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).
Jenski says
I’ve had “arguments” with people over and over about how coupons make you buy stuff you would not otherwise buy. I take your approach and only cut coupons for something I buy or like to buy. So, that includes things that I will not buy unless they are on sale and I have a coupon – anything from crackers (not necessary) to toothpaste (arguably necessary). Coupons are great!!
Mary C says
Don’t know if this will help anyone but a couple years ago I got one of those grocery store sheets which show where everyone in the store is located. Using that, I made a “master grocery list” (Word document), and when I’m ready to go to the store, I circle the items we need. It helps me not to forget important but sometimes overlooked things. Hope this helps someone.
Tracy says
I have just started couponing too. I have wanted to do it for a while and now that I’m a stay at home more I am finally taking the time to do it. Since I am new too, I have found it is really important to looking carefully at the store weekly ad (I even circle the items with the deals that match up my coupons. That way I can make my list accurately. Oh, and I am a person that grew up on food storage. I have quickly figured out the items that we use regularly. So when they go on sale and I can use the coupons too, I will be as many as I can (lots of canned products so they don’t go bad).
This last shopping trip our Krogers was advertising a $25 grocery credit if you moved a prescription to their pharmacy. Well, I decided to switch my birth control prescription and not only did I get the $25, but it was a cheaper prescription! So I saved over $55 on my last trip. It did feel good!
Maggie@Cheneyhome says
Do you guys subscribe to Groupon or LivingSocial? I’ve found some good deals on them, but it definitely requires restraint to only buy something you would normally buy…otherwise you’re just throwing money away on something you don’t need! :)
YoungHouseLove says
Yes! Those are fun but you’re right- we only cash in on deals we’d normally buy!
xo,
s
t says
Love Coupons!
XOX,
http://outfitidentifier.com/
Cori @WhereYouHangYourHeart.com says
Thanks for the tips! I need to spend more time thinking about what I need in advance, and the coupon sites will be helpful. Thank you!
Alissa H. says
I love coupons! in fact I’m teaching the ladies at church how to properly use them at church next week!
Randa says
So funny! I just started couponing about three weeks ago and I love it! I’ve already saved about $200.00 for only three shopping trips! I use couponmom.com – It’s a little weird to figure out but once you do, it’s like making gold!
Thanks for sharing the links – I’ll have to check them out.
Kayt says
Most of the other commenters hit on points I was going to make, but I didn’t see if anyone mentioned the discount some stores give for your reusable bags. At my Colorado Target and King Soopers (a Kroger brand), they give 5 or 10 cents off for each reusable bag you use. So, at my King Soopers, you could have saved another 90 cents, and 45 cents at Target! It’s not a huge savings, but you might as well ask about it and save a bit more.
Also, if you have a Super Target, you can match Target coupons to manufacturer’s coupons to sales, and they’re printable at Target.com.
YoungHouseLove says
Oh yes! Kroger does 5 cents a bag which adds up to 45 cents with the use of 9 bags. Not bad for using stuff we’d use anyway.
xo,
s
Maggie says
Ummmmm do you sleep? Let me get this straight, you are a full time working mom, fixing up your house every spare moment you have AND you clip coupons??!!! I am super impressed!! You go girl!
KathyG says
Pardon if this is a repeat. If you know you can coupon something for free or super cheap that you don’t want or will use youself, remember that you can usually donate that item right there in the store (many have donation stations at the front of the store) to help others.
Jenn L says
Snip Snip Hooray! =)
Great job! I haven’t saved that much on groceries in a while (Though I usually do on clothes and beauty products!) and totally need to change things up a little! Thanks for all the tips! I didn’t know about the box size… I tend to look at the price per ounce and make decisions based on what has the cheapest PPO or PPU (price per unit?)
Thank you!
xoXOxo
Jenn @ Peas & Crayons
Kristen says
Keep at it Sherry! We now save a minimum of 50% on our grocery bills (I’ve had one as high as 90% off – that was a fun one!)
I used to clip but found it took way too much time. Now, I date the whole coupon inserts and stick them in a binder or file. When it’s time to shop, I use the coupon databases (moneysavingmom.com has one as do other sites) and search for the coupons to match our local sales, go to that insert and clip it out. That way I don’t have to spend hours clipping and I can keep them all organized. At the end of the month, I just pull out the expired ones and move along.
