We're not big on sugary cereals so it's great to find deals on ones I already prefer to buy.
I had only one single coupon on hand for General Mills, so I went on eBay to check for any available coupons for sale. I easily found $1/2 coupons and bought a set of 15 for only $1.99 with free shipping. I was surprised to find another great coupon in my eBay search... FREE MILK when you buy 4 General Mills cereals! I got a set of 5 for $4.99 w/shipping. Yes this is pricey for coupons, but when you consider the value of 5 free milks (over $15 value) this was a great deal for me!
Now that you know where I found all my great coupons, here's the breakdown of my transaction:
20 boxes GM cereals (I got 16 Chex and 4 Cheerios) @ $1.49 ea
5 gallons milk @ $3.19 ea
10 coupons for $1/2 GM cereals
5 coupons for FREE MILK wyb 4 GM cereals
I also saved 5cents for each reusable bag I used
MY GRAND TOTAL WAS $18.61!
In all fairness, I did spend $6.98 for coupons from eBay (and used all but 5 cereal Qs). If you factor in that expense, my true total is $25.59 for 20 boxes of cereal and 5 gallons of milk. The price per item is barely over $1!
Here's the trick to buying coupons on eBay... It has to be worth it. You need to order them in time to receive them before the sale ends and/or the coupons expire. Buy from a seller with great reviews and fast shipping. Order from a nearby state if you're concerned about getting them in time. **Even if you follow all these tips, you may still have the bad luck to receive coupons after a sale has ended. You have to be willing to take the chance and hopefully you'll find another sale before your coupons expire.
Follow the seasons... Now that I've been hard-core couponing for an entire year, I've seen the cycles of sales and special promotions. Last year around this time and a little closer to August, there were really great deals on cereals, Pop Tarts, and kid snacks. Buying when the time is right, and buying enough to last you 'til the next great deal is key in keeping your grocery bill low. If I had bought only 4 boxes of cereal at Save Mart today, knowing how my kids eat cereal I would have had to buy more at a higher price later. Buying lots now at a super cheap price means we're good for awhile and I won't buy any more cereal unless it's less than $1. I also know that when the kids are back in school I'll be sending large amounts of class snacks... with all my Chex I can mix up a big batch of Chex Mix for a tiny fraction of the cost of the giant box of snacks I used to purchase at Costco.
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