O...M...G!

I really had absolutely NO idea how to explain my shopping trips today other than with a big, loud, "O...M....G!" I got to work this morning and my mom gave me maybe the coolest shopping news since I started this couponing experiment a little more than 18 months ago. Marsh, a local grocery store, was going to be tripling all coupons up to $1 this Friday-Monday. There were a few rules....1. Only 2 of the same coupon would triple. 2. No overages.


With that, I set my plan in action. I've been watching this Extreme Couponing show on TLC since it started and I've found it interesting that most of the people only have 10-20 actual items they buy, but the quantity is so out of control it's ridiculous. I am a single girl and I have no need for more than 5-10 of most items (yes I bought a couple hundred boxes of pasta for free, but I donated them so I don't count that!) so I don't consider any of my shopping trips to be extreme or over the top in the least.





I headed to Bargain Briana (my favorite for Marsh match ups) and looked up the best deals for the week. I printed and clipped what I needed to then headed to Marsh after work! This is my first transaction with about 20 minutes of planning and "winging it" at the store with the coupons I already had clipped in my coupon organizer.


This transaction includes 8 packages of hot dogs, 2 packages of breakfast burritos, 2 bottles of BBQ sauce, 2 bottles of salad dressing, 3 pasta sauces, 2 jamba smoothies, 2 pasta sides, 4 packages of gum, 2 tubs of lunch meat, 2 candybars, 2 dog treats, 2 packages of cheese, a lunchable, bacon, deoderant, sour cream, Helluva good dip, Mrs. Dash, 6 pack of popcorn, snack crackers, Franks red hot sauce, tortillas, chips, and Seventh Generation cleaner.


Total retail cost: $129.92
MFR Coupons Savings: $32.40
Bonus coupon savings: $62.85
Fresh idea savings: $24.49
Total savings of $119.74 (93%)


Total paid out of pocket: $10.18


I came home and went through all my coupons then decided to go back tonight because my mom had heard a cashier talking at another location about how they might end the promotion early because they were going broke! Duhhhh you gave me $62.85 in my first transaction...of course you're going broke! So I clipped from my newspaper coupons and back I went. Here is a picture of my 2nd trip.

This transaction includes 8 cans of Alpo, 4 Diet cokes, 4 packages of hot dogs, 2 buffalo wing sauces, 2 Worcestershire sauces, 2 packages of paper plates, 2 smoothies, 2 cottage cheese doubles, 2 tubs of lunch meat, 1 breakfast burrito package, 2 Asian sauces, ketchup, granola bards, 2 bags of chips, Tabasco, 2 salad dressings, fig newton cookies, instant cafe latte, laundry detergent, frebreeze, seventh generation cleaner, instant lunch, individual size pizza, dog treats, a Rubbermaid container, a thin crust pizza (not pictured...in my tummy :), and 2 packages of Aunt Millie's hot dog buns (not pictured).

Total retail value: $143.24
MFR coupon savings: $33.25

Bonus coupon savings: $64.69

Fresh idea savings: $27.67

Total savings of: $125.61 (88%)

Total out of pocket cost: $17.63

Total from both transactions: $27.81

HOLY COW!!!! This is by far and away the best and most extreme shopping trip I have ever had. I did get a lot of hot dogs, but about 3/4 of them are already in the freezer so I can enjoy them throughout the summer and fall. I got all 12 packages of them for free so you can't beat that for summer grilling and cookouts! I am going to go over my grocery budget for the month by about $5, but that is more than ok with me to get this many items for dirt cheap prices!