Getting everyone on the same page

I don't want to re-invent the wheel here. You can see along the right side of my page LOTS of links to different bloggers and coupon sites that I use regularly. I don't want to do what they do, I'd like to focus on my own niche...the military shopper :) So, I hope to help you stretch your grocery budget even further every month by bringing you deals from the GREAT LAKES area!

I highly encourage you to make a price book from the commissary of the items you most commonly buy. I did this so I can compare the sale prices of the local stores to the regular prices at the commissary...then I can figure out the coupons, store sale savings and money back for buying particular items.

New ads/sales start on Thursdays, so today is PERFECT to jump right in. Let me tell you about Dominick's first.

Dominick's

Before you even get started LOOKING at the deals, GET A DOMINICK'S card! The little one that attaches to your key ring. You can print out an application online and fill it out at home or you can just go to the customer service desk at the store and get one.

Once you have it, go load eCoupons. There are several different types of eCoupons; shortcuts, Cellfire, P&G eSaver and coupons.com that will also allow you to print (you must have a coupons.com account to log in and load your Dominick's card).

Have I lost ya yet? Hang on, you'll get it...I promise. If I can do it, anyone can do it!

I know you are looking at all those coupons thinking, "I don't even USE half this stuff". Don't worry about it right now, just ADD EVERYTHING! Trust me.

Now let's look at the ad. If you are reading this on Wednesday night and looking at the ad it is still for last week. Wait 'til tomorrow to see the new ad - which is the one I am going to be talking about.

The big hulabaloo at Dominick's this week is the Buy 5 Save $5 promotion.

Buy ANY combination of 5 participating items with your Fresh Values Card (Dominick's card) in a single transaction between March 11-17, 2010, and SAVE $5 or more instantly!

Group One

• Eating Right cut vegetables 12-oz. package. Selected varieties.
• Eating Right salad blends 5 to 12-oz. package. Selected varieties.
• Fresh Express salad blends 4.5 to 12-oz. package. Selected varieties.
• Marie's pourable dressings 11.5-oz. bottle. Selected varieties.
• POM Wonderful tea 16-oz. Selected varities.
• Monterey mushrooms 10-oz. OR whole & sliced white button mushrooms 8-oz.

NO LIMIT! The more you buy, the more you save!

I'm not going to insult your intelligence by spelling out every.single.sale.item. So, look at the ad while you follow along.

There is another "Buy any 5 Save $5" mix and match sale with cereals, fruit snacks and granola bars. Check in store to see LOTS more than just the brands/types pictured. Remember, you MUST BUY 5 of these items to SAVE the additional $5!

Another great deal going on right now at Dominick's is the "CHILL" deal because it's frozen food month :)

Buy $25 in participating products (thanks slickdeals!)and receive a $10 coupon to use on your next purchase of frozen food. (Choose frozenfood-upc.pdf from that link). Your total must reach $25 on Fresh Value card prices BEFORE taxes and coupons! SO, if you have some super awesome coupons (AND e Coupons) you could really bring your total down and still get that $10 coupon.

I'll give you a "for instance" on this particular deal. DevilDoc likes the Yoplait smoothie things. (A) they don't carry them at the commissary and (B) they are WAAAAY too expensive without some kind of deal. Last week they were 2/$6 AND included in the CHILL promotion. I bought 6 of them ($18) and added some other items to get to my $25 mark. I used $6 in coupons ($1/1) to bring my total down. I also had coupons for those other couple items I bought to get to the $25. When all was said and done I spent $16 (after coupons) and got back a $10 coupon to use on my next frozen food purchase. A VERY good price for that particular item and a BONUS because I got a coupon to use next time :)

Once you start "collecting" coupons you will REALLY see your savings skyrocket. The BEST part about Dominick's?! FOR NOW, they take expired coupons up to a year!! Yes, you read that right...you can use coupons up to a year AFTER their expiration date. I say "for now" because some stores may give you flack about it while others may not even bat an eyelash. Just keep that in mind :)

I would scan in my receipt from today to show you an example (and I probably will do that later) but I am tired so I'll just break it down for you!

4 Betty Crocker fruit snacks @1.99 = 7.96
-1.50 eCoupons
1 Betty Crocker fruit shapes@1.99 = 1.99
-.40 eCoupons
1 Nature Valley nut clusters@2.50 (saleprice)
-3.80 eCoupons!!!!! (more on that later)
4 Fruity pebbles@2.50 = 10.00 (saleprice)
1 4lb bag frozen Safeway chicken breast@8.99 (sale price)
-1.00 eCoupon
.92lb asparagus@1.99lb = 1.37 (saleprice)

SAVE $5 instantly on 5 fruit snacks
SAVE $5 instantly on 5 cereal/granola
-$10 CHILL coupon from my Yoplait deal I talked about above
-.50/2 fruit snacks
-1.00/2 fruit snacks
-1.00/asparagus
-1.00/1 nut clusters

Total $3.01 (of which .40 was tax)!
AND, there are special promotions going on right now with the fruit snacks and select POST cereals called "Catalinas". They are called this because the marketing company who runs the promotions is called "Catalina Marketing". Google it to find out more specifics. You may see little white tags on the shelf at the store saying "Save $1 when you buy 2" or something of the like. Typically, the savings increases with the number of items you purchase. For these particular deals POST) I bought 4 cereals so I got a coupon at the end of my order for $3.00 off my next order total and for fruit snacks) I bought 5 so I got a $3.50 coupon to use off my next order total.

I paid $3.01 BUT received $6.50 in coupons to use next time...so REALLY they PAID me to bring the groceries home to the tune of $3.49!

For more in depth information on catalinas and basic couponing in general I HIGHLY suggest checking out
Jill Cataldo. She also holds couponing classes ALL OVER the state. I haven't been to one yet, but I am going to keep trying!

Hope that gives everyone a jumping off point. I know it is A LOT to digest; take it SLOW! Ease into it! It is NOT for everyone and it does take time and patience. It works for my family and I have FUN doing it.

Feel free to leave a comment or send me a note with any questions.

***Disclaimer-I do not make ANY guarantees on the amount of money you will save on your grocery bill. I share my experiences with you in hopes that you can make the most of your grocery budget.

As always, MAD props to the peeps over at CW who allow me to follow them and learn the way of the Jedi.