A coupon clipping service is a business/website where you pay (for their time clipping coupons, it is illegal to actually "sell" coupons).  Most all coupons on a clipping service are manufacturer coupons although occasionally they will add store specific coupons.
        
This week was my first week using a clipping service and I did it for a few reasons:

1. I noticed a great sale at Target: Optifree Contact Lens Solution Twin packs were on sale for $10.00 (great sale price as they normally run $15.89).  Both my husband and I are contact lens wearers, and this brand happens to be the one recommended #1 by our eye doctor :)  When I searched the COUPON DATABASE HERE it showed me that there was a $4/1 manufacturer coupon out.  However when I searched my saved inserts (see below), it must have been a regional coupon that Ohio did not get :(  So, I decided to order it!!!  (I also had a $1/1 TARGET coupon to stack with these)
2. I also noticed that Bertolli Pasta sauce was on price cut this week, and I had a Target coupon to stack with it.  However, I had already used all of my Bertolli coupons a few weeks ago. 
3. I also had a few other coupons that I had really liked and had used all of them and wanted a few more for that specific product.  

1.  Look at the Sales early in the week this clipping service ships out of Florida so it took me 2 days to get the coupons and one of the coupons was close to expiring!
2. Watch out for expiration dates

 My total bill was LESS than the 5 boxes of Optifree on sale, purchased them for $5 each (I can definitely remove this item from our budget for the next YEAR)!!! 

• 30% off diapers and wipes with subscribe and save delivery, plus special offers
• FREE two-day shipping with Amazon Prime benefits, no minimum purchase!

• Seventh Generation diapers
• Laninsoh Breastfeeding Bags
• Mustela Baby Body Lotion
• Huggies wipes (they are my favorite)
• Other Breast Pump parts/supplies
• Earth's Best Organic Baby food (even though I make all of Baby Girl's food I like the "odd" varieties that Earth's Best provides and use these out of convenience.

• Charmin Toilet Paper
• Skippy Natural Peanut Butter
• Organic Fruit leather strips
• Zoe Organic Olive oil
• Various boxes of cereal

So since most of my messages/questions have been about HOW EXACTLY to use the coupons, I thought I would just show my shopping trip this week to Kroger/Target (are you all noticing a theme?), and break down the coupons for you.  EVERY ITEM  listed this week at Kroger and Target is ON SALE and ONE (or multiple) Coupons has been used on the item.  When I mention a "manufacturer coupon" it has been clipped from the Sunday inserts or printed online (when I get used to this whole blogging concept I will post exactly which inserts with it's date) :)


**Sorry about the pic

There are a lot of great Staples on sale (with coupons) so I'll break this down for you all, but remember sale cycles, if you can't make it out this week or don't have the coupons these deals WILL come back around, so don't panic :)


KROGER:
(4) Colgate Toothpase - FREE(actually a $.02 money maker x4) used (4) $1.00 manufact. coupon/on sale this week for $.98).

(5)Horizon Organic Single Milk-FREE used 5/1$ off HERE

(4) Marvel Superhero hero Gummies vitamins-B1G1 FREE used (2) 1.50/1 manufacturer coupons

(1) Dole Bagged Lettuce-FREE (used FREE coupon from Kroger mailer)

(1) Oscar Mayer Lunch meat-FREE (used FREE coupon from Kroger mailer)

(1) Sierra Mist Diet -FREE (catalina coupon printed out at check out last trip)

(5) Cans Kroger Vegetable (on sale this week for $.70 each)

(1) Can Rotel Diced Tomatoes/Chiles - used $.30/1 manufacturer coupon

(1) Kroger Applesauce ( on sale $1.60)

(2) Philadelphia  Cooking Cream Cheese used (2) $1.50/1 manufacturer coupons found HERE

(1) Land O Lakes Butter -FREE after rebate HERE...I also used a $.40 cents off manufacturer coupon.

