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).
Diane says
Good tips! Just make sure you don’t bite the hand that feeds you! Promotional retailers run these deals because they figure once you’re in the store for the deal, you’ll also buy other items regular price. But a bunch of stores in my area had to close down because so many extreme couponers were going to the stores and only buying items that were basically free with coupons.
Cheryl says
Really? I went to a class on couponing about two years ago and was told that stores don’t lose any money from people using coupons. The manufacturers put out the coupons, so they are willingly giving those deals, and they reimburse the stores the amount customers saved from using coupons. Therefore, the stores aren’t losing anything, but the manufacturers are. The only time a store would ever lose money is when they give you a deal themselves.
Diane says
It’s the store matching coupons that lose money. After all those stores closed down, the remaining stores in the area (national chain of grocery stores) started doing less promotions on their end. They still push the manufacturer coupons (like you said – the stores get reimbursed for those), but it’s harder to find matching store coupons, etc. now. They just couldn’t work with that business model. So I think it just depends on the store and the type of coupons being used. I personally love my Costco coupons (they only accept their own coupons) – I have saved a lot of money with those!
Elisabeth says
So, not to shamelessly self-promote…but I’d love to send you one of my Coupon Binders, Sherry! Email me, you’ll love it–especially if you intend to get more serious about your coupons! =)
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much for the generous offer Elisabeth! We actually have a no-swag policy (we just feel weird accepting special treatment or perks for being bloggers) but thanks so much for the thought!
xoxo,
s
GreenInOC says
I have compiled a list of organic and other healthy food manufacturer coupon links.
Let me know if you’d like it.
YoungHouseLove says
Like it? We’d LOVE IT!
xo,
s
GreenInOC says
sent it via email – hope you get it!!
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks so much!
xo,
s
Kristin F says
So funny! I used to bang out those coupons, and I was a diehard Kroger shopper in VA but the one here was suspect. So I switched to Publix and didn’t get the paper anymore. The customer service lady at Publix told me about Southern Savers website when she asked me if I had any coupons one day. What a great resource, especially since Publix doesn’t have a “store” card, though they run really great promotions all the time.
Paula S. says
Someone may have already mentioned this, but here is another one.
http://www.couponmom.com/
She has tons of tips and systems too.
SP says
How often do sites like the ones you mentioned update their coupons?
Thanks!
YoungHouseLove says
It depends. It seems to be about weekly to bi-weekly (some coupons stay longer than that but others get added into the mix). Of course you can go every day and see what deals they’re highlighting, but I try to keep it to once or twice every two weeks just to avoid the whole time-suck that it can turn into! I’m happy to maintain that saving money but having a life outside of couponing balance. Haha.
xo
s
AmyLynn says
Awesome job on the couponing. My SIL is a super pro couponer…she’s a genius. She’s actually teaching a class at her church this Thursday and I’m totally jazzed about it. With her expertise, I got a 1/2 gallon of almond milk (no dairy in our house) waaay cheap yesterday. Regular $3.04 at Target – sale of 25 cents off – $1 Target coupon – $1 manufacturer’s coupon= 79 cents for 1/2 gallon of milk!!!!
Buying coupons is also a good way to go. Over a year ago one of our local stores had a sale on ziploc bags 3 for $2. Pretty good sale about 66 cents each. Well, my genius SIL got on ebay and ordered some 50 cent coupons (like $2 for 25 of them) bringing the total to a whopping 17 cents a box. So i kinda went nuts and now we have 89 boxes of ziploc bags…well over a year later. I even sold some to some friends for 50 cents a box making the grand total for 89 boxes of ziploc bags -$1.50…yep I made money :)
One of my friends lives in Raleigh and she swears by Harris Teeter sales if you have one of those around. I can just picture you walking around Kroger with a binder full of coupons finding the *best* deals they have.
Katharine says
I just read an article recently about what foods (specifically fruits and veggies) to buy organic and which aren’t really necessary. Apparently fruits like bananas, avocados, pineapples, etc. that have thick skins were on the list of things you can buy non-organic. Their thick outer skin protects the fruit from pests and pesticides. Other things like apples, grapes, blueberries, etc. should be bought organic. Just wanted to share since organic fruits are so much more expensive! This might help you guys cut costs even more.
Here’s the article:
http://greenopolis.com/myopolis/blogs/aresende/what-you-should-shouldnt-buy-organic
amanda says
My mom has always been a coupon clipper, so I’ve followed in her footsteps. I always check the paper and coupons.com. If you’re not finding certain ones you want, don’t forget to go to the product’s website- you can usually print coupons from their site or sign up to get emailed coupons.
