Coupon Queen story ??

[wombat]

If we had stores that did double or triple coupons I'd definately play this game!

 

[journey11]

I used to do really good with coupons... I would go dumpster diving (when I'd take in my recycling) and pull out piles and piles of Sunday papers and get like 30 of each coupon. Then I'd organize them and hold on to them until the item I wanted was on sale. (And as someone here already mentioned, it's imperitive that you only buy things you will actually use). Better yet, when Krogers has those buy 10 mega-events--then they give you like $3 or $5 coupons back off your next purchase. I would (and still do) scour the local sales flyers to see who has the best price. My MIL and I would do this and make a game of it, comparing our buys, like men swapping big-fish stories.

Well, that was a LOT of work, but really helped out when my husband and I were newlyweds and living on 1/3 of what he makes now. I only had room for a tiny garden then too.

I think eventually "they" caught on to what I was doing, because after this went on for awhile, the newspaper carriers stopped leaving such neat and easy to collect piles of Sunday papers for me. Or they'd be all strewn around on the very bottom of the bin, and hey, I have my limits. I was not about to actually climb IN the dumpster.

And besides that...it seems that they just don't put out many useful coupons in the paper nowadays anyway. Since the economy started to go downhill (and the gas prices uphill), most of your coupons are for silly, gimicky junk that isn't on my shopping list anyway. (Such as cleaning supplies that are for just plain lazy and environmentally wasteful people). I mean, where did all the $1 off cereal coupons go??

I had browsed around and thought to try the online printable coupons, but I am rather put out by all the mailing lists (and selling of my email address) or toolbars/coupon printers that you have to download that track your internet comings and goings and run quietly in the background, bogging down all your computer's RAM.

So, other than store coupons which they spit out at me for things that I regularly buy, I hardly ever bother with coupons anymore. Not that I don't want to save money--I do. But now I buy the store brand, or look for good buys at Big Lots and wipe them out, or buy bulk at Sam's, or now that I have an enormous garden, grow and preserve a lot of our food myself. The economy has also refined my already frugal nature. I have found with most things, a little can go a long way, and in our culture as Americans, boy, we sure do consume and waste a lot.

 

[toredano]

I used to use coupons .. not anymore.. Alot of it is stuff we never use or eat then its gets thrown out into the garbage anyway. When he was in the army we would use coupons all the time.Back then it wsnt so bad but now alot of stores wont even stock what they have advertised on coupons or they are all ready sold out. Only thing I really buy in bulk, or at least used to, is papertowels, TP and magic erasers.. I am hooked on those sponges.. lol

I go to sams for meat and fruit.. rest of it I go to Fresh Market.
My grocery bill for a week is over 300 dollars for 3 people , 4 cats and a dog( all my cats eat wet cat food

I guess alot of the organic stuff and imported stuff is a bit more. But I spend less on nilly frilly stuff and clothing I guess. I dont buy Wal-mart clothing .Quality makes a big difference when you buy clothing etc. It lasts longer I think. We have a 17 year old that wears nothing but Buckle clothing and it hold up way better than cheap clothing I think.He can wear out a 60 $ Tshirt or a 100 dollar pair of jeans for years. He eats different than we do so he has to have his own groceries alstherwise he might starve to death.. lol

We are just really picky about food and like ot eat good and healthy. People think we are nuts but food is one thing I wont skimp on especially since we both watching our calorie, sodium and fat intake. Ever read the boxes of Hamburger helper etc? yuck