Deal of the week - Clip coupons and go Krogering

 I shop at Kroger regularly.  Mainly because we have a credit card with them that earns us $40 to $60 a quarter in free grocery rebate checks.  The fact that we pay our balance off monthly makes it even better.

But this week, even if you don't go to Kroger normally you may want to consider it.  This is the last week of their buy 10 specially marked items get $5 instantly off your order.  We purchase 30 items last week ($15 off) and 40 items this week ($20).  That doesn't include sale prices and coupons. We have saved over 50% on our grocery bill the last two weeks.

 We also repeated the Keebler deal from last week. (Regular $3.19, on sale for $1.49. Now add the discount of the by 10 specially marked items get $5 off and they are now $0.99 each. Add the printed coupon (probably from smart source online or coupons.com) of $1.50 off 2 Keebler cookies and you now have Keebler cookies regular $3.19 now $0.25 each ($0.245 actually))

So let's talk coupons for a moment.  What's the best ways of getting them.  Let's count the ways.

1. The obvious one, the newspaper.  Even if you don't read the paper a $2.00 investment can net you a good amount of savings.
2. Friends, neighbors, and relatives.  You will be amazed how many people are willing to give you their remaining coupons they weren't going to use anyway.   You can even set up a weekly swap with others.  It doesn't take much, just a table and willing people.  It really does move things along if people clip the coupons ahead of time. 
3. In the store.  Don't walk past those coupon hang tags or machines that spit them out.  Even if you aren't shopping for the product that week, you maybe soon and the coupon will be gone.  Coupons I saw today included $1/5 Easy Mac bowls, $1.50/1 Healthy Choice meal (the non-refrigerated ones), and Buy 2 Fritos and get one Free (we used that one since they were on sale and part of the 10/$5 off promotion)
4. Trading online.  There are many places that have people that are willing to trade their unwanted coupons for yours.  There are also people who are willing for a small fee (generally less than 10% of the coupon value) to find, gather, clip and mail coupons to you.  Getting multiples of coupons are great for stocking up when there are deals.  My favorite site for this is MyCoupons   (you do have to sign up with the site, but it's free) there are probably 100's of traders from all over the country. This also good because different markets have different coupons.  I had several times when a coupon in the Lexington paper will be half the value of the one in the Louisville paper.  Or we won't get a coupon at all that someone else did.
5. Printing online coupons.  Internet coupons are becoming more acceptable at stores as more legitimate sites are popping up.  It used to be that we were treated like potential scammers for using them but now we rarely have a problem.  If you do I suggest you go speak with a manager after you have finished shopping.  I've printed coupons from Smart Source and Coupons.com with no problem of acceptance.
6. Store websites.  Kroger has where you can no only print off coupons but you can also load them right onto you Kroger card.  They are generally different and better then the ones you get in the paper.  Like there is currently a coupon on there for B1G1F Always liners (save $3.50). 
7. Product website.  Like Weight Watchers Smart Ones meals?  Well if you go to their website right now you can print off a coupon for a $1 off  5.

You know any other places to find coupons?