PYP Blog

Just one of the awesome tools here at PYP...ready-made shopping lists. We scour grocery ads to find the best deals at many of your favorite stores, and match them with available coupons. Check the list below and see if you find your favorite store!

Idaho Albertson's Idaho Smith's Utah Albertson's Utah Associated Foods Stores Utah Bowman's Utah Dan's Utah Dick's Utah Harmon's Utah Kent's Utah Kohler's Utah Lee's Utah Lin's Utah Macey's Utah Ream's (Salt Lake & Davis counties) Utah Ream's (Springville) Utah Smith's Arizona Fry's Arizona Albertson's Arizona Safeway Arizona Basha's

National Walgreen's National CVS Nevada Albertson's Nevada Smith's Nevada Von's Nevada Food For Less Nevada Sunflower Market California South Albertsons California South Ralph's California South Von's California South Stater Brother's California South Pavilions California South Food For Less California South Rite Aid Washington East Albertsons Washington East Fred Meyer Washington East Safeway Washington East Walgreens Washington East RiteAid

This past year my family experienced a job loss and changeover, and we found ourselves without prescription drug insurance coverage. This was a shock for my family and our wallet as on average we were spending hundreds/month on co-pays from our previous insurance plans (we have medical conditions amongst family members that need to be managed). So now what?

Here is my story of how I trimmed my family’s medicine budget AND found resources available for those (including me!) who do not have prescription drug insurance.

1.Take inventory. You must know all of your prescriptions are before you can see what options you have. Write them down, including dosage, frequency and results from current medications. Once you know your medicine profile, you can start to seek alternatives and facilitate changes.
*Please note, do NOT do the following without consulting your prescribing physicians, first.

2.Seek alternatives. Contact your prescribing physicians and see if there is a cheaper alternative or a generic version of prescribed medication.

3.Double your Dosage & Split. Ask your doctor if he/she will double your monthly dosage, then you slice your tablets into half- thus doubling your supply, while reducing your cost. This option does require homework and footwork: check pricing with pharmacy to make sure it is a cost-effective option and if your physician will do this.

4.Seek Over The Counter or Herbal Options. Again, check with your doctor to see if this option for you. For my family, over-the-counter Prilosec proved to be a cost-friendly option for treating Acid Reflux. (see IF there are coupons available, too!)

5.Check out money saving programs from pharmaceutical manufacturers. Most major drug makers offer some sort of discount savings card (please note, these are NOT insurance cards). A great starting point is Glaxo Smith Kline’s site. One that I joined is Together RX Access and save 25% off my Imitrex.

6.Compare shop your local pharmacies. This option does require a bit of research, but the savings can be HUGE! For example, I take Topamax for migraine prevention. At a retail chain pharmacy, this cost me $60/month on my insurance plan and a few hundred without (yes, sticker shock!). I called area pharmacies looking for options when I came across a neighborhood pharmacy that had a pharmacy discount card that I was eligible for and my Topamax cost me only $30. HUGE savings!

7.Ask for Physician samples. Swallow your pride and ask your doctor if she/he happens to have any samples of either the medicine you need or an alternative that would work for you. That is what they are for! And your doctor would rather give them to you then see them go to waste.

8.Visit your prescribed medicine’s website. Many times there are discounts, coupons or instant rebates offered to users. Check out internetdrugcoupons for links to many medicines. Here's my success story... my husband needs the ulcer medicine, Nexium. We have tried the cheaper option of Prilosec, but it was like putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound. So I visited purplepill.com and found that we could get a month’s medicine for $50 with Nexium’s saving card. Add a request to the doctor to double the prescription’s dosage for two months, and we are spending $25/month vs. $168 cash only.

9.Use pharmacy coupons to offset the costs. Many retailers offer store gift cards if and when you bring a new or transfer a prescription to their store’s pharmacy. These coupons usually appear in the Sunday ads. Check out the PYP boards for announcements.

It does take a lot of work and hoop-jumping to save money in any area, and prescription drugs are no exception. Above are proven suggestions that I know work! I have done it and managed to maintain the medicines that are necessary to keep us healthy without going into debt.

Do you have any other ideas that might benefit others?

