Do you get free groceries?

[Orchidflower]

Read an article that was talking about a lady who collects coupons and buys items on sale--using coupons--and got $250 of groceries for the $2 tax. I'm not quite sure how this is done, but wondered if anyone here does grocery coupons like this? And how do you do it? These stories are in the women's magazines all the time, and I am a skeptic I think.
I have, however, gotten some fantastic deals this past year from CVS using the coupons for money they give me back. I love that store!!!! I figure I might as well buy so much as I can from there, because, if and when they surpass Walgreens in popularity, that gravy train will end.

 

[KB]

I think most of the people who get free groceries have double or triple coupons. They don't offer that where I live. And we don't have CVS here but Walgreens and Longs do something similar with rebates so you get items free.

 

[mickeyd]

gotten some fantastic deals this past year from CVS using the coupons for money they give me back.

Can you explain? We have a CVS close by our home, but I have only been inside of the store 2-3 times in the last few years. What am I missing?

 

[maddythebeagle]

Some of the online sites have coupons for new product referrals...Kraft does this quite often (free pizza free, salad dressing, etc)...I do those since like a scavenger hunt Otherwise, I think a lot of coupons are for stuff that people simply wouldnt buy anyway...

 

[Notmuchlonger]

I wish. Spent about 12000 last year on the whole shibang.

 

[aaronc879]

I wish. Spent about 12000 last year on the whole shibang.

$12,000 in groceries? What the hell are u eating? I spend about $2000/yr for myself and I eat more than most people I know because i'm 6'6" and have a high metabolism so I need the extra food.

 

[Notmuchlonger]

$12,000 in groceries? What the hell are u eating? I spend about $2000/yr for myself and I eat more than most people I know because i'm 6'6" and have a high metabolism so I need the extra food.

Ok to be clear things up we include soaps dish washing,laundry detergent and booze. We eat out total about 15 times a year between lunch and dinner that is not included in this estimate. That is what it costs us in California.

 

[Achiever51]

Read an article that was talking about a lady who collects coupons and buys items on sale--using coupons--and got $250 of groceries for the $2 tax. I'm not quite sure how this is done, but wondered if anyone here does grocery coupons like this? And how do you do it? These stories are in the women's magazines all the time, and I am a skeptic I think.
I have, however, gotten some fantastic deals this past year from CVS using the coupons for money they give me back. I love that store!!!! I figure I might as well buy so much as I can from there, because, if and when they surpass Walgreens in popularity, that gravy train will end.

I don't use many coupons as I usually don't buy much processed food, but I have a friend who is really into this and claims she saves something like 75% on her grocery bills. She says that most people who are really serious about this actually trade coupons online so they can get more coupons for the stuff that they really want. Then, some stores double or triple the coupon value and I guess it really adds up.

As for CVS, I'm with you! I love 'em. Even moreso since my former MegaCorp arranged a special benefit for employees/retirees in connection with our prescription coverage. Now, we get an automatic 20% off any CVS branded item (and some other items) when we show our PharmaCare cards, plus we get those CVS "bucks" too. Good savings opp.

 

[aaronc879]

Ok to be clear things up we include soaps dish washing,laundry detergent and booze. We eat out total about 15 times a year between lunch and dinner that is not included in this estimate. That is what it costs us in California.

I also included toiletries and laundry detergent in my $2000/yr estimate. I did not include "booze" however. That goes under the entertainment catagory and is (usually) only a couple hundred a year. If I eat out by myself that counts toward my $200/mo budget for food. If I treat family to dinner that counts towards entertainment.

I don't go out of my way to clip coupons but if i see a coupon for something i would get anyway then i'll use it.

 

[Notmuchlonger]

I also included toiletries and laundry detergent in my $2000/yr estimate. I did not include "booze" however. That goes under the entertainment catagory and is (usually) only a couple hundred a year. If I eat out by myself that counts toward my $200/mo budget for food. If I treat family to dinner that counts towards entertainment.

I don't go out of my way to clip coupons but if i see a coupon for something i would get anyway then i'll use it.

I guess we eat quite a bit more then. 2000 a yr is pretty darn good.

 

[P.S.]

we buy mostly fresh stuff: produce, meat, cheeses which don't get coupons. Most things that get coupons issued for them are either bad for your health or not local.

