Stock up and Save

Show tickets!

2009-06-30T14:03:00.001-07:00

I just found out about this great website showtickets4locals.com. They email you each day with up to 20 different shows here in Las Vegas that have tickets to give away! There is no catch, but the tickets do go pretty fast, so you need to check your email often the day that you want to get to a show! For details go to http://www.showtickets4locals.com.

Albertsons!

2009-06-10T23:38:00.000-07:00

I just went to Albertsons to 'stock up' on some things that we needed! They are having a great sale this week. Don't forget to check it out on Grocerysmarts.com! I only spent $22.70 on $56.26 worth of groceries, that is a savings of 67%! That extra 5-10 minutes of planning my shopping trip is so worth it!

Snapfish!

2009-06-03T07:42:00.000-07:00

There is a coupon code out right now for Snapfish.com that will take $5 off any order, no minimum. You could buy $5 worth of prints, and get them free, you just pay $1.59 in shipping. Just type in 5offnow at check out!

New Inserts!

2009-05-31T13:42:00.000-07:00

Mark your Smart Source inserts 5/31 and put them in a plastic sleeve!

No Coupons Today!

2009-05-24T13:58:00.000-07:00

There are no inserts in the Sunday paper today! Darn those holidays. We got 2 inserts last week though, and we will get them again next week. Don't be too sad!

Frugal snack idea!

2009-05-22T21:27:00.000-07:00

I found a recipe for home made microwave popcorn. I gave it a shot today, it's not bad. I mixed 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels, 1 tsp oil, and a few shakes of salt in a bowl. Place it in a brown paper lunch bag, folding it over two times. Microwave on high 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. The kids had fun making it, and it only took a few minutes. For the price difference, this is definitely the way to go! I am going to buy some popcorn flavoring and popcorn butter for next time. (You can buy it the by the popcorn at your favorite grocery store)

Los Compadres!

2009-03-20T13:20:00.001-07:00

My new favorite store for produce is Los Compadres, Mexican Meat Market and Bakery! Just to give you and idea of how great the prices are...the oranges were on sale last week 8 lbs. for $0.99. No that is not a typo, I got all the oranges I wanted for a whopping $0.21 last week, and they are delicious. The tomatoes were only $0.49 a pound, and I would compare them to garden fresh tomatoes-yeah, they are that good! Check it out, you won't be disappointed. Thanks Sheri for the tip!

Case Lot Sales are coming!

2009-03-12T21:47:00.000-07:00

When I was at Smiths today I noticed a sign that said Case Lot Sales coming April 1st! If you are running low on canned goods, you might want to wait a few weeks to stock up! There is more than just canned goods in the case lot sales, but that is what I get most excited about. Remember, no matter how cheap it is, it is not a good deal unless you will use it! And it is easy to buy too much during these sales. Make sure you look at the expiration dates and plan on how much you will consume before it goes bad!

Happy Day!

2009-03-01T13:35:00.000-08:00

I was so excited thismorning when I was pulling my coupons out of my Sunday papers. Not only was there a valuable Smart Source coupon book, but there was a P&G coupon booklet too! I got 4! Imagine all the money I am going to save! Don't forget to pull out those P&G's, and label them 3/1!

Freezer Meals!

2009-02-17T22:40:00.000-08:00

Another great way to save time and money is to start a freezer meal group. I am in a group of 18 women. After we met a few times and agreed on recipes that our families would all like, we each took one recipe. Every person does their own shopping (of course most of the women in our group are Grocery Smart trained!) Everyone assembles their meals themselves, then we all meet one night, with our frozen meals, and exchange.
Some people in our group have small families, and some have large families, so we have the option of ordering a half meal. The banker adds everyone's reciepts, and on the night of the exchange, she writes checks to those that are owed money, and accepts cash or checks from those that owe.
We set up a blog to communicate better, it is private so we can have all of our contact information right there. We are getting really organized now! We have an A list and a B list of recipes to switch every other month. The same person will make the same things. It makes it much easier to find the deals on ingredients you are familiar with, and it makes the assembly much easier!

Smiths...hidden deal!

2009-02-04T20:19:00.000-08:00

I had a great trip to Smiths today! I saved $142.53 and only spent $66.31. That is 68% savings. You might be wondering why I have 24 lbs. of chuck steak...I am in a freezer meal group who feeds 18 families!

