Frugal Muse: Coupon Index & Deals for 10/17

Saving money, especially given the current economic uncertainty, is always A Good Thing.
Even if you don't need to economize, why pay more for mundane stuff like toothpaste and shampoo than you need to? You could do something fun with the money you saved, like buy a Kindle or something!

I've been experimenting with various ways to organize my stash of coupons. Every week, I pull the coupon inserts from the Sunday newspaper and save them. I also save the sales flyers for the grocery stores where I shop, as well as flyers for CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens. I save the coupon inserts indefinitely, but toss the store flyers as they are replaced by new ones each week.

It's a really good idea to save the Rite Aid and Walgreen's flyers, as they issue store coupons in their flyers besides just advertising the sales. Both Rite Aid and Walgreen's will allow you to stack deals by using both a store coupon and a manufacturer's coupon for the same item, which maximizes your savings. Of course, they always have plenty of copies of the flyers at the store, in case you forgot to clip your store coupon. The salesperson will be happy to scan the coupon barcode right from the flyer.

Most weeks, there will be two coupon inserts: RedPlum and SmartSource, which contain manufacturer's coupons. Sometimes more than one version of these will be issued in a week. Once a month, Proctor and Gamble issues their own coupon flyer, P&G Saver. General Mills also will issue flyers periodically. I save all of these.

I generally like to get more than one copy of each coupon insert, as the same item very often will go on sale more than once before its coupon expires. And of course, when your favorite thing goes on sale and is FREE with a coupon, it's nice to have extra coupons so you can get as many freebies as possible.

But what to do with all the inserts you want to save? After several months of experimentation, I have found that what works best for me is to store them in hanging file folders in a file box. I have a plastic Sterilite file box I bought at Walmart that holds a good number of letter-sized hanging folders. That's where I keep the inserts for the most recent 4 months. I keep the older ones in another file box (and yes, I have dug back into them from time to time to get a still-current coupon).


I organize the folders by date. I make a folder for each week and I put all the coupon inserts for that week in the folder. I used to have separate folders for each insert each week, but having all the inserts for the same week in one place is easier for me.


I write the date of issue on the front of each insert. You can also find the date in teeny-tiny letters on the spine of the inserts. You may need a magnifying glass to find it, but it's there!

If you collect more than one copy of each insert every week, you may want to inter-leave them. I pull all the identical pages out and staple them together. Then I put the pages back together to make one big insert. Now, instead of having 4 separate RedPlums, I have one big one. That way, it's easy to see how many of each coupon I've already used, rather than having to page through 4 separate inserts to find that one last Wheat Thins coupon I thought I had. And if you want to clip out all the coupons you have for an item. it's simple to snip once and get them all at the same time.

Even after determining which insert has the best coupon for an item I want, it seems to take me forever to flip through the pages, stalking the elusive coupon.

Being the total librarian data dweeb that I am, I finally started writing page numbers on the insert sheets. I now use an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of each coupon and its page number. As time has gone by, I've added more information to my index. I probably should use Access to create a real relational database for all this stuff since I'm taking the time to gather all these discrete data points, but I have not yet descended that far into data delirium.

Currently, I list the date, the name of the insert, the item and coupon value, the page number, how many copies of that coupon I have, how many I've used, and the coupon's expiration date. I sort by date (most recent first), then insert, then item, alphabetically. Of course, since the data are in Excel, I can search on any of the words, e.g., Kellogg's, to find a Kelloggs coupon. I can also sort the data in various ways, such as by expiration date, or as I have it now, by the date of the coupon insert.

Clearly, I have WAY too much time on my hands.... but it has made it super easy to find and pull the specific coupons I want before heading to the store.

Here is an example:

10/17 | RedPlum | Kellogg's Rice Krispies/Cocoa Krispies $1/2 | p. 3 | 4 (I have a total of 4 of this coupon) | blank (haven't used any of them yet)| 11/28 (expiration date)

So, this coupon is in the Oct. 17 RedPlum; it is for $1 off 2 boxes (total) of Rice Krispies and/or Cocoa Krispies, and it expires on Nov. 28. It's on "page 3" of the insert, and I have 4 of these coupons.

