still:saving

The Frugal Map

2010-02-12T14:39:00.001-06:00

Want to start saving money but don't know where to begin? Overwhelmed by every other frugal blog that seems to pop up overnight? Confused when you go to the store only to realize that the deal you read about online wasn't for your region?

Then you need to check out The Frugal Map.

You can click on your state to find frugal/couponing blogs local to your area. This is a GREAT resource, not only for making sure you're reading about deals for your region, but for getting to know other frugalistas/couponers in your own area!

Know of other blogs in Texas or the DFW area that aren't on this map - share them here so we can learn from each other!

Track Your Grocery Savings

2010-02-11T14:14:00.001-06:00

I blogged last year about the spreadsheet I used to track my 2009 Grocery Savings.

However, I found a new spreadsheet that I think is an even better resource than my measly spreadsheet.

Angela, over at The Coupon Project, has created the best FREE downloadable Savings Tracker.

I have started using this year and love it. Some of the features include:

Easily imput your monthly and yearly goals
Enter data from your reciepts and let the preset formulas tally your spending, savings, actual-to-budget, and more
Track and manage your rebates (NEW!)
Determine how much you saved with coupons, store sales, and rebates
Have your monthly and year-to-date savings ratio update instantly

I especially like that I set my goal grocery budget for the month, and as I input receipts I can watch my remaining monthly balance change. It's a little more accountability for me to watch how much I spend each week!

So, check out The Coupon Project and let me know if you end up trying out the Savings Tracker spreadsheet. Or, if you have a resource that you LOVE to use to tracker your spending/savings at the grocery share that with us! I'm always on the lookout for new tools.

2009 Savings Totals

2010-02-10T14:14:00.000-06:00

Well, I finally got around to running some numbers and tallying the totals from last years spending/savings spreadsheets, and here are the results:

2009 Grocery Budget:

Saved $1,332.69

Average Percentage 36%

I consider these numbers to be somewhat incomplete, because I know there were times I ran to the store to pick up three items with no coupons and instead of recording that transactions I just threw away the receipt.

This year it's one of my goals to record EVERYTHING we spend at the grocery store - wether I have a savings of 98% or 0% - it's all going in the spreadsheet!

2009 CVS:

Spent $64.03 OOP (out of pocket)

Saved $1,454.48

Average Percentage 95.78%

Again, if we went to the store for a box of Claritin and didn't use any extra bucks or any coupons, I often didn't record the transactions - I'm such a cheater aren't I? Throwing out the zero savings shopping trips to keep my percentage high?!

Well, this year, no more. I'm using this fabulous new spreadsheet that I'll share with ya'll tomorrow to record our monthly spending goals and our every transaction!

Did you track your savings last year? Or is that something you want to do this year?

Big News for a New Year

2010-01-06T14:46:00.002-06:00

Big Announcement over at the main blog: http://thestillers.blogspot.com

Coupon Insert Schedule 2010

2009-12-30T12:44:00.003-06:00

If you have been clipping coupons from the newspaper for any amount of time you've probably figured out that some weeks there are NO INSERTS.

No doubt you were like me, furiously and meticulously combing your newspaper sure that you must have just overlooked the SmartSource insert.

Well, save this schedule so that you can save your money. Some weeks (mostly holiday weekends) there will be no coupon inserts in the newspapers.

January
1/3: 2 Smart Source & 2 Red Plum & General Mill
1/10: Smart Source & Red Plum
1/17: Smart Source & Red Plum & Proctor & Gamble
1/24: Smart Source & Red Plum
1/31: Smart Source & Red Plum

February
2/7: Smart Source
2/14: No Inserts
2/21: Smart Source & General Mills & Procter and Gamble
2/28: Smart Source & Red Plum

March
3/7: Smart Source, Red Plum & Procter and Gamble
3/14: Smart Source& Red Plum
3/21: Smart Source& Red Plum
3/28:2 Smart Source & Red Plum & Procter and Gamble

April
4/4: No Inserts
4/11: Smart Source & Red Plum
4/18: Smart Source & Red Plum
4/25: Smart Source & Red Plum

May
5/2: Smart Source & Red Plum & P&G
5/9: Smart Source & Red Plum
5/16: 2 Smart Source & Red Plum
5/23: Smart Source & Red Plum
5/30: No Inserts

June
6/6: Smart Source & Red Plum & Procter and Gamble
6/13: Smart Source
6/20: Smart Source & Red Plum
6/27: Smart Source & Red Plum

July
7/4: No Inserts
7/11: Smart Source & Red Plum
7/18: Smart Source
7/25: Smart Source & Red Plum

August
8/1: Smart Source & Red Plum & Procter and Gamble
8/8: Smart Source & Red Plum
8/15: Smart Source & Red Plum
8/22: Smart Source & Red Plum
8/29: Smart Source & Red Plum & P&G Insert

September
9/5: No Inserts
9/12: Smart Source & 2 Red Plum
9/19: Smart Source & Red Plum
9/26: Smart Source & Red Plum

