Shopping with coupons: FoodLion - $33.xx for $6.xx

So I got my first Sunday paper with ads and coupons and got all excited! I'm mainly shopping CVS, but also have a bunch of 'try me free' and high value coupons around from rewards programs and surveys I participated in, so I decided to flip through the grocery store ads.

I noticed a few things on sale at FoodLion, and, thinking that new sales are starting on Tuesdays, gathered my coupons and went. I grabbed a sales paper at the entrance and to my surprise it was totally different from what I was studying at home! Duh! Their sales start on Wednesday! Figures...

Well, the girls were already in beds, and DH was home, so I could have this luxury of browsing the store all by myself, making observations and paying attention to new products, clearance items and regular prices. I still had my 'try me free' coupons with me and was going to use them as well as pick up some stuff that would look good do me. I could always come back when the new sale prices are in effect... if I choose to.

I noticed that FoodLion prices for stuff we buy regularly is higher than @Shoppers which is much closer to us [ex. Barilla pasta is $1 at Shoppers and $1.65 @FoodLion], so it would only make sense to go for a really good sale (which, unfortunately, wasn't the case this week ending last night... well, at least not to me as I didn't have the right coupons with me). This also brings up another issue: organizing all my coupons in a way that they could be easily carried around and found in the store. It's a big thing, so I'll devote a separate post to that in the future, meanwhile let me finish with what I got and how much I saved.

• 1 Bag Fresh Express salad (Field Greens, I had a 'try me free' coupon for it) reg. $3.79, on sale $2.99
• 1 box (10 ct) Eggo Buttermilk waffles (DH and DD1 LOVE them and we're almost out) reg. $2.39, on sale 3/$5
• 1 64 oz Simply Apple juice (not from concentrate - that was an impulse purchase: wanted to 'taste the difference') reg. $4.29, on sale $2.99
• 1 64 oz Tropicana Pure Valencia juice (had a 'try me free' coupon) reg. $4.29, on sale $3.99
• 1 dozen large FoodLion eggs (advertized as $1 off regular price, but didn't ring up on sale :() $2.19
• 1 16 oz Kraft 3 Cheese Ranch dressing (had a 'try me free' coupon) reg. $2.82, on sale 8/$8.75
• 1 can FoodLion sweetened condensed milk (we ran out last week, and although it was not on sale, it was cheaper than any of the brand names, so I decided to get it) $1.87
• 1 Hilshire Farms Deli Wraps (complete kit to make 2 wraps with meat, cheese and everything - I had a 'try me free' coupon for this as well) $3.99
• 1 1L Jumex Peach nectar (another impulse purchase) reg. $1.39, on sale $.99
• 1 6 oz(?) Land o'Frost deli meat (had a 'try me free' coupon) reg. $2.99, on sale 2/$5
• 1 1lb Land o'Lakes butter half sticks (didn't have a coupon, but there's a 'try me free' rebate offer for it) reg. $3.09, on sale $3 (funny that 1/2 lb - same brand butter half sticks is $2.99)
  

As you know, for each of the free coupons cashier has to punch in the purchase price so the coupon would take off the right amount, but for whatever reason my cashier took off the regular prices (I'm surprised, but not complaining :)), so the summary looks as follows:

Total before coupons: $33.10
FoodLion sale: -$5.25
Manufacturer's coupons: -$23.13
Total after sale and coupons: $9.97
+ Mail-in rebate* for the butter: -$3 (so that would bring the total down to $6.97)

I know I could've done better if I pointed out that the eggs didn't get the advertised discount, or used the coupon (I'm sure I have those at home!) for Eggo waffles or waited to get the sweetened condensed milk on sale and didn't buy the juices... Or maybe not - if the cashier deducted the right amounts my total would be higher.

_________
* LAND O LAKES® Butter in Half Sticks is only available in select retailers in the states of ME, VT, NH, MA, NY, CT, RI, PA, NJ, DE, MD, VA, WV,KY, TN, NC, SC, GA, AL, MS and FL