HIDDEN DEAL: Anyway, I did buy 5 Betty Crocker fruit snacks with my purchase and I was very excited to see that my fruit snacks triggered a catalina for $3.50 off of my next purchase! The catalina will keep printing through 2/22. If you buy 3 Betty Crocker fruit shapes, Fruit by the Foot, Fruit Gushers, Fruit Roll-ups, or Fruit Stickerz, you will recieve a $1.50 off next purchase. If you buy 4, you get a $2.50 off next purchase, and 5 or more, you'll get $3.50 off your next purchase. They were a great deal this week anyway, I think I'll go back for more and keep those catalinas coming!

Free 411

2009-01-31T15:34:00.000-08:00

If you are calling 411 from your cell phone, it can really add up! I was so excited to find out that if you call 1-800-free-411, you get connected for free. It is just like 411, only you have to listen to a 12 second ad while your being connected. Not a bad deal huh? I haven't tried it yet, but I got the tip from a reliable frugal blog that I follow. Thank you Frugal is Fabulous!

Panda Express

2009-01-22T20:44:00.000-08:00

My sister-in-law Liz just informed me that on the back of Panda Express reciepts there is a survey that you can take online or over the phone. If you complete the short, simple survey, you get a free entree! Hmm...Maybe next time I go, Randy and I will check out separately! Thanks Liz!

Free Johnsons Buddies!

2009-01-22T18:48:00.000-08:00

The Budgeteer, had a link a couple weeks ago with this $2/2 Johnsons products coupon, and this $3/3 Johnsons products coupon. It just so happens that Smiths sells the Johnsons Buddies easy grip soap for $.99. I bought three at a time (with the coupon, for free) and each time it printed out a catalina for $3/3. Endless free Johnsons Buddies, isn't it great?

Compare your deals to Costco prices!

2009-01-12T23:00:00.000-08:00

My sister-in-law Liz put together a Costco list with prices of the things that she regularly buys there, and I love to compare the prices to the deals I get. I thought it might be helpful to everyone else as well. The prices of diapers, fruit snacks, yogurt, and paper towels beat out Costco by a long shot last week at Albertsons!
Note: Costco prices may vary a little bit, but this list was updated recently
Kirkland Batteries
AAA 24 @ $0.271 each
AA 24 @ $0.229 each
Kirkland Toilet paper
$17.99/36 roll
Kirkland Paper towels
$13.99/12 pack
Ziploc gallon
$9.35 for 152
Kirkland Grbg bgs drawstring
$14.59 for 200
Kirkland HE detergent
$17.99/ 411 oz
Cascade
$9.39 for 125 oz
Spray Clorox
$ 9.69 32 oz+180oz refill
OJ Tropicana
$10.59 for 4-64oz
Cheese, shred cheddar
$11.99 for 5lb
Cheese sticks
$8.35 for 48
Sour cream
$3.79 for 3lb
Cottage cheese
$5.99 for 3lb
Butter
$6.59 for 4- 1 lb
Eggs
$7.39 for 5 doz/ 1.64 per doz
Milk
skim 4.63 for 2/ 2% 4.33 for 2
Yogurt Yoplait
$7.85 for 18 -6 oz or $0.436 each
Skippy PB
$7.99 for 48 oz
Goldfish
$6.49/ 58oz
Instant breakfast
30 for 8.99
Pudding cups
$7.49 for 36
Always w/wings
$11.99 for 90 or $0.133 each
Shaving gel
$6.99 for 3 / 9.5oz
Diapers
Huggies size 3 $40.99 about $0.18 a diaper
Kirkland size 3 $37.99 is also about $018 a diaper (Right Liz?)
Kirkland baby wipes $15.99
(sorry, I can't recall how many diapers and wipes come in the packs. If you know, comment and I will update my list!)
Thanks Liz!

Albertsons!

2009-01-08T22:09:00.001-08:00

I forgot to bring in my 2 boxes of Cheerios, so they aren't pictured. I always forget something!
Total value=171.80
Total oop=79.79

Coupon used=38.95

Preferred and bonus buy savings=53.06

Time spent planning my trip=1 hour (keep in mind I stopped every 2 or 3 minutes to change diapers, get drinks, stop fights, etc.) I could have cut it in half if I didn't have my sweet little interruptions.

