*Update: I've added a few more blogs to my reader and I've included them below.

I've been reading more frugal blogs lately hoping to pick up tips on ways to cut our food costs. Since our mortgage went up we're really feeling the pinch. All the sites I read advocate coupons. I use coupons whenever I can, but have never tried all the price matching scenarios because it seemed like so much work.

I figured it wasn't worth the hassle to save a dollar or two. Why burn the gas? Why buy things we don't eat? Man, how I wish someone had smacked me upside the head! Or that I'd met Erin, Erin and Alyssa sooner (met them at General Mills, more on that later). Done right, the savings can be way more than a few dollars, especially if the items go toward building a stockpile (that's frugalista lingo for a huge stash of non perishable foods, toiletries and household items).

Since it's been so. damn. hot. here, this past Saturday I decided to put some of what I've read recently about the Kroger Mega Event into practice and take advantage of the air conditioning (here in So Cal we go to Ralph's). I printed all the coupons I needed, loaded others onto my Ralph's Club card and left the boys here to swelter.

And I returned home with all of this:

Before coupon total: $117

You'll never guess how much I paid for it. Go on, guess.

Nope, try again.

Ooooh, that's close!

You're getting warmer!

Give up? (just tell me the damn total already!)

I only paid $43.95!!!

I know! I was impressed with me too. I think I could have done a little better though. I didn't make a list and I'm pretty sure there was something I forgot. Part of the Mega Event is an in-store promotion where purchasing 10 eligible items automatically took $5 off. Looking at my receipt on the way to the car I had 27 items. If I had counted before checkout adding another three items may have paid off even more.

(Our Armageddon Stash stockpile)

Between my anal compulsive-ness and my competitive-ness, it's totally grocery game on! I even put a note on our mailboxes asking all my neighbors to give me their coupons if they're not going to use them. Tomorrow is trash night and I'm not above doing a little digging in the paper recycling bins.

I will admit that this took a long time. I was on the PC (for printing) and had my new! laptop next to me and I was cycling back and forth between blog posts and the coupon printing sites. But, I have a feeling it will get easier as I get used to when the coupons reload, which sites I like best, what stores I like, a better system for organizing my coupons and which blogs I find most helpful. Hmm... that still sounds like a lot of work...

If you're new to all this too, here's a list of what I've found most helpful so far:

Print coupons from*:

Smart Source

Red Plum

Coupons.com

P&G eSaver (Proctor and Gamble)

Simple and Delicious (ConAgra Foods)

A Full Cup (you can print Target coupons here)

Cool Savings

Unilever

Smart phone options:

Cellfire.com (I loaded coupons straight to my club card but I'm also going to try the free app for my iPod Touch)

Blogs to read:

$5 Dinners (Erin, I totally stalk her, but she's cool with it)

Keeping The Kingdom First (Alyssa)

Mommy Snacks

Deal Seeking Mom

Jane 4 Girls, $800 Annual Budget (Erin, and no, that's not a typo!)

Newly added:
Couponing 101
Save At Home Mommy
Stretching A Buck

Buy extra coupons from:
The Coupon Carryout (for when you know of a great sale price and coupon match, affiliate link)

Clip coupons from:

Sunday paper (Smart Source and P&G)

Red Plum mailer (I've been tossing this in the recycle since the coupons are bundled with other junk, sob!)

All You magazine (sold at Wal Mart, but I'm going to subscribe)

If there's something you know that I don't please share! Does anyone match coupons for Albertson's? And if you've picked up any good tips spill those too, this is all so fascinating to me!

*I did have to register at many of the sites but so far no Spam (photo credit from here)

Rolling With My Homies

Yeah, OK, that was lame. I have been remiss in not updating my blog roll. Thanks to Mommy Pie and her awesome BlogHerNot party and to Mommy's Martini, I have added so many new reads. Thank goodness Drama Kid is old enough to wipe his own butt because I'm pretty much glued to the computer!

Instead of adding on to the current list on the left, I'm replacing some blogs with the new ones, just to keep it fresh. I think it's easier than having 100+ blogs listed and hopefully will keep the page from loading too slowly.

Enjoy these new folks, I sure do!

Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner!

At least I hope to be. There's a new blog in town, BloggedIn. They are part of the Family Friendly Blogs Network. They have a contest going for a $100 Target gift card. I haven't poked around their site too much but I think I'm gonna like it. From their About Me:

An e-zine with no attitude, we promote the family and those who choose to blog family-friendly style. It’s a safe place to network, learn, and grow. We’re here to promote your blog, help you find new blogs to read, and promote the family in a society that seems to be forgetting the pivotal role it holds.

I really need this because DS's pants look like he's waiting for the second coming of Noah. Plus, I love entering contests! So, will the two of you who read this head over and enter here telling them I sent ya? Please? Contest runs for the month of May.

Buttons confuse me. Sorry for the lame linkage.