A savings program designed for you: just for u

Recently I joined13 other local bloggers for a day hosted by Safeway Regional office to introduce the new Safeway just for u program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I carpooled with another local blogger Tina Kelley the Mad Hatter Mom, actually she drove ….

We were greeted with an amazing breakfast spread and got to meet the other bloggers as well as some of the Safeway executives, some who had been with Safeway for over 40 years.

We were introduced to the just for u savings program and to the local president Steve Frisby who talked about the program and the rollout of the program. Steve has been with Safeway for 41 years and was an amazing host.

I was privileged to hang out with an amazing group of bloggers.

We were treated to an amazing spread for breakfast and  lunch. By the way if you ever see Buffalo Chicken Salad in your Safeway deli you HAVE to sample it, needless to say it was amazing!

After lunch we were given a chance to put what we had learned about the program into practice at the Oregon City Safeway.

We rode over to the Safeway store in a tour bus which gave us a chance to visit some more with the staff and the other bloggers.

After a brief press conference including  local media, we began our shopping with the new program.

I have to say , the carts at this store where perfect for carrying my large “purse” which is actually a Thirty-One gifts All in One organizing tote, perfect for carrying my coupons, planner, netbook, phone, etc…

 

Since I  didn’t know we were going to be shopping, I was totally shopping on the fly; I did manage to save34% using personalized savings, clickable coupons, club card savings, and a couple of clearance finds in the meat section. 

I love the personalized deals, these deals are based on my shopping history and are offers the system knows I can use.  We also found out at least in our  region, we will continue to have  double coupons for paper coupons and those deals can be stacked with club card savings or personalized deals for even greater savings.

Since the event in May, I have been averaging 37-54% in savings every trip with one recent trip my savings were 67%. They say the average customer will save 10-20%, but will a little extra planning greater savings are possible,   especially with the Safeway app on my phone.  I highly recommend going to Safeway.com and setting your account up, better yet visit your local Safeway store and find the just for you station where an associate will help get you signed up and you can even print your savings list.

#safewayjust4u

 

Thank you Safeway for hosting me and fellow bloggers and for blessing my family  with gift cards and Safeway branded goodies.

Kashi Granola Bars Yummy Healthy Snacks

First off I have to say  granola and dark chocolate!  Seriously though if you are looking for a healthy snack that hits that craving for chocolate Kashi TLC bars are an awesome way to do that.  We were able to share these treats with my Homeschool Mom's group as well as some other friends thanks to a wonderful program from MomsMeet.  Dark Chocolate, granola and Peanuts together are a heavenly combination. My boys would rather it be milk chocolate but aren't too picky when it comes to a treat.

If you are looking for a snack treat that isn't lacking in fiber and protein , then Kashi TLC bars are a great snack. The overall value of the bars in a nutritional look covers a wide variety of needs while satisfying the cravings for sweet treats.   I love it when I can find a treat that my oldest likes that has protein and more than 100 calories. He is a very active child and seems to have a crazy fast metabolism so I try and find protein snacks that still have some sugars and fiber in them. At 130 calories and 4 grams of protein the Kashi bars give him enough calories and just enough protein without overloading his system.  

My Homeschool Mom's group was a mix of reviews regarding the bars. A couple of the moms have nut allergy kids so that won't work for them, but a couple of the other moms have husbands that enjoy a snack bar as well as the convenience of a snack bar that they can through in their purses.  I have to agree with the convenience factor. I love to have snacks in my purse for not only the boys but also for Mommy, chasing 2 boys takes a lot of energy and having healthier snacks in my purse is so much better than stopping at a fast food restaurant.

We also received a box of Kashi Cereal Snack bars to try and while I thought they were great , my boys were not as found of them.  Again it was nice to toss a bar in my purse and have available during the day for a quick fix, another great healthy snack.

Finally in our box of Kashi Goodies was a box  of Kashi  whole wheat biscuit cinnamon harvest cereal to try. My husband and I both enjoyed it as a change from the usual sugary cereals. The flavor wasn't so over powering and made it a nice light breakfast.   currently they have a $1.00
off coupon on the website



***I received samples of Kashi products as a member of Moms Meet in exchange for sharing with my Mom's group and reviewing with an honest opinion. No other monetary compensation was received and all opinions shared are that of the author.****

Shopping and Cooking Frugally: Book Review

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Kimberly Eddy has written a wonderful book,  "Joyful Momma's Guide to Shopping & Cooking Frugally".
This book ROCKS!  Yes I know that sounds cliche' but this is seriously an amazing book. One of my favorite parts of the book is actually the various bold print antidotes on nearly every page.
"Joyful Momma's Guide..." is chalked full of real useful ideas and tips.  One quote that really stuck out to me.  "Bulk shopping does not necessarily mean buying huge amounts of stuff but rather it means buying things in the largest usable quantity if it offers you a savings." pg 15
Seriously that stuck with me... Just because is costs less to buy 100 lbs of sugar doesn't mean it is a usable quantity for me... Reality is if I can buy sugar on sale in 10 lb bags at a reasonable cost based on the amount we use that is a better deal then buying 100 lbs and having to store it and risk it going bad, getting bugs, etc....