As we stare down the end of summer (I know...not yet, not yet!) we realize it's time to start beefing up our family's immune systems. So this freebie comes at the right moment!

It's a set of free samples from immune-booster Emergen-C. This secret weapon for moms who don't want sick kids home...yet or just for moms (ME! ME!) who just can't spare any time for sickness or sick kids! Sign up online to send yourself some samples of the fortified fizzy drink mix, or share the love and use the send-to-a-friend feature. Here's to staying healthy!

While grabbing some Back-to-School supplies at Target, print a couple of coupons from coupons.com (group A)(thanks supermod Dewey for keeping track of these!)and get some FREE Cookies, too! Print the $1 off Pepperidge Farm cookies coupon (you can print two), grab the snack size packages (available by the front registers or the Dollar spot) and ENJOY!

The Drugstore deals keep getting better and better. Save at Rite Aid with a printable $5 off $25 purchase coupon. Good through 7/31. Be sure to check out PYP's weekly Rite Aid shopping list created by supermod Rebecca, updated each Monday morning. (HOT deals happening through Saturday. Don't miss it!)

Click HERE for the Albertson's *Preview.*

Use this PDF printable Nexcare bandage coupon at Target or any other retailer who cares travel sizes and these are FREE, or cost a few pennies. Perfect for purse, car, backpack or stashed anywhere to be prepared. Also, great for your scouts packs at camp this summer.

Other 3M Printable Products found here. Big shout out of thanks to Supermod Deweyville for keeping ALL our printables organized!

RedPlum.com reset its printable coupons and a HOT! Target store printable coupon has surfaced-- Save $2 on Degree Women Fine Fragrance Collection scents. IF you add this with the Man. coupon:

Degree Women Fine Fragrance Collection product, any $1.25/1 (8-9-09) RP-5/17 = HOT DEAL!

Let's do numbers...

Last time I was at Target, I recall the scents being around $3.79 (prices may vary) so - $2 Target store printable cpn + $1.25 man. cpn = $ .54/ea Good deal! (and this item is perfect for women's shelters or such charities, too!)

Here's the link to the Red Plum Target store $2 off printable.

Myth #1~ It takes too much time to clip and organize coupons. Yes, there are some coupon users who prefer to clip ALL their coupons and have them with them while shopping; however, Pinching Your Pennies has simplified the process. With detailed shopping lists for local stores, including a dated listing of each corresponding coupon to each sale item. Also, there is a sortable coupon list that tells you when each coupon was published. Together, this system takes about 95% of the drudgery out of couponing! And the best part is that Pinching Your Pennies is FREE and will always remain FREE!

All one needs to do is save your newspaper coupons each week, then when a HOT sale happens, you clip the noted coupons from a PYP list and save. With this system, I can prepare for a grocery shop in about 30 minutes, spend about 30-45 minutes in the store and save at least 50-60% each week. Most weeks more!

Myth #2~ I joined a paid website subscription or follow a little green self-proclaimed guru; therefore, the service must be superior. FALSE! No other website has much condensed information about couponing, is simple to follow, has the best supportive and ethical community on the net. Stick around and you will be a coupon pro in no time.

Myth #3~My family does NOT use the products that have grocery coupons. We don’t eat processed foods. It is not true that coupons are only available for processed junk food! In many instances, there are coupons available for dairy, eggs, milk, cheese, meats and even produce at times. (Just tonight, I saved $4 on fresh produce with grocery coupons!) See Horizon Organic Milk for coupons, for example.

Also, coupons are following food trends, so we are seeing more organic coupons. See Organic Valley for coupons on organic items that change monthly. Plus, there are TONS of coupons available for health, medicines, beauty, laundry soap, toilet paper and cleaning products. Household cleaning products ranked as the largest single coupon category distributed. (see link #1 below)

Myth #4~ It isn’t worth my time to use coupons to only save $ .25. Most of us would pick up a quarter IF found on the ground, and the truth is the average coupon is worth $1.18 in 2006 (see link #1 below). In 2006, food coupons had an average value of $ .82, while non-food had an average value of $1.42. Definitely money in my pocket to me!

