Not all Target's are created equal

Okay, I spent like $1.64 on some randomness and didn't ever really "extreme coupon" or hunt out good deals. I was at Target at the Renton Landing waiting to meet someone and had some time to kill, so I was looking at the clearance section and found a few Neutrogena eye make-up removers on clearance. One of them had a peelie (a manufacturer coupon on the outside packaging). I'm not sure of proper etiquette, but I peeled that sucker off and it was good for $2.00 off a purchase on Neutrogena, but wasn't valid on clearance items. So, I went to the Neutrogena section and found this gem of a facial cleansing bar for $1.97 regular price ($0.03 MM). MM=Money Maker. There was no limit to how many coupons you could use in one transaction. I was thinking JACKPOT! So, I strolled back to the clearance section to see if I could find more specially marked make-up remover, but none was to be found. I paid for my purchase and decided to try the Target in Factoria by my house.

Not only did they not have ANY of the Neutrogena with the peelies, but they also sold the beauty bars for $0.60 more than the Renton store. I may check the Target by my work (Northgate, Seattle) for the peelies. FREE always feels better when I wash my face.

At the Factoria Target, however, I did find some amazing clearance deals in the beauty/health section that were not at the Renton location.

Meet Alex: Future Extreme Couponer

1. Motrin PM 20 count bottles, reg $4.49, clearance $2.38. They had TONS!!! I have several $3/2 coupons ($3 off the purchase of 2). Making each bottle $0.88 each! Score!!

2. Secret Outlast Paris Scent deodorant, reg $3.99, clearance $1.97. I had one $1 off coupon, making it $0.97, and it came with a bonus body mist.

The moral of today's story is that not all stores are created equal. Keep your coupons with you at all times, and keep your eyes open for possible deals. While I feel it is best to create a plan of attack before you hit the store, sometime you just find clearance and other special sale items that are just too good to pass up.

And finally, the best part of my purchase was the safety scissor 2-pack that was on clearance for $0.68. Now Alex, my amazing 3 year old, can help me clip coupons, which we did as soon as we got home and checked the mail.

I couldn't resist- Round 2 at QFC

So the Buy 5, Save $5 at QFC ended on 9/16/14, so after work I made a quick pit stop in, hoping to find Airwick on sale, but that was a no-go, so I browsed around a bit and was able to find a few more freebies, and some necessities. And that made me a happy girl.

The Gilette shave gel was $2.49 retail, $1.99 sale, $0.99 B5/S5 promo. I used (1) $1.00 off Gilette coupon = FREE

The Garnier was FREE with the same coupon combo I used the day before.

The Barilla pasta sauces were $0.75 each after (3) $0.75 coupons and store promos.

I felt good with my purchase. Free is always good, and buying items I need is even better.

I can't wait for my coupon stash to grow, and for QFC to have their Buy 5, Save $5 promotion again! Its big-time savings for couponers.

My shopping trip to Fred Meyer and QFC

My first trip to Fred Meyer in Issaquah, WA last Sunday was a success. I had woken up early to get 5 newspapers and got all my coupons clipped and sorted. Afterwards, I looked for my own match-ups in the paper, and I got really excited to see coupons in the Fred Meyer circular that came with the Sunday paper. They had some things on sale that I knew I had coupons for and I started the hunt for good deals! Since you can clip store coupons and stack them (use them with) manufacturer coupons, I first looked at FM coupons in the paper.

They had a $3 for 5 Treetop Juice coupon. I happened to have 3 $1.00 off Treetop Fruitful Smoothies coupons. Combining the store coupon with the 3 manufacturer coupons, I got the juices for $0.67 each wyb3 (when you buy 3).

Arm & Hammer Laundry Detergent was also on sale with coupon for 2 for $6 (reg $6.49 each). I had a $2/2 ($2 off your purchase of 2) coupon. So they were $2.00 each after coupon
I have learned in my short couponing experience that having multiple coupons is how you really maximize savings. I have an example of that below with my QFC shopping trip:

QFC (which I never shop at because I felt that they were too expensive), was having a promotion that ended 9/16/14, for Buy 5, Save $5 on qualifying products throughout the store. You are able to mix and match the 5 qualifying items also, so this was the most ideal way to maximize savings. I did a 5 item only sale, and I used 5 coupons, so I was able to use the sale price with the B5/S5 event, as well as coupons on top of that, to get the products free or close to it.

