A huge bonus at Bi-Lo is the Fuel Perks they offer. However, I do not think many people fully understand how to utilize these benefits. Must people know the basics--For every $50.00 you spend, you earn $0.05 off a gallon of gas (up to 20 gallons). Now, if you coupon well and save half on your groceries by coupon, the average (family of 4) monthly spending would be about $200-$250. In other words, that only averages out to about $4.00-$5.00 off a 20 gallon tank of gas ($0.25/gallon off). That's really not a huge savings on gas.
Therefore, you must understand how Bi-Lo works. Some times you will find in the Bi-Lo sales paper "Double Fuel Perks" during such and such days. Or, you will see "Fuel Perks Rewards." This is where you can score BIG!! By big, I mean I have earned in three weeks $1.70 off EVERY gallon of gas (up to 20 gallons). That equals out to $34 of savings in a tank of gas in THREE weeks!!
How do I do it?? Well, let's take this week's sales paper for example and my $4.97 spending that earned me $0.20 off per gallon.
If you purchase THREE Products listed in the paper (there's about 12 listed--charmin toilet paper, pampers baby wipes, Tide, Tide Stain Release, Crest Toothpaste, Crest Month wash, etc.)
Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste: $3.89
Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste: $3.89
Tide Stain Release Large: $6.99
Total: $14.77
With Bi-Lo Card:
Toothpaste: $2.49
Toothpaste: $2.49
Tide Stain Release: $5.99
Total: $10.97
Toothpaste Coupon: $0.75 (doubles for $1.50)
Toothpaste Coupon: $0.75 (doubles for $1.50)
Tide Stain Release: $3.00
Coupon Savings: $6.00
Total: $4.97
Fuel Perks: $0.20/gallon
Did I NEED toothpaste--not at the moment, but it was good toothpaste for only $1.00 and you can never have too much toothpaste!! It is always needed, plus it helped earned me fuel perks!
Friday, I also went to Bi-Lo and earned my first $0.20 off a gallon with the same reward, but I bought CHarmin Ultrasoft 18 roll tissue (mega rolls), toothpaste, and Tide Stain Release. My total for those three items were $12.47 and I earned $0.20 off a gallon (so in three days, I earned $0.40 off a gallon and spent $17.44). Again, this is ALL the stuff I use! And again....maybe it was not needed RIGHT now--well, I needed toilet paper and Tide stain release--but it will be used.
A huge concept to couponing well (and utilizing fuel perks) is to STOCK up on things while they are on sale AND you have a coupon for it. For instance, I have 12 tubes of toothpaste (Crest Pro-Health), 7 SETS of shampoo and conditioner, 5 razors (GREAT razors, the new ProGlide 5 blade razors), 4 shaving creams, 4 men's body washes, 6 women's body washes, and 4 tooth brushes in my upstairs closet. I can guarentee you that ALL that was less than $20 together!
So at what point to you quit stocking up? That stuff does expire...lol! If I get toothpaste for Christmas, I am disowning you...lol! JK I saw a lady on a hoarding show that was an extreme couponer and they made her throw out her stocks of shampoos, etc... said it will expire before she could ever get to it, if she ever even got to it. Then on Wifeswap, it showed how much time this particular woman wasted instead of having fun with family and spending time with her kids or even taking them to sport activities. I know you aren't that bad...yet...lol!
ReplyDeleteI haven't even looked at buying anymore shampoo--actually last time I bought it was May. We've been using what we have. I won't buy toothpaste anymore--but I have been sharing--we give stuff to John's mom and I've given mom toothpaste:) John and I use separate toothpaste because of our sinks. I did think maybe I could make gift baskets of "bathroom supplies" for CHristmas..>LOL kidding. And for food stocking--I don't stock up on anything I won't use within the next two months (most go on sale every 6-8 weeks, so I buy enough supplies that I'd need for 6-8 weeks of something). I've not got anything in my pantry that will expire before using.
ReplyDeleteAs far as time spent--I spent more time in the beginning than I do now--I have it organized and it's easy to do now. I spend maybe one hour twice a week going through my coupons.