Since I've gone to all the trouble to index the coupon inserts for this week, I figured I might as well share my index with you. There are 2 coupon inserts this week, RedPlum & SmartSource.

Date	Circular	Item	EXP
10/17	RedPlum	Abreva $3	12/15
10/17	RedPlum	AcneFree Kit, any, $3	12/31
10/17	RedPlum	AcneFree non-kit treatment, any, $1	12/31
10/17	RedPlum	Arm & Hammer Clumping Litter & Temptations Treats (up to 3 oz.); treats (up to $2.19) free wyb litter	11/14
10/17	RedPlum	BestLife Butter Spread or Spray 50 cents	12/16
10/17	RedPlum	Breathe Right 12 ct or smaller $1.50	12/31
10/17	RedPlum	Breathe Right 26 ct or larger $2.50	12/31
10/17	RedPlum	Carbona Silver Wipes $1	1/15
10/17	RedPlum	Domino Brown or Confectioner's Sugar, (2) 1 lb. boxes 50 cents	12/31
10/17	RedPlum	Domino granulated sugar, (1) 4 or 5 lb., 40 cents	12/31
10/17	RedPlum	Kelloggs Cereal $1/3	11/28
10/17	RedPlum	Kelloggs Rice Krispies/Cocoa Krispies, $1/2	11/28
10/17	RedPlum	L'Oreal Healty Look haircolor, $2	1/9
10/17	RedPlum	Nivea Body Wash (16.9 oz), $3	11/30
10/17	RedPlum	Nivea Body Wash for Women (8.4 oz-16.9 oz.), $1	11/30
10/17	RedPlum	Nivea Body Wash for Women (8.4 oz-16.9 oz.), $3/2	11/30
10/17	RedPlum	Pedigree Food for Dogs, 8.8 lbs or larger, $1/1	11/29
10/17	RedPlum	Pedigree Jumbone treats for dogs, any, $1	11/28
10/17	RedPlum	Pedigree Marrobone treats for dogs, any, $1	11/28
10/17	RedPlum	PRECISE product by Tylenol, any, $3	12/12
10/17	RedPlum	Slimshots Liquid Portion Control $3	12/31
10/17	RedPlum	SuperPretzel soft pretzel item, any, 50 cents	12/31
10/17	RedPlum	Whiskas Dry Cat Food, any, $1.50	12/11
10/17	RedPlum	Whiskas Multipack, any, $1	12/11
10/17	RedPlum	Whiskas Tray, any, BOGO	12/11
10/17	SmartSource	4-Way Nasal Spray product, any, $1.50	12/31
10/17	SmartSource	Benefiber Orange product, any, $1	12/31
10/17	SmartSource	Benefiber product, any, $1	12/31
10/17	SmartSource	BIC Disposable shaver or BIC Soleil Refillable Razor Handle or Cartridge Refills pack, $2	11/14
10/17	SmartSource	Brita multipack filters, $1	11/28
10/17	SmartSource	Brita pour-through or facuet mount system, $4	11/28
10/17	SmartSource	Bufferin product, $3	12/31
10/17	SmartSource	Chef Boyardee, 1 can Big or Whole Grain pasta, save $1.25 wyb 4 cans Chef Boyardee pasta	11/30
10/17	SmartSource	Clear Care Cleaning & Disinfecting Solution or Aquify Multi-purpose Solution, 12 oz. or larger, $2	2/14
10/17	SmartSource	Clear Care Cleaning & Disinfecting Solution or Aquify Multi-purpose Solution, Twin pack, $5	2/14
10/17	SmartSource	Comtrex product, $1.50	12/31
10/17	SmartSource	EASY BAKE Microwave & Style Deluxe Delights Kit $5	11/8
10/17	SmartSource	El Monterey Mexican Snacks--Taquitos, Tamales, Mini Chimis or Quesadillas, $1/1	1/15
10/17	SmartSource	El Monterey Taquitos $1	1/15
