Saturday, August 28, 2010

Helping for pennies at Harris Teeter through Tuesday 8/31



Here are a few things you can pick up while at HT this week...

Schick disposable razors 3-10ct $7.89 (BOGO 3.94)
-$3 SS 7/25
-$3 printable
=.94

Newman's Own Salsa $2.99 (BOGO 1.49)
 -.75 printable =FREE
-.50 8/15 RP =.49

Campbell's Chunky Soups 1.50
-.50 printable = .50

Barilla Whole Grain Penne Pasta $1
-.50/2 printable = .50

Helping for pennies at Bi-Lo through Tues 8/31



While you are at Bi-Lo this week (ends Tues), here are a few extra items you can get for your Loaves & Fishes bag...

Del Monte Smoothies, 12.2 oz., at $2.99 ($1.49)
-$1 RP 8/15 =.49
-$1 printable =.49

Angel Soft Bath Tissue, 6 Double Rolls, at $4.79 ($2.39)

-.50 printable = 1.39

Dial or Tone Bar Soap, 2-3 ct., at $2.54 ($1.27)

-.35 RP 8/15 = .57

Dial Liquid Soap Refill, 20 oz., at $2.54 ($1.27)
-.35 RP 8/15 =.57

Dial Liquid Hand Soap, 1.5-9.37 oz., $1

-.35 RP 8/15 =.30


Glass Plus Trigger, 32 oz., at $3.14 ($1.57)
-$1 printable =.57

Orville Redenbacher’s Popcorn, 2-4 pk., at $2.50 ($1.25)

-.40/1 SS 8/01=.45
-$1/2 SS 08/01 =.75

Southern Home Mac & Cheese or Spiral Mac & Cheese, 6-7.25 oz., at 99¢ =.49

Vlassic Dill Spears, Stackers, Relish or Dill Chips, 9-24 oz., at $3.32 ($1.66)
-.55/1  SS 6/27 =.56
-.55/1  printable =.56

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Hold My Hand

This is an inspiring story-and you can be a part of it!  Check out the song on youtube:  Hold My Hand by Hootie and the Blowfish, performed by The Benedict College Gospel Choir.  

When you buy it for .99 on iTunes, all proceeds go to The Cooperative Ministry, which provides help for the working poor in the Midlands of South Carolina. Read the story, listen to the song, and think about the possibilities.  A few extra items from your grocery trip...a few more coupons clipped...a $1 to buy the song...these are all ways to make a difference "with a little love and some tenderness". 

Making a difference with pennies...Harris Teeter 8/18 - 8/24

Here are some inexpensive ideas while shopping at HT this week:

HT spaghetti BOGO (1.18) = .59

Smuckers grape jelly BOGO (2.74)
1.37 - .25Q from 5/23 RP = .87

Glass Plus BOGO (2.88)
1.44 - 1Q printable = .44

Progresso classics soup 1.50
SS 8/8 .50Q = .50

Campbell's select soups 1.25
-$1 Q printable = .25

Solo cups (50 count) or plates (44 count) 2.00
-.75 printable  = .50

Sunday, August 15, 2010

A few thoughts on CVS 8/15-8/21

Here are a few ideas for CVS this week.  These two deals are not their ECB deals, so if you have not familiarized yourself yet with that program, no worries.  As you get more comfortable with couponing, I suggest you enter the world of "CVSing"...so many free products to be had!  This week I will focus on three deals that just require the card (for the sale price) and the coupon (and a little pocket change for the tax). 

Lindsay Olives $1
5/2 RP $1 coupon = FREE

SOBE life water BOGO
play game at http://headsortails.sobe.com/ and you may win a BOGO Q (remember to take off your pop up blocker before playing and if you win the coupon, remember the hint about printing then backspacing to print your second Q).   = two FREE

Right guard/Dry Idea deodorant BOGO
7/25 RP BOGO coupon = two FREE
$3 off 2 www.coupons.com (leave zip blank or enter 90210) there are some that are 3.29, many at 4.49 
= two for .29 or two for 1.49


CVS policy states that you may combine a BOGO manu Q with their BOGO sale price and receive both items for free.  Love, Love, Love this about CVS!!  You do have to always buy both items on their BOGO sales in order to get the 2nd one free, though.  That is different from some area grocery stores where their items ring as half price.  So always keep that in mind.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Donation Day!