I could just nod my head in agreement with so many things she writes. Seriously , just because it is on sale and I have a coupon for it doesn't mean I need it or that I will actually use it.  I had to come to that realization as I was getting more serious about my couponing and can totally agree with that idea.  If I buy something just because I have a coupon am I actually saving money, No!  

She has an entire chapter on strategy and couponing.  In another chapter she has a great idea (one I think I might actually try to do). Use Cash when shopping and put the left over into an account or set it aside as a reward. I can totally see that as a better rewards program than any store.   Couponing and deal matching can be a lot of work and what a great reward system, also would be a great way to add to an emergency fund or special event fund.

The second half of the book is stocked full of recipes and frugal cooking idea as well as very useful forms.
Another thing she mentioned that really made me think, especially as we head into the holiday food drive season.  Think about the things that will bless a family in need when you are putting donations together. Ask yourself, "would my family be blessed if we were in that situation".  As one who has been on the receiving end, I can get pretty creative but I know some people can't and when I donate foods I try to keep it real, as in red beans, pasta, canned meats,  basic soups (tomato and cream of mushroom are ones that are easy to use).  Even on a budget we can help each other out.

I can't say enough about this book to really do it justice. The book is honest and real and to me that is HUGE!
Following Kimberly on her blog for more wonderfully frugal ideas, she also have a newsletter available on her blog.  As we head into the holiday season this book would be a wonderful gift for a young couple or a family that is new to couponing and frugal living.

***I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion here on my blog. No other compensation was received.***

#Healthy Eating and #Coupons, do the 2 go together?

I am planning a couponing class at my local church and a question keeps coming up about healthy eating and coupons.
 "Can I coupon with a healthy life style?"
"I can't coupon because I'm vegetarian, can I?"
" I never find the coupons that will help me"

While I'm not a totally die hard healthy eater, I still coupon.

Can you maintain a healthy lifestyle and still benefit from couponing?  In one word, YES.

If you are on Facebook, follow your favorite natural food company for coupons.  Also your favorite chain restaurant may have online deals.
Also check with your local health food store. I know Parkway Foods a local healthy food store in McMinnville has a coupon in the Shop Local publication each time.

Follow some of the large coupon blogs for links to online deals as well as lists and match ups. I have found recently Almond milk, pineapple juice, Welches grape juice, and Silk brand coupons in the weekly slicks.

What are my favorite brands for coupons and healthy lifestyle?
Kashi is a huge one lately. Also Activia and Yoplait Greek yogurt seem to have regular coupons.

One thing to keep in mind, just because you don't have a coupon for the healthy foods you love doesn't mean you can't coupon.  I am able to save on other purchases allowing me to spend a little more on the healthy foods. Coupons are great for  laundry and dish soaps, paper products, feminine products, shampoo and conditioners, and even office supplies. Those savings still help the family budget which does two things for the overall health of the family: first makes sure I am getting the best deals all around and helps lower the stress level as we plan the family budget.

Something else to consider, you can save money by buying local and in season. No only does that add to the healthy eating, but you can get to know the farmers if you are at a local farmers' market or look into a CSA (where you purchase a plan and get farm fresh produce through out the season). Both are ways to introduce healthy foods to your family and save money by cutting a lot of the transportation costs from the overall price of your food.

One last thing, not necessarily a couponing but a good deal to consider, warehouse sales and clubs. I know Costco has started carrying a lot of healthy options. I recommend shopping with a notebook and calculator. Know your price per item if buying in large quantities.

A Healthy lifestyle can include coupons.

