Screamin Coupons- All of Our Readers who Sign Up Through Us Get a $5 Sign Up Credit!

Levan, Scipio, Manti, Nephi, Fayette, Mt. Pleasant, Gunnison, Centerfield- Listen Up

Saturday, September 19, 2009 | | 0 comments
This is just a reminder about our class in Levan this upcoming week. There are still a few seats available. We do not plan on teaching at home classes in this area, so this is your chance to come to a class close by.
We announced our FREE class in Provo and we heard from all you girls down South telling us that was too far North for you, so here is your chance!
We have taught such great classes in Mt. Pleasant, Fillmore, Levan, Gunnison, Cedar City, Fountain Green and Nephi we thought instead of making you all wait 2 months for an at home class or having us drive out there 2-3 times a week we would have one GIANT class!
So, call your neighbors, set up a car pool and get ready for an awesome night where we will teach you how to get started saving BIG money and have fun winning prizes and raffle gifts!
The class will be Wednesday September 23rd at 7pm in Levan
(We thought Levan was a close enough drive for us all)
There are only 120 seats available, so e-mail us now to get your ticket!

In our class we will teach you to:
  • Shop at only one grocery store- no running around town!
  • Buy all your families’ groceries, household, and personal care items (including diapers) all for about $200 for a family of four- while building massive food storage at the same time!
  • No clipping and filing individual coupons- Quick and easy! A HUGE way to save money!
  • Eat a healthy, well balanced diet, and have ease in meal planning!
  • Use the FREE website- There is no cost to attend and no cost to use the website
  • Get a newspaper subscription at a great price

E-mail sheshopssmart@gmail.com and we will e-mail you over your FREE ticket to bring with you that night! If you would like more than one ticket please let us know.

$10 Mall Gift Card




If you signed up with me to get your mall gift card, here, today is the last day to get yours! I have a couple readers e-mail me and tell me you just go to the station, fill out some paper work, they hand you your gift card (doesn't expire for a few months) and then they put your name into a drawing. Sounds pretty simple to me. Happy Shopping!

She Plays Smart

Friday, September 18, 2009 | | 1 comments
Here are some things to take advantage of this weekend!

  • When I joined the e-club to Red Robin and they just sent me a coupon for a FREE shake with any burger purchase. If you signed up be sure to check your e-mail box!
  • Fazolis is doing a Italian Revolution by offering FREE items on their menu each week! This week it is a FREE small spaghetti ( expires 11/15/09) just for being a member and this weeks offer is a FREE kids meal with the purchase of any entree (expires 10/14/09)!" This is a revolution, not a hunger strike! We vow to keep our people strong and to treat their taste buds like royalty. As a reward for becoming a revolutionary, here’s our treat to you. Enjoy! Come back each week for new coupon offers!"
  • Downeast Basics is having an online special for, 50% off all Men's short sleeve shirts, using the code "LOOKMEN". The offer expires 9/30/ 09 or while supplies last.
  • Bath and Body Works is offering a FREE pocket anti-bacterial hand gel with any purchase. Just print off this coupon or use the online code to get yours! Expires 9/20/09
  • In Tuesday's mail there was a flyer advertising's Ikea's Swedish Meatball Meal for only $1. It is good from Sept. 18- 20th. The meal includes 10 meatballs, mashed potatoes, and cream sauce. The offer is not available at IKEA Hicksville, IKEA Houston, or IKEA Direct.
  • TGI Friday's is offering FREE burgers to all those who become "Woodys" fan on facebook. The promotion was suppose to end on Sept. 15th, but Woddy encouraged them to contine the promo until he reached 1 million fans. Last I checked he was up to 793,244 fans! Make sure after you add him as a friend you enter in your e-mail so they can send you your coupon for a FREE burger!
  • Buy One Get one FREE 5 wing combo here at El Pollo Loco. Expires 10/4/09

Wow, thats quite a bit to keep you busy this weekend!

Weekend Giveaway

| 71 comments
Yeah for Friday! The weather is nice, BYU plays football this weekend and my kids slept in. I am in the mood for a......
GIVEAWAY!

Have you tried the new Yoplait Whips?
They are so good! Blog Spark gave my family and I a chance to try them and we are addicted! Our favorite way to eat them was FROZEN! I put them in the freezer overnight, pulled them out 15 min before we ate them and they were so good, and I am not a big fan of frozen yogurt! I also loved that my kids were eating something nutritious and they didn't even put up an argument. They thought it was as good as ice cream from the parlor!



Yoplait Whips! are currently available in a variety of flavors; Strawberry Mist, Chocolate, Key Lime Pie, Orange Crème, Chocolate Raspberry, Lemon Burst, Peaches 'N Cream and Raspberry Mousse. Also, try Yoplait Whips! newest flavor Vanilla Creme which just hit store shelves! My kids and I LOVE Key Lime Pie!

Courtesy of Blog Spark we are giving away a "Summer Cool Down" prize pack that includes- two free coupons for Yoplait Whips!, cooler tote, popsicle molds and a set of 12 color-changing spoons. My kids thought the popsicle molds were so much fun!
This is a great prize to help you take advantage of the last few weeks of nice weather.
We will announce TWO winners on Tuesday morning. Here is how you can enter to win this awesome prize pack!
You can have up to two entries:
  • Comment with what flavor Yoplait Whips sounds the best to you
  • Add She Shops Smart button to your blog and comment to let us know
  • Become a She Shops Smart Follower and comment to let us know
  • Add She Shops Smart as a friend on Facebook and comment to let us know

You can comment up to two times for this contest. The contest end Monday, September 21st at Midnight! Good Luck!

A lot for Less

Last night I ran into Smith's after everyone was in bed and saved a TON of money!
16 boxes of fruit snacks
8 boxes Saltine Crackers
4 King Size Reese's
4 bottles of Coke
1 loaf of bread
1 dozen eggs
1 package string cheese
6 yogurts
3 gallons of milk
4 packages of lunch meat
12 boxes of Jello
Spent$32.56
Saved $126.65
75% Savings!
I love stocking up on the things I know my family needs and for so little!

Store Coupons


Last night I ran into Smith's to grab my fruit snacks and FREE Jell-O. Sometimes I am so worried about getting in and out I don't pay attention to the coupons that are literally right under my nose!

Last night I must have had a coupon radar on me because here were some of the AWESOME coupons I was able to score.


Save $1.00 when you purchase any King size Reese's product and 20oz Coca Cola Product.
(King sized Reese's and 20 oz Cokes were both on sale for $1.00. That means I paid only .50 for each one!)
Save .50 cents on any size candy bar when you purchase a 20 oz or 1 liter Coke product with this coupon
Free Sara Lee Classic Bread with the purchase on Hillshire Farm Deli select Ultra Thin or Hearty slices lunch meat.
I didn't use the other two coupons I found last night, but they will come in handy. Just be on the lookout for those awesome coupons right there when you are shopping! What are some of the coupons you've scored recently?

Jello Utah's Official State Snack

With Jello so inexpensive this week at Smith's we thought we would show you some ways to use it in some various recipes. People in Utah are no strangers to using Jello. In 2001 it became Utah's official state snack! Here are some other interesting facts we found about Jello.

