The Secrets of Couponing: A How To Guide

Canvas People

2011-04-05T06:38:00.000-07:00

I am reposting this because it is such a great deal! I just received my FREE 8x10 canvas that I ordered last week in the mail today. It turned out perfect! I was a little hesitant when I first put in my order but they did a fantastic job. A GREAT Father's Day/Mother's Day idea! Go to Canvas People right now for $55 towards a canvas. Just pay shipping and handling ($14.95). If you choose the 8x10 canvas ($49.99) you end up getting it for FREE. Enter code FAMILY55 at checkout for $55 off your order. I love this company and I just might order me another one today!

Tip of the day ...

2011-04-04T18:02:00.000-07:00

Don't feel like you need to spend your newly earned Extra Bucks at CVS fresh out of the register right then and there!

When shopping at CVS I used to try and plan out how to spend my Extra Bucks earned during that shopping trip while I was there on a new transaction. I'd end up getting something not on sale just to use up my Extra Bucks. Then to start my shopping trip next time (to earn Extra Bucks) I'd have to pay out of pocket first. I just felt like I needed to spend them right then and there because they were burning a hole in my pocket! I am changing my strategy though. After my last trip to CVS I saved my Extra Bucks. I used them tonight to get me rolling on my deals. I will end up paying less out of pocket this way if I hold on to them and use them on a good deal during my next trip, preferably one that will end up giving me Extra Bucks to replace them. Just something to think about when planning out your next coupon run to CVS!

Inspirational Moments

2011-04-04T17:52:00.000-07:00

Made a quick run to CVS tonight for diapers. Always a proud moment when you can get a good deal on diapers! Total cost, $9.15 - saved, $58.60. I even threw in free mouthwash and a toothbrush. Boo-ya.

New book to read ...

2011-04-04T09:07:00.000-07:00

Passionate Housewives Desperate for God
"Have you struggled to reconcile God’s vision of virtuous womanhood with worldly myths that marginalize and mock the role of the homemaker?

Do you wrestle with cultural messages that demean the homemaker’s calling and exalt instead the emotionally androgynous power-woman — the wife whose worth is measured only by the degree of her ambition, the shape of her body, or her money-making skills? Such is the image of the “desperate housewife” that the modern media, culture, and feminism are promoting with great energy.

In a delightfully fresh and honest way, this book addresses these issues head-on and provides fresh vision for the hopeful homemaker. Hear a former “Christian” feminist share how she went from a die-hard homemaker-in-training to a dedicated career woman and then back again — after God gripped her heart. See the hollow counterfeit of whitewashed feminism and “me-ology” destroyed. And consider the beautiful picture painted in Scripture of the truly fulfilled homemaker who glories in the hopeful calling God created for her."

Here's a link to the preface if you want to check it out. I think this might be next on my "To Read" list.

The Good Nite Light

2011-04-02T07:49:00.000-07:00

Parents. This is something you should definitely invest in! People ask me my secret? Well this is it. I was having trouble with Kaley waking up at 6 a.m. every morning calling for me at her gate, ready to get up and start her day. Every morning I had to drag myself out of bed and tell her to be quiet, get back in bed, it's not time to get up yet. I also had an infant that I was getting up throughout the night with to feed so I was too tired for this 6 a.m. business. Finally, I wised up and found this night light. When it's time to go to bed it lights up as a moon. There is a clock on the back of it that you set. My moon goes on at 7 p.m. then at 7:30 a.m. I have it set to turn back on and it lights up into a sun. It gives your toddler some sort of reference to time so they know when it's ok to wake up. It didn't take days or weeks to adjust to. I explained to Kaley how it worked and from the moment on she hasn't made a peep until her sun comes up! People. I am sleeping in until 7:30 a.m. every morning. My life has changed thanks to this clock. $34.99 seems like a lot for a silly little alarm clock, but believe you me I would have paid $100 for the extra sleep it has given me! Do yourself a favor AND BUY THIS CLOCK TODAY! There's a link on the bottom right to check it out on Amazon.com ...

