1. It is best to chose ONE grocery store and ONE drug store to center your sales and coupons around. I use Publix and CVS and have been doing that for a while. We also have a Winn-Dixie at the end of our street and I am hoping to start incorporating them in and shopping off of each sales to save even more! The reason I chose these is:
- Closest to our home = less gas!
- Publix does GREAT 'Buy one, get one free' deals. and they are awesome! It's not stupid stuff no one uses, it's really great! They usually have about 20 items per week on that list! For example, some of last weeks items were: Bertolli pasta sauces, Flatout tortilla wraps, Lysol disinfecting wipes, and many more.
- Publix also accepts all coupons (internet and the ones from the newspaper).
- CVS has great weekly deals and when paired with a coupon are mostly always free.
2. I only clip coupons of things I use or want to try. If I'm kind-of 'iffy' I don't clip it. Just because I have a coupon and it's on sale doesn't mean I need to buy it. A lot of shoppers buy "stuff" because it was cheap...but if you're never going to use it, what's the point? So what you only paid $1 for it, it's a waste of a $1 if it just expires or collects dust. For example, we don't have animals. I'm not going to buy cat/dog food just because it's free if I have no use for it. I know it seems elementary, but I have seen it before! Some just get on these "free" trip to the store that they get everything that's free and it doesn't make sense!
3. Other than saving money, my other favorite reason for couponing is getting to try new things! If I have a coupon for something I want to try, wait until it goes on sale, combine it with you coupons and you can try it for cheap (or free!). So if you don't like it, it's just a small loss. For example, I have SUPER sensitive skin and can't use hardly anything. When Dove came out with their new body wash a few weeks ago I wanted to try it. With the specialty introductory price they were offering it with and the coupon I had, I got a whole bottle for cents! I ended up loving it, but if I didn't or if it had broken me out, I wouldn't have been out that much.
4. I never buy more than we can eat/use within a month. Like I said earlier, our storage space is limited. I saw a lady the other day that literally had 8-10 jars of spagetti sauce in her buggy. Maybe she was cooking for an army! If something like that is 'buy one, get one' (like it was that time), I only buy 2-4. That's 4 good italian meals, one a week. And I know that Publix has that sale every month..so it doesn't make sense to buy more than that. Plus, it spoils! Food does have expiration dates, even things you don't think about!!
5. Don't stress. It can get overwhelming and stressful the first few times but eventually it comes second nature. Just have fun!
6. My sources! If you don't get a newspaper, subscribe! We only get the Saturday & Sunday paper and it's super cheap! Coupons come on Sundays. Other than those coupons, the internet is my friend! My favorite sites are:
- http://www.southernsavers.com/ You can go there and see daily deals that she has found! Plus, you can subscribe and she emails everyday with new deals, how to get them (which coupons to combine) and a weekly email with other links. I mainly use this one..it's great!
- www.coupons.com
- www.redplum.com
- www.smartsource.com
Lysol Disinfecting Wipes (the large container!): $4.99 each
Buy One Get One Free so I got 2 for $4.99 plus I had a $1 coupon when you buy two.
Total: 2 for $3.99
Kraft Shredded Cheese: On sale this week 2/$4
I had a coupon for $1 off 2
Total: 2/$3
Bertolli Spaghetti Sauce: $2.87 each
Buy One Get One Free so I got 2 for $2.87 combined with a $1 off 2 coupon
Total: 2/$1.87
I had much more but I've forgotten them! I shop once a week (a big trip) and only venture back if I see something on a deeeeeep sale or just forgot something. I am going to post my biggest savings each week!
