RVA Deals

In addition to the best deals around town this week, our bargain hunter offers up some blinkie-coupon-machine (that’s a technical term) tricks and tips.

March 24, 2010; 6:00 AM • by Alison Brown

Coupon tip: Collect coupons from blinkie machines and tear pads in stores,* and wait patiently to redeem them when the products go on a good “stock-up” sale. A few weeks ago, I snagged a coupon for $2 off 2 boxes of Keebler or Townhouse crackers and filed it until this week, when the crackers went on sale at Kroger for $1.88. Final price: $.88 a box.

(The March to Savings promo continues this week at Kroger – save $4 when you buy 8 participating items)

Meat Top Pick

Oscar Mayer bacon buy 1, get one free at Kroger. Combine with $.75 coupon from Sunday’s SmartSource.

Veggie Top Pick

$.88 12-oz frozen vegetables at Kroger

Fruit Top Pick

Cameo, Fuji, Empire apples at Kroger and Gala apples at Ukrop’s $1/lb

Dairy Top Pick

Kraft shredded, chunk, or singles cheese $.99 at Kroger when you buy 8. Look for “$1 off 2” coupons in blinkie machines

Staples Top Pick

Annie’s macaroni & cheese boxes $.49 at Kroger, when you buy 8

Snacks & Sweets Top Pick

Remember Lunchables? As a kid, I thought they were the pinnacle of lunch box chic. Oscar Mayer Lunchables $1 at Ukrop’s or $.99 at Kroger when you buy 8. FREE after $1 coupon from Sunday’s SmartSource.

Beverages Top Pick

Simply Orange orange juice $2.49 at Kroger when you buy 8

Household Top Pick

For the households with little ones, Pampers are a deal at CVS this week: They’re on sale for $8.97 a jumbo pack, and you’ll receive $3 in Extra Care Bucks for each pack purchased (limit 2). There were $2 coupons in 2/21 Proctor & Gamble insert and 3/14 RedPlum, making them $3.97 each after coupon and ECB’s.

Huggies households head to Walgreens to get $5 in Register Rewards when you buy 3 jumbo packs (on sale for $8.99). Print a $3 manufacturer’s coupons here.

Find more deals by accessing the stores’ weekly ads online:

• Prices valid 3/21-3/27: Kroger, Ukrop’s, Target, Walgreen’s, CVS
• Prices valid 3/24-3/30: Tom Leonard’s, Whole Foods, Fresh Market

Monthly ads online:

• Prices good for all of March: Ellwood Thompson’s, Good Foods Grocery

*Etiquette: Please only take coupons for products you realistically might buy and don’t hog the coupons. (I only grab one or two of each kind per shopping trip.)

March 24, 2010 6:00 AM 5