Myth #5~ Why use grocery coupons? It is cheaper to buy store brands. Yes, there are times that a store brand item can be the better deal. This is especially true if you need the item and the comparable name brand is not on sale. However, I have never gotten store brand items for FREE! This happens all the time using grocery manufacturer’s coupons and combining store sales on name brands.

Myth #6~ To truly save money, I have to hit every store and every sale. Not so! Grocery sales at most stores cycle every 12 weeks and each store will see similar price points on many items. Simply pick your favorite store and shop there. If you do this and use the Pinching Your Pennies shopping methods (see Coupons 101 to get started), you will to see an increase in the quality AND quantity of food you are bringing into your house for the same or less than you previously were for MORE money by week 12.

Myth #7~ I don’t have time to coupon. Oh how false this is! Back when I started couponing 12 years ago, there weren’t great FREE sites like Pinching Your Pennies that does all the research for you. Never has couponing been so easy and a time saver. On average, I can get $200 worth of groceries for $75 or less. A CASH savings of $125 is worth my time of about 2 hours/week or around $65/hr. Most part-time jobs don’t pay that well and it is still a gameto see how much I can save, too.

Myth #8~ Only poor people use coupons. Just the opposite! Shoppers with household incomes of $150,000 per year or more tended to use coupons most frequently. (see link 2) And over 80% of grocery shoppers with household incomes between $50,000 to $75,000 use coupons. Obviously using coupons is a smart way to pinch pennies, for all of us!

Myth #9~ I can save just as much at Wal-Mart or a warehouse club (Costco or Sam’s Club) as I can using coupons. FALSE! I truly believe that many consumers shop at Wal-mart simply because it is easier and a habit. Wal-mart does NOT always offer the best prices, nor best quality food, espcially produce. Instead by shopping around town and supporting our local markets, we are creating competition amongst stores that keeps grocery prices lower, overall.

Myth #10~ To save anything substantial, I must get a newspaper subscription. While most coupons still come in the Sunday inserts (Smart Source, Red Plum & Proctor & Gamble), technology has enabled consumers to use Internet Printable (IP) coupons, check out coupons and store promotions to see real savings. For time tested ideas about this, check out Heidi's blog entry. But a newspaper is still a good idea. See here for multiple subscription rates/deals in Utah.

So if you are ready? Check out PYP’s forums for shopping lists, tips, strategies and ideas on how to stretch your food dollar. If you are new, be sure to check out Coupons 101. It is packed full of good information that will get you on your way.






Data cited from the following sites:
http://www.adscope.com/news/07192006.htm
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/print/?id=230074

Donating to one's local food bank or communtiy food pantry is easy through this prgram.

1. Simply place non-perishable food items in a grocery sack (many letter carriers already have providied these) by your mailbox on Sat. May 9th.
2. Your letter carrier will pick up your sack and others in your neighbhood to be delievered to your local food bank. Here they will stay in our to help feed our own.

To help out our local food banks and be sure that our postal carriers have something to pick up today, PYP's blog is having a little contest. SHARE YOUR STORIES! In the comment section today!

The best story of donation, whether funny, original, crazy or just heartfelt will be our winner. Usual PYP rules apply with a few more, incl:

*must be a PYP member with at least 25 posts
*the incident/story must be told here (Not forums) in the comment section of this blog entry
*no obscene language, profanity, tall tales, etc.
*story must be TRUE
*story must be from this year
*a team of judges made up from PYP food bank experts will be making the final call
*all decisions are final
*deadline for submission is Sunday 12 noon MDT

There will be 3 prizes (small but FUN!)

1st- $15 Target Gift card
2nd- $10 Albertsons Gift card
3rd- $5 Target Gift Card

Good luck and lets open our hearts and our usable food storage!

There will be a FREE PYP coupon class this Thursday, May 7th at 7 pm at the Standard-Examiner building in Ogden. (332 Standard Way, Ogden)

Call Mike Eames at 801-625-4415 or email him at meames@standard.net to reserverve you seat.

This is a fabulous opportunity to learn more about saving money with coupons and shopping smart, or to introduce your friends and family to couponing!

