Frugal can be REALLY fun!

If you recall, a couple months ago, I posted a short rather meaty series about using coupons to lower your grocery bills.  If you missed that, or need a refresher, you can find those posts here:

• Frugal Can Be Fun
• My First Trip
• The Prep Work
• Trip #2
• The Coupons
• Organizational Tools
• To Help YOU Organize
• Conquering the Commissary
• A Plus, Plus, Plus, Plus, Plus

It has been a while since we've talked coupons.  If you're wondering how I'm doing, or even if you're not wondering, I'm gonna tell ya.   Yes, I'm keeping up with my coupons.  Yes, I still use them.  I do still love using them, but some of the initial "honeymoon" has worn off.  One thing I've found is that there are some things that always seem to be cheap or free:  toothpaste, body wash, shampoo, deodorant, etc.  And because I didn't know that when I started out, I am stocked UP on those things.  I've also been able to donate a lot of it, which makes couponing so, so worth it!


Now my challenge has been to only buy the things that we either need now, or those things that we can still stock up on.  That means no more body wash, toothpaste, or deodorant for me.  At least not for a while.  


Because of that, honestly, I haven't shopped much in the last two weeks.  Only because I didn't see anything I had to have that I also had coupons for.  Don't get me wrong.  My family is not starving.  We have been buying plenty of produce and fresh meats but, sadly, very few coupons pop up for those things.   And so I haven't had much to celebrate.


Until today.  Today I went to three stores:  Target, CVS, and Publix.  I only purchased things that we could stand to stock up on or those things that were free.  Here's what I came away with:

In case you can't see it, or in the case of the few 'shy' items I know are in the picture, here's the list:


2 pairs of Scotch Brand Scissors (full size)
2 packs of Kandoo Wipes
2 packs of Schick Quatro Disposable Razors (4 ct.)
1 Suave Shampoo
1 Suave Conditioner
4 Honest Tea
1 Olay Foaming Face Wash
1 Colgate Dora Toothpaste
2 packs of Gas X  (after all the produce, I figured these were a good purchase!)
1 bunch bananas
1 ready pack of broccoli
1 ready pack of zuchinni
1 ready pack of sugar snap peas
1 bag baby carrots
1 travel size Krazy Super Glue (2 tubes inside)
2 bags of Yoplait Smoothie mix
3 bags of Steamfresh rice and veggies
1 Publix reusable Green Bag
1 $50 Shell Gasoline Card


And the total?


Drumroll, please...........


$52.57!  


And that INCLUDES a gas card for $50!!


Look at it this way:  I paid $50 for a gas card (which will only fill my Tahoe's tank about 3/4 full -- boo!) and received all the rest for $2.57....


Don't know about you, but I think that's a great day shopping!

In case you're interested (and even if you're not), I'll spell out how I did it, step by step, in the next post...
Yes, it was legal.   
Waiting at the edge of your chair, aren't you?