Snapshots of Life: Couponing Update

NaBloPoMo Day 13
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, I have completed my first week of using coupons. I think I did pretty well. I definitely have some bugs I need to work out, but overall, it went pretty smoothly. I spent about 3 hours this week going through the coupons and trying to figure it all out. As I get more familiar with the system, that time factor should greatly decrease. Also, as I build up more of a stockpile, I won't need as many things each week. Here is how I did:

Gerbes (Kroger Store)- bought Saturday

This was my load:As part of thd Mix and Match 10 save $5 event, I bought

4 Tony's Pizzas- 2.00 each
Hunts Diced Tomatoes- 1.50
2 Palmolive Soaps- 2.50 ea
Jambalya- 1.50
Lysol Spray- 3.00
Betty Crocker Banana Nut Muffin Mix- 2.50 (- $.45 coupon that was doubled; final cost $1.60)

I also got:

2 packages of Kroger brand muffin mix- $.50 each
Kroger brand Vanilla Wafers- $2.00 (part of the buy 10 save $5 promotion; I miscounted!)
1 avocado- $1.00 (I just recently started buying, so I don't know if this is a good deal)
Gala apples- $.99/lb
Tuna- $.89
Kroger Marshmallows- $1.29
2 cans Cream of Mushroom Soup- $1.00 ea

Total Cost: 45.17
Total Savings: 17.94
Total Spent: $27.23

On to today's buys at Walgreens:

2 containers Salt- $.50 ea
2 Irish Springs 8 pk bar soap- $3.99 x2 ($4 Register Rewards to use next visit; final cost $1.99 ea)
2 Soft Soap Liquid Soap- $3.99 x2 ($4 Register Rewards to use next visit, 2 $1.00 MF coupons; final cost $.99 ea)
Benadryl 48 pk.- $6.99; 2 Sudafed 24 pk.- $3.99 ea ($5 Register Rewards with combination of all three, 3 $1.00 MF coupons; final cost $7.97 or $2.66 ea)
Colgate Toothpaste- $2.49 (supposed to have a $1 Easy Saver coupon, but forgot to give it. I am going to take it back and buy again using coupon; final cost $1.49)
SugarFree Pudding- 4/$1
SugarFree Jell-O- 4/$2
3 Hershey Kiss Dark Chocolate (every pregnant woman needs her dark chocolate!)- $2 ea ($1 Easy Saver coupon, $1 MF coupon; final cost $1.25 ea)

I also bought a couple of bags of pads, but did not realize that I grabbed the wrong ones for the special they were running. I am going to take those back when I take the Colgate back, but will probably not re-buy them. One of the kinks I need to work out is making sure that I watch the register to make sure I am getting the deals I think I am getting. That way I don't have to make any extra trips.

Here are the approximate breakdowns after I take the things back to Walgreens:
Total Cost: ~55.50
Total Savings: ~33.50
Total Spent: ~$22.00
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Total Savings this week: ~$51.44
Total Spent this week: ~$49.23

So, what do you think? Am I getting good deals? I have really been bad in the past and not paid any attention to how much I was spending, so I don't know what things typically cost. I am starting to collect prices from different stores, but that will just take time.

I am going to give this a couple of months to work out the bugs and get into a routine. Then, once the baby comes, I will see if it is worth my time. Hopefully, it will save us a good bit and I will have the time cut down to a minimum!