HOT Huggies $3.00 off coupon!

2011-04-01T08:35:00.000-07:00

Click the Link for a HUGGIES $3.00 coupon!

70% OFF ENTIRE CARTER'S STOCK online and in-store thru Sunday!

2011-03-25T08:47:00.000-07:00

Alright friends time to hit Carter's! Right now everything online and in-store is marked down 50%! And if you use this printable 20% COUPON (in store only) or enter code "NEWBORN" at checkout online (20% off $50 or more) with it that's 70% off your entire purchase!! There's a $6 flat shipping rate so I don't know about you, but I'm doing all my shopping at home! www.carters.com I already have a cart full of cute new clothes for my kids! Spring time is here!

Chili's Email Club

2011-03-18T07:17:00.000-07:00

This is for my brother :) ...

FREE chips and queso when you sign up for Chili's Email Club. Get exclusive offers and coupons sent to your email when you sign up! Click here to join.

Inspirational Moments

2011-03-18T06:57:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine sent me this picture of her latest coupon run. Spent $5.37, saved $41.91, and left with $4 RR!! Way to go!

Here's another run. She saved $80.12 on diapers, wipes, and formula! Again that's $80.12 worth of FREE products! These are real life stories friends. You can do it too!

More Retail Coupons

2011-03-18T06:35:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite website has links to new retail coupons up! Don't get caught shopping at the mall without one! Click here.

Help Raise Support for Japan

2011-03-18T06:17:00.000-07:00

This is a fantastic deal that livingsocial.com is doing. Right now for every $5 donation to the Red Cross through their website they will match you and donate $5 as well. Funds raised will go to Japan to help them rebuild and recover from recent disasters. They will only be doing this for another 4 hours so jump on this before it ends! Click here to donate.

Homemade Play-Doh Recipe

2011-03-16T07:22:00.000-07:00

This isn't my normal couponing post, but it can save you money! In my house Play-Doh doesn't last long. My daughter's Play-Doh hardly ever stays on the craft table and usually ends up in little pieces, dried up on the floor. Yes, Play-Doh is messy but oh so fun! Today I decided it would be fun to try and make our own Play-Doh! Here's a good recipe for homemade Play-Doh that I found. My daughter had so much fun cooking it (very easy), as well as playing with it, so be sure you get the kids in the kitchen with you to help you make it. The best part is, it's ready to go in minutes!

Play-Doh

1 cup of all purpose flour
1 cup of water
1/2 cup of salt
1 tbsp of oil - any oil will do
2 tbsp of cream of tartar
1/8 to 1/4 tsp of food coloring

Mix all the ingredients into a pan and blend with a whisk. When all ingredients are blended, place the pan on the stove on medium to medium-high heat. You will need to mix continually until the mixture thickens. It may take 3 to 4 minutes. When the mixture starts to clump and is difficult to mix, take the pan off the stove. Pour the dough on a floured surface and when it is cool enough to handle start kneading like bread dough. Remove from the floured surface when the dough is no longer sticky. Knead away from the floured surface until all the flour on the dough is absorbed and the dough is smooth and pliable. You're done! To store keep in plastic wrap, a plastic bag, or Tupperware.

Excuse the ugly color. That "green" is the result of all the food coloring colors mixed together. My daughter wanted ALL the colors in there. Anyway, hope you try out this fun activity with the kids. They'll love it and you'll end up saving yourself some money! I personally will never waste money buying Play-Doh again. I'll just make it from home! However, I will insist on a better color next time. ;)

Thanks to Recipes From Home for the Play-Doh recipe!

Carter's Birthday Sale

2011-03-15T11:31:00.000-07:00

Carter's.com is celebrating their birthday by offering a coupon for $5 creepers. Click on the link below to print out a in-store coupon or use code HAPPYLUV at checkout to use online.