I set up an excel spreadsheet so when I make my list I can put in the item price, coupon amount and know my total before I even hit the register. I also then know if something was priced wrong and I can deal with it right there.
And “Do not double” isn’t always true – if the bar code starts with a 5, stores have the option to double it. Ours will, so it’s a great extra savings!
And Target store coupons with a stacked manufacturer coupon…heaven.
Good luck with your couponing!
Debby says
Most grocery stores sell just the Sunday paper, so that is an easy way to get it without a subscription. Also in our area, they have double papers that cost less than 2 papers — therefore, 2 sets of coupons. I have a neighbor that isn’t into couponing so she always just puts her coupons in my mailbox — this way I get another whole set of coupons. Using a 3 ring binder with baseball card inserts works great for organizing. This way, it is easiest to file by having a page or more of inserts per letter (I use the name brand). This way, when going through the grocery store, if you happen to see something on sale that you need or know that you can use, you can look for the coupon in your notebook and easily find it.
Target will take THEIR coupons along with manufactured coupons for the same item. However, you can’t use 2 manufacturers coupons for the same item.
Jess says
Instead of Snip, Snip I’m thinking Sniff, Sniff if this is the only YHL post today. Don’t you two realize this is my stress relief outlet while I’m at work! ;)
Leah says
I’m a Safeway girl and I regularly save about $50 at the store – between coupons and store card. However, this weekend I went to Wegmans (love the Wegmans! Just the produce section is worth the 20 minute drive!). I only saved $5 on the card and coupons and was disappointed by that. So I went to Safeway’s online shopping service and put in most of my order (they didn’t have all of the same items). 90% of the items were simply less expensive at Wegmans. My point is – don’t be so distracted by how much you save at the bottom of you receipt as much as focusing on how much the items cost bottom line. And if you don’t know Wegmans – it’s worth the trip. Tell um Leah sent you. And they are so friendly to my 1 year old, Alexandra. They’ll love the baby!
BethanyB says
We eat organically and while i love Safeway, I found that Wegmans is by FAR the best place to get organic meat! Its true you don’t save as much there but if you are strict on what you buy (like ONLY the things you can get at Safeways)it ends up to be worth it.
Susanne says
Thanks for this post! I think you read my mind! I have been wanting to learn more about couponing for a while, but it was daunting! Your post gave me courage….. I just got back from Publix, what I needed were mainly detergents, beauty and health products. I spent $56 and saved $37!!! I even scored a free Freschetta pizza because it was 10 for $10 and I had a $1 off coupon!
Thanks again for the great post! I’m officially addicted.
YoungHouseLove says
Wow that’s awesome! Congrats Susanne!
xo,
s
Kristin says
My friend has a great trick to turn “savings” into actual dollars. When she was saving to renovate her house every time she saved money by walking instead of taking a cab or not ordering the extra glass of wine, skipping Starbucks, etc, she would go home and transfer that money into a separate savings account and watch her small daily savings add up. She found that much more effective and gratifying than just transferring a couple hundred bucks every pay period.
I haven’t tried it yet though now that you have me thinking about coupon clipping, I might try her trick and move my savings from the receipts into a savings account and watch it accumulate over time! Would help me save for another trip to Europe.
Natalie says
You guys might want to check out thisfrugallife.com (if no one has mentioned that site before). She really breaks down how to look at different deals to get the best bang for your buck.
Paula/adhocmom says
My mother would be VERY proud of you!
Kim says
Thank you for the tips and sites. I’ve never really bothered with coupons but I’m excited to start now (and save some moola)!!
Brittni Brown says
Hey guys! I am huge fan of your blog. In fact, it is my favorite home design site, and I have been using your tips and tricks and photos for inspiration while decorating mine and my fiance and our (dog)hter’s (pug/beagle mix) new pad in NYC. I have recently discovered the DIY freak inside of me: the other night before my move in day, I painted our bedrooms Benjamin Moore’s Stonington Gray (inspired by your Posh and Polished House Crashing post) from 6pm till 7am (who does that?). As a writer for BradsDeals.com, I search for all the best online deals like its my job (because it is) and I do my best to help share with our readers how to save money on nearly everything simply shopping online and printing coupons. I’ll submit photos of our place once I’m done with my nocturnal paint binges in hopes that you’ll crash my house. Keep rocking it YHL’ers. Cheers.