October
10/3: Smart Source & Red Plum & Procter and Gamble
10/10: Smart Source & Red Plum
10/17: Smart Source & Red Plum
10/24: Smart Source & Red Plum
10/31: Smart Source & Red Plum

November
11/7: Smart Source & Red Plum & Procter and Gamble
11/14: Smart Source & Red Plum
11/21: Smart Source & Red Plum
11/28: No Inserts

December
12/5: Smart Source & Red Plum & Procter and Gamble
12/12: Smart Source & Red Plum
12/19: No Inserts
12/26: No Inserts

Thanks: The $30 Weekly Grocery Challenge

Swagbucks: Earn Money to Search the Internet

2009-12-10T13:48:00.005-06:00

While you're doing your Christmas shopping online and Googling and searching for all of your coupon codes, let me tell you about another way to earn a little cash simply for searching the internet.

It's called Swagbucks. It's a search engine that searches Google, but gives you points (or Swagbucks) when you search through its website. So, it's like Google ONLY BETTER!

You can cash in your Swagbucks for all kinds of goodies and gift certificates - that's like earning FREE gift cards doing something you were doing anyways on Google! Sounds fun to me! You can check out the Swagbucks store here.

Sign up through this link and I'll get referral points. Then, tell all your friends to sign up so you can start racking up points to earn free gift cards!

So, now you should be set up to earn money while searching and shopping!

Earn Money Christmas Shopping Online

2009-12-09T10:30:00.001-06:00

I have two Christmas gifts left to purchase this year. I've never been this ahead of the game and it feels fabulous!

First rule of online shopping: ALWAYS Google for coupon codes before you buy anything online. I almost always can find free shipping, or 10-15% off simply by Googling phrases like, "Barnes & Noble coupon code." So, start saving a few dollars by using your super sleuth skills.

I wanted to share two resources I use this year to save money and even earn money when buying gifts online.

Ebates - If you shop through Ebates you earn a percentage of your total purchase back. All you do is find the website you want to purchase from, click "Shop Now," and Ebates will track your purchase and credit your Ebates account for the percentage within a few days. Once you've earned $5.01 you'll get paid quarterly either by check or via PayPal.

You can also earn cash by referring friends to Ebates, which is actually the fastest way to grow your Ebates check.

So, if you still have some online shopping to do, click through here (I'll get referral credit if you join) and see if you can save/earn some money while shopping!

ShopAtHome - ShopAtHome is another program like Ebates where you can earn a percentage back on purchases made online by clicking through their website. You have to earn $20 before you'll get your cash back check, but I've found that ShopAtHome often has a little higher percentage back than Ebates so that $20 may accumulate faster than you think.

Again, you can earn cash back by referring friends, so here's a shameless link for you to sign up so I can earn some referral credit!

Happy Christmas Shopping!

Let us know the best deals you're finding for gifts this year.

CVS Black Friday Deals

2009-11-25T14:22:00.010-06:00

If you have been looking for a chance to get started shopping at CVS - Black Friday is your day! There will be more free-after-Extra-Bucks items than EVER.

And, I'll let you in on a little-known secret: the deals actually start on Thursday! I usually sneak out bright and early on Thursday, while the stores are still quiet and well-stocked, and make it home to wake up Danny with all of my FREE LOOT! So, you don't even have to brave Black Friday traffic to take advantage of these deals.

Want to know what I'll be buying this year? Check out my shopping list/spreadsheet here.

You can browse through the CVS Black Friday ad here.

And, if you are just a link/blog junkie like me, here a few more blogs that talk about CVS Black Friday deals and scenaries:

"Cents"able Momma

Hip2Save

MoneySavingMom

Any other Black Friday deals ya'll just can't wait to grab?

Christmas Pictures on the Cheap

2009-11-23T09:57:00.010-06:00

Getting Christmas pictures and letters is one of my favorite things about the holidays. However, this year, I was dreading spending money on cute, but pricey photo cards. I had decided that I was just going to a simply 4x6 design of my own and try to find a few good deals on printing regular photos.

However, much to my amazement there are some GREAT photo card deals to be had this year.

If you follow any coupon/savings blogs at all, then you've surely seen some of these deals that I'm about to mention floating around. But just in case you hadn't I wanted to let you know I got 100 christmas pictures for $6.40.

Create an account at http://www.seehere.com/
Upload your picture(s) and design a 4x8 photo card.
Save your photo card!
Add 50 photo cards to your cart.
Use promo code "newbaby" to only pay $3.19 for shipping & handling. (Thanks MoneySavingMom!)
After completing the first order, go back to your saved photo card and add 50 more cards to your cart.
Use the promo code found at Freebies4Moms to only pay $3.19 for shipping & handling. This code expires on 11/30/09.

Here are a few other picture deals worth mentioning:

Get 140 return labels for FREE, only pay $3.00 for shipping & handling at VistaPrint.
Get 100 free 4x6 prints for FREE by using promo code "prints" at SeeHere. (Thanks The Coupon Project!)
Join Kodak.com and get 50 free 4x6 prints for FREE. (Thanks Wise Bread!)
Join Clark Color Labs and get 40 free 4x6 prints for FREE. Just pay $2.97 for shipping & handling. (Thanks $30 Weekly Grocery Challenge!)