Carter's Sale

Run Like a Mother

2011-03-15T10:39:00.000-07:00

I've been reading this book called "Run Like a Mother". It's funny and inspiring. If you have kids and enjoy running ... or if you've always wanted to enjoy running but need some motivation to get started, then I think you'll like this book! Here's a funny part from the book to give you a sneak peek:

"Ultra-stud Dean Karnazes may be able to run 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days, but can he do this?

1. Give birth.

2. Continue running, shoving in workouts whenever there’s a sliver of time: during a soccer practice; in between breastfeeding sessions; hours before the sun rises; after jamming on a work deadline; before volunteering for the school auction.
(Our bet: We probably would’ve already lost him by now.)

3. Write a book.

4. Decorate a minivan.

5. Organize a house schedule—fill the fridge; organize the sitters; arrange for playdates; make sure laundry is done (extra points for it being folded); make lists of what goes in whose lunch; re-arrange the carpool— so that he can extricate himself for a night or two to go on tour.

6. Shave legs and pits, pluck eyebrows, don’t forget the under-eye concealer, put together a few outfits that aren’t stretched out, stained, or bought in a previous century, and hit the road.

Suddenly, 1,310 nearly consecutive miles sounds kinda easy, right?

Okay, maybe not."

Anyway, I love her. There's the link to the right. Good read!

Win a Walgreens Gift Card!

2011-03-14T13:37:00.000-07:00

Click here to try a win a Walgreens gift card! The Spring has sprung giveaway.

T.G.I. Friday's 25% OFF coupon!

2011-03-14T08:33:00.000-07:00

Print this out 25% OFF Coupon and head on over to T.G.I Friday's for 25% off your entire food purchase! May I just say, that I love Jack Daniel's burgers.

HOT TIP!!! Jack Daniel's Burgers are only $5 for military with ID!

Give & Get

2011-03-14T08:16:00.000-07:00

Here's a Give & Get Coupon 30% off at GAP, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Banana Republic Factory Store, and GAP Outlet in-store. Not 30% off one item friends. 30% off your entire purchase! It's 4 days only, March 17-20. Best part is, 5% of what you spend is donated to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. So tell your husband you are supporting a good cause donating to a good charity and get your shopping on!

CVS basics

2011-03-14T05:52:00.000-07:00

CVS is a gold mine if you know how to work it. It is one of my favorite place to shop and get deals. In order to really take advantage of sales and CVS Extra Bucks it can get pretty complicated, but well worth the mental effort walking out with a cart full of free stuff! If you don't have a CVS card yet you are missing out on some good deals so first things first, sign up for a CVS card. On your next trip in stop by the register, fill out your information, and get your card. They may say to you, "You can take this home, fill it out, and bring it back in the next time if you'd like." You'll forget, take the time to do it now.

What's an "Extra Buck"? Extra Bucks is CVS's rewards program. They will advertise, "Get $4 Extra Bucks if you buy a ProGlide razor," or something. If the razor is $7.99 it's like buying the razor for $3.99 because you are getting back $4 Extra Bucks. $1 CVS Extra Buck equal $1 dollar in-store so your rewards are as good as cash! Your EB print out at the bottom of your receipt and you can use it on your next transaction.

Here are the advantages to shopping with a CVS card:

You get 2% back on all purchases, given out quarterly.
You earn $1 Extra Buck for every 2 prescriptions purchased.
You can take advantage of the special deals CVS runs each week earning more Extra Bucks on select items. They also do a lot of "Buy $25 worth of these specific products (for instance baby stuff or Proctor & Gamble product) and get $10 EB". These are great because it's $25 worth of products before coupons. So if you can match coupons with those specific items in the deal (which are usually also on sale) you not only get a great price for them, but you get $10 EB back to spend on your next transaction!

Here's how you put it all together for big savings.

Example:

You see Crest toothpaste on sale for $3.49 and they are offering $2 Extra Bucks after you purchase. Say I have a $2.00 coupon for Crest toothpaste. So you end up getting the toothpaste for FREE plus you make $0.51 off your buy. Matching coupons with sales and getting Extra Bucks back is how you work it.

