Coupon savings!!!

For the past year I have been clipping coupons to help save a buck here and there. I have been wanting to find out ways to save more money but just didn't know where to look or how to begin. Then my cousin sent me links to a few websites about how to save money. I have been reading and learning so much - there is a whole coupon/savings world out there with their own lingo. So I have been reading ads, printing coupons, signing up for freebies, etc. This week I was going to try it out. I usually only go to Walmart for my every 2 weeks grocery trip. This time I was going to 3 stores. I made out my 2 week menu, sorted my coupons between stores (after my trip I realized now why some women carry a binder with coupons in baseball card clear sheets - it can get tricky if you end up needing to swap coupons between stores if you find a better deal - I was dropping them everywhere) and made my lists of what to get at each store.
I had so much fun!!!! Eli loved it too - he got free cookies at the stores and I think liked the fact that we weren't in Walmart for the entire 3 hrs. I took pictures of what I got to show you what you can buy for only $20 or $40.
So here is what I bought:

Ingles

I paid a total of: $20. 53
J&J buddy bars (4)- free after coupon - go here for coupon ( I use the $2/2 - the bars are $.97) - I let Aidan use these in the shower - I now have 6 in storage
Cottenelle TP: had $.50 coupon, doubled - paid $1.23- go here for coupon -
Progresso soups (4) - store sale 10 for $10 - I used 3 different coupons ($1.10 off x2; buy 2 get $1 off, bought 4 for only $0.80) - great for food storage
Cheese - 6 packages - store sale buy 2 for $3
Scott TP: had $1 off coupon
Batteries - 3pk - 2D: store sale $1.25 ea

**I saved a total of $27.52 between coupons and using my store savings card**

Harris Teeter

Not pictured: 2 gallons of milk and eggs, 12ct

I paid a total of $37. 72
I had never shopped at HT before until now - I signed up for their savings card. They also double coupons up to $0.99 - so doubled would be $1.98)
Store sales:
Pepsi 2 liters - B2G3free
Old Orchard 100% juice - B2G3free
Doritos - B1G1 free
GM and Kellogg's cereals 2 for $5 - (I bought 4 cereals) plus I used several coupons - that doubled - one which gave me the eggs for free
2 packages of cookie mixes - $1.67 ea plus $0.50 coupon - doubled - pd $.67 ea)
12 yogurts, french bread, cinnamon rolls, breadsticks, toothpaste - had coupons for all and then had them doubled.

**I saved a total of $44.02 between coupons and using my store savings card**

I didn't take a picture of what I bought at Walmart b/c it was just too much stuff (groceries + household stuff + 2 big packs diapers + kids clothes, etc), but I did use about $24 in coupons there, spending $227. The woman behind me just stood there with her mouth open as I used my coupons - she asked me where I got all of them.
So for the day I spent $285.25, saved $93.09. My last trip to Walmart I spent $360 for 2wks of groceries and didn't get near the amount of stuff I got this week.
I had a bigger trip to Walmart this time as I am trying to stock up on stuff before the baby comes. I had to come home and cook up 3 packages of chicken and 2 packages of ground beef so that I could fit everything in my freezer.

So there you have it - proof that clipping coupons, reading ads and doing a little research in to the world of savings can pay off. Happy Shopping everyone!!!!!

Coupons:
Suave $1 off - here
Free sample Huggies wipes - here
Through March 10th, use code PHOTOBOOKS at checkout to get a FREE 8×8, 20-pg. photo book from Shutterfly!

***Remember to use the back button on some of the websites after the first print and it will print the coupon again