Today my kids and I took over the 9 bags of food Clipping for a Cause - Charlotte has collected over the past week...spent only $1.43 on the donation that weighed in at 153 pounds!  That is amazing and will be put to such good use!  So for all of you thinking, "but I'm just one person"...you can do it!  This was done only with my personal supply of coupons.  Imagine what it will look like when we get extra inserts donated!  And that is where we are right now, in the early stages of spreading the word to collect inserts.  So for now we can add a few items each week from our own shopping lists.  For example, I don't usually eat much canned soup.  So this week I'm getting it free at HT and Bi-Lo and those items go directly into my Loaves & Fishes bag.  It's not an extra trip (or in this case even extra money).  Then I just write down what I spent, saved, and number of items to add to the grand total.  If you are in the Charlotte area and want to join us in this adventure, email me at clipclt@gmail.com so I can keep you up to date on the dates/times of our clipping parties. 

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Making a difference with pennies…8/11 - 8/17 HARRIS TEETER

Remember that if you have enough of an item, or don’t see a need for it in your home, these are all items that would benefit your local food pantry and would only cost pennies from your budget! So get those scissors ready!!




HARRIS TEETER  Super Doubles are this week, which means they double coupons up to 1.98, limit of 20 Qs per day. BOGO rings up at half price, so you can buy just one if you would like. Coupon policy is to only use one coupon per BOGO, so you should buy one at a time and use one coupon. If your coupon if for $ off 2 items, then you can buy both using the one coupon.  (Thank you to www.southernsavers.com for many of the coupon match-ups!)


E-Vic item-usually a limit of 1 deal per card per week (must be registered with e-vic, which is quick and easy to do!) Peter Pan Peanut Butter 13-16.3 oz and/or Welch’s Grape Jelly 32 oz Buy 3, mix and match, for .97 each
-.60/1 Peter Pan Peanut Butter, SS 8/01
-.55/1 Welch’s Jam, Jelly or Spread, 18.8-32 oz, SS 8/01
-1/2 Welch’s Jam, Jelly, or Spread, SS 6/06
Buy any 3 and use a combo of any 3 above coupons, get all three items for FREE
Reach floss 1.65
- $1.00/1 from 4/11 RP, 5/16 RP = FREE
Mission Tortillas $1.89 (FYI-I did not see this Q in my Observer, it may have been regional)
-$1.00 coupon from SS 8/01 = FREE
Fisher Fusion Trail Mix $2.00 (FYI-didn’t see Q in my Observer, may have been regional)
-$1.00 coupon from SS 2/07, 6/20 = FREE
Kraft Homestyle Macaroni & Cheese Dinner $ 1.99
-$1 coupon from 8/8 SS = FREE
Emerald Trail Mix, 5.5 oz., $1.67
-$1.00 coupon RP 8/15 = FREE

7th Gen Dish Liquid, 25 oz., $1.99
-$1.00 coupon RP 8/08 or http://www.seventhgeneration.com/coupons = FREE

Sure Deodorant for Men $2.79
-$1.50 off coupon SS 5/02 = FREE
-$1.00 coupon from 8/8 = .79
Kikkoman terryaki sauce 2.09
– 1.00 IP (www.smartsource.com) = .09

Land O Lakes spread: 1.12
- .50IP www.landolakes.com (sign up) = .12

Martha White Muffin Mix - Yellow Corn .65 (FYI-no Q in my Observer)
- .55/2 from 8/8 RP = buy 2 for .20

Ziploc containers $3.25 BOGO…rings up at 1.63.
Buy 2 for 3.25, use 1.50 off 2 (8/8 SS; also another recent, 8/1 I think) = two for .25!!

