Meijer Coupon Policy

Well, I emailed Meijers about my recent trip and quickly received an email in reply containing their coupon policy. So, here it is:
MEIJER COUPON POLICY

We accept manufacturer, Catalina manufacturer, Meijer, Catalina Meijer, and internet coupons within certain guidelines. For Meijer, with the Catalina Meijer coupons the customer will pay any applicable sales tax on the discounted price. When a manufacturer or Catalina vendor coupon is presented, the customer pays sales tax on the full retail amount; and we rebate only the value of the coupon. We do not issue rainchecks on out-of-stock vendor coupon items.

To be valid, coupons must be presented before or on the expiration date. The customer must meet with the terms or qualifications for redemption on the coupon.

We apologize for any recent confusion surrounding the MealBox coupons. To help clarify the redemption of the MealBox coupons please know the following:

1.) Mealbox coupons may be used in addition to Manufacturer coupons

2.) Mealbox coupons may be used each time a condition is met, which could be multiple times per transaction. (For example: a coupon for $1.00 off 2 Soups can be used multiple times if you have a coupon printed and the number of soups purchased matches, i.e. 2 coupons = 4 soups.)3.) Mealbox coupons cannot be doubled or tripled at any time.

4.) Stores have the right to limit the quantity of items to normal retail purchases per transaction.

If you have additional questions please, please feel free to stop at the Customer Service desk of your local Meijer store, and ask to speak with the Service Manager.

Feel free to copy and paste this. I plan on putting it w/ my other store policies in my coupon binder!

Kroger 10/$10 Sale!

Krogers is running a 10/$10 sales Monday, Sept. 28 thru Sunday, October 4. Here's the highlights I see:

• Kroger veggies
• Barilla or Creamette pasta
• Kroger Orange juice
• Angel Soft bath tissue
• Frito Lay snacks
• Idahoan Potatoes
• Brawny paper towels
• Open Pit BBQ sauce
• Armour LunchMakers
• Del Monte Fruit Naturals
• Seedless Cucumbers
• Tennessee Pride Gravy
  - $1 cpn (9/13 RP)
  = FREE
• Kroger Microwave pizza
• Edy's or Haagen Dazs Ice Cream
• StarKist tuna pouch or can
  - $1/2 cpn (9/20 RP)
  = $.50 each
• Nestle Frozen lemonade
• Kroger pepper
• Kroger syrup
• Hunts Pasta sauce
• Kraft EasyMac or boxed Mac & Cheese shapes
• Hunt's ketchup
  - $1/2 cpn (Sept All You Mag)
  = $.50
• SoBe Life Water
  - $.25 cpn here
  = $.50
• Propel Fitness water
• Nestle hot cocoa mix
• Pudding cake slices
• Kangaroo Pita Pockets
• Kroger Candy corn
• Kroger bread or buns
• Gatorade sports drink
• Betty Crocker cake
• Powerbar

Other good deals:

• Tyson chicken breasts $1.89/lb
• seedless grapes $.98/lb
• Campbells chicken noodle or tomato soup $.50
  - $.40/4 cpn (9/13 SS)
  = 4/$1.20
• 7-Up 2 liters 4/$4 + get the 5th FREE
  = 5/$4
• Suave Naturals or Professional hair care $1.28
  - $1/2 cpn (8/2 RP)
  = 2/$1.58

B1G1 sales:

• Lloyds BBQ
• Hillshire Farm Smoked sausage
• Hormel black label bacon
• Ball Park franks
  - $1/2 cpn (8/30 RP)
• Thomas' English muffins
• RW Knudsen Juice

As always, let me know if I've missed any!

How To Organize Coupons

This is the second part (of three) of a series I am doing on couponing.
To read the first part "How to Get Coupons", go here.
II. How to Organize Coupons

For me, organizing coupons has been a 'work in progress'. I have used several different methods before settling on the system I currently use. My first method was simply an envelope with a few manufacturers' coupons in it for items I knew I would purchase. I clipped very few coupons then, so this system seemed to work. They were not in any particular order and usually expired before I remembered to use them.

Next, I got a little more serious about couponing. I bought a small coupon organizer with dividers in it to separate the coupons into various groups. At this point, I was cutting more coupons than before, and this system seemed sufficient.

After this, I realized that the small holder was becoming so packed that it was hard to flip through the coupons to find the one that I wanted to use. So, I bought a large plastic shoebox container and some large dividers to again separate the coupons by types. This system was actually very effective in that I had a lot of room to store the coupons, they were very well organized by groups, and they were protected in a box with lid. However, the downfall for me in this system is that I was cutting so many coupons, even multiple copies of the same coupon, that I got tired of looking through even the divided sections to find the right coupon. Also, I found that I allowed so many coupons to expire because they got lost in the sections.

