The Grocery Guru

Helping you save big so you can live large

Buy-n-Brag

Here is what I got at the grocery store today (plus a big ball for my 2 year old, a basting brush for Hubby for his grill, and a box of brownie bites for me...all not in the picture). It is all worth $179.36. I paid $88.64 and saved $90.72!!!

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FREE Slurpee Drinks at 7-Eleven on 7/11


This Saturday is 7-Eleven day and that means that Slurpees are on the house at participating 7-Eleven locations. They are also including a bonus on the cup. Click HERE for details. And, as always, it is a good idea to call ahead to make sure your 7-Eleven is participating. To find a 7-Eleven in your area, click HERE.

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FREE One Day Membership To Sam's Club

Go HERE to print out a one day membership pass to Sam's Club. This offer is good through September 30, 2009.

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FREE Chick-Fil-A Meal 7/10

In honor of 'Cow Appreciation Day', Chick-Fil-A is giving a FREE combo meal (breakfast, lunch, or dinner) to any customer that comes into a Chick-Fil-A location fully dressed as a cow. Yes, I said 'fully dressed as a cow'. For complete details and rules click HERE.

If you don't have a cow costume laying around, you can print a starter kit HERE.

Need help locating a Chick-Fil-A near you? I got you covered. Click HERE.

Who said there's no such thing as a free meal...?

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Wal-Mart Deals

Keep in mind that Wal-Mart pricing can vary by region and can even by store. Also remember that you can print most online coupons twice.

FOOD

Uncle Ben's Ready Rice- $1.58
Use $1 on any 2 HERE
Final Price: $1.08

Starbuck's Ice Cream- $2.50
Use $2 on any 1 SS 6/21
Final Price: $0.50

Hamburger, Chicken, or Tuna Helper- $1.00
Use .75 on any 3 SS 5/31 (expires 7/25) OR HERE
Final Price: $0.75

Eggo Bakeshop- $1.98
Use $1 on any 1 HERE and HERE
Final Price: $0.98

Haagen Daz 4 oz cups- $1.00
Use $1 on any 3 HERE
Final Price: $0.67

Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted Tomatoes- $1.30
Use $1 on 1 HERE
Final Price: $0.30

Ball Park Franks- $2.50
Use $1 on any 2 RP 6/28 (expires 7/25)
Final Price: $2.00

A-1 Steak Sauce- $2.43
Use $2 on any 1 SS 6/14 (expires 7/14)
Final Price: $0.43

California Pizza Kitchen (small pizzas)- $2.78
Use $1 on 1 SS 5/17 (expires 8/31)
Final Price: 1.78

Velveeta Shells and Cheese- $1.50
Use $1.50 on 2 HERE
Final Price: $0.75

French's Mustard (8 ounce)- $1.00
Use .50 on 1 French's Classic Yellow Mustard SS 5/10 (expires 8/31)
Final Price- $0.50

Betty Crocker Frosting- $1.24
Use .55 on 1 HERE
Final Price: $0.69

Hellman's Mayo- $2.00
Use $1 on 1 HERE
Final Price: $1.00

Oreo Cakesters- $2.00
Use $1 on 1 SS 6/14 (expires 7/13)
Final Price: $1.00

Ronzoni Bistro- $1.00
Use $1 on 1 SS 5/10 (expires 8/8)
Final Price: FREE

VanCamps Pork & Beans- $0.50
Use .30 on any 3 VanCamps beans SS 6/21
Final Price: $0.40

VanCamps Baked Beans- $1.00
Use .30 on any 3 VanCamps beans SS 6/21
Final Price: $0.90

Activia Yogurt 4 pack- $2.00
Use $1 on any 1 SS 5/10 (expires 7/31)
Final Price: $1.00

BarS Hot Dogs- $0.50
Use $1 on 2 HERE
Final Price: FREE

Chef Boyardee- $0.88
Use .35 on any 3 SS 5/31 (expires 7/12)
Final Price: $0.76

Coffeemate- $1.98
Use $1 on any 1 HERE
Fnial Price: $0.98

El Monterey Tornados- $2.00
Use $1 on any 1 SS 5/17 (expires 7/31)
Final Price: $1.00

