Harris Teeter Super Doubles
It’s a Grocery Guru shopping week here in the beauty and bedlam household, and I got a cart full of groceries for next to nothing. Some call this extreme couponing, but as I know, this is nothing compared to those who really stockpile. I buy what we use. My coupon binder is completely disorganized, which leads to a more frenzied shopping trip, but I have big plans get it under control this next week.
Remember my prediction that Green Giant, paired with a General Mills nationwide deal, would have a loss leader sale sometime this month? Well, I was correct and it came just in time since my frozen veggies stock pile was nearly extinct. (I sure hope you printed the coupons when I shared.) Many stores nation wide are doing the General Mills “Buy 20, get $6 off instantly” Catalina deal.
Since there is a daily limit, I will be going back Monday and Tuesday to make sure I fill that freezer. With fresh veggies going out of season, costs will be rising and I plan on having a stocked freezer since we eat a lot of produce. (Have you missed the reason behind my bulk shopping madness? See my article on the “How to: Stockpiling 101.”)
Often, readers respond that they just get burned out from couponing, and I completely understand how that happens. It even happens to me and I am someone who has dreams about coupons. 🙂 My recommendation is to  focus two weeks out of the month where you will do an intense coupon week. Focus on matching the store fliers with coupons, and take note of the hundreds of dollars you save. That alone with help with the burnout. Trust me! Not a week goes by where I don’t use at least a few coupons, and typically I get free items every time. Be assured that I do not do a stockpile session every week, nor do I stay on top of my coupons very well. When I see items at a loss leader price, it’s then that I stock up, and that doesn’t happen every week.  This week, the frozen veggies and Totino pizzas are nearly free with coupons, and the General Mills deal, so yes, I definitely take advantage of that.
using coupons at Harris Teeter
This is a fairly typical shopping trip when I don my Grocery Guru title.
Take a guess how much all of this was? (Remember, this was with produce, Starbucks, Kaiser bakery rolls, organic milk – gasp, it wasn’t even marked down, but it was on sale, and Pork Tenderloin.)
Total? $35 for an overflowing cart of groceries.
Besides the milk, produce and organic sweet tea that my hubby snuck in the cart without my approval, every item was matched to a coupon, even the Starbucks, which wasn’t a steal, but cheaper than purchasing already made . (Just so you know, I jest about the sweet tea, but it ruined the savings ratio. ;))
I even purchased black olives, which I haven’t eaten for ages. I forgot how much I love them. If I had wanted to show you more of an impressive dollar amount, I would have kept a few of the high dollar items out, but this is what I came home from the store with  just hours ago, so it’s a realistic picture of my shopping trip.
organic with coupons
Does the thought of using coupons still overwhelm you? Then just take one step at a time, and begin with my #1 Grocery Guru Money Saving Tip. Remember – just a little savings here and there, added up over years and years makes a HUGE difference.