Here's where it get's complicated though. The Extra Bucks don't print out until after you pay. I had to sit there and really think about this the first time because, I'm still paying for it you know? On the example above I would still be paying $1.50 at the register. I would get $2 back after my purchase, but $1.50 is still coming out of my pocket right then and there. So am I really saving money? When I first began my CVS scheming I was expecting to pay a penny out of pocket and walk away with all this free stuff. That's why you need to sit down and make a good plan before you go in to shop.

TIP: Extra Bucks (EB) also print out in the amount that they were issued. For instance, if you were getting $10 EB back on one item it will print out as $10 EB on one piece of paper. If you are using it on your next transaction make sure the total amount of that transaction is at least $10 because they don't give you change with your Extra Bucks. If your total is only $8 and you use your $10 EB slip to pay, then you will miss out on $2 because they can't give you change.

They do allow you to make a couple transactions in a row in order to use your Extra Bucks so you need to figure out in what order to purchase your items. Here's another example of a run I did last night and how I planned out using my Extra Bucks.

My Strategy ...

I bought my Extra Bucks things first. Tena pads, Crest rinse and floss, and Dial lotion. By the way, every item I purchased was on sale and I also had a coupon for so it ended up coming out to FREE or next to nothing after my Extra Bucks. Here's a link to my full post on that run in case you want to see exactly how the numbers worked out. I paid $17.25 out of pocket, but that gave me $17.99 in Extra Bucks to go towards my next transaction. My next transaction I did Lansinoh pads and a box of diapers. Using my $17.99 Extra Bucks that printed after my first transaction I ended up only paying $11.04 plus I got another $10 in Extra Bucks back from buying the diapers and Lansinoh pads together (a special deal they were running). My final transaction I bought Purex laundry detergent and Hefty bags. For 8 boxes of Purex plus the Hefty bags my bill would have been somewhere around $10 and I could use my remaining $10 Extra Bucks to pay for that. My total spending $28.29 and I saved over $100.00. So yes I did pay some out of pocket but I walked out of there with over $100.00 of FREE product!

* You may see a different saving amount then in the link I posted. I added in what I would of saved had they had the 8 boxes of Purex in stock that I was planning on buying.

Now it is possible to do even better than that. With practice I am going to try to get my out of pocket spending down even more. So there's the trick to CVS, hopefully it made sense. Feel free to post any questions you have and I will do my best to answer!

Inspirational Moments

2011-03-13T19:36:00.000-07:00

Went on a CVS run tonight! I had a minor set back with the Purex. They didn't have as many as I was planning on purchasing so it threw off my well thought through plan slightly. I ended up spending $34.51 and saved $73.32, with $10 in ECB left over. Let me say that a different way to get you really pumped about shopping with coupons. What should have cost me $117.83 only cost me $34.51. Or how about this: what WOULD HAVE (because this is all stuff I need and would have eventually bought) cost me $117.83 only a few weeks ago, before I started clipping coupons, only cost me $34.51 tonight. I got $73.32 of FREE merchandise! Excited yet? :) My plan was actually to only spend $24.51 and use the ECB towards the Purex but like I said, foiled. Oh well, so here's how I did it ...

Purex 3 in 1 laundry detergent sheets

- on sale for $3.99 and I had many $3 off coupons from 2/27 Redplum so, $0.99 each! One box does 20 loads of laundry, that's your laundry detergent AND dryer sheets in one!

Pampers Diapers

- on sale for $20 and I had a $2.00 coupon from 2/27 P&G

Lansinoh pads

- on sale for $9

* They had a deal, spend $25 get $10 ECB (extra care bucks) when you buy select baby products so I got $10 back from the Pampers and the Lansinoh pads. These are sweet little deals especially when you combine them with coupons, take advantage of them when you can!

Hefty Bags

- on sale for $1.00, I had a $1 off 2 boxes from ... honestly I have no idea where from so, $1/2.

