This is my Coupon Binder...Don't touch it. I know you want to, but seriously...don't. ;)Ok...well, maybe not as "Extreme" as the TLC show, but still, I made out with some REALLY good deals and a lot of FREEBIES! I saw this show and was definately HOOKED! I wanted to do it for the THRILL and to build up a beautiful STOCK pile for the 'food storage' that we never really think to store. ;) I started by going to a couponing seminar (of course it was located at the newspaper building) where they teach you how to use coupons and get the MAX amount of dollar out of them. I subscibed to 5 papers (because when there is a FANTASTIC deal or FREEBIE, you WANT to have a good pile of coupons ready. This came in VERY handy when I hit Smith's (a local Utah grocery store) that was having a "Buy 10, get $5.00 off" sale! Lots of "buy-on-get-one" and $X amount off 2 coupons came in REALLY handy!! :)
My first experience that got me hooked was actually an un-planned (and believe me, these take planning!) trip to Wal-mart after taking Ali to the Dr's due to some tummy troubles. He told me to get a certain acid reflux medication and also to grab some soy milk for her. ...Guess what?!! I HAD the coupons for it in my nicely {oh-so-beautiful}, handy-dandy Coupon Binder {shown above}! I immediatly saved $5.00 off something that I was going to buy anyway! I clip every coupon because you never know if you are gonna need it or if it's going to end up being free! In that shopping trip, I saved $50.00!!! just because I had my binder with me! I bought diapers, cheese, medicine, milk, ect!
After that...it was ALL OVER!! ...I was HOOKED!! I was...a 'Crazy Coupon Lady'.
It took me a few weeks to get the hang of it and to get the hang of it but I've found some super helpful resources. I use a website called: Savvy Shopper Deals.com
It takes all the work out of it. It compares the coupons to the current sales so you get the max savings. It ranks the deals into 3 catagories: "Wow, Great, and Good." I only look for the "Wow" deals. It also will link you to the online coupons that you need! Some other great websites that do the same thing are: The Krazy Coupon Lady and Coupon Mom.com. Coupon mom also has great tutorials on how to coupon and especially how to 'Drug Store' coupon, which is really tricky.
To get started:
I had to order my {5}, yes 5! newspapers. Then, I got a binder and also purchased baseball card holders (you need about 60 baseball card sleeve pages, so that means you buy about 2 packs...I think.) to fill the binder with along with dividers. I then organized my binder into 8 catagories with the 'Grocery' catagory having 8 sub-catagories.
Here are my catagories:
Grocery, Paper Goods, Hygiene, Beauty, Home (cleaning supplies and air fresheners), Baby, Health and Other (dog food, restraunts, craftstore coupons, ect.)
My 'Grocery' sub-catagories are: Bread & Cereal, Dairy, Desserts/Snacks/Beverages, Meat, Frozen, Canned Goods, Condiments, Baking supplies.
Here's how I do it:
Sunday: COUPONS COME!! Weeeee!
Monday: Clip Coupons/Make regular grocery list
Tuesday: More coupons come in the mail along with all the stores adds. I do a little more clipping and then I get on my savvyshopperdeals.com and also look through the adds to see what is on sale and what can be FREE. I make my next list and just add what produce I need from my list made on Monday. Savvy Shopper is great because as you are researching the deals, you can add each item onto a list that it will compile for you, then it prints it off, organized by STORE! It's pretty awesome. ;) Then...after the kids go to bed...I go SHOPPING!! I like to go on Tuesday because otherwise, all the other crazy couponers out there will take all the good deals!! My stores are 24 hrs. and I like to go at night so I don't have people behind me in line glaring at me. I always make sure I tell the person behind me: "Pick another checkout lane, honey." ;)Wednesday: If I don't get to go shopping on Tuesday, I will go this day. I also will make sure to send in any rebates on this day so that I don't forget!
Thurs.-Sunday: Relax and enjoy my spoils. ;)
TIPS:
*I've learned that drug stores are GREAT places to work the system and get FREEBIES. They usually will have sales combined with reward dollars (that print out at check-out), combined with in-store coupons that you can combine with your manufacture's coupon!
*Where I find all my coupons: Newspapers (biggest supply), online coupons, rebates, packaging coupons including instant coupons called 'peelies' that come on the prouduct that I am buying. Beer Rebates (no beer purchase nessesary. The beer companies will rebate you for buying stuff that you would buy along with beer such as chips, frozen wings, ect. Not sure if this is a UT thing or not. You find them in the Beer isle or up at customer service.) Catalinas (coupons printed off at the register based on your purchases).
Oh...and these pretty little coupons were delivered right to my mailbox today simply because I called my favorite manufactures and gave them feedback about their products. They love feedback and at the end of the conversation will offer to send you some awesome coupons!
