"Local Ladies:" Meet Coupon Crazy Chrys

I have decided to take the next several weeks to introduce MICHIGAN's long list of savvy shopping blogs to you! Each day I will be adding a new blog to my "Local Ladies" sidebar! Enjoy!

Chrys, the blog author of Coupon Crazy Chrys (.com), is a Metro Detroit blogger who is passionate about helping US to make sense of the Drugstore Game!

Chrys graciously dedicates large chunks of her time to matching coupon to all of the weekly deals at CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Walmart, Save-A-Lot and Family Dollar. Chrys does an amazing job of linking $/$$$ coupons to the drug stores, so we can save just a little bit more, as well as setting up deal scenarios so that we can get the "best bang for our buck!"

Chrys, thank you for spending your time, and posting early so that we can fill our homes with quality products and still have plenty more to share!

Want-A-Peek Wednesday

Meijer

Grocery Total: $74.40
Spent: $12.32
Saved: $62.08
Store Rewards Spent: $0
***I made 2 transactions.

Items purchased with coupons:
KEY: MFC= Manufacturer's coupon, MBC= Meijer Mealbox coupon, IP= Internet printable coupon.

Betty Crocker potatoes (IP), Old Orchard juice (IP & MBC), Bagel bites (IP), Goldfish crackers (IP), Land O Lakes butter (IP), Crackerfills (MFC & Meijer coupon), Valley Fresh Steamers (IP), Chex Mix (IP).

Costco

Grocery Total: $22.10
***My sister and I are throwing a shower for my soon to be sister in law! I was tickled to find flour tortillas (36 for $3.79) at Costco! I'll be sharing a new party recipe soon!


Target (no picture, sorry)
*I needed a gallon of milk, and Target, who normally sells a gallon for $3.49, had them on sale for $1.99... so I price matched Kelloggs cereal (rolling a $5 GC and receiving a new one!), and I picked up several trial sized items.

I'm not sure how I ended up paying so little, but I checked out at the Customer Service desk and it took 10+ minutes and my cashier leaving to ask questions % TIMES... so, I think she *may* have paid me for my time.

Grocery Total: $31.10
Spent: $1.51
Saved: $30.59
Store Rewards Spent: $5 (Gift Card)

Weekly Purchasing: $128.60
Spent: $35.93
Saved: $92.67

Price Matching at Target

In case you have yet to try to price match at Target, and you've got some hesitation moving into uncharted territory (especially is you shop at a coupon- hating location, such as myself!), Kerry who blogs at Totally Target has written this fantastic article to help you navigate your way! Thanks Kerry!

PS: Kerry's blog name, like totally reminds me of like, the 80's... uh, yeah!

Have YOU ever price matched at Target? I have twice, and I find it kind of a hassle, but worth the savings.

"Local Ladies:" Meet Centsable Momma

I have decided to take the next several weeks to introduce MICHIGAN's long list of savvy shopping blogs to you! Each day I will be adding a new blog to my "Local Ladies" sidebar! Enjoy!

Corrie, the blog author of Centsable Momma (.com), is a Michigan blogger who, I am almost positive, is the original (the first) Metro Detroit savings blogger!

Corrie especially likes to share online, Facebook and HOT Internet printable deals, as well as nice freebies that you can receive in your very own mailbox! Corrie shares weekly about how you can earn a little bit of extra money through answering online surveys in your free time, how you can receive a gift card from filling/transferring prescriptions (she shares where you can get your hands on these coupons), and Corrie also participates in the CVS $5 Challenge, sharing specific inexpensive deal scenarios for you to duplicate at CVS.

Corrie, thank you for teaching us how we can spend a little time online and save a LOT of money in the stores!

K Mart SUPER DOUBLES Scoop

Meghan, of Savvy Saving, has the scoop on K Mart's SUPER DOUBLES starting on Sunday, April 4th (Easter Sunday). Meghan has discovered that shoppers who would like their high value (up to $2) coupons to double, will need a special K Mart card.

***K Mart's SUPER DOUBLES, if you have yet to participate, are certain weeks that K Mart allows us coupons spenders to double our discount by having our coupons doubled. Previously, there had been no limits to the number of coupons that a shopper may spend, but K Mart has continuously been tightening its "acceptance belt," and now we will need a special card that will track the 5 coupons that we will be allowed to spend per day. YIKES, this is getting ridiculous!

Tutorial Tuesday: Chocolate Covered Oreos

I recently made these beauties for a bake sale fund raiser... and they sure turned out beautifully!

Ingredients: Oreos, self hardening chocolate, sprinkles, mini Ziploc's (to keep them fresh!) and sucker sticks.

Take a cookie and 'gingerly' slide a stick inside.

Sliding the stick inside with loosen the cookie halves apart with breaking the cookies. While you are opening your cookies, place you self hardening chocolate either in a double boiler or into the microwave.... I prefer the microwave. If you choose to microwave, melt your chocolate pieces 30 seconds at a time, stirring well. Also, it is important that NO water ever get inside your bowl of chocolate!

After you've dolloped a little bit of chocolate in between the cookies, add the stick, and gently squish together!

Now for the fun part!

Spoon your melted chocolate over the cookie, it is really helpful to keep your chocolate hot, for the best coating! If you feel like your chocolate has begun to cool, and it doesn't drizzle over (and run off of) the cookie well anymore... reheat!

Make sure to coat all of the cookie, sometimes air pockets can form along the rim of the sandwich (does it sound healthier if I call it a "sandwich?" I didn't think so!)!