Have any other photo deals worth mentioning? Leave them in the comment section for us!

Miserly Mom on Focus on the Family

2009-11-20T11:20:00.001-06:00

My friend, Miriam, alerted me to the recent Focus on the Family broadcast with Jonni McCoy.

Jonni authored the book "Miserly Moms" which is a great read on saving money, couponing and her personal story of going from earning 55% of their household income to a stay-at-home mom.
You can find the replay at the Focus on the Family website. Simply search for "Frugal Living in a Tough Economy." The two parts originally aired on 11/12/09 and 11/13/09.

I took notes furiously while listening to Jonni talk. It was so fun to be encouraged that anyone can coupon and it doesn't have to take up your entire life.

A few highlights for you:

The biggest waste in people's grocery lists is convenience food. You pay 3-5 times more for something that's prepared, for example:
Bisquick - it's only four ingredients, so unless you get it free it's cheaper to make yourself
Pancake syrup - a bottle costs almost $4, but you could make it at home for $.11!
You can save 35% on your grocery list almost immediately by planning your meals around loss leaders (those items that are featured on the front and back of the weekly store ads).
Jonni addressed the whole gas vs. savings of going to multiple stores controversy. She finally calculated one of her grocery trips and discovered the following, that by going to multiple grocery stores she:

She saved $65
She spent $3.80
Spent 3 hours of her week
If you don't have time to make a grocery list, plan menus or look at loss leaders then shop at Walmart. They don't have loss leaders because they have the lowest overall prices.
Warehouse stores like Costco and Sams usually (but, NOT ALWAYS) have the best deals on:

produce
batteries
dairy
personal care items
vitamins

Cereal is always more expensive at warehouse stores. And, if you shop the sales at regular grocery stores you can usually find better deals on meat and paper products (I have found this to be very true!)
If you're a working wife/mom wanting stay at home, Jonni suggests trying to live on less and less in order to learn to live on one income. She also advises taking a look at the cost of working. Some hidden expenses of working won't go away until a wife/mom actually quits working like clothing, day care, gas, etc. Did you know that some people PAY TO WORK? That is crazy to me!
Jonni shared a great reminder that being frugal doesn't mean being deprived. Frugality simply means using your money as a tool to get to whatever goal you have set for yourself.
The average family spend $5,000 a year eating out. If you eat out for convenience, know that a good, cheaper first step for you to take might be to simply buy some frozen prepared meals. Frozen, prepared foods are still not as cheap as cooking yourself, but it might be a good step to help wean you off of eating out too often.
Another way to cut back when eating out is to order water to drink and to split entrees.

Finally, if you're looking for more resources, some cheap recipes and Jonni's personal price goals - check out her website here.

Spreadsheets: Part 5 - Grocery Price Book

2009-11-18T14:35:00.002-06:00

The final spreadsheet that I use to help me coupon and calculate my savings is the Grocery Price Book. This is one of the last spreadsheets I started using in my couponing adventures, yet it is probably the one I refer to the most, as it tells me if a sale is actually a good deal or not.

You can find the Grocery Price Book template here or in the column to the right.

I originally found this spreadsheet at Uncommon Way to Wealth, and you can see their examples under the first tab in the spreadsheet.

Date & Store
These columns are pretty self-explanatory.

Product Catagory
Here I put a very general catagories - for example: meat.

Product Name
Here I enter more specifics - for example: chicken breast

Brand Name
You'll see under my Grocery Pricebook 2009 that I've tweaked this spreadsheet a little. I've added a column called Brand Name so that I can compare brand prices and sales.

Weight/Volume/Units/Count/Quantity
These columns are really up to you as to how you fill them out. Generally I do ounces in the first two columns and pounds in the second two columns. You'll want to maintain some consistency with these, especially for similar products so that you can compare like products.

Orig/Sale/Coupon
Here is where you record the original price, the sale price and the coupon value (I've added the coupon column to the original spreadsheet).

Final Price
This is automatically calculated for you.

Price per Unit
This is also automatically calculated for you (don't you LOVE spreadsheets yet) and are the columns you'll reference most often to see which store has the best price or if a sale is worth taking advantage of.

Be patient with this spreadsheet.

It will take some time (weeks) and multiple trips to the grocery store to gather information. So, don't rush and don't expect to have a useful pricebook in just four weeks.

Also, don't stress yourself out with entering all of your trips to the grocery store every week. If I'm busy and don't feel like I have time to fill in this spreadsheet then I skip it!

Couponing is not worth it to me if it takes energy away from life and adds more stress to my schedule. I want couponing to be a blessing out finances, not a drain.

Spreadsheets: Part 4 - CVS Savings Template

2009-11-17T14:35:00.000-06:00

The CVS Savings spreadsheet is very similiar to the Grocery Savings template.

You can find the CVS Savings spreadsheet here or in the column on the right.

I'll just point out a few columns that might be confusing and if you have any questions feel free to ask them in the comments.

