Shopping at Fry's on a $5 Budget!

Budgets across the board are tight lately, so my mission this weekend was to do shopping for my family of 4 on a $5.00 budget. Sounds nuts, but trust me, with a lot of planning and a pad of paper to keep tally, it's doable this week with Fry's Mega Event! Here's my attempt (and how you can do it better):

You can only do the $5/10 Items 3 times in a single transaction, so my trip was divided into two. Also, I made sure I only did 3 like items, just in case the fourth coupon wouldn't double. Here's the first transaction broken down:

(4) Annie's Mac And Cheese 6 oz $.49 WYB10 ITEMS
$.75/2 Annie's Mac And Cheese, Sprouts Tearpad
= FREE

(2) Idahoan Potatoes Pouch $1.00
$.40/1 Idahoan printable
= FREE

Kroger Onion Bagels $1.29
$1/1 Target printable (no longer available)
= $.29

(2) Renuzit Cone Refreshers $1.00
$1/1 Renuzit Cone Refreshers printable
= FREE

Advil Liquid Gels 20 pack $2.50 WYB10 ITEMS
Free Bottle Coupon No Longer Available.
(now offering a $2/1 Advil coupon here, and get it for only $.50!)
= FREE

Yakisoba $1.00
$.50/1 Yakisoba Noodles (SS 10/10)
= FREE

Banquet Fruit Pie $.89
$.35/1 Banquet Fruit Pie, exp. 12-15-10 (SS 10/24/10)
= FREE + $.11 MM

Tic Tac $1.00
$.75/1 Tic Tac Product, exp. 12-31-10 (RP 10/03/10)
= FREE

Fry's Milk $2.19

(4) La Victoria Salsa $1.49 WYB10 ITEMS
$4/2 La Victoria printable (No Longer Available)
= FREE + $1.02 MM WYB2

Tyson Anytizers $1.78 WYB10 ITEMS
$1/1 Tyson Any'tizers Snacks, exp. 1-10-11 (SS 10/10/10)
$1/1 Tyson Anytizers, exp. 1-6-11 (SS 11/07/10)
= $.78

Tyson Frozen Chicken $1.78 WYB10 ITEMS
$1/1 Tyson Frozen Breaded Chicken, exp. 1-10-11 (SS 10/10/10)
= $.78

(5) Del Monte Tomatoes $.49 WYB10 ITEMS
$1/5 Del Monte Tomatoes, exp. 11/15/10 (RP 09/19)
= $.29 WYB5

Campbell's Chunky Soup $.99 WYB10 ITEMS
$.50/1 Campbell's Chunky printable
= FREE

(2) Stove Top Stuffing $.75 WYB10 ITEMS
$.50/2 Stove Top Target printable
$1/2 Stove Top printable
= FREE + $.50 MM WYB2

(3) American Beauty Pasta $.79 WYB10 ITEMS
$.50/1 American Beauty Quick Cook (if included) printable
$.55/1 American Beauty Quick Cook (SS 10/03)
= FREE + $.21 MM

Zone Bar $1.59
Free Facebook Offer (No Longer Available)
= FREE

Luna Bar $1.00
$.50/1 Luna Bar or Protein Bar, exp. 11-30 (Mambo Sprouts Messenger)
= FREE

Hormel Chili .89 WYB10 ITEMS
$.75/1 Hormel Chili Master Chili Product printable
$.75/1 Hormel Chili Master printable
= FREE + $.11 MM

Pringles Extreme $1.49 WYB10 ITEMS
FREE Facebook Offer No Longer Available
= FREE

Sprite $1.00
$.50/1 Sprite Catalina
= FREE

(2) Pillsbury Toaster Strudel $1.49 WYB10 ITEMS
FREE Box from instant win game
= FREE

(5) Hungry Man Dinners $1.78 WYB10 ITEMS
$2/1 Hungry Man printable
= FREE + .22 MM!

Old Orchard Orange Pinapple Juice $2.99
FREE Facebook Offer No Longer Available
= FREE

Fresh and Easy $5/$20 printable

Total = $5.08

Savings = $95.87!

Now, I should have had an extra $10/$50 Fresh and Easy coupon with me, making my total a whopping $.08, but I didn't. Live and learn. Next, my second smaller transaction:

Hormel Chili $.89 WYB10 ITEMS
$.75/1 Hormel Chili Master Chili Product printable
$.75/1 Hormel Chili Master printable
= FREE + $.11 MM

Swanson Broth $.49 WYB10 ITEMS
$.20/2 Swonson Broth (2001 Cookbook... I've had this forever, it never expired!)
= FREE + $.02 MM

(3) Campbell's Cream of Mushroom or Chicken Soup $.49 WYB10 ITEMS
$1.50/3 Campbell's Great for Cooking Soups printable
= FREE + $.02 MM

(2) Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers $.49 WYB10 ITEMS
$.50/2 Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers via Cellfire
$.50/2 Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers printable (Target mfr.)
$.50/2 Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers, exp. 11-27-10 (GM 10/03/10)
= FREE + $.02 MM WYB2

Honest Tea .75 WYB10 ITEMS
$.50/1 Honest Tea or Ade printable (Can print up to 3)
= FREE + $.25 MM

American Beauty Pasta $.79 WYB10 ITEMS
$.50/1 American Beauty Quick Cook (if included) printable
$.55/1 American Beauty Quick Cook (SS 10/03)
= FREE + $.21 MM

(2) Annie's Mac And Cheese 6 oz $.49 WYB10 ITEMS
$.75/2 Annie's Mac And Cheese, Sprouts Tearpad
= FREE + $.02 MM

(3) Campbell's Chunky Soup $.99 WYB10 ITEMS
$.50/1 Campbell's Chunky printable
= FREE + $.01 MM

Kroger Cereal, Large Bag $3.19

Sub Total = -$2.00

Grabbed 2 King sized Reeses and a Tic Tacs to cover the negative balance and....

Total = $.98

Savings = $48.83!

Ok, second lesson learned: bring a couple things to cover a negative balance when your cutting it so close; you never know how those coupons will ring up exactly! Also, I could have used a second Fresh and Easy coupon making a usable overage for ground beef or something.

Grand Total = $6.06

Total Savings = $144.70!