YoungHouseLove says
Hahaha love it! Sounds like a perfectly normal way to spend a night to us. Haha.
xo,
s
Tania says
Have you guys checked out blissmo.com? It’s like Groupon but for weekly deals on organic, sustainable items. They often have toys, baby items, and toiletries featured.
YoungHouseLove says
Ooh that sounds right up our alley. Thanks for the tip!
xo,
s
Deb says
Hi guys! Long time no comment :) but I thought I would on this post. I don’t know if anyone already mentioned CouponMom.com but I save A TON O’ TIME on that because it tells you what coupon mag (RedPlum/SmartSource) has the item you want and what date it came out on,etc. It also matches that with your grocery store of choice in your city. It’s super simple…they also have a little video you can watch (I suggest it, I did and it made life way easier). Anywho, just stopping in to say hola and happy clipping! PS- Tell Burger, Penny Pinscher says hello too!
Sarah says
The only bummer with coupons is that they are generally mostly for processed and/or packaged foods. There aren’t coupons for fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat. At least not that I know of. We really don’t but many processed foods so cutting coupons is not something I have done. And we don’t have kiddos. I wish there was some way we could save too! We spend on average $1,000 a month on food. And we only eat out at most, once a week, if that. I guess I could try coupons for detergent, paper towel, beauty products, and others.
Alisa says
We don’t eat much processed food either, but I still coupon. I go to our local Tom Thumb (Safeway) and use my customer card at every purchase so they can track what I spend. When they do that, along with my receipt I get store coupons for items I buy. I’ve gotten coupons for both produce and meat that way. It’s possible so don’t give up hope!
BethanyB says
I have a question, I prepare all our food organically and I know you said how that its a little tuff finding stuff that is on sale AND organic but on top of that I MAKE all our meals. I have found that half the coupons I come across are for pre-made and paged goods. Do you have any tips on how I could join the coupon clipping club without sacrificing my preferences?
ps. so you can get an idea of what we eat- http://growingthehome.com/
YoungHouseLove says
Yes! Some coupons will definitely still apply even if you make your own meals (ex: if you make your own yogurt, coupons for organic milk will come in handy, as will coupons for things like chicken in your store’s circular). You’d be surprised what goes on 10/$10 sales in the store (and remember, you usually don’t have to buy 10 of something to get that price), like organic avocados and kale or free range organic eggs. Good luck!
xo,
s
BethanyB says
Thanks! I will keep an eye out… oh just a word of caution, I know Most stores done require you to buy all ten items but when i work at food lion (about 5 years ago) some of the 10 for tens rang up one amount and when it hit 10 it changed while other 10 for 10s you could by just one. Its a good idea to ask a cashier prior to hitting the registers just in case… for food lion at least.
Kate says
For the second day in a row I’m having to say ‘I wish we had that here in NZ!’. Coupons are few and far between here, you certainly cannot use a coupon on something already on sale, and there’s no such thing as doubling etc.
That was a fantastic amount of money off – sounds like it as worth the time spent… now you can calculate exactly what you can buy for the house for $53!
Barbara says
Another CT follower and I’m not able to find the ‘deals’ that you talk about either. The coupon sites did not have coupons for anything I normally use. I use Trader Joe’s for the best deals on organic food and a local supermarket. I buy my desired cuts of meat when it is on sale and portion and freeze it. I then shop from my freezer for dinner. Neither my Walmart nor my Target carries any meat or fresh produce.
Kroeger’s, have you thought of coming to New England?
Jeanne says
I don’t count those Kroger Plus savings. It’s like they mark stuff up just to give you a discount and make it look like you saved money. If you don’t have a Kroger Plus card, they run a card they have at the register, so everyone gets the discount. It sure does feel good to see it come off your total at the end, though. :-) I’m in marketing so I’m always skeptical, lol.
Michelle Bradley says
I have been an avid coupon’er for about 4 years now and I can’t tell you how many projects we have been able to do on our house because of the money that I save on groceries each week. I love it when I can go to Kroger and buy $210 worth of groceries and only pay $92. It’s really lot of fun when the person behind you in line is paying attention to how much food you are putting on the belt and then sees how much you paid for it all!! I’ve been able to tell several people about using coupons because of that very senario. Hopefully it helps them too. Keep it up!! It is SO worth it!
OH, BTW, if you have a Publix close by you should check them out too. I get A TON of good deals there because of their weekly BOGO sales combined with coupons.
