Hi Frugal Living NW readers! What a treat to have so many visitors! Thanks for stopping by!

I’m not a coupon blogger. I’m just a regular mom who loves a good deal. I shop almost exclusively at Safeway and feed my family of 4 for $200 a month (with $ left over to eat out!). You might be interested in seeing more of my Safeway deals (just for some inspiration), or you can check out my popular post about the cash envelope system that I use (and made!).

Remember how I earned a bunch of Catalinas on my shopping trip last week? I was excited to see what I would do with those this week. I figured I would just spend them on my regular ol’ shopping. However, an opportunity to roll the Catalinas presented itself to me.

Safeway has an in-ad coupon which makes Nabisco 100 Calorie packs $1.65. Plus, there is a manufacturer coupon for 75¢/2 (some areas got $1/2), which could be doubled. AND, there is a Catalina (which can be used like cash on your next purchase) that is printing. See the details over at Frugal Living NW, if you are interested. In the coupon world, we call this the perfect storm!

There is also a sweet deal on the taco shells (99¢ each), if you have your e-coupons loaded to your club card. I had (2) 60¢/2 e-coupons loaded to my card, plus there was a peelie on the taco shell boxes for $1 off a can of Old El Paso refried beans, which could be doubled.

SO, on my first transaction, I purchased 6 boxes of 100 Calorie Snacks (which I dumped into the big “lunch treat” jar for Grant’s school lunches - he gets to pick one a day). I also purchased 2 boxes of taco shells and a can of refried beans. (All the stuff on the right side of the photo next to Cole.) The taco shells and beans cost me 28¢ TOTAL. The 6 boxes of 100 Calories Snacks cost me $6.71 (and that was AFTER coupons, people! Such a rip off!). HOWEVER, I used my Catalinas to bring that total down to $1.93 Out of Pocket. And, I earned a $3.00 Catalina!

I did my second transaction (everything on the left by Grant) this evening during soccer practice. Incidentally, Frugal Living NW reported a new Shortcuts ecoupon for the taco shells, which I loaded onto my card before I left the house. This time, the two boxes of taco shells and one can of refried beans cost me 88¢. I’ll take it! I grabbed two $1/2 Skippy Peanut Butter Manufacturer’s Coupons from the Albertson’s ad (which CAN be used at Safeway, since they are just regular ol’ MCs!), and the 25¢/1 Kleenex coupon from the Albertson’s ad. Safeway had the Skippy on sale with a store coupon for $1.49 each. The Kleenex was 79¢ each with the store coupon. SO, after the store coupons+manufacturer’s coupons, the Skippy was 74¢ each, and the Kleenex was 29¢. I used my Catalina from transaction #1 to bring my total down to $1.13 Out of Pocket.

So, everything you see up there cost me $3.06 Out of Pocket.

I gotta take a sec to rant about 100 Calorie Packs.

OH MY WORD, people.

100 Calorie Packs are designed so that those of us with very little self-control will be able to hold ourselves accountable by only eating a small amount of a bad thing rather than an entire bag or box of a bad thing, right? Instead of an entire row of double stuffed Oreos, I will limit myself to the itty-bitty, teeny-tiny, soft and not so stuffed Oreos that come in the inky-dinky little package. Or, maybe I’ll decide that I’m just not satisfied with that little taste, and it was only 100 calories anyway, so I’ll just go ahead and help myself to another little pack. And maybe another.

100 Calorie packs are SUCH a rip off if you are paying full price!! They are regularly on sale for $2.50 a box (although they are typically $3.59). For 6 teeny snacks. RIP OFF! Just buy yourself a package of double stuffed oreos and some snack sized bags.

I can’t believe people fall for this stuff. {sigh!}

Of course, none of this rant about senseless spending applies to me. I mean, I bought 6 boxes for $1.65. That makes each box only 27¢ or about 5¢ per pack. Perfect for school lunches. OH, plus the whole “they earned me money” thing. The Catalina.

Anywho!

Tell me you don’t fall for the 100 Calorie Snack thing.

Now I have a craving for double stuffed Oreos. Shoot.

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