  • More than 1 million packages of jello brand gelatin are purchased EVERY day
  • In 1984 is when Sugar free jello became available
  • The residents in Salt Lake City eat more Lime Jello than residents of any other US city
  • The jello flavor ideas; celery, coffee, cola and chocolate never made it to the market
  • Gelatin was served as a blood plasma substitute in WW2 (yuck)
  • Most often gelatin dessert is eaten with marshmallows and gummy candies

Fruit Sparkles



1 cup boiling water
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Strawberry or Strawberry-Banana Flavor Sugar Free Gelatin
1 cup cold fruit-flavored seltzer, sparkling water, club soda or other sugar free carbonated beverage
1 cup chopped mixed bananas and strawberries
STIR boiling water into gelatin in medium bowl at least 2 minutes until completely dissolved. Add seltzer; stir until well blended. Refrigerate 1 hour or until slightly thickened.
ADD fruit; stir gently until well blended. Pour into 5 dessert dishes or medium serving bowl.
REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm.

"EZ" Fruity Popcorn Snack

1 pkg. microwave popcorn
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
3/4 cup PLANTERS COCKTAIL Peanuts
3/4 cup waffle-shaped cereal
MICROWAVE popcorn as directed on package.
PLACE popcorn in large bowl. Add butter; toss to coat. Add dry gelatin; mix lightly.
ADD peanuts and cereal; mix lightly.

Berry Blue Sailboats


1 cup boiling water
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Berry Blue Flavor Gelatin
1 cup cold water
1 can (20 oz.) peach slices, drained
4 colored wooden toothpicks
4 trianglular paper "sails"
STIR boiling water into dry gelatin in small bowl at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add cold water; stir. Pour into 4 individual glass bowls.
REFRIGERATE 4 hours or until firm.
TOP evenly with peaches just before serving. Insert toothpick "mast" through each paper "sail." Insert in peaches to resemble sailboats.


JELL-O Black Cherry Poke Cake 2 baked (9-inch) round white cake layers, cooled
2 cups boiling water
2 pkg. (.3 oz. each) JELL-O Black Cherry Flavor Sugar Free Gelatin
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Sugar Free Whipped Topping, thawed
PLACE cakes, top-sides up, in clean 9-inch round baking pans; pierce tops with large fork at 1/2-inch intervals.
ADD boiling water to gelatin mixes; stir at least 2 min. until completely dissolved. Pour over cakes. Refrigerate 3 hours.
DIP bottom of 1 pan in warm water 10 sec.; unmold cake onto serving plate. Spread with 1 cup COOL WHIP. Unmold second cake; place on first cake. Frost with remaining COOL WHIP. Refrigerate 1 hour. Keep refrigerated.

Easy Marshmallow Pinwheels 1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Gelatin, any flavor
1/2 cup warm water
1-1/2 cups JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows
STIR gelatin and water in medium microwavable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 1-1/2 minutes; stir until gelatin is completely dissolved.
STIR in marshmallows. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute or until marshmallows are partially melted. Stir with wire whisk until marshmallows are completely melted. Pour into 8- or 9-inch square pan sprayed with cooking spray.
REFRIGERATE 45 minutes or until set. Run sharp knife around edges of pan to loosen gelatin layer from pan. Starting at 1 edge, roll up gelatin layer tightly. Cut into 1/2-inch slices. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.

Frozen Peach Shortcake Squares 1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
1 pt. (2 cups) vanilla ice cream, softened
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Peach Flavor Gelatin
4 cups prepared pound cake cubes
1/4 cup raspberry preserves
12 small peach slices
12 raspberries

MIX whipped topping, ice cream and dry gelatin mix in large bowl until well blended. Stir in cake cubes. Spoon into 8-inch square pan.
FREEZE 3 hours or until firm.
DRIZZLE with raspberry preserves. Cut into squares. Top each square with 1 peach slice and 1 raspberry. Store any leftover dessert in freezer.

Wow the possibilities really are ENDLESS! How do you like to use your Jell-O?

Free Chocolate Friday


Don't forget today is FREE chocolate Friday! Click here to get to the website. Remember you can have up to 4 coupons delivered to a household/mailing address. You will need a different e-mail address for each coupon. Have no idea what I am talking about. Click here to read all about FREE chocolate Fridays!

Meal Planning

Wednesday, September 16, 2009 | | 5 comments
Here is my meal plan for this week. To read about how I plan my meals click here.
This week I am planning my meals around Smith's list.
Breakfast
Omelets, grapes and juice
Toast, oatmeal, and bananas
Pancakes and sausage with milk
Yogurt, peaches, and granola bars
Cereal, bananas and juice
Fruit smoothies and Pop tarts

Lunch
Top Ramen and zucchini bread
Lunchables at the park with watermelon
Peanut butter and jelly with string cheese and cantaloupe
Soft pretzels with cheese and juice
Hot pockets, salad and fruit
Grilled cheese and tomato soup

Dinner
Turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans and rolls
Steaks, Baked Potatoes, and salad
Lemon chicken with rice and corn
Papa Murphy's pizza, cheesy bread and salad
Rotisserie chicken, macaroni salad and rolls and free tater babies
Chili and cornbread ans saltine crackers

Snacks
Avocado Salsa and chips
Fruit sacks
Homemade Carmel popcorn
Desserts
Chocolate chip zucchini bread
Skinny cow ice cream
Jello Jigglers

$3/1 Sarah Lee Packaged Lunch Meat


Here is a coupon for $3/1 Sarah Lee pre-packaged lunch meat!

$30 of $75 at Express

This is good from today until Sunday

$2 Huggies Coupon


Hurry, print off this $2/1 any Huggies Diaper Product coupon.

Papa Murphy's Customer Appreciation

Last night for dinner I went to pick up my pepperoni pizzas and when they handed me my pizzas, they came with MORE coupons!
$2 off and Large Pizza
$3 off any family size pizza
$5 off and 2 family size pizzas
$6.99 for a large pepperoni pizza or 1-topping pizza
$2 off any large gourmet pizzas
Make sure you take advantage of Customer Appreciation Days at all Papa Murphy's
September 14, 15, 16 and 17 only. Large Pepperoni Pizza only $4.99 each, limit 3, no coupon needed.

Coupon 201

Tuesday, September 15, 2009 | | 1 comments
Are you Ready for More?
Okay, so now you have read through the "coupon 101" section, you have ordered one newspaper for every person in your home and have checked out the grocery smarts lists! Here are some tips that should help you maximize your coupons and help you avoid some of the common mistakes people make when using coupons.


How to Use the ABC list we post each week
One of the most frequent questions we get at our classes if how do you know if you have already used a coupon in the inserts when it appears on the list again? My answer is usually, I don't know. I end up flipping through the insert looking for it, and when I can't find it I assume it's been used.BUT my answer is NOW much BETTER! We had a great reader, Pam make the best suggestion to us! Print off the ABC list, paper clip it to the first insert and when you clip them out, cross it off! When you get home from the store and you were unable to use the coupon because the item was out that week, attach the coupons with the inserts and make a note to remind yourself that you didn't use it!Also, if you decide to only use one of your multiple coupons that week, write down the number next to the item of how many coupons you used that day!!!!How genius is this tip!
In the next coming weeks we will take pictures of what we are talking about and add it to the blog.

Where to find other coupons
The other place we love to get coupons is the All You Magazine. To see the ABC list of coupons in the All You Magazine click here. You can order your copy from the link on the left side of the blog.

