Join my couponing buddy Shannon and myself next Friday, March 2nd from 6:30-8:30 PM at the Hogan Family YMCA in Madison, Alabama for a basic class on couponing!   The class is free to all current YMCA members, and the non-member fee is just $5 per person.  The Hogan Family Y is located at:

• 130 Park Square Lane
• Madison, AL  35758

We’ll discuss how to begin couponing at Publix, Target and Kroger, as well as share basic information on drug store coupon policies. We’ll also discuss how to organize your coupons, what all those crazy abbreviations mean, and where to begin if you’re a new couponer, and we’re so excited about meeting you there!

If you’re a member of the Y, call (256) 705-9622 to sign up.  If you’re not a member, you’ll need to stop by the YMCA at the front desk to register. (Registration is open until the class begins, however we would love to have a good head count of how many to expect!  Registration should just take a few minutes.)

To see more information on a coupon class in hosting a coupon class in your area, go HERE, and if you have any questions feel free to leave a comment or email me at contact @ passionatepennypincher .com (leave out spaces). 

My Sweet Caroline turned nine today (yikes! I’m a wee bit sad watching my girly grow so fast . . . ) so the deals around here have been a little scarce while I’ve enjoyed the day home with my kiddos.  We also enjoyed a quick visit from my super-cute niece who surprised us all the way from Kentucky~ what a fun birthday treat!

Watch shortly though for the Publix ad to come out thanks to my amazing friend Shannon and I hope you’ve enjoyed a wonderful President’s Day with your family.

We made Caroline’s favorite Almost Homemade Cinnamon Rolls as her birthday breakfast treat . . . the perfect way to begin her special day! 

You would be amazed at the number of folks that I talk to each week who’ve watched TLC’s Extreme Couponing, and wholeheartedly believe that everything that see on TV is true.   I’m always shocked when I talk to people who have absolutely no idea that things on TV (or the internet for that matter!), can be absolutely fabricated even when they’re presented as “reality”.

Here are a couple of things I want you to know (in case you haven’t figured this out already):

1. Everything you see on TV is not real. (Gasp!)  Unfortunately, some of what aired on TLC’s Extreme Couponing showed unethical coupon usage, store coupon policies that were not fully accurate, and even couponers using fraudulent coupons.  Do not compare yourself to an extreme couponer, because some of what you may have seen wasn’t “reality” TV in any way!
2. Everything you see on the internet isn’t real either.  Lately I’ve been so frustrated as I see ads pop up on websites for things that promise “free products” however they’re leading you to sites that require you to sign up for free products in the hopes of luring you into something else. Always (always, always), use good judgement when signing up for a new product.  It’s a great idea to keep a separate email account for those products, and understand that anyone can post whatever they want on the internet, so be sure to always follow coupon websites that you trust.  (While I don’t post anything here on PPP that I wouldn’t sign up for myself, I still want you to use your God-given discernment and don’t sign up for something if you’re uncomfortable with it!)

Here’s a peek at the most searched posts over the last week on Passionate Penny Pincher:

Recipes

• Easiest Slow Cooked Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Valentine’s Day Waffles
• What’s For Dinner:  Chicken Fried Chicken
• Simple 7 Up Biscuits
• Ranch House Slow Cooked Pork Chops with Garlic Mashed Potatoes
• Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cake

A Penny Pinched Home

• Spice Cabinet Update
• Laundry Room Re-Do
• Free Valentine’s Day Bingo Game
• Free Valentine’s Day Printables

Top Store Deals

• Publix
• Kroger
• Walgreens
• CVS
• Target
• Wal-Mart

Freebies

• Free Nursing Covers From Udder Covers
• Free Menu Planning For Life From Food On The Table
• Five Pounds of Free Shredding At Staples
• Three Free Customized Elmo Songs with your Child’s Name
• Earn Free Recycle Bank Points

Other Things Worth Checking Out

• Save The Way YOU Can Save
• Top Coupons of the Week

Sign up for free Passionate Penny Pincher emails for a chance to win a $50 Gift Card to your store of choice!

Here’s what we bought this week at Publix & Aldi’s . . .

Publix:  Spent $41.69 + $7.90 in tax, Saved $132.04 (also received $10 Publix Gift Card which I used on next trip below!)

Publix:  Spent $5.56 + $1.40 in tax (used $10 Publix Gift Card from first trip), Saved $15.38

Aldi’s:  Spent $18.23

And here’s what we’re donating this week . . .

I was so excited to find so many freebies this week . . . each item in the picture above cost was $1 or less, and the Brawny, Rold Gold, and Tena were all free (love that!)

I’d love to hear how your grocery trip went this week, and if you were able to purchase an item or two to give please take a minute to share that too! See how other folks are saving at Super Savings Saturday at Money Saving Mom,Weekly Totals at I Heart Publix, and Friday Finals at Southern Savers.

New to couponing? Start out by checking out all Publix matchups over HERE, and also take a minute to visit this week’s top Kroger deals and Drug Store Deals.  You can also check out my beginners series over HERE.

Learn more about passionate giving, and interact with 7416+ Penny Pinchers on Facebook andTwitter, or subscribe to Passionate Penny Pincher by email.

I’ve received three emails this week from sweet couponers who are struggling to feel like they’re saving as much as they’d like each week at the grocery store.  I think part of it may be after reading a recent post where I shared what our grocery budget looked like (and many of you chimed in too!) I know that is such a common feeling, so I wanted to share a few tips that might help you pinch an extra penny or two without sabotaging your coupon success!