Sale & Clipfree Coupons - This is the bold dollar amount you'll see on the far right of your receipt. It shows you what you saved because you shopped with your CVS Extra Care card.

CVS Coupons - Any CRTs (Cash Register Tape coupons), CVS coupons from mailers or CVS coupons from booklets/magazines.

ECBs Used - The amount of Extra Bucks you spent in this transactions.

Using this spreadsheet, you should start to see your savings increase exponentially if you're rolling your Extra Bucks.

Spreadsheets: Part 3 - Grocery Savings Template

2009-10-30T14:34:00.003-05:00

Okay, I've shared the tools that I use plan my grocery/CVS lists, now I want to show you how I track how much I save. This is my favorite part of using coupons - unless I have a zero savings shopping trip!

We'll start with the Grocery Savings Template. It's pretty straight forward. The spreadsheet does all the work for you!

You can find my Grocery Savings Template here or in the column on the right.

I found the template on someone else's website - which I wish I could remember so that I could give them credit. (If this is your original spreadsheet LET ME KNOW!)

All of the information you'll need to input can be found at the bottom of most chain grocery stores like Kroger, Tom Thumb and Albertsons. Stores like Walmart, Target, Whole Foods, Central Market, etc are a little harder to calculate because they don't always show you the sale price verses the original price.

Each week I simply sit down with my grocery receipts and plug in the numbers to record my savings. It takes 5 minutes.

Just to clarify - store savings is what you save because you use your store rewards card. Sometimes stores will show you how much you saved on doubled coupons. You can put that in this column or in the manufacturer's coupon column - either way the savings will calculate the same.

Let me know if you have any questions or any trouble with the spreadsheets! Happy savings!

Spreadsheets: Part 2 - CVS Shopping List

2009-10-28T14:33:00.007-05:00

Okay - are you saving money at the grocery store yet? Have you earned any Extra Bucks at CVS? Have you gotten your first mega-savings high? Are you hooked? :-)

In addition to using a spreadsheet for planning my grocery list, I've created a spreadsheet to plan my CVS shopping list. I like to calculate how many extra bucks I am going to spend on a shopping trip to make sure that I'm earning at least the same amount of extra bucks back, to keep the cycle going.

You can find my CVS Spreadsheet here, or in the column to the right.

Go ahead and open it so you can follow along as I explain.

I make sure to put the date at the top of the page, so there's no confusion after I print off the list. Often I plan multiple weeks in advance thanks to HotCouponWorld - so adding the date helps me keep things straight.

Trip #1
Sometimes I make more than one trip to CVS, or complete multiple transactions because I want to earn a few extra bucks so that I can turn right around and spend them on more deals that week.

In this column I list the item and any specifics (size, oz, box, etc.) that I plan on buying.
Qty
I enter the number/quantity of each item that I am planning on buying here.
Shelf
The price that the item will ring up at the register is what I put in this column (if an item is on sale, I put the sale price).
Total
The total will automatically multiple the cost of the item by the quantity you plan on purchasing (don't you LOVE Excel!).
Coupon/Insert/CVS Q
Very similiarly to the Grocery Shopping Spreadsheet, I input the face value of any coupons I have (CVS does not double or triple) and the insert where I can find those coupons. Occasionally, I have coupons from CVS (that printed on the end of my receipt, that I received in the mail, etc) that can be stacked with manufacturers coupons. I list those in the CVS Q column.
Final/ECB
The final column is automatically calculated based on the quantity, shelf and coupon. I then enter how many extra bucks I'll earn for purchasing that item in the ECB column. Ideally, I want the ECB column to be greater than or equal to the Final column, otherwise I'll be using spending more extra bucks than I'm earning.
Limit
I use the Limit column to help me keep track of the limit on each extra buck purchase. Sometimes the limit is one, sometimes it's three or even five. I like to know, in case I only purchase one, but want to go back later to purchase more in order to reach my limit.

And that is how I plan my CVS trips - confused enough yet? Please feel free to ask any and all questions in the comment section!

Spreadsheets: Part 1 - Grocery Shopping List

2009-10-26T16:13:00.008-05:00

I thought I'd give you a few tools that help me stay organized while trying to save money.

I use to write my grocery list down on a piece of paper, but then when I started to add coupons and e-coupons/store coupons to the mix my grocery list started looking like chicken scratch.

Over time I have tweaked different Excel spreadsheets to fit my needs. If this is at all useful to you, please feel free to edit and rearrange things as you need.

You can find my Grocery Shopping Template here, or in the side bar on the right.

Go ahead and open it, so that you can follow along as I explain.

For all learning purposes, I will be references a bottle of Softsoap hand soap as my example item to purchase.

GROCERY STORES
I make sure to put the date at the top of the page, so there's no confusion after I print off the list.

Each grocery store that I MIGHT go to has a section.

Disclaimer: I do not go to all of these stores every week - I just like to start off seeing what deals there are at each store so that I can narrow my shopping trip down to the MOST IMPORTANT stores. You might want to change the names of the stores to the places you most frequently shop for groceries.

