Coupon Surprise

Since we get the paper delivered our ads come on a Saturday instead of Sunday.  This is great since it helps us to see what is going on sale next week which might cause us to adjust our Saturday shopping.  Since tomorrow is Easter Sunday I was not expecting any coupon inserts in the paper today.  However I was pleasantly surprised to see a Proctor and Gamble insert.  I was expecting this insert in next weeks Sunday inserts.  So, if you look forward to the Proctor and Gamble coupon inserts and do not get your paper delivered I would recommend finding a store that is open tomorrow and getting your newspaper.  When shopping on a Saturday I have noticed that there are some sale ads in the Saturday papers they have on display at stores.  I have to admit I have not bought any papers on a Saturday, but it is worth a look to see if the Proctor and Gamble insert is in today's paper in stores.  I wouldn't want you to miss out on a coupon. 

Happy Saving!!!

Tip #2 Find the Perfect Website Fit

Do you have a photographic memory?  Most of us do not and cannot remember what coupons we have, what we have used, how much the coupon we have is for.  Nevermind trying to remember the coupon and  matching it with the current sales ad.
Thankfully there are websites that make this task easier.  I don't think I would be as successful with couponing and saving if it wasn't for these websites.  

• Coupon Mom
• Hip2Save
• Krazy Coupon Lady
• Coupon Divas

I know that is a lot of websites to check daily. Honestly, I don't check these daily.  I try to check Coupon Mom on a Sunday to get a sense of the deals for the week.  The rest of them I subscribed to and get their e-mails daily.  The e-mails are normally packed with some good deals, but with time not my friend at times I read the e-mails after certain deals expire. 

What websites do you use to get your deals from?

Tips-Organization

I've been thinking that I need to continue to hold your attention.  Keep you'll reading and keep this interesting.  I know I have many blog posts already, but you might not sit down and read them all.  I am going to do a series of  tips to help you with your savings experience.
The first thing, maybe even before you get your coupons, is you need to figure out how you are going to organize your coupons.  You don't want to have a stack of coupons sitting in the corner waiting to be cut.  You want to look at the big picture.  Will you just be trying out couponing, but aren't really committed to it.  Is this something you could see yourself doing for a while?  Once you answered that, it might help you come to the conclusion of how you should store your coupons.  I have tried three different ways file folders, coupon box and binder.  I will go into more detail on each.

File Folders

• Get some manila file folders
• Separate your coupon inserts by type: Red Plum, Smart Source, P &G and Printed
• Decide if you want to file the inserts by type or by type and date
• Start filing

Coupon Box

• Purchase or make some dividers which you will use to break your coupons up into categories or alphabetically
• Cut your coupons.  I would recommend cutting your oldest insert first
• After you cut your coupons decide sort  them into your prospective categories.  
• File
• Take your box for a test drive on a shopping trip (use it at your must shopped at stores)
• Ask yourself if your coupon box makes sense the way it is
• As you shop more you might find you need to make more categories for your coupons
• Don't be afraid to totally revamp your coupon box if you find you have outgrown it or it's just not working

Coupon Binder

• Purchase a binder that you like
• When purchasing a binder think about if you drop it will all the sheets fall out.  (I recommend getting a binder that zips)
• Purchase baseball card sheets, or some sort of insert that works for you.  
• Purchase or make dividers to separate your coupons into categories.  
• Organize in a way that works for you
• Instead of shifting all coupons to put new coupons in think about inserting a blank baseball card sheet.

You should be all set to start your couponing journey!

Got My Groove Back...Oh Yeah!!!

Lately I have been feeling like I lost my couponing groove.  I am looking at my spreadsheet and seeing my overall savings is not as high as I want it to be.  Yes, I am saving and my percentage of saving per shopping trip is good, but I was getting discouraged.  Somehow I let my coupon stacks pile up which is more time consuming trying to find if I have a coupon or not.  I have been able to make a good dent at cutting and filing, so it is getting easier to find what coupons I have and which I don't.
All of that discouragement changed today.   The day started out with getting a Nivea Lotion sample in the mail today.  However, I started getting excited my second shopping stop in.  First stop I purchased a new TV stand for myself which I saved $20 on.  However, my second stop I paid only .56 cents and saved $4.00.  I was grinning and could feel the excitement stirring inside.  So, what did I spend just .56 on?

Do you think the three Jell-O's were worth .56 cents?

