COUPONS 3

OK....if you are just now checking this blog for the first time in a few, I have posted two related entries to this one. Just scroll down and you can read the others.

I was going to put the results of my last big shop. It was big enough, in fact, that I have only really gone out for milk and bread and a few fruits since...and this shop was on the 17th. I will not go into detail because the 5 receipts have a total of over 170 items. I will give the break down for the money....I will go into detail on the CVS receipts as that is where I made a decent score.

Our first stop is Kroger. (for this and other receipts, I will put the shelf cost (what it should be), my OOP (what I actually spent), the dollar amount of what I saved, and the % of savings.)

I got a total of 52 items. These include: meat, pizza rolls (that I actually got for free), biscuits, jelly, 3 dozen eggs (only Eggland) and some veggies.

Shelf cost: $132.02
OOP : $ 88.95
Saved : $ 42.07
% saved : 32%

Next stop: HEB. Here, I got 42 items including: fresh berries, $20 worth of NY Strip, juice, milk, cheese, and a brisket.

Shelf cost: $118.84
OOP : $ 93.11
Saved : $ 25.73
% saved : 21%

Next stop: Walgreens. I like to use their rebate booklet (though I didn't get anything this month.) You can do the rebates online and load a card....no mailing, no envelope stuffing...and they send an email when your card has been loaded. AND you get an extra 10% for using the gift card. Sweet!

My Walgreens shop included: 4 Lysol products, 4 boxes cereal (Kellogg's Frosted Flakes) and a few other items.

Shelf cost: $62.93
OOP : $33.12
Saved : $29.81
% saved : 47%

Finally, CVS. (Here is where the blog gets long....sorry) I will not put each individual price, for the sake of time.

• 2 Gilette deoderants
• 4 muligrain cheerios
• 2 dole fruit bowls (with 4 little bowls per)
• 5 Kraft Mac/cheese (individual)
• 3 Suave bodywash
• 3 pkgs 8-count paper towels
• 3 pkg 4-count double A batteries
• 2 ponds facial wipes
• 3 Simply Asia noodle bowls
• 1 Colgate toothpaste
• 1 9-roll Charmin TP
• 2 Herbal Essence Shampoo
• 12 cans soup (Campbells select and/or chunky)
• 2 bottles Purex detergent
• 2 bags chex snack mix
• 2 stayfree (24 count)
• 1 crest with scope (2 pack)

Shelf price: $200.46
OOP : $108.39
Saved : $ 92.07
% saved : 45%

AND, I got $19 in Extra Care Bucks...which is a coupon to be used as money at a subsequent CVS shop. Since I wasn't sure about a few items, I checked it out and decided to go back the next day....here is my trip.

• 6 bottles Suave shampoos/conditioners
• 2 Charmin TP (9 roll pks)
• 1 Herbal Essence shampoo
• 2 stayfree (24-cnt)
• 2 stayfree (18-cnt)....LOL I'm set until menopause ;)
• 1 green tea (for me right then)
• 1 Ped Egg for a "spa themed" Pokeno party

Shelf price: $61.79
OOP : $20.48
Saved : $41.31
% saved : 66%

AND, I earned $11 in ECBs


OK - so for me, it is worth my while.

I saved:

$25.73.....that is one music lesson (of which we have 12 per month) with a few pennies leftover
$29.81......that is a McDonald's drive through for me and the kids, should we need it
$41.31.......that is almost a tank of gas for the silver FTU
$43.07.......that is a manicure, with with tip, AND a snack on the way home
$92.07........WOW! That is getting my hair done and a pedicure and a Chipotle burrito bowl

Let's break it down more....

I have $600 per 2 weeks for my grocery needs. My shelf total was: $576.04. That is good. I stuck below (not by much) my grocery budget. Who gets ahead that way? I want vacations! I want toys! I want to go play!

SO....for just one shopping period, I took my $600 and ONLY spent $344.05. I saved, for the 2 weeks, $241.99. Assuming I did that for the next 2 week period, that would be a savings of almost $500. My total percent of savings was 42%.

Now, let's be realistic....I get lazy or in a hurry and don't usually save quite that much. So, cutting myself a bit of slack, let's take half that....only $120 for a 2 week period. That is still a savings of almost $250 per month.....are you thinking with me? That is $3,000/year!

Wow....I'm going to start saving for a vacation!

COUPONS

In the middle of January, I had this brilliant idea to get my crap together and be diligent in my clipping and list making. I was going to keep up with this for a month. I was going to do this for the month of February.


Well, February came and brought all sorts of unpleasantness....I have been couponing, but not as diligently as I like to. Sometimes, I have to run by the store when it happens to be there, in front of me, without making a list. I do try to keep my coupons clipped and sorted, that way, when I do have to run out quickly, I can still save a bit here and there.


Two weeks ago, I had an excellent coupon run. So, I thought I would share as I go. The thing I personally like about couponing is that it is forgiving. They are always out there...waiting to be used. If you don't use them one week, then you can just pick up and save another day.