And this leads me to what I believe to be the most effective way to organize coupons and the system that I now use. I bought a package of baseball card sleeves (the clear plastic ones with 9 pockets front and back). I placed these sleeves into a large 3 ring binder and began organizing my coupons. Now, I have to say that the initial setup of this system is quite time consuming, but the results are well worth the effort. This is not my original idea. I read an article in our newspaper on a local coupon queen, Heather Tenney, and she highlighted her organizer there. She holds coupon classes in the Cincinnati area and helps many people save lots of money. For more on Heather, visit her blog:Little Miss Know It All

Now all my coupons are organized using this system. I placed them in order based upon the aisles of the grocery store I most commonly shop. I can see all my coupons, the value of them, and the expiration date. It has really made using coupons much easier and quicker.

For example, if Cheerios are on sale, I go to the cereal section in my binder. I look for Cheerios coupons and can tell by the amount whether it's a good deal. If it is, I pull out those coupons, for all the Cheerios coupons are in the same pocket and know how many boxes I will buy at the sale price. I have found this current well-organized system to be the best at maximizing savings. I know what coupons I have, where they are, and can quickly determine how many I have for a particular item. I believe that I save so much more money using this system. Again, it is a little more time consuming especially initially, but for me it is well worth the effort.

Meijer Troubles!

Well, I went to Meijers today. I had heard that a lot of you have been having some trouble w/their coupon policy or changes of it. So, I gave it a try. I actually saved a lot of money. After getting home, I went thru my receipt and $4 in coupons failed to come off. Now that takes some time to track down when I had so many, but I was able to figure it out. I am finding the BIG problem is w/ the Mealbox coupons. They seem to scan and take $0 off!! I have emailed Meijers regarding this, because even the cashier wasn't sure on the current policy. If I hear back from Meijers and get a formal coupon policy, I will let you all know!! Until then, I plan on doing smaller transactions so I can better figure out what my oop should be! My subtotal today was $150, I spent $31, and so $4 is a little hard to track in that! Also, stay tuned for my picture and post!! I am so stocked on ice cream, Crystal Light & deodorants!

More Coupons Available!

There are some great coupons available to print right now:

$1 Welch's juice cpn here
$1 Freschestta pizza cpn here
$1/2 Pillbury Grands cpn here (makes them $.50 at Meijer)
$.75 Special K bars cpn here
$1 Nature Valley Granola Nut Cluster cpn here
$.75 Cocoa Puffs cpn here
$1 Special K crackers here
$.55 Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal here
$.75 Fiber One cereal here
$1 Kelloggs Cinnabon bars here
$1 Yoplait Fiber One yogurt packs here

You can print 2 copies of each per computer.

How To Get Coupons

Recently, I have become aware of the fact that many, many people do not know how to use coupons effectively. Some refuse to use them. Some don't like coupons. Some use them very sporadically. And, believe it or not, some don't think you can save money using them. I, however, am a firm believer in using coupons. If you would like to start saving $100's every month on your grocery bill, then this article is for you. It's one of three parts that I will be sharing:

I. How to Get Coupons

You need to know where to get them in order to use them, right? In obtaining coupons, I have gone through a few different stages. When I first began using coupons, I solely relied on the Sunday paper being delivered to my house each week. In doing so, I had one copy of each insert weekly and cut them out accordingly. For me this just wasn't enough.

Then, I progressed to get high-speed Internet and was introduced to some online coupon sites. These, coupled with my other coupons, gave me, what I felt like, was an ample supply of manufacturer's coupon. I was content as I was saving quite a bit off our weekly grocery bill.

It was only last summer that I came upon some websites that "peaked my interest". There, I read about a totally different approach to couponing, and I was hooked. Now, I get my coupons from many different sources. Each week, I buy at least 4 local papers on Saturday. Then, on Sunday morning my Sunday paper is delivered with coupons. Occasionally, there are a few more coupons in the Sunday paper than in the Saturday. Depending on the difference, I will go and buy any where from 5 to 7 more papers at a store. This doing, I end up with at least 10 of every coupon in the weekly inserts. That may sound like a lot to some of you, but when you start stockpiling and buying in bulk, it really helps. I still get a lot of coupons from various coupon printing web pages. And, lastly, I get on company's email lists and receive coupons through the mail and email.