How to Use Expired Coupons
Ever wonder what to do with all those expired coupons! Here is a great idea. Show your Patriotism and donate them to military families. The families in the military are able to use expired coupons up to 6 months after the expiration date! Click on this volunteer ran website to read more and find out where to donate!
Link


Coupon Trading Ideas
Are you name brand picky and when your brand goes on sale you wish you could have MORE coupons?
Do you hate seeing coupons go unused?
Do you find coupons and tear pads while you are shopping and wish you knew someone else who could use them?
Then here is a great idea for you! I personally am not one who likes to get together one night a week and coupon swap, but I do like getting and giving different coupons. What I recommend is a coupon train!
A group of 5 people would work great. My suggestion is to have people with different household needs and different locations. Here is how an awesome train would look:


  • Sally in St. George (It is just her and her husband at home and she enjoys cooking)
  • Jill in Provo (Newly Wed student and her husband is a toothpaste and toilet paper snob. Her and her husband both eat lunch out on campus during the week)
  • Ashley in Logan (Young mother with 2 boys in diapers and is expecting another and has no need for feminine products)
  • Helen in Ogden (Has 4 young children all in school that LOVE lunchables and is always in need of a quick weeknight dinner)
  • Iris in Salt Lake (A grandma who only has her grandchildren over occasionally, but cooks a lot from scratch)

This to me would be an IDEAL train. Everyone has different needs and is in different places in their lives.
Sally and Jill would more than likely give their diaper coupons to Ashley and I bet Iris keeps a few of the diaper coupons for when her grand kids come to visit, but would also be happy to give some to Ashley. Ashley in turn gives her feminine product coupons.


Jill cannot have pets in her apartment, so she is more than happy to give hers pet coupons up who would most likely been taken by Helen whose children have a pet cat and dog. She also is not using her lunch able and fruit snack coupons, which are happily accepted by Helen.


Iris doesn't much care for boxed dinners so is more than happy to give those up to someone like Jill, Ashley or Helen who uses meals in boxes frequently.


The location of the girls is perfect as well. They all shop in different stores, therefore are more than likely to find different tear pads and coupons while shopping. Every time they see one coupon they grab 5 of each coupon, one for themselves and one to share with each member in the coupon train.


Someone would want to start the train by putting together a big manila envelope. Sally could mail it out to Jill and Jill would mail it to Ashley until everyone had a chance to see the envelope. When you got the envelope your job would be to put your unused coupons in the folder and any coupons you found around town. When you get the envelope it is also your responsibility to clean out the expired coupons. Then you would send it on it's merry way again.


This is a great idea if you are too busy to get together with your friends and neighbors to trade coupons. It is also a great idea if you want to meet new coupons out there. So start asking around and finding some friends to start your own coupon train!
Let us know how it goes!

ABC Index
Do you want to know every coupon you have in your hanging file box? Are you looking for a coupon for an item that isn’t on sale that week at the store. The use the ABC coupon index here. This is a great resource!


Making Checking out Easier
When I teach classes the most common concern I get is what the checkout process will be. People are always worried that the grocery stores will be mad at them for using coupons. Grocery stores actually like couponers (shock and surprise) because they get paid face value plus .8 cents per coupon. We make them some money!
However, when you check out with coupons there can be scary experiences. I tell people it isn't a reflection of the store because they do want your business, but rather a result of the person checking you out. People are human and can have good and bad days, but I have found that the nicer I am to my checkers and the store employees the better experiences I have! I typically shop at the same couple stores each week. I go in so often all the checkers know me by name and many of them have nick named me "the coupon gal". When I check out I try to be as friendly and courtesy as I can. I ask them how their day has been, how they are doing and in general just make small talk. In the process of being kind I could walk into the store with you and tell you the employees names, how many kids they have, and how closely they check coupons when you check out (you know some just scan them in, and others check every detail, are they expired, the right size etc.).
In the process of being kind to the employees they have gone above and beyond for ME. They never give me a hard time about requesting rain checks on the first day, asking if something is out and if they have more in the back, or asking when the restock their shelves. A lot of times they will give me a heads up about upcoming sales, other catalina offers and the less busy times to go shopping.
Emily had made a post about our price matching at Walmart at the beginning of the week. I am glad she made the post instead of me, because she was much more positive about our experience than I would have been. We had a checker that just wouldn't trust a word we were saying. They tried over and over to catch us in some coupon fib, and they just grew angrier as they saw we were doing things the right way (Thank you readers for all your comments. I feel much more comfortable about trying it again). I finished checking out and was exhausted. Emily followed up behind me and she broke that checker. She started by asking them how their day was, if they had tried some of the products she was buying and by the end of Emily's check out they were on friendly terms. I couldn't believe how the checkers mood had shifted just from Emily being kind and interested.
There have been several of you that have shared similar experiences with me. You have made friends with unlikely checkers who appeared nasty at the beginning of your shopping trips, but were laughing with you when you said goodbye.
Checkers do need to be on guard. There are couponers out there that do things the "wrong" way. Checkers have to be on the lookout for photocopied coupons, coupon usage with expired dates, and coupons with dates cut off and even couponers that try to scan additional coupons in the self checkout aisle. Can you blame them for being weary of coupon usage. If you keep doing it the "right" way your checker will know you do things honestly and will quit questioning your integrity. Until then if they question a coupon your using be calm, patient and friendly with them.
The moral of the story use coupons the "right" way and be friendly with your checkers. It will make all the difference.

Coupon Polices

I keep a copy of these with me when I go shopping just in case a checker tries to implment thier own coupon policy while I am checking out. Thsi also gives me a great reminder of what stores will accept what coupons.



Target Stores Official Coupon Policy
Coupons are a great way to save even more when shopping with us, and it's easy to use them at our stores.

  • Target accepts one manufacturer coupon and one Target coupon for the same item (unless prohibited)
  • Super Target coupons can be used in any Target store if the store carries the item
  • We gladly accept valid internet coupons

Because of the variety of coupons available to our guests, we do have some guidelines for how coupons can be redeemed at Target. When accepting coupons, we use the following guidelines:

  • We accept two kinds of coupons: Target-issued coupons and manufacturer-issued.
  • We'll accept one Target coupon and one manufacturer coupon for the same item, unless either coupon prohibits it.
  • Coupon amount may be reduced if it exceeds the value of the item after other discounts or coupons are applied.
  • We can't give cash back if the face value of a coupon is greater than the purchase value of the item.
  • We can't accept coupons from other retailers, or coupons for products not carried in our stores.
  • All valid coupons should be presented to the cashier while you're checking out.

Walmarts Official Coupon Policy

Wal-Mart accepts the following types of coupons (see guidelines below):
Manufacturer coupons (Cents Off)
Free merchandise (or manufacturer's Buy-One-Get-One-Free) coupons
Store coupons
Pharmacy (Advertising and Promotional) coupons
Internet coupons
Soft drink container caps
The following are guidelines and limits:
Wal-Mart only accepts coupons for merchandise we sell and only when presented at the time of purchase.
Coupons should have an expiration date and be presented within the valid dates. Wal-Mart will not accept expired coupons.
Internet coupons should be legible and say "Manufacturer Coupon." There should be a valid remit address for the manufacturer and a scannable bar code.
Only one coupon per item is permitted.
Use of 40 or more coupons per transaction will require approval by Customer Service Manager.

Price Matching Policy at Walmart
Our goal is always to be the low price leader in every community where we operate. Our customers trust us to have every day low prices ... there's no need for "special sales."
Our unbeatable promise:
Store managers make the final decision in always taking care of our customers, but we do have guidelines for matching our competition.
We do honor "Preferred Shopping Card" advertised prices. Must be like items, be advertised and require a competitor's shopping card, for the discount to apply.
We do not honor advertisements that require a purchase in order to receive the advertised price or free product.
We do not honor "Buy One / Get One Free" advertisements.
We do not honor double or triple coupons or percent off advertisements.
We do not honor other retailers' "Misprinted" advertised prices.
We do not honor Internet Pricing.
We do not honor competitor advertisements from outside of the store's or Club's local trade territory.

