Littlejo's coupon adventures

I was lucky enough to get alot of the 90 cents off dukes mayo coupons and our local lowes foods will double them. the pint jar is on sale for 1.69 . by using these coupons, i was able to get the mayo free plue 11 cents overage on each jar I bought. plue I had 20 of the free cat food coupons that just came out in the papers so we are set for mayo and cat food for a long long time!
with the way the cost of food and such is going up each day, i am trying to stock pile about everything we need. i found flour at the dollar general for 1.25 for 5 lbs so i got a few bags and have them stored in the extra fridge we have. also a friend of ours sells us flats of eggs ( 30 eggs per flat) for 2.00.
people need to start saving as much as they can cause with the cost of gas rising each day, they will need the stock pile just to be able to feed their families.

we have been in a drough for a long time now and we have set up 4 55 gal rain barrels to catch rain so we can water our garden this summer and not have to worry about the well going dry. its raining good right now and my hubby and I just finished filling up one of the barrels with rain we caught in 5 gall. buckets and poured in the barrels. there is 3 already filled and one has peters professional in it so when we water the plants, they will get a little fertilize with it.
the barrels are wonderful and will help us alot this summer if it dont rain on our garden again like it did last yr. we didnt have enough barrels last yr and it didnt rain for months on end and the barrels were empty before the garden finshed.
this yr, we are better prepared.

I am adding another savings to the total for the yr so far. today I stopped at lowes and got 42.19 for 6.74 in groceries.

add another savings of 35.25 to my total and its now 751.33 I have saved since the first of the yr using coupons.

Another load of coupons and back to my favorite store!!!!
total before coupons and rewards card:
70.55
after coupons and card:
27.51
I saved
43.04!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

ok. today's shopping trip at lowes was as follows:
139.07 before coupons and rewards card
- 50.81 coupons
-47.35 rewards card
_________
40.92 MY COST FOR 139.07 OF GROCERIES.
A 1 steak sauce is on sale b1g1f for 3.85
there is 1.00 off tags hanging on the actual bottles!I paid .92 cents per bottle for this . there was alco coupons for 60 cents off beef when you buy A1 sauce!

I got 20 cans of mighty dog for a clients dog for free!!!!

I love going to lowes stores! The double coupons helps alot . I get brand name items for less than the store name items!!!!!

I have been a mystery shopper for many yrs and I am not getting rich at it but I do many extra money doing it. I average about 500.00 a yr doing this plus I get paid to keep alot of the items I buy for the shop. Doing these shops also get me free lunches alot while I am working. I have done shops for various companies but my favorite are for free trips to either the movies, the local putt putt or a game room. These pay nicely plus you have a free nite of entertainment. I try to do these type shops along with another shop for a diner or somewhere that I have to buy food and that way I get a meal and a nite out of fun.
This is not the way to get rich quick but it does add a little bit to the check book and every bit helps.
DONT BE TAKEN IN BY THE EMAILS OFFERING TO SIGN YOU UP FOR MYSTERY SHOPPING FOR A FEE. THIS IS A SCAM!!!!!!!!!The info is all on the web for free. Go to this site and there is a list of companies to sign up for that dont charge you for signing up.
www.volition.com

I have been called frugal, cheap, tight and lots of other things but I dont mind. I have a client who is a mutilmillionare and he clips and uses coupons. He told me once that he many be very well off but he dont see any reason in wasting money. I have to agree with him.
Here is a few things I do to save money:
Hang out laundry to dry, yr round even in n.c in the winter.
we heat with wood and our wood stove is also a cook stove that I cook on alot in the winter time.
grow a huge garden: can , freeze veggies plus I donate alot ot people who I know can use it and the food bank at church.
reuse zip bags
COUPONSCOUPONSCOUPONS!!!!!!!!!!
I crochet and knit and make alot of gifts to give at holidays.
turn off lights when I leave the room.
borrow books from the library. videos too.
I get lots of cuttings and bulbs for flowers from friends instead of buying them.
open the windows instead of turning the ac on
our oil furance is set to come on if its below 50 in the house. our wood stove usually keeps it nice and comfy.
save all my change in a can and that is what we use for play money on vacation each yr.
only buy prepackaged foods if the coupons I have will get them for free.
I will add more to this list as time goes on. This is what I do daily.

I live near Hickory.Lowes is a grocery store that is in nc. There is alot around here. Its not the same as the hardware stores. Its called Lowes foods. They double up to .99 cents limit 20 coupons per trip. harris teeters does the same but they have lots of restrictions on what you can use . I have been told by their checkers that I can not buy 3 of the smae items and use 3 coupons. EX: I had 3 coupons for .50 off tide. I was buying 3 tide's.but they told me that I could only use one coupon. Their coupon policy is very confusing and seems to change per checker. I avoid them unless it is a "Have to" issue. I have stopped there because I was close to it and needed something on the way home. BUt other than that, I avoid this harris teeters.

Today I decided to go by lowes and pick up a few things. I , of course, had my coupons with me cause I never leave home without them. Lowes will double all coupons up to .99 limit 20 coupons per trip. I gathered up all the items that I needed and went to the check out. One of my favorite checkers was working and she is always asking how I save so much with coupons. Today was GREAT! After she scanned my groceries and my rewards card, she started with the coupons. By the time she was finished, Lowes OWED ME 1.03!!!! I was PAID by the store to carry our 63.48 worth of groceries!!!!! I dont know who was happier. Me or the Checker!
I have been keeping a record of my coupon savings since the first of Jan this yr and my total is now 568.78 saved and this is only march!!!!
Lord how I love coupons!!!