To cite an example of how all this comes into play: my husband and I recently went out for the evening. I had a coupon for our meal at Max and Erma's (from the Sunday paper), a coupon for some Christmas presents I bought at Family Christian bookstore (from a mailing I received by being part of their Perks reward program), a coupon for a book at Borders (from my email), and 2 coupons for my purchases at Bath and Body Works (one from a mailing I received and one from my email).

Walgreens Ad 9/27 -10/03/09

Wow! There are a lot of FREEBIES at Walgreens this next week!!

• Chapstick Fresh $2.99
  - $2.99 RR
  = FREE
• Dentek floss or picks $2
  - $2 RR
  = FREE
• Emergen-c Booster $3.49
  - $3.49 RR
  = FREE
• Gillette Fusion $8.99
  - $6 RR
  - $4 cpn (9/27 P&G)
  = FREE
• Halls Refresh $1
  - $1 RR
  - $.75 cpn (9/27 SS)
  = FREE
• Herbal Essence $2.99
  - $2 RR
  - $1 cpn (9/13 RP)
  = FREE
• Oral B Advantage brush $3
  - $3 RR
  = FREE
• Robitussin DM to go $2.49
  - $2.49 RR
  = FREE
• Theraflu 2/$8
  - $4 RR
  - $2 cpn Health Savings book (will deduct two)
  = FREE
• Vaseline Sheer Infusion lotion $6.99
  - $6.99 RR
  - $1.50 cpn here
  = FREE

Other Good Deals:

• Canada Dry, 7-up, Sunkist, A&W 12 pack 4/$10.92 w/in ad cpn
• Hershey candy $.49
  - B1G1 Reese cpn (8/23 SS)
  = 2/$.49
• Maxwell House coffee $2.49
• Tilex, Clorox, or Liquid Plummer 2/$6
  - $2 RR
  = 2/$4
• Dawn dish $99w/in ad cpn
  - $.25 cpn (8/30 P&G)
  = $.74

As always, let me know if I've missed any!!

CVS Ad 9/27-10/03/09

Here's a look at the good deals I see at CVS this week:
FREEBIES:

• Accu Check Aviva monitoring system $14.99
  - $5 ECB
  - $10 cpn (8/23 SS)
  = FREE
  
• Vaseline Sheer Infusion lotion $7.99 (Sunday - Tuesday only)
  - $7 ECB
  - $1.50 cpn here or
  - $1 cpn in the Reinventing Beauty Mag.
  = FREE

Other good deals:

• Dawn dish liquid $1
  - $.25 cpn (8/30 P&G)
  = $.75
• Bounce dryer bar $4
  - $2 cpn (8/30 P&G)
  = $2
• Pantene 2/$8
  - $2 ECB
  - $1/2 cpn (8/30 P&G)
  = 2/$5
• Clairol Nice & Easy $5.99
  - $1 ECB
  - $1 cpn (8/9 RP)
  = $3.99
• Scope Outlast or Crest w/Scope $3.49
  - $1.50 ECB
  - $.75 cpn (8/30 P&G)
  = $1.24
• Colgate Total 2/$5.50
  - $1.50 ECB
  - two $1 cpn (9/13 SS)
  =2/$2
• Thermacare $6.99
  - $1 ECB
  - $3 cpn here (Thanks, I Heart CVS!)
  = $2.99
• Simply Asia $1
  - $.50 cpn (8/30 RP)
  = $.50
• Chex Mix or Gardetto B1G1
  - $.50 cpn here on the Chex Mix
• Act II popcorn B1G1
  - $1/2 cpn (8/30 SS)
• Wrigley Slimpack gum 3/$3
  - $1 ECB
  = 3/$2
• Hershey/Reese B2G1 $.89
  - B1G1 cpn(8/23 SS)
  = 3/$.89
• Revlon lip care B1G1
  -$1 cpn (9/13 SS)
  = Varies
• Aveeno Nourish Shampoo $6.49
  - $2 ECB
  - $2 cpn here
  = $2.49
• Gillette Fusion, Embrace or Spa Breeze $9.99
  - $5 ECB
  - $4 cpn (9/27 P&G)
  = $.99
• Listerine Total Care or Reach 2 pack brush $3.99
  - $1 ECB
  - $2 Listerine cpn (4/26 RP) or
  - $1 Reach cpn (8/2 SS)
  = $.99 - $1.99

Buy $20 in Hersheys/Coke products, get $15 off Monsters Aliens DVS $19.99

• Coke 12 pack 3/$11
• Coke 2 liters, Vitamin Water, Smart Water or Powerade 3/$4
• Hershey Jumbo bags $5
  = $4.99 for the movie wyb $20 in products

A Full Cup

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Menu Planning & Stock Piling

As part of being a frugal shopper and 'coupon queen', saving money goes beyond the transaction at the grocery store. There are at least two very other important aspects that go hand-in-hand that help me be a good steward of what God has entrusted to me.