I left the store with $15 (which I didn't even factor into my savings) to spend on my next trip plus a catalina (those coupons you get at the end of your receipt) for $5 off my next baby care purchase. I plan on making another trip now just for more diapers. I am used to the Parents Choice diapers from Walmart, and these nice Pampers are actually cheaper!

Be careful if you leave the store without spending your $15. Save it, and look at the expiration date. They don't last too long! Good luck.

Happy New Year!

2009-01-05T21:20:00.000-08:00

What a great start to a new year! First, we had two inserts in the Red Plum (some people got lucky and even got a PG with their Red Plum)! Then, in the Sunday paper, we got 3 inserts! One is a pretty small General Mills coupon book, so be careful not to throw it away. Mark all of them 1/4, and put them away! There are some really good coupons.

Coupons Codes

2009-01-03T21:22:00.000-08:00

Before next time you purchase something online, make sure you google coupon codes for the store you are shopping. Some smaller stores may not have coupon codes, but there are hundreds of stores that do. This whole concept is pretty new to me! Most of the time you will be able to get codes for free shipping. Sometimes, there are several other coupon codes (like 10% or 20% off purchase) that you can add to your cart to bring the price way down.

I'm so excited!

2008-12-30T16:41:00.001-08:00

For the last two weeks there have been no coupons, but today in my red plum, there were two different booklets! I hope that we get lucky this Sunday too!

Just incase you were wondering...

2008-12-19T22:36:00.000-08:00

There will be no coupons in the paper for the next couple of weeks! The next set of coupons will come on Sunday, January 4th. It is only a few weeks out of the year that the coupons don't come, and it is usually around the major holidays. Sorry!

I saved 75% at Vons today!

2008-12-15T21:58:00.000-08:00

Total Value $56.13

OOP $14.26

I even bought a few things that weren't on sale, and I forgot to put my bannana's in the picture!

Walgreens- It's not too late!

2008-12-11T12:10:00.000-08:00

If you spend $25 at Walgreens before the 13th, you will get $5 back in Register Rewards. It just so happens that there is a Walgreens coupon in their add for Arm and Hammer Laundry soap for $1.99. and a printable coupon at this website. If you buy 4 Laundry detergents, using 2 coupons for each of them, you will end up paying $4.58 after taxes, but you will recieve a $5 RR, so you end up getting paid $0.42. Thank you Budgeteer!

Cheap Family Fun!

2008-12-06T22:12:00.001-08:00

Okay, it has nothing to do with Groceries, but the Santa Train in Boulder City is sooo much fun. We went today. It only costs $2 a person. You leave from the train station in Boulder (right off of Yucca), and ride the train to Railroad Pass and back. It's decorated cute like Christmas, and
Santa walks down the train and talks to everyone. So does Mrs. Clause. At the end, everyone gets a candy cane.
The train runs tomorrow, and next weekend only. 10-3 every hour on the hour. Don't miss out!

Double Coupons at Kmart!

2008-12-02T13:54:00.000-08:00

Today I hit Kmart to get some deals! This week they are doubling all Manufacturer coupons. I was able to save over $17 in coupons. My favorite deal, Reynolds wrap, was $0.99 for each 75 foot roll! I bought 6! The Kellogs cereal ended up being only $0.50 a box, and my Tic-Tac's were free! Not bad, huh?

Just a side note, I don't suggest buying printer paper at Kmart, I just couldn't make it to one more store with 3 kids!

Don't Forget to check Grocery Smarts!

2008-11-27T22:09:00.000-08:00

I scored big time at CVS today! After ECB's and coupons, I ended up getting money back! I made one big mistake though, I didn't check the Grocery Smarts website right before I went to CVS. I checked it the day before, and the list wasn't done. I figured they wouldn't update it on Thanksgiving, but I was wrong! If I had checked it, I would have made like 5 more dollars on my transactions. You live, you learn. I still got all this free stuff, it was fun!

Transaction 1- 2 color juice lip glosses (I paid for that with 5 ECB's and like $9 oop)

Transaction 2- foundation powder, razors, and 1 gatorade

Transaction 3-lotion, facial towlettes, 1 gatorade

Transaction 4- shampoo, conditioner, gatorade, and toothpastes

Transaction 5- mineral make up and nail color

Each transaction I got ECB's back to pay for the next transaction. I had to add in candy bars to even a couple of the transactions out! Exciting!