I purchased 1 Garnier Shampoo ($3.99 retail, $2.99 sale)  and 4 Softsoap Body Washes ($5.49 retail, $2/5 sale or $2.50 each wyb2). With the B5/S5, you take $1 off of each sale priced item, therefore the shampoo was $1.99, and the body washes were $1.50 each. I used (1) $2.00 off Garnier coupon making that item FREE and used (4) $0.75 off Softsoap coupons making them $0.75 each. It brings each item in that haul down to $0.60 each before tax.

Another thing I have learned it that you pay tax on the PRE-manufacturer coupon price. Store discounts are taken into consideration but the total sales tax calculated is based on the total sale cost (less) store discounts/promotions. So take that into consideration when you are shopping. I thought it was based on the total after discounts. It is NOT. 

The specifics in regards to sales tax are listed below. Sales tax in Seattle in 9.5%.
http://www.revenue.state.mn.us/businesses/sut/factsheets/fs167.pdf

My very first shopping trip

I was insanely nervous going for my first shopping trip using coupons. I had stacks of coupons organized in my accordian file folder, felt that I had done my research and found match-ups that would give me free items for my stockpile based on match-ups I had found on other websites, I made a list of how many items of each product that I would purchase to maximize my coupons and my savings, and with toddler-in-tow, I drove to the Dollar Tree store in Woodinville, WA. I was optimistic that I had a small haul that I could easily manage with my coupons, so I didn't feel overwhelmed or silly using coupons at the cash register for the first time. Much to my dismay, when I started browsing the aisles, I realized that NONE of the coupon match-ups I found online would work at my Dollar Tree because they had none of the products on my list. Since I drove 20 minutes to get to that Dollar Tree, I didn't want it to be a completely wasted trip, so I was able to find some items that I was able to get for free or very inexpensive. Since this was my first haul, I didn't have a ton of coupons, so I wasn't able to be "extreme" and get 100 tubes of toothpaste for free, but I improvised and did the best I could with what coupons I had. I learned with this trip that people post match-ups online that are not always available in your area because products vary by store or region. I later found that the Dollar Tree on Sunset in Renton is twice the size of the Woodinville store, and has more brand name products. I may be shopping there in an upcoming trip.

Why I have chosen to coupon

I am a 30 year old mother of 1 who lives in Bellevue, WA (a few miles east of Seattle, WA). I have never been a couponer before, although I feel like I have been very frugal with my money the last few years. I must say that I have my doubts about couponing and whether or not the savings outweigh the time and effort that it takes to coupon. I enjoy spending time with my son, and I work full-time as well, so by the time I fight traffic to get home to spend time with him, its usually filled with dinner plans, some play time, and our bedtime routine. However, although he and I don't spend too much money on groceries each month, we do spend quite a bit on household goods (paper towels, toilet paper, deodorant, shampoo, and so forth).

While watching Netflix one evening, my boyfriend and I began watching "Extreme Couponing." We both got hooked on seeing so many people saving insane amounts on their purchases. My boyfriend suggested that I try it. I was kinda hesitant. I have NEVER used coupons like that before. I used the occasional Kohl's or DSW $10 off your purchase coupons, but never clipped a coupon and hunted for bargains at aims of getting 90-100% off my total purchase. And realistically, even now, I don't have such high hopes. But in the long run, saving money is still saving money.

I hope to help people understand couponing, and gather information that I learn through personal experience to (hopefully) help and inspire others to save money through couponing. I would like to create an easy, go-to quick reference for people in the Seattle Area (and elsewhere) to learn how to coupon, where to look, find the best coupon match-ups in the area, and have special "Deal Alerts" when something awesome goes on sale/clearance. I've looked at many blog sites that feature deals at their local spots, but many aren't in my area, or my region is having different sales and the match-ups aren't the same. I would like to specifically target the PNW, and deals in this area.

I hope you continue to follow my blog & encourage you to post comments and scores of your own, if you find amazing deals and match-ups.

Happy Clipping!