Coupons and Customer Service

Since my husband was on a business trip I decided to try Winco for my grocery shopping for the week.  I had my coupon binder and my list. I had a plan to spend less than $50. I also had my coupons for an upcoming review of Gorton's Fish products. We had a couple bags of cans and bottles to return for deposits as well.
Cameron and I started off my doing our cans and bottles in the machines, netting us $8.65, thanks to my Mom and a couple of her wonderful customers that save their cans and bottles for me (they don't return them they usually just throw them out.)
We had our list and our coupons and were a little disappointed in the fact that many of the items on our list and in our coupon binder were not available. We did find the Gorton's products so that review will be forthcoming this week.  We also found that the sizes listed on the coupons weren't always available. It wasn't that the shelves were empty it was simply they didn't carry the product or size.   We gathered our groceries and headed to check out... The lines were crazy long and it wasn't until someone complained rather loudly that additional checkers were called. 2 additional lanes were opened to help with the longer lines and many customers.
The checker we had seemed nice enough , but as soon as I handed her my coupons ( about 20 by the way) her attitude changed dramatically. She began to question every coupon I was using. I had to repeatedly remove items Cameron had bagged for us. (we used our 4 recycled grocery bags).  I had to show her the product and then read her the matching information on the coupon.  When we got to the Gorton's coupons I received to purchase the review product she went into lock up.. She had to call a manager to approve the coupon; it was pretty plain to everyone the coupon said Free (not with a purchase)..
I am reminded you get what you pay for and sometimes a little higher shelf price for something and the ability to use your coupons without being questioned is really worth it. It is also hard to bag your own groceries , sort your coupons, and watch the checker to make sure they don't screw something up.
I use to shop at Winco all the time and always had positive experiences until recently.  I'm really not sure if I will go back anytime soon as this was a real pain and even with the savings, wasted alot of my time this weekend.

Meal Deals

One of the biggest things that have helped in my mission to feed the family on $20 a day is $5 Friday Specials at Safeway. 2 weeks ago, Safeway had Tyson Chicken strips on special Friday only $5.00 a bag. This is one thing that Cameron loves and having those on hand makes life a lot easier.  Also watching the clearance section for meats is a great savings tool… I picked up ground chicken breast on clearance and was able to make a quick variation on sloppy joes. 

Coupons have also helped make it possible to use a $20 a day menu.  I watch Facebook and twitter for hints to see which stores have the best deals and combinations of coupons.  While extreme couponing has been all the rage lately I am far from an extreme couponer. I am aware of deals and so far have been able to see savings of about 45% on my grocery bill. These savings make it possible to get things that I wouldn’t always get.  An example would be Sunday afternoon (6/26/11) I headed to Wal-Mart and Safeway to do some grocery shopping.  Wal-Mart take competitor coupons (even the Catalina coupons) so I was able to get 2 bags of Tyson Chicken strip for 6.43 a bag. (Not a screaming deal but a good deal none the less). I also picked up a couple things for an upcoming Zhu-niverse Ice Cream Social all using coupons. (I used 14 coupons at Wal-Mart for a total savings of $17.50). Once we were done at Wal-Mart we drove across the highway to Safeway and matched coupons to get some really good deals including crackers, hot dogs, chicken sausage, and 2 more bags of Tyson breaded chicken.  I again hit the clearance section in the Deli meat section and scored 3 packages of Foster Farms Grilled Chicken and Deli Chicken lunch meat.  This weekend’s special included buy 2 get 3 free Oscar Meyer’s Lunchables, so we picked up 5 Lunchables for our busy week ahead, for only $1.00 each.  I found a pretty good deal on Coca-Cola  2 liter bottles, $0.99 plus deposit if I bought 4, since that is in my opinion a really good deal I picked up 4 bottles of Coke Zero.

I highly recommend following couponing websites and blogs on Facebook or twitter, these blogs usually post deals and deal scenarios for the Sunday coupon slicks Saturday evening and then throughout the week.  Remember double coupons in weekly ads from Safeway are a great additional savings tool. Also keep your Catalina coupons don’t just throw them out. They come in really handy, especially at store such as Wal-Mart where competitor’s coupons are accepted.

The other recommendation I can give it store rewards cards. Safeway, Fred Meyer’s, Kroger, Walgreens, Albertsons, and Rite Aid all have programs that I use. Check with your local store to see what kind of program they have. Also check out sites like coupons.com and cellfire.com to print or add coupons to your store club cards. 

Design Chic Blog Hop

I'm always game for a blog hop... actually a lot of my blogging her at the Spot has been surrounding blog hops... kind of lazy I'm sure but whatever it takes to get us blogging I'm play along..
 For the blog hop there is a question...
For your groceries, are you paying with cash or with credit card?



For the most part I pay with cash although when we go shopping together husband pays with a credit card. The card gets paid off every month, so it doesn't cost us any interest and we get a rebate at the end of the year... I don't recommend using a credit card especially when you are on a tight budget which I'm sure most of us are...  Today is actually  a perfect example. I had $40 cash, some cans and bottles to return for refunds and a pile of coupons. We were able to buy the groceries for this weekend with that $40 and ended up with $3.00 left over...  So, sometimes cash in hand is better for the budget and making us more aware of our spending.