Book a Class

2008-11-26T13:38:00.000-08:00

Grocery Smarts is officially up and running in Las Vegas and I'm excited to get YOU on my class calendar! To book a free class for your organization, church group, or to host an in-home class, just give me a call!
A little extra info about what I do...
~All Coupon Classes are FREE!
~The Store Shopping Lists provided by Grocery Smarts are always open and available to anyone to use! You don't even have to register or give your email address to use it.
~The class runs about an hour (maybe a bit longer if we chat).
~I'll teach you how to use the lists to combine store sales with coupons you get from the Sunday paper. Done properly with coupons, you can literally cut your grocery bill in half!
~I'll show you my "Less than 5 Minutes a Week" coupon organization method.
~I'll answer any questions you have and will provide continued support through this blog, email, and of course you can always call me later with any questions!
~AND, because I don't pay full price for anything... through Grocery Smarts I can offer exclusive discounts on the Las Vegas Review Journal for $0.75 per Sunday edition!
Need an incentive?
~Get 8 or more NEW moms to attend your class and receive a $20 gift card to either Smiths or Albertsons. (It's not much, but anything helps these days)!
~Get 12 or more NEW moms at a class, and I will teach you and a friend advanced couponing!

FAQ

2008-11-26T10:53:00.000-08:00

What is Grocery Smarts?
Many shoppers who want to save money at the grocery store spend hours scouring over the ads and digging through piles of coupons to find what matches up. Grocery Smarts puts an end to all of that craziness and simply matches local store ads to current coupons (found in the Sunday paper) in an easy to use list. The list is updated each week as new ads are released and even links you instantly to any online printable coupons that are out there. Using an easy "5 Star" rating system, the list even tells you which deals are the BEST deals! And, the greatest part about these lists is they are free! Free for anyone to use, anytime... and you don't even have to register or fork over your email address to use the service. Nice, huh?
How can I learn how to use the lists?
The best way to learn how to use the store lists is to attend a class. If you haven't ever been invited to one, consider hosting your own! In-home classes work the best, so grab your friends and family to attend and contact me to book one anytime!
What's a class like?
Classes generally last about an hour (depending on how chatty the ladies get). In that time, I teach you the benefits of shopping the sales, show you how to do it, and give you recommendations on how to stay organized. It's not complicated or difficult to learn because the list does all the hard work for you. How much time will I have to spend clipping coupons?Virtually none! Seriously, the Grocery Smarts big wigs came up with literally a "5 minute" method that'll keep you organized, yet not feeling overwhelmed. You only cut what you need, when you need it!
Is it really worth it?
It is for me (and lots of my friends and family)! I've been couponing for along time and my budget is in good check and my pantry is full. My favorite part about shopping this way is I actually get to buy nicer brands. No more generics for me... nothing beats a name brand item when it's on sale and has a coupon to boot! Plus, my hubby praises me for my trophy receipts (the ones where I save more than I spent)! Seriously, I hang these on the fridge and he loves it!
So... What's the catch?
Several other similar online shopping services charge users a monthly membership fee to access their coupon matching service. However, in an effort to be a head above the rest, the founders of Grocery Smarts didn’t think charging a monthly fee to families who are trying to save money made any sense at all. They started thinking outside the box and realized that regardless of what service you use, in order to shop smart and to do it right, you need multiple sets of coupons from the Sunday paper. They thought, "Why charge a fee to the user… when the newspaper sits right in the middle directly benefiting from the concept we teach?" So, the Grocery Smarts big wigs presented their concept to the Review Journal. They quickly realized that when we teach our classes, we naturally refer new subscribers to the paper. So, you can imagine how quickly they jumped on the opportunity to open their market up to moms like us who typically wouldn't be getting the paper at all.
So here's the long and short of it... At the class, as I teach you the concept of shopping smart and show you how you can use the website to save money at the store. And, because having the right amount of coupons (1 set for each person in your household) is such a key part of saving big, it makes sense for me to hook you up with the papers you need at the class. I offer the Review Journal at amazing prices to anyone not currently taking the paper, plus can get you up to 4 more additional Sunday papers delivered to your door for less than a buck a week! And that's why the class is free... I make money based on how many new subscriptions I turn into the Review Journal. So, I guess we can all thank them for stepping up, getting involved and helping Grocery Smarts keep the classes and website FREE for everyone!