My savings did not stop there.  I headed to Shop Rite to pick up only the items on my list.  I picked up a total of 33 items, paid $44 and saved $66.79.  Waa hoo I saved more then I spent, plus I received a .50 coupon towards my next purchase.  I won't rattle off everything I purchased and what I saved on each item.  I will highlight a few of the items.  I picked up two packages of McCormick Brown Gravy mix on sale for .50 a piece.  I had a coupon that was $1.00 off 2.  By using that coupon I got both packs of Gravy Mix for free.  Another item I picked up was two packages of Nestle Nesquick powder mix.  These were on sale for .99 a package.  Since I picked up two packs I was able to use my $1.00 off 2 coupon.  I got both packs for .98 cents which is .49 cents a package.  One item I did not have a coupon for, but was part of the four day price break was the Italian Village Ravioli's and Cavatelli both on sale for .99 a piece.  I made sure I got four of both.
Wait I should mention that part of the $44 dollars I spent at Shop Rite was on a 20 roll package of Marcal Toilet Paper which I paid $6.99 for and a 12 pack of Marcal Paper Towels which I paid $5.99.

What was the percentage of saving at Target and Shop Rite?  At Target I saved 88%  and 66% at Shop Rite.  I feel I am back on the right track to savings.

You don't always need to use coupons to save!

You Don't Always Need to Leave the House...

You don't always need to leave the house to get free things.  I checked my mail and look what was waiting for me.

A sample box from P&G with samples I had requested.  I totally forgot I had requested these and was pleasantly surprised when I saw this box in the mailbox.










All of these items were in the box.  Plus there was a booklet filled with coupons.  Score!!!

Different websites offer samples and coupons from time to time.
It's good to check back at sites like P & G, Target and Walmart.

There have been times I have even been routed to Facebook  like a page and request a sample.  Check out manufacturers websites for items you use.  Like them on Facebook   You might be able to request some samples you and your family can enjoy.

Subway 6in or foot long

While I was enjoying the beautiful weather today, I felt like having a six inch veggie delight on wheat from Subway.  I decided to go and get one.  However when I walked in the door and started pricing my veggie delight and my son's meatball sub I saw there was only a $1.50 difference between a six inch and foot long.  At about the same time my son and I decided to get a foot long a piece.  I knew we would not eat the foot long in one day, but for $1.50 more we got lunch for today and tomorrow.
Sometimes buying less of something doesn't make financial sense.  Will you use all of the bigger size?
Just because it makes sense for me doesn't mean it will for you.   Figure out what way would be cheaper for you.

Bath and Body Works Candle Sale Again

As I was lighting a floral candle today, I was thinking about the Bath and Body Works three wick candle sale that started today.  The sale is 2 3-wick candles for $22 plus tax.  Knowing that these candles go for for $20 a piece I would consider buying two.  However, could I get a better deal?  I like fresh flowers, but floral candles might be a bit overpowering.  They do have fruity scents at Bath and Body Works as well as floral.  

Knowing me I might head to Bath and Body Works and pick two scents.  However, I can't get every sale.  Plus in the back of my mind I might be saying that this is not the best deal for your money.  If I head to Christmas Tree Shop I could get 6 candles for $21 plus tax.  If money talked it would say the Christmas Tree Shop deal is better.  How are the scents?  Is it really the same since Christmas Tree Shop is only a single wick?  

Which deal will I decide to do?  I will let you know.

Enjoy your shopping excursions!!

What Was I Thinking???

What was I thinking when I started couponing?  I never thought of the amount of coupons I would need to cut.  Or the stacks of coupons that would be waiting for me to cut.  It was something I enjoyed and wanted to explore more.

This past Sunday I went out and purchased four newspapers.  Why?  I take Zyrtec-D.  This past Sunday there was a $5.00 off Zyrtec-D coupon in the Red Plum insert that is good until 3/31/13.  Since I can only get one box every 10 to 12 days I did not buy any more papers to get even more coupons.
I loved paying only 13.99 plus tax for a 24 count at Rite Aid this week, but I don't love this....

These are just the coupon inserts from all of the March 3rd Newspapers I got (four bought and one delivered).

That's not that bad, but this huge stack waiting to get cut and filed is quite intimidating.

Will I throw in the towel and say I quit?  No, I will tackle this pile of coupons like I tackle everything else.

There will be days that you will wonder what you got yourself into, before you give up remember everyone needs a break from time to time.  Take a short break, forget about coupons for a week, two, a month.  Come back refreshed and ready to start racking in those savings.

Amazon Kindle Books

Every so often I will check out what free books Amazon has available for Kindle.  Normally I come across classics or authors I have never heard of.  Yesterday I came across the book Courageous free for Amazon Kindle.  The kindle edition of this book normally goes for $14.99.  

So you don't have a kindle and are wondering how this can benefit you.  You do not have to have a kindle to read books from Amazon.  You can read them right on your computer and i product.  I have read books both on my kindle and my laptop.  I found my screen on my ipod touch was too small for my liking, but it is possible to do.  

Have you checked out the free books they have to offer?  Prices do change often and can go up without warning.