Vons Coupon Books (and my humiliation)

 

If you happen to be at Vons on Murrieta Hot Springs, getting your free orange juice.  Pick up one of these coupon books while you are there.  These particular books were not free to me...they cost me my pride.  Which I really don't need anyway...

I had been hearing about these MDA coupon books at Vons on the blogs yesterday because they have a coupon in them for $1.50 off Ocean Spray Sparkling juices which are priced at $2 per 4 pack at Vons until Tuesday (making them $.50).  Everyone was saying the books were all gone by now because they were from last month, so I never expected to see one, much less an entire bundle at every checkout when I went in to get my WIC groceries last night.  I asked the cashier as I checked out, "Are those coupon books?"  She said yes and handed me one...one...from a carefully guarded spot with a carefully guarded eye.  Now I see why they still had so many unopened bundles.  No wonder all couponers avoid this particular store.  For you couponers out there, you know the uselessness of ONE coupon.  How are you going to stock up at rock bottom prices and keep from spending all your money on gas driving all over creation with ONE coupon?  So I glanced around to see if they were laying around anywhere else, because I was too ashamed to ask for more and thought from her look she would say no anyway.  As luck would have it, all the other coupon books were bound with plastic straps, so it was either swipe a whole stack and make a break for it, fumble around with it in front of the employees, or go without.  Then I saw on one check stand 4 loose books sitting on top of the bound ones and thought, I will just smoothly exit that direction and grab them on my way out.   I felt pretty smooth for about 2 minutes until I got to the door and realized they lock that side after 9 PM....So I began my walk of shame back past every cashier, every bagger and every customer (not that many at that time of night,only making my not-so-smooth exit all the more noticeable).  I'm sure they just rolled their eyes at me if they even noticed me at all...

Simply Orange free at Vons!

If you go to coupons.com, you can print a coupon for $1 off Simply Orange ans Simply Lemonade juices with no size restrictions.  The individual sizes are on sale at Vons right now for $1 (well, 10 for $10, but you don't have to buy 10) and also at Walgreens for $.99 with in ad coupon.  Two of my least favorite stores, but I'll do anything for free juice...well, almost anything.

While you are there, since it's good to print 3 coupons at a time, you should also print the $1.50 off Colgate Sensitive Pro Relief coupon.  If Walmart carries the trial size, you could get it for free plus overage, but if not, you will still get a great deal on toothpaste somewhere with it.

Cottonelle at Vons

So it looks like the lowest price we are going to see on Cottonelle before the 31st is $6.99 (according to their website), so if you want to take advantage of that $3.50 Catalina until the end of the month, you may as well do it now.  If you use the $1 Cottonelle coupon I told you about, you can buy 2 12 pack double rolls, pay $11.98, and get $3.50 back making them $4.24 each.  Not bad!

Vons 7/6-7/12

Here are the best deals I see.

California Pizza Kitchen Pizza $4.49 4 days only Fri-Mon

$1.50/1 California Pizza Kitchen Pizza SavingStar

Final Price: $2.99

Ragu Pasta Sauce $1.50
Buy 2, get free Safeway Pasta

Smuckers Preserves BOGO Free (2 for $4.59 or less)

$1/2 Smucker's Jam, Jelly , Preserves or fruit 5/22/2011 RP Insert (exp 7/30/2011)
Final Price: $1.80 each

Smuckers Ice Cream Toppings $2.00
$1/2 Smucker's Ice Cream Toppings
$1/1 Smucker's Toppings 5/15/2011 RP Insert (exp 8/31/2011)
$1/2 Smucker's Toppings 5/15/2011 RP Insert (exp 8/31/2011)
Final Price: As low as $1.00

Not my greatest conquest but not too shabby...

I spent $20.67 and saved $39.44.

Popsicles $1.99 each
no coupons
Final Price: $1.99

Pistachios $5.00 each today only
$1/2 Wonderful Pistachios
Final Price: $4.50

Small Watermelons $1.77 each
$.55/1 Dulcimea Watermelon doubled to $1
Final Price: $.77

Large Watermelons $2.49 each
$3/$10 produce purchase catalina coupon
Final Price: $.99

Haribo Gummies $1.00
$.30/1 Haribo Product doubled to $.60
Final Price: $.40

Vons Matchups 6/29-7/5

Here are my favorite deals this week...

Dulcinea Mini Watermelon $1.77 each

$0.55/1 Dulcinea PureHeart Mini Seedless Watermelon 6/5/2011 RP Insert (exp 9/2/2011)
Final Price: $1.22

Sweet Corn $.20

Wednesday 6/29 ONLY
Doritos $1.67 limit 2

Thursday 6/30 ONLY
80% Lean Ground Beef $1.97/lb

Friday 7/1 ONLY
Tony Roma's Ribs 16 oz package $5.00
and
Wonderful Pistachios 20 oz $5.00

$1/1 Wonderful Pistachios 6/26/2011 SS Insert (exp 9/30/2011)

$1/1 Wonderful Pistachios Product 3/20/2011 SS Insert (exp 6/30/2011)

$1/1 Wonderful Pistachios
Final Price: $4.00

6/15 Trip

I went to CVS, Vons and Ralph's and spent $26.11. The little papers are movie tickets for any movie, any theater.
I got 3 rubbermaid containers
10 boxes of cereal
4 cake mixes
4 frosting cans
6 tic tacs
1 zyrtec 5 pack
2 bottles of juice
24 juice boxes
And 2 movie tickets

I saved $124.20.