As I scan the weekly grocery store ads, blogs and HotCouponWorld, I fill add items to my grocery list that are either a good deal or items I need. I write down ANYTHING I might want to get - this is my run through, my rough draft. After I'm convinced that I've recorded all the deals to be had for that week, I then review my list and choose which stores are worth shopping at that week.

QTY/UNIT/SHELF/TOTAL
If Softsoap hand soap were on sale at Kroger, then I would record how many bottles I would want to purchase in the QTY (Quantity) column.

In the UNIT column I would record the the unit size so that I make sure and get the one that's on sale. For Softsoap it would probably be a 4-6 oz bottle. Sometimes I get to the store, and items aren't clearly marked, and I end up buying the correct brand but the wrong size of an item and thereby end up paying TOO much, or more than I intended.

Then, in the SHELF column, I record the original, pre-sale price. For Softsoap that would probably be $1.99.

Finally, the spreadsheet automatically calculates my TOTAL (pre-sale and pre-coupons). This allows me to see how much I would be paying if I didn't shop the sales and didn't use coupons.

Warning: Comparing the TOTAL column with the FINAL column might get just a little bit addicting!

COUPON/INSERT
Next, as I'm perusing blogs and message boards, I record any coupons that I need to cut out before my shopping trip.

I put in the value of the coupon AFTER it's been doubled/tripled. So, if I'm buying Softsoap, then I probably have a $.35 coupon, but in my COUPON column I'd type in $1.05 ($.35 x 3 = $1.05).

If I'm shopping at Target or Walmart where they don't double/triple, then I'd just put in $.35 in the COUPON column.

I also note which insert I can find that coupon in. For Softsoap that would probably look something like: 9/16 SS (the Smart Source insert that came out in the 9/16/09 newspaper).

The coupon I need to use is a printable, I just type in PRINT. If I'm ambitious or haven't printed the coupon yet, I might even create a link to the website where I need to print the coupon from.

E Coupon/Website
Sometimes, in addition to manufacturer's coupons, there might be a loadable/e-coupon/store coupon that I can load onto my Kroger or Tom Thumb frequent shopper card. These are not doubled/tripled, so I just put in the face value of the coupon in the E-COUPON column and type in the website (Shortcuts, Cellfire, etc) where I can load the coupon onto my card.

I try to load any coupons onto my Kroger/TomThumb cards at least a day in advance, since sometimes it takes at least a few hours to register.

FINAL
Finally, the magic happens. The spreadsheet will automatically, calculate the FINAL cost of each item for you. You can now compare your TOTAL and FINAL costs.

For those interested, this is how it calculates the final cost:

(QTY x TOTAL) - (QTY x COUPON) - (E Coupon) = FINAL

This might seem a little overwhelming/involved just for a grocery list, but I'd encourage you to just start plugging in your items and play around in the spreadsheet to get the hang of it.

This is also a great way to gauge/estimate how much you're going to spend on groceries for the week in order to stay in your budget!

CVS101 - Part 3 - Limits & Stacking

2009-10-24T14:48:00.003-05:00

A few random notes about shopping and saving at CVS:

Limits:

There is usually a limit between 1 and 5 on how many of the Extra Buck items you can buy – it’s often printed in small print underneath the item in the ad.

Weekly vs. Monthly Deals:

There are weekly deals and monthly deals. The weekly deals are advertised in the weekly fliers and the monthly deals (which are good for the entire month) are advertised in a monthly booklet.

Monthly deals usually have higher limits than weekly deals and are sometimes advertised in the weekly ad as well to generate more attention.

Stacking manufacturer’s coupons with CVS coupons:

After several weeks of using your CVS Extra Buck card, you’ll also start to receive CVS coupons at the end of your receipt. You can also scan your Extra Buck card at the free-standing machine in most stores to receive these. These are called CRTS (Cash Register Tape).

Most stores will let you stack one manufacturer coupon with one CVS coupon for an item.

So, if I had a $1 CVS coupon for the Speedstick Deodorant I mentioned in the last post, my transaction would look like this:

Buy 1 Speedstick Pro Deodorant for $2.99
Use a $1.50 internet printable coupon
Use $1.00 CVS CRT
Pay $ .49 for the deodorant (either on a gift card or with cash)
Earn $2.00 in Extra Bucks You just MADE $1.51 at CVS

And that is the fun of shopping at CVS!

CVS101 - Part 2 - Rolling Extra Bucks

2009-10-22T14:44:00.000-05:00

Extra Bucks

Extra Bucks are coupons that print at the end of your CVS receipt that can be used like cash at CVS.

Cash Register Tape (CRTS)
CRTS are coupons that print at the end of your CVS receipt just like Extra Bucks

Your first goal in shopping at CVS is to roll your Extra Bucks. Rolling your Extra Bucks means to use Extra Bucks to purchase items that will earn you MORE Extra Bucks.

Your second goal in shopping at CVS is to not only roll your Extra Bucks, but to earn “overage” each week so that you can purchase groceries you need for free with Extra Bucks. You earn overage by using manufacturers coupons.

