Dumpster Divin'

Ok, so I'm sure that you are going to think I've gone off the deep end....but I went Dumpster Divin' for coupons today!!!

So I had a car full of cardboard from the office (with the new trash system the truck picks up the trash/recycle bin with a robot arm off the truck--so anything that doesn't go in the bin does not get picked up and we recycle a lot of cardboard at the office each week).  I needed to get the cardboard out of the car so I went down to the recycling facility.  As I took several loads of cardboard to the large bin, I couldn't help but notice the newspaper recycle bin staring at me.  So I had to go take a look.  They make it look really easy on the TV, but I have always figured that it really wasn't that easy.  I slowly opened the door to the newspaper bin and I couldn't believe my eyes. It was a sea of recycled newspaper! And most of them were Sunday papers!  I thought to myself "Surely people don't throw away coupons."  Oh I was wrong, within about 45 seconds I had picked up 5 coupon insert booklets and didn't go more than an inch into the stack of paper.  All the coupons were from the last couple of weeks!  So I felt like I had a real jackpot!

So I also bought a new paper this weekend with new coupons to harvest.  The big coupons to hang on to this week: $1.00 off 2 Miracle Whip, $1.00 off 1 Kraft Cheese, $1.00 off 2 Kraft dressing. 

I checked out Target...still no Nivea Men's body wash.  If I could ever get it in stock I could buy it for $0.04!  I have a $2 MF coupon and a $1 Target coupon and the price at Target the last two weeks has been $3.04.  However I did find it on sale at Hy-Vee for $2.50 and so I could use the MF coupon and get it for $0.50.  When I went Hy-Vee they were also out, but I got a rain check so when they have it again I can cash in for the savings.  I just need to watch my MF coupon to make sure it doesn't expire.

Today's deals at Target:  Kraft salad dressing on sale for $1.59, add $1 off 2 Target coupon, and $1 off 2 MF (this weeks paper) = $0.59 each.  Bertolli pasta sauce $1.99, add $1 off 2 Target coupon = $1.49 each (usually that retails for $3 or more and it's super good).  I got the alfredo sauce b/c I am stocked up on tomato pasta sauce from Ragu sales.  Pantene shampoo, on sale $3.50, MF $3 off 2 = $2 each.  Oh and I was a good Samaritan and gave a guy a $0.55 off MF coupon for shaving gel...I got that same kind last week and it was on ok deal but nothing amazing.

I'm watching Head and Shoulders Shampoo at Target to go on sale.  I have $1 off 2 MF and $1 off 2 Target.  Retail they are $3.99 or better, so I'm hoping to get two bottle for close to $1.  I also have a $1 off coupon for Herbal Essence or Aussie hair products...watching all stores for a good buy on that one.

I always find coupons for Old Spice & Gillette men's deodorant and body wash.  My goal is to never pay more than $0.50 each for either product.  Nate uses Gillette and my dad uses Old Spice so they will be in supply for life pretty soon!

Target good deals= Old Spice deo, Old Spice body wash both for $0.19!!! I used a $1 store coupon, $1 MF coupon, and a B1G1.

Price Chopper-excellent deals this week.
Farmland sausage on sale $1 per pound package and I found a $0.55 off any Farmland product online. So I bought two at $0.45 each!

My deals of the last week

So I haven't written for a while...I've been super busy.  But don't worry, I have made a few great purchases in the last week.  I have learned a few things too, here's the highlight:

Week 4 Sunday Paper--no coupons.  (I almost bought two of them, glad I didn't)

Always check your Sunday paper to see if the inserts are in them!  I bought two this last week (b/c the P&G [Proctor & Gamble] coupons were in it and that is usually worth two) but I got home to find that someone stole the inserts out of one of my papers!  Seriously!!!

Don't forget your Members Card.  I personally hate that stores make you use those to get deals, but don't go for a sale and don't use them.  I had to go back in and have the difference made up at Walgreens.

So here is a recap of some of the deals that I got in the last week:

Walgreens
     Two Men's Gillette Deo, Two boxes Therma Care Heat patches, Two Women's Degree Motion Deo, all for a total of $3.19.  Total savings of $28.57 or 88.8% Savings!  That one was extra good because I had a $10 off Walgreens coupon from a previous good deal.

    Two Suave 18oz body lotion (B1G1), Bic Soleil Razors 4 pack ($3 MF off, $1 Store Sale), Caress body wash ($0.75 MF, $2 store sale), and a new Twix Coconut candy bar (what the heck) for a total of $3.94. Total savings of $15.35 or 79.5% savings.  I used a $5 off Walgreens coupon from the above purchase.

Price Chopper
    Two bottles of Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce, 18 oz for FREE!!!  I held on to two of the $1 off one MF coupons b/c I knew I would find them on sale for $0.99 somewhere!  They are normally $2.69. Charmin TP 9 pack for $2.99.

So that's the coupon news.  As for cooking...well I added Sweet Cinnamon Sprinkle (my favorite Pampered Chef pantry item) to my Bisquick recipe for Shortcakes and they were amazing.  So amazing that the whole batch didn't last 24 hours.  I have all these wonderful strawberries from the garden and I needed something special to eat them with! :)

More deals coming up-I've scanned the grocery ads for this week and there are some good sales.  I need to check out Target matchups too.  I have found a great local site for match-ups: http://www.pennypinchinmom.com/ Check it out!