OK - I just looked at the Albertsons ad which is up on their website here:
http://albertsons.shoplocal.com/albertsons/default.aspx?action=entry&storeid=2407889
and it looks like the price when you buy 2 cereals is $1.57 (if you only buy one, the price is $2.07) - so that totally changes the price calculations. Either way, it's a STEAL OF A DEAL!
If you’re like me, you’re wondering, is it more frugal to buy 5 boxes/transaction and only use two -$1/2 coupons, but pay the extra 50 cents for the 5th box of cereal, or to buy 6/transaction and use all 3 -$1/2 coupons!
Let’s find out!
5 boxes – 4 x $1.57 = $6.28 + $2.07 (for the 5th box) = $8.35
Use 2 - $1/2 coupons ($2 off) = $6.35
Calculate in the $5 catalina = $1.35
$1.35/5 boxes = 27 cents/box
OR
5 boxes – 4 x $1.57 = $6.28 + $2.07 (for the 5th box) = $8.35
Use two - $1/2 coupons ($2 off) = $6.35
ALSO use one $2/1 IP from Post’s website ($2 off) = $4.35
Calculate in the $5 catalina = overage of $.65 – (you would need to buy something else in this transaction to be able to use the $5.00 Catalina!!!)
6 boxes – 6 x $1.57 = $9.42
Use three - $1/2 coupons ($3 off) = $6.42
Calculate in the $5 catalina = $1.42
$1.42/6 boxes = 23.6 cents/box
Then if you use multiple IPs for -$2/1, you'll have to calculate it yourself! But we're glad you have lots of computers to print from.
Does this make sense to you? Someone check my math – it’s late after all
gift
23 comments:
Where is the coupon on the post site? I can't seem to locate it. Thanks!
Nevermind, I found it!
Hi there! Great post! I am very excited! I was wondering if you could buy 10 boxes in one transaction and still get 2 catalinas, or are you limited to getting one catalina per transaction? 10 boxes would meet the must buy two, and the $1/2 coupons! Thanks for your help!
oh no! is this deal only good in CA? I am in NV and can't find it anywhere in my ad... my ad runs Wed-Tues. I will be do devestated...
sorry, I meant ID...
Jenerfer - We are Idaho ladies ourselves! This cereal sale is in today's paper (Idaho Statesman where I live)... I found it right by the Walgreens ad. This sale will be going from today through April 7th.
In the second 5 box scenario, are you assuming the trail mix crunch cereal (for which the $2/1 coupon is for) is on sale for 1.57 as well? Because I don't see that cereal listed in the ad--so the actual price of that cereal might throw your calculations off a little. Or are you just hoping that we can use the trail mix crunch coupon for any Post cereal with a matching 5 digit code?
Emily - I wasn't able to print that coupon, so I'm not sure exactly what it is for. But keep in mind, that if it ISN'T included in the sale, and you can't use it on another cereal, the catalina offer is for ANY Post cereal (see updated prior post). So depending on the price in the store, it may still be a good deal to use that coupon since it can still be used to get another Catalina. (Plus, you would only have to purchase 4 of the $1.57 cereals, and make the trail mix crunch be your 5th... so what I'm saying is you wouldn't have to purchase a 6th box to maximize savings).
Ha ha! It's all getting pretty wordy now! I think we'll just have to go try and do, see how it works out, and share! :) Let us know what you find out!
Oh, and Jenerfer - it looks like you will not get a double cat print out if you purchase 10 boxes in a single transaction. See the PYP link on my updated previous post.
I might be one of your only readers who shops on Sunday, so I'll tell you about my experience. The Overland/Fivemile store has plenty of cereal to go around (and they have it on pallets in produce so you don't have to search for the boxes on sale!). Emily-the Trail Mix Crunch IS part of the sale, but the cashier said it looks like that coupon can be used on any of the sale cereals (as can the $1/2 in today's paper). If you use the $2/1 IP coupon and you want to get your $5 catalina, you can only use 1 of them per 5 boxes. Because an automatic discount of .50 cents per box occurs when you buy 2, the $2 coupon would exceed the amount of the cereal ($1.57/box)if you purchased an even amount (as opposed to $2.07 a box for the 5th box). I bought 16 boxes of cereal. 5 in my 1st transaction using 2 of the $1/2 coupons and 1 of the $2/1 IPs. The total was $4.35 (before tax) and my $5 catalina printed. 6 boxes in my 2nd transaction using 3 of the $1/2 coupons from today's paper. My total was $6.42 and I used the catalina from my 1st transaction, making my out of pocket $1.42 (plus tax). 5 boxes in my final transaction exactly like the 1st, only I used the $5 catalina and bought a pack of gum to prevent an overage. So for all 16 boxes I paid $5.77 OOP (plus tax) and left with a $5 catalina, making it about .05 per box!!!!!!
