I hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend! Ours was very low-key, but nice. I spent a few hours preparing my shopping lists so I’d be able to get an early start this morning. I could tell it was going to be a pretty good week at Publix, and when I got it all done I could hardly wait to hit the store.
Even in my excitement, I wasn’t quite expecting it to be my best grocery shopping trip EVER.
(But it was!)
Here is what I got:
At Publix I spent…wait for it…ZERO for $176.10 worth of groceries, a 100% savings!
Free chicken nuggets, free tampons, free tortilla chips and salsa, free yogurt, free, free, FREE! Yay! It actually was even a little less than free for everything, but my Publix does not give money back. I applied the overage to the Bud Light I was planning to purchase in a separate transaction (I don’t normally include alcohol in my grocery results.)
Grocery Breakdown: $10 off $50 Purchase (Winn Dixie Home Mailer) 4 BIC Disposable Razors, 3-4ct, BOGO @ – $5.49 (4) $3/1 BIC Disposable Razors (SS 4/10/11) (1) $1/1 BIC Flex 4 Shaver via Upromise Deposit Final price: FREE + $0.49 profit each after Upromise Deposit 6 Playtex Gentle Glide Tampons or Playtex Sport, 18ct, BOGO @ – $4.29 (1) $3/2 Playtex Gentle Glide Tampons, exp. 4-30-11 (ALL YOU Feb ’11) (2) FREE Playtex Tampons (received in mail after entering contest on box of previous purchase) Final price: $0.22 each 4 Powerade Ion 4 Sport or Powerade Zero, 32oz, BOGO @ – $1.25 2 B1G1 Powerade Zero (Facebook Printable) Final price: FREE 2 Tyson Chicken Nuggets, Tenders, or Patties, or Country Fried Beef Steak or Steak fingers, 20.5-32oz, BOGO @ – $5.99 (2) $1/1 Tyson Bagged Breaded Chicken Strips, exp. 4-30-11 (SS 01/23/11) or (SS 01/30/11) Final price: $1.99 each 2 Pace Salsa 16oz jar (excludes Pace Salsa con Queso), BOGO @ – $2.79 (1) $0.60/2 Pace Picante Sauce, exp. 4-30-11 (RP 01/30/11 #2) Final price: $1.09 each 2 Jose Ole Taquitos or Tacos, 20-22.5oz, BOGO @ – $4.99 (2) $1/1 Jose Ole Product, exp. 6-30-11 (SS 04/17/11) or (Blinkie) or (RP 03/06/11) Final price: $1.49 each 14 Voskos Greek Yogurt – $1.00 (4) B2G1 Voskos Product, exp. 6-26-11 MQ-(Publix GreenWise, Spring) (4) $0.75/1 Voskos Greek Yogurt printable or $0.75/1 Voskos Greek Yogurt printable (6) $1/1 Voskos Greek Yogurt (RP 4/10/11) Final price: $0.07 each 2 Heluva Good! Dip, 12oz – $2.00 (1) B1G1 Heluva Good! Dip, 12oz (Publix Yellow Advantage Flyer) (2) $0.50/1 Heluva Dip printable Final price: $0.50 each 2 50% off New York Texas Toast @ – $2.89 (2) $0.40/1 New York Brand Frozen Product, exp. 6-5-11 (SS 03/06/11) Final price: $1.04 8 Honest Tea 16.9 Oz – $1.25 and 2 Publix Reusable Bags (2) FREE Publix Reusable Bag wyb Honest Tea/Ade (Yellow Advantage) (4) $1/1 Honest Tea (Recyclebank Printable–sign up) (4) B1G1 Honest Tea Printable Final price: $0.10 each! 2 Sominex, 16ct – $3.19 (1) $5/2 Os-Cal, Citrucel, Ecotrin, Tagamet, Debrox, Gaviscon, Phazyme, Sominex, or Gly-Oxide (Publix Green Advantage Flyer) (2) $2/1 Sominex Final Price: FREE + $1.31 profit each 2 Phazyme, 12 count – $3.49 (1) $5/2 Os-Cal, Citrucel, Ecotrin, Tagamet, Debrox, Gaviscon, Phazyme, Sominex, or Gly-Oxide (Publix Green Advantage Flyer) (2) $2/1 Phazyme Final Price: FREE + $1.01 profit each 2 Tostitos Family Size, BOGO @ $4.99 (2) $1/1 Tostitos Tortilla Chips (Publix Yellow Advantage Flyer) Final price: $1.49 each 6 Sundown Vitamin B6 @ $3.59 (5) $1/1 Sundown Vitamin or Supplement, exp. 5-31-11 (RP 04/17/11 #2 or (RP 03/20/11) (1) $1/1 Sundown Naturals Product printable or $1/1 Sundown Naturals Product printable (6) $3/1 Sundown Naturals or Osteo Bi-Flex, exp. 5-13 (Publix Green Adv.) Use Store + MQ; Final price: FREE + Profit
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At CVS I spent $5.83 for $72.48 worth of drugstore merchandise, a savings of 92%.