I just decided to use a box dye for the first time, so after deciding on L’Oreal, I went to their site and ended up getting a $3 off coupon for any of the types of dye. I had about 3 Loreal coupons from the paper, but each was for a specific type of their dyes, but this one covered them all.
Don’t forget that coupons aren’t just for groceries, lots of fast food and restaurants have them too. Arby’s usually sends a bunch out in those ads you get in the mail and Long John’s has a bunch of good ones you can print from their site. Sign up at Chili’s and you get a free skillet queso (yummmm) and Sonic which will email you special deals. Of course I also sign up for emails/coupons for places I like to clothes shop and recently I got 2 really nice bracelets from them for free for being such a loyal customer (I shop there a couple times a year and don’t have any cards from them), then because some people’s bracelets broke, they sent out a $30 off card for anything. Basically, any product you use, check out their site for good offers. Also, I set up a separate email just to send all those offers to so they don’t get mixed up with my personal ones. Michael’s craft store will also email you coupons which could be good for your diy projects.
I have a similar organizer, but mine is more an accordian style so I can organize the coupons which is easier when I’m at the store. When I go shopping I’ll stick some in the front that I know I want to use.
amanda says
oop, by “them” in the 3rd paragraph, I meant The Limited.
Katie Lake says
Not sure if you mentioned this but if you go to Kroger’s website you can load all your coupons onto your discount card. They let you print a list of exactly which coupons you have and divide it into categories. They have almost every coupon on the Kroger website that was in my Sunday paper this week.
SP says
Wow you guys are fast with the responses!!! Thanks! Makes a lot of sense… I can see myself checking the sites every single day haha… But I won’t :-)
And GreenInOC – I’d love the organic items coupon links too :-)
Tania says
Me too re: the organic coupons list, sounds like a great resource.
Callie says
Thanks for sharing this!!! I’ve tried couponing before, but got frustrated with all the “junk food” coupons, since we usually buy organic. But with 6 people on one income, coupons sure come in handy! I’ll be checking out your links! I just LOVE your blog!!
Allison K says
Bummer! None of the grocery stores near me do the ecoupons to your store saver card :-(
Chris A. says
You’ve got to be so proud of yourself – that’s amazing. I love Kroger. About once a month I get a package in the mail with coupons from them for being a good customer. I don’t know if you have it there or not but with the Kroger card you also accumulate money of gas that really helps at the Kroger gas station (or at some Shell stations that participate). Way to go!
Chris A. says
I wanted to mention ALL magazine which is always loaded with coupons, too. Today you can get a free one year subscription for filling out a survey: http://a388.g.akamai.net/7/388/1603/0001/www.freebizmag.com/emailallyounl01welcome.htm
Cheryl says
Love All You magazine! So many coupons, good recipes, and DIY projects!
rachel says
incase you havent heard of it try the grocery game i save hundreds each week!
usually dont spend more the $50.00 a trip!
http://www.grocerygame.com
Kelly says
Do you have an account set up with Upromise.com? If not, you really should look into it. Basically, you open a college savings account for Clara and enter your Kroger card info. As you make purchases from companies that support Upromise, they deposit some money into her account. They also have coupons that you just need to activate, no clipping involved! The value of the coupon is deposited into her Upromise account after you’ve made the purchase. You can also have friends & grandparents sign up and contributions from their purchases will be deposited into Clara’s account.
I’ve earned over $400 for my kids through Upromise! Gotta love free money!!
YoungHouseLove says
Wow we’ll have to look into that! We set up a 529 for her when she was born but we’d love to do more!
xo,
s
sarah b says
I’ll second that! Upromise is great. We’re trying to pay down a massive student loan debt and our UPromise accounts are linked to the Sallie Mae account.
UPromise is good for grocery coupons, but even better for general online shopping. Make sure to install the “TurboSaver” to your internet browser. Every time you go to a website that is partnered with UPromise a large yellow banner will display on the top. Inside the Banner will include the % back you’ll get for shopping with that company.
Examples:
West Elm: 3%
Crate and Barrel: 2%
Expedia: 1%
Target: 2%
FTD: 12% (usually 10%; special promo through Valentines Day)
There are thousands of participating retailers. Oh, and the only major retailers that aren’t included in UPromise is amazon and zappos, unfortunately.
Happy online shopping!