(1) Package 8 Kroger Hamburger Buns (used $.40 cents off Kroger mailer coupon)

(1) Package Johnsonville Turkey Sausage Links (used a $2.00 off catalina coupon that printed at checkout register at last visit)

(1) 4 pack Dannon Yogurt (Used $1.00/1 pack manufacturer coupon).

(3) Suave Shampoos (used $2.00/3 Kroger mailer coupon)


Total Before Coupons WITH USING Kroger Plus Card: $65.08

Total Spent AFTER COUPONS: $22.08
** I was really excited b/c my son's vitamins are a "budget busting" purchase usually at $6.99 each (I got 4 and yes, he HAS to have the yummy SPIDERMAN vitamins!)






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Target Trip (most items listed on sale this week):


(1) Huggies Travel wipe ( used .75/1) HERE

(2) Clorox Wipes (used (2) 1.00/1 Manufacturer coupon from Clorox FB page(GONE) stacked with (2) .75/1 Target coupon HERE)

(2) FINISH dish detergent ( used (2) 1.00/1 manufacturer coupons)

(6) Campbells Select Light Soups (used (3) 1.00/2 coupons)

(3) Special K Oats and Honey (used (3) 1.00/1 manufacturer coupons from Kellogg's fanclub and 1.00/3 Target coupon HERE).

(2) Quaker Instant Oatmeal (used (2) $1.00/1 Target coupons HERE, stacked with (2) $1.00/1 manufacturer coupons)

(2) Oreo Cookies (used $1.00/1 Nabisco Cookie Target Coupon HERE.

(1) Simply Orange Juice (used $1.00/1 coupon HERE.

(2) Kraft Singles Cheese (used $1.00/2 manufacturer coupon and (2) $1.00/1 Kraft Cheese TARGET coupon HERE)

(2) Smart Balance Butters (used $1.25/2 online coupon HERE.

(1) Up and Up Antiseptic Mouthwash Twin Pack ( used $.50/1 Up and Up Oral Care Item TARGET coupon HERE).

TOTAL without coupons with TARGET SALE PRICES: 75.12

TOTAL After Coupons: 23.52
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Total PAID for all items: 45.60  ($4.40 under my budget of $50.00 week).  Although I should mention I purchased milk, grapes, bananas, and blueberries at the beginning of the week for under $10.00)




TOTAL PRICE of all SALE items: $140.20


AROUND a 70% REDUCTION IN COSTS


Well...there you have it, the nitty gritty of the shopping trip.  Are you getting excited? Feel free to use the comment section of the blog to post your deals or to update us on sales/new coupons that are out!  We are all in this together to help each other save!  Remember to "Pay it forward!"


I hope to finish Blogging about "Setting a Family Budget", and "Amazon Mom Deals" (every wonder where the DIAPERS AND WIPES are?) over the weekend so STAY TUNED!!

• One coupon per item
  If you have two items, you can use two coupons. If the coupon is $1 off of 2 items and you have two items, you can only use one coupon.
• One store coupon + one manufacturer coupon  Generally most stores will take one store coupon (a coupon put out by them) and one manufacturers coupon per item. This is a great way to stack up the savings quickly!
• Check expiration dates and small print  Read, and follow, the small print. It’s mostly just boilerplate information and won’t make much of a difference in how you use the coupon. Check expiration dates – most stores don’t accept them if they are expired.      

FORGET BRAND LOYALTY:
Only you can decide what brands you have to have and what you are willing to substitute if a great sale or coupon comes along.  What may be the cheapest one week, may not be the next, so closely check prices.

• Since this is the first week of February we can expect some great coupons coming out.  All of the online coupons have reset for the month.  Here are a few tips when printing online coupons:

1. Most online coupons have a print limit of 2.  use your back button to print the coupon twice.
2. Online coupons cannot be copied and always contain a watermark.  I also reccommend printing coupons in color.
3. Online coupons usually expire 30 days from the date they were printed.