Sara says
Thank you for doing a post about this. I just recently lost my job and have also started clipping coupons, keeping track of sales and saving LOTS of $$ doing it! I’ve learned that organization is key. Also, make sure you are getting 5 CENTS off for every reusable bag you use! It’s so liberating isn’t it?!
Chloe says
Have you guys ever heard of Recyclebank? It’s this really cool site that gives you rewards like grocery store savings, drugstore coupons, and discounts on “the brands you buy every day” when you pledge to recycle or use less energy or things of the sort. You guys seem very concerned about being eco-friendly like me, so I thought you might like it.
http://www.recyclebank.com/about-us
YoungHouseLove says
Awesome concept. Thanks so much for sharing the link! Can’t wait to check it out.
xo,
s
charlotte says
i use a photo bragbook to store coupons. the dollar store often carries them. i just flip through it and take out the ones i need before my shopping trip. it is small enough to carry in my purse.
Kim E. says
Two of my favorite coupon sites that I didn’t see mentioned here yet are http://www.couponmom.com/ and http://couponsenseblog.com/. Coupon Sense blogs about deals nationwide. I read their posts through my facebook feed and have gotten several good leads from them. Coupon Mom’s site has a great system and is completely free. She’s been featured on Oprah, Today, CNN, Good Morning America, etc. Below is a breakdown of what her site does. The best part is that she matches store ads across the nation with all available coupons to show you where to get the best deals. She even has newbie tutorials. Enjoy!
Free membership includes:
Free printable coupons, updated daily
Weekly Best Deals Lists for 38 grocery chains and 5 national drugstores (Wal-Mart, Target, CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid)
Online grocery coupon database with Sunday newspaper coupons by region
Weekly cash giveaways
“New Coupons and Deals” newsletter with new coupons & deal previews
Free downloads of Coupon Mom’s tutorials for beginner and advanced shoppers
Blair says
Okay, maybe I’m missing something, but how exactly do you load the Southern Savers coupon links onto your Kroger card? It only is giving me the option to print coupons, but (a) I don’t want to waste the trees and (b) our printer doesn’t work.
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Blair,
Hmm, we just follow that link, log in, and click “save to card”. Maybe you have to create a log in name and provide your kroger card number first? Try going to cellfire.com and creating a login name directly. Good luck!
xo,
s
Amber says
I love coupons! They’re so great if you take the time to get them and match them with deals. I don’t know if anyone has posted the link to this one yet or not, but I love
totallytarget.com
She matches up the Target coupons with manufacturer coupons to get the best deals. Gotta love Target.
Brandi of The Inspiring Bee says
I have to admit one thing about your site is the comment section. And today’s comments are no exception. I actually read a ton of them because I find the comments themselves o helpful. Thanks for all the tips on coupons!
YoungHouseLove says
Amen. Thanks so much to all of you guys for sharing your tips and tricks!
xo,
s
Amber says
Grocerysmarts.com is another great one. They match the coupons to the ads at stores in your area so and also rate the final cost on a scale of 1-5 stars. 1 being not a great deal and 5 meaning it’s s killer deal and you should stock up.
Jessica Dixon says
Hi Sherry,
Just wanted to say that you should be able to tell on your Kroger sales ad what your store does for “double coupons” it will say somewhere on the paper “double coupons up to 50 cents” or whatever it is…which if it doubles up to 50 cents then a 50 cent coupon would give you 1.00 off but a 55 cent coupon would only give you 55 cents off.
I was doing some major couponing last wear and ended up with an entire room full of everday items. (laundry supplies, bath & beauty supplies…I mean almost everything non food related) it is so nice to be able to go down to that room and just grab what we need when we run out.
I saved over $20,000 using coupons in 2009. I am not kidding, and that is coupon savings ONLY…not the in store special savings. It is very very worth while, especially with a large family (we are a family of 5 plus I shop for my mom, step dad, dad, step mom, brother, his wife and also many of my friends)
If you ever want to talk about anything or have me help out with couponing please feel free to email me.
michelle says
I’m glad I’m not the only one with an old lady plastic coupon holder in their purse! :) My friends laugh but they just don’t have an appreciation for coupons!
