Shopping the Grocery Ads

My Albertson List from the AD 02/25/15-03/03/15

Watch out for the BOGO meat sales! Most of the time the meat is marked up to make up the difference, so you aren't really getting a good deal.  Bone in meat will help you save $ and use the left overs to make a salad or wrap the next day for lunch.  Try to not make meat the main dish and you will see the savings because of the smaller portions. Also make sure you clip your in for the water, frozen entrees, bacon, and granola bars. If you don't have the add to clip the coupon, sometimes they have the ADs by the door or customer service. 

My Harmons List from the AD 02/19/15-03/04/15

I really like Harmons produce but remember you can ad match at Walmart.  Also you will save money if you don't buy prepackaged produce.  Take you time and pick out some good produce, it really makes a difference on freshness and flavor as well.

My Smiths List from the AD 02/25/15-03/03/15

Smiths had the best price on boneless skinless chicken breasts this week.  Also great buy on Avacados.  Butter is always expensive so buy when less the $2.  The store brand biscuits are 10 for $10 this week.  I like buying store brand especially smiths store brands because they always seem to be price really well.  Smiths often time market their 2lb bricks of cheese down to $5 a brick, but I have never seen it in the add so when you go into Smith always walk down the cheese isle. 

My Target List from the AD 02/22/15-02/28/15

I love Target especially the gift card offers.  I usually only buy diapers at target because with the gift card offers they are often cheaper than Costco.  

My Lins List from the AD 02/23/15-03/02/15

Lins had a great ad this week.  Cheese 2lb brick $4.99! Also if you can make it to Lin's you can price match most of the prices at Walmart.  I know that Walmart carries the Farmland Bacon so price match it if you are going shopping there.

Store ads

Alberstons
http://albertsons.mywebgrocer.com/Circular/Washington/1A7873463

Smiths
https://www.smithsfoodanddrug.com/weeklyad?StoreCode=00189&DivisionId=706

Harmons
https://www.harmonsgrocery.com/ads

Target
http://weeklyad.target.com/saint-george-ut-84790/homepage

Lins
http://linsgrocery.com/weeklyAd

Printable Coupons, Mobile Coupons, In-store discounts

COUPONS
Some of the coupon site that I use because they are easy and you don't have to refer people are as follows:

• Coupons.com - This is by far the easiest way to get good coupons.  The site is very easy and you can even download the app on you mobile devices.  Most coupons on this site have a two print limit but if you also download on your mobile device and print from there you can have additional prints.  If you are going to download on a mobile device you will need a printer that has the ability to print wireless.
• Smartsource - This site is really easy to print from also. Smartsource is also one of the newspaper coupon inserts and will have similar coupons.
• RedPlum - This one require that you have a coupon printer downloaded but it is easy to print from and will also have similar coupons as the RedPlum coupon insert found in the newspaper.
• Target specific coupons- At target.com you can print coupons that can be stacked with manufacture coupons to get even better discounts.

There are others but these are the ones that I find most convenient to use and have the most coupons available. 

MOBILE COUPONS

Mobile coupons are becoming more and more common.  Many stores are offering apps or store cards where you can load the store specific coupons on. 

Target-Target is one of my favorite places to shop because of the multiple ways to save.  I love the mobile coupons that are offer.  Here are just a few of the codes to get the coupons coming straight to your phone.  

OK first you will have to text each of these codes to 827-438

• OFFERS
• BABY
• SNACKS
• MEAT
• THANK
• PETS

There are probably more these are just some of the codes that I have used.

Smiths also has mobile coupons that you can load to your loyalty card.  They also have a free item each Friday.  

INSTORE DISCOUNTS

If you are looking for coupon and discounts to restaurants and retail stores check out couponsherpa.com.  This is one of the best sites for store discounts and coupon codes.

Target has a store specific ap CARTWHEEL.  This app has discounts starting at 5% and going up to 50%.  These discounts can be stacked with store coupons AND manufacture coupons.

Grocery Ads

Being overwhelmed by ad shopping and price matching is normal.  Taking the ad with you and/or making a list of the items you want to purchase can get tricky and time consumer.  Also, when it comes to navigating the store and your list, you can start to feel like it is not worth the trouble. Here are a few tips for those dreaded shopping trips.

1.     Make a grocery calendar-This is one of those shopping tips that has been around a long time.  It works and that is why you still hear about it.  One adjustment I would like to make is having a swap option.  Sometimes you just don’t feel like making that meal that you have listed for a certain day.  For those days have a wild card option that is something easy so that you can avoid hitting the fast food chains.

2.     Review the food in your food and pantry to see what you have and what you need for the upcoming meals on your calendar.

3.     Organize your shopping list according to category-By having an organized shopping list you can avoid the multiple trips from store end to the other.

4.     Review multiple ads-Make sure you are getting the best price on the items.  Review multiple ads and compare prices.  I like to ad match at Walmart, so when making my list I list all my ad match items in one section so that I can make it easy on the cashier.  I also list the store and the price.

5.     Take a limited amount of money-I am not saying you have to know exactly what it will cost you for your groceries.  If you take $200 in the store when you know the trip should only be around $100 you are opening yourself up for unneeded spending.

6.     Try to only go weekly or less-Groceries are expenses and can add up quickly.  Try to schedule a weekly shopping trip to avoid the one item shopping trips that can end up costing way too much because of added items.