Obviously if you have access to multiple computers, using an IP coupon in each transaction is the most cost effective route. But remember you can only use 1 of those per transaction, so you might not need to go crazy with the printing! Anyway, sorry for the novel, just thought some of you might want to know how it actually worked out.
Thanks Amber for your post. It is great to see it pretty much spelled out for you! It makes me more confident to go and get the deal after seeing what someone else did. Thanks! I think I am going to go today and I will update everyone on the outcome!
I always have problems with smartsource coupons. THat $2 IP is one of those. I will say: "This could take up to one minute. Please do not close this window." for hours and I never get a coupon. Anyone have suggestions on this one. I can fix a bricks print problem but not the SS.
I shopped today also and I verified with the cashier that if you buy 5 they will still all ring up at the $1.57 price. The 5th box doesn't ring up at $2.07 as you are saying.
What a great deal!!
Hi all!
I had a great outing at Acme today! Here's my Post Cereal scenario spelled out: http://www.mamacheaps.com/2009/03/local-deal-post-cereal-at-acme-34-cents.html
It ended up being 34 cents/box for 10 boxes. Though theoretically, after applying the $8 in catalina vouchers, they were free. ($6.40 OOP, $8 in vouchers)
SWEET!!!!!!!
Tricia- This comment has nothing to do with your awesome post about cereal, but I just wanted you to know that I am so glad to know I wasn't the only one [still] up at 2:15 this morning. :)
Amber - Thanks for the info - that will be so helpful in knowing what to expect tomorrow!
Angela - I totally paid for it the next morning - How about you??? But look, here I am doing it again. This time I have a teething baby up though. Sweet Dreams!
Thanks everyone for your info on this sale - it's so nice to have help figuring things out!
I just got back from Alb's on Eagle/McMillan and wanted to give you all a heads up. On my second & third transactions, the cereals were only ringing in at $2.07 -- even though I was buying them in quantities of 2, the extra $1 per pair of cereals didn't come off (this $1 off 2 comes off at at end of transaction). When I pointed it out to the cashier they were able to manually take it off. Just watch the transaction and be aware that they're having this issue... they think it might be that it's only allowing the sale once per preferred number... but the ad doesn't limit us, so it's a glitch somewhere. Bottom line for me is 17 boxes of cereal for $.17 each. Sweeeeeet!
Amber--thanks for spelling out your whole trip for me. It was totally helpful! I really appreciate it!
So if you don't have any $1/2 coupons is it better to buy 5 or 6 at a time?
Jennifer buy 6 if you do not have coupons! The cereal rings up at 2.07 and you only get $1 for groups of two. So if you bought 5 you would pay 2.07 for one box and 1.57 for 4. Watch your receipt like Paula said above some of the $1 discounts are not coming off. It came off on my 1st transaction but not my 2nd! I had to go back and get it fixed. The discount will say post $1off and give you $3 off if you buy 6.
I went to the Broadway Albertson's in Idaho Falls this morning, and after much calculation and conversations with a helpful cashier, I decided to buy my cereal in transactions of 6. The cashier assured me that the 5th box of cereal in a transaction of 5 boxes would in fact ring up at 2.07, so I thought 6 would be better. But now I am second-guessing...could it be different from one side of the state to the other? I realize this is just a difference of a few pennies, but--that's why they call it "pinching-your-pennies", right? Help me figure this out!
My understanding is that you have to purchase in multiples of two in order to get the sale price of $1.57/box. With the catalina deal, which is separate from the sale, you only need to purchase 5 Post cereals (any) to get the $5 cat. To get the most bang for your buck, purchase 6 boxes, use 3 coupons (assuming they are $1/2) and then get your $5 cat! Hope that clears it up!
So i used 3 $2/1 trail mix coupons in one transaction and did not have a problem at the broadway store on tues.
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