Publix: Do you buy just to use coupons?

This week at Publix, I didn't see a lot of great deals that I wanted or that I had the appropriate coupons for.  But I had a $2 off $25 Doris Italian Market Recyclebank coupon in my purse that I really wanted to use. (Doris Italian Market is considered a competitor to my Publix location.)  After picking up about $19 in products (cereal, tomatoes, crackers, and bananas), I had to decide: Do I buy more just to use the coupon, or do I just buy what I planned on?

What would you do?  Leave a comment below!

In this case, I decided to buy another $6 or so in products. In the discount carts, I found some Arborio rice, the rice used for risotto.  I love risotto, but because of the expense, I haven't made it in quite some time.  For half price, though, I'll take it!  So I took two, but I was still a little under $25.  So I went for a deal I had passed over when I made my Publix plan - Angel Soft bathroom tissue for $4.99.  There was a matching coupon, but I didn't have it.

Now I was over $25, so I checked out.  Everything seemed to go well.  But when I got home, I noticed something was missing - some bananas!  I checked my receipt and indeed, it wasn't there either.  I'm not sure how it was missed!  In any event, without the bananas, my total products was under $25, so the cashier shouldn't have taken the $2 off $25 coupon.  But she did.  Had she done it right, we would've noticed the missing bananas, and I'd have them here instead of having to make a special trip just to get some.


Here's what managed to make it home:

2 Bellino arborio rice @ 2/$3.33

4 Keebler Club crackers @ BOGO $3.87 = $7.74
- $1/2 Keebler Club Crackers, exp. 5/27/12 (RP 04/01/12 R) (there is also a $1.00 off any three Keebler Products coupon available)
=  $5.54 for four, or $1.44 each

2 Post Honey Bunches of Oats Fruit Blends cereal @ BOGO $3.99
- $1/1 Post Honey Bunches of Oats printable
- $0.80/1 Post Honey Bunches of Oats New Fruit Blends printable (you can watch a video and increase the value to $1.10)
= $2.19 for two, or $1.10 each

6 Hunt's tomatoes @ BOGO $1.49 = $4.47
- $1/3 Hunt's Tomatoes @Publix, exp. 5/12/12 (SS 04/15/12 R)
= $2.47 for six, or 41¢ each

1 Angel Soft 12-roll @ $4.99
[there is a coupon available but I didn't have it with me: $0.45/1 Angel Soft Bath Tissue, exp. 6/23/12 (RP 03/25/12)]

- $2 off $25 Doris Italian Market coupon (Recyclebank)

Total product: $16.72
Tax: 30¢

Total out of pocket: $17.02
Total saved compared to Publix full prices: $29.32

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