Walgreens Official Coupon Policy
Walgreen stores accept a variety of coupons everyday. The coupons fall into two categories:#1. Walgreens issued coupons and #2. Manufacturer issued coupons The following are some guidelines for accepting these types of coupons. We will accept one Walgreen issued coupon and one manufacturer coupon for the same item, unless either coupon prohibits such use. “Walgreens” Roto Ad coupons, IVC (Instant Value Coupon) coupons, and a manufacturer’s coupon can be used towards the purchase of any one item. Walgreens does not provide cash back if a coupon is presented from more than the purchase value of the item. Walgreens does not accept coupons from other retailers or coupons for products not carried in our stores. All valid coupons must be presented to the cashier at the time of sale. When purchasing a Buy 1 Get 1 free item, only one coupon can be applied towards the purchase because the customer is only purchasing one item. Customers must purchase one item to get the other item free on all Buy 1 Get 1 free offers. If a coupon states “good on any size of the product” and does not specifically exclude trail sizes of this product, the coupon can be used to purchase trial sized products. Internet coupons can be accepted whether they are printed in color or in black and white. Walgreens does not accept expired coupons. As a company we do not price match. If an item that was purchased with a coupon is returned, we will refund the price paid by the customer.

How Coupons Work

Have you ever wondered how coupon works after we use it checking out. Check out the coupon reedemption process article written by Jenny here at Southern Savers!

The Life Cycle of a coupon:
1. The manufacturer decides to run a coupon program and sends the coupon to a design agency that handles coupons.
2. You acquire the coupon through the paper etc.
3. You use the coupon, the store takes the coupon
4. The cashier adds up her coupons and cash to make sure the drawer balance.
5. The coupons are then bagged by the store and sent to the corporate office where all the coupons from all the stores are put into a bigger bag and sent to a big clearing house. Publix and Kroger use one overseas… (note some stores do this in house)
6. The clearing house puts all the coupons that are in good condition on a big conveyor belt and they are scanned, then an automated process sorts them by manufacturer and prepares an invoice for the manufacturer.
7. They are mailed from the clearing house to the manufacturer for reimbursement.
8. The manufacturer receives the coupons and an invoice stating how many are there (think thousands). They then pay the bill. Some will recount to check for clearing house fraud and then pay the bill.
**The stores have on average 6 months past the expiration date to submit a coupon to the manufacturer – while you should not plan to use expired coupons unless allowed do not fret, they will still get their money**


How the stores get their money:
They can be paid directly by the clearing house – then the clearing house gets reimbursed from the manufacturer


They can pay a handling fee to the clearinghouse and they get a check from the manufacturer
Reimbursement also includes .08¢ per coupon to cover handling fees and the manufacturer’s reimburse postage costs!

Now for the details we care about:
If the coupon scans in the store odds are it will also scan in the big clearing house’s automated machine – thus the store should get reimbursed.

If the coupon doesn’t scan, is damaged etc. it is labeled “hard to handle” and is hand processed. If it is the coupons fault (poor design, bad barcode etc.) the grocer can then charge the manufacturer a higher handling fee!

The store does not have to submit any information about what you purchased with the coupon. Therefore if you use a Prego coupon on Pepperidge Farm Toast (because the cashier told you too) the manufacturer will only care/notice if Publix submitted more Prego coupons than the amount of Prego they purchased. Since Publix purchases thousands of jars of Prego per year the odds they would have more coupons than product are pretty slim.

When does the store “lose” money?
Some Manufacturers have poor practices with redemption that has nothing to do with the consumer, claiming falsely that coupons are not eligible for one reason or another.
Copies/fraudulent coupons- After a coupon goes through the clearing house and is sent to the manufacturer the manufacturer can still deny the coupon. Internet printables that have unique numbers (coupons.com or smartsource) make it easy for the manufacturer to spot fraud. If a coupon does not have a unique number or security code then the manufacturer will usually accept the coupon (within reason - bad copies even a cashier should catch). Why? Because the store’s corporate office has a chance to challenge any denial and if the manufacturer cannot prove fraudulent use then the store will win the challenge.
Again remember you are talking about thousands of coupons from each store. Don’t think they are sitting around analyzing them (unless they are one of the bad companies which will falsely deny them anyway).

Store coupons:
These are processed in house. First, most people assume these coupons are the store being nice and just giving you money off an item… let’s think about that. This is a business guys, it’s not about being nice.
Stores are reimbursed for “store coupons” through various options:

The manufacturer can pay an advertising fee to place their product or coupon in the store flyer
The manufacturer can work out a discounted deal for X product, the store then decides instead of making the product the discounted price for everyone, to require customers to submit a coupon to get that price. This is the best plan overall, most shoppers would not care or know about the coupon so they only have to sell the product at the discounted price to a small percentage of shoppers. Therefore they make money on the other shoppers.
Fake Example (profit widely inflated): Fresh Express Bagged Salad gives Publix a discounted rate of $1 per bag for 500 bags. Publix decides to sell the bag for $3 and to put a coupon in the flyer for $2 off. 100 customers buy the salad with a coupon 400 customers buy the salad without a coupon ($2 profit per bag for Publix)In the end: Publix gave 100 customers the salad without making any profit, however overall they made $800 off the deal.

Lastly the store can have a special reimbursement policy with the manufacturer for the store coupons. So they are handled like actual manufacturer coupons above.
The only time they are not getting reimbursed for these coupons in some way is if it is for a house brand item. Keep in mind those are the items they make the most money on so they still aren’t out anything.

In closing: I hope that gives you some idea of how coupons are handled. The intention of this post is not to encourage improper use of coupons only to make some realize that the use of coupons puts money back in the pockets of grocery store. We are not taking these stores to the cleaners. They are doing just fine. About 10% of American’s shop with coupons (effectively), they get their money back from us through reimbursement programs. 90% of Americans pay through the nose for groceries and they keep the profit always growing for these stores.

What's for Dinner?

Yesterday I canned peaches and today I have no motivation to get myself in the kitchen to cook dinner, so I am taking advantage of Papa Murphy's customer appreciation days and Jamaba Juice Smoothies! Shout out for quick dinner for less!

Buy 1 smoothie get one for $1

Click here to print off your coupon. Expires 9/27


Customer Appreciation Days at all Papa Murphy's

September 14, 15, 16 and 17 only. Large Pepperoni Pizza only $4.99 each, limit 3, no coupon needed.

$5 Baby Deals

Monday, September 14, 2009 | | 0 comments
Sign up to get $5 off $25 at Baby Universe.



Tomorrow, 9/15, join the Luv's Take a Stand campaign and receive a $5 off any Luvs diapers coupon by mail. Last time I missed the sign-up because they go super fast! Don't forget to get yours tomorrow!

How to use Grocery Smarts

Are you ready to buy all your families’ groceries, household, and personal care items (including diapers) all for about $200 for a family of four even five- while building massive food storage at the same time? Do you want to shop at only on grocery store without having to chase down GREAT deals? Do you still want to eat healthy, have a well balanced diet and have ease in meal planning? Then keep reading about how to make grocery smarts work for you! There is no clipping and filing individual coupons and you get to use the FREE website that does all the work for you!

