And now for a post about saving money. Because the loot we save on food = more money to spend on paint & projects. I figured since I recently divulged my 2011 goal to figure out coupons and save more money this year, I should share a little coupon-related update for anyone else who’s as desperate to turn paper clippings into dolla dolla bills as I am. So here it is:
I saved $53 at the grocery store!!! Coupons really do work!!!!
Pardon all the shouting. I’m just really excited. I am definitely far from an “expert” on the subject (I just started trying to navigate the crazy coupon world a few weeks back) but here’s what I learned in the simplest of terms. Because I was a coupon dummy. Still kind of am. So I need things to be explained to me slowly. Preferably with lots of pictures and in a soothing and nurturing tone. Yup, I’m high maintenance like that.
Tip Numero Uno: You save the most money when your store (we shop at Kroger) matches coupons (ours does up to 50 cents) and when you can use a manufacturer’s coupon (like the ones you find in the paper or online) combined with store coupons or sales. For example, if Kroger has organic milk marked down by $1 and I have a manufacturers coupon for 50 cents off and Kroger matches that, a gallon of organic milk that’s normally $3 will only be $1 (because I’d score $2.00 off thanks to the store’s $1 off sale and the matched fifty cent coupon).
Not bad right? That stuff really adds up when you’re shopping for a fair amount of things (which has always been the way John & I do it, we usually do one major shopping trip every 2-3 weeks). It keeps us from spending a lot of money on impulse buys (which would occur more frequently and cost us more money if we hit the store more often for smaller trips). But I’m rambling. Back to more of my novice coupon tips.
Tip Numero Dos: If you use coupons for things you don’t eat (or just get stuff because it’s on sale) you’re still losing money, wasting time, and giving up valuable space in your house that could better be used to store other things. So even if that bag of chips is 40 cents, if you don’t normally buy chips but get all crazy at the idea of big savings you’re on a slippery coupon slope. My big rule is that I only clip (or print) coupons for things that our family already eats or would like to try. We prefer organic produce and organic dairy along with basics like pasta, bread, cereal, granola, etc. It’s not always as easy to find coupons for those things, but they do exist! And thanks to Kroger (where we have a Kroger savings card, which also offers occasional discounts on those items when you scan the card at the register) we’ve been able to save a substantial amount of money. Our last trip was our best savings ever (did I mentioned we saved $53?!!!!! oh I did. sorry, I’m just excited).
Along with picking up the Sunday paper for the bevy of coupons hiding inside (along with a Kroger weekly sale flier), here are some of the online stops that I make to find coupons that I can print or even load directly onto my Kroger card (how Minority Report is that?!).
- This is my favorite coupon site. I click the Kroger tab and the Target tab to see what’s going on (they have other stores in case you’re not a Kroger person)
- This is where I go within that site to load things onto my Kroger card
- I also check out this site for printable coupons
- And this one
- And this one
- This site is nice because it has links to a few of my favorites (some of them already listed above) in one spot
- I also drop by this site just to see what’s going on there
- And this one
- And this one
- And this one
Resist the urge to get overwhelmed though! I probably get 90% of my coupons from the top four bullets above, so there’s no need to go crazy and bookmark a million sites like I did. I just had to experiment with a bunch of them to find my favorites (aka: those top four).
Other than those two tips above, there really isn’t one big trick that helped me save tons of money. I just clipped coupons on and off for two weeks (just for things we actually need/use/eat), wrote our shopping list carefully (being sure to note how many of each item we needed for the maximum savings) and even loaded some coupons onto my Kroger card online before going into the store (thanks to this site). We spent around $160 for 2-3 weeks worth of groceries for John, Clara, and I (we walked out with over nine giant reusable bags full of stuff, and according to the receipt we purchased 77 items). And we saved $53! And that was on things like two four-packs of organic baby yogurt for Clara, two half-gallons of organic milk, organic eggs, organic produce like bananas & avocados & and peppers, and basics like whole wheat bread, wheat pasta, granola bars, cereal (and goodies like dark chocolate and ice cream). It felt so good! Here are a few more specific examples of exactly how our coupons combined with an in-store sale to save us the most money:
- We got two YoBaby Organic Yogurt 4-Packs, which were originally selling for $2.69 (which calculates to a total of $5.38). But Kroger had them marked down for 60 cents off each one (bringing each one down to $2.09) and then we had a “buy one 4-pack, get the second one free” coupon from the manufacturer, which made our total for both 4-packs just $2.09 (for a savings of $3.29).
- We got an 8 oz bag of Gorton’s grilled shrimp that was originally $5.99. But Kroger was having a special $3 off promotion so it was only $2.99. And we had a manufacturers coupon for $1 off which means that our bag of shrimp cost just $1.99 (for a savings of $4).
