Sunday, October 30, 2011

Shoppers Drug Mart Shop

SDM had a great deal on diapers this weekend and I had a few coupons from the newspaper so i had to take advantage.  I also picked up a Peanut Butter, for those of you that go through lots, like my family does the price will be going up by a lot, in the New Year I believe, so stock up when it goes on sale!


Diapers: Regular Price $23.99 Sale $9.99 - $2.00 Coupon $7.99
Peanut Butter: Regular Price $7.49 Sale $2.49

HST: $1.00
Total Spent: $19.47
Total Saved: $33.00

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Lets Start From The Begining

I know that couponing can seem daunting and overwhelming but the benefits are really life, and budget, changing!  So I thought that I should post about how I have started and maybe it can help you in your journey.  To begin I did a lot of reading, and I mean a lot!  I googled and searched and talked to lots of people online, and then decided that it was something that I wanted to try.  Now if you have watched TLC's Extreme Couponing and that is what you think this is going to be like you are mistaken.  Yes you can get great deals and lots of stuff for free but what you see on TV is NOT the norm BUT you can have great success!

Where to Find Coupons:
There are so many places now that you can find coupons, some are for as much as $10.00 and others are for as little as $0.25 but the way that I look at it is no matter what the amount a penny saved is a penny earned :)

TEAR PADS:  Have you ever really looked around at the drug store or grocery store, these little gems are everywhere now!  I have found a lot of my best deals have been from using tear pads.  When you find one that you like take a few, not the whole pack share the wealth.  Some stores have the same ones but there are variations so keep your eyes open at all locations.  My favourite places to find them are Sobeys, Metro, SDM (Shoppers Drug Mart), and Rexall.  Now Loblaws (Loblaws, SuperStore and Independent)also has them but they do say that they are for any Loblaws Inc Store only.  BUT with those coupons you can use them at Walmart as they take all competitors coupons and they add match.

INTERNET:  There are so many places on the Internet now that you can get amazing coupons.  My go to sites are Save.ca , Websaver.ca ,Gocoupons.ca , Brandsaver.ca .  For these sites you sign up pick out your coupons and they mail them to you, they are very fast in getting them to you.  Then there is a waiting period until you can have them mailed to you again.  You are allowed one account per household and email.  There are also many places that you can go to to print coupons online, there are sites that are dedicated to printing online like SmartSource.ca and LivingWell.ca but also lots of company's have coupons right on their websites.  Company's also tend to offer free samples or coupons if you "like" their page on facebook.  There are lots of sites, like mine, that are dedicated to frugal living just a little google work and you can be loaded with information.  A good idea might be to open another email account and have it specifically for couponing that way your everyday email wont get filled with you couoon, organization is key.

NEWSPAPER:  The newspaper does offer coupons, but unlike in the US it is not every week.  There are inserts every few weeks on the weekend papers.

OTHER:  You can find coupons in lots of different packages in all sorts of different products, you just have to keep your eyes open.  For example there are cereal boxes, juice containers, and taco kits and don't forget magazines.

There are also many companies that offer free samples, these are great as they are free plus a lot of the time they come with a coupon to try the product.

Once you set your mind to try couponing you will start to see them everywhere and it can be very exciting when you find a good one.  One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to be patient!  You really want to know your prices of products when they are full price and when they are on sale.  Know you "best prices"  that is when you want to use coupons.  This will maximize your savings and keep your out of pocket cost low.  Another trick is to look for the smallest size possible, now I know to most that goes against what we were taught when trying to save money but hear me out.  When you go for the smaller size you will get the bigger bang for your coupon and that is when your out of pocket will be very little if anything.  For example I was able to buy the smallest size of  Listerine and make $0.12 per bottle, if I had bought the larger size I would have been out of pocket.  Travel size can be your best friend, they can be your money makers like the shaving cream that I made $1.04 off, for each container I bought. 

Just remember to take it slow so that you don't get overwhelmed, couponing is fun so have fun and enjoy it!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

My Latest Deals

I have had a few good deals this week and received a few wonderful samples and coupons in the mail :)

Walmart

Shaving Cream Travel Size: $1.96 had a $3.00 off Coupon, Made $1.04 per total MADE  $12.48
Binder: Regular $8.74 on Sale for $6.00 Scanned in wrong so was FREE
Hamster Food: $4.68
Pages for my new Coupon Binder $3.98 each


In the Mail I got my P&G Samples and it came with some great coupons!


I emailed Colgate the other week and asked for some Coupons and today I got them!  YEAH!  5 Coupons for $1.00 off! 



Loblaws / RCSS


Buckleys: On sale for $4.99 had $3.00 off Coupon from a Tear Pad making them $1.99 each
Yogurt Snack: $2.99 - Snack for Hubby
Ketchup: $2.99 - We ran out and didn't have a coupon, but it was on sale
Thermos:  $6.00 - for my little one for lunches
Dove Body Wash: $3.99 each, had a $2.00 coupon for each, Cashier rang my Coupons through twice so I got them FREE

HST: $1.82
TOTAL: $13.93

Walmart, again :)

Dove: $2.97 Price Matched To No frills $1.00 then used my buy two save $2.00 Coupons, and the cashier scanned one in twice so MADE $2.00
Heinz: on sale for $0.67

HST: $1.82
TOTAL: $5.18

On Saturday Michaels had a one day sale that included a coupon that gave you 25% off your entire purchase, this I could not pass up :)  There are two pictures to show everything I got, total was just over $40!!  I was very pleased.  The Cards were priced wrong they should have been $11.99 but there was a sale sign that said 2/$8.00 so I was able to get the sale price!  I was able to get some decorations for just over a dollar each and some great little stocking stuffers.
 