I used up all my ECBs last week to buy milk and eggs, but I got a nice surprise when I found a $4/1 peelie on the Blink Eye drops, which made that a $4 moneymaker! I had a raincheck for Blink drops leftover from last August, so I was sort-of hoping to get 2 bottles, but I was informed that the raincheck wouldn’t work the same week as the sale. Hopefully there will be some more of those peelies left next week!
Transaction 1: Get $7.99 Extra Bucks WYB Blink Tears, .34-oz (limit 1) @ – $7.99 (1) $4/1 Blink Tears or GelTears Eye Drops (Peelie on product!) Final price: FREE + $4 Profit (after ECBs) Paid $3.99 OOP; Got back $7.99 ECBs Transaction 2: 5 Dove Men+Care Deodorant, 2.7-3 oz (limit 5) – $0.99 (5) $1/1 Dove Men+Care Antiperspirant or Deodorant printable or (RP 03/27/11) Final price: FREE 2 Kleenex Facial Tissues, 78-110 ct – $0.88 (1) $0.50/2 Kleenex Facial Tissue Uprights, exp. 6-25 (ALL YOU Apr ’11) Final price: $0.63 each 8 Fuze or Fuze Slenderize – $0.99 $1/2 Fuze or Fuze Slenderize, exp. 7-10-11 (SS 04/10/11) Final price: $0.50 each (2) Schick Hydro 3 Razors, Buy 1 Get 1 FREE @ $8.99 (2) $3/1 Shick Hydro Razor printable Final price: $1.49 each Used $7.99 ECBs, Paid $1.87 OOP (mostly tax), No ECBs back_______________________________
Altogether, today I spent $5.83 for $248.58 worth of groceries and drugstore merchandise, an average savings of 98% for the day.
All shopping lists prepared at:
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Hannah Evans April 25, 2011 at 5:57 pm
Great Shopping trip!!! There is even a ton of food in there!!! Woohoo! Im a little under the weather today and cant see myself venture out into the world with two kids in tow in my condition Hopefully I will be better by tomorrow!! Good JOB!!!
Ruth April 26, 2011 at 8:19 am
Hope you feel better!
Amy April 25, 2011 at 6:32 pm
Wow that is awesome. I hope I can do that one day.
Kroger doesn’t have very many BIGI deals in Texas. Tom Thumb does, but they double their price and then you cannot use the coupon on the free item. And you can only double one coupon per like item.
BTW your link to SWSL at the bottom just sends you back to LWSL.
Ruth April 26, 2011 at 12:35 am
Thanks so much for letting me know about the link Amy, it is fixed now!
Brittany April 25, 2011 at 7:14 pm
Ruth,
Congrats on your best shopping trip to date. Did the zero dollars out or pocket at the Publix trip include include tax? If so, can you please explain how to use coupons to pay for tax? I don’t understand how that works.
Thanks!
Brittany
Ruth April 26, 2011 at 12:37 am
The overage covered the tax, but this is the first time that has ever worked.