- We got a box of FiberOne Granola Bars that were originally $2.49. But Kroger had them on sale for $1.50 off (which made the box just 99 cents) and we had loaded a FiberOne e-coupon onto our Kroger card (thanks to this site) for 50 cents off, so we paid just 49 cents for the box of FiberOne granola bars.
Of course these are our best buys that we’re highlighting, so not everything that we purchased was that discounted. Not even close. So don’t get down on yourself if you save 20 cents here and 50 cents there. It all adds up! Just be sure you’re buying things that you actually like and eat, not just things that are on sale.
Oh and a few more couponing 101 tips that I picked up are:
- Just because something is 10/$10 doesn’t mean you have to buy ten items (it’s usually just labeled that way to get you to buy more).
- Resist the urge to buy the largest size of things that are on sale- often you save the highest percentage when you use a $1.00 off coupon on the $2.00 cereal box, not the supersized $4 one (this was the hardest principle for me to grasp at first since my instinct was that buying something huge saved me more money). Of course if the larger one is substantially less money per ounce and you have a use for a large amount of something, it could be worth the upgrade- but I was surprised how often I noticed them listed as the same price per ounce.
- Coupons are allegedly cyclical, meaning that most coupon pros claim that every six weeks the same items go on sale again. This theoretically means that if you have space to stock up on your favorite cereal when it’s on sale, you only have to buy enough to last you six weeks, and then the sale should pop up again (of course this isn’t to suggest that you should have a six week stockpile of every item, but it does reinforce the idea that you never have to buy 100 of something that’s “an amazing deal” because it’ll most likely be a great deal again in a little over a month).
Oh and here’s how I keep things organized. I have a clear plastic sleeve where I toss all of my coupons as I clip them throughout the 2-3 week span between major shopping trips, then before we go to Kroger I take out all the ones I won’t be using so it’s only full of coupons I’ll be “spending” and I slip my detailed shopping list in there with them (that way I know how many of something or what sized box I need to get to use my coupon without thumbing through all of them). When I get to the register I hand over my Kroger card for them to scan (for all uploaded discounts) and then I hand over my paper coupons as well. So far it seems to work.
So that’s my coupon update for ya. Happy snipping to one and all. And all you varsity coupon peeps better share your tips! I know I still have lots to learn!
Psst- All kids toys are not created equal. Check out what Clara got that looks so good we never want to tuck it out of sight (unlike 99% of her other toys).
Aly says
thanks for the online sites. I used to get the newspaper for coupons, but found they don’t really have many coupons that I use. So basically, I was losing money by getting the newspaper.
Sierra- Home Sweet Frugal Home says
I was able to find a newspaper deal for only $.19/issue for the Los Angeles Times. Just do an online serch for deals on your local paper. I now get 3 copies each week to give myself more coupons to work with. Even if you were to spend $1 per newspaper, it would pay for itself if you used just one save $1 coupon.
Paul says
losing money? don’t you READ the newspaper too?
susan says
OK, you guys want to make me try using those coupons. It seemed like such a bother but a $53 savings? I’m all over that. susan
Snickrsnack Katie says
You didn’t link to the krazy coupon lady! http://www.thekrazycouponlady.com
I have been doing extreme couponing for several weeks and am doing amazing! It is so easy – just a little time consuming. I buy three Sunday papers every week and clip out the coupons so I have multiples of the ones I want. I recently went to Kroger and bought $200 of groceries and spent $60.
foo says
Did I read that correctly? You can use multiple coupons on the same item??
YoungHouseLove says
We just learned that you can use a buy one get one free coupon along with a manufacturers coupon since you’re technically using one coupon per thing (since you’re buying two things). Amazing!
xo,
s
Carolann says
I happen to catch that coupon lady on Nate Berkus yesterday.
Sherry, I know what you mean by “explaining slowly with lots of visuals”…it kinda blew my mind when she explained that with buy-one-get-one-free you can get BOTH items for free with a store coupon and a manafacturer’s coupon. I had to rewind 3 times to process that little nugget of knowledge!
Kasey says
It really depends on your store also. For us, we shop at Publix [Florida] and they will not allow you to use more than one coupon for one item. So if you have an item that is 4.00 and you have one coupon for $1.00 off that item and another coupon for $0.50 off that same item, you can’t use both of them on that one item, you are only allowed to use one. It bites.. but better than nothing right? :)
Robin says
most places will let you use 1 manf. coupon AND 1 store coupon on 1 item. So if you use both on 1 item while it’s on sale you’ll get the best deal!
Sandra Blackburn says
For your west coast readers, Krogers = Ralphs = )
Congrats on the savings!
Christina says
Krogers also = Fry’s for us west cost peeps.
Michelle W. says
And for the midwest followers, Kroger = Bakers! :)
Amanda says
Actually, in Oregon and Washington Kroger = Fred Meyer.
