Monday, July 13, 2009

Successful BUT Nightmarish Publix Shop

Notice the $50 Shell Gas Gift Card!
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Tim is modeling my receipt...it's REALLY LONG!

Once again inspired by Kelly, I ordered some charcoal coupons, printed out $6.00 Pork coupons, cut out more coupons and then cut out even more coupons in order to prepare for this shopping trip. I was very determined to get everything for free, including a $50 gas card. I wasn't successful in completing my mission, but I am proud of myself. :) I left Caroline at home with Tim, grabbed my calculator, pen/paper, and a STACK of coupons and headed for Publix.
This trip took forever! Literally, a couple of hours... I did manage to meet a coupon representative for Kellogg's and he hooked me up with some $1.50/1 Kashi peelies. He also alerted me to a style that was being discontinued, so I ended up getting them for free. :)
One Transaction....Too MANY coupons...Equals Unhappy Cashier, Customers, and Management! More on this at the bottom of the post....
Transaction:
4- Reach Floss- $1.49 ea (4-$1.00 MQ and 4- $1.00 PQ)= Free+
10- Apple & Eve Juice- $1.39 ea (10- $.50 MQ and 10- $1.00 PQ)= Free+
17- A1 Steak Marinade- $1.45 ea (17- $2.00 MQ)= Free+
4- Tylenol Arthritis- $3.85 ea (4- $2.00 MQ and 4- $2.00 PQ)= Free+
2- Kashi Pizza- $1.49 ea (2- $1.50 MQ and 2- $.50 Target Q)= Free+
8- Travel Band Aid- $.79 ea (see below)
4- Johnson & Johnson Travel Kits- $1.47 ea (2- $5.00 PQ and 6- $3.00/2 MQ)= Free+
3- Kashi Pizza $2.99 ea (3- $1.50 MQ and 3- $.50 Target Q)
40- Kool Aid- $.20 ea (no coupon)= $8.00
3- Sugar- $.85 ea (3-$2.00 MQ wyb Kool aid)= Free+
1- Sugar- $1.39 ea (1- $2.00 MQ wyb Kool aid)= Free+
4- Kingsford Charcoal- $6.99 (4- $4.00 MQ)= $2.99 ea
4- KC Masterpiece Sauce- $2.99 ea (4- $2.00 MQ wyb Charcoal)= $.99 ea
1- Publix Foil- $2.99 ea (1- Free wyb Charcoal MQ)= Free
1- Pam Spray- $2.50 ea (1- Free wyb Charcoal MQ)= Free
1- Ground Pork- $1.93 ($6.00 MQ wyb Charcoal and KC)= Free+
1- Ground Pork- $1.85 ($6.00 MQ wyb Charcoal and KC)= Free+
1- Pork Chop- $3.16 ($6.00 MQ wyb Charcoal and KC)= Free+
1- Pork Chop- $3.63 ($6.00 MQ wyb Charcoal and KC)= Free+
3- Blueberries- 3/$5.00 (no coupon)
Bananas- $.75
Cilantro- $.79
Jalapeno Pepper- $.28
2- Smart Balance Spray- $1.40 ea (1- $.55 MQ)=$.85
2- Smart Balance Milk- $3.00 ea (2- Free Milk wyb spread)= Free
1- Milk- $2.25 ea
2- Klondike Ice Cream- $1.80 ea (2- $1.25 MQ)= $.55 ea
1- $50 Shell Gas Card (1- $10 PQ)= $40.00
1- Publix Salad Dressing- (penny item)= $.01
1- Publix Bread- $1.25 ea
1- Post It Note- $2.29 ea
Used: $5.00/$25.00 competitor coupon


Total: $296.30


Total After Coupons: $36.19 ($28.72 before tax)


Note: I forgot to give 2 of my $5.00 Johnson & Johnson Publix Q's to the cashier...fatal mistake because my total would have been $26.19! I also messed up with my Smart Balance coupons. I thought one coupon would work but they wouldn't take it, so I only had 1 $.55 MQ on me. Also, I had a $2.50 BJ's coupon for the Post It Notes, but they wouldn't accept it and I couldn't find it in the bags to take back. :( My 4 bags of charcoal are still in the car and didn't make it to the picture.


Note: I will be selling my charcoal on Craigs List, so I will be getting some money back. :)
Note: DO NOT use these many coupons in one transaction. I had a complete mental lapse and lost my mind! The customer service manager had to stand at the register and manually override the majority of my coupons. Nerve wrecking! This also made LOTS of customers behind me irritated, so I didn't make any friends today. LOL!

4 comments:

Over-Caffeinated said...

Tooo toooo bad for the other customers.... they were just jealous that they weren't getting their food for free! :)

I am still in absolute AWE that you are able to do this. Thank you SOOOOO much for posting your list like this. It helps me so much, truly, it does. Also, I have been on the lookout so much more for all the Qs stashed around the store now. Originally I was just getting them out of the paper, but now I am seeing them everywhere and so proud of myself. I still wish I could be as good as you, but I don't know if I'll ever get there. But I am doing SO much better. I think back to my $400 shopping trip to Costco at the beginning of summer and want to cringe! :)

Natasha said...

GREAT JOB!!!!

Is the charcoal still on sale this week for $6.99 at Publix? I got some coupons from e-bay for the charcoal and KC masterpiece sauce—plus I printed out the pork coupons. But I wasn't thinking straight when I ordered the coupons off of ebay, not realizing that $6.99 was the SALE price for the charcoal last week. When I went to Publix on Saturday, the charcoal was around $10.00 for the 18 lb bag and I could not find the 13.5 bag :(

I did see the charcoal at Walmart yesterday for $6.50, but I am not too sure about getting pork from walmart (would much rather get it from Publix). Also not sure about doing the deal at there because they might give me a hard time if the pork isn't at least $6.00 a package. Did publix give you a hard time about that? Did the $6.00 coupon beep? Sorry for all the questions!

Bethany said...

Ondrea... You WILL get there one day! I know you! It just takes steps and you are making large strides! :) Funny story, Caroline now will ride in the cart and point out all the blinkies while we shop. She gets upset if we don't take the coupons!


Natasha...the charcoal isn't on sale this week at Publix, but I got a raincheck for the price of $6.99. I ordered some more on Ebay the other day too. :) Great minds think alike! I have a feeling that Publix will probably put the charcoal back on sale soon. The cashier did give a hard time with the coupons, but the manager said as long as she bought pork, charcoal, and one of the items (KC sauce) then she is fine. The coupon didn't beep. However, Kelly's advice is to keep the charcoal deal to a minimum of 4 because of the $50 MQ limit (before manager help). You will still need a manager override, but you won't need it like I did with this transaction. Hope that helps. :)

Natasha said...

Thanks Bethany—the information did help! I am also hoping the charcoal goes back on sale sometime in the next few weeks.

It is so much fun to save money on groceries! AND Publix is now my favorite store!