Last day for the stamps, so I decided to run the Perdue chicken strips rebate purchases while I could get the most mileage (free isn’t good enough).  Each transaction included 2 boxes of the chicken (for the Purdue MIR) and other assorted items for which I had free or greatly reduced coupons to bump up the total to $10.  Then I brought that balance down with RRs.

Found an instant potato cat expiring today and had to hit Jewel.  Good thing I did because the clearance rack was back!  It goes away during holidays and is only now reappearing.

So, here’s our stuff: instant potato pack; 6 packages of “Christmas”  rice (Wehani – a natural red strain) for $1.75; 3 packs wild rice for $3.75 each; 2 Java Delight Christmas blend for $2.25; 1 pack clearance cube steak (DH’s new BFF) $1.51 and 6 packages of Sunsweet dried Mango slices ($2.25).  Lest you think I’ve gone fruit-crazy, a check of my handy-dandy coupon database showed .75/1 in 12/5 s.

Total was almost $50, but I used $37.50 in RRs and the meat coupon to get down to $6.79 of which .78 was tax.  I’ll return with my $6 in Sunsweet mfr coupons tomorrow and get the cash back.

Every year (for at least the last 6+  years now), Jewel has offered small 5.2 cu inch freezers (igloo) for $149.99.  This in itself is a good deal because they usually sell for about $169 or more BUT, the coupons attached to the freezer really make the deal.  Prior years provided coupons worth $150 in free items.  Yes, that’s right.  Free.  So naturally you take those coupons and, unlike most people who immediately redeem them, hold onto those suckers until the sweet siren’s BOGO call.

Yeah, well that’s how it worked in prior years, but last year they pulled a fast one and shortened the redemption period from December 31 to May 31, which effectively blew that BOGO dream.  Still, for those peeps needing/wanting a second (or third, or…) freezer, it’s a pretty sweet deal.  CW confirmed with Jewel that they’ll be running this in 2011, but there’s no confirmed dates or amounts yet (although it’s usually held in the beginning of February).  I’ll update as needed…

Decided to burn through coupons and wts before expiration so ran a quick transaction at Jewel: 4 packs hot Italian Sausage (BOGO and $4 meat wts), 2 packs bratwurst (BOGO and $4 meat wt), 3 coffee ($4 wts), 20 lb bag white rice ($2 store q) and two Macaroni Grill (2 Free q’s).  Total was over $50, so used a “found” $5/50 cat and the previously mentioned coupons to bring my total down to $15.47, which I will admit is rather high…so I threw in a $10 RR from Sinex and a $3.50 RR from Chex Mix to end up at $1.97 OOP.

Let’s figure out the real cost here: the $13.50 in RRs cost me $7.95, so add that to the $1.97 and we’re at $9.92.  Pretty good way to start the week.