Jen says
You know, I go through coupons and I don’t need 95% of the stuff I see. Or you have to buy 5 to get 50 cents off. And no stores near me double at all … it’s just not worth it here. I keep checking to see if I’m missing something too, and the deals people claim to get at their local stores just don’t exist at any of ours. I have used a random coupon when something also happens to be on sale, which is great, but I never save all that much. I can’t be the only one!!
carolinaheartstrings says
You go girl. Welcome to the world of couponing. Many good sites out there to print coupons from. Good luck and happy saving.
Lindsay says
Another CVS tip for CVS customers: Usually the scanning machine at the self-check out station doesn’t know which coupon is which. So if you have a coupon for a kind of shampoo you will never use, you can slide it in for say….cereal! I know it’s sort of cheating but since you are still buying a product and they gave you a coupon, I figure it’s probably ok.
Coupon user says
Seriously!!!! That’s why couponing has gotten a bad rap lately. It’s not sort of cheating, it’s stealing. Using a coupon for something that you didn’t buy is wrong. No if, ands or buts about it.
Jessica D says
I use couponsavinggame.com and southersavers.com the most! I’m down in Florida and do most of my shopping at Publix. Publix accepts store coupons, competitor’s coupons (Albertson’s, Target, Winn-Dixie, Sweetbay, etc) and manufacturer coupons. Stacking coupons is the way to go! I love it when Publix has BOGO deals. You can use two coupons since you’re technically getting two items, even though the one is already free! I always get bogo items for nothing or next to nothing. It pays to get the weekly circular, or see if your store posts it online. Happy Qponing!
Josie says
So, have you ever checked out sites such as http://www.foodonthetable.com that help you coordinate meal plans with coupons and deals? It really interests me, but I’m a single dweller and though I rarely buy something that’s not on sale, I don’t really feel the need for coupons or meal planning. I’d like to know if anyone makes good use of these sites, and how it would work in conjunction with coupons?
YoungHouseLove says
We’ll have to check it out! Anyone use it already?
xo,
s
Laura says
Ahem. I hope I’m not the only one who saw this post title and thought it was about something else entirely… LOL.
MaryB in Richmond says
I think you might be thinking about that big size/little size wrong. If there’s a Jumbo size for $5, and a Small size for $2, and I use a $1 coupon, I’ve saved $1 no matter which one I buy. The *percentage* you save is bigger on the smaller size, but you’ve saved $1 regardless. HOWEVER, if the Jumbo is 10 items for $5 and the Small is 1 item for $2 — which is often the case, that the larger containers are cheaper by the each — then using that $1 coupon on the Jumbo means I got 10 items for $4 instead of one item for $1.
I didn’t explain that very well, but the key is which size is cheaper by the each (if you’ll use them all, of course) to start with.
Sarah says
Have you thought about playing the Drugstore Game at Rite Aid, Walgreen and/or CVS? (as it’s referred to.)
I haven’t paid more than a few cents for Toothpaste, Shampoo/Conditioner, Deodorant, Soap, and much more. You can use manuf. coupon AND a store coupon (AND an ad coupon too if one is available). It is truly amazing and a lot of fun.
I learned everything at Luv a Bargain – http://www.luvabargain.com. You can read about each store “how-to’s under the Drugstores tab.
It is the best feeling ever when you see those receipts, isn’t it?
YoungHouseLove says
Sadly those deals don’t usually work for us since we use organic shampoo and other care products (and Tom’s Of Maine toothpaste). But friends keep telling me how much they save on more mainstream brands!
xo,
s
Krystal says
Organix shampoo/conditioner (my favorite) is both organic and sulfate free and it’s one of the best products to play the Drugstore Game with. CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, etc. constantly run a buy one get one free deal with them, and there’s always a rebate tag on the bottle to buy one get one free. Thus, you just got both the shampoo and conditioner for free! The fact that it’s healthy for your hair and comes in a vast select of wonderful scents makes it so much better. The Drugstore Game has opened my eyes to so many new products that I normally wouldn’t have bought because of the price. CVS Pharmacy has some of the best deals with Physician’s Formula make-up too (the only brand I’ll wear because it’s both organic and hypoallergenic), which is usually $14 to $20 an item but I’ve never spent more than $2 to $5 because of stacking the coupons with the store’s deal.
Emily says
Psst. I’ve found great deals lately at PetSmart on dog food. The company mails me these “save $5 on a bag of dog food” and instead of buying the 35-lb bag like I normally do, I go and buy the 10-lb bag $5.25 bag that’s still enough for 15 meals and walk out of there with only having paid a quarter. Loose change. From my car console.
