It looks like I am slipping a bit…we only saved 89% 
Actually, I am very happy with that number, considering we loaded up on bacon, plus we picked up tomatoes, cream cheese and meatballs. It’s hard to save big on all of those items. We would have bought cheaper tomatoes, but the roma tomatoes that are on sale were extremely picked over and nasty looking, so we opted for some that weren’t on sale. Both of us did one transaction at Publix, using a $5/$30 coupon from last Sunday’s Tampa Bay Times newspaper.
Here’s the breakdown of what we bought, along with the coupons used:
AT SAVE-A-LOT:
TWO ARMOUR MEATBALLS 14 oz., on sale $1.99 (compare to $3.49 at Publix)
Used one $1/2 Armour Meatballs printable coupon available here
NET PRICE FOR ALL: $2.98 (or $1.49 each!)
AT PUBLIX:
SIX SMITHFIELD BACON 16 OZ., on sale 3/$10 (regular price $5.79)
Used three $1/2 Smithfield Bacon Publix store coupon, 1/8 SS newspaper insert
and used six $1/1 Smithfield Bacon manufacturer coupons, 1/29 SS newspaper insert
NET PRICE FOR ALL: $11 (or $1.83 each!)
TWO MUIR GLEN TOMATO SAUCE, regular price $0.89
Used one $1/2 Muir Glen printable manufacturer coupon available here
NET PRICE FOR ALL: $0.78 (or 39 cents each!)
ONE ALEXIA ONION RINGS, regular price $3.79
Used one $1/1 Alexia Target printable store coupon available here
and used one $1.25/1 Alexia printable manufacturer coupon here
NET PRICE FOR ALL: $1.54
FIVE SAMBAZON ORGANIC JUICE 10.5 OZ., on sale $2 (regular price $2.99)
Used five $2/1 Sambazon Juice 10.5 oz. manufacturer coupon (zip 33712)
NET PRICE FOR ALL: FREE!
TWO SOMINEX, regular price $3.19
Used two $2/1 Sominex printable manufacturer coupon available here
and used one $5/2 Sominex, Phazyme, etc. Publix Green Advantage Flyer store coupon
NET PRICE FOR ALL: $2.62 MONEYMAKER!
FOUR TOMATOES $1.69/LB., regular price $2.55
No coupons used
NET PRICE FOR ALL: $2.55
ONE PHILADELPHIA CREAM CHEESE, on sale $1.50 (regular price $2.15)
No coupons used
NET PRICE FOR ALL: $1.50
TWO PURINA ONE BEYOND DOG FOOD, regular price $7.99
Used two $2/1 Purina One Beyond, Winn-Dixie “Warm Up to Pet Savings” Flyer
and used two $5/1 Purina One Beyond Dog Food manufacturer coupon, 1/15 SS newspaper insert
NET PRICE FOR ALL: $1.98 (or 99 cents each!)
TOTAL VALUE OF ALL MERCHANDISE (BOTH STORES): $89.30
SPECIAL PRICE SAVINGS (SALES/BOGOs): $23.34
COUPON SAVINGS (STORE/MANUFACTURER): $56.25
TOTAL PRICE PAID: $9.71 (plus $1.12 sales tax)
SAVINGS RATE (EXCLUDING TAX): 89.1%
SAVINGS RATE (INCLUDING TAX): 88.0%
How are you calculating your% savings? Based on amt before sales verse sales price?
Whats the magic formula I should be using? Great job on all your trips!
I calculate the percentage based on the full retail price of the items purchased.
Here’s the messy version of the formula…
“Amount Paid” divided by “Full Retail Value”, then multiply your result by 100.
This is the percentage of the full value you paid.
So then take that number and subtract it from 100 percent to get the amount saved.
Thanks for the quick reply.
Was the publix store coupon actually in the smartsource insert for the SF bacon? We didn’t get that in our papter.
Yes, it was in the Smartsource. Double-check because I think we received two SS inserts that week. I had two pages of Publix coupons in one of mine. I think it was the one with the red cover that week.
We have not been getting them here in Tallahassee at all. It;s like the second or third time.
Great site, love it!!!
I’m in Tallahassee too, cookinmom. Their region definately is better for coupons and promos than ours.
Just a FYI cream cheese at Save-A-Lot is $1.39.
Yeah, but it’s cheaper at Publix with a $5/$30 dollars off total order coupon. We saved an extra 16% on everything we bought, so $1.50 * .84 = $1.26 at Publix…slightly cheaper.
Now if we were doing a $25 transaction at S-A-L and using a $5/$25 coupon (20% extra off), it would be cheaper there ($1.20 after dollars off coupon)
I had already spent over my $30 at Publix and still needed cream cheese, but I see your point.
How did you get Sominex coupon for $2.00 each time? How many computers do you have?
We have three here, plus I’ve been known to go over to my bro’s house (three blocks away) and print off of his two computers too
I also only have one computer, and have already used my 2 coupons. Wish I had more,the overage is nice, but this is a product I use.
There is a $1/1 coupon in one of the 1/29 inserts for several Advantage brands, including Phazyme and Sominex. Phazyme is free plus two cents overage on two, and Sominex is free plus 62 cents of overage on two.
I tried one of the sominex last night. I woke up at 1pm today, groggy and exhausted. I had to drink three red bulls to get through the day. Not going to try those again!
Great job! Thanks for the Save-A-Lot tip. I am planning a stock up trip on ground turkey and I’ll pick up a few bags of meatballs, too.