For Example:

Buy 1 Speedstick Pro Deodorant for $2.99

Use a $1.50 internet printable coupon

Pay $1.49 for the deodorant (either on a gift card or with cash)

Earn $2.00 in Extra Bucks

You just MADE $.50 at CVS

Is your mind completely blown yet?

Are you thinking of all the times you stared at the CVS ad in your Sunday paper wondering who on earth bothers with "Extra Bucks"?

We'll pause here for you to recompose yourself and stop beating yourself up for all the deals you missed.

CVS101 - Part 1 - Overview

2009-10-20T15:45:00.000-05:00

The first steps to getting started at CVS:

Obtain a CVS Extra Bucks card (either online or in store)

If you purchase prescriptions, use a prescription coupon (get a $25 CVS gift card with a new/transferred prescription) to help get you started.

Buy a few items using your gift card that will be cheap or free after Extra Bucks to earn your first Extra Bucks.

Now, roll your Extra Bucks - use coupons, Extra Bucks and your gift card to purchase toiletries, make-up, paper products, and more for FREE.

Occasionally you can use manufacturer’s coupons to get items BETTER than free.

That's CVS in a nutshell, next we'll dig into the nitty gritty of how to legally walk out of CVS with lots of things you didn't pay money for.

Couponing101 - Part 6: Useful Websites

2009-10-18T15:03:00.006-05:00

Just joining the Couponing 101 series? Catch up here:

Stockpile

Here are some couponing resources I have found helpful and some that I use regularly to help me save money!

The Grocery Game

Creates prices lists for you
Free trial for 28 days for as many stores as you want
Cost is $10 for one store for 8 weeks, $5 for each additional store
Semi-useful message board

I would HIGHLY recommend signing up for the free trial because they give you the list each week and it will teach you how to look for sales/coupon match-ups.

To see a sample list, click here.

Hot Coupon World

Weekly store deals posted by members on a message board with coupon match-ups.
FREE membership
It's often helpful to see other's discussing deals and seeing what kind of savings others are getting.

BeCentsAble Blogroll

A list of people of who blog the deals at all different stores across the country - so just scroll down, add a couple blogs to your feed reader and you'll be following deals in no time!

A Full Cup

A smaller message board than Hot Coupon World, but that lists all the same deals.
FREE membership

Money Saving Mom

A stay-at-home-mom posts store deals, sample deals and rebates on her blog.
She blogs quite frequently, but often highlights the best deals at the pharmacies & grocery stores.

I Heart CVS

A good resource for previewing the CVS ads early.
Posts CVS deals with coupon match-ups.

Choyster Cash

Has weekly coupon match ups for deals a drug stores.
Has a very informative online coupon class which you can have emailed to you.

Happy Couponing

Posts weekly deals with coupon match-ups for Texas grocery stores.
Ranks sale items so you can easily see the best deals of the week.

Finally, if you are still confused and want to check out something other perspectives on getting started in couponing, check out these blogs:

As always, feel free to ask any question. I'll be hanging out in the comments section to talk deals and steals!

Couponing101 - Part 5: Terms

2009-10-16T14:50:00.003-05:00

Just joining the Couponing 101 series? Catch up here:

Stockpile

Everything goes on sale roughly every 13 weeks. The goal in buying things on sale, with coupons is to stock up on an item when it reaches your price point so that it lasts you 3-4 months.

You don’t want to buy things because you NEED them! You want to be able to go “shopping” in your stockpile and only purchase items when they are on super sale.

Jane4Girls has a great blog post on stockpiling.

Price Points

A price point what you’re willing to pay for an item.

For example, here are some of my price points:

I pay $0 for:

shampoo/conditioner
body wash/bar soap
hand soap
toothpaste/toothbrushes
deodorant
razors
shaving cream
candles/air freshener
make-up
Chex Mix
Quaker rice cakes
cleaning supplies (Windex, toilet cleaner, all-purpose cleaner, etc)
cereal

I pay $0 - $.50 for:

refridgerated dough (Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, Grands Biscuits)
boxed pasta/rice
frozen vegetables
pasta sauce
cake mix
brownie mix
cookie mix
oatmeal
laundry detergent
dishwashing detergent

I only buy the following when they are more than 50% off:

granola bars
crackers
tissues
feminine hygiene products
medicine

Price Book

It's often helpful when you first start couponing to use an excel spreadsheet to track what you pay for an item.

Write down every item you purchase, the size and the price. As you start recording your shopping trips, you’ll begin to get a better idea of what your “price points” are and when something on sale is actually a good deal. Eventually you won't need to record your shopping trips because you'll just know when you find a great sale!

You can find a Grocery Price Book template here or in the sidebar to the right.

As always, feel free to ask any question. I'll be hanging out in the comments section to talk deals and steals!

Couponing101 - Part 4: Store Coupon Policies

2009-10-14T14:38:00.002-05:00

Just joining the Couponing 101 series? Catch up here:

Every store has a different policy regarding coupons. And, you might even find that the same stores vary by location and manager.