Elise says
Hey Guys,
Thanks for this! Im a Seattle native recently moved to the Mid-West and this is really good to know! Unfortunately though, the majesty that is Fred Meyers does not equal Bakers. Sad day. Still good to know the coupons should be interchangable…
Audra says
Krogers also equals Dillon’s in the Midwest.
Larisa says
Kroger and QFC also have a relationship here in Seattle at least.
Kim E. says
We used to live in Western WA and our Kroger there = QFC. :) Sadly, no Kroger in San Antonio. Our only options are HEB, Wal-Mart Supercenter, and Super Target (aside from specialty stores like Whole Foods). Yeah, you read that right…three stores. None of them double or match coupons. And HEB won’t even let you stack (store + manufacturer). So sad. It definitely depends on your store and where you live. Happy shopping!
Patti says
Wow, thanks for doing the legwork for us coupon newbs! I always feel overwhelmed with coupons and then give up, but I’m gonna try it for my next shopping trip.
Colleen B says
My only tip is for the 10/$10 type of deals – to be aware if your store lets you get the single item at the discounted price or if it requires you to buy the amount advertised. Martins, for example, in our area requires you to buy the thw whole amount if that’s what’s advertised to get the deal. So just inquire before hitting the ‘# for $’ deals.
Thanks for the websites to check out, I love clipping to save!
Karla @ {TheClassyWoman} says
I’m glad you discovered the coupon tricks, I’ve been doing them for a few years now and have saved us several thousands of dollars. That clear accordian file looks familiar. ;) The best deal on food I’ve got so far is 78% off the total cost and saved $116! Every once in a while SuperTarget offers produce coupons of $1 off any produce item, it let me keep printing so I did. I think I had about $50 just in the produce coupons that I used over several visits. That allowed me to get all the organic produce I wanted. I like their $5 off $50 grocery coupons too. Plus if you shop their for your groceries (cheaper than Publix if they aren’t doing a BOGO deal) you can save 5% off the total purchase if you have one of their debit or credit cards.
Thanks for sharing your tips with us, a couple of the websites you shared were new to me. :)
Have a great week!
~Karla
Amber says
I’m a couponer too… and I use those baseball card protector sheets to organize them. That way you can flip right through the pages and see what all you have quickly rather than keeping them in a pile!
Christin says
Impressive! Thanks for sharing. I used to clip coupons all the time, but we never ended up using them because I would find the store brand of the item was less expensive even if I used the coupon on the name brand item. We don’t have Kroger around us, but I think our store does allow the whole upload coupons to your store savers card, so I’m dfeinitely looking into that. Every littel bit helps.
YoungHouseLove says
Also remember that even if the store brand price is cheaper than the name brand price, if your store double coupons it can end up being double the money off (which almost always makes it the better deal). Good luck!
xo,
s
Carrie C says
If you wait for that item to go on sale it will most likely be cheaper then the store brand with a Q. It can sometimes be a waiting game.
Alison says
Wow, $53 is amazing! I love your posts on saving money. Thanks for all the tips and tricks. As usual Sherry, you are on top of your game!
Karla @ {TheClassyWoman} says
Forgot to mention, in order to maximize on the SuperTarget $1 off each item of produce coupons (which are rare) I purposely used a small bag of fruit, veggies etc. Two pears in one bag, 2 apples in the other, So I had 3 bags of 2 apples each. Took me a couple extra mins but as long as you have a plan before you go in, it works. (I re-use all the plastic produce bags)
A lady behind me wanted to look at my receipt and was amazed that I had as many coupons as I did items! LOL.
Happy Shopping!
Jenna says
Coupons are awesome!
Also, I have one little tip that has really saved me time, money, and saved me from forgetting so many items. When creating your shopping list, go ahead and divide your list by departments, i.e., Produce, Meat, Dairy, Dry Goods, Misc., and so on. When you seperate your list, you can check off all of the items in one area and move on to the next. No more short sprints to get milk while the cashier waits on you because you forgot it.
jackie says
I do this too. It’s much quicker to follow when you are in the grocery store, since you don’t have to backtrack around the store. It also helps you evaluate the kind of stuff you are buying – I try to make sure my “produce” list is at least as long as my “packaged foods” list, for example.
Kim E. says
I do that too. Such a time-saver! Actually, I have a shopping list template on my computer that I organized according to my favorite store’s layout. I keep a copy in my kitchen and add needed items to the list as they pop up, finish the list based on my menu plans before a big shopping trip, add coupon notes, and breeze through the store. Especially helpful when toting impatient kiddos along. :)
Amy says
I’m familiar with Kroger doubling coupons that are for 50 cents or less, but I have never had them match coupons above that amount. Is there a certain type of coupon you have to use to get them to match above 50 cents?