These classes are a lot of fun and very informative. PLUS there will be a fantastic grocery give-away!

PYP's Discussion thread!

Hope to see you there, and bring a friend!

The amazing Shelley has done it again! Next week's PYP Utah Albertons shopping list is done early. Week of Wednesday, April 8th through Tuesday, April, 15th is available for viewing, planning and strategizing.

View the shopping list here.
Check out the forum thread discussion, including catalina (checkout cpns) promotions, extra printables available and extra unadvertised deals around Utah.
See the complete Albertons grocery circular online early, too.

Another reason PYP ROCkS!

1. Don't go shopping on an empty stomach. Shop after you've eaten and you are less likely to pick those extra munchies or impulse items that sound good at the moment.
2. Don't go shopping with company. While not always possible (especially if you have small children), try to shop solo. You will be more likely to stick to your grocery list and not find extra goodies in your cart at checkout.
3. Don't always use a coupon. As an avid couponer, many find this advice surprising. However, unless I can combine a coupon with a sale or the coupon is for an item I need; I really am not saving money, but spending more of it.
4. Make a shopping list. This simple task can save you time in the store as well as money.
5. Plan your menus around what you already have in the pantry AND what is on sale this week. These two simple steps can save you more money in the long run. Need recipe ideas? Check out PYP's recipe forum!
6. Stock up on sale items until they are on sale again. This is one of the best ways to build up your food storage/stockpile. Then use the items til they are on sale again.
7. Use a pricebook to make decisions about what is a stock-up price. Pinching Your Pennies has a great pricebook from many volunteer couponers across the country, so this info is very reliable and golden.
8. Monitor what you actually use, NOT what you think you will use. This rule is especially true for perishables that cannot freeze. Deli meat, for example. If you regularly ask for one lb, but only eat half of it, only get 1/2 lb the following week.
9. Think nutritional value. Just because a box of granola bars is on sale for $1, remember that you can buy 6 bananas for that same $1. You get more nutritional value dollar for dollar in a side-by-side comparison.
10. Don't pay for convenience. Unless I have a coupon and a really great sale for a pre-packaged lunchbox item, I will buy the bulk size of snacks and place them in ziploc baggies for lunches.
11. Buy the cheaper cuts of meat. They cost less and are easy to cook, too. They can be a snap in the slow cooker.
12. Do it yourself. Skip buying the pre-cut veggies, the pre-bagged salads and pasta sauce with all the preservatives. Instead chop your own veggies, wash your own lettuce and make your own pasta sauce with 2 cans of Hunts diced tomatoes and fresh basil. You'll never go back to Ragu, again.
13. Buy the cheaper bulk of Ground Beef. Usually Ground Beef is cheaper in a larger butcher block, usually 5 lbs or more. Brown it all in one sitting or make meatballs or meatloafs and freeze in dinner size portions (I prefer 1/2 lb for my family of 5). You'll have one dinner step closer to being done and be saving money in the process.
14. Join your store's loyalty reward program (if they have one). Not only do you need a store loyalty card to receive the store's sale prices, but check out the store's website for additional coupons that can be loaded onto your loyalty reward card. Currently these e-coupons can be combined with paper manufacturer's coupons for double rewards.
15. Shop at stores that have double coupons IF available in your area. This tip is obvious, but not always a viable option. Instead, if you life in the LOND (land of no doubles), you need to work even harder to find the sale+coupon deals. Luckily for us, Pinching Your Pennies had done most of the work for us. Check out the deals in your state.

Most of us already know what a great way using coupons to save money, especially on groceries. However, there are other strategies that PYP member momtonathanandtwins is willing to share to help you stretch your food buying power.

Join a Local Non-Profit Food Co-Op

For a very reasonable price (usually less than $30), one buys a share, then your share gives you 5-6 lb of meat 5 lb of fruit, 5 lb of veggies, fresh baked bread, pasta or rice. Definitely worth more than $30 retail of food!
Below is an example of from momtonathanandtwins blog describing her 2- shares for $67.