**Warning: Be smart and know your prices. Sometimes the generic brand that you always buy is STILL cheaper then the sale with the coupon.Heres what I got on my first Haul at Wal-greens:
What I got:
What I got: *4 Tampax Pearl:$4.50/ea reg. $6.99/ea.
*2 (or 3, can't remeber) Always panty liners {same price as Tampax}
*6 packages of floss sticks... FREE! {Between rewards dollars and sale} reg: $2.oo
*6 Colgate toothbrushes: $0.50/ea reg: $2.99/ea
*4 Colgate total toothpaste: $0.75/ea (I shouldn't have bought them at this price because you can always get a better price or free but I was eager because this was my 1st trip.) reg: $2.99/ea
*2 CoverGirl's new Long Lash Mascara: $3.50/ea reg: $8.99/ea
*4 packs of AAA & AA batteries: BOGO= $3.50/ea reg: $6.99/ea
*Glade automatic spray kit: $1.99! reg: $12.99.
*4 'Right Guard' Deoderant: $0.99/ea reg: $2.99/ea
*5 Herbal Essance/Aussie Hair prouducts (shampoo, cond, styler): $1.50/ea reg:$2.99/ea
*4 of Gillete's new Fusion Razors: $o.89/ea reg: $9.89!
*2 Dawn dish detergent (10 oz.): $0.75/ea reg: $1.35/ea
*2 Morton Salt: $0.50/ea reg: $0.99/ea
*Frosted Flakes, large box: $1.99/ea reg: $2.??
*3 boxes of Kleenex: $0.99/ea reg: ??
*Vinyl gloves (for coloring my fondant): $2.99 reg. $5.99
*6 cans of Arizona drinks {a FAV at our house}: $0.50/ea reg: $0.99.
*5 pkgs. of Reeses pieces/Almond Joy pieces/Dove Chocolate cov. Almonds: $1.50/ea reg: $2.99
*I lrg bottle of Fish oil (1200 mg) {which I take every day}: $7.99 reg: $16.99
Total Savings: $200 buck-a-roos!!!
Smith's Haul: (Buy 10 of the same items, get $5.00 off sale)
*10 boxes pasta: The store PAID ME $0.04/ea to take them out of the store!!! reg: I don't even know/care! {I think reg: $1.50/ea}
*5 pkg. Carefree pantyliners (20ct): FREE reg: $1.09/ea
*10 bottles of Kraft BBQ sauce: 6 of them were $0.14! and 4 of them were $0.49(ran out of coupons) reg: $1.09
*10 bags Quakes Mini rice cakes (I LOVE these): $0.52/ea reg: $1.29/ea??
*10 jars of Vlassic Dill relish (we eat a lot of dill relish at our house): $0.50/ea. reg: 1.82?/ea
*10 Bottles of Gatorade (I like to have it on hand for when we get sick and need hydration): $0.50/ea reg: $1.23/ea*16 Yoplait yougurts: $0.48/ea reg $0.58/ea
*Mother's Made Cereal: $0.49! reg: $2.84
*Propel flavored Water: $1.99 reg:$4.99
*3 pkg. Strawberry Eggo waffles: $1.79/ea reg: $2.29/ea
*Silk Soymilk: $2.69 reg: $3.69
*Sesame Dressing (my fav brand): $2.79 reg: $2.99
Total Savings: $77.00!!!
Wal mart Haul: {No sale, just Wal-Mart}
*2 BiC razors (4 pks): They PAID ME $0.12/ea to take them out of the store!! reg: $2.88/ea?*4 cans of Similac Sensitive formula mix: They PAID ME $0.24/ea to take them out of the store! reg: $4.76/ea
2 bottles Sierra Mist Soda: FREE!
*Trial size Pronamel toothpaste: FREE!
*1 ladies BiC Twilight razor (4 pk): $1.47 reg. $4.47!
*5 Hormels kids microwave Noodles and Chicken meals: $0.66/ea reg: $1.76/ea
*Girard's Dressing (yummy): $1.98 reg: $2.98
*4 pkgs Tostidos (diff. variety): $1.98/ea reg: $2.98/ea
*4 pkgs Sun Chips (our FAV): $1.98/ea reg: $2.98/ea
**Ritz munchables: $1.50 reg: $2.50
*French's mustard: $0.78 reg: $1.08
*GV Pasta Sauce: $1.33 reg. $1.33
*GV Window Cleaner: $0.99 reg $0.99
Total Savings: $53.54
So, already, since I started this: I've built a good stock-pile and saved over $380.00!!! on groceries that are RELEVANT to my family. I'd say that's pretty darn good for one month!