Kashi GoLean Waffles- $2.18
Use $1.50 on any 1 HERE
Final Price: $0.68

Kellog's Pop-Tarts- $1.50
Use .55 on any 1 (8 pack or larger) RP 6/7 (expires 8/2)
Final Price: $0.95

Knorr Rice Sides- $1.25
Use .75 on any 2 RP 5/7 (expires 7/26)
Final Price: $0.88

Alexia Crunchy Snacks- $2.48
Use $1/1 SS 6/14 (expires 7/31)
Final Price: $1.48

Yoplait Whips- $0.50
Use .60 on any 3 HERE
Final Price: $0.30

Betty Crocker Warm Delights- $1.62
Use .50 on any 1 HERE
Final Price: $1.12

Benefiber Drink Mix Sticks- $2.50
Use $1 on 1 SS 5/10 (expires 8/31)
Final Price: $0.50

Budweiser Barbecue Sauce- $1.98
Use $1 on 1 SS 5/17 (expires 7/31)
Final Price: $0.98
Kraft Salad Dressing- $1.58
Use $1 on any 1 SS 6/21
Final Price: $0.58

Toiletries
Coppertone NutraShield- $8.50
Use $5 on 1 HERE
Final Price: $3.50

Sure Deodorant for Men- $1.78
Use $1.25 on 1 SS 6/28 (expires 8/31)
Final Price: $0.53

White Cloud Bathroom Tissue 4 pack- $2.00
Use $1 on 1 SS 5/10 (expires 8/10)
Final Price: $1.00

Kotex Pads (Small Package)- $1.00
Use $1 on 1 SS 6/14
Final Price: FREE

Playtex Cleansing Cloths- $1.98
Use $1 on 1 SS 6/7 (expires 8/9)
Final Price: $0.98

Banana Boat Sunscreen- $5.00
Use $2 on 1 HERE
Final Price: $3.00
Reach Dental Floss (55 yards)- $1.00
Use $1 on 1 SS 6/14
Final Price: FREE

Baby Care

Seventh Generation Wipes- $1.99
Use $2 on 1 HERE
Final Price: FREE

Household

Lysol Neutra Air Aerosol- $2.82
Use BOGO Lysol Neutra Air Aerosol SS 5/31 (expires 7/27)
Final Price: $1.41 each

Hefty Food Storage Bags- $1.00
Use $1 on 1 RP 5/17 (expired 7/31)
Final Price: FREE

Cascade Dishwasher Detergent- $3.97
Use $1 on 1 P&G 7/5
Final Price: $2.97

Pet Care

Purina Alpo 6 pack- $3.52
Use $3.50 on 1 HERE
Final Price: $0.02

Purina Cat Food- $3.97
Use $3.50 on 1 HERE
Final Price: $0.47

Purina Puppy Chow- $4.12
Use $3.50 on 1 HERE
Final Price: $0.62

Pharmacy

Johnson !st Aid Kit (Travel Size)- $0.97
Use $1 on any 1 Johnson & Johnson Red Cross Product
Final Price: FREE

Midol Menstrual Relief- $3.77
Use $2 on 1 (24 ct or larger) HERE
Final Price: $1.77

Nexcare Bandaids- $1.50
Use $1 on 1 HERE
Final Price: $0.50


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FREE Mocha Mondays

McDonald's is giving away a FREE iced or hot mocha (1 per person per visit) every Monday between 7 AM to 7 PM until August 3rd. For details, click HERE.

Looks like Mondays just got a whole lot sweeter!

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Buy-n-Brag

My sister got all of this (worth $99.21) for $65.46!! You can't see it, but there are 6 Eggo Bakeshop boxes and there are 2 additional boxes of brownie mixes that I forgot to get in the picture.

