I love my grocery store-- and a brief lesson in couponing

**This became a long story...sorry, but I need to share my excitement with someone!

So I've finally figured out the world of couponing. At least at one of the stores.

While I was in Oregon, my friend Rachel taught me a thing or two about how she gets it done, and it finally clicked. I've been trying to cut coupons etc for awhile, but I would cut them out, and then they'd be almost expiring so I'd just use them to use them even though it wasn't that great of a deal. I think I figured it out right in time too because there have been ALL KINDS of killer Back to School specials.
Plus, my store has a killer coupon policy.

So EVERY day they double ALL coupons (even internet ones that say Do Not Double) up to 99 cents, then on Wednesdays, they double them up to $1.00. Sweet eh?

It is a little awk cuz they're sales START on Wednesdays, so I have to check out their sales and hurry and get there that day to use my 1.00 coupons. It's worked out pretty well so far though.

So, for the method:
1) When you get coupons, cut out all the ones that you MIGHT use. (I tell myself, if I got it free, would I eat/use it?) Then organize them in a small expandable file any way you want.

2) Look over the store flyer and circle what's on sale that you could use, recognizing those you know you have a coupon for. (Luckily my store has a detailed flyer so pretty much all the sales are on it, but bring your coupons in case you see something that wasn't listed)

3) Make a list before you go, of exactly what you're going to buy and what coupons you have. Get the coupons out so you're ready when you get to the register.
**The list especially helps when there's a special deal (buy $30 of certain products get $15 back etc) so you don't have to try to add it up in your head at the store.

THE KICKER: For the deal mentioned above, I always thought the $30 amount had to be your total, as in you couldn't use coupons to get it below that number, but it's not true.

Let me show you what I did today:
There were two deals going on:
1) Store was promoting an offer to spend $25 on participating items (Kelloggs, Keebler and other brands) and they print out $10 in vouchers to use on your next shopping trip.
2) Kelloggs and Keebler have their Fuel for School sale -- buy any 10 participating items, get a $10 rebate and $70 voucher for a Dell computer (My mom wants that part of it) which I still haven't used.

Anyway, same items so I could do them both. I also had a bunch of $1.00/2 coupons for the Fuel for School items, plus they doubled them today.

So, I ended up with a total of $30, then after coupons my total was $17, which I payed. Then I received two $5 coupons to use at any store within two weeks (bringing my total to $7). Then I will mail in the $10 rebate and my total becomes $-3.00. Whahoo. Awesome eh?