Angela April 26, 2011 at 12:03 am
That’s so impressive. I’m so inspired!! After my first successful couponing trip today, I am eager to move along in your baby steps (now on step 3. Yay!). Can’t wait to be a full-fledged master couponer like you!
Thanks for your excellent information that is SO easy to follow. I have found other good sites, but yours is easily the BEST out there! 
Ruth April 26, 2011 at 12:38 am
Thanks Angela!
Krystal April 26, 2011 at 1:25 am
Really great shopping trip! I tried to use my recyclebank Q’s for Honest tea and Publix in north Port said they will not take recyclebank coupons cuz they do not say manufacturer on them or a store name. Also I used the Target $.01 Q for the carefree and got 10 of them for $.01 and I tried to use 4 $.50/1 manny q’s for the carefree and they told me that they can not combine (stack) the Q’s if it makes it a money maker. I had never come across that before. I told them the Publix I normall go to never had an issue as long as my subtotal was more than $0 and they asked what store. i wish i had no opened my mouth cuz now they may call that store in my town and (we have 3 in this town) now that store will not allow it. I was frustrated today. i never got my tea and I am stuck with the Honest tea Q’s.
Ruth April 26, 2011 at 8:24 am
I’m sorry you had a bad experience Krystal! I didn’t have a problem with the Recyclebank Qs, but I didn’t try the Target deal. I don’t know why that would’ve been a problem either, but because there is no corporate Publix coupon policy, each store’s manager has the final say in what coupons they will accept. If the store that you go to already allows it, chances are they will continue to allow it. My best advice is to be patient and polite and very nice, and speak to the manager.
Wendy April 26, 2011 at 1:57 am
Hi! Great trip – just have a question…I have two different computers and have printed (from when they had the deal before) the Sominex and Phazyme coupons. How do you get more to print?? It only let me get like two per computer…even when signed up with my hubby’s email, it recognized the computer and said I had printed the limit. Any help?
Ruth April 27, 2011 at 12:27 am
Hi Wendy-
I actually don’t know the answer to that. The only reason I was able to print 2 of each was because I recently bought a new laptop. It wouldn’t print the coupons on either of my old computers that I had previously printed the deal. Bummer! If you do figure it out, please let me know!
Corey April 26, 2011 at 2:37 am
How did you get the Winn Dixie Home Mailer coupon? Do you spend a certain amount at Winn Dixie in a specific period so they send it to you? I see the $5/$50 one periodically in a Wednesday mailing but never a $10/$50.
Ruth April 26, 2011 at 8:27 am
I’m honestly not sure. I signed up for my Winn-Dixie card and the baby club a long time ago, but never received anything in the mail until about 2 months ago, and now suddenly I seem to be on their mailing list because I have been getting stuff from them every week or so. Maybe they only update it once a year or something?
Running Mama April 26, 2011 at 2:38 am
I don’t even know what to say!!!?!???!???? You are crazy awesome. I want to be like you when I grow up.
Ruth April 26, 2011 at 8:27 am
You’re funny.
mledford April 26, 2011 at 2:48 am
AWESOME!!! I’m just getting started on this coupon thing. I do get frustrated because I don’t ever get huge deals like that. But, I’ll keep plugging away at it! Thanks for posting how you used your coupons. Mary
Karen in NC April 26, 2011 at 3:42 am
I posted this on SWSL, but my first trip was over the weekend and I saved 50%. I was kinda bummed at the beginning, but I decided to take Ruth’s lead and take a picture of my stuff, and it was a lot! I even posted to my Facebook page just as a reminder that this is only the beginning!
Ruth April 26, 2011 at 8:29 am
Great job Karen!