Items Include:



Here is what I (momtonathanandtwins) picked up today and I'll post my cost at the bottom:
2 lbs Top Sirloin Fajita Strips
4 lbs Chicken Drumsticks
4 lbs Sirloin Pork Roast
2 lbs Lean Ground Beef
2 lbs rice
2 loaves Artisan Wheat Bread
11 Fuji Apples
11 Pears10 Oranges
2 Romain Lettuce
7 Red Bell Peppers
10 Tomatoes
5 Avocados
2 2lb. Bag of Carrots
1 head of cauliflower
2 Chapparro's brand 5 beef tamales
Tagge's brand mild salsa 16 oz
Aptera's brand extra virgin olive oil 34 fl oz all for $67.50


How does the co-op afford this? Simply individuals volunteer time and use local resources to maintain high quality products to feed the largest number possible. For Utah residents, see http://www.crossroads-u-c.org/cfc/the_basics/how_to_join.html for details. For outside of Utah, see http://www.coopdirectory.org/ or http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

Join Community Supported Agriculture

This is an AWESOME idea! An individual “subscribes” to a farm by giving a set $ amount to the farmer in the spring when the farmer needs resources the most. Then, when harvest begins, usually first of July, the subscriber receives a weekly bounty of fresh fruits and veggies, usually for 13 to 15 weeks. Costs and variety of harvest vary by farm. See http://www.localharvest.org/csa/ for participating farm locations, pricing and details.

Grow One’s Own Garden

This might seem simple, but it can take time and space. Live in an apartment? Try container gardening or for more ideas and helpful hints, be sure to check out PYP’s gardening forum .

Visit your local bread or bakery outlet store.

I make a monthly trip to the Sara Lee bread bakery outlet store which sells the only wheat bread that is made with whole wheat flour and no high fructose corn syrup at a discount that ALL my family will eat. (Yes, I should be making it, but I am still mastering my breadmaking skills). My sliced bread of choice retails in stores for $3.29, but I purchase it at the bread outlet store for $1 to $1.25 per loaf. So I buy 8 loafs at a time and freeze them. The savings are evident.

By planning ahead, using coupons and adding an alternative idea or two from the list above, one can extend their grocery buying power while adding healthy nutritious food to your family's diets. (Thanks to momtonathanandtwins for all the great ideas!)

An inferior Salt Lake City based coupon website that is really more of mockery couponing in a green apron suggests a weekly menu. However the menu is not only lacking in nutritional value and taste, it simply is lacking period. For example, a suggested lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches will be lacking bread. HUH? Yeah, no bread!

So let me offer you a more comprehensive, nutritionally sound, tasty and frugal menu created around the Utah Albertson's shopping list from Pinching Your Pennies for only $60!

***Please note that prices shown reflect final sale prices from PYP's printable Albertson's shopping list the week of 2/18 to 2/24.


Day 1~
Breakfast: General Mills Cereal (GM sale item), milk
Lunch: Progresso Soup (2 cans, GM sale item) side salad (1/2 bag) dressing from food storage
Dinner: Hamburgers (save 1 ½ lb for Day 2 lunch), Albies Chips, grapes

Day 2~
Breakfast: Muffins (GM sale item), Sliced Apples
Lunch: Grand Biscuit (GM sale item) Sliders, Albie chips
Dinner: Pork Shoulder Roast (save some for Day 4 dinner), Baked Potatoes, Del Monte Veggies- Corn & Green Beans

Day 3~
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs & Grand Biscuits (GM sale item), Bananas
Lunch: Shopper Value Mac n Cheese (2 boxes), ½ lb grapes
Dinner: Baked Chicken Thighs, Sauted Tomatoes & Zucchini, Side Salad w/Dressing (from food storage)

Day 4~
Breakfast: General Mills Cereal (GM sale item), Milk, Welchs Grape Juice
Lunch: Progresso Soup (GM sale item), Grilled Cheese & Tomato Sandwiches, Sliced Oranges
Dinner: Carnita Tacos, Spanish Rice, Refried Beans

Day 5~
Breakfast: Toaster Strudels (GM sale item), sliced oranges & bananas
Lunch: Tuna Sandwiches, sliced apples
Dinner: Mini pizzas, fruit salad

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Shopping List (click on it for more details)




Recipes for menu items above available upon request.