Sprinkle with a few colorful sprinkles...

Rinse and repeat... and then WOW those who are lucky enough to enjoy these with you! YUM!

"Local Ladies:" Meet Coley's Q's

I have decided to take the next several weeks to introduce MICHIGAN's long list of savvy shopping blogs to you! Each day I will be adding a new blog to my "Local Ladies" sidebar! Enjoy!

Nicole, the blog author of Coley's Q's (.blogspot.com), is a Metro Detroit blogger who loves to share the deals that she plans to personally purchase, as well as the deals that she finds throughout the week!

Nicole loves to share her passion for saving by posting online, and Facebook deals, as well as posts exclusively dedicated to Internet printable coupons. Nicole's most recent coupon project is Macomb County Coupon Swap, a local forum to find and trade coupons.

Nicole, thank you for creating another online resource allowing others to learn to save!

Drug Store Deals: March 14th Weekly Edition

THANK YOU Coupon Crazy Chrys for your drug store deal-ing coupon match-ups!

Drug store deals for this week:

CVS:
Aussie products $.99, Herbal Essence, 2 for $.99

Walgreens:

Revlon deals, $.72 boxes of Kleenex and FREE Colgate!

Rite Aid:
FREE Right Guard deodorant, inexpensive Hershey's candy, and $.59 Dawn

Chrys is a local Detroit blogger who is a master of spending very little out of pocket at CVS, Walgreen's and Rite Aid- and she has graciously allowed me to link her drug store coupon match-ups with you each Monday... WOO HOO, thanks Chrys!!! Coupon Crazy Chrys is now available along my sidebar!

Grocery Game Plan: Kroger

Here are my favorite stockpilable items this week, 3/15- 3/21, at Kroger!

Feel free to visit Kroger.com to view the complete ad.

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Kroger eggs, $1

Kroger OJ, half gallon, $1

March to Savings, purchase 8 participating items receive $4 off

Del Monte canned tomatoes, $1.29
Spend the $1/4 MFC
Total (with $.50 discount): $.54 when you purchase 4

Coke 2L, $1.29
Total (with the $.50 discount): $.79


Visit Macomb Money Savers to see the rest of this weeks deals at Kroger for the Metro Detroit area.

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*Kroger sale prices are available to those who shop with a Kroger Savings Club Card. You will only receive the sale price discounts when you shop with your card. If you don't have a Kroger Savings Club Card, just stop by the Customer Service desk and sign up for a card so that you may begin reaping the discounts immediately.

*Kroger will double Manufacturer coupons up to and including $.50.

*NEW!!! Kroger now limits the number of coupons allowable to 3 identical coupons per like items. Purchasing several flavors/varieties side steps this limit!

*Rain checks for out of stock items are available at the customer service desk.

*Kroger offers a 'brought my own bag' discount of $.05 per bag.

*If you are headed to SUPER Kroger (108 W. Highland Rd., Howell MI 48843 (517) 552-0126) the most local Kroger that doubles coupons up to and including $1 (up to THREE identical coupons) visit 123Save for the best deals for the current week's promotions.

AND AS ALWAYS, please leave me a comment if I have missed any sweet deals!

Grocery Game Plan: Meijer

Here are my favorite stockpilable items this week, 3/14- 3/20, at Meijer.

To check out the full online ad for this week at Meijer, click here.

KEY: MFC = Manufacturer's Coupon, MBC = Mealbox Coupon

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Purchase 10 get the 11th item FREE, here are some of the best deals:

Michigan apples, 3 pounds

Idaho potatoes, 5 pounds

Coke & Pepsi, 2L

Grands Biscuits
Spend the $.30/2 MFC
Total: $.70 when you purchase 2

Bagel Bites
Spend the $1 IP (available at Macomb Money Savers)
Total: FREE

Chex Mix
Spend the $.50 IP (available at Macomb Money Savers)
Total: FREE

Del Monte canned tomatoes
Spend the $1/4 MFC
Spend the $.25 MBC
Total: $.50 each when you purchase 4

Other deals...

Ziploc bags (15-22 count), $1.99
Spend the $.40 MFC
Total: $1.20

Lays chips, $1.99, 50% off


Check out the rest of this week's Metro Detroit Meijer Match-ups, visit Macomb Money Savers!

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To access Meijer Mealbox coupons (MBC): Mealbox Generator to print multiple Mealbox coupons per page. Or visit Meijer online (look for the 'Special's tab in the blue box to the right!) to print a single coupon per page. I offer two printing locations because the Mealbox Generator is not as extensive as the Meijer online site.

Keep in Mind:

*Meijer will only double the first TWO identical MANUFACTURER coupons. This may mean that you will need to break your purchasing into ONE large transaction and SEVERAL smaller transactions to ensure that ALL of your coupons are able to double.

*Meijer will never double a Mealbox coupon.

*Meijer allows the 'Stacking' of one Manufacturer coupon and one Mealbox coupon per item purchased unless either coupon states otherwise. For example, a coupon may say save $1 on two items, then you would need to follow the purchasing rules for that specific coupon.

*Rain checks are available at the customer service desk, at the podium in front of the cash register lines or with your cashier.Remember that Meijer rain checks have an expiration date 30 days from printing along with a limited quantity printed on the rain check. The quantity limited depends on your stores location.

AND AS ALWAYS, please leave me a comment if I have missed a deal... Thank you!