10/17	SmartSource	Excedrin product, 20 ct or larger, $1	12/31
10/17	SmartSource	Excedrin product, 80 ct or larger, $1.50	12/31
10/17	SmartSource	GenTeal, $1.50	2/28
10/17	SmartSource	Glade Automatic Spray Refill, BOGO (up to $5.49)	11/13
10/17	SmartSource	Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper, or Chicken Helper, $1/4	12/11
10/17	SmartSource	Hershey's, Reese's or KitKat snack size bags, 9-22 oz., $1/2	10/31
10/17	SmartSource	HUGGIES Baby Wipes, 320 ct or larger, $2	11/13
10/17	SmartSource	HUGGIES Diapers, $1.50	11/13
10/17	SmartSource	HUGGIES Little Snugglers or Little Movers Diapers, $2	11/13
10/17	SmartSource	i-cool for menopause, $5	12/31
10/17	SmartSource	i-flex, 120 ct., $5	12/31
10/17	SmartSource	JELLO Gelatin or Pudding, 50 cents/2	11/14
10/17	SmartSource	Kraft 100 Calorie Packs Cheese Bites, $1/1	11/17
10/17	SmartSource	Krusteaz Muffin Mix, 50 cents	1/31
10/17	SmartSource	Land O Lakes Seasoning, $1/2	1/31
10/17	SmartSource	LYSOL Fabric Mist, $1	11/16
10/17	SmartSource	LYSOL Neutra Air aerosol can, $1.50	11/16
10/17	SmartSource	Maalox Advanced product, $1	12/31
10/17	SmartSource	Maalox Advanced product, $2.50/2	12/31
10/17	SmartSource	method Cleaning Product, $1	10/31
10/17	SmartSource	Nivea Lip Care Product (1), up to $3.99 value, FREE wyb (1) Triaminic Cold & Cough Product	10/31
10/17	SmartSource	Nivea Lip Care Product (1), up to $3.99 value, FREE wyb (1) Triaminic Cold & Cough Product	11/30
10/17	SmartSource	Orajel product, $1	12/31
10/17	SmartSource	Pepperidge Farm Toast or Loaf Frozen Bread, 40 cents	12/26
10/17	SmartSource	Pert Plus 3-in-1 or 2-in-1 product, $1	11/30
10/17	SmartSource	Pillsbury Refrigerated Baked Goods Products 75 cents/3	1/8
10/17	SmartSource	Pillsbury Sweet Moments Refrigerated Desserts 75 cents	1/8
10/17	SmartSource	Prevacid 24HR product, $2	11/28
10/17	SmartSource	Purina ONE dry Cat Food, any, $2	11/17
10/17	SmartSource	Purina ONE dry Dog Food, any, $2	11/17
10/17	SmartSource	Ricola Cough and Throat Products, $1/2	12/17
10/17	SmartSource	Rug Doctor Machine Rental, $10	12/31
10/17	SmartSource	Scott Extra Soft Bath Tissue, 8 ct or more, $1	11/28
10/17	SmartSource	Scott Naturals Flushable Wipes, 1 tub or refill, 50 cents	11/28
10/17	SmartSource	Scott Paper Towels Long Lasting Rolls or Mega Rolls, $1/4	11/28
10/17	SmartSource	Scott Rags, 200 ct., $1	11/28
10/17	SmartSource	Silk Pure Almond almondmilk, half-gallon, $2/2	12/31
10/17	SmartSource	Sure Anti-Perspirant & Deodorant product, $1	11/30
10/17	SmartSource	Theraflu Max-D Severe Cold & Flu, $2	12/4
10/17	SmartSource	Theraflu product, $1.50	12/4
10/17	SmartSource	Totino's Products, Any, 50 cents/4	1/8
10/17	SmartSource	Yoplait Greek Yogurt cup 30 cents	12/11
10/17	SmartSource	YoPlus Yogurt 4-pack 50 cents	12/11

Here are some of my picks for the week at CVS and Rite AID.

