Monday, August 16, 2010

How I Got Paid to Shop at Kroger plus a few finds

Like I said in a previous post, we visited family out in East Arkansas this past weekend. Other than the ongoing fear that one of my children might be carried away to a distant land by a flock of mosquitos, we had a wonderful time! On our way back home we stopped at the newly renovated, absolutely fabulous Kroger on Oak Street in Conway, Ar. Let me tell ya'll - I lived in Conway for 6 years and I would have killed for that beautiful Kroger! I had a wonderful coupon experience, no issues what so ever! My Sobe BOGO coupons deducted the full allowed amount, which sometime happens, so it was a $0.79 money maker for me. Also, I was hoping that they might have 11 crayons somewhere in the school section and to my pleasant surprise there were flats with at least 200 crayon boxes on the shelf! Needless to say, I did 3 transactions each with crayons to use the overage on my next transaction. I know what ya'll are thinking, 33 packs of crayons Bethany? Really? Even though I am keeping some for my kids and my gift box stash, I promise, about 25 packs are being donated to a local children's home here in town. We don't have very much wiggle room in our budget, so to find an opportunity like the crayon deal that I can take to our local children's shelter was really exciting to me. Here is my more than successful trip:

1st Transaction:
11 Boxes of Crayons - $0.25 each
Paid $2.98
Got back $4 Catalina (good till 8/21)
Savings 88%

2nd Transaction

5 boxes of Fiber One Bars - $1.99 each
2 Sobe Lifewater (computer deducted $1.79)
11 boxes of Crayons
1 bag Chex Mix - $1.49
Use all coupons listed here
Used $4 Cat from first transaction
total was $1.49 including tax
Savings 98%
Got back $3.50 Cat and $4 Cat

3rd Transaction
5 Blocks Kraft Cheese - $2.79 (I found $1/2 blinkies by the product) (cat expired 8/15)
2 Sobe Lifewater - $1 (computer deducted $1.79 w/ BOGO coupon)
1 Bag Gardettos - $1.49
11 Crayons $0.25 each
Used coupons listed here
Paid with $3.50 and $4 Cat
Total was $3.80 including tax
Savings 95%
Got back $5 Cat and $4 Cat

So, I paid $8.27 out of pocket and ended with $9 in Catalinas - so essentially I was paid $0.73 to buy everything listed above! Amazing!

After my Conway trip we stopped in Russellville to visit more family and I made a larger run to their local Kroger. Again, I had a very positive coupon experience and took a video to post later. I found a few things while there. Welch's Grape Jelly is $1.49 after Mega Deal and there is a $0.55/1 in the 8/1 Smart Source - making it only $0.39 after coupon and deal!! Also, Pillsbury Frozen Biscuits and Cinnamon Rolls are included and $1.99 after deal - use the $0.50/1 from the 8/1 Smart Source to get them for $0.99 a bag, I do not make homemade biscuits so this is such a stock up price!

Also, here are my favorites from my Rville trip. The Nut clusters are only $1.37 after Mega Deal so you can use ecoupons or printables ($1/1) to make them only $0.37! If your store will let you use both then it's a Money Maker! Also, as I'll show in the video, I found $1/1 Cascadian Farms cereal coupons on the box making this Organic Cereal only $1.49 - great price!
I put away the rest of my groceries last night when we got home without a picture. I was just too tired. Overall I spent $37.50 and only $14 of that was on 24 Mega Items (yogurts, toaster strudels, macaroni grill meal, cocoa puffs, capri suns, more fiber one bars for my aunt, chex mix, cinnamon and crescent rolls) making my mega sale items around $0.58 each on average. I also got a mega pack of Roast, 2 marked down packs of Salmon, mushrooms, carrots, 2 things of Juicy Juice, 3 Individual Horizon Organic Milks, 2 Hefty Freezer Bags, 1/2 Gallon of Oranic Milk and some closeout Smart Balance Milk that ended up being a money maker after paper and ecoupon. Check back tonight for my video and Kroger trip finds!

5 comments:

Barbara said...

That's awesome about the crayon catalina deal!!
I was wanting to do that at my krogers too, but they never had 11 there at once. The most I found was 7, so I got them plus a pack of pencil colors cuz I wanted some anyway. I was hoping I would get a catalina cuz if I remembered right this is a deal where if you buy $20 of Crayola school supplies, you get $4 back? I wasn't quite sure & I was hoping you could help me out on this. How long is this catalina supposed to work?
Anyhow, I didn't get the catalina, but I'm fixing to call the company & see why.
Here's a suggestion, it would've helped if you would've put on what the actual deal is. You know, $20 worth of school stuff, get $4 back, etc. I just wasn't sure...
Thanks! And I love your blog for the kroger deals!! The best one I have found so far for Delta deals! Yay!! :)

Bethany said...

Hey Barbara - you are definitely right, I didn't make it very clear. It is a $20 threshold. I've read where the following products are included and it is based on their original price:

Backpacks and lunch kits
Top-Flight Marble Composition ook
Top-Flight 100 sheet filler paper
Crayola 24-pack crayons
Oxford Twin-Pocket Portfolios
Top-Flight 1 subject notebook (70 pages)
A&W School Box
Crayola Classic 10 ct. markers
Crayola 12 pack colored pencils
Avery 3-pack glue sticks
Avery 1" binder
Top-Flight Wireless Notebooks (80 pages)
Pentel Wow! 5-pack pens
Bic Cristal pens 10-pack (Use: $1/2 from 8-9-09 SS if you still have it)
Office Works 500 sheet Multi-purpose paper

According to the announcent about the Catalina, it includes brands like Expo, PaperMate, Mead, Sharpie, Crayola, Avery, Five Star and UniBall.

Barbara said...

Thank you so much for your comment, it really helped out! :) According to what you wrote down, I can see now that I didn't get the right stuff. I have a rain check for the $.25 crayola crayons, so I may be able to go & get 11 yet & get the catalina. My question is, how long does this deal go or is it already over?
I had also done the Kraft several times, A&W topping once & the yoplait yogurt once. Had trouble getting all of the Kraft cheese, but customer service helped me out. I got the other stuff later on & none of them worked. So I called up the catalina number you provided, (Thanks!!) & was able to get to the one for the topping but not for the yogurt, as they said our store wasn't participating in that one?
Any way, just wanted to let you know how it went for me & how much I appreciate your blog!!
I love shopping at Krogers & even more now, since I get good deals w/ coupons & catalinas!! :)

crystal said...

I'm jealous- I went to the kroger on oak st in conway and they wouldn't let me use the sobe bogo for the full amt (only 50cents! Non doubled!!) Said they r cracking down and it would be to cheap if they gave me a 1$ off ughh

Anonymous said...

I was able to use the BOGO sobe coupons at the Kroger on Salem rd. in Conway. Didn't expect for them to take the whole $1.79 off and I even pointed out to the checker that they were on sale for $1.00 and he said "nope, I'm supposed to take off whatever the coupon scans for. First time I actually got paid cash to walk out of the store. BEST DEAL EVER!!!!