Lauren says
I used to do the coupon thing but I would end up with too much snack food or having to make overly creative meals. I also just do not have the time anymore. Now I just go to ALDI for most things. I can literally fill up a huge cart with everything I want for about $100 and it lasts us about a month. We also go to a fancy gourmet grocery store for just a few special things (like organic lactose-free milk, small amounts of tasty cheese, fresh herbs) If we want steak or fresh sausage we use a local butcher, whose prices are equal to or cheaper than the grocery store, and their meat tastes way better.
We will also go to Mexican, Indian, or Asian groceries for more exotic stuff (you can get some spices, like cardamom, for about a tenth of the price at an ethnic grocer).
That being said, if you ARE going to try and go with coupons, I always found that kroger had the best deals too (but still not as good as generics at aldi!)
Ciara says
question:
how do you know if you’re store “matches” coupons? is it automatic at the register? or do you have to ask them to do it?
YoungHouseLove says
The computer does all that automatically, so you don’t have to ask. You can call to find out their policy on doubling beforehand though!
xo,
s
Lacey says
Hi Sherry, This is kinda off the subject but still in-line with saving money. Can you update us on how the bum genius diapers are holding up for Miss Clara as she grows? Have you had to buy more? Thanks…
YoungHouseLove says
Our original 12 dipes are in mint condition and we couldn’t love them more! We happily haven’t had to buy even one more. So that keeps things cheap and simple. Cloth diapering is definitely an easy way to save money!
xo,
s
Cassidy says
If you guys don’t have a subscription to the paper, wanted to let you know you can buy it at the dollar store for… ONLY A DOLLAR! They seem to sell out early so I go first thing Sunday. Something to consider.
Crystal @Beautifulhaven says
My husband and I sign up at our favorite restaurants websites. Upon registration, most restaurants send you a coupon for free appetizers or entrée. And on your birthday they send you a free entrée or desert coupon. It’s a great way to save a few dollars or even 50% off a meal at your favorite restaurant. If you don’t want your personal inbox overflowed with “restaurant news” set up a separate email address.
Nichole@40daysof says
Sherry, I tried to read all of the comments so that I don’t ask a duplicate question. If I have, I apologize.
I shop at Kroger and try to buy as much organic as they have available. Have you found a place to actually clip coupons for organic stuff? Or are most of our savings in that area from in store specials accessed by the Kroger card? Thanks :)
YoungHouseLove says
Definitely the Kroger card for the most part when it comes to produce. Organic milk and eggs and yogurt have coupons that cycle through in circulars and online though.
xo,
s
Coleen says
Don’t know about anywhere else but Kroger (Fry’s) here in AZ will also sometimes accept other store’s coupons. That’s a big score since the Fresh & Easy stores here always have a $3 off of $30 or $5 off of $25 coupon on their flyers!
The best couponer I know is my mother-in-law. She once got $200 worth of groceries for free…actually they owed her 35 cents. I couldn’t believe it, they actually paid her!
Kris says
Thanks for the great post. Where did you get your plastic envelope you keep your coupons in? I’m trying to google it and find it, but am coming up blank.
Thanks so much!
YoungHouseLove says
It was from Target for 50 cents a while back.
xo,
s
laura says
I use the Grocery Game. Saves a lot of time and shows you how to get free stuff. Free trial to get started. It’s addictive.
http://www.thegrocerygame.com
Ciara Gill's Organic Deals says
I’m so excited to see that one of my favorite blogs (your house is coming together so nicely btw) is coupon savvy too! Since I notice you guys buy organic groceries, my blog might be of help to you guys too. I’m not as big as Southern Savers, since I’ve started my blog six months ago, but I try my best to find and share the best deals and coupons on everything organic. Hope it helps you guys save more greens so you can use the extra money to do those projects I always admire!
YoungHouseLove says
Wahoo! Can’t wait to check it out.
xo,
s
Carolyn says
Have you guys found any great deals on yogurt? I am currently in a big pickle because Target stopped carrying my staple lunch yogurt: Stonyfield for 89 cents a piece (other places carry it for over a dollar each). Any alternate brands you’d recommend? Or have you found any great deals? I’m new to this coupon thing but you’ve inspired me to get on the hunt!
YoungHouseLove says
We get Stonyfield coupons all the time! I signed up for coupons on stonyfield.com and also get them printed with our receipt a lot at Kroger (called Catalina coupons I think, the store seems to track what we buy and offer coupons on those items next time).
xo,
s
Kristy says
Not sure if there are many Canadians out there – does anyone know of good websites for Canadian couponers? We like to save money too!
