And I'm Back... Giant Eagle Couponing Trip

If you could see me behind the camera, you would see me smiling. This month, I CONQUERED. I have now completed at least four grocery shopping trips with BOTH kids and I used COUPONS! (yes, I have been weekly grocery shopping, I didn't give it up or anything... we still aren't eating out much, but I haven't been brave enough to regularly coupon since I'm still learning how to balance young kids and shopping)

If you've ever used coupons at a store, you know one of three things always happens: either the item you want is out of stock, there are more items to choose from than you anticipated, or a coupon isn't ringing up at the register. Or all three happen in the same trip...

Add in two squirming kids in the shopping cart, and it quickly becomes a full-blown adventure (ha-ha-ha). Let's just say I have had the jitters about trying to attempt grocery shopping with both kids and trying to coupon at the same time. And this summer I have finally worked up my nerve. Hence my smile... after all, I started this blog to share with others that you can save money, live on a budget, and live well.

So here's a glimpse at HUGE success (for me!)... I'm not saving 90%, but my goal has been to try and slim these kind of trips by 30% if I can...

GIANT EAGLE SHOPPING TRIP 9/22/12

(3) Dawn Dish Soap- $1 (rain check from previous week's sale)
   - used (3) $.50/1 Dawn soap coupon (P&G 7/29)
Final Cost: FREE

(3) Crest Toothpaste- 2/$3
   - used (3) $.75/1 crest toothpaste coupon (P&G 7/29)
Final Cost: FREE

(2) International Delight Creamers- 3/$5
   - used (2) $.55/1 coupons from here
Final Cost: $.56 each

(4) Yoplait Kids Packs- $2.29
   - used (2) $.75/2 coupons from here
Final Cost: $1.54 each

(10) Yoplait Yogurt cups- (20/$10)
   - used (2) $.40/1 Yoplait Simplait coupons from here
   - used (1) $.60/8 Yoplait yogurt coupon from here
Final Cost: $.23 each (the $.40/1 coupons fully doubled to give $.60 overage)


(2) Yoplait Greek Yogurts cups- $1
   - used (1) $.60/2 coupons from here
Final Cost: $.40 each

(2) Gerber Organic Pouches- 2/$3
   - used (2) $.75/1 Gerber Organic pouches from here
Final Cost: FREE


(2) Gerber Pouches- $1.69
   - used (2) $.75/1 Gerber fruit pouches from here
Final Cost: $.19 each



Baby Goldfish- $2
   - used NO coupons :-)
Final Cost: $2


BBQ Sauce- $2.50
   - again, no coupon... but needed it for a recipe tonight
Final Cost: $2.50 each

Oscar Meyer lunch meat- $5.19
   - used (1) Free Oscar Meyer Selects coupon from Facebook promotional (no longer valid)
Final Cost: FREE

Total Before Coupons: $43.07 +tax
Total AFTER Coupons: $14.98 +tax 
Percent Saved: 65% (went WAY over my aim of 30% this trip!)

And yes, they were out of a few items I was looking for (that I had rain checks for) and the lunch meat coupon wasn't scanning so I had to wait for a manager to manually enter the discount. But both my kids got chocolate chip cookies at the bakery (part of Giant Eagle's cookie program) and we took the time to watch the live lobster's, so they did well this trip.