Friday, July 13, 2018

We're Going Camping!

When I tell people I coupon shop, they tend to think only of regular weekly shopping trips.  Sometimes, there are special trips I make that have to do with our lifestyle.  Traveling and Camping is something we do.  We travel all across the country in our RV, and camp for pennies on the dollar.  We fix breakfast, pack lunches, and grill dinners in many state parks.  We've stayed in Washington DC, Virginia Beach, Yellowstone park, Grand Teton, and Gulf Shores Alabama.  Right now we're planning to swing down to Tennessee and do a 10 day waterfalls tour.  To be followed up by the ultimate waterfall tour next month in Niagara Falls NY.

One thing all these trips have in common is a tight budget and savings plan.  My grocery shopping is part of our trip planning.  I start weeks before a trip and add any sale and coupon items to a special box in my family room.  It is full of things we need for less to "Party up" along our travels.  It may be a pasta kit, or Hershey's chocolate bars, it might have jello cups, or paper goods in the box.  Anything that is on my final prep list that I can buy ahead of time and save money.

Here's my list.  I don't often share my family exact shopping lists, but this one will show you how I plan out convenient foods.  All these items either can go in the  cooler, rv fridge, or rv shelves.  It's a simple grocery buy that typically lasts for a 10 day trip.  Take all your coupons!  Digital phone coupons, newspaper, printable coupons and some ibotta rebates.  They all will help you get everything on this list for the exact same budget as your normal weekly shopping.  Hope this helps you to plan a trip for your own family faster and cheaper.

Day before RV trip Cooking
Chicken breast fillets-slice thin, grill for sandwiches
Grilled shrimp-make wraps as sandwiches with avocado spread/dip
Muffins, brownies, cupcakes baked goods
Make several side salads, dips, easy to serve, see Pinterest lists
Cut up watermelon, fruit salads

Shopping List


˜             Cheese Slices
˜   Shred cheese
˜   Cream Cheese blocks for dips
˜   Water cases (2)
˜   Bread for sandwiches
˜   Bread for French toast
˜   Grill Bread  &  buns
˜   Donuts for Katy
˜   Margarine
˜   Sour Cream, French onion dip
˜   Milk/coffee creamer
˜   Orange Juice
˜   Fridge Biscuits for pie irons
˜   Pie filing for pie irons
˜   Chicken Salad ingredients or pre made
˜   Potato Salad
˜   Macaroni Salad
˜   Broccoli Salad
˜   Bacon
˜   Lunch Meat
˜   Condiments: Ketchup, mayo, mustard, salt pepper, bbq, salad dressing
˜   Shrimp
˜   Hamburgers, ready to go
˜   Brats, hot dogs
˜   Thick pork chops
˜   Beer can chicken
˜   Pasta Salad Kit
˜   Baked beans
˜   Corn on Cob-butter sticks
˜   Campfire nachos-tin pie plates!
˜   Cole slaw: Cabbage, carrot,  
˜   Produce: tomato, lettuce, onions, cabbage (grill), lemon, lime, avocados, watermelon, berries, apples, bell peppers, broccoli, zucchini, Green onions, baking pot, bag potatoes

˜   Pudding and Jello Cups Velveeta cups




Come visit at County Market Coupon News on Facebook

Visit County Market Coupon News Cookin w Coupons's profile on Pinterest


All internet coupon print limits are subjective. At the time of this email coupons were available for print. If the daily or weekly print limit has been reached, the coupon will be automatically pulled from the websites. You can try to print again tomorrow. All coupons listed are not available in our stores. We list them so you can order or find them to save you money. Check with clipping services, trade boards, or ebay to find coupons not in your store. It is our intent to help you find as many savings opportunities as possible. Enjoy!

Monday, July 9, 2018

CMCN Follower saves $25 a week in Ibotta offers


One of the easiest phone apps you can use in 2018 is Ibotta.  It's a rebate app that allows you to save money on groceries.  It is a rebate, because you get the money direct to consumer.  The store does not accumulate the savings like with coupons.  The money is paid out to the consumer direct, it is paid each time you reach a $20 threshold.  You can take your money in the form of a paypal deposit, or an Amazon gift card, or many other gift card options. 

One of the appeals to Ibotta is the way they offer brands and non brands at the same time.  You can get dollars on all kinds of brands, and often you can get any brand rebates in the dairy department and in fresh produce.  These work together to allow you to redeem many rebates during a month.  There are generic offers each week and these change frequently. 

Ibotta offers other ways to save money too.  One of the best ways, is to offer you a bonus system when you consistently use Ibotta, and redeem rebates.  This is the best way to increase your savings on items.  The bonuses can add up to a lot of money.  Usually you will get $2 bonus offers when you redeem 3 rebates.  When you apply that amount to each item, you are adding $.67 per item, which is a good product value.   As you redeem one bonus, others will be offered.  These bonuses can be awarded on your choice of purchases.  Some who use Ibotta regularly insist these are worth more than the basic offers.  

