Target Trip..Plus Bonus Surprise Coupons!

Quick Run To Target For a Few Necessities

AND

Hooray for Surprise Coupons!

Today's trip to Target was not a "Full Run", but rather a "we need just a few things" trip. I found some good deals AND I got bonus coupons in specially marked packages of stuff I was needing to buy anyway! Hooray for rolling the savings forward in unexpected ways.  

Here are the highlights:

I needed toilet paper. I had stackable coupons for Charmin.  These coupons took $1.25 off the pack I bought and made the pack slightly more than 25c a regular roll. My stock up price is 25c per regular roll. This pack was on sale AND was specially marked to contain bonus coupons inside on "brands you love".  I thought, ok, I like P&G, so let's do it. Here is what I found inside my toilet paper pack:  

• $1 off Charmin Mega Roll
• $1 off ANY Charmin Freshmates (Find a Travel size and it will be FREE!)$1`
• $5 off Align
• $1 off 3 Pringles Super Stack
• $1 off Metamucil
• Buy 1 Gillette Deodorant, GET 1 Body Wash FREE (exc Trial Size)
• $1 off 2 Pringles Snack Stack or Stix
• $1 off any Dawn Hand Renewal Dish Soap (hello FREE at drugstores!)
• $1 off Zest, Ivory, or Safeguard body wash, bar or hand soap (can we say free?)
•  $1 off Olay Body Wash or Body Lotion
• BOGO Old Spice.. it says Fresh Collection, Invisible Solid, or Body Spray, Get one Body Spray Free. It shows the Body WASH though.. so maybe a typo??
• $2 Off Gillette Body Wash (exc trial)
• $1 off Bounce Dryer Bar
• $1 off CASCADE! Super woot! this is a rare one.
• $2 off any 2 Old Spice Red Zone, Odor Blocker, or Dry Skin Defense Body Wash (this picture shows a deodorant.. weird huh?)
• $1 off Bounty Either 6 roll paper towels or 2 any size paper towels, OR any size napkins. (Hello 50c ea rolls of paper towels!)
•  
• These Expire 6/30/13!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, even if you find the Charmin TP to be just barely over the stock up price, snag a pack if you like these special coupons as much as I do.  DISCLAIMER.. I have no way to know if these coupons are the same in ea pack.


Nutrigrain Bars:  Buy 4, Get the 5th FREE this week.  They are $2.99/pack at my local Target.  There are also SPECIALLY MARKED Boxes that have "Save $5 on Breakfast" coupons included.  There are 3 different sets of coupons and one set is randomly put inside ea box.  They are numbered "1 of 3" or whatever.   They have save $1 off 2 boxes of Kelloggs coupons, $1 off 2 Nutrigrain bars, coupons for Silk, Juice, Eggs, Produce, etc.  I LOVE using these coupons to get cereal for as low as 75c a box when I pair them with store coupons or drugstore sales.  Anyway, here is what I did:
Buy 4 Nutrigrain specially marked boxes at $2.99 ea.  Get a 5th box free. Used 2 $1 off 2 coupons.  = $10 for 5 boxes of Nutrigrain bars, or $2 a box.  That is a good price on those. BUT, now, I have more coupon books!! :)



Other Cheap Deals today:
Kandoo Flushable Wipes-  Used a $1 off manuf coupon = 42c!
Kandoo Flushable Wipes- Used a $1 off manuf coupon = 42c!
Circo Socks-  50c a pair for cute non-skid sole socks
Pink Pants (Circo)- On Clearance for $2.25. Used $1 off Circo Target Coupon = $1.25!
Earth's Best Organic Crackers for Baby-  $1.37 ea on sale. Used a $1 off 2 manuf coupon= 2 boxes at 87c each box!
Kids' Suave 3 in 1 Body Wash, Shampoo, Conditioner- The BIG size- $2.79-75c Target Q= $2.04.  Not such a wonderful price, but the kids are out. Bummer. Shame on me, right?? Funny.
Paul Frank Astronaut Monkey Napkins- was $3, I paid 75c on clearance. These are fun and will be great for Father's day!

4 Animal Puzzles Set for Pre-Schoolers- on clearance for $1.98 (and, it is environmentally friendly! It used vegetable dyes for the coloring, and is 100% biodegradable for quick degradation. Woot!)

In case I haven't said it yet this week.. I LOVE TARGET!