Heather says
If you like Kroger, check out:
http://www.iheartkroger.com
Happy Couponing! :)
Allykristine says
With a catchy title like “Snip, Snip”, I thought this was going to be a post about vasectomy’s…
Imagine my disappointment when I learned it’s all about clipping coupons :)
YoungHouseLove says
Haha, you’re the second one who said that! Is it odd that my mind went back to when we neutered the dog before human vasectomies? Haha.
xo,
s
Jennifer says
Someone else already mentioned this tip, but I use a 4×6 photo album to hold all my coupons (I got it from Walmart for about a dollar, I think). I used to use a small accordion file to transport my coupons, but I found that I needed to see them/flip through them quickly to find the ones that I wanted. Now, I’ve adopted it as a 2-step process: 1) I clip the coupons I want and store them in the accordion folder (usually by date; soon-to-be expired ones up front) and then 2) when I’m making out my grocery list, I pull out the ones I need and slip them into the photo album to take with me to the grocery store.
BTW, we’re Kroger shoppers too! :)
Sarah says
Someone mentioned buying locally, which I love the idea of, however, I’ve been scammed several times at our local farmers markets. I’ve bought fruit from several different vendors, and brought them home to find that they had put rotting fruit underneath the good looking fruit in the box, or I’ve had boxes that were horribly bug infested under the first layer of “pretty” fruit. I’m sure that’s not the case everywhere, but it’s happened so many times that it made me never want to go back.
It’s also much more expensive to buy produce at farmers markets here than the grocery store, even though we grow a huge range of produce in this state (CA).
For the person who mentioned meat – Ralph’s/Kroger has “Managers Specials” that they mark WAY down with orange tags. It’s meat/dairy/bread or produce that’s about to expire. You can freeze any meat or fish, cheese, and bread to keep it past the expiration date, then defrost when you’re ready to use it!
Stacy says
Good job! Now you have to get on the “drugstore game”. I haven’t paid more than $1 for toiletries (shampoo, bodywash, deoderant, razors, toothpaste, toothbrushes….ect) in about 18 months. Drugstores are also a great place to get food items (cereal and snacks especially). This week at CVS you can get 6 Ragus and 3 Skippy PB for about $5($0.61) cents each! I am addicted to couponing!
Sarah Whitney says
I agree with several of the commenters above – we shop at Wegman’s (love it!!) and are able to buy alot of store brands, I don’t find that many coupons for the products we’re buying, but I will be checking out the resources listed here. On a saving money note, I haven’t seen anyone mention the Amazon Subscribe and Save program, and Amazon Moms – if a product is in their subscribe and save program, you can save up to 30% off (15% with subscribe and save, 15% through Amazon Moms), plus you can get extra months for free on your Amazon prime account. I buy all our diapers and wipes through them – way cheaper than the grocery store, they are delivered in 2 days, and I can order them at 10 pm at night!
Sarah Mc says
Please tell me you know about Amazon Mom + Subscribe & Save?!?
YoungHouseLove says
I’ve heard about both of them but have been meaning to really dive into them. Maybe now’s the time!
xo,
s
Gina @ Temporary Nest says
I am fascinated by the idea of loading coupons onto your card!? this is MINDBLOWING to me!! I just go to Market Basket and Hannafords which are both super cheap. I did a full shop for myself (given, its only myself) over the weekend for only $20!! I loved it!
Stacey says
Hey Sherry,
I haven’t read through all 400+ comments to see if anyone told you about this site, but here is another helpful one: http://www.couponmom.com/
I use coupon mom’s site, as well as Southern Savers each week. I like coupon mom because you can choose the items you want to buy to create a shopping list and then sort by the % you save. It’s helpful because it helps me to see what is really a good deal, and what just sounds like one. I try to only buy what I normally use, like you said you did. But I also use this tool to help me try to only buy things that I save at least 50% when I use a coupon. Things that aren’t a savings of at least 50% doesn’t seem like enough of a deal for me! And, in case no one else mentioned, everything is on a cycle, so if what you use isn’t on sale now, it will be in a few weeks. That’s why it’s good to stock up and save when it’s on sale!
Have you seen that show “Extreme Couponing” on TLC? Major couponers, but good to take tips from. There’s a lot to learn, but it’s definitely addictive.
Good luck, and happy savings!
Marjorie says
If you are looking for a great way to track your savings over time, check out http://thecouponproject.com/downloads/savings-tracker You can download a free excel spreadsheet that tracks all your coupons, store discounts, rebates, etc. by month and gives you a yearly total. It gives you a place to put your monthly budget total and shows you how much in the red or black you are. It is excellent! I adore Southern Savers printable shopping lists too.
YoungHouseLove says
Love it!
xo,
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