Finally, you can get $10 when you sign with a referral.  Always use a referral code to get started, it's free money! (Here is a general code if you need one  wnmjkey)  Then after your first redemption, you will be allowed to share your own referral code for $5 per person who signs up and redeems an offer.  It's a great way to put you over the top of any redemption.   There is not a limit on these bonuses. 

The best part about using Ibotta at County Market is that you don't have to scan in your receipt and wait for approval.  All purchases with your max card are automatically calculated.  You pick your offers before you shop.  You shop and scan your max card.  That is it!  It will post to your account, and when you hit $20 you redeem your savings.  

Use all the bonuses, sign up money, name brand, and store brand offers to add that extra savings to your annual goals.  


Come visit at County Market Coupon News on Facebook

Visit County Market Coupon News Cookin w Coupons's profile on Pinterest


All internet coupon print limits are subjective. At the time of this email coupons were available for print. If the daily or weekly print limit has been reached, the coupon will be automatically pulled from the websites. You can try to print again tomorrow. All coupons listed are not available in our stores. We list them so you can order or find them to save you money. Check with clipping services, trade boards, or ebay to find coupons not in your store. It is our intent to help you find as many savings opportunities as possible. Enjoy!

Thursday, July 5, 2018

Where are the coupon Inserts?

One of the first things you learn when becoming a coupon shopper is that there are cycles to coupons.  Often you will see a coupon "Drought" or lack of coupons being offered.  There are times when coupons are flush in the marketplace and you can coupon just about anything.  The key of course is finding sales that match up when the coupons are flush.


Part of this random seeming ebb and flow has to do with the printing and distribution.  Many national manufacturers are set on scheduled created by the newspaper insert schedule.  SmartSource and Redplum coupon inserts have a set schedule each year for coupons.  This only allows a manufacturer to create offers when they will be dropped and inserted into all local Sunday newspapers.

The schedule, omits all national holidays.  Yep.  That means if there is a holiday week, there will be zero newspaper coupons.  Usually all offers pretaining to that particular holiday are issued 2-3 weeks prior.  Then they take a break, and do not offer any coupons during the holiday week itself.

Here is the 2018 schedule for newspaper insert coupons.

July
1 — P G (Independence Day)
8 — (1) RetailMeNot & (1) SmartSource
15 — (1) RetailMeNot
22 — (1) RetailMeNot & (1) SmartSource
29 — (1) RetailMeNot, (2) SmartSource, & P G
August
5 — (3) RetailMeNot & (1) SmartSource
12 — (1) RetailMeNot & (1) SmartSource
19 — (1) RetailMeNot & (1) SmartSource
26 — (1) RetailMeNot, (1) SmartSource, & P G
September
2 — No Inserts (Labor Day)
9 — (2) RetailMeNot & (1) SmartSource
16 — (1) SmartSource
23 — (1) RetailMeNot & (1) SmartSource
30 — (1) RetailMeNot, (1) SmartSource, & P G
October
7 — (2) RetailMeNot & (1) SmartSource
14 — (1) RetailMeNot & (1) SmartSource
21 — (1) Smart Source
28 — (1) RetailMeNot, (1)  SmartSource, & P G
November
4 — (1) RetailMeNot & (1) SmartSource
11 — (1) RetailMeNot & (1) SmartSource
18 — (1) RetailMeNot & (1) SmartSource
25 — P G (Thanksgiving)
December
2 — (1) RetailMeNot & (1) SmartSource
9 — (1) RetailMeNot & (1) SmartSource
16 — No Inserts
23 — No Inserts
30 — P G

One of the things you can do, is make plans to get extra coupons on the weeks where there are multiple inserts offered.  Think about it, you pay $1.50 for a paper and you can get 10 coupons or 50. Which is the better time to buy a Sunday paper for coupons?

Most printable and digital coupons offered are following this marketing schedule.  You will see heavy offers just prior to a holiday, and fewer afterward.  Make your buying plans according to the times when more offers are available.  Good luck with your coupon gathering.


Come visit at County Market Coupon News on Facebook

Visit County Market Coupon News Cookin w Coupons's profile on Pinterest


All internet coupon print limits are subjective. At the time of this email coupons were available for print. If the daily or weekly print limit has been reached, the coupon will be automatically pulled from the websites. You can try to print again tomorrow. All coupons listed are not available in our stores. We list them so you can order or find them to save you money. Check with clipping services, trade boards, or ebay to find coupons not in your store. It is our intent to help you find as many savings opportunities as possible. Enjoy!

Monday, July 2, 2018

Top Holiday Coupon Weeks

My favorite times to coupon shop are when the stores have everything on sale!  Holiday weeks have more items on sale than regular weeks.  They often advertise items very low to entice shoppers to spend a bit more.  As a coupon user, I know that these weeks are loaded with top manufacturer offers too.  Manufacturers start to issue their coupons in newspaper inserts, with printable links, and digitally about 14 days before the holiday itself.  This makes a perfect time to coupon shop.

