Coupon Crazy or BOGO Bonkers?

After revealing my shameful BOGO stash yesterday, (that's Buy One Get One for those who don't know shopping jargon) I decided that I'm going to exercise a little more restraint in the food shopping arena and share with my readers my grocery purchases for the next seven days in their entirety. For the record, there are four in my family; only three of whom have teeth.

Today was my first trip of the week which displays restraint in itself having been housebound yesterday. Behold $63.00 of shopping from Publix:

Lets break it down:

• Tropicana Orange Juice $3.00 - on sale and I had a coupon.


• Cascade dishwasher tablets $3.49


• Blue Goodness smoothie $4.29 - check the ingredients of smoothies, some of them are all apple juice and concentrates, this one is NOT.


• Milk, $2.59


• Bakery bread $3.35


• Sushi (lunch) $4.59


• Pink milk for my Lola $2.59


• Whipped cream $3.29 (got all excited about hot chocolate and marshmallows whilst hunkered yesterday)


• Smoked almonds $3.19 & coconut $1.69 for a chicken recipe I want to try


• Deli meats and cheese for Dr. Dave & Mia's sandwiches $18.00


• Gerber pear juice $1.87 for the toothless one


• Princess spaghetti o's $0.93


• Butter $2.50


• Grapes $3.25


• Toddler snacks $1.67


• Barilla marinara sauce $1.67


• Emergency jar of babyfood $0.63


• Sausages $2.00

COUPONS -$6.00

STORE SAVINGS -$14.24 in total.

Things I have learned about shopping Part 1:

1. Just because its 2 for $5.00 doesn't mean you have to buy two.


2. Just because its BOGO doesn't mean you need it. *hands up - guilty as charged* (6 bottles of BBQ sauce & salad dressing is more than I will use in a year!)


3. Cut coupons from the Sunday paper and get the Palm Beach Post on a Wednesday & Thursday for the week's coupons & promotions. Invest in a trusty coupon organizer (see below) and keep it up to date and in your bag or car at all times! Yes those coupons may only be for 25 cents or 50 cents but as my savvy brother in law says, 'if you saw the cash on the floor - wouldn't you pick it up?!'

http://www.publix.com/bogo