Total Spent Since 6/30/09: $74.76
Total Saved Since 6/30/09: $50.52

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Keeping A Price Book (or ‘How to convince people that you have lost your mind’)

I always swore that I would NEVER get so price-conscious that I would keep a price book. I mean, only seriously crazy people keep track of the price of every little item they buy, right? Well guess what? Yes! You are right! I keep a price book. And I am going to tell you how to make one to!

What is a price book?

A price book is just a place where you track the price you paid for items that you regularly purchase. I use an Excel workbook, and I have it set up so that it figures price per unit so that I can easily compare prices.

Why would I EVER want to keep a price book?

A price book makes it easy to compare prices. So, if you see a sale, you can go to your price book and see if the sale worth getting in on. Believe it or not, not all sales are good deals. At least not in my book (pun intended). There are certain items that the grocery store prices so low, they will lose money on them. They do this because they assume that you will come for the deals and then do all of your grocery shopping with them. These items are known as ‘loss leaders’. However, we savvy shoppers will buy the loss leaders and not buy anything else unless the price can’t be beat elsewhere. And how will we know if the price can be beat elsewhere? Say it with me now… Our Price Book!!!

For example, if I see a sale for diapers at my local grocery store, I figure the price per diaper at the grocery store. Then, I go to my price book and see what I pay per diaper at my local warehouse store (where I can buy diapers for the cheapest possible price). If the price per diaper is lower at the grocery store, I know that it is the real deal (again, pun intended).

How do I make a price book?

I thought you would never ask! I use a simple excel workbook that I have created to auto figure the price per unit. You could do the same, or even do it the ‘old fashioned way’ and use a notebook and pen. Whatever works for you. If you would like the Excel template that I use, email me and I would be happy to email one out to you.

Then, every time you go shopping, bring home your receipts and enter the item that you bought, the price you paid (per unit), the store you bought it at, and the date. You don’t need to include every little item you buy, only those that you buy regularly.

To figure the price per until, divide the price by the size. For example, I buy a 64 ounce container of ketchup for $2.14. To figure the price per unit, you divide 2.14 by 64, and you get .03. That means that I pay 3 cents per ounce of ketchup.

As always, if you have questions, leave me a comment. I am always happy to help.

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Envirosax Reusable Shopping Bag Giveaway!

Frugal Girls is hosting a giveaway, and one luck winner will win an Envirosax reusable shopping bag. I checked them out, and they are CUTE! They are offering 6 ways to enter. For details on how to enter, click HERE.

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Share the PYP love and win an iPod Touch!

One of my favorite websites for saving money is Pinching Your Pennies. They are having a contest and giving away an iPod Touch to one lucky winner. There are 11 ways to enter. Click HERE for details.

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2009 All You Grocery Challenge

Are you STILL looking for motivation to start saving on your grocery bill? Do you like challenges and have a competitive streak? I have exactly what you need! The 2009 All You Grocery Challenge is challenging YOU to spend no more than $25 per person in household per week over 4 weeks.

But wait! There's more! If you choose to accept this challenge, you could win a $1,000 grocery card, a one-year supply of Knorr side dishes, and a feature in All You magazine. Not convinced yet? The winner will appear on The Early Show on CBS in December!

But, you have to ACT FAST! In order to be eligible for this contest, you must sign up by July 12th!

To get all the details and to sign up, click HERE. I have already signed up and will be keeping you updated on my progress through this blog. If you sign up, let me know by leaving me a comment!

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FREE RedBox Rental Code 7/7

Today only, use the code 7HE79B to get 1 FREE RedBox rental (per debit/credit card) at any RedBox location. Don't forget to return your movie by 9 PM Wednesday. Click HERE to find a RedBox location close to you.

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FREE RedBox Rental Code Today Only

Today only, use the code 4J7LF6 to get 1 free rental per debit/credit card. Don't forget to return your movie by 9 PM Tuesday night. Click HERE to find a redbox location close to you.

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FREE Starbuck's Ice Cream!!

Now through July 19, anyone with a Facebook account can send a coupon for a FREE pint of Starbucks ice cream to a friend (or yourself) by clicking HERE. Every hour, on the hour, they will be giving away 800 coupons, so even if you miss it the first time, try it again!

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