicting.