Any one into heavy couponing?

[bethandjoeync]

I am done shopping until thursday, these were just the last little things I got

1 Gallon Milk (free milk coupon)
2 easy mac cups (b1g1 free coupon)
2 Mahatma bag rice (free after coupons
3 bumble bee tuna pouches (free after coupon)

saved 11.27
paid $.90

yesterday I went to a different store and did a great trip there, this is only doubling the coupon that I used

10 boxes eggo waffles
1 newspaper
2 reese's peanut butter cups
1 tub country crock butter

total $.60

 

[ams3651]

my big shopping trip is tomorrow, Im usually happy if I save $15 -$25 on a $150 trip between store specials and coupons. Ive got lots of coupons today so we'll see. One other thing I started doing to cut down on the little in between trips, that you end up picking up extra stuff, was to buy say 2 jars of pickles or 2 boxes of ice cream sandwiches. I tell the kids this is what he have for the month, Im not buying more and they better make it last. Worked well last month. I still have a couple things left over.

 

[freshegg]

I love couponing and we have triples this week and dollar doubles. Just found out BJ's wholesale will take multiple coupons off 1 item if it has been packaged in more than 1 pk. example betty crocker boxed scalloped potatos come in a 6 pk so they will take 3 of the coupons for $1 off 2. paper towels if you have .50/1 roll they come in 12 pk use 12 coupons. plus can be combined with bjs coupons.

 

[bethandjoeync]

Quote:
wow! that is awesome! you could get some good deals doing that! wholesale bulk is normally cheaper if you break down the parts, so being able to use coupons for them woul dmake that even better. and also they have store coupons sometimes (I only know because I have gotten them in the mail but never shopped there before) and you may be able to use a Manufacturer coupon and store coupon on the same item. that is a good find

 

[HennysMom]

bethandjoey:

its terrific that you can get such great deals on items! I too use coupons and save them up for when the really good sales (esp BOGO's, thats where I save the most $$), so we really do save a bit, but I simply do not have the drive/determination like you do, so bravo to you.

I do have one question though

have you calculated how much you actually save when you put in the time you put in, money for gas driving to all the stores, papers purchased each week, etc, as well as are you compulsively shopping/stock piling items "just because they're on sale?" I am all for saving money and stocking up, but.. if I had 10 boxes of waffles in my fridge and 30 boxes of cereal - free or not - they'd go to waste before I could possibly use them all.

Same with shampoo and the like.

Now toilet paper and paper goods -I will stock pile until the cows come home, absolutely, same with laundry soap, dish soap, etc - but some things will go bad before you even get to use them and you'll give them away, therefore resulting in a loss to you when you factor in time spent, gas money, etc...

Just curious.

I'd LOVE to be able to get groceries for pennies on the dollar, I mean, who wouldnt right?

But..I simply do not have the time or money to drive all over my local to do it.

 

[1mommahen]

bandjnyc, I love to cut coupons and was just wondering what filing system you have and what you put your coupons in. I'm looking for a better holder than what I have!

 

[bethandjoeync]

Quote:
so you/your family wouldn't eat 10 boxes of free waffles before they expire? Mine don't expire until july 2010....so plenty of time for them to be eaten. and the cereal is good until jan-march 2010, so plenty of time for that. and things like that are good for about 6 months past the 'expiration/sell by' date anyways.

I haven't honestly calculated my true savings. but I don't drive all over. two of the stores I go to the most are 4 miles from my house, and the other two (one being cvs) are 6 miles in the other direction from my house. when I get my papers on sunday mornings I tend to get them at the stores I am heading to anyways, so no extra trips really. considering I save so much with just coupons alone, I still save a good bit of money.

and as far as time goes, all i have is time. I stay at home, so this is something that I can focus on besides the house and baby.... that makes my brain work a little.

Also, once I have what I feel is enough of something....let's say the waffles for instance; I won't buy them again for a good long while. there's only so much room in my freezer for things. on saturdays and sundays, my son will have 2 and I will have 2, so that's 4 in one day...8 in a full weekend. and there are 10 waffles in the box. so they don't last as long as you might think. and the cereal, some can be snack....because some dry cereal is a perfect snack. I have an 11 month old and she is going to be eating little snacks like that soon...so it saves money having to buy snacks for her. and she can eat the waffles too once she gets enough teeth.
Also I wanted to add, that we will live off my stockpile stuff some weeks, and barely spend at the store...mostly just get milk and meat those weeks.

why not get something now for free, than later and pay too much for it? that's just my thinking on it.

also too, today a friend of mine through a mommie site that I go on, told me about a family that is going through a hard time (husband is on dialysis waiting for kidney transplant, and she can't work because she is taking care of him) and she asked me if I would have anything to give them from a grocery list she had made. and you know, I had nearly everything on the list; I was able to give them toothpast, shampoo and conditioner, deoderant, cleaning supplies, all sorts of food. and all it really did was make some room for me. I love that I am to the point where I can give people food if they need it and help someone out. I have never been to this point whether is was food, clothes, or financially; and I am more than happy to help where I can.

I guess it just comes down to, if I am spending what I was before when you factor everything in, I am still getting 3 or 4 times the food for my dollar...so it works out. I know not everyone is into stockpiling, heck I barely have the room to.

 

[bethandjoeync]

Quote:
I used to use the baseball card inserts to hold them, but once I got some many coupon I just couldn't keep track of it. but now i use a bin that normally holds shoes, with 3x5 cards and labels on them. I label them by section of the store (ie: dairy, paper products, cereal aisle, product and meats, etc..)

joey calls this my "bargain bin" lol

but I started smaller with honestly a huggies babywipes box. until I quickly grew out of it. but it was perfect to tote around the store in the buggy and look through it for what I needed

 

[HennysMom]

Oh hun, dont get me wrong, I think what you have accomplished is AMAZING - like I said, I simply do not have the diligence to do it like you do and I was curious to know if you've calculated the actual time/cost to the savings and what it amounted to, thats all. You're doing fantastic, really.

To answer some of your questions though; No... I make most of our baked goods / pancakes / waffles from scratch, its cheaper and healthier for us that way and we dont eat that much cereal at all, its a sugar thing/processed thing.

We are trying to be more self sufficient and eat/grow/can things from our garden this year, but I do understand what you're saying.

and its great that you're able to help out others that are less fortunate that you are - thats always a blessing - always.

 

[bethandjoeync]

Quote:
I am hoping to cut down one what I buy from the store, by canning things this year. and growing more than what I did in the past years. last summer my garden was a bust because I had my little girl in June and just wasn't able to tend to it. and joey doesn't exactly have a green thumb. I feel like I should treat my garden extra special this year to make up for it

lol. but in the past 8 or 9 months, we have started to get into a saving money, support ourselves mode. and as everyone knows, a garden takes time...and I am very impatient so it's tough. I hope I have a huge tomato and veg. crop this year so I can can them up and use them throughout the winter. I thought I would be able to grow enough to sell or give to family but I just don't think I will at this time because I want to can them.

I guess I just think of it as I can get things for free or cheaper than to buy all the ingredients and make it sometimes. that isn't always true all the time though. plus my pancakes and waffles never turn out that great

and it's better for me have something that they will eat, and not something that will go to waste.