YoungHouseLove says
Hmm, I’m not sure. Perhaps I’m reading the receipt wrong (which is a strong possibility) since all the coupons are really hard to interpret which are for which. It’s a possibility I’m just breaking things down incorrectly or mis-explaining it, but now that you say that it rings a bell. Maybe the rule is that they match manufacturer coupons for up to a $1 (which would be no matching above 50 cents) but I also loaded some coupon on my Kroger card to account for the other $1 off drop in price? On coupon complaint: I wish receipts were easier to read to see where you saved the most money! Although I do love that they highlight your total savings at the end.
xo,
s
Amy says
I was going to ask about that too. The Krogers in our area (Cincinnati, where Kroger is based!) only double coupons that are 50 cents or less, but every once in a (great) while will run a special when they will double coupons that are up to $1 (meaning you get $2 off).
I was going to say how lucky you were if they did it for you guys all the time!
YoungHouseLove says
Maybe a special was running – but most likely I’m reading things wrong. Thank goodness for the total saved part on the bottom where they calculate things for you! Haha. Math has never been my strongest subject…
xo,
s
Krystal says
Kroger only doubles up to $0.50, however, if you are willing to venture out, I know K-Mart doubles up to $1, and Marsh doubles up to $1 (and during certain sales, they will triple up to the same amount).
Amy says
It’s so satisfying seeing that big number at the bottom, isn’t it?! :)
My son loves the Yo Baby, so kudos for getting such a good deal on that!
Jennifer L says
My Kroger doubles coupons up to 55 cents… perhaps it’s different for different regions?
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh that could be it! Now I want to call them and ask (since I clearly have an issue reading the fine print on the ol’ receipt). Maybe I’ll just ask at the register next time.
xo,
s
Snickrsnack Katie says
Yeah, I shop Kroger, and they only double/triple up to a dollar. Like, up to 35 cents is tripled, and anything larger than that is doubled up to a max of a dollar. If you have a dollar off coupon, they won’t double that to two dollars.
But I agree – Kroger makes it hard to see which coupon is which on the receipt – but the final breakdown is cool!
vegas says
Our Kroger (also in Cinci) will adjust any coupon under $1 up to $1. So a 75 cent coupon will be good for a dollar off.
While I’m commenting, we are lucky enough to have a Kroger fuel center at our neighborhood store. Their gas deal is fantastic. Last week I filled the tank in my minivan for 70 CENTS OFF per gallon!!
Alison says
Kroger coupon policies are up to the individual store manager, so it can be different everywhere, even in the same place! I know Harris Teeter has a reputation for being more expensive, but here in Raleigh they double up to .99 coupons and their store deals are the best…so they end up being cheaper!
Kristen Hawley says
I live in Michigan and my Kroger doubles up to a dollar but the one down the street only does 50 cents. It does matter what Kroger! Check around you might just have to go to the next closest Kroger. When I coupon shop my savings is always around 51% you get a high when you walk out saving more then you spent!
Jasmine says
The Gerbes (Kroger) stores in my area allow you to use a printed coupon as well as a loaded to your card coupon. The printed coupon will double up to 50 cents, but the ones on the store card are simply for the amount stated. So if you have a printed coupon for 50 cents and a loaded coupon for 50 cents on the same item you will essentially get 1.50 off of that item.
laura says
Since you guys shop at Target a lot I wanted to share this with you: http://www.totallytarget.com/
She is constantly updating with sales/promotions that Target has and coupon combos, you get things practically free.
YoungHouseLove says
Sounds like fun! We’ll have to check it out!
xo,
s
LauraC says
You sound just like my girlfriend!!! She has gotten more and more into it and so excited. The first time I tried it, it was a bust. I’m still having a hard time, but I guess I’ll try again. Safeway here doesn’t double. I also shop at a Super WalMart, which doesn’t do much. But Fred Meyer is part of Kroger (if I remember correctly) so I will look into if they will double. Anyone from the West Coast know?
Kristen says
I don’t know.. but I would be interested in finding out! Freddie’s is part of Kroger (as is QFC, I think??)
Sarah says
I’m a west coast Safeway shopper too and just got into its “Just for U” program. If you sign up on the Safeway website, you can add manufacturers coupons and special Safeway deals to your Safeway card and they will automatically be deducted at the register. And they tailor the coupons to what you normally buy so I don’t have to dig through junk food coupons when I want organic milk. I shopped yesterday and saved $43.00 on things I would have normally bought!
Kim E. says
Yes, Kroger and Fred Meyer merged in 1999. Kroger also owns QFC, Ralphs, Food 4 Less, Foods Co, and Fry’s, among others. It’s the largest grocery chain in the nation. But all of the stores I listed are West Coast stores. :)
Nadia says
I read that no stores in California really match coupons anymore. Sad.