Dannon Dan-o-nino yogurt $2.29
- $1 coupon from 7/18 = .29

Colgate Total Enamel 2.29
-$1.00 coupon 8/8 SS = .29

Colgate Total Advance Fresh, Advance whitening, Advanced clean 2.50
-$1.00 coupon 8/8 SS = .50

7th Gen All Purpose Cleaner, 32 oz., $2.50
-$1.00 coupon RP 8/08 or http://www.seventhgeneration.com/coupons = .50

GUM Toothbrush $1.99
-$.75 coupon RP 8/08 = .50

Vlasic Spears $1.69
- .55 IP http://www.tastewhatavlasiccando.com/ = .59

Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner BOGO $2.95…rings up at $1.47
-$1.00 off two 8/8 SS = .47
- .50 IP coupon = .47
http://www.lysol.com/products/product-promotions

Lysol all purpose cleaner BOGO $3.49…rings up at $1.74
-$1.00 off two 8/8 SS = .74
– .50 IP = .74
http://www.lysol.com/products/product-promotions

Lysol wipes BOGO BOGO $3.49…rings up at $1.74
- $1 off 2 8/8 SS or IP = buy two for .74 each
http://www.lysol.com/products/product-promotions

Martha White Muffin Mixes $1.15  (FYI-no Q in my Observer)

 - .55/2 coupon from 8/8 = buy 2 for 1.20

Sure Deodorant $2.79
- $1 coupon from 8/8 = .79

Ragu 45oz spaghetti sauce 3.35 BOGO…buy 3 for 5.02
-$1.25 off 3 coupon from 8/1 RP = three for 2.52 (.84 each)

Tampax Tampons, 20-ct $2.99
– 1.00 coupon P&G 08/01 = .99

Making a difference with pennies…8/11 - 8/17 BI-LO

Each week I will highlight items that you can buy for next to nothing using sales at Bi-Lo and Harris Teeter. (Thank you to www.southernsavers.com for many of the coupon match-ups!) If you are new to the art of couponing you may not have collected the coupons listed yet…that’s okay. Even if you find a Q for one item, that’s one more than before ! And sometimes the coupons listed may not have been circulated in your area, or there are no more prints available, or the matchup between the coupon and the real price just doesn’t work out to be cheap…you get the point! Always double check that your coupon matches the product and that it is the price you want to pay. And know that sometimes the deal is just not meant to be! The majority of the time, however, you can find the deals.
Remember that you can generally print two of each coupon per computer. Sometimes that means hitting backspace a few times after the first print (like with Bricks coupon prints), sometimes it means going through the coupon site again and selecting the coupon again (like smartsource.com, coupons.com, and redplum.com)

(SS=Smart Source insert, RP=Red Plum insert, PG= P&G insert; BOGO= buy one get one…can buy just one and it rings at half price)



Remember that if you have enough of an item, or don’t see a need for it in your home, these are all items that would benefit your local food pantry and would only cost pennies from your budget! So get those scissors ready!!



BI-LO (Charlotte area Bi-Lo stores double up to .99)



Campbell's Chicken Noodle or Tomato Soup 3/$1 (FRI / SAT / SUN only)
Buy 6 for $2.00 – two .50 off two coupons = all six for FREE
http://www.campbellskitchen.com/coupon.aspx (it looks like the coupon will match to the tomato soup, not sure about the chicken noodle, check your store to be sure)

Texas Toast Croutons, 5 oz., $1.25-.55/1 SS 5/16 = .15
-.50/1 June All You Magazine = .25

Margaret Holmes Italian Green Beans 1.79 BOGO, rings up as $.89
.35/1 insert 5/23 SS =.19

French's Yellow Mustard $1.29
-.50 IP http://www.homesolutionsnews.us/offers.shtml = .29

Monday, August 9, 2010

This is the pantry that Kellogg’s built…

If Jack built the house then Kellogg’s certainly built our pantry! I cannot believe how much this deal at Harris Teeter is turning out to be a money maker! If you haven’t taken advantage of it yet, you still have through Tuesday night. Here are a few hints: for your initial purchase try to aim for the lowest out of pocket (OOP), this will give you a smaller “start up fee”. For example, with coupons the nutri-grain will be .27, corn flakes simply cinnamon cereal .14, fiber plus .50, poptarts 1.09 (or cheaper is you have a coupon). So try to start with some of those. There were new coupons this week for the corn flakes and fiber plus, plus you can print them from www.redplum.com . Remember that HT has a strict coupon policy (familiarize yourself with it on their website…no more than 20 coupons doubled per card per day; in any one purchase you can only use two internet printables (IP) and three newspaper coupons for each identical item. (you can use more than the 2/3 limit over separate transactions though, and if you had 2 IP and 3 newspaper you could use all 5 at once and buy 5 identical items). There are infinite possibilities, but here is an example transaction to get you started:


2 nutrigrain 1.77-1.50 (75Q from SS 8/01 doubled)= .27 each x 2= .54

2 fiber plus cereal 1.99- 1.50 (75 Q doubled from 8/8 or redplum.com) = .50 each x2 = 1.00

2 corn flakes simply cinnamon 1.64 – 1.50 (.75Q doubled from 8/8 or redplum.com) = .14 each x 2= .28

4 pop tarts 1.09 -1.25 off three (print from sprinklings.com/coupon ) =4.36-1.25 = 3.11

So now you have 10 items for 4.93 and you will get a printed coupon (called a catalina) for 10.00 off your next purchase. Now, from any purchase here on out you have 10.00 to play with. I still try to get the cheapest configuration of 10 of the specified items so that I can “buy” other items, like ketchup or peanut butter before reaching my $10. Even if you had no coupons, you could buy 10 pop tarts for 10.90, minus the $10 coupon, and pay $1.12 including tax for 10 pop tarts AND have $10 to spend on your next purchase. This runs through August 14th, but the 50% off of items like eggos, kellogg’s cereal, nutri-grain bars, pop tarts all ends Tuesday. No worries though, because Super Doubles starts Wednesday! (HT will double all coupons up to 1.99, so a 1.50 coupon now becomes worth $3).

Today I made several trips (hey, I’m on summer vacation!) and bought my family several nutri-grain bars, pop tarts, as well as the peanut butter, bananas, and ketchup I rolled into my deals. My main purpose for the multiple trips though was to see what I could collect for the St. Giles pantry. Today alone CFC-C collected 51 items (cereal and poptarts), saving 116.84 and spent a whopping .20! Now I will make a disclaimer that these kinds of bargains are special, not every week is like this. That’s why I’m okay with spending a little extra effort when they do roll around.

My biggest advice when it comes to couponing is to take small steps if you are getting overwhelmed…focus on one store or one set of deals, ask questions, then expand as you are comfortable. Happy clipping!

Sunday, August 8, 2010

The power of coupons!

Wow.  I just tallied my list of items that are being donated to Loaves and Fishes through Clipping For A Cause - Charlotte.  Keep in mind that this is purely from my collection of coupons (and with the aid of an unbelievable Kellogg's promotion right now!).  IMAGINE what these numbers would look like with 5 more inserts, 10 more, 15 more...WOW!  I can feel the impact already and it feels so incredible!  I started keeping track of the donations on July 30th, and to date (which is 10 days if you are on summer time like me and aren't quite sure which day it is)  CFC-C has donated 44 items, saved $99.49, and spent a grand total of.....drum roll please...$1.23!!  See, I told you we could help in great ways for only pennies.  Happy Clipping!

Friday, August 6, 2010

Making a difference with pennies...8/4-8/10

Each week I will highlight items that you can buy for next to nothing using sales at Bi-Lo and Harris Teeter. (there will always be more good deals, these are just the ones I feel would make the most impact as a donation for the least impact on your budget.  I highly suggest http://www.southernsavers.com/ for more couponing info!) If you are new to the art of couponing you may not have collected the coupons listed yet…that’s okay. Even if you find a Q for one item, that’s one more than before! And if you have turned semi-professional in couponing, you may not have it either because you’ve used it on a previous good deal. There’s always a deal out there waiting for you! So get those scissors ready!!