 

[youbet]

Ok to be clear things up we include soaps dish washing,laundry detergent and booze. .

You include booze and the total is only $12,000 Things must be tough out there.......

 

[Marquette]

No free groceries; seldom clip coupons. I do most of the cooking for my wife and I from scratch. I tend to err on the side of organic and / or local in-season produce. We eat meat, maybe, twice a week and eat out about once a week. It's not a lifestyle I'd ever try and push on anyone (knowing growing methods and if it's good organic or bad organic is probably not worth it), but it's how I've chosen to spend my money. Our budget for food is about $700 a month but I'm trying to get smarter with that.

 

[redduck]

My wife and I limit ourselves up to three coupons each on a shopping trip. More than that and we end up spending an embarassing amount of time switching coupons from one hand to another and then re-doing the aisles looking for a coupon item that we missed. More than three coupons each and it becomes work. Anyhow, the deal is, we only buy stuff that we actually need and use and like. And, we probably end of saving about $4-10 dollars a trip. It all depends on the amount of double coupons we have. It is sort of a kick to see how much is saved each trip. Besides, at Vons/Pavilions the checker always lets the customer know how much was saved (she/he reads it off the receipt).

 

[Texas Proud]

To the OP.... I don't think it can be done easily now as the stores around here have put limits on to stop it...

BUT, a long time ago they were offering triple coupons on any amount (now if they have it is limited to 49cents and $1 for doubling)... and they also would just take the amount off the total bill (now you can not get more back than the price of the item)...

SO, my sister was good at getting items with a $1 off coupon that cost maybe $2 and use the 'extra' $1 for other purchases... and you do not buy ANYTHING without a coupon when doing this.... also... you might not buy 'exactly' what they put on the coupon... you could buy the 5 oz instead of the 8 or 10... and since there was not computer they did not look to see...

Her record IIRC (and it was a LONG time ago) was about $115 of groceries and was due back money (but they would not give it to her).... not a chance today with computers and all...


To redduck... I was with another sister who does not make much money and NEEDS the coupons... she had then all in this hand held accordian folder... buy type of food etc... she had not bought cereal without a coupon for many years (but I have not asked her lately since they are making more money now)... when she got the product in the cart, the coupon moved from the holding slot to the bought slot... man, she had a system going and it worked for her..

 

[mickj]

My wife did this for a while using:

Grocery Coupons, Coupons, Free Samples, Online Coupons, Restaurant Coupons

Way too much work for items that we normally wouldn't buy.

Basically, they try to time coupons with the store sales and tell you when to buy at the lowest price. Usually a few items each week are free.

 

[Orchidflower]

Since I buy mainly FRESH produce and fish/chicken items, it would be hard to use many coupons. Seems (other than soaps and toiletries) coupons are for processed foodstuffs...ick.

Here is how I save with CVS to the person who asked:

#1: Sign up for the FREE CVS card on the internet or in the store.
When you buy something there, they give you the receipt that has savings coupons on it usually. Look at those. They have a $10 off on $50, $3 off on any CVS item (like I just bought a nice bag of almonds there for maybe $5 that is made by CVS) and so forth.
Gals: I started using Olay Regenerist for skin care and their own brand which is Skin Effects (both good for over the counter and alot cheaper than my preferred LaMer brand which is $200 and ounce or so). Both of these products they run specials on or give coupons on. I have saved gobs of money on these items.
When you check out at CVS, look at those receipts for any coupons they give you.
Also, they have booklets you can pick up at the front door that give items FREE and, also, their flyers in the Sunday papers marks FREE items (you buy Colgate toothpaste for $2.50 and get $2.50 back in CVS credit). And look at the FINE PRINT at the bottom of a FREE item, too. I just got 5 Mennan Speed Stick deodorants FREE--except for the tax--because it was advertised in the Sunday flyer with a "limit 5" in tiny, tiny print under the ad. Big, big savings. Dang! I have enough deodorant for us all now.
I'm telling you honestly, I have saved a bundle there!!!! The Asst. Manager of my local CVS said most people "forget" their coupons, too, and don't use them in time as they do have an expiration date. Don't forget the coupons when you go in the store is step #2.

 

[FinanceDude]

I spent $6000 last year for my family of 4 for groceries.......

