Sunday, January 25, 2009

Coupon Queen


Vons can bite my butt. They took away my double coupons. I know the past year was a tough one, economically, for everyone. And I'm sure most companies had to tighten their belts where they could, including supermarket chains. But my coupons now have the same value elsewhere.

So, I started going elsewhere. I now grocery shop at Stater Brothers.

Vons did me a favor. Several items that I buy on a weekly basis are cheaper at Stater Brothers than they are at Vons, such as the MorningStar frozen veggie products. And every week, too. I don't have to wait for items to go on sale. Juicy Juice is cheaper there, and so is Don Francisco's coffee!

Vons can bite my butt, again, and then use its teeth to scrape off any crusty residue from my cheeks and save it as snack for later. Or they can plastic wrap it in their deli and resell it at a jacked-up, non-double-coupon price - those bastards!

Not that I'm bitter . . . well, not as much as I used to be.

The coupons I used at Stater Brothers this morning saved me almost five dollars. I went to Fresh & Easy after that and redeemed a six dollar coupon there after spending the required minimum of $30.00. I had a 10%-off-entire-purchase coupon for Petco, where I saved an additional eight dollars on kibble, canned dog food, soft & chewy dog treats, and hamster bedding.

For dinner tonight, Domestic Partner and I went to Marie Callender's because we had a dinner coupon - buy one dinner entree and get a second entree of equal or lesser value for free (when you also buy two beverages).

That's a total savings of almost thirty dollars in one weekend's shopping (for two people and assorted animals).

This afternoon, on facebook, a friend told me about thegrocerygame.com and a second friend confirmed it.

Take that, you blasted economy! You too, Vons.

6 comments:

Cheryl said...

It adds up, huh? I'm a big cheapskate, but I'm bad at finding good deals--I feel more inspired to now, though.

the last noel said...

I don't think I've ever shopped at Stater Bros. I gotta tell ya, Trader Joes is right down the street. Coupon or not, I'm addicted to that place.

SleepingBeauty said...

I've never been a coupon fan. Was too lazy to collect and use them. Plus I never saw saving in that way.

But now that you added all up, savings of $30 for one week, that's a big save.

Maybe I should start using coupons too.

the Constantly Dramatic One said...

I use coupon too! Save money where we could. Especially with today's economy and whatnot.

movindowntheroad said...

My market here was giving $5 coupons for every $85 you spend. I spend about that ever weeek or so in one marketing. Well, they just took it away. I'm mad. I'm going to check that site you got there! (I am total coupon queen)

http://movindowntheroad.wordpress.com/

Louise On The Left (Coast0 said...

I'm a coupon queen, too! (I mean, these days, so's Bill Gates, right?)

But, Vons pissed me off, too, by only offering certain coupons this week for the dorky Super Bowl. Monday were the Sunday coupons good? Nope. Sorry. One day only.

I'm an amazingly thrifty shopper, too. If I don't see a super good deal in a coupon, here's my system.

AND THIS MAKES ME ONE GIANT NERD, I KNOW.

But: Here's how I stretch one reporter's salary to cover a family of four every week.

Clip the best coupons first.

Then

I start my weekly shopping with dry goods at 99 Cent store. I get cereals and crackers and lunchbox and cleaning supply stuff at Big lots. They often have great shampoos toiletries, too.

And only then to do I go to Trader Joes (for Dynamo Juice and a few other favs.) And I do Costco.

There I always buy one huge whole cooked chicken for less that 6.00 which feeds us twice as stir fry the next night. And I there I get super cheap milk and fabulous spinach raviolli to last us a week.

Working with kids who like blander things, that cannot contain any peanuts makes me a picky shopper, too.

It takes time, but it's a huge savings running around to stores like that.

I'm so glad I'm not the only coupon queen around!