Crest Pro-Health Rinse

- on sale for $3.49, you get $2.50 ECB back, and I had a $1.00 coupon from 2/27 P&G so, FREE!

Crest Pro-Health floss

- on sale for $3.49, you get $2.50 in ECB back, and I had a $0.75 coupon from 2.27 P&G so, $0.25.

Dial NutriSkin Lotion

- on sale for $4.99, you get $3 ECB back, and I had a $2.00 MFR coupon from 3/13 RP so, FREE! And technically a $0.01 MM (money maker). Hey, a penny earned is a penny saved!

Tena panty liners

- on sale for $9.99, you get back $9.99 ECB, and I had a $2.50 MFR coupon from here Tena so, $2.50 MM (money maker)!! Limit 1 per customer.

My Strategy ...

I bought my ECB rewards things first. The Tena pads, Crest rinse and floss, and the Dial lotion. I paid $17.25 but that gave me $17.99 in ECB to go towards my diapers. My next transaction I did the Lansinoh pads and diapers. Using my $17.99 ECB I ended up only paying $11.04. Last I did the Purex and Hefty bags I was going to use my ECB but that's when everything messed up. I found out you have to use them (ECB) all at the same time and I only had a $10 ECB slip left so I had to pay $3.68 in cash and held on to my ECB for later. My total spending $34.51 and I saved $73.32 + I have $10 to spend on my next CVS shopping trip. BOO-YA.

For basically what I was previously spending on a box of diapers and a thing of dental floss I got, the same box of diapers and dental floss PLUS lots of laundry detergent, mouthwash, lotion, hefty bags, Lansinoh pads, and panty liners. FOR THE SAME PRICE people. Get you some inserts and some weekly ads and you can do this too!

For those of you who aren't familiar with CVS here is how the Extra Care Bucks work. You sign up for a CVS card and scan that before each transaction. On select items you can get Extra Care Bucks back with purchase. You can find these deals in their weekly ads. You'll see, buy this item at $3.99 and you'll get $3 in ECB. One ECB equals one dollar, so they're as good as money. They print out beneath your receipt and you can use them on your next transaction. So far no one has given me a hard time about doing a couple transactions in a row. Some times you'll see deals that end up equalling the price of the item so in a round about way you end up getting that item for free! Now, if you can combine these deals with coupons you have automatic money makers!

Retail Coupons

2011-03-11T07:44:00.000-08:00

Get your shopping on! Here's a link to some fantastic printable retail coupons for GAP, Banana Republic, Express, Hobby Lobby, Old Navy, and more! Take advantage now because most of them expire soon! Here's the link: Retail Coupons

Publix

2011-03-10T13:37:00.000-08:00

* I am going to be specifically talking about Publix because that is the grocery store I shop at, but you can apply some of these same concepts to Winn-Dixie, Piggly Wiggly, Kroger, Target, or any other store of your choice.

So, how do you walk out of a grocery store saving 3x's what you actually spent?

First of all, you can't expect to get everything you need in one trip. Nor can you expect to get everything you need at one place. Stockpiling is the key to saving money with coupons. Publix will not always have exactly what I'm looking for on sale, so I also keep my eye on CVS, Walgreens, and the commissary sales as well. When an item I use often goes on sale and I can find coupons to match, I buy enough to get me through at least 3 months. That will give me enough time to find it on sale again in the future so I can restock before I run out again. If you don't know how fast you go through certain things start by writing the date on the box when you open it and see how long it lasts. That should give you a good idea of how many you should buy at a time.

