Friday's Frugal Find--Two Shopping Sprees!

I didn't expect to do much frugal-scoping this week since I was out of town until Thursday.  But when I got home and finally clipped my coupons, I realized that this is the GOLDEN WEEK at Kroger (or Dillons, it's affiliate)!  I wanted to post this as my Friday experiment in frugality so that those of you who live near a Kroger/Dillon's can capitalize on it before Sunday comes and the sales change again!

I made two different shopping trips to capitalize on the "Buy 10, Save $5" special they are running this week.  Now, the thrilling thing about the couponing world is that we can secretly snicker at the "Save $5" part, knowing full well that with our added coupons, which are DOUBLED up to $0.50, we are saving way more than a measly five dollars.  Give me a break.

I'm going to list out the two different deal scenarios I opted for, based upon my own pantry needs, but know that there are literally TONS of combinations you could make with the qualifying products and your own coupon collection.  May these scenarious merely motivate you to get to Kroger/Dillon's and scope out the HOT deals this week.

Be sure to keep reading for shopping trip #2--the one with the freebies and Specials!

Shopping Trip #1

4 boxes of Ronzoni High-Fiber Pasta

• Buy 10 Sale Price: $0.49 each
• Coupon: Didn't have any Ronzoni coupons, which would have made the deal even sweeter, but we needed more pasta so well under a $1.00 for such a great, healthy brand was worth it for us.
• Final Price: $0.49 each

4 boxes (6 bars each) of Nature Valley Protein and Fiber One Chewy Granola Bars

• Buy 10 Sale Price: $1.99 each
• Coupon: $0.50/1 from Sunday paper insert (doubled to $1.00 off)
• Final Price: $0.99 each

Smart Balance Spreadable Butter

• Buy 10 Sale Price: $1.99
• Coupon: $1.75/1 Facebook Promo
• Final Price: $0.24 each

Sliced American Cheese

• Buy 10 Sale Price: $1.29
• Coupon: Since it was Kroger brand, couldn't use a manufacturer's coupon, but we needed it and, again, a great "regular" price for this product.
• Final Price: $1.29 each

Once I had my 10 participating items, I also used coupons for products on sale apart from the Buy 10 special:

Land 'O Frost Deli Ham (1 lb.)

• Sale Price: $3.50 (2/$7)
• Coupon: $1/1 from Kroger Coupon Book mailed to me
• Final Price: $2.50 per pound

Oscar Meyer Lunchable

• Sale Price: 10/$10
• Coupon: $0.55/1 from Kroger Coupon Book
• Final Price: $0.45 each

GRAND SHOPPING TOTAL: $10.79

I didn't save a mere five dollars, as advertised--I saved a whopping $25.96 through the combined use of sales and coupons.  Take that, Kroger! :-)

But my next shopping trip excited me even more because I got high-dollar items for either FREE or almost-free, plus a slew of unexpected Manager's Specials, which, as you know, is kind of a high for me :-)

Shopping Trip #2

Oscar Meyer Select Hot Dogs (no artificial preservatives or fillers)

• Buy 10 Sale Price: $1.48 each
• Coupon: $1/1 Facebook promo
• Final Price: $0.48 each

2 Hefty One-Zip Storage and Freezer Bags

• Buy 10 Sale Price: $0.99 each
• Coupon: $0.55/1 digital coupon from kroger.com
• Final Price: I only had one coupon, so one box was $0.44 and the other $0.99

2 Kroger-brand Crunchy Peanut Butter

• Buy 10 Sale Price: $1.99 each
• Coupon: Unexpected Buy 10 item, so I had no coupon, though this is a GREAT price and is our favorite brand of PB...plus we're complete addicts.
• Final Price: $1.99 each

Cottonelle Bath Tissue (12 Double or 24 Regular Rolls)

• Buy 10 Sale Price: $5.99 each
• Coupon: $1/1 digital coupon from kroger.com
• Final Price: $4.99 each
• This is not a "steal" for toilet paper, but we were in need and it's definitely a "good" price for a great brand.  Definitely beats paying full price!

International Delight Coffee Creamer (the BIG bottle! Quart maybe?)

• Buy 10 Sale Price: $2.49 each
• Coupon: $1.50/1 Facebook promo
• Final Price: $0.99 each
• I realize these were FREE at Target this week if you stacked the MC with the Target SC, but my 7/29 Red Plum was flawed: it was missing all the inserts!  Ah!  So I couldn't snag the freebie since I didn't have the SC.  Major bummer.  But this helped to ease my woe a bit, and helped me reach the 10 item requirement for the great sale prices, so it was a win-win.

3 more boxes of Nature Valley and/or Fiber One Protein/Granola Bars

• Buy 10 Sale Price: $1.99 each
• Coupon: $0.50/1 (doubled to $1/1)
• Final Price: $0.99 each

Now I had my ten participating items and came away with MORE amazing finds through a freebie and unexpected Manager's Specials:

Oscar Meyer Selects Hot Dogs (these are the REALLY expensive but healthy kind--no nitrates or anything)

• Regular Price: $3.99 each
• Coupon: FREE Oscar Meyer Selects Hot Dogs or Deli Meats Facebook Promo
• Final Price: FREE!!

2 Kroger brand Half-and-Half (Pint size)

• Regular Price: $1.24 (about...my receipt didn't tell me exactly)
• Manager's Special: $0.89!
• Final Price: $0.89 each...so I snagged two and froze the other one :-)

Fresh Selections Caesar Salad Kit

• Regular Price: $2.49 each
• Manager's Special: $1.29 each
• Final Price: $1.29 each...but since it's lettuce and on-the-verge of wilting (hence Manager's Special) I just got one

Large Bag of Spinach Leaves

• Regular Price: close to $3.00 each
• Manager's Special: $1.29 each
• Final Price: $1.29 each (since the bag is HUGE and the spinach in its last days, I separated it out into smaller bags to keep it from spoiling prematurely)

Loaf of wheat bread (Kroger brand)

• On sale for $0.88 each!

Hot Dog Buns (for those FREE and almost-free hot dogs!!)

• On sale for $0.88 each!

PLUS--> From my first shopping trip, I received a $1.00 off my next purchase voucher because, well...they love me :-)  Hah!  I know, I know they just love my money...but still, it felt like a little hug from the establishment.

GRAND SHOPPING TOTAL: $22.88

This time I saved $26.30 and danced out of the store with my unexpectedly good finds.  So there's my recent high, which was made all the more sweet since it involved the use of sales, coupons, AND Manager's Specials!

So, go.  Have your own fun--and tell me about it!

**Up next week: Five Dollar Dates!