How much would you guess is the average box of cereal?

Most people guess around $3.00. For less than the average price of a box of cereal, we were able to purchase this box of cereal, plus all these groceries!


Cereal .25
Goldfish .35
Brownie Mix .68
Progresso Soup FREE
Toothbrush .10
Dawn Dish Soap .15
Honey Nut Cheerios Snack Mix .35
BBQ Sauce .18
Garnier Fructis Hair Gel FREE
Ranch Dressing FREE
Fruit Snacks .50
Cookie Mix .17
Frosting .12
Total $2.85




People read through that list and think there is no way that grocery stores give away things for FREE. It doesn’t quite work like magic, but what will happen is the grocery store will put Kraft dressing on sale for $1.50 and in the newspaper there will be a manufactures coupon for $1.50 off any Kraft dressing. If you use the coupon that week it makes it FREE.

There are also a couple things to point out about these groceries for $3.00.
  • First is that occasionally people will notice that they wouldn’t use anything on that list in their home and that’s okay! These are just the things we use in our homes, so these are the items we have purchased in the past, however every single item in the grocery store goes on sale like this. Whether you are lactose intolerant, on a diet, or all organic this can work for you too!
  • Second is that we recommend getting one newspaper per person in your home. This lets you buy things in bulk and build up food storage. Both of us get one set of newspapers per person in our home. This means that we purchased 4 of everything here and only spent $12.04! Yeah for a inexpensive way to build up food storage!
  • Third is that you won't be spending HOURS clipping out coupons for a binder. We will only clip out what coupons we plan on using that week. Did you know that only about 50% off coupons are actually used? Why clip out the other 50% if we aren't even going to use them!

Step #1 Getting and Organizing the Coupons

You have probably already figured out that to start saving like people are in A lot for Less and Monthly Report Card posts you need to combine sale items with manufactures coupons. The only day of the week the manufactures coupons come in the paper are on Sundays. The only place to get them is in Sunday’s paper. We taught a class where a girl raised her hand and said we were wrong and that she bought hers on e-bay. We asked her how much she was paying for them. She quickly responded $3.00 plus shipping and handling. We then told her news she wasn't excited about. "The newspapers are only 2.00 at the local newspaper stands on Sunday and most weeks they have multiple inserts in them." We all laughed. The awesome news is that Grocery Smarts can get you an even better deal than that on papers too!

At our home each week I receive 4 Sunday papers, one per person in my home. People always ask, "What in the world are you going to do with all that extra paper." We have neighbors who enjoy getting a free paper from me, one lady told us she uses it as compost in her garden, but my favorite thing to do is donate them to the local elementary schools recycling bins. They get paid for the paper by the pound so we dump our papers there every other month or so. After I bring the papers in from my driveway on Sunday all I do is pull out the coupon inserts. The coupon insert schedule is over on the right hand side of this blog. You can see from Jan-Dec exactly what coupons you will get what weeks.

There are 3 main types of inserts;

1) Proctor and Gamble (P&G)- These coupons come once a month. They are Proctor and Gambles own coupons; Pampers, Mr. clean, Herbal Essence, etc.
2) Smart Source (SS)
3)Red Plum (RP)
SS and RP are just companies that print the coupons. One week you might see Tree Top applesauce coupons in SS and the next month in RP. There is no rhyme or reason to them. They just print the coupons.

Coupons come weekly, except on holidays. On Holiday weekends no coupons are sent out. This is why. Newspaper companies do not like to pay employees overtime to sit and stuff coupons in the paper, so what they do is make up for it by doubling the coupons up either the week before or after. Cool huh! Another thing, occasionally the papers are human and make mistakes and forget an insert. When you are a subscriber all you do is call the paper and let them know you were missing an insert and they will deliver it to you.

After I pull out all 4 sets of coupons I take them and with a sharpie marker, just mark Sunday's date on the inserts. Super easy huh! No clipping or filing away by category!

My picture shows RP inserts from 5/3, 5/10 and 5/17.
Then I file them away in my hanging file!



My files are listed like this:



SS Feb
SS March
SS April
SS May
SS June
RP Feb
RP March
RP April
RP May
RP June
P&G Feb
P&G March
P&G April
P&G May
P&G June

(If you blow up the picture you can see that I have other folders in the back. I just use those to help me organize other coupons I find in the stores, mail or on the ground! My husband calls me a coupon magnet! It really is true too. I find coupons in parking lots, peoples cars, at the store, on products themselves, online; you name it I have found a coupon there. Those folders just help me keep all the EXTRA coupons I find organized.) I also use to just have ONE folder for SS, RP, and P&G, but they got so big it was hard to take inserts in and out, so by having them divided up by month too it helped me pull them out fast and locate them quickly.
To find out how to get MORE coupons like I have in my file folder click here.

(I can't believe my expensive camera couldn't get a nicer picture than this!)
Occasionally mother companies will send out additional insert such as General Mill’s or Kellogg’s that are specific to their products. I just make an additional file for inserts like those.
Last thing-The last coupon in the booklet doesn't expire until about 5 months. So after you have been getting around 5 months worth of papers, plan on putting one in, and taking one out! In fact we even tell you when it is time to throw away coupons every Friday in our post called “Tidy Up Friday
After I file them away on Sunday I sit back and do NOTHING! So easy huh! No binders, scissors, or even baseball card holders. A system like this makes coupons easy, quick and manageable for busy families!


Step 2- Maximizing and Using Coupons the Right Way

When I found out I had to use coupons to make this system work I was skeptical because I had used coupons in the past and had no success saving money. I remember I had a coupon for .50 cents of one Betty Crocker frosting. The normal price was 1.67, so that made it 1.17. The store brand right next to it was only .89, so I obviously purchased the store brand. Well, after I started using this system here is what happened a few months later. Betty Crocker Frosting was on sale for .67 and I used the same .50 cents of one coupon. That would make the frosting .17 cents compared to the store brands .89 cents. Imagine if you had a coupon for every person in your house. For me that meant 4 cans of name brand frosting for .68. Pretty cool! All you are going to be doing is combining coupons with items on sale at the grocery store.

Every single item in the grocery store goes on sale every 3-4 months or quarterly. If you knew that you went through one box of Electrosal tablets every month, wouldn’t it make sense to buy 3-4 boxes when they went on sale? That way you never pay retail price again! Well let’s make this an even sweeter deal! Let’s combine it with a coupon. If Electrosal tablets are normally $5.89 and they go on sale for $2.99 that would make a great deal, but now let’s combine it with a coupon! Use your coupon from Sunday’s paper for $2.50 off any box of Electrosal tablets. That makes each box .49. I have one coupon per person in my home so that would mean I would buy 4 boxes for 2 dollars. Maximize those coupons. We like to tell people it really is all about timing. It wouldn’t have made a difference to go to the store and use my $2.50 off coupons when Electrosal was $5.89. That didn’t save me a ton, but by waiting until it goes on sale for $2.99 and using my coupons that becomes a STEAL. It also wouldn’t have done me any good to have only one coupon for Electrosal tablets. If I had done this I would have bought one box for .49 and then the next couple months I would have had to pay full price when I purchased my dish washing tablets. At that point the coupon isn’t worth your time or money. When you wait for an item to go on sale and you have multiple coupons it makes the process worth your time and money.

Store ads change weekly and new items go on sale. The object is to use your coupons when those items go on sale. There are occasions when you may absolutely need something and it isn’t on sale. Get ready for another post tomorrow on how to handle these situations!