At CVS, when you register for an Extra Care Card, you will be eligible to receive Extra Care Bucks (ECB) to spend towards a future purchase. ECBS print on the bottom of your receipt (so don't throw your receipts away!) and are good for a month. The Extra Care Bucks are included in the amount you will save. As you keep rolling over your ECBs, the amount you will pay at the register will get smaller and smaller! You can also split your purchases into multiple transactions so you can use your ECBs faster.

CVS DEALS (until 10/23)

Schick Hydro 5 Razor: FREE!!
Orig Price: $9.99 Sale Price: $8.99
Coupon: SmartSource 10/3, $4
Store Coupon: $5 Extra Care Bucks on purchase of Hydro (limit of 1)
Sale Price - Coupon = $4.99; -$5 ECB= FREE
% Savings: 100%

Revlon Matte Eye Shadow, single: 49 cents each (must buy 2)
Orig price: $4.99 each
Coupon: SmartSource 10/10, $1
Store Coupon: $7 ECB wyb 2 Revlon Face, Lip, or Eye
Buy: 2
Use 2 coupons.
With 2 coupons: cost of 2 eyeshadows: $9.98 - $2 in coupons= $7.98 - $7 ECB = 98 cents, or 49 cents each
% Savings: 90%
With 1 coupon, price for 2 would be $1.98, or 99 cents each
% Savings: 80%

Os-Cal 500 +D Calcium Supplement, 75 ct: $1.30 each
Orig Price: $8.59 Sale price: BOGO
Coupon: RedPlum 10/10 $3
Buy: 2 (must buy 2 to get BOGO price)
Use: 2 coupons
$8.59- $6 in coupons = $2.59 for 2, $1.30 each
% Savings: 85%

Osteo Bi-Flex Advanced Triple Strength Gelcaps, 40 ct., $4 each
Original Price: 15.99 Sale price: BOGO
Coupon: RedPlum 9/26, $4
Buy: 2
Use: 2 coupons
$15.99-$8 in coupons = $7.99 for 2, $4 each
% Savings: 75%

Rite Aid Deals
Rite-Aid now offers something similar to the ECBs at CVS. They are called +UP (Plus Up) rewards. To get them, you must sign up for a Wellness Plus card. +UP rewards will print on the bottom of your receipt, and are only good for a couple of weeks, so use them fast!
Rite Aid offers fabulous opportunities to stack deals to get the absolute best discount. They offer store coupons, printed in their flyer each week. At their website, they also offer Video Values. If you watch a short video about the product, you will be offered a printable coupon for the item.

Rite Aid (until 10/23)
L'Oreal Preference Hair Color: 99 cents!
Orig. price: $9.79 Sale price: $8.99
Coupon: RedPlum 9/19, $2
Rite Aid flyer coupon: $2
Video Value coupon: $2
+UP: $2
$8.99- $2 coupon -$2 RA coupon -$2 VV coupon -$2 +UP reward= 99 cents
% Savings: 90%

Nivea for Men Body Wash, 16.9 oz.: 99 cents!
Orig. price: $5.99 Sale price: $3.99
Coupon: RedPlum 10/17, $3
% Savings: 83%

Clear Care or AQuify Multi-Purpose contact Solution, 12 oz.: $2.49
Orig. Price: $12.99 Sale Price: $7.49
Coupon: SmartSource 8/22, $3
+UP: $2
% Savings: 81%

Vicks Dayquil or Nyquil, 6 oz. or 12 ct., $1.25 ea ($1 ea with 2 coupons)
Orig. Price: $5.99 Sale Price: 2/$8
Coupon: Proctor & Gamble, 10/10, $1.50
+UP: $3/2
Buy: 2
Use: 2 coupons
$8- $3 coupons=$5-$3 UP= $2
% Savings: 77%

Happy shopping!