Coupon-Obsessed Nerd

Lately, I've been trying to really cut our grocery budget down. We're working on getting debt-free, and that's one area that I can really control. So, to aid me in that plan, I've been learning all of these coupon secrets. I follow blogs, check out all the ads, get multiple papers a week, print coupons from the computer, and sign up for all sorts of things just to get the coupons! This week, it really payed off. I went to Kroger this morning; the picture above is everything I got. And the amount I spent on all that? Well, I spent a total of $46.87.

Here's the run-down:

Kleenex (6 x 1.49 - 6 x .50 (mega sale) - 2 x .50 (mf coupons) - 2 x .50 (doubled coupons)) 3.94
Colgate Max Fresh (2x2.50 - 2 x .50(mega sale) - 2 x .75(mf coupons) - .75(cellfire coupon)) 1.75
Colgate Total (2.50 - .50 (mega sale) - 1.00 (mf coupon)) 1.00
Huggies (8.99 - 1.50 (mf coupon) - 1.50 (shortcuts coupon)) 5.99
Brawny Paper Towels 8 ct (5.99 - .50 (mega sale) - .50 (mf coupon) - .50 (double coupon)) 4.49
Quaker Chewy Bars (2 x 1.99 - 2 x .50 (mega sale) - .75 (mf coupon)) 2.23
Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix (2 x .44) .88
Real Lemon Juice (.99)
Kraft dressing (1.72 - .50 (mega sale) - 1.00 (mf coupon)) .22
Jiff PB (1.99 - .50 (mega sale)) 1.49
Sargento Salad Finishers (2.49 - .50 (mega sale) - .75 (mf coupon)) 1.24
SoBe Lifewater (4 x .99 - 4 x .50 (mega sale) - 2 x 1.49 (BOGO coupon)) -1.02
Vitamin Water (4 x 1.00 - 4 x .50 (mega sale)) 2.00
Quaker Quakes (2 x .99 - 2 x .50 (mega sale)) .98
Tyson chicken breasts (2.62 - 1.00 (mf coupon)) 1.62/1.4 lbs.
Tyson chicken breasts (2.51 - 1.00 (mf coupon)) 1.51/1.34 lbs.
Daisy Sour Cream (1.99 - .50 (mega sale) - .50 (mf coupon) - .50 (double coupon)) .49
Philadelphia Cream Cheese (3 x 1.29 - 3 x .50 (mega sale)) 2.37
Smart Balance Margarine (1.99 - .50 (mega sale)) 1.49
Organic Carrots (2.08)
Dole Salad (2.50)
Bananas (.44)
Frozen Spinach (.89)
Stoplight Peppers (3 x 1.00) 3.00
1/2 Gal Skim Milk (.99)

Really, I didn't need all that this week. But, I figured with such good deals, I know what meals I can make in the next couple of weeks with some of what I got, so it was worth picking it up now.

I went to Cub earlier in the week, and I got some good deals there, too.

Poptarts (2 x 1.56) 3.12
Hunts Spaghetti Sauce (.67)
Peter Pan PB (1.48)
Dozen eggs (.88)
Prairie Farms OJ (1.09)
Electrasol Finish (2.97 -2.50 (mf coupon)) .47

So, with tax, that was $8.01!

Okay, so I know I'm a nerd. It's just that only 2 or 3 months ago, I was spending $125 on groceries a week. This week, I've spent $54.88; I'm planning on spending about $10 more at Cub and Target. Half of what I used to spend. I've got meals planned through next Wednesday, but based on what I got today, I actually can tell you what we'll be having probably through next Saturday. My goal is to get stocked enough that I can seriously only spend $25 or $30 a week and be completely stocked up!