Saving Money On Christmas

Every year we save hundreds of dollars just by taking time to look for coupons before shopping.  We have a good budget for Christmas, but by most standards it's pretty conservative.  Here is our list of people to buy for each year...

• Little Man
• Little Miss
• Chubby Cheekers
• Chunkey Monkey
• Mr. Fluffy Pants
• Rene
• Lindsay
• Steven's Dad
• Steven's Dad's Wife
• Steven's Dad's Son
• Steven's Mom
• My Mom
• My Mom's Husband
• My Niece, Jasmine
• Little Man's Teacher
• Steven's Admin Assitant
• Steven's Boss
• Steven
• Me

All of these gifts we purchase for less than $650.  It has to be under $650 because we use cash envelopes.  Once the cash is gone, it's gone and we are out of luck.  Therefore, I've had to get really good at making the most of our money.

{Some of the coupons I cut from mailers and ads}

First off, I put the designated amount of money in each envelope, write what we want to get each person, and the max amount I can spend.  I do pick items that I know are reasonable for the budget.  For example, Little Man would like a Wii.  However, his budget is $115.  A Wii just isn't going to happen.  Instead, we guided him into other ideas that would be more appropriate for our budget, yet allowing him to be happy when opening his presents on Christmas morning.  

After dividing up the cash, I begin coupon searching.  When I find coupons, I cut/print them out, and stash them in the envelopes with the cash.  I find these coupons by using Retail Me Not, signing up for email newsletters, looking at coupons sites such as Money Saving Mom, and searching ads in the paper.  Once the coupons are tucked safe and sound, I write on the outside of the envelope what coupons I have so I don't forget to use them.

In addition to coupons, I also use an app called ShopKick.  It allows you to collect 'points' just by walking into stores and browsing through their app booklets.  Inside the booklets, they offer coupons, sales, and deals.  I really love this app.  I have only been using it since October and I have already redeemed my points for almost $10 in Target giftcards.  If you are interested in earning points faster, shoot me your email (wispclips@hotmail(dot)com) and I'll invite you under me (It allows you and me to collect points faster).  On top of ShopKick, I take advantage of rewards programs like ToysRUs'.  

Once I have all of our coupons in order and the cash divided up, Steven and I take one day and get all the shopping done for our kids and family members.  

As an example, here is one of our stops at Target...

Coupons:

Spend $50, get a $10 giftcard

Save $5 when you spend $50

$2 ShopKick giftcard

$5 ShopKick giftcard

What we purchased: (estimates of pricing...too lazy to get the receipt)

Ken Doll $7 (on sale)

Girl's Robe $10 (on sale)

Don't Break the Ice $8 (on sale)

Preschool Farm Uno $8 (on sale)

Brave DVD $17

Total: $50

How We Paid:

I first handed the cashier the coupon for the free $10 gc since I spent $50.

Then I gave the $5 off $50.

Then the ShopKick gc's totaling $7.

This brought our total down to $38, plus I had a $10 giftcard to use on my next transaction.

I immediately used the giftcard on my second transaction to purchase Chubby Cheekers some Robeez type shoes.  They were a little over $10 so I had to pay $4 out of pocket.

After we're finished, I keep all my receipts because if what I purchased goes on sale within a few weeks, I take my receipt in and get a price adjustment.  This usually allows me to get around $20 back each year.

This is just one example of about 10 stops we made on our Big 'Ol Shopping Day.  What was great was not one Christmas item was purchased without a coupon.  I didn't add up our total savings, but my estimate is I saved just as much as we spent.  Man, that feels good!  Plus, we were able to get everything we were shopping for.  Even better.  After all, we want to give good gifts to our family.  We just don't want to go in debt doing it.

Ginormous Pads

You know, I was just trying to be a thoughtful wife.  I made a list of all the items we would need as soon as we come home from the hospital.  Items for me and items for baby. 

If you've ever had a baby, you know what 'items for me' entail.  Pads.  Lots of pads.  Ginormous pads.  Long in length, wings for the sides, and super duper absorbency.  I realize if you've never had a baby or you're a man (If you are a man, why are you reading this blog anyway?), this is probably more information than you ever wanted to know.  However, it's a reality.  You need pads after having a baby.  You need pads for a very long time.

So back to my story at hand.  I was trying to spare Steven from the embarrassment of buying pads for me after we return from the hospital.  I was thinking ahead and I had coupons.  I strategically made my trip to Target yesterday at a non-peak time.  I can't remember the last time my Target was crowded at a 10am on Wednesday.  Nonetheless, it was.  Oh well, I already had my list, my coupons, Chunky Monkey, and