Couponing For Health Foods Update

A few months back I posted about how I was saving close to 50% on my groceries by shopping at Publix.  Well, that's when I was able to use two or more competitor coupons from Target, CVS, Family Dollar, Harvey's and Save A Lot. 

Now both Publix stores that are within a 2 mile radius of my home will only allow me to use ONE of those competitor coupons per grocery visit and I can no longer use CVS ($5 off $25 purchase) and Harvey's ($2 off $5 produce) coupons.

I guess the couponing rage has caught on to more shoppers in my area because not only are they tighting policies, they are also getting cleared out of inventory on BOGO's the first two or three days of the sale!

So, now my savings is around 30-40%, still better than what it was when I was not paying attention to sales flyers or using coupons.  And now I am asking myself, do I really need this item even though it is super cheap or free?!  For example, I bought about 20 boxes of the Kashi 7 Whole Grain Flakes and Puffs because they were .50 a box with coupons.  The cereal, though healthier than most, is essentially processed food and not really all that high in nutrients.  My family would be better off eating oatmeal or home made granola in place of the cereal.   Of course the preferred breakfast is the Green Smoothie!

So, now I'm being more careful about what I buy.  Some of the things I have been buying on sale and lightly stocking with coupons are:

-Eden Organic Beans, Tomatoes, tomatoe paste and Pasta Sauces (BPA Free Can)
-Cascadian Farms Frozen Fruit and Vegetables
-Bob's Redmill Whole Oats
-Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta
-Texas Organic Brown Rice
-Lundberg Farms Organic Rice
-Unsweetened Almond Breeze
-Annie's Natural's Fat Free Dressings
-San-J Organic Low Sodium Tamari
-Nuts and seeds on Amazon.com
-Wildwood Sprouted Tofu
-Wildwood Organic Soy Yogurt and Probiotic Soymilk
-Food for Life Sprouted Whole Grain Breads
-Lightlife Organic Tempeh
-Tribe Organic Hummus
-Organicville Salsa
-Larabars (for the kids :)

And I'm not just shopping at Publix, I am back to shopping at Whole Foods and occasionally Hoover's Essential Health Market when I have a coupon for something I need that never goes on sale at Publix.

Couponing for Health Food? Can it be done?

I took a couponing class from a friend back in April after a group of my health conscious friends had taken the same class and raved about how much money they were saving. I viewed many store receipts from those friends and wondered how on earth they were able to save so much....with coupons?!

Well, I've learned a lot in the past few months...that's one of the resons I've been absent! I've been busy coupon collecting from every website I can find that offers Organic products.

I will admit, in the past I never paid attention to sales flyers or coupons simply because I thought it would take too much time and effort only to save very little money. But, when I found out you really can save up to 50% while buying organic foods, bath and body products, I have decided it is SO worth my time. The food budget at our house had been out of control for several years, starting from the days my babies became toddlers. I'm happy to report as of last month our total food and dining out expense has gone from $1200 a month down to $750 and I'm expecting it to go down to $600 this month.  (Of course a piece of this equation has to do with an amazing harvest from our garden this spring.  Lots of beans, lettuce, eggplant, squash, oakra, tomatoes, onions...we have been well stocked on the veggies!)

Some of the things I can think of off hand that I have saved 80%+ on are Organic Frozen Cascadian Farms Fruit and Vegetables, Seventh Generation Products, Jason Organics Products, Kiss My Face Products, Almond Breeze, Blue Diamond Almonds, and Silk Organic Soymilk! I have also found coupons for Eden Organics products, San-J Organic Tamari, Honest Kids Juice, Earth Friendly Cleaning Products, Rice Select, Publix Produce, and Restaurant coupons!

I was a big Whole Foods shopper, now I am at Publix every week and only once a month at Whole Foods, Chamberlin's Market or Hoover's Essential Health Market to pick up things I cannot find at Publix and catch any monthly sales...with coupons!!

You can get the best deals at Publix because they have the BOGO deals and you can use both a competitor store coupon and a manufacturer's coupon on BOTH the item you buy and the free item!

My favorite blog to follow for the latest deals at Publix is iheartpublix.com. The blog owner will post the Publix sales flyer three days prior to the sale with coupon "matchups" (she tells you exactly where to find the coupons to get the deals).

My favorite blog to follow for Organic Deals is Organic Deals and Coupons.

And lastly, if you'd like to take couponing classes in Central Florida you can join Couponing with Regina on Facebook. If you are outside the Central Florida area you can take classes online at Becentsable.com.

You have been enlightened! Now please do not ignore this post...go SAVE some money!!!