Simply put, they are stock piling and menu planning.

First, stock piling occurs when I find an item on sale at a low price, combine it with a coupon, and buy the item in great quantity (as many coupons as I have on hand for that item). For example, Ragu pasta sauce was recently on sale at Walgreens. In combination with the sale, if you purchased 8, you also received a Register Rewards. I pulled out 8 coupons for Ragu, and I purchased them, getting the sauce for around $.38 a jar. At the same time, I noticed another store had pasta on sale, for which I also had an abundance of coupons. I was able to stock up on the pasta for a mere $.50 a box.

Now, there are a few necessities when stock piling. The first would be coupons. Secondly, would be space. You'd be amazed at how much space you do have, when organized. Thirdly, you need to know prices. For beginners, this may require keeping a price book. Or for others, you are seasoned veterans here, and can recognize a good deal easily. And lastly, is the financial aspect. My advice to beginners is to begin slow, possibly stock piling only one or two items a week. It's a building process. Don't put a shock to your budget (or wallet) by trying to do too much too quickly. Know that sales are cyclical, which means the item will be on sale again. Watch for it the next time, have your coupons ready and then purchase it at a fraction of the cost.

Now as for menu planning. Some may think that these are two unrelated topics. But, in reality, they work together. I believe that menu planning is vital for the frugal shopper. It is important that you know what you need to provide meals for your family. To begin, make a list of what meals your family enjoys. Then make another list of what ingredients are required to make these meals. Now you know what to look for in the sales flyers in the coming weeks.

I always print a blank monthly calendar off my computer. As I sit to decide the meals I will prepare for the upcoming week, I always fall back on my stock pile. For example, if I know I have pasta and sauce (which you know I do!), then know for sure that at least one night we will have spaghetti, ziti, lasagna, etc.... This is how the two methods work together. I know what I have on hand, I know what's on sale, and I know what meals will fit for this week.

I know this may sound like it requires a lot of time. It really doesn't as you work from week to week. In the beginning, there is some extra time in preparing the lists, but it will be worth it in the money you will save. Again, none of this happens overnight. It took me 3 days to get all my coupons in my binder back in the summer!! So, go at your own pace as time allows and you will reap the benefits.

A Full Cup

The #1 Coupon community!

Target Coupon Generator

Afullcup.com Target Coupon Generator
Do you shop Target?? Do you print their coupons? A Full Cup has a quick and easy coupon generator allowing you to print multiple coupons per page, saving a LOT of time and paper!! Just a tip...set your printer to print 'landscape' so you will get even more coupons per page. It's so easy!
Click on the above link to check it out!

Sunday Coupons Preview

Want to know what's in Sunday's paper?? Look's like there will be 3 inserts: 1 Smart Source, 1 Red Plum and 1 P&G. Check out Sunday Coupon Preview for all the details!

Is Being Frugal the Same as Being Cheap?

As we search after the great deals, incessantly cut and organize coupons, and shop the sales, the question comes to mind...Why? Are we coupon queens just cheap? Don't we have "anything better" to do with our time? Are we never satisfied? Is there no method to our madness?

Does any of this sound familiar? Well, if you are as "in to" coupons as I am, it does! You know, you get those looks from "ordinary" people in the grocery store who basically stand and gawk at your coupon organizer. Or, you get those heavy sighs from people who unfortunately for them get behind you in the check out line.

By definition according to Webster's dictionary, another word for cheap is stingy. On the contrary, being frugal means is to not be wasteful or to be thrifty. There is a huge difference is these two words. I think back when my husband and I were first married (20 years ago!). We both had good-paying jobs. It was nothing for me to go to the grocery and spend $200 a week for just the two of us. I cringe now at how much money we wasted, for I did not use coupons nor did I shop sales.

But as for me, there are good reasons for what I do. First and foremost, I want to be a good steward of what God has given me. Using coupons is just one way I strive to do this. Shopping the sales, using rebates, and looking for the best deals all go hand-in-hand with using coupons in order to efficiently spend the money God has blessed me with. Now, there are limits here. I do not believe in doing anything unethical or illegal in order to get a deal. I believe that if I deal honestly at all times, then God will bless my efforts.