I hear a lot of people say, "I can never find coupons for anything I want!" I never use to think coupons would benefit me because I buy a lot of meat and produce. Coupons are usually for processed foods and junk food, I used to think. For the most part this is true. Take a look at this list though at what you can use coupons for, and try and tell me this isn't applicable to you:

Laundry detergent
Dryer sheets
Toothpaste
Toothbrush
Dental Floss
Body Wash
Razors, shaving cream, deodorant, after shave, lotion, face wash
Hair products
Shampoo and Conditioner
Make up
Baby Products (diapers, wipes, shampoo, lotion, medicine)
Cereal
Granola Bars
Oatmeal
Coffee
Toilet Paper
Cleaning Products
Bread
Waffles
Olive Oil
Syrup
Coffee Creamer
Yogurt, eggs, milk, butter, sour cream, half and half, cottage cheese...
Potato chips
Deli Meat
Cold medicine, vitamins, cough drops, Tylenol...

I can keep going but I think you are getting the idea. If you can save money on all these other things you use on a daily basis who cares if you can't find a coupon for produce?

Ok so start with looking through the weekly ads at the sales for items that you want then look for coupons to match. Refer to my previous post Where Do I Find Coupons? to get ideas for good places to find coupons. Focus on BOGO (Buy One Get One) sales in particular. Remember, train yourself to see BOGO sales as a 50% off sale and remember that you don't have to buy both items. You can either pay full price for one and get 2, or pay half off for one item. Even without coupons BOGO is a pretty good deal because if you just purchase the one item you're getting it at 50% off the normal sale price.

*Not all Publix stores allow you to buy one BOGO item at 50% off so make sure you check ahead of time. Thank you Christine for pointing that out.

The main concept you need to get is this, find an item on sale and try to match it with one MFR coupon and one store coupon. Most places allow you to use one of each per item. Again check with your store of choice before you begin shopping because each place is different. If you work it just right you end up getting your item for next to nothing, FREE, or you can even make money off of a purchase.

Money Makers (MM) You also want to add a few money makers to your list. Never throw away coupons just because you don't have a use for the item the coupon is for. I won't be using denture glue any time soon, but if it happens to be on sale BOGO for $1.50 and I have 2 MFR coupons for $1.00 off each I can end up making $0.50! Ultimately Publix is paying me $0.50 to buy denture glue. How did I just do that?

Denture Glue $1.50 BOGO sale (or $0.75 each)

MFR coupons $1.00 x 2 = $2.00

TIP: Your second BOGO item, the one you get for free, counts as a purchase so you are allowed to use a coupon towards that item as well.

$2.00 (in coupons) - $1.50 = $0.50 Money Maker

I don't need denture glue, but I earned $0.50 to go towards other purchases I am making. You find enough of these and you can end up funding your entire grocery trip or at least cutting a good chunk off your final bill. What do you do with all these MM you don't need? Donate them. There are a lot of good websites out there that do the hard work of finding money makers for you. I have links to some of my favorites websites for help with this under "My Favorite Blogs".

HOT TIP!!! My Publix doubles coupons up to $0.50! Before knowing this I probably would not have gotten excited about a coupon for $0.35 off. However, since Publix automatically does this at the register my wimpy $0.35 coupon becomes a $0.70 coupon and people, that's almost a dollar in savings! So make sure you find out if your grocery store doubles coupons too! Refer to previous post Coupon Policy for an idea of what to ask about your stores coupon policy.

TIP: Every week Publix has a mystery item on sale for a penny with each $10.00 purchase. You can only take advantage of this on Sunday or Monday. This weeks penny item is Publix paper towels. So if you shop at Publix on 3/9 or 3/10 for every $10 you spend you can buy Publix paper towels for $0.01. Now how awesome is that?!?

Homework Assignment:

Sit down with a weekly ad and your coupons and see what you can get for free or as a money maker. Open up one of the blogs I recommended and see if you can follow the deals they found for the week. Take a practice run to the store getting just a few items. My first practice run I got 5 bottle of Purex laundry detergent for $2.00! There is nothing better than walking out with a bag full of groceries for next to nothing. :) So give it a try.