The best holiday weeks may seem obvious, and with a little planning ahead you can really stock up your cabinets for a lot less money.  In my 10+ years as a coupon expert for County Market, I have found that some holidays are better than others.  Here is my top list:

#6 Easter.  This week is the time we first see spring grocery brands peek out.  Ham is on the cover of every ad, and bunny cakes fill the bakery.  I usually look for side dish staples that can be adde to any meal during this weekly sale.  Items like Velvet shells and cheese, or Rhodes dinner rolls are sure to be on sale.  Why? Because they go well with ham!  Eggs are also a deal for Easter, so think ahead to any menus that you can rely on eggs.  Cakes like Pillsbury, Duncan Hines and Betty Crocker will have deals, breakfast casseroles companions like Jimmy Dean, or frozen bagged veggies from Green Giant, and French toast companions like Aunt Jemima Syrup make wonderful cheap food selections when the eggs are so cheap.  Gather those coupons, and be prepared.

#5 Memorial Day & Labor Day.  I put these two together because the sales are almost identical.  Usually you will find lots of  convenience foods.  Lots of Deli deals, lunch meat like Land Of Frost, and Kretchmeier, look for soda and alcohol beverage deals, many easy to prepare kit types of foods.  You'll see either Oscar Mayer or Nathan's hot dogs in the ad.
Lays Chips usually hit the front page.  Look for peels from Lays about 2 weeks before each holiday for free dips when you buy 2 chips.  Easy open a can types of foods are in these sales like Bush's Baked beans, or Suddenly Salad pasta kits, and even Dole Canned fruits. Look for huge deals in condiments in both these sales.  KC Masterpiece and Sweet Baby Rays often hit the front page, and just about any brand of ketchup, mustard, mayo and relish will be on sale.  Have your coupons ready.

#4 Cinco De Mayo.  This may be our families favorite sale.  Everything in the ethnic Mexican foods aisle goes on sale.  All I have to do is collect all the brand coupons a few weeks before the first week fo May and plan to stock up for the next 6 months.  If you never prepare tacos, nachos, or baked burrito pie, this holiday may not be for you.  In our house, we make all these foods regularly.  Start planning in March.  Send emails to your favorite brands like Wholly Guacamole, Old El Paso, Herdez, Chi Chi's, or Mrs. Renfro's to ask for coupons.  You will have them in time for the store to put your items on sale. Tip:  Ask for Margarita ingredient brands too.

#3 Christmas This is probably the holiday you think of first when talking about shopping.  With grocery sales, it's decent, but not the top.  We often see deep discounts in the meat department.  You'll also find seafood selections on sale, and plenty of pre made cheese and fruit plate deals.  For coupon shopping you will need to look for items that go along with party planning.  Look for deals on Nabisco crackers, Kraft cheeses, Prairie Farms ingredients, and all spices.

#2 Thanksgiving.  It's a doozie.  Full ad, that usually runs longer than a week.  Of course you will find deals on Turkey.  Keep in mind, you can usually pick ups frozen turkey for the same price as a chicken!  I tend to pick up a couple, then make a turkey for soups and stews in January.  If you want, take your frozen turkey to the meat counter and have it sawed in half.  You'll also find all kinds of coupon match ups this week.  Look for regular coupon brands like Campbell's, French's, Rhodes, Sister Schuberts, Pillsbury pie crusts, Cool Whip, and many more.
 They will ALL be on sale, and most will have coupons that match.  This week's sale is so big, you'll find many more items marked down once you get in the store.  I usually cut my shopping the week prior just to double up my goods this week.  I normally would spend $100 per week, but for this time, I skip the week prior and spend $200 in one week.  I can get $400 for $200 easily.

#1 New Year's Eve. Does this surprise you?  That New Year's is at the top of my list?  It is a little surprising. The brands on sale here are pantry staples.  All the things you need to make appetizers, or to flavor other foods.  I usually stock up with pepperoni peppers, olives, roasted red peppers, cans of green chili's, and cream cheese.  Many of these items are shelf stable, and many are freezer worthy.  Look for coupons that expire 12/31 and use them up this week.
There are also deals and matches on mixers in the liquor department, and baking ingredients you can use year round.  Paper goods like plates, cups, and utensils go on sale.  Add in some everyday things like toilet paper and laundry detergent and you have a winner.  This week most shoppers are not shopping.  The stores know it and are enticing you with great coupon matches.


Come visit at County Market Coupon News on Facebook

Visit County Market Coupon News Cookin w Coupons's profile on Pinterest


All internet coupon print limits are subjective. At the time of this email coupons were available for print. If the daily or weekly print limit has been reached, the coupon will be automatically pulled from the websites. You can try to print again tomorrow. All coupons listed are not available in our stores. We list them so you can order or find them to save you money. Check with clipping services, trade boards, or ebay to find coupons not in your store. It is our intent to help you find as many savings opportunities as possible. Enjoy!