Mandy says
Love this post!! I am seriously lagging on the couponing, but need to get back into it. I did get a groupon for $10 for a year of weekend subscriptions to our newspaper, which comes with all the ads and coupons, so once they start coming this weekend, I am going to jump on the bandwagon again. This post couldn’t have come at a better time
Kara says
Thank you so much for addressing this topic! I, too, have been trying to get into couponing but I kept getting stuck because it seemed so overwhelming. Ready to try again! Especially since I swear our grocery bill grows with each passing week…..
Ashley says
I think I might be more impressed that you can shop every two or three weeks WHILE working from home every day. That’s some serious self control. I feel like we plow through food and never have anything left at the end of the week. Do you guys plan out your meals in advance, or just work with what you buy?
YoungHouseLove says
Of course we have to drop in for some produce in the middle of a particularly long span (ex: produce shopping 1.5 weeks after big shopping trip to tide us over 1.5 more weeks until another major shopping trip) but we do meal plan (picking up the right amount to tide us over at least 2-3 weeks). We also love working with what we have in the cabinets/fridge before going shopping again, so if we have leftover meat/sides/etc we make some strange meals at the end there, but we’re sure to try to use it before restocking!
xo,
s
katie says
Could you guys do a post on meal planning sometime? Would love to see how you do it :)
YoungHouseLove says
As for what we eat, we’re definitely not chefs and this isn’t really a food blog by any means, but we enjoy: veggie chili, spaghetti dinners, veggie dumplings with brown rice, homemade pizza, chicken parm, hearty soups, shrimp & pasta, and even whole wheat nachos with cheese and veggies over them. We don’t have a regimented schedule at all, so I just write down what we feel like eating for the next few weeks (3 pizzas, 3 packages of veggie dumplings, 3 boxes of pasta, etc) and we make entrees until we run out. Good luck!
xoxo,
s
Letty says
Thanks for the helpful tips! I had started couponing a few months back but got frustrated and stopped. But now I want to give it another try!
Jany Claire says
I never ever used to use coupons at the grocery store. I hate grocery shopping as it is and didn’t want to make it worse by adding coupons to the whole deal. But the last year I’ve been using the coupons you get from the grocery store when you use your frequent shopper card and have seen a huge difference even just using those! I’ve been mulling over the idea of getting the Sunday paper and doing the clipping thing but I haven’t actually done it yet. Hopefully your post will inspire me to do it this weekend!
Carrie C says
find a blog to follow that covers the store you shop at. It is super easy to let them do the work and all you have to do is print/write down that deals you want! I like http://www.souternsavers.com She does lots of grocery stores in my area!
blog is the new black says
So many great tips- thanks!
Marisha says
Your saving money posts are by far my favorite posts!!!
sarah says
Hey guys! One site I want to share with you because I didnt see it listed-
http://www.organicdeals.com/
good site for scoring deals on organic food in a variety of places, but she also posts deals on organic clothing, etc.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks for the tip! We’ll have to check it out!
xo,
s
Courtney says
I’m a Kroger shopper, as well. And, I use coupons. My store will double coupons up to .50 and triple coupons up to .35. I used to throw away the .35 coupons till I realized they are actually worth even more than the .50 ones.
Laura says
I take it that you guys already get the paper? We don’t, but I do always check online for the new weekly ad for our grocery store. It’s step one in my meal planning for the next week, usually. I could probably cupon hunt a little more but I don’t do the grocery shopping and I don’t know that my husband cares enough to bother with them.
YoungHouseLove says
Just the Sunday paper. But I only recently started getting it for couponing purposes (used to read news online). John loves sitting at the table and reading the paper while I clip coupons though. Of course we have to wait for Clara to take a nap for activities like that. Haha.
xo,
s
Alissa says
I often hear that the Sunday paper is the best place to get coupons, but I’m hesitant to take out a subscription (and fill a landfill) just for the coupons. Are there really so many in the paper that you make back your subscription price? Any suggestions (YHL or other couponers) for where to grab the paper coupons without a subscription?
YoungHouseLove says
We have found the best coupons in the Sunday paper, which makes it totally worth the few dollars a week we spend on it. John reads it cover to cover too, so we don’t feel wasteful (I read some of it) and we’re always sure to recycle it. There might be creative ways to get the coupon inserts without buying a paper, for example if your neighbors get it and don’t want it or if a coffee shop has a few display papers every sunday and don’t mind you grabbing those fliers from them. Good luck!
xo,
s
Sara says
There are websites where you can just buy coupon inserts rather than subscribing. But I’d say the savings definitely make up for the cost of a Sunday subscription. Call your local paper I think you’ll be surprised at what they’re offering it at.
karen @ our slo house says
I will check out your coupon links for Trader Joe’s… although I’m not sure TJ’s does coupons… Like you, I’m a total coupon-virgin.
Do you guys have a special system for keeping track of expenses? Like, do you generally know what you monthly spend on groceries, gas, food out,…etc.?