 Now these multi packs are normally $8.99 and they were on sale for $0.84 PLUS another 25% off, which made them .... $0.63 EACH!!


Flyers are out for next week and my new coupon binder is coming together nicely, fingers crossed for some great deals this weekend, I have LOTS of coupons that expire on Monday!!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Rexall Run

So a little while ago Rexall had Multibionta Vitamins on sale for $9.99 for a 30 pack and I bought a few and got a raincheck for 9 more.  So today I went and picked up my other 9 (5 for me 4 for a friend). 

Total: $0.00
HST: $11.69
Total Spent: $11.69
Total Saved: $139.41

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Share the Ziploc

After we got a bunch of Ziploc for FREE my wonderful husband went back and got another 40 so we could share with our family and friends :)


Total bought 40
on sale for $0.98 then used the buy two save $2.00

Total Negative: $0.80
HST: $5.10
Total: $4.30

Monday, October 17, 2011

The Ziploc Shop

This morning I went to Walmart and SDM with my girlfriend Jenn and we got some really good deals :)



SDM
I picked up 2 more Colgate Toothpaste for the kiddies $0.88 each
Total: $1.99
Saved: $3.22

WALMART
50 Ziploc: On Sale for $0.98 Tear Pad Coupon $2.00 off WUB 2 (Coupon can be found at Loblaws, Independent or Superstore)  So Made $1.00 on all 50
Bounty: Price Matched Zellers for $4.98 plus Coupon for $1.00 off
Dove Bar: Price Matched Zellers for $1.49 each after Coupon $0.49each
Dove Baby Wash: Price Matched SDM for $2.98 each after Coupon 1.98 each
For each of the Dove I used the Tear Pad for Buy 2 different Dove Products get $2.00 Off
Spider Web: $1.00
Stickers: $2.24
Total: $11.10
HST: $8.59
Grand Total: $19.69



Sunday, October 16, 2011

My Latest SDM Deal

Another Shoppers Drup Mart (SDM) deal, just a little one this time, they have had some great deal lately!




All toothpastes were on sale for $0.88 each
Eggs $1.99
Eggos on same for $1.99 with $0.75 off coupon, making them $1.24each
St Ives on for $2.99 used a $1 off coupon from a tear pad making it $1.99

HST: $0.85

Total Spent: $10.83
Total Saved: $13.84

I am hoping for some GREAT deals tomorrow at Walmart and Metro!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

20X the Points Bonus Day

So Shopper had a one day 20X the points day and I couldn't help but take advantage and it ended up being my BEST shop YET!




2 Scott Paper Towel $2.99 - $2.00 off coupon for each and 1000 bonus points each
40 Vim $0.99 - $1.00 off coupon total MADE $0.40
7 Mouth Wash $4.88 - $5.00 off coupon so total MADE $0.84
6 Degree $1.79 - $0.50 off coupon for each and total 6000 bonus points
2 Dove Conditioner $2.99 - $1.50 off coupon for each


HST: $1.49
REGULAR POINTS: 110
BONUS POINTS: 8000


GRAND TOTAL: $12.49
SAVED: $104.27
20X THE POINTS GRAND TOTAL: 10,200

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Shoppers Deal


Saturday was a 20X the points day to Shoppers *YEAH* so off I went and was SO happy with the deals I got!  I went after the girls were in bed and realised that this is really the best time to go, its not to busy, it is young cashiers that don't scrutinize over every detail of the coupon, it's great :)

TOTAL: $78.61
SAVED $144.12
POINTS: 27800

Monday, October 3, 2011

Double Coupon Day at Pharmasave

Friday was my first time shopping a double coupon day!  What this means is that every coupon that you use in the store they will double it, so a $1.00 coupon becomes a $2.00 coupon.  One of their rules though is that they will not allow an overage on the product, most places wont.  So Friday morning I went over to see what I could get.  There were a few other couponers there and it was a small store so you had to move quick :)  I was able to do pretty well and learned a lot so I can be ready for the next double coupon day!  Hopefully other stores will follow and it will become more regular in Canada like it is in the States.



Aspirin: $4.99 each had a $6.00 coupon so all FREE
Febreeze: $2.99 each had a $1.00 coupon so one was $0.99, then had a buy 3 get $4.00 off so the other 3 were $0.32 each
Gillette Body Wash: $2.99 each had a $1.00 coupon for each, so each one was $0.99 each
Advil: $8.49 had a $2.00 coupon so it was $4.49
Gillette Moisturizer: $4.99 each had a $2.00 coupon making it $0.99
Bandaids: $2.99 each had a $1.00 coupon making it $0.99
Mascara: $6.99 each had a $2.00 coupon making it $2.99
Pantene: $3.99 each had a $1.00 coupon making them $1.99 each


Before Taxes: $17.38
HST: $9.53


TOTAL: $26.91