 

[Orchidflower]

$28.84 per person each week...not bad. I find I am spending about $70 every 2 weeks for food for two adults, but I buy alot of fish ($) with this high protein diet. Probably could go down to that amount if I didn't buy so much fish and seafood. Ah well...it's only money and I can't take it with me.

 

[Dawg52]

Not long ago I was in the check out line at Winn Dixie and there you have a card you have to present at the counter to get the discounts noted on each product. I was already chapped when they started that program because I thought they should just give you the net price and not require you to jump through hoops, but thats another story. Anyway, the teenage girl ran the card through the scanner and she had a funny look on her face. I check out and go to my car and thought I better check my receipt to see if I got the discounts. Nope, it said if I had their card I would have saved $5. Pissed, I storm back in there and before I could say a word to the girl, she just points at a customer service counter and says I'll have to get my money back there. I ask her "you mean you knew the card didn't scan but you didn't care enough to fix the problem?" She just looked at the ceiling and said nothing. I go to the other counter to complain and what do I find, another teenager to deal with. I get my money back and leave. Didn't get to bitch to anybody. So I'm doing it here.

Needless to say, my last visit to that store. I go to another one that is cheaper anyway and you don't have to carry around a stupid card. A little further away, but so be it.

 

[Khan]

Last year I spent ~$5200 at groceries stores/local farmers.

That's more than 20% of all expenditures.

~$100/week for one person (and one cat).

That does include human food, cat food, wine, all soaps/detergents/cleaning supplies, vitamins, some clothing/miscellaneous household stuff.

I don't go out to eat or get delivered food.

I buy good basic stuff and mostly cook from scratch; have switched to buying most meat/eggs from locals (and vegetables/fruit in season); I do frequent the Kroger salad bar and deli.

As mentioned above, there usually are not coupons for basics.

There is no reason to cut back, as I thoroughly enjoy cooking and eating; and total spending is less than pension.

 

[aenlighten]

Booze falls under entertainment

I ran a little over $2000 last year for me and my dog. Count him as 1/5. I realize how easy it is to spend more though. Higher quality steaks, seafood, cheese, out of season produce, imports, even buying what you want when you want it rather than when it is on sale can add up significantly. About the only way I could double it though would be to ignore the price. That would be hard even if I didn't see them since I have a good grasp of what they are.

 

[jazz4cash]

Can you explain? We have a CVS close by our home, but I have only been inside of the store 2-3 times in the last few years. What am I missing?

They have frequent shopper program that gets you 2% (i think) back in merchandise coupons. works ok. Also give's discounts for next time you purchase certain items you just bought. I don't like the store, prefer Walgreen's but partly because they don't have much competition around here.

 

[BristolBane]

I subscribe to Coupons, Grocery Coupons - The Grocery Game :: Home. It's a pay site that tracks the sales in supermarkets and places like CVS plus they track coupons from the Sunday newspaper inserts. So each week they identify the best combinations of sale price and coupon and it makes it easy to just check their list and see what the great deals are this week.

I don't do it hard core like some of the people on that site but I definitely save money. I pay $1.25 a week for the web site and $1 for a Sunday paper. So I have to get back $2.25 in savings just to break even on the deal. But that is no sweat. I saved $12 just stocking up on toilet paper last week. Won't need to buy TP again for probably 9 months. Bound to be another great sale between now and then so I will just re-stock when it comes along. Rinse and repeat for all things that you can safely keep in the closet or freezer for a few months.

Most of the free stuff seems to be at the drug stores in combination with their rewards programs (CVSBucks or whatever it is). I don't do those. Somebody near me must also be doing it because the CVS deals are usually out of stock by the time I get to them. So I just stick to my favorite grocery store.

 

[redduck]

To the OP.... I don't think it can be done easily now as the stores around here have put limits on to stop it...


To redduck... I was with another sister who does not make much money and NEEDS the coupons... she had then all in this hand held accordian folder... buy type of food etc... she had not bought cereal without a coupon for many years (but I have not asked her lately since they are making more money now)... when she got the product in the cart, the coupon moved from the holding slot to the bought slot... man, she had a system going and it worked for her..

To Texas Proud (and others)

I've seen people use the accordian-type folder to organize their coupons. Ah, I don't know, it just seems that I'm not yet old enough to be using equipment to help me shop. Guess it's a pride thing. When I was a kid, it would embarrass me that my mother would use coupons. Got over that. So, my next big adult break-through might be the accordian thing.