1.  Seriously consider additional ways to re-use things to help you save extra at the grocery store.   I’ve shared before that there are some little changes we’ve made that have really helped our grocery budget go further, but here’s my absolute favorite one (that you can see above):  try to save as much as you can on plastic & paper products.  Here’s the thing:  I can pick up cheap snacks, cleaning supplies, and even toiletries just about any day of the week, but finding big savings on trash bags and paper towels is just hard to do. So, because I’m plain old lazy (and don’t want to spend all my time hunting down a deal!), I double up my plastic grocery sacks and hang them on my kitchen cabinets for trash bags. (Gasp! My secret is out!)  This has been a HUGE money saver for our family, and while we do also have regular kitchen sacks, I probably only go through one or two per week because of substituting with the smaller (free!) bags instead . . . plus they’re the perfect size for my kids to take out to the trash after dinner each night!

2.  Remember that all families are different.  At our house, I may cook two to three big meals per week, but the rest of the nights we either have leftovers or sandwiches as we race out the door to our children’s activities.  My husband really isn’t a big eater (I know that sounds nuts!), so if he has a big lunch with someone at work he’s pretty content to come home and have a pb&j for dinner.  We also have a “couponed” frozen pizza or breakfast for dinner at least once a week, which definitely helps us squeeze our grocery budget.  This works for us, and we don’t feel like we’re missing out on anything, but may not work for your family.  Consider your family’s needs, and base your grocery budget on that.

3. Where you grocery shop will make a big difference in your savings.  I shop at a fantastic store that doubles coupons everyday and takes quite a few competitor coupons.  I also go with a very specific plan in mind, so that I’m only purchasing the things that I need while they’re at rock bottom prices.  While I’ll occasionally pick up something extra that’s not on my list, it’s pretty rare, because I really want to stick to my budget.  If you can, make a list of exactly what you’re going to purchase (including how many of each item), and determine before going into the store what your bill will be.

4.  If you’re purchasing organic produce & meat, your grocery budget will be bigger than someone else’s . . . and that’s totally okay (in fact, you’re doing a great thing!)  Plan to spend anywhere from $10-$20 extra per week if you’re purchasing organics, and then just don’t stress over it. (Really!)  You can also check out a few tips on how to save when using organics over HERE.

5.  Only compare yourself to you.  If you watch Extreme Couponing (or even see my crazy friend Shannon’s deals), you may be overwhelmed by how well some folks can save.  Remember though, these may not be representative of they’re saving every day.  So don’t compare yourself to anyone.  (Did you hear that????)  Instead, save the very most you can for your family, do the best you can do, and move on. 

Do you have any tips on how to pinch extra pennies in your home?  As always, I’d love to hear them . . . you know when you leave a comment it makes my day!

Here’s a roundup of the most popular deals available this week (so you can pinch those pennies until they scream . . . )

Coupon Deals

• See which coupons to watch for in the Sunday paper
• Save $2 on Sambazon Juice, making it free at Publix or $.68 at Walmart try zip 33614
• Print new Land O Lakes coupons
• Check out these deals with the new Alexia coupons for at Target & Publix
• Use this new $2 off Welch’s Fruit Fizz Sparkling Juice Beverage coupon, which will make it just $.98 for the 4-pack at Walmart!

Amazon Steals

• Get a Leapster $20 App Download Certificate for $14
• Order Mr. Clean Magic Eraser Cleaning Pads, 8-Count Box firjust $7.05
• Order this cute Bookshelves for your kids rooms for $26
• Save on All You Magazine ~ get it for just $1 per issue!
• Get a $20 Leapfrog App Download for just $15
• See big savings on Downy Unstopables & Purex Crystals from Amazon

Store Deals

• Check out the this week’s Pantry 911- Gotta Have it Now Guide
• See all the top deals at Kroger starting 2/4/12 and don’t miss their Game Day Greats savings
• Keep up with all the great Publix prices this week
• See how to get 9 items for $4.78 at Walgreens starting Sunday
• Stock up on a 18 items for $11 this week at CVS
• Make your Target shopping list for the new ad beginning 2/5/12
• See the top deals at Walmart, Harvey’s, Winn Dixie, Giant, Harris Teeter, Bi-Lo, Aldi’s, the Military Commissary & Navy Exchange

Freebies

• Win 100,000 Box Tops for your children’s school
• Find out what’s free in stores this week (some ending 2/4/12)
• Rent a Blockbuster Express movie for free
• Create these free Valentine’s Bingo Cards (so cute!)
• Enjoy a free online Quilting class each month from Craftsy
• Download your free copy of Quick & Easy Family Dinners from Gooseberry Patch
• Try out a free menu planner from Food on the Table, that creates menus based on your favorite store’s sale items
• Get your free Weight Watchers Slow Cooker Cookbook
• Earn free Swagbucks

Recipe Ideas & Tips

• Try out these Buffalo Ranch Chicken Sliders sooooo good. . . you’ve gotta try them!
• Add these Grilled Deli Sandwiches to your menu plan
• Make this Warm Chicken Nacho Dip for Super Bowl Sunday
• Learn how to make sweet homemade Valentine bookmarks
• Catch up on this week’s five minute cleaning challenges

More Penny Pinching Stuff

• Enter to win a customized lunch box (love this. . . hurry and enter to win!)
• Get Taste of Home Magazine for $3.99
• Enter to win a $25 Publix Gift Card
• Find creative uses for Dry Erase Markers
• See how other folks are saving on their grocery budget (and chime in with your totals too!)
• See what $.15 can buy using coupons (WOW!)
• Enter to win a $50 Gift Certificate when you sign up for free Passionate Penny Pincher emails 
• Print new Retail Coupons
• Check out this week’s best dining deals

I’d love to hear if you’ve found more penny-pinching deals this week that I’ve missed . . . please leave a comment to share your favorites!

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