Another reason that I use coupons and shop wisely is so that I can help others. The Bible says in 1John 3:17, "But whoever has this world's goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?" God expects us to help those in need. One way we can do this is by donating to local pantries food, health and beauty items and even clothing. For example, recently I was able to "purchase" 4 blood glucose monitors at no cost to me. Now, thankfully, no one in my family needs these; so, I donated them in the hopes of helping someone who does.

Another misconception is comparing stockpiling to hoarding food for fear of what tomorrow holds. For me, this could be nothing farther than the truth. I believe that as Philippians 4:19 says, "And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." God is able and will supply all that me and my family need. Stockpiling is a way for me to buy the things that my family needs at the lowest price. Why should I pay full price for something when I know it will go on sale soon? And when it is on sale, why should I not buy as much of the needed item as I can at this low price combined with a coupon? It just makes sense to do so! And for me, stockpiling is just another way of being a good steward.

So, I hope that through this I have dispelled all ideas that I, or other coupon queens are cheap. It's frugal. I strive to spend my money wisely and in a way that will honor God.

More Iams Coupons Today!

There a two coupons in the Cincinnati Enquirer today:
$5 off Iams Dog food, any size &
$5 off Iams Cat food, any size.
They don't expire until 10/31/09, and they are good on any size. Thought those pet owners might want to get a paper!!

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CVS Coupon!

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After the quiz, you will be able to print a $5/$25 coupon!

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Rebate Dollars Growing!

Currently, I have earned $172 in rebates this year. Now, I know this isn't a HUGE amount, but it is growing. A lot of that has to do w/ my subscription to Refund Cents. I love this magazine. In fact, I just got my new issue in the mail today and can't wait to get some time to go thru it. If you're looking to increase your savings, this magazine is for you. It is only $25/year and I know it pays for itself!

Menu Monday

Here's a look at our menu for this upcoming week:
Monday: bean soup
Tuesday: black bean wraps
Wednesday: chicken paprikash
Thursday: sloppy joes
Friday: spaghetti
Saturday: enchiladas
Sunday:out

Meijer Ad 9/20 -9/26/09

Here's a look at the good deals I see at Meijers this week:
grapes $.86/lb
Oreos or Honey Grahams $1.89
milk $1.59/gallon
Kraft Mac & cheese $.39
Stayfree, OB, or Playtex B2G1
- $2/2 cpn Stayfree (8/30 SS) or
- three $.50 cpns on Playtex (8/16 SS)
= varies
Barilla plus $1.25
- $1/3 Mealbox cpn
- $1/2 cpn (8/23 SS)
= 3/$1.75
Barilla sauce $1.99
- $1/2 cpn (8/23 SS)
- $1/3 Mealbox cpn
= 3/$3.98
Hunts ketchup $.99
- $1/4 Mealbox cpn
= 4/$2.96
Carapelli olive oil 30%off
- $1 Mealbox cpn
= varies
Mt. Olive pickles $1.67
- $1/2 Mealbox cpn
- $.50 cpn (8/16 SS)
= 2/$.34
Ziploc containers $2
- $1.50/2 cpn (9/13 SS)
- $1/2 Mealbox cpn
= 2/$2.50 $.75 each
Crystal light On the Go 2/$4
- two $1 Mealbox cpn
- $2/2 cpn (9/12 SS)
= FREE
Kelloggs cereal $2.95 Buy 4, get $4 off instantly
- two $2/2 cpn
= 4/$3.80
Aunt Millie bread $1.29
- $.35 cpn (8/16 RP)
= $.59
Oscar Mayer wieners $1.67
- $1/2 cpn (8/23 SS)
= 2/$2.34
Mayfield Ice cream $2.49
- $1 cpn (9/13 SS) or $2 cpn
= $1.49 = $.49
Healthy Choice frozen entree $1.99
- $2 cpn at Healthy Choice
= FREE
Right Guard deodorant B1G1
- $2 Mealbox cpn
- $1/2 cpn (8/16 SS)
= varies
Minute Maid refrig. punch $.99
- $1/3 Mealbox cpn
= 3/$1.97
Del Monte fruit $.99
- $1/5 cpn (9/20 RP)
- two $1/3 Mealbox
= 6/$3.94
Del Monte Canned Veggies Buy 15 $.69 each
- three $1/5 cpn
- five $1/3 Mealbox.
=$2.35 total or $.16 per can! Thanks, Huffy!

To print the Meijer Mealbox coupons, click on the Mealbox widget in my right sidebar!
As always, let me know if I've missed any!!

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