How to use the coupon matchups

I got to thinking today while I was getting ready to pull our publix deals over that some folks might be just bobbing along for the ride and that i've never actually explained some really basic stuff that will help you save a TON OF CASH!!!

Here are a few terms that you need to know in addition to my last vocabulary post:
Stacking - At most stores you are able to stack certain categories of coupons. Kroger affiliates have downloadable coupons that you put on your kroger card. Those stack with paper, manufacturer coupons for an item. Here is an example from Kroger:

$8.99 Jumbo Pack of Huggies Diapers
-$1.50 Shortcuts electronic coupon (We will discuss shortcuts soon!)
-$1.50 insert coupon (or mailer coupon)
$5.99 Total due.

At Publix and Target you are able to stack STORE coupons and Manufacturer coupons. Publix will accept competitor coupons...here is an example:

(Local folks - Mount Juliet Publix WILL NOT TAKE target coupons. SMYRNA Publix will!!)
$1.99 Kellogs Rice Krispies 12 oz box
-$1.00/1 from 11/8 Redplum (insert coupon - manufacturer)
-$1.00/1 target printable (store coupon - competitor)
$0.00 Total due.

Now I want to explain HOW you use the coupon matchups that I post...
When you are looking through a coupon matchup ad there are different sections of each individual item that you need to look for.
Example with a printable coupon:
Chinet Napkins, Extra Large Dinner or All Occasion, 40 or 90-ct pkg, BOGO $1.89
-$1/1 PRINT
-$1/2 99/99 RP
-$4/10 88/88 SS
-50¢/1 Mayvember ALL YOU Magazine
-$47.00/1 FLIP

Black text = The Item from the sale ad. Chinet Napkins are basically 95¢ a pack because they are $1.89 Buy One Get One. Make sense?
Red Text = Manufacturer Coupon. What is listed there is Amount/Quantity Where. Let's examine our Coupons...
-$1/1 Print (Printable coupon for 1 dollar off of one pack)
-$1/2 99/99 RP (insert coupon from Redplum insert from 99/99.. Save 1 buck on 2 packs)
-$4/10 88/88 SS (Same deal as above but this one saves you 4 bucks on 10 packs)
-50¢/1 Mayvember ALL YOU (save 50¢ on one package of napkins ....the coupon will double.

These are all MANUFACTURER coupons. They are listed in RED. Most people change the color of store coupons to a greenish color.

Greenish text - STORE Coupons. You see here that food lion went insane and are offering a FOURTY SEVEN DOLLAR ON ONE package of napkins printable!!! Fortunately for them I only made that coupon up :) You can use this coupon WITH any of the coupons in red to get a fantastic deal. You can STACK the coupons.

It is best to make your menu for the week based on the weekly sales papers from your area unless you have a monster stockpile. (I have such a stockpile so you will notice my meals are not limited by what is on sale. It is a great idea to plan what you are going to cook each night because then you aren't caught with your proverbial pants down when it comes to deciding what to have for dinner that night.

If I don't come up with options for dinner once a week I wander around in a fog the entire week and we end up eating food that is not good for us ORRRR it is 7pm before we eat because it takes me till 6 to decide what to make!

Why it is important to be educated about sales...

....or...what I bought at Publix today...

4 boxes HBO Pecans (Raincheck)
4 boxes Kashi Strawberry Fields (Organic Promise Cereal - Lila LOVES THIS!)
2 boxes cookie crisp
1 box honey nut cheerios
(Yes I bought 11 boxes of cereal...this brought my stockpile total up to 35...which is...far too many even though the soonest expiration date is May 17, 2010...17 boxes are going to the church tomorrow and the rest we will eat on or if I find someone hungry...they will at least have cereal.)
4 boxes fiber one toaster pastrys (Raincheck)
7 Boxes Lipton Hot Tea
7 jars of ragu (soonest expiration date on this is March 3, 2011!!)
4 boxes uncle bens rice sides (Rice pilaf & brocolli au gratin)
4 starbucks ice cream .80 each!!!
6 frozen edwards pies singles
5 morningstar farms products
3 yoplus yogurt 4 packs (a quarter each!!)
3 fiber one yogurt 4 packs (a quarter each!! so I spent $1.50 on yogurt!)
$44.93 - total
$46.90 in Coupons
$64.57 Advertised Special Savings
$1.00 Advantage buy savings.
91.83 before coupons
savings of 51.07%
Unless you factor in that I ONLY Bought stuff that was on sale...
If you didn't shop sales and bought this all at regular price and used no coupons you would have spent 71.45% MORE than i did or $157.40

4 glass plus (Raincheck)
4 shout
1 insulated lunchbag
$10.03
$6.02 in coupons
$9.96 in other savings

I saved $16.16 according to my receipt or 62%

What does all of this mean?
What it means is... when you are formulating your shopping list each week...if you are in a not so great financial situation...be mindful of the sales.

Buy One Get One (BOGO) is typically the cheapest version of the sale. Publix and Harris Teeter both have fantastic BOGO's each week. Kroger is no slouch either. If you desperately need an item for the week like diapers, check coupon matchups for the major stores in your area. Where do you check them? Here, Southern Savers, Hot Coupon World. As I get the time I will sit down and write a more comprehensive "how to" guide.

I hope this has opened your eyes a little bit and helps you to see why shopping sales is super important. If I desperately need an item I can almost always find it on sale at one of several stores. If things have become so bad for you that you are unable to obtain coupons but you do have an EBT card, the simplest way for you to save money would be to shop the sales.

Why should a person who is receiving state assistance try to save money or be conscious about what they spend?

You have a finite resource. Once the money on your card is gone for the month, you don't get any more until the day rolls around that corresponds with your social. That could be as late as the 10th of the month. If you ran through your allocated money by the 24th, you still have 2 weeks to go. Imagine how cool it would be if you had carryover from month to month on your EBT card and were able to eat good tasting, nutritious, healthful food and have fresh produce. Even if you forget about all of that... it would be wasteful to spend that money recklessly, not to mention a disservice to the people in this country who are paying for your aid..

"When they all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, 'Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." -John 6:12