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Business & Tech

15 Minutes Can Lower Your Grocery Bill

Using coupons is fast and easy and here are the best deals at Publix to show you how to do it.

It seems like every week I meet someone who is new to using coupons or who is thinking that they would like the savings of using coupons but feel like it is too time consuming or it will not work on the items that they buy. Neither of these reasons should stop you because they are simply not true.

The sales at stores change every week and if you shop at local grocery stores for anything at all, you can save money at the market. Coupons offer discounts on everything from fresh produce to cooking oils to cleaning products and pet food. Processed foods are often on sale and very cheap with coupons, but so are natural unprocessed foods. This is not a good reason to avoid coupon shopping. 

If you spend 15 minutes before you go to the market to look at the best deals on Patch, it can save you a lot of money each week. Patch goes through several online websites that find grocery store deals and looks at local store ads. We do the legwork for you. The research is the time consuming part of using coupons. This is done for you. Now, all you have to do is keep those coupon inserts with the date marked on the outside cover in a file and be sure to check Patch before you go to the store. 

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Remember when you are shopping that just because an item is on sale, does not make it a good deal. If it is an excellent deal and you have coupons to match with it, buy extra. This will prevent you from buying the same item at full price next week. The sale cycle may be as long as several weeks so you may not get this deal again until then. keep this in mind. You are better off paying half price now, and buying extra then paying full price later. Think ahead. Your monthly shopping budget will thank you. 

The sale at runs from Thursday through next Wednesday. They have several items that are buy one, get one free. These items do not need to be purchased in multiples of two. If you by one, it will ring up half price. You can use two coupons if you buy two items. You can combine Publix or Target store coupons with manufacturer coupons on the same items. 

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If you shop on Thursday, be sure to bring the Publix mystery item coupon found in the Thursday AJC with you. If you forget to bring it, ask your cashier if you need it. Sometimes you need it and sometimes you do not. The mystery item that you will be able to get for a penny on Thursday with this coupon is a two-liter bottle of Publix cola. 

Here are the best deals at Publix this week. 

Mahatma Rice is on sale at varied prices depending on the variety.There were coupons in the newspaper on Sept. 11 that will drop the price of this down to between 15 and 30 cents depending on the package that you choose. 

Pompeian Olive Oil is buy one, get one free. Use this printable coupon and pay $4.50 per bottle.

Tabasco Sauce is on sale for $1.59. use the coupon from the Aug. 28 newspaper and pay 59 cents for the bottle. 

Old El Paso Taco Seasoning is on sale for $1 each. Use the coupons from the Aug. 7 or Sept. 18 newspapers. You can also print a coupon here or here to get it free, or close to free.

Wish Bone Dressing is buy one, get one free at $2.65. Use the coupons from their Facebook page for additional savings. 

Emerald nuts, in select varieties are buy one, get one free. Use this printable coupon or the one in the Sept. 11 newspaper for extra savings. The prices differ depending on the variety that you choose. 

Keebler Chips Deluxe or Sandies cookies are buy one, get one free. Use the coupons from the newspaper on Aug. 7, Aug. 21 or Sept 18 and pay under $1.50 a package. There were also coupons in the Publix booklets called Score Big Savings and Happy New School Year.

Pepperidge Farm bread is buy one, get one free at $3.99. Use the coupon from the July 24 newspaper and get a really great deal on bread, which freezes well.

Starbucks Ready Brew is on sale for $2.99. There was a coupon for $2 off in the Sept. 11 newspaper, making this coffee package 99 cents. 

Kraft Cream Cheese tubs are $1 each after the sale price and this printable coupon are used.

Marie's Dips are buy one, get one free this week. Without coupons, these are $1.75 a tub. 

Fat Boy ice cream sandwiches are buy one, get one free at $4.89. There were coupons in the newspaper on June 27 for extra savings. 

Perdue Chicken Nuggets are buy one, get one free. Use the coupon from the newspaper on Aug. 7 and pay $2.20 a bag. 

Deer Park Spring Water, sold in the 12 pack package, is buy one, get one free. After the Aug. 28 coupon, shoppers will pay $1.

Milk Bone Dog Bones are buy one, get one free. Use the coupon from the Aug. 14 newspaper and pay $1.25 a box. There is also a Target coupon that you can print and use at Publix.

Wiskas Cat Food is buy one, get one fee. Use the coupon from the Sept 18 newspaper and pay $1.25 a bag.

Hawaiian Tropic After Sun Lotion is $2.99 after this $4 off coupon. 

Banana Boat After Sun Lotion is $1.29 after this $4 off coupon. 

Crest Complete is on sale for $2.50 each. Use the coupon from the Sept. 11 newspaper along with the Publix coupon sheet called Stocking Spree. The toothpaste will be free. 

Windex 64 ounce refill bottles are  buy one, get one free at $2.60. Use the printable coupon here or the coupon from the July 31 newspaper and pay $2.10 each. 

Lysol Bathroom Cleaner is buy one, get one free. Use this printable coupon and pay $1.50 each.

If you are looking for the great deals at Kroger, Target and the local pharmacy stores, be sure to check out from Monday. 

If you have coupon questions, ask them in the comments section. If you have a great tip or great savings to tell us about, we want to hear this too.

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