Safeway trip

4 January 2011 3,144 views 8 Comments

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I did a quick little last minute Safeway trip with Cole this morning. I’m thinking ahead to Valentine’s Day, and thought I should stock up on practically free fruit snacks for the boys’ classmates while I can.

This is what I picked up:

Have you ever seen “Simply” Fruit Snacks before? I read about them in the comments on a coupon blog and thought I would try to find them in my local store. There was only one variety (Wildberry), but according to the ingredient list, they are definitely more natural and a lot better for you than, say, Spiderman Fruit Snacks.

Still, Cole insisted on Spiderman for his class, and we picked up some bugs for Grant’s class. I typically Photoshop some cool Valentines and then attach a fruit snack. It’s a hit.

I did this in 4 transactions to take advantage of rolling the Catalinas that printed out after each transaction. All of the details are over at The Krazy Coupon Lady. And, since Oregon didn’t get doublers this week (and the printable coupons are Do Not Double anyway), my numbers were the same as hers.

T1:
5 Simply Fruit Snacks
Used $1/3 MC and $.50/2 MC (linked up at KCL)
Paid $3.45 OOP (out of pocket)
Earned a $3.00 Catalina to spend on my next transaction

T2:
5 more Fruit Snacks
Used $1/3 MC and $.50/2 MC
Used $3.00 Catalina from T1
Paid $.45 OOP
Earned a $3.00 Catalina

T3:
5 Nature Valley Granola Bars
Used in ad coupon to make them $1.77 each (expires today)
Used (2) $1/2 MCs and a .50/1 MC (also linked at KCL)
Used $3.00 Cat from T2
Paid $3.35 OOP
Earned a $3.50 Catalina

T4:
Eggs @ $1.99 with in-ad coupon
Carrots @ $2
Onion @ 79¢/lb = $.92
Celery @ $.99
Oranges @ $1/lb = $2.43
3 Nivea Lip Care at $.99 each
Used $2/2 MC and a BOGO MC from the 1/2 RP = 3 for FREE
(Our store only had 3 Nivea Lip Cares left, or I could have used 2 BOGO coupons to get 4 for free!)
Used $3.50 Catalina from T3
Paid $4.81 OOP

Total spent on this trip was $12.06

Total saved: $59.48 (or 86%)

And, yes, I did do this back-to-back in my very empty store (it’s like a ghost town out there since it is 24° outside!!). I was VERY organized (coupons on top of each transaction) and my young, female checker was very friendly. The guy behind me was impressed! Still, I was all shaky and butterflies-in-the-stomach-ish by the end. Good grief.

Has anyone else noticed the great BOGO ground sirloin sale? It’s $4.49/lb, so only $2.24/lb after BOGO savings. I’m sorely tempted to go back, except that I am stealing from my Wk 4 envelope and still have 11 days left in my month. Hopefully the sale will continue next week. Anyone have tomorrow’s ad?

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8 Comments »

Krista S. said:

Awesome job! Did the Simply Fruit ones shoot out the CAT? Last year when I did this, it did not and I had to go to customer service and mess with all that. I just did the spiderman and bugs today and it worked. (I also use them for Valentine’s Day treats for my kiddos’ class! We use cards I purchase at the end of the season the previous year so I literally make money on Valentine’s Day treats!)

Also, the meat is good until 1/11, at least that is what my two Safeways said (Clackamas and Damascus). I stocked up on ground beef and bought 21 lbs. for $59 which comes out to $2.02 a lb! Wahoo!

Also, if you get the free FoodDay paper, there is a $10 off $50 purchase that would go great with the meat sale. That coupon is valid until 1/11 as well. And in my free paper was an ad for Safeway starting 1/5 and there are doubles in it. Yeah! You can use the double today even though the ad starts tomorrow because the coupon only said expires 1/11, no start date.

Hope that helps! Love your pics and keep posting them because they bring me great inspiration and ideas!

[Reply]

Kelleigh Reply:
January 4th, 2011 at 12:48 pm

YAY!! Man, I wish I received that free paper!! We sometimes get something similar, but it doesn’t come until Wednesday afternoon. At least I know to keep my eyes open!

Oh, that darn $10 off coupon!! ARGH!

[Reply]

# 4 January 2011 at 12:36 pm

Safeway Update: We found double coupons + stock-up on Valentine’s Day treats said:

[...] on to the point: Head over to Kelleigh’s blog to see what she got for just $12.06 out-of-pocket. And note how she’s using all those free Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks — Valentine’s [...]

# 4 January 2011 at 1:03 pm

Julie said:

I was at Dallas Safeway this morning and they already had a nice big stack of next weeks adds sitting there by the door.

[Reply]

# 4 January 2011 at 3:47 pm

Daisha Johnson said:

Hi, so glad to find your website (through frugal living NW). My husband and I are moving back to Salem, in a few months, after being gone for about 10 years for schooling and I’ve been searching around for coupon blogs and other blogs that are based in the NW and Salem area!

I’m totally inpressed with your Safeway purchase. I have yet to be brave enough to do back to back transactions. I don’t know why it seems so scary to me. Maybe it’s becaue I usually have my little kids with me.

Are you actually in Salem or the Dallas area?

Anyway, I’m excited to follow along with your blog. It’s great!

My husband’s name is Cole I love how kids always like to be in the picture!

[Reply]

# 4 January 2011 at 8:38 pm

Jennifer said:

I also went in today for fruit snacks and granola bars. The simply fruit rollups print for the cats. I was looking for the ad with the doublers and there was none. I asked at CS and was told this weeks ad didn’t have em but to just tell the cashier I wanted to double. Worked for me! So my fruit snacks ended up free!!! I bought 6 boxes used 3 $.50/2 coupons doubled and got a $3 cat.

[Reply]

# 4 January 2011 at 11:32 pm

Eschelle said:

those are crazy savings!! Great work!

[Reply]

# 7 January 2011 at 4:33 pm

Extreme Couponing: Stockpiling and Menu Planning | Kelleigh Ratzlaff Designs said:

[...] drink (water with a Kool-Aid fizzer that I stocked up on when it was free), and a treat (usually a fruit snack or Hershey bar). If we are out of sandwich bread for Grant’s lunch, we’ll do homemade [...]

# 25 January 2011 at 4:11 pm