Vons 6/15-6/21

You can get a cheap movie ticket if you are willing to brave going in to Vons with coupons!  They have a promotion.  If you buy 5 Kellogg's cereals or pop tarts, you get a free movie ticket at checkout, limit 1 per transaction!  Check out this awesome deal!

Buy 3 Pop Tarts $2 each
Buy 2 Raisin Bran $2.49 each
Use
2 $.70/1 Raisin Bran
1 $1/3 Kellogg's Pop Tarts 5/15/2011 RP
Spend $8.58 and get all 5 items plus a movie ticket! 

There are lots more Kellogg's coupons on their website.  You can get whatever works best for you.

The only other good deal I saw was Kingsford Charcoal $5.99 with in ad coupon.  If the checker allows it, which they should, you can stack that with the $1 off coupon from the Albertsons Summer Savings Book.

Vons 6/8 - 6/14

Vons and Albertsons must have the same marketing team because they both have Lucky Charms for $1.88 and grapes for $.98/lb!  How will I decide which one to go to?  Well, the Lucky Charms at Vons are only Friday through Monday and at Albertsons, you have to buy 10 to get the discounted price, but you also get 25 bonus box tops.... hmmmm...decisions, decisions...

Red Seedless Grapes                              $.98/lb

Charmin TP 12 double rolls                    $5.99/each with in-ad coupon limit 2
$.25/1 Charmin from the paper
           Not the best price, but ok if you need it

Promo: $.50 off each when you buy 8 or more participating products (3,000 to choose from)  Prices shown are AFTER discount.

Arrowhead 24 packs                             $3.49
There were coupons in the paper for a free 8 pack when you buy a 24 pack.

There is an unconfirmed Catalina for Arrowhead water that ends tomorrow.  If you buy 4 24 packs, you may get $5 back but you would have to do it tomorrow.  That would make them $2.24 each if you bought another 4 participating products (like the mac and cheese).

Yoplait GoGurt or Splitz                        $1.69

Kraft Macaroni and Cheese                  $.59

Plus, who knows what else....if any of you see an unadvertised deal let me know.  With 3,000 choices I bet there's a lot more.

Cheap Mac & Cheese at Vons

Sorry about the sideways pic.  From 6/8 - 6/14 you can get Mac & Cheese at Vons for 59 cents when you buy 8 or more.

I never thought I'd say this...

I am SO happy with Vons' update to their coupon policy!  I never thought I'd see the day those words were written by ME. I was just flipping through their ad casually, as usual, not expecting to see anything worth the hassle of going to that store, when I noticed it.  There it was.  Or rather, there it wasn't.  Where was the fine print that said, "minimum $10 purchase qualifies you for all coupons?"  I have no idea how long it has been changed, but I do know for a fact that it was there the last time I went to Vons.  I know because the checker wouldn't let me buy my $10 worth of pasta sauce unless I wanted to go back into the store and spend $10 on full priced merchandise.  A strange interpretation of those 8 words, in my opinion.  I called corporate from the parking lot and explained the situation. They put me on hold and called the store and told me to go back in to customer service and they would help me. I did; they didn't.  So I left frustrated.  I called corporate again and told them very politely (It wasn't their fault) that the store had still refused to help me. Corporate was so compassionate and offered to load $2 on to my Vons card for me (the disputed amount. I know...stupid to fight over $2, but it wasn't the money, it was the principle.)  Anyway, I would LOVE to think that it was my action that instigated this change.  In fact, I think I will think that.  It may not be true, but I think at the very least I contributed. 
Spiritual lesson learned:  Don't ever be afraid to stand up for what you believe in.  You may not see anything changed right now, but down the road, others may benefit from your diligence.

Vons 5/25-5/31

Vons takes the prize for the cheapest corn on the cob at $.22 each!  Everywhere else is $.25 each, not much difference.
Kingsford Charcoal                                    $5.99/16 lbs
Mission Tortilla Chips                                 $1.99 with in-ad coupon
Bertolli Olive Oil                                         $4.99/17 oz

Vons 5/14-5/24

Quilted Northern                $4.99/12 Double Rolls (with in ad coupon, limit 2)

Lysol Wipes or Spray         $1.79 (with in ad coupon, limit 2)

McCormick Grill Mates      $.99/2.5-3.4 oz. (must buy 3 to get discounted price)

Fresh Express Salad           $.99

Suddenly Salad                  $.99

Popsicles                           $.99/8 pack