Step #3 The $50 Budget

My family of 4 is able to spend $50 a week easily on everything we need to eat healthy and still build up food storage. I think a family of 5 and maybe even 6 could use this budget. I have two boys in diapers and one using formula, so I imagine people that aren't in that situation could spend less.

During my first 3-4 months of using coupons I was in my "stock up phase."
I spent $50 for my pantry type items (aisles 1-17).
Then I took an additional $10-$20 for fresh food items (milk, eggs, cheese, bread, fruits, and vegetables). Typically my fresh food items were the things that I needed to make my meals "realistic" or even healthy. In the summer time your budget could possibly be even less if you planted a garden or if you canned a lot from your garden for the winter time. To read out past posts about preserving foods click here.

After my stock-up phase it was so easy to spend only $50 for EVERYTHING.
$30 goes to replacing what I have used in my pantry whether its food, cleaning supplies or cosmetic items.
$20 goes to buying the fresh food items and whatever I need to make healthy meals for my family.
If you’re new to She Shops Smart your probably thinking there is no way you could spend $50 on stock-up items. You would use all that food in one week. Well, think about it this way, when Kraft dressing goes on sale for $1.50 and your coupon is good for $1.50 off 1 that makes it FREE. If you had one coupon for every person in your home, in my case 4, that means I end up with 4 free bottles of Kraft dressing. That will easily last me until it goes on sale again in 3-4 months. Or what if Capri Suns ended up costing you .50 and you could buy 8 boxes of them. You are spending way less and building up food storage all at the same time. Next time things go on sale for those rock bottom prices you will just continue to replace what you have used.
It seriously works like magic too. I remember being on my last zip lock bag and thinking I hope they go on sale soon, and sure enough they went on sale that very next week!
I honestly could spend $30-$40 a week, but I am trying so hard to build up my long term food storage that I spend the entire $50 budget. I hope that in a few months I have my food storage and I can cut my budget to even less than $50.

How to Budget in Diapers:
The most frequent question I get is about getting diapers for less. I have a few tips:

1) WALGREENS and RITEAID when they offer RR deals and rebate checks on their diapers
2) Using a coupon, even for only $1.50, is better than no coupon at all.
3) Know your prices. Decide that by the highest price per diaper you would pay.
4) Compare the price per diaper to the Costco comparison here to see which has the better price. 5) Honestly, a lot of weeks when I buy diapers I am just using a measly $1.50/1 coupon, but I figure I am under $50 and still building food storage, so no matter what I paid full price for its okay, because the most important thing to me is to be under $50.

Be Flexible:
One other thing I like to keep in mind when I say $50 is that you need to stay flexible. Some weeks you might see that a TON of what you use is on sale. BUY it if you know you are going to need it. Don't not buy it because you'll spend over $50. The next week only spend $40 instead of $50, or if you need to spend $100 in one week and take the next week off. In the long run if you don't buy it you will spend more on it in the future when it is not on sale do it. When all is said and done at the end of the month as long as you stayed in your budget who cares if you spend $100 one week, none the next, $25 in week 3 and $75 during week 4.

Step #4 Planning out your Shopping Trip and Meal Plan

Once a week new items go on sale at the grocery store. They are advertised in their weekly circulars that come in your mail, typically on Tuesdays. Sometime during that week log on to the grocery smarts lists and plan a trip to the store.
Grocery Smarts is a FREE website with no registration or log ins needed that will tell you exactly which items go on sale when and when to use our coupons. Grocery Smarts lists the items on sale that week and rates them between 1-5 stars. They list the sale price and which coupons to use that week so you get the maximum amount of savings possible. This website does all the work for you and its FREE!

Here are the states we currently have lists for:

Arizona
Eastern Washington
Idaho
Nevada-Las Vegas
Southern California
What if your state doesn’t have a passport?
If your state isn’t listed above, we are working hard to get it up and running, but in the meantime, don’t let that stop you from saving BIG on your groceries. You just won’t have the luxury of having all the work done for you. You can compare the lists and see if any of them are similar to your area. If they are that would be GREAT, if not just pull out your weekly ads, see what is on sale and match up any coupons you can!

Every week the lists are updated with the current sale items, prices, and what coupons to use to get items at rock bottom prices, or even FREE. Every week since I have been using grocery smarts, something has been FREE. Here are some of the stores that She Shops Smart readers in Utah normally shop at and their sale dates:


Albertsons-Wednesday-Tuesday (check for your stores hours)
Smiths- Wednesday-Tuesday (check for your stores hours)
Macey's- Wednesday-Tuesday (check for your stores hours)
Associated Foods- Some run Wednesday-Tuesday, others run Monday-Saturday (check with your store to be certain)
Walgreens- Sunday-Saturday (check for your stores hours)



To check out the sales a couple days early look for our Preview posts on the blog. This way you can plan ahead and clip your coupons out before the sale starts.
People ask me; does this mean we have to shop weekly? NO! If items that you would use in the next few months are on sale then you should go shopping. If nothing you would use is on sale, then don’t go. During my first 3-4 months, or stock up phase, I did try to go weekly, but now that my pantry is fully stocked I only go every couple weeks.

When you log on to your state’s list plan your shopping trip out. I use the list, I like to say religiously. I stick to my plan and don't let the signs at the store lure me into buying things that aren't really on sale. A lot of times I will have people call me and say, "You forgot to put this 3 tombstone pizzas, get 2 free deal that is advertised in the circular on the list!” I just remind people that just because it's being advertised in the ad, doesn't mean it’s a great deal! They are called "eye catchers" and they are there to get you in the store and buy their products. Don't let that happen to you!!!

After I go through and look at the list and I print off any online coupons I might need.

Online Coupons
So now you are super excited to get going, but be patient. When you log on to look at this week shopping lists you will see things for FREE, but you may not be able to get them because you don’t have coupons from past weeks. That’s okay; you can still save some using online coupons. After 3-4 weeks of receiving your coupons in the newspaper you will be able to buy almost every item you want to on the list. Until then you still want to save to take advantage of online coupons. After you have your coupons from the paper you will probably use less IP (internet printables). We personally only use IP’s if it makes an item FREE. Other than that we have found the coupons in the newspaper more valuable. The first of every month is when the IP’s reset. Coupons Group; A, B C and Singles can be found on the lists. If there is an online coupon that coordinates with an item on sale it will be on the list. You do not have to search for your own online coupons.
Here are some tips about online or Internet printable coupons:

  • Internet Printables are abbreviated, IP's
  • Manufactures set limits on the amounts of coupons printed. When the limit is reached they pull their coupons off. That means occasionally you will go the print a coupon and it will be gone unless you printed it off at the beginning.
  • This is even more important toward the end of a month. Coupons group A-C are reset at the first of the month, so on the FIRST, when the coupons reset, they started out at zero.
  • Sometimes manufactures will reset their coupons after the limit is reached, but don't count on it. Just consider yourself lucky if they do.
  • Some people have problems printing IPS. I wish I could help out in that area, but I am not tech savvy enough. I have heard that switching browsers can help. Example: On Internet Explorer and they won't print try Fire Fox or vice versa. Another great resource is pinching your pennies. They have an entire forum to troubleshooting your IPS. Some questions to commonly asked IP questions answered:
  • Where are online coupons located? All over! You can see over the the left hand side of this there are online coupons, group A-Singles . You can also find coupons on manufactures websites, you can receive them via-email and sometimes websites will give them to you after you join their mailing lists or take a survey for them. When the Grocery Smarts lists are up you will see links that take you to online coupons. The best parts about those lists are that if there are coupons online, they are on the lists. You will never have to search for coupons for items on the list yourself! Grocery Smarts lists do all the work for you.
  • "Are IP'S worth it? It seems like a lot of paper and ink to be wasting." My answer is it depends. I think after you have a couple months worth of newspaper coupons its hit and miss. I only print ones of that make things close to FREE or if it is something I really like or know I will need. You'll never catch me printing of cereal coupons or toothpaste coupons. That is because I have DOZENS of them from my newspaper.
  • Now, if you are staring out and only have a few coupons from the paper on the list then I definitely recommend using IPS to maximize your savings. My sister in law started out and only had a weeks worth of coupons, but wanted to start saving right away, so she maximized her coupons by using IPS. She told me her husband was frustrated by all the paper in ink she was using, but after she shopped she had saved over $50. That paper and ink WAY over paid for itself. IP'S are a great way of subsidizing newspaper coupons, but not a great substitute! Newspaper coupons will benefit you way more in the long end.
  • "How long do IP'S last". IP’s have expiration dates on them the same way other coupons do. Most times they expire WAY faster than the ones in the paper. That's why I only print the ones off from the list that week. Otherwise they tend to expire before I have a chance to use them.
  • "Can we print them off in black and white?" It depends on your store. Some stores will take black and white, some will not. Be sure to ask if you are planning on trying black and white. There reason behind that is they are trying to protect themselves from illegal photocopied coupons.
  • Do all stores take IP's and the answer is no. Not all stores do take IPS. I do know that Albertsons, Associated Foods (as of Aug. 1st) and Smiths DO! My suggestion with other stores is to call ahead and ask if you are planning on using them on your shopping trip.
  • Also don't forget the two IP's per HOUSEHOLD rule!
After I print off my Ip's I print off my list of items to buy. Then I go through and figure out how many of each item I am going to buy. I normally buy as many items as I can with my coupons. For example, if Captain Crunch cereal is on sale for $1.67 and my coupon is for $1.50 of any box I could buy 4 at .17 cents a piece, because I get 4 Sunday papers. If Darigold yogurt goes on sale for .50 and the coupon is for $1/2, then I would be able to buy 8 Darigold yogurts, because my 4 coupons each buy me two yogurts for free.

I also go through and figure out what else might need for my meal plan that week and add it to my "other items I need" section at the bottom of the list.

Meal Planning with Ease
When you log on to your lists you will see in the coupon index column it will sale N/A or not available for some items. This just means that there can be 4-5 star items that don’t need coupons. Typically it ends up being your produce, meats and other fresh food items. By incorporating those items into your menu plans you will save $100’s of dollars! Every Tuesday we do a post called Tuesdays Meal Planning. We will provide 6 breakfast, 6 lunch and 6 dinner ideas. Every item that is included in the meal plan is on sale at one store that week. Every Thursday we also choose an item that is on a great sale that week and we will give you some recipes that incorporate that ingredient into your meals. To see some of our past posts click here.
After I plan out what I am buying, how much of each product I am buying, and the other things I might need for meal planning that week I just quickly jot down my expected amount I am going to spend. I like to do that, so then when I am checking out, if the bill is way off I will know to ask if something didn't ring up the right way.
And the last thing I do is cut out the newspaper manufactures coupons from my hanging file. The coupon location tells you exactly where to find your coupons. Here is an example; the Captain Crunch cereal coupon for $1.50 of a box is located in RP 5/15. So I would know to go to my file, find Red Plums insert from May 15 and cut out the $1.50 off Captain Crunch cereal. I would repeat the process until all 4 coupons were cut out from my 4 inserts.

Now my list is ready, my online coupons are printed and my newspaper coupons are cut and ready to go! I put all my coupons and list in my sleeve and that is all I take with me to the grocery store.



Step #5 Shopping and Checking Out

The next step is going to buy your products. People tend to be weary that grocery stores will frown on coupon usage, but absolutely NOT. In fact they encourage it. Nobody is loosing anything by shopping this way. The grocery stores are reimbursed for the face value of coupons plus .8 cents! So, we actually make them some money by using our coupons at their store.
A lot of people are hesitant to use coupons thinking it will make checkout difficult and slow, but that is not the case either. You send your items through the check stand and then you hand the checker your pile of coupons. You don’t need to place the coupons separately with the item you’re purchasing. The checker will SCAN in the coupons. They do not need to manually type anything in anymore. The process takes an extra 30 seconds. Usually the people behind you are curious any way and ask how you save so much money. It’s not uncommon to even be clapped at. Feel free to share your secret with them!

What if you get there and the item you wanted to buy wasn’t in stock?
You have 4 different options to choose from:

A) Price matchThe most common store to price match at is Walmart. You need to be sure you have the ad with you in case they ask to see the price you are matching. Walmart will match qualifying competitor’s stores ads. When you are price matching you have to make sure it is the exact brand, size and quantity that the product in the ad is for. You may also price match a name brand product to a WF or GV brand product as long as it is the same size. You can also use a coupon with an item you are price matching.The only thing you can not price match is a % off item, a BOGO or B1G1 item and other promotions such as spend $25 get $10 OYNSO.This is also a great option for someone who likes to use the "all in one" grocery smarts list. Instead of going from store to store head to your Walmart and get it all in one stop!Target has also started price matching. It is a fairly new decision they have made, so I am unsure of all the details, but I would assume that their rules would be similar to that of Walmarts. Be sure to call and ask your store if you have questions about price matching.

B) Prepay/ Special Order If you know that you want an item and it isn't on the shelf talk to a manager about special ordering the item you would like to purchase. You can also ask if you can prepay for the item (especially for an item that you want and you know there is a catalina that goes with it) and pick it up when it comes in. I myself have never tried either of these tips, but because I use tip #3 the most, but it's worth a try.


C) Shop on the days when you know your store restocks Most grocery stores sales start on Wednesday mornings. That means when you get there at 6am everything would be there. I myself don't even think about getting out of bed until 9am, so this was an awful idea for me. Most weeks I do my shopping on Wednesday evenings and get everything on my list. If I can't make it on Wednesday I know my store stocks there shelves again on Saturdays. So, I would try to make it that day. Every store stocks at different times, so never hesitate to ask your store when they do. Let them know you are looking for a certain item and that you would like to purchase it when it is on sale and ask them when during that week they plan on getting more in.

D) Get a Rain check If an item is out and you are willing to just wait until the next week to pick it up, request a rain check. A rain check holds the sale price for 30 days. If an item is still not in stock in 30 days, you can request another rain check. Before you request a rain check be sure to make sure your coupons don't expire before your next visit. Otherwise, the rain check will probably be worthless to you if you can't combine it with your coupons.

To see Walmarts official coupon policy and price matching policy, click here.

Step #6 A lot for Less

This is my favorite part of the entire process. I bring in the loads of groceries I purchased and ask my family, “How much do you think this cost?” They are always so far off! I then organize it, take a picture and share my savings with everyone. I would love for you all to e-mail us with your savings so we can feature you on She Shops Smart's, A lot for Less!

Step #7 Putting it Away

After I check out my loot I begin putting the items away. The last few months have been incredible to watch. I recently cut my budget to $50 a week from the usual $150 and my pantry shelves have been filling up so fast I keep thinking I will need more room soon! I feel so confident in know I am building food storage and preparing my family for the worst case scenario. The best part is I am able to build food storage with less money than I was spending weekly without putting items away for storage!