Ruth April 26, 2011 at 8:29 am
Try not to get frustrated! It does take a while to build up to a point where you can only focus on the very best deals. Just stay consistent and you’ll get there!
jeannie April 26, 2011 at 6:12 am
as i was looking at your list for publix, i noticed that you were able to use BOGO coupons on top of cents off coupons for the same items the BOGO coupons were used on. i have tried this before, and always get told,(many times over the years at several different stores, so i gave up) since the BOGO coupon ‘involves’ 2 items already, you cannot use a cents off coupon on top of that. not only that, but most BOGO coupons state “one coupon for the item(s) indicated”. doesnt that mean that you cannot do this, as the word ‘item(s)’ would clearly mean that both items are indicated? apparently publix lets you do this? i wish i had a publix closer than 50 miles away. but alas, not so for another year, when a new one will open 35 miles away. at least its a little closer. all i have right now is a winn-dixie and a riteaid. great shopping trip though. congrats to you. im lucky if i get 80% savings between both my stores, let alone 98%!
Ruth April 26, 2011 at 8:33 am
Most stores should let you use a B1G1 coupon with (1) $/1 coupon. The $ off Q is applied toward the first item and the B1G1 coupon is for the second item (making it free.) You CAN’T use a $ off 2 Q with a B1G1 Q, because then the 2 coupons would overlap. In today’s shopping trip, the B1G1 coupon I used for the Heluva dip was a store coupon, so it could be “stacked” with 2 manufacturer’s coupons. I also used some B2G1 Qs for the Voskos yogurt, in which case I could also use (2) $/1 Qs with it. Does that make sense?
Tracy @ Cotton Pickin Cute April 26, 2011 at 11:01 am
Wow Ruth, that was fantastic! I love hearing about people saving so much. I used to coupon a lot about 6 or 7 years ago and am finding it necessary to do it again but I am so overwhelmed with it all. I know you were super thrilled with that trip. I’m looking forward to following you on GFC as tonasun.
Hugs…Tracy
I’d love you to stop by and visit sometime.
Avril April 26, 2011 at 4:44 pm
Can you tell me if you did not get any gas-X or ex-lax because publix coupon exceed the amount.
Example: ex-lax 2.29 total for two is 4.58, and publix coupon is 5.00.
I tried to purchase thoose item today and publix wont let me. said that the coupon exceed the price…:{
josie April 26, 2011 at 7:41 pm
Good job!!!! How do you sign up to receive the win dixie home mailer???Does anybody know? Thanks. I am knew to couponing.
Debi @ Bluegrass Savers April 26, 2011 at 10:58 pm
Wohoooo!!! Great job Ruth!
Wendy April 27, 2011 at 12:14 am
Hi Ruth…I posted a question above but haven’t seen an answer… any help on that please?
Shannikia April 27, 2011 at 6:14 am
I was wondering on your list from CVS I see that for the Schick I see you got them BOGO and you had 2 $3 coupons were you able to use both although you were only paying for 1 item technically? I also asked a question a few days ago and I did not get the answer it was; how do you get the sale prices in advance? Again thanks for all your help!
Ruth April 27, 2011 at 7:40 am
At most stores you can use 2 coupons for a BOGO item because you are still technically “purchasing” that item. As far as getting the sale prices in advance, some get posted online earlier than others. That is how I find them usually.
Denise April 27, 2011 at 2:06 pm
Wonderful shopping trip…great job!
Patricia April 28, 2011 at 1:29 am
Publix has been up and down lately with checking out with all my coupons. I can see how people get frustrated by using coupons. Like today I had probably 10 different items and coupons for all of them and the cashier took my coupons and like spread them out everywhere and was reading each coupon and counting my items and looking at the size of my item. I was like huh? I guess they are having more problems with people abusing coupons or something. It took a good 20 minutes to check out and I didn’t realize it until afterwards but he still missed 2 coupons! Ugh. It wasn’t worth the hassle to go back inside for $1.10 but it was still frustrating. Especially since I plan out my trip over a few days and work really hard to get all the coupons and find the best deals. Today I spent $16 oop and saved ovver $98 so I guess it wasn’t a bad day.
I still have to go back for another trip because I didn’t get everything on my list and I know that had I used all of my coupons at once my checkout probably would have taken an hour! Ha. Its easier for me to do smaller transactions so I can catch the mistakes and make sure that all of my coupons are being used.
Thanks for all of your advice and coupon matchups they are great!