Ok. By request, here it is. Call me Clay Aiken because I'm coming out of the closet. The coupon closet. I started this couponing thing last winter but I wanted to keep it quiet. I didn't want to be known as the crazy coupon lady who talked about all of her free toothpaste. Well, I have become that lady. I have 8 tubes sitting in my cabinet right now. I got all of them for free. Anyway, because I keep getting asked about it, here is how to embark on your own crazy coupon journey should you be so inclined.
First, let me tell you where I get the coupons. Online, Here is a great list of lots and lots of printable coupons. Coupons.com is pretty decent, too. The News-Leader's coupons stink so I buy 2 copies of the Kansas City Star every Sunday. I file them all in my really cool coupon binder that looks a lot like a trapper keeper. Except it's bigger.
Now on to using the coupons....I shop at CVS, Walgreens, Dillon's, and Wal-Mart. Here are the websites that tell me what to buy where and with what coupons. There is a whole art form in matching the sales to the coupons so you can get free or almost free stuff.
moneysavingmom.com
comicalcouponcents.com
iheartcvs.com
becentsible.com
mommystayshome.com
Is it worth the time and effort? For a lot of people it wouldn't be. That's the honest truth but for me it is worth it. I have to buy a lot of stuff for the 6 of us. I have 2 children in diapers. I just finished shopping for the whole month's worth of groceries. I spent $133.19. That included 2 packs of diapers, 12lbs of chicken breasts, 3lbs of ground beef, 3 gallons of milk, and lots of other stuff. My pantry is busting at the seams. Without coupons I would of spent $325.43. A savings of almost $200. I will, of course, go back weekly to buy milk and produce but that should only be about another $60 or so. I will also go to CVS every week to load up on whatever free stuff they are handing out. Other than that, we are set.
I have now bared my coupon loving soul to you, the blogging audience. And we shall never speak of this again...
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8 comments:
you are my hero! seriously, that's amazing that you save that much money...very impressive.
I may have asked you this before, but how many hours a week do you think it takes to prep, print and organize the coupons? That's the only thing that keeps me from jumping on the bandwagon!
i remember my grandma going to 3 different supermarkets to buy food according to where her coupons could be redeemed...smittys...consumers...and dillons...all in the same shopping trip...the ironic part...they saved all that money, and were the same grandparents that rented a $80,000.00 house for about 35 years...so they payed for the house about 3 times over...anyway...no point...just info
rider
Rachel,
I have six tubes of toothpaste in my pantry right now too, and let's not even get started on deoderant! Isn't it fun? A lady at our church sold all of her CVS stuff at a garage sale and made over $300!! Now she's the crazy coupon lady...
Ruth Doss
Hey, CVS paid ME $4.00 to take two tubes of toothpaste this week. I say the people who pay full price for stuff are the crazy ones...and Rachel taught me everything I know!
htuck
Mrs. Coacher...thanks so much.
Andrea..I'd say I spend anywhere between 30 minutes to 2 hours a week working on the deals.
Ruth- I love that you do this too! I only have about 5 deodarents right now but I do have a few years' worth of air fresheners!
Holly- I've said it before but I'll say it again, you are so much better at all of this than me!
Scott Mills- We do eat more than 3 lbs of meat a month. I just happen to of already had some in my freezer.
Rachel, what fun it was to read all of this. I recall the Benefiber you had to buy just to get a larger cash coupn to use on anything. That'a great! I might give this a try. Thank's for the info.
Susan
Hey Rachel, thanks for posting this. It's giving me many ideas that I'm very excited about!
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