Step #8 Tracking Your Savings

To me the system wasn’t worth it unless I knew I was truly saving money. I began tracking my savings in an excel document and couldn’t believe how much I was saving weekly, monthly and yearly. Take a few minutes after you put away your groceries and write down how much you saved. To check out our monthly report cards click here. This system truly changed my life. As soon as I started receiving my coupons I started seeing the savings. For $50 a week my meal possibilities became endless. I had more food sitting in my pantry, fridge and freezer than I had ever had. This system is for anyone who wants to save money. It easy to follow and a lot of fun. It will save you money and help build your food storage.

Step #9 Order Sunday‘s Paper



Alright if you haven't already figured out to get a lot for less or monthly report cards like we are, you need a Sunday newspaper for every person in your home. Everything else you need to make this work is FREE. The classes are FREE as well as the weekly Grocery Smarts lists.
Through Grocery Smarts we are able to offer you the LOWEST price on a subscription to Sundays only paper possible! It is super inexpensive to order multiple copies of just Sundays paper which is the only day you get coupons in the paper.
We do not work for the papers, but have just worked out a deal with them to be able to sell the papers at the best available rate.

There is nothing else you need to get started on saving big like this. Grocery Smarts lists are FREE, the classes are FREE and so is She Shops Smart blog.

Because there are so many newspapers in the state of Utah and each area has different options it would be confusing to post all the prices here, but the paper will end up costing you less than $1.00 and you know you are getting the best rate possible and also supporting the lists and website your are already using each week.
By getting a paper subscription there are 8 benefits
  • You don't have to get out of bed at 7am to run down to the gas station to make sure you'll get your papers
  • If you get your paper at the gas station and the inserts are missing, most times it because someone took them, there is nothing to do. It's sad but a reality.
  • The newspaper companies are not subject to giving the same coupons to the gas station as they are to subscribers.
  • If an insert is ever missing out of a paper (it happened to me for the first time last week) and you are a subscriber, just call the paper and let them know. Monday they brought me my missing RPs.
  • When you go on vacation you can put your subscription on hold so you aren’t missing any coupons
  • It helps keep Grocery Smarts lists and classes stay FREE
  • It's cheaper to get a subscription than it is to buy the papers individually each week.Through Grocery Smarts we can get you the paper for less than a $1.00.
  • It helps the newspapers stay a float in a struggling economy

To start delivery of your papers right away e-mail us at sheshopssmart@gmail.com . We place our orders on Fridays! Be sure to tell us where you live and if you are currently a subscriber to a paper.
* Note-You cannot call the newspaper yourself and request this deal. You will need to e-mail us so we can help you get your order placed



Step #10 Host a Class
These 10 steps give a great overview on how to get started, but a class will go into detail to help save even more. To learn more about hosting a class click here.

Can't get enough of this "Smart" find, get excited for tomorrow's post, "Ready for More?"

This information is written and copyrighted by She Shops Smart. Please do not copy it or distribute it without permission.

Grocery Smarts and She Shops Smart

| 1 comments
Wow! Emily and I have been working SUPER hard this last week and we can't wait to show what we finished! Look for our exciting post in the next couple hours!

Buy One Get One FREE Venom Energy Drink

This coupon will be sent right to your printer. I was able to print 2 off since it was a bricks coupons. Maybe this will help kickstart your Monday morning?

Smith's Rewards Program

Sunday, September 13, 2009 | | 6 comments
Have you heard about the NEW Smith's rewards program here in Utah? If not check it out, its pretty exciting!

Get Paid to Shop!
INTRODUCING A NEW WAY TO THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING AT SMITH'S FOOD AND DRUG!
It’s easy to get rewards!
Shop. Get Points.
Receive rebates at Smith’s.
Rewards Every Time You Shop

Just shop as you normally do and show your rewards card during checkout. You’ll earn points every day on just about everything in the store. Points automatically turn into rewards certificates you can use at Smith’s to save money on groceries or treat yourself to something special.


The more you shop, the more rewards you’ll get!

  • Get 1 point for every $1 you spend on nearly everything at Smith's.
  • Get a $5 rewards certificate for every 500 points you collect.
  • Receive your rewards certificates by mail four times a year in February, May, August, and November.

Personalized Coupons

Receive specially selected coupons from Smith’s for your favorite brands, giving you exclusive and unique ways to bring home the products you enjoy.

Special Bonus Opportunities

With personal e-mail offers that automatically download to your card, you can earn bonus points on things you buy and new products to try.

Go Green!

Reduce waste and get bonus points for bringing your own shopping bags.

It’s Your Fresh Values Card Too!

As a rewards member, you'll continue to enjoy all the perks of your Fresh Values card, like 1,000s of yellow tag savings, weekly specials, fuel discounts and lost key return.

Sign up today at your Smith’s store

Just ask any cashier and you’ll be issued a rewards card that you can use immediately. Points are tallied automatically each shopping trip – just check the bottom of your receipt for a running total.To read about some of the FAQ click here.

This is going to make shopping there a GREAT option!

Hot Deal on Swiffer Wet Jet at Target

| 0 comments
Swiffer Wet Jet starter kit is on sale this week for $17.99. When you signed up for the Home Made Simple booklet here a $5/1 Swiffer Wet Jet starter kit came in it
(I had signed up for the booklet in the past as well so I had one from a while back which I am sure most of the rest of you did as well).
Combine that with the $1/1 Target coupon in RP 8/23.
Then to top it off use the Swiffer WetJet refill FREE up to $7 when you buy a Swiffer WetJet Starter Kit in PG-8/30. You will pay $12 and then get your refill FREE! Pretty sweet deal!

Coupons in Sundays Paper- HOT

Wow, I am just getting back into the swing of things from taking a little time off and what a way to come back!!!

There are 5 inserts in my Daily Herald this morning:

1 SS inserts with a mouse saying EEK!
1 SS insert with a woman holding a child
1 RP insert with a girl making cookies
1 RP insert that says $99
1 misc. insert titled "better at home"


In my Salt Lake Tribune and Desert Morning News I had:

2 SS inserts
1 misc. insert titled "better at home"

Remember, the SLT, DMN no longer carries RP in the paper, but rather in the mail. To read more about that click here.

And SURPRISE Albertson's "Twice the Value" coupons. They were on page
SLT: A4
DMN: A6

They are good from today until 9/15.
This is one of those instances why we recommend have one of each paper if you live in Utah county! The Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret Morning Newspapers sometimes carry different coupons. Get ready for a list of match up on how to use those AWESOME "Twice the Value" coupons! The "Twice the Value" coupons can also be found in the St. George Spectrum. If you need to order your paper check out our newspaper deal here.


How do I use Twice the Value Coupons?
Take the "Twice the Value Coupon" Albertsons gave you and take any other manufactures coupon up to $1.00 with you. When you get the the register hand them both coupons and they will double the manufactures coupon up to $1.00 max. The actual coupon usually says they will match the amount of one manufacture coupon. Be aware that some manufactures coupons state "DND" do not double, or not subject to doubling. The "Twice the Value Coupons" also states "One double coupon per manufacture coupon AND Three double coupons per family per shopping trip! Photocopies of this coupon are not accepted."


Are you wondering why we have so many inserts this week? Last week was a holiday so there were no inserts in the paper, this week they are making up for it by doubling up on coupons! You can see the coupon schedule on the right side of this blog.

ALSO, grab that Parade Magazine and pull out the .75/1 Surf laundry detergent, and .75/1 Hormel Completes coupons!
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