(SS=Smart Source insert, RP=Red Plum insert, PG= P&G insert; BOGO= buy one get one…can buy just one and it rings at half price)

BI-LO (Charlotte area Bi-Lo stores double up to .99)

X-14 toilet bowl cleaner 1.49 BOGO ...so 75 -.55 Q (SS 5/02, SS 7/25)= FREE

Peter Pan Peanut Butter 2.70 BOGO…so 1.35 - .60 Q (SS 8/01) = .15

Colgate toothpaste 2.79 BOGO…so 1.39 - .50Q (SS 7/25) = .39



HARRIS TEETER (double up to .99, limit of 20 Qs per day)

Buy 10 Kellogg’s, Keebler, Sunshine, Eggo and Morningstar Farms items, get $10 off your next order

There are NUMEROUS opportunities with this promotion! I will highlight a few of my transactions. First, let’s list some of the products on sale with good Q match-ups.

Nutri Grain bars 50% off…1.77 - .75Q (SS 8/01) = .27

Poptarts 50% off…1.09 - $1 off 2 (6/13 RP, 7/11 RP)= buy 2 for .59 each

Special K cereal 1.74 - $1 off 2 (7/25 RP) = buy 2 for 1.24 each

Frosted flakes 1.69, Froot Loops 1.59 – 1.25/3 (6/27 RP) = buy 3 at 1.17-1.47 each

(there are also Internet printable coupons for many of these products)

So tonight I walked up to the cashier and just by looking at my items she said, “Oh, you want that $10 off coupon!”  Why, yes I do!! So here was my transaction tonight ( had two coupons each for pop tarts, special K, nutri grain):

4 Special K cereal…regular price 13.96, I paid 6.96- $2Q = 4.96 for four


4 poptarts…regular price 8.76, I paid 4.36- $2Q = 2.36 for four


2 nutri grain…regular price 7.10, I paid 3.54 - $3Q= .54 for two


1 small loaf of French bread to make bruschetta, 1.29


All of that, including tax, was 9.54 AND I have a $10 off your next order coupon, so essentially FREE. Gotta love it!

Tomorrow I will buy 6 froot loops (for my husband) and four pop-tarts. I also have three Qs from a booklet found in the store for $2 off store brand baggies when you buy two of certain Kellogg’s cereal. So I will have 3 boxes of baggies, 6 boxes of cereal, 4 boxes of pop-tarts, some peace in the house because my husband has his sugary cereal instead of my healthy kind…all for 9.40. I will use my $10 off from today and will have made .60 on the deal, plus have another $10 off coupon for my next order!!! Just think about the power of a sale like this to help out Loaves and Fishes!!!!!

Clipping For A Cause - Charlotte...the beginnings

A little bit about Clipping For A Cause - Charlotte…I have been seriously couponing for almost a year. My stockpile exists in several rooms (my husband thinks he has his own personal grocery store at home). I do so well with couponing that I’ve nearly halved my grocery budget and still fill a bag weekly to donate to Loaves and Fishes. So how do I put this information about couponing to good use? I still felt like there was more to do, more ways to help. That’s when I read an article on www.southernsavers.com about Heather’s efforts with Clipping For A Cause in Georgia. AMAZING! In just 5 months time, they have spent $60.37, saved $1,652.33, and donated 3,525 items. AMAZING! (yes, it’s worth repeating!) I knew instantly that I could expand these efforts into Charlotte. (Click on the link on the right side bar for even more information and inspiration about Heather and her group of dedicated neighbors.) So, I have reached out to several different sources in hopes that we can get a weekly roundup of inserts and accomplish great things to improve the quality of life for our neighbors in Charlotte. We will be donating the items to the St. Giles Pantry of Loaves & Fishes.


WHO and HOW Loaves & Fishes helps…Founded in 1975, Loaves & Fishes is a network of 18 emergency food pantries across Charlotte. Through the efforts of over 600 volunteers and food drives, Loaves & Fishes provides a week’s worth of nutritious groceries to those in crisis. Neighbors in our community turn to Loaves & Fishes for help due to a job layoff, extreme medical bills, lack of child support, domestic violence, raising grandchildren on a fixed income…any number of reasons that people are having to make tough decisions daily like choosing between purchasing basic food items, paying rent, or purchasing medicine.

So as you read this blog my hope is that you will find money-saving deals for your own family pantry and inspiration to help Charlotte’s food pantries. And if you have extra inserts or a pair of scissors and want to be involved, we would love to have you join us in Clipping For A Cause – Charlotte!