YoungHouseLove says
Someone asked about that a ways back in the comments and another Canadian dropped in with some helpful links! Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Handy Man, Crafty Woman says
Oh, how I’ve tried to coupon. however, I stink at it, no matter how hard I try! The coupons in the papers up here are for almost NOTHING we use. So it’s not worth spending $2.00 to use one 50 cent coupon. Plus, NO stores around me match or double coupons. boooo! the most I’ve ever saved (and that was a huge fluke), was $14. usually I can only save in the $5-$8 range. I’ve even tried a few of the coupon sites. Maybe I’ll look at the ones you listed, to see if I can find any more. I really want to save more but I can’t figure out how!
Ashley - Frugal Coupon Living says
Woo-Hoo, great savings! Thanks for the link love! I find that buying the most expensive items are always much cheaper than store brands using coupons and sales! I love it when the Buy One, Get One Sales roll around and you have two coupons to use!
Tania says
Glad you got into couponing…I promise you a year from now you will laugh at saving 53 dollars and be like…what it’s not free. I only get it when it’s free…that’s how I roll! I have been couponing for 2 years…have a good healthy stockpile…I stock up when things are free…or nearly free…and I use it…that keeps my regular shopping down to two times a month and only needing to spend about 30-40 dollars each trip. So for a family of four we keep it under a 100 bucks a month.
Penny says
You. Must. Get. A. Coupon. Book. Love it!! If you like lists, you’ll love having each of your coupons separated by category; imagine one area for the freezer section, the next area for the refrigerated items, shelf items, etc.
Heck, go all out and use a label maker to get even more fancy – knock your socks off.
I have one and I love it.
Organization rules.
Penny :)
Erin K. says
I didn’t read through all of your comments, so someone may have already suggested these sites to you.
http://www.shortcuts.com
http://www.upromise.com
http://www.pgesaver.com
You can load the coupons from these sites directly to your Kroger card, too. Happy Saving!
Lisa says
I second another reader’s recommendation of Amazon Mom and their Subscribe & Save program. I get economy packs of diapers for my 7.5-month-old for ~$25 rather than the $40+ they cost on Diapers.com; they also sell wipes (you guys are cloth diapering but I don’t think you’re doing reusable wipes). Most baby products that are eligible for Subscribe & Save and Amazon Mom end up being 30% off and you can cancel anytime.
You can also send coupons to Diapers.com and they’ll automatically apply them to your order… we didn’t need to do that for a while because I posted my referral link EVERYWHERE when I was pregnant and they had a promo where you got $20/referral, so we ended up with ~$1,200 of free credit. I didn’t pay for formula or diapers for months! :)
I also recommend reading DealSeekingMom.com and DealiciousMom.com. Put their feeds into your RSS reader and it’s really easy to keep up with new offers, coupon postings, etc. We do most of our grocery shopping on FreshDirect.com because we live in Manhattan and it saves soooo much time (and prices are much cheaper than Food Emporium, while quality is much better than Gristede’s). I use a mini plastic accordion file to keep my coupons organized by type, and then I pull them out each weekend when we see what we need and what CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens have on sale.
Emily says
Where has couponing been all my life! Thanks for the info!
Brianna says
Another website I like is thekrazycouponlady.com! She was on the Nate Berkus show yesterday as well, maybe you caught it? But she updates regularly with different coupon deals and scenarios. I’m going to go get some 2.99 dog food today!
YoungHouseLove says
Alas, we don’t get Nate’s show here in Richmond. I’ll have to hunt down the clip online!
xo,
s
Kristine says
Hey guys…I don’t know if someone has already posted about this in your comments section but I just voted for you over at http://www.apartmenttherapy.com for the 2011 Homie Awards! I hope you win!!!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw thanks so much Kristine! We’re just happy to be nominated among so many amazing fellow bloggers!
xo,
s
Mrs. Petrie says
I just wrote a post about using coupons, too! I love the Krazy Coupon Ladies (one of them was on Nate yesterday). It would be so wonderful to have a storage of food that we regularly eat that had been bought for super cheap.
notlaura says
you should check out shortcuts.com
they are coupons that you load directly on to your kroger card (and work with lots of other stores too) but with a pretty big /easytosearch selection
caite says
So funny you mention this—my boyfriend and I just finished the first month of a very tricky project: We only spent $100 on groceries for the month! We’re blogging about it (with recipes!) again this month too, with a few tweaks for the second iteration of the project. Food can get so stinkin’ expensive, and we work in the midst of many good restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner—tasty food is available all day long! Now we bring our coffee from home, pack our lunch and prepare dinner together instead of waiting for it be delivered. Saving money is quickly turning into our favorite activity!