Here is an overview of store's coupon policies for the Dallas/Fort Worth area:

Albertsons

Triples coupons up to and including .39
Doubles coupons from .40 to .50
Face value for all coupons .51 and over
Doubles/Triples up to four of the SAME coupon per transaction

Kroger

Triples coupons up to and including .39
Doubles coupons from .40 to .50
Face value for all coupons .51 and over
Doubles/Triples up to three of the SAME coupon per transaction

Tom Thumb

Triples coupons up to and including .39
Doubles coupons from .40 to .50
Face value for all coupons .51 and over
Doubles/Triples only ONE of the SAME coupon per transaction

Target

Does not double/triple manufacturer's coupons
Will stack manufacturer coupons with printable Target coupons.

CVS

Does not double/triple
Will accept manufacturer's coupons and extra bucks in the same transaction.

Walgreens

Does not double/triple
Does stack manufacturer's coupons with ad and EasySaver coupons.

Walmart

Does not double/triple
Does price match (exact same item, brand, size, etc).

If you are unsure about a store's coupon policy feel free to email their customer serivce or search for "store policies" here.

As always, feel free to ask any question. I'll be hanging out in the comments section to talk deals and steals!

Couponing101 - Part 3: Organizing Your Coupons

2009-10-12T14:23:00.004-05:00

Just joining the Couponing 101 series? Catch up here:

There are numerous ways to organize your coupons. I have tried almost all of them before I finally settled on what I do now.

Don't be afraid to try several methods for several months each before you settle on what works best for you.

Accordion Folder/Coupon Box
Clip your coupons & store them in accordion folder or small box organized by categories.

Possible categories include:

Baby Supplies
Baking
Breads
Canned Items: fruit, veggies, soup
Cereal
Cleaning Items: Dishwashing, Laundry, Household, paper products
Condiments
Dairy
Drinks: tea, coffee, hot chocolate, coke, juice
Frozen Items: dinners, desserts, veggies
Health & Beauty: shampoo, shaving, body wash, toothpaste
Medicine
Pasta/Rice
Produce
Snacks

This method is very easy to carry with you to the store.

Here are some samples of people who store there coupons in accordian folders/coupon boxes:

Money Saving Mom's Catagorical Example

OrgJunkie's Alphabetical Example

Hip2Save Binder Videos

Binder Method
Clip your coupons & store them in a three-ring binder using plastic baseball card inserts/pages. You can organize your coupons by catagory or alphabetically.

Here are some examples of people who use the binder method:

Utah Deal Dive Binder Example

Coupon Mommie's Binder Example

The Couponizer (a pre-made binder method you can purchase)

Envelope Method
Some find it easy to clip ALL of their coupons and store them in an envelopes based on insert and date (for example 7/26 SS). They then store their envelopes in a caddy similiar to this one.Obviously you could also use something like this to organize your clipped coupons by catagory or expiration date.

File Drawer
I grew tired of cutting coupons very quickly, and at one point I believe my husband complained that I was "ALWAYS CUTTING COUPONS." I was never caught up. So, this is the method I settled on over two years ago - it works fabulously for me!

Each week I flip through ONE of each insert. I note the LATEST/OLDEST expiration date in each insert and write it on the front:

I then store the full/uncut inserts in hanging file folders.

I then write several things on a sticky note:

the date the insert came out in the newspaper (in large numbers on the top left of the sticky note)
the dates that the inserts will expire (in smaller numbers on the top right of the sticky note).

These full inserts are stored in a file drawer. This method allows me to only cut the coupons I will use.

You can see all kinds of pictures of how people have organized their coupons here.

As always, feel free to ask any question. I'll be hanging out in the comments section to talk deals and steals!

Couponing101 - Part 2: Coupons & Where to Find Them

2009-10-10T14:02:00.004-05:00

Just joining the Couponing 101 series? Catch up here:

What are coupons and where can I find them?

Manufacturers Coupons

Manufacturer's coupons can be used like cash to purchase the item indicated on the coupon. Stores are reimbursed by the manufacturer of the product for the amount shown on the coupon.

You can find manufacturer's coupons in numerous locations, including those listed below:

Sunday Papers
Dallas Morning News Double Issue $5.00
(a double-issue newspaper is two papers bound together usually by a bright yellow paper)
Dallas Morning News Single Issue $3.00

Inserts you will find in the Sunday Paper include:
Smart Source (SS for short)
Red Plum (RP for short or sometimes called Valassis (V for short))
P&G (Proctor & Gamble)
Coffee Shops
Newspaper Recycling Dumpsters
Find a newspaper recycling location near you here.
Ask friends/family/neighbors for their coupons
Purchase coupons on websites:
http://www.thecouponmaster.com/
best prices
$3.00 minimum order
http://www.thecouponclippers.com/
best variety
$3.00 minimum order
Internet Printable Coupons
http://www.softcoin.com/Sites/Unilever_MoreValue/Page/HomePage
http://www.coolsavings.com/
http://www.smartsource.com/
http://www.redplum.com/
http://www.boxtops4education.com/
http://www.bettycrocker.com/
http://www.couponcatnet/
Blinkies - the red boxes mounted on the shelves at grocery stores
Peelies – found on products
Catalinas - coupons that print from a receipt-like box along with your receipt from the grocery store
Store Online Coupons
www.softcoin.com/Sites/Unilever_MoreValue/Page/HomePage (Adds coupons to your Kroger card)
http://www.cellfire.com/ (Adds coupons to your Kroger or Tom Thumb card)
http://www.shortcuts.com/ (Adds coupons to your Kroger or Tom Thumb card)
http://www.pgesaver.com/ (Adds coupons to your Kroger or Tom Thumb card)
http://www.upromise.com/ (Adds coupons to your Kroger card)

So, step one in jumping on the coupon bandwagon is to simply START SAVING coupons!