It is so exciting when this whole coupon thing finally clicks and you discover a whole new way of shopping! Be sure to start small and take your time. Be patient with yourself because you are probably going to make mistakes and get flustered when you go to check out and realize that the sale is buy one get one 50% off instead of get one FREE. Or you don't see the fine print on your coupon that reads, "$1.00 off THREE items." Yes been there, done that. Don't get discouraged when your cashier is impatient and rude with you because SHE doesn't know how coupons work. Make sure you are good and familiar with the stores coupon policy before you try to work the system so that you are ready to argue with the cashier when she says you can't use that coupon. Don't be afraid to ask to see a copy of their policy if the cashier won't back down!

TIP: Every store gets reimbursed by manufacturers for every coupon they get. They are still making money even when you are taking advantage of coupons. They should be more than willing to be patient with you and your coupons because the more coupons you use, the more products you "purchase", and the more money they make! Don't be scared to remind them of this fact if you need to. :)

GAP $25 for $50

2011-03-10T08:57:00.000-08:00

GAP is offering a sweet deal right now. Enter your mobile phone number and they'll send you a coupon to your phone for $25 off $50! Here's the link: GAP $50 for $25 3/10-3/16

Tide Stain Release

2011-03-10T08:04:00.000-08:00

I would just like to take a moment to endorse my NEW favorite product. Tide has a new line (at least it's new to me) called Tide Stain Release. You can find it in powder, pouches, or liquid form. My 4 month old has been experiencing some "nasty side effects" from his 4 month shots a few days ago. I had sheets, clothes, and bed pads with stains that I could not get out by hand scrubbing them myself. Some stains had been sitting for a few days, gross I know. Don't judge me, I'm busy. :) Anyway I got the Tide Stain Release powder on sale the other day plus I had a $3.00 off coupon that you can find in the P&G from 2/27 or here is a link to a printable: $3.00 off Tide Stain Release

WORKS LIKE MAGIC! Stains out. No doubt. That's what the package says and it's true. :) Thank you Tide for making this mom's life a little bit easier.

A Smarter Way to Shop for Groceries

2011-03-09T18:56:00.000-08:00

For all you beginners out there here is a smart new way to do your grocery shopping without even getting into the extreme couponing strategies yet. Here is a good place to start as you are learning to shop with coupons.

Preparation:

Make a menu for the week. I shop for a week at a time because I cook 3 meals a day for my family and I use a lot of fruits and vegetables. Produce can go bad quickly, and I also have a small fridge. Two weeks of groceries just isn't going to fit in my teeny tiny fridge. A menu is great because it eliminates the stress of trying to figure out what's for dinner everyday. I post my menu up in the kitchen so I am sure to stick to it. When planning out your menu pick meals with ingredients that are affordable. I love Rachel Ray recipes but some of the ingredients she uses are expensive! Also, try and stay away from prepared frozen dinners. Most of the time you can make the same meal for half the price! It's not always convenient but unfortunately, saving money isn't always convenient. Same goes for frozen vegetables. Fresh produce is cheaper.
Make a shopping list based on your menu. Look and see what you already have in your pantry. Get off the couch and double check if you're really out of onions or if you just think you might be. I can't tell you how many times I've returned from grocery shopping and said, "Dang it. I could have sworn I was out of _____," ending up with double what I actually needed, because I was too lazy to check before I left.
Check your grocery store's weekly ad to see if any of the items on your grocery list are on sale. Refer to my previous post "BOGO (Buy One Get One FREE)". Remember, if you can match a sale item with one store coupon and one MFR coupon, that is where you save the big bucks! Some people even plan their menu off of what's on sale. I'm not there yet but if you can make meals out of sales items you save even more.
Match your grocery list with coupons. Go item by item down your list and try and find coupons to go with them. Refer back to my "Where Do I Find Coupons?" post to get an idea of where to search. Match coupons with as many items on your grocery list as you can. I have a small accordion folder that I keep coupons in. It's easy to flip through while I'm at the store. My first coupon trip I had them loose in my purse, disaster.