Bargain Puzzler of the Week: When the Cost is the Same, Does it Matter Where You Buy?

Bargain Puzzler of the Week:

Another Lesson in Changing Your Perspective

Let's say you need Pampers. Let's say that multiple places have them on sale for the same price. Does it matter where you buy them?

 

A local drugstore has Pampers for $8. Your fave big store like Target has the same pack for $8. Online has them for $8, shipped.  

Do You:

A. Buy them at the drugstore

B. Buy them at Target

C. Buy them online

D. It Doesn't matter

E. It Depends. 

The answer is E. It depends.  Not all same priced items really are the same price, all things considered.

IF you are truly going to pay the same out of pocket expense at any location, there are a few factors to consider when making your final decision on where to buy.

• Can you use a reusable shopping bag and get 5c back, like at Target?
• What is the convenience worth? If all the places have the same out of pocket expense, why not buy them online and get the dropped at your front door? Or can you go through Ebates, etc and get cash back from shopping online?
• Can you make other purchases at the drugstore and roll your transaction for even less out of pocket?

You have to decide for yourself when it looks like multiple stores have the same price on something you need. Rarely is the same price really the same price when you are a couponer.

My best advice, especially if you want to buy Pampers out right without couponing or dealing?  Buy them at the drugstore.  Why? I have found that drugstores are the place to buy Jumbo pack diapers when they are the same cost BECAUSE I have had great luck finding extra coupons inside the packs of diapers when I buy the Pampers at the drugstore.

This is also my tip of the week: when you are buying diapers, especially Pampers, feel along the sides of the diapers/pull ups.  If you feel something a bit more rigid or card-stocky inside the pack, SCORE! You just might get home to find a $1 off any Kandoo (which makes them about 49c a pack at Target), or $1 off Tide, etc coupon!  The packages are not usually marked that they include a coupon. I am the weird lady at the drugstore feeling up all the Pampers, just in case... But I have had great luck doing so from time to time.  (Other items than diapers can have unexpected coupons, peelies, rebates, etc attached in a drugstore.. I find that to be the case more often than in a traditional store. Keep an eye out!)

Does it matter where you buy your diapers or other items when they are the same price multiple locations? It can. IF you are willing to look at the bucks deals or feel the packaging up in the drugstores. Or if you are willing to look for cash back perks online. Or, if you are tired and want the convenience of buying that item when you are already in a store. That way you wont be tempted to spend more money on other deals you may find if you go to more than one store. The more locations you go to, the possibility of being tempted by more deals.  (which can be good or bad, depending!)

Coupons, Coupons, Coupons

Coupons:

Where to Get Them

How to Store Them

A Refresher

Some of you are old pros at the coupon thing. Some of you are just starting out.  Either way, it is time to round your coupons up and organize them.

Where to get your Coupons?

The Sunday paper is a classic and great place for coupons.

Check around the stores you shop at for coupon booklets (like in drugstores), peelies,  card scanner coupon printing kiosks, etc.

There are a LOT of new and reset printable coupons out there right now. Check out the ones on Coupons.com and Target.com.  Also, go visit your favorite coupon printing sites now. You should find some favorites have reset, or even some new ones added.

Also, Did You Know you can get high value coupons that are not released for general printing and such just by contacting your favorite companies' sites?? You can! For example, a Fan of Kandoo? Go to the official site for Kandoo and click "Contact Us." Then, send off a short email about how you love the product and why. Have a gripe? That works too.  Just be polite. And include your mailing address. You just might be surprised at what you get in return.

All companies do not automatically send out coupons, etc.  But if you make a habit of mailing companies your compliments or complaints, you will start noticing some nice responses in your mailbox. You don't have to ask for coupons. You can if you want. 

For example, I emailed Kelloggs a lovely email thanking them for their constant promotions. Due to their coupons in the paper, store deals, and promotions, I was able to go on a nice date to the movies with my husband for close to free! I thanked them and told them that was our anniversary date last year. They mailed me a Kelloggs cookbook, a lovely letter, and several vouchers for FREE Kelloggs product ($5 value each!). 

So, you never know!

Couponing to Disney has a 5 a Day series if you are looking for a list of contact us links, etc. Or, you can search your own.  Let me know what response you get!

Also, sign up for MOBILE Coupons from Target if you have an unlimited data plan or smart phone.

How to Store Your Coupons?

I recommend a Bargain Binder.  Go HERE to check out how I organize mine.