Here is a schedule of when there will be coupon inserts in the newspapers. Often, on holiday weekends, there are no inserts.

We'll talk about how to organize those coupons next!

As always, feel free to ask any question. I'll be hanging out in the comments section to talk deals and steals!

Couponing101 - Part 1: Menu Planning

2009-10-08T15:22:00.003-05:00

Just joining the Couponing 101 series? Catch up here:

Inroduction

First thing to note: If you are not planning your meals each week and grocery shopping according to your menu - DO THAT RIGHT NOW. Without cutting a single coupon you will start to see a savings in your grocery spending, just from using recipes, menus and a grocery list.

There are several ways to organize your shopping list, plan your deals and coordinate your meals. I have tried all of these at one point or another.

Planning Meals Option #1

Go through weekly store ads (these come in your mail and/or in your newspaper each week) and note the best priced meats.
Find recipes based on items that are on sale that week.

Add to your grocery list any other ingredients you’ll need or any other sale items you want to stock up on.

There is a bood blog post on Mummy Deals on how to plan meals around the sales.

Planning Meals Option #2

Plan a week of meals (breakfast, lunch & dinner)

Write down all ingredients needed for recipes.

Go through weekly store ads and note any items (that you may or may not need for your weekly meals) and make a list of items you want to buy because they are on sale.

Planning Meals Option #3

Sometimes I get busy. I start to dread pulling out my cookbooks or scouring the internet for recipes. I detest the hours I spend trying to put together weekly meal plans. So, I've found that there are ways to get other people to do this for you!

Use any of the following meal-planning websites to help you cut down on the time you spend finding recipes and meal ideas:

Currently, my couponing "workflow" looks like this:

Plan my menu for the entire week (breakfast/lunch/dinner/snacks).
Go through all of the recipes for my menu and write down any ingredients I don't have in my stockpile and that I need to buy.
Browse the weekly grocery store ads and note if any of the items I need for my menu are on sale at any of the stores.
Browse the weekly grocery store ads and note if there are any items on sale that I need to stock up on.
Peruse Hot Coupon World for all of the grocery stores I shop at and note if I missed any *hot* deals. (Don't worry - I'll talk about HotCouponWorld and deals soon!)
Print off my grocery list.
Cut out any coupons I plan on using.
Head to the store(s)!

You can download a copy of the spreadsheet I use to organized my grocery list(s) here or in the sidebar to the right.

I also wrote a fairly extensive post on organizing your recipes and meals here.

As always, feel free to ask any question. I'll be hanging out in the comments section to talk deals and steals!

Couponing101

2009-10-06T15:33:00.003-05:00

I'm going to start off with a basic couponing series, since I get lots of questions regarding couponing and saving money at the grocery store.

A few things I thought I'd share before we get started, including mistakes I made:

There is no "magic" store for saving TONS of money on your groceries. It takes time and effort to cut coupons and find deals.
Couponing will look different for everyone. There is no right or wrong. Not everyone will want to coupon and not everyone will have the time to coupon. That's okay. Do what is best for your family.
I have gone in and out of couponing "seasons." Sometimes I go to multiple stores every week with stacks of coupons, other times I go to one store with no coupons (GASP!). Couponing has become more of a hobby and a game for me - I enjoy it. If you don't enjoy it - then don't do it. That's okay.

Everyone works differently. What I do may not work for you - that's okay too! Feel free to ask questions here, do your own research on message boards and blogs, and find a process that fits you.
If you want to save TONS (meaning over 50%) you can't be picky about what brands you buy. We use every kind of toothpaste, deodorant, soap, shampoo/conditioner, and cleaning supply. I've tried every brand of foundation, powder, lotion, eye shadow, and mascara you can buy at the drug store. And, we eat all kinds of frozen vegetables, cereal, rice/pasta and juice.

You can still be brand-loyal and use coupons, it will just be a little harder increase your savings.
Take it easy with starting your stockpile. It will take several months get a stockpile going, but be patient. I made the mistake of buying WAY too many boxes of cereal, because I thought I needed a bigger stockpile, only to donate most of them because we were never going to be able to eat them all before they expired. Soon you'll find youself passing on some deals and free items simply because you already have more than you can use.
You don't have to eat junk to coupon. MoneySavingMom posted a great blog post about this here.

Final thought: I always LOVE talking about coupons and saving money. So, if you'd like to learn about this in person, grab some friends and let me know - I'll come teach a class!

As we work our way through this couponing series, feel free to ask any question. I'll be hanging out in the comments section to talk deals and steals!