BAD habits to break:

Buying something that isn't necessarily on sale nor is something you are out of at home, but you know it's something you use often so you buy it anyways. NO. Stick to your grocery list!
Picking up that box of crackers that is not on your grocery list. You don't really need it, but the picture on the box looks so yummy. NO. Stick to your grocery list!
Buying something on sale that you don't need. Yes, that's fantastic that you found dog food on sale for $1.00 but if you don't have a dog (or a need for whatever the item may be) and it's not on your grocery list don't buy it! I know you're thinking, "That's crazy! If I didn't have a dog I would never buy dog food I didn't need!" You'd be surprised what you will consider buying when you first start coupon shopping. It's so exciting when you match up a big sale with coupons, you're like BUT IT'S SUCH A GOOD DEAL!! You have to bring yourself back down to earth and remind yourself, Kelly you do not need (there's that word again) this. :)
Grocery shopping while you're hungry. Bad idea.

GOOD shopping tips:

Be flexible and willing to try the off brand, it just might surprise you. Compare the prices of some of your favorite brand name items with the off brand. Try the off brand. You may not even be able to tell the difference and a simple switch can save you money. True story. I was looking for my GLAD garbage bags that I had a $1.00 off coupon for. GLAD trash bags $4.79 - $1.00 coupon = $3.79 awesome, or so I thought. Then, I compared prices of GLAD, Hefty, and some off brands to find the best deal. On the bottom shelf there was an off brand for $3.00 less than my name brand bags. My husband is really picky about trash bags, but I decided to give them a try anyways. $3.00 is a huge difference in savings and that's without even using a coupon! I got a small box, took them home, and honestly can't even tell a difference. No more GLAD bags for me. Lots of money saved by a simple switch!
I can't emphasize this enough stick to your shopping list! Even though I often shopped with a shopping list I was really surprised how often I tried to stray from it when I first started doing this! Stick to your shopping list and save yourself money by not buying things you don't need.
If you know that there is an item on sale you use often and you have coupons to match go ahead and stock up! Here are some items that I went ahead and stocked up on last time I was out grocery shopping because I hit a good sale: bread (freeze bread until you need it), cream of wheat, waffles, granola bars, cereal, coffee, oatmeal, and juice. If you catch an item on sale (matched with coupons for even more savings) and stock up you save money in the long run instead of waiting until you run out and buying it full price.

A big part of budgeting and savings money with coupons is being willing to say goodbye to favorite brands and going with what's on sale. I have always used Pampers, just because. I guess that's what they sent me home with from the hospital so I stuck with it. These days Joshua wears whatever diapers are on sale and I can get coupons for. Obviously if I come across a brand that leaks bad, is uncomfortable for him, or just doesn't cut it I won't continue buying it, but I've got 3 different brands in his closet right now (all of which were on sale and matched with coupons) that I am perfectly happy with! Take this way of thinking and apply it to all areas of shopping and you will be successful. It will blow your mind how much money you will save by this strategy alone. Advertising is no joke. Without you even knowing it they have you brainwashed to buy their particular brand and half the time you don't even know why you prefer their brand.

TIP: As you get to the end of your week see what you have leftover in the fridge and pantry. Get creative and try to make it one more day without grocery shopping. For instance, my menu week ended yesterday. I still had stew meat in the freezer, celery and carrots left over in the fridge so I made beef stew for dinner. I pushed my menu out one more day. Make it a challenge. I was supposed to go to the grocery store tonight but my car wouldn't start. :( My husband won't be able to take it to the shop tomorrow because of work so I have to get creative again for dinner tomorrow night. Here's an idea, turn leftovers into a whole new meal! I took leftover pot roast and made beef stroganoff one night. I made leftover london broil into delicious steak and cheese quesadillas for lunch the other day. Get creative! Picture yourself saving money every day you make it past the end of your menu week!

Book Recommendation

2011-03-08T16:24:00.000-08:00

How to Shop for Free: Shopping Secrets for Smart Women Who Love to Get Something for Nothing is the book I am reading teaching me everything I need to know about shopping with coupons. If you are a reader and want to get even more in depth with your couponing I recommend picking this book up.