Personally, I like to keep my clipped and sorted in my binder and be able to just grab it and go. Now, when not attending funerals and hospital gatherings, I like to make my menu and list on Sunday. I sit with my BF and clip Qs on Monday. We either go to the store on Monday or Tuesday. I know that this is the end of the sales cycle and that a lot of people don't like to go to the store at the beginning of the week, however, that is when you have a lot of 72 hours and unadvertised sales.


Yes, I go to 2 different grocery stores and 2 pharmacies (Walgreens and CVS). Three of these are in a town I'm in daily and the other is only 15 minutes away. This is the store that will double or triple...that is why I go there.


Someone, during my last coupon blog, said they only had a Brookshires, David's and CVS. (Is that correct?) I had to go to Brookshires today for some much needed items. I grabbed coupons for as many items as I could. I took my total from $92 to $75. That ain't too bad, y'all! This is without doubles or triples....just buying what I need.


I know a few ladies that have INSANE savings....INSANE!!! I don't look to be insane....(I hear the chuckles from a few of you), I just look to save a bit. If I can save enough for a tank or 2 of gas, or music lessons, then that is bonus. My hubby is very supportive. He has given me a generous budget, but has asked that I save where I can. Anything I save is good.


So, that being said, I will come back with another post. When I have a decent coupon run, I'll post about it. Sometimes, I might get specific with items purchased. Others, I might just tell you my shelf price and then my OOP (or out of pocket) spending.


Hope y'all come back.

A TEASER

I just wanted to let y'all know what I'm about to work on.

COUPONS

You all know that I coupon a bit, but there is a purpose behind this project.

Let me explain.....

I got into couponing on the advice of a friend, Catey. (Yes...the same one who comments and links up here.) She is a lovely woman with a large family. Seven beautiful children. When I got pregnant with my 4th, I decided to ask for advice on cutting my grocery bill. Since she obviously has more kidlets than I, and seems to be in control of spending, I consider her a reliable advisor. (Catey, feel free to jump in at any time when I do this stuff.)

Anyway, I have tried, to NO avail, to encourage, cajole, and inspire others to give couponing a try.

I have a friend who tried and states it's not worth her time.....OK.....I can understand that. Except I personally don't think she has given it enough time.

I have another friend (mutual to the aforementioned "try-er outer") who agrees that life is, indeed, too short to spend the hours that it takes to coupon, thus not making it worth the money you might save. I can understand that, too. Except, when you have your system in place, it really doesn't take much "extra" work over planning your menu and making a grocery list.

There is also the misunderstanding of stockpiling (referred by some as hoarding....um....no) and the benefit of that.....which is simply this: If you are going to use it in the next 12 weeks, get what you need for that 12 weeks at the LOWEST possible price instead of enough for 1 week at a time...only one of which would be at the lowest possible price. It adds up.

Some don't even want to consider couponing because they may only look at one newspaper's worth of coupons and not see what they want. Did you know that there are seasons of coupons? You don't see a lot of baking items in the summer....you DO see lots of condiments and barbecue related items. In the fall, when you DO see the baking items, you don't find a lot of ketchup....WHICH, to the true couponer is NOT an issue because you already have enough that you spent (in some cases) pennies for instead of a $1.79.

The couponers who are reading this (myself as editor and my friend Catey being the only 2 I can think of) are adamant in their stance that it IS worth the effort to coupon.

Non-couponers are just as adamant that it is NOT worth the effort.

So who is right? Obviously, there is some misconception out there. Of course being "worth it" is purely subjective. I think it is worth my time to save $100-$400/month. Others may not...and that is OK. But speaking for this house....I simply must try to do what I can to control spending. We have 4 kids who are expected to go to college and despite the promises of our new President, I really don't expect community college tuition to be free. I don't expect that we are in the "most" category that will receive this.

With all this in mind, this is what I'm planning on doing. Starting Sunday, I will really watch my time and money spent and saved in couponing. I am going to track it for 1 month. I will include the price of the 3 newspapers that I buy every week. I will note how long I spend making my lists and gathering coupons for it. Of course, I will document all savings. I will write down WHEN I do this so I can tell whether it interferes with family time or not.

After reading some blog entries and comments on this, I became curious about my own couponing practice. I want to know if it is truly worth my time. Maybe, I've just had a few really good runs that have skewed my view. I'm perfectly willing to admit that.

SO....give me a month and I'll be writing on this again.

**I know that this would be easy to "slant" in favor of the Q, so let me just say this:

• I am not cheap
• I do NOT do generic brands
• We do not keep "quick" items that are loaded with high fructose corn syrup
• We drink MANY gallons of milk per week
• We try to eat fresh fruits and veggies daily
• We buy natural and/or organic whenever we can
• I bake and cook quite a bit...I buy, what I consider, top-quality ingredients
• We entertain, or go to group functions often....I am always cooking for those

There you have it. What do you think?