What an order from the community food co-op looks like

Hey all, today I picked up my first order from The Community Co-op of Utah. Greg and I first found out about this place when we did some volunteer work about a year ago. I had always been interested in ordering from them since, but always seemed to remember days AFTER the order deadline. Instead of explaining how the co-op works, here's the link to their website.

And here's photos of what you might get:

This is one standard share (1 meat share + 1 produce share).

I also got some add-ons: tamales, pulled pork and sourdough bread

My shopping trips today - 2/14 Rite Aid

I stopped at the Rite Aid by my office on my lunch break and was able to get most of the items I wanted. They only had 8 Dove deodorants, so I only bought 4 of them. On my way home, I stopped at another Rite Aid that still had over a dozen Dove deodorants, and got the other 6 I wanted. Also used my husband's Rite Aid card this time to get 2 more Colgate Sensitive (it was limit 2).

First transaction, I spent $1.88 cash and came out 2+ups ahead. Second transaction, I spent $1.59 cash and left ahead 19+up (I earned a $20 bonus+up buy and save promotion). I had to split this into 2 transactions to make sure I got all my +ups. I've heard the receipt will run out of paper and you can lose the +ups that should have printed if they allowed a longer receipt length (it allows about 22 up slips to print).

So for my third transaction, I decided to splurge and get the Olay Pro X facial scrubber. Spent $0.56 cash (no idea how, since you're not allowed to pay taxes with +ups... and my receipt says 2.01 in tax. He let me use 32 +ups). I am working on an explanation of what coupons I used, it will be up tomorrow. Anyways, I spent a total of $4.03 cash, and I am ahead 6+ups!

I hope everyone is having luck finding the sale items. If you live in the Salt Lake valley, and want to know a good Rite Aid that always has the hot items in stock, even halfway through the week, I know of 3... just email me. yourmarie83@gmail.com

New Walgreens baby coupons

Click here for more info.

I also found some baby coupons (Huggies and Enfamil) I won't be using that expire soon. I posted them in the forums.

You may be able to combine them with the coupons in this Walgreens coupon book. Check www.iheartwags.com for coupon policy and prices/sales for the next 2-3 weeks, to buy when they are on sale for the lowest price!

Monday's shopping trip

Here's my plan of attack for Monday Feb. 14 at my local Rite Aid. I got all my ideas from http://www.iheartriteaid.com and the spreadsheet is modified from the one on their sister site, iheartwags.com. I also check http://www.grocerysmarts.com the week that I go shopping (they only show current prices/promotions. Iheartriteaid shows sales previews up to 3 weeks in advance, with the entire flier plus ideas on which coupons to use.) I post on Iheartriteaid as Yourmarie83.

I'll post again on Monday after my shopping trip! Have a great weekend!

Introduction

I started getting interested in couponing around the December holidays 2010 (about 2 months ago), so I haven't been doing it long. I have gravitated more towards saving at Rite Aid, because you can get the best deals there, and they don't have all kinds of restrictions like Walgreens (and I've heard, CVS). In the past couple of weeks, my post-it notes and ziploc bags full of coupons have turned into a spreadsheet, which I keep in a sheet protector and then I throw the ziploc bag and my calculator and small scizzors inside it. I've seen people with their coupon binders in the stores, and I do have a zipper binder to organize my leftover coupons... but it doesn't leave the house.

The main thing I've learned so far in my adventures in couponing is to keep your inserts!!! I get the Sunday paper. Well, two of them. The Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret News. And I read them (!!!) and then shred them to reuse as kitty litter. When I get the coupons on Sunday, I don't clip them. I just write on the top their abbreviation and date. It looks something like this SS 1/30 (Smart Source from Jan. 30) or RP 1/23 (Red Plum). Speaking of the Red Plum, I love this insert! It comes in the mail on Tuesdays. I live in an apartment complex, where there is a bank of mailboxes. Lots of folks discard their coupons. So I grab theirs from the trash. Yes, I know this sounds gross, but trust me, there is nothing but junk mail in these trash bins. So, every week, I have 6-8 copies of the RP.

This blog will be a place where I post bragging photos of my hauls, and I welcome you to post yours as well! I hope you do... I mostly get canned food and beauty/staple items (such as toilet paper, OTC meds, deodorant, lotion, and bodywash), and there are many out there that get specific in different areas, like baby items, or kids items. I call my shopping/couponing style "bachelor items."