I just got back from one of the LONGEST Safeway trips ever. I spent almost an hour pushing an uncooperative cart through the aisles on an incredibly busy Sunday night. I’m sure 30 minutes of the trip was just standing at the checkout line!! Never again. However, I had put it off for too long and one of my awesome coupons was set to expire today! I just HAD go!!

At least I didn’t have the kids with me, right?

I realize it has been a very long time since I have posted any of my coupon scores, and really, tonight isn’t massively impressive compared to past trips. However, it was the week of the dreaded $10/$75 Safeway coupon, so I felt like I needed to shop, just for you guys!

Let’s recap a couple of quick details for my newest Facebook Likers: I’m a strategic couponer. There are 4 people in my family. We have a budget of $50 a week for groceries/household, etc. You can read about how I coupon in my Extreme Couponing Series of posts, and while you are at it, you might want to check out how we use our Cash Envelope categories. (For those of you stalking my Etsy shop, I promise I have more coming tomorrow!! Please stop emailing me!! LOL!)

As all strategic couponers can testify, it is really quite difficult to get our totals up above $75 to be able to use the coupon. Most of us do small trips of $10 at a time. NOTHING at all like that Extreme Couponing show. Except for the nerves. Most of us still get nervous.

For those of you joining me for a couponing post for the first time, please understand that my trips will look a bit strange to you because I have a great, huge stockpile of frozen veggies, meat, dry goods, etc. I haven’t done any real major shopping in over a month, and our family has still eaten well. We’ve just been going out for the basics: milk, bread, cheese, fruit and veggies (not very post worthy!). Otherwise, we’ve definitely been eating out of the freezer and pantry this month! THAT is the luxury of being a strategic couponer!

This is what I did tonight:

Let’s break it down starting with the interesting stuff.

You know that coupon that was going to expire? Well, it was the $5 off Cars 2 Blu-Ray+DVD (regularly $24.99), which I had planned to get for my boys for Christmas! Safeway is having a Buy Cars 2, get stuff free promo, so I got water, popcorn, a box of crackers and a Cars 2 cup for free. BUT, it gets better, because the Special K cracker/chips are BOGO this week, so I ended up getting 2 boxes for free.

Ocean Spray 64oz drinks are $2/4, plus they are having a Buy 2, get one (the Cran w/ lime) free. And, thanks to Frugal Living NW’s Coupon Database (which I reference all the time), I discovered a $1/2 MC in the Oct. Better Homes and Gardens. In the end, the 3 bottles of juice cost $1 each. Not the best price we have seen, but we’ve been craving cranberry juice!

Pineapple is $2.50 today. Not tomorrow, though. (I think it was a 3-day sale?) I like to buy fresh pineapple, cut it up and freeze it for our Friday night pizza nights. I get the equivalent of about 3 large cans from one fresh pineapple.

I finally used my FREE Open Nature ice cream coupon.

And, I used my FREE Starkist Tuna pouch coupon.

Plus, I used my FREE Kettle Chips coupon that came in the mail on Saturday! Great timing! We couponers like to save our FREE item coupons (which we get by writing to manufacturers or liking on Facebook during promos we hear about on the coupon blogs) for the weeks when we get the $10/$75 coupon. It brings our total up!

Safeway frozen veggies are 99¢ with the in-ad coupon. This is really not a stock-up price, however the mixed bell peppers were included (which is rare)! Wahoo! We have a ton of frozen veggies in the freezer right now, and I like to oven roast them with bell peppers. YUM, in a major way.

I needed some all-purpose flour, and it is on sale for $1.99 until Thanksgiving (not stock-up, but decent).

The Open Nature bread is $2/5, and I had (2) $1/1 Safeway coupons from one time when a gal was giving out samples a couple of months back. SO, the bread was $1.50 each!

Idahoan potatoes are my guilty purchase this time. Yes, I do like them A LOT. They are yummy and so super easy! I paid 75¢ each after MC.

The Tide detergent was $5.99, but I had $2/1 MCs, so I paid $3.99. This is a good price for Tide, but I typically don’t buy Tide. I just wanted to sort of “clean out” my washing machine.

One of my precious children does not like hot cocoa (which couponers get for free this time of year), so I was thrilled when I saw the in-ad coupon for the hot cider @ $1.49/ea! Since the Thanksgiving ad prices go until Thanksgiving, I will most likely buy a few more boxes for camping season.

Other things you see:

Milk
Potatoes
Bananas
Onions
Coffee (Ouch! $7.99 for the not so great stuff!)

After promo savings and Safeway coupons, but before manufacturer’s coupons, my total came to $89.83, and I almost had a heart attack. After all coupons, my total came to $51.98! And, keep in mind that the movie was $19.99, HOWEVER since I was able to stick within my grocery budget this week (with $2 borrowed from last week), I’m not going to reimburse myself from our Christmas gift savings.

Over all, I’m pleased with this trip, even though it wasn’t a massive shocker!

If my store restocks Kotex tampons, I’m stocking up. PLUS, there is a Lucerne Catalina starting Tuesday, so I will most likely go back for cheese.

Did you guys get some great deals this week?

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