We started a system at the beginning of the year but it’s Basic 101 sort of stuff. I was just wondering how you do it.
YoungHouseLove says
We actually don’t. We know how much we spend each month and we generally put all of our purchases on the credit card (where we earn points). Since we pay it off fully each month it’s a great way to track spending and earn points while we’re at it!
xo,
s
Allison says
Karen–my husband and I use mint.com to track expenses and we’ve loved it so far. You hook it up with your credit cards and banks so it automatically loads all your purchases in and categorizes them.
Lindsey T says
I was also going to suggest mint.com. Due to budgeting through Mint my husband and I have saved and unbelievable amount of money in just a year and paid off a ton of student loan debt. We’ve also cut our grocery budget in half because of my coupon hunting.
Sherry – it’s funny because this past weekend I also saved $53 on the grocery bill which was my best yet too. But, what I save the most on are household items and health and beauty items. Especially at CVS (where I don’t typically shop b/c the prices are higher than Target or Wal Mart). BUT, if you use the sale flyer and coupons and figure out the items you need that earn you CVS Extra Bucks and then in another transaction use the extra bucks you can get a lot of items at no cost to you. This is complicated to write, hopefully you can follow though haha. It’s pretty amazing!
April L. says
Great tips! Learning to match coupons and sales was life-changing for me. Wanted to mention that you can get organic coupons at http://www.mambosprouts.com. They have a physical coupon booklet that I get at my health food store, but they have some good printables too.
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much! We’ll have to check it out!
xo,
s
Stacey says
mambo sprouts is located in my town! their office is one block down from my office.
Amanda@The Hand Me Down House says
LOVE your links to those couponing sites, Sherry — and $53.00!?! AMAZING! My resolution this year was to put some money away for a kitchen remodel — which means saving wherever we can (we really want that kitchen!!). And I have to say THANK YOU for mentioning that if you buy something you don’t use you don’t really save — still working on that one. :)
Lindsey says
We saved $40 this week with our Kroger card and coupons!! Yeah!! I haven’t checked out your links yet…so this might be redundant…but Hip2Save.com is where I started couponing :0) I am definately checking out your sites too! I am going to call our store and see about the matching coupons deal!
Whitney says
Yeah for you! Our Kroger only matches up to $0.50 so any coupon that is above that is not matched. So if I have a manufacturer’s coupon for $1, Kroger doesn’t match anything but if it is for $0.45, Kroger will throw in another $0.45 for a total of $0.90 in savings. You are lucky if yours matches up to a dollar! I need to move back to Richmond (I used to like in Bon Air!).
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Whitney,
Oops, my bad. Our Kroger only matches up to 50 cents just like yours. Scroll back to the comment from Amy for an explanation. Either they were running a special or I was reading the receipt wrong. Still a newbie at this for sure! Thank goodness they highlight the total saved amount at the bottom of the receipt!
xo,
s
Jenny says
If your store matches coupons,do you have to ask these stores to match the coupon or do they just automatically match them?
YoungHouseLove says
Ours does it automatically. The computer takes care of it.
xo,
s
Kari says
I guess I should give in and try coupons….you know, since you gave me all the websites to go to. My problem is that most things we buy are never on sale/have coupons and I refuse to buy something just because I have a coupon!
Krystal says
My mom is a seasoned couponer (think paying $0.13 for 5 carts of groceries). She has taught me a thing or two about stacking coupons (using manufacturer coupons in conjunction with the store’s deal and store specific coupons). She has a lot of other tips too, but since you only seem to shop at Kroger, I’m not sure how useful they are to you (but other readers might find them helpful).
1. She buys all her toiletries at Walgreens, only buying items that have catalina deals (you get money back: $2 off next order, $5 off next order, etc) Those catalinas are actually manufacturer coupons, and Jewel Osco recognizes that. It’s like free money for your groceries!
2. Town and Country grocery stores accept expired coupons
3. CVS Pharmacy is another great place to buy toiletries because you can get a lot of ExtraCare Dollars back (they’re like catalinas, but store specific). Again, more money to roll over onto your next order.
4. If you are shopping at stores that have catalinas (CVS, Walgreens, Kroger, Marsh, Jewel Osco) break your order down into smaller orders so you can roll over the money you’re getting back.
5. If you are a college student (or still have your ID), Marsh grocery stores give you 10% off you groceries every Saturday. Also, never fear asking a store if they give student discounts, the worst they can say is no. I recently got 20% a scarf at Ann Taylor because I had my ID on hand and the cashier saw it in my wallet.
….there’s a lot more, but here are some that are more decor/DIY centric:
1. The expiration date on Bed, Bath, and Beyond coupons is just a formality. All stores will accept expired coupons (thus, my overly large stack of 20% and $5 off 15 coupons)
2. Always check if you’re hardware store’s website has coupons, or google it, before you go shopping. We were about to leave to buy new closet doors when we checked the Menards website and discovered a $50 off order over $200. Then we found a 15% coupon for the doors in their weekly flier. Score!
3. 3 to 4 times a year Menards (and sometimes Home Depot) will put a brown paper in the Sunday paper and you can save 20 to 30% off whatever you can fit in it. Perfect if you’re in need of nails, screws, small tools, etc.
Hope this helps somebody!
Krystal says
I just remembered a big one. Sunday papers. If you live in a small, rural town like me, you should subscribe to a more big city newspaper because manufacturers put more coupons in the papers that have a wider circulation. My local Post Tribune and Northwest Indiana Times only contains about 1/6 of the coupons that my Chicago Tribune does.
Shawn says
Yeah, I think you and I live in the same area :). I’m in NW Indiana just outside of Chicago. I only have a Town & Country and a Wiseway in my area other than the Walmart. Do you know if T&C doubles coupons? I’d have to go all the way to Chesterton to the Jewel Osco, which isn’t too far, but still.
Ms. Amy says
Love those plastic envelopes! I keep one of them in my purse at all times. I stash any store coupons I might have (Bed, Bath & Beyond, Gap, Gymboree, Crazy 8, etc.) so that I’m not caught sans-discount for any impromptu shopping trip.
AMG says
I got really excited for the links you have in this post- Unfortunately I live in MI, not quite southern enough for southern savers! :/
YoungHouseLove says
Hey AMG,
Some readers have been sharing links to sites they love in other regions. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Skooks says
I was just thinking the same thing. Anyone in MI do couponing? I’ve never heard of this stuff working at Meijer.
kathleen says
I live in Colorado and was able to use Southern Savers.
Kaitlyn says
Hey AMG,
There’s actually Kroger in MI – I would search around a little (at least there is in southeast MI). Also, Meijer does a lot of couponing with catalinas and manufacturers coupons. I’ve never heard of them doing a match, but it wouldn’t hurt to ask. If nothing else, Meijer has crazy weekly specials that cycle through so I would keep an eye on their paper to find out!
Also – the Entertainment book (which is in 156 markets and almost all states) almost always has grocery coupons every year and online (www.entertainment.com to find a book near you). Plus, you get the coupons to other restaurants and national stuff too – it usually runs $25-40 for the year, but it pays for itself within a matter of 3-4 coupon usages! My family has been buying them for years since I used to do fundraisers with them in school, and they’re the best!
Rachel from A Year of Living Frugally says
LOVE this! Going to link it to my blog all about using the Richmond 2011 Entertainment Book coupons! ( : I’m not sure that I’m as dedicated to the Krazy Coupon Lady – I can’t spend 70 hours clipping, but I’m more than up for a little savings! ( :
Rachel says
You may already get to these through one of the sites above, don’t forget to check out the printable Target store coupons on target.com. Those combined with manufacturer coupons, plus the 5 cent reusable bag discount, plus the 5% off with your target card = fabulous deals!
A couple more tips:
1. Try to stick to just your usual stores or a few stores per week (or you’ll go crazy!)
2. Resist the urge to stockpile more that you can eat (though blocks of cheese and even cream cheese will keep for months in the refrigerator and have a handy use by date right on them).
3. For printables, whenever possible, set your ink to black & white, then grayscale to save on color ink.
Good luck!
lisa says
very good with the couponing! i love another site…she gives so much good info about saving money and other deals…
moneysavingmom.com maybe you’ve heard of it before…
totally unrelated comment, but have been meaning to ask the 2 of you…any place to clik about when john proposed to you? i see you ahve a wedding tab, but i was just wondering about the proposal…that would be an interesting post on your site…maybe you’ve already made that post before, but can’t find it. thanks for all of the info you give us all the time! have a good day.:)
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yeah, here’s that post for ya: https://www.younghouselove.com/wedding-week-ii-i-liked-it-so-i-put-a-ring-on-it/
Memories.
xo,
s
Steph says
Great job on the couponing! Do you guys eat vegetarian most days? I can’t seem to leave the grocery for less than 100 bucks because my boyfriend INSISTS we have some type of meat for dinner everyday!
YoungHouseLove says
We do eat less meat than the average family I’m sure. Usually one or two dinners a week have meat or fish, but the rest are things like pasta dishes, homemade pizza, veggie dumplings, soups, etc. Maybe just start with Meatless Mondays (pasta with sauce and a side salad?) and see if you can stretch it to a few more days with things like homemade pizza and hearty veggie chili?
xo,
s
Marcy says
We eat ‘paleo’ which for us means a lot of meat, but we save money by buying pastured animals in bulk. We ‘cow-pool’ with our family so we can buy a whole cow and divide it up, we are saving up for half a pig right now, and one of our favorite farms gives 20% off pastured broilers if we buy 10 at a time. So our chest freezer is our best money saver!
We also belong to a CSA and have a couple backyard hens, so for most of the year, we don’t have to go to the grocery store except for spices, oils, etc. Like Sherry mentioned, the fewer trips to the grocery store, the more savings on snacks and impulse items.
Sarah says
My husband is the same way but I’ve gotten him to eat one vegetarian meal – beans and rice with avocado and poached eggs. It’s super easy and really filling and tasty, he doesn’t even care that there isn’t any meat. Just douse it in hot sauce and melted cheese and enjoy!
Michelle says
Thanks for all the great money saving tips. We are always looks for new ways to save a penny. More project funds that way :0)
Cielle says
Have you guys checked out the subscribe and save area on amazon? I’ve definitely saved money there.
YoungHouseLove says
We’ll have to check it out!
xo,
s
Rosemary says
Here’s another tip. If you have foods that your family loves and you buy all the time, go check out their website and sign up for their email newsletter. I am always getting coupons emailed to me from Morningstar Farms veggie foods and Freschetta frozen pizza, my hubby’s two favorite things :)
Kristen says
I do this with Kashi and a few other sites and it works out wonderfully! I wait until they mail me a coupon and then wait a little more until it goes on sale at the store and then I stock up!
Kristin says
This is amazing. I had no idea you could put coupons on to the club card. So much easier!
Julie says
This is a huge help for me!!! This coupon thing is a constant struggle for me, it gets really frustrating when I get to the store and there are 30 different brands of the same thing and a store brand ends up being cheaper without a coupon than the coupon brand is after the coupon savings. Gahhh, I need all the tips I can get!
Page says
That’s awesome! Are you familiar with SouthernSavers.com? It matches your grocery store’s circular each week with manufacturer’s coupons. So it scans all the sites you just mentioned and provides links in one place. It’s pretty convenient.
YoungHouseLove says
Yes! That’s the first and second site I linked to in my bulleted list in this post. Love it!
xo,
s
Kim says
You’re giving me motivation to get into this coupon thing. I’ve been saying I was going to start for about 6 months now. I have a drawer full of coupons, but I’ve hardly used any of them. I’ve got to get organized and get started! Thanks for sharing those websites!
Eleanor says
Nice work! It feels good when you figure out the way to maximize your savings with coupons & sales. Those are all great sites you pointed out. Would love for you to stop by my local #rva site as well; http://www.savingourway.blogspot.com :-)
A few of us local frugal bloggers have started a coupon workshop series with Kroger. We just had our first workshop last week at the Kroger Short Pump (it’ll be highlighted on NBC12’s “More Bang For Your Buck” during the 5pm Broadcast on February 17th) and are meeting tomorrow to set the date for the next one. Would love to see at one, in the future!
:-)
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh sounds like fun! Thanks for the tip!
xo,
s
Lori and Ethne says
Ok! I LOVE COUPONS AND totally agree that utilizing websites is the way to go! I typically cut my bill (minimum in half)! What a fabulous feeling!
The sites I love are: passionforsavings.com and freebies2deals.com
Also, living in ND and MN I love to check out valleydealseekers.com!
Thanks for the tips on organization!
Jennifer says
Way to go!!! My goal has been to get over 50% saved at Kroger and last week, I got 60%. This is on a whole foods, gluten free diet! I was psyched!
Anyone who may be looking for an e-book/short course to help you navigate the coupon maze ought to check out Grocery University…. you can find it at http://bit.ly/eiKWms
It has helped me tremendously!!
Megan says
Hi John, Sherry and Clara!
I have a grocery shopping question for you. I totally agree that shopping less often (but buying more each trip) saves money over the long run. My question is…do you plan out meals that you will be preparing over the next few weeks while you are making your grocery list or do you just buy the things you know that you like and figure the meals out as you go? I definitely spend more money than I’d like when I plan out our meals. But when I just cook on the fly I find I’m always missing something I might need. I’d love to know how your family handles the grocery list!
Thanks for all that you do!!
Megan
YoungHouseLove says
Yup! We meal plan for the most part (counting out how many dinners we’ll need until next trip and aiming for that number of meals), and in the end before we go shopping again we have some pretty weird meals to try to “use things up” so we can go a longer stretch between trips and keep from amassing too many extras between each trip that never get used and eventually go bad.
xo,
s
Pam says
Wow, based on your examples, original prices for groceries are WAY cheaper for you down that way – the prices here (CT)are ridiculous! I would never see a four pack of yo-baby for under $3 – more likely, it would be around $4.50. Granted, this is not an exhaustive comparison, but wow.
Erin says
Hey- I’m in CT too, and I share your jealousy of all the grocery deals – there is just no.way. you can get a lot of deals at Stop & Shop. But if you aren’t buying dairy products at Target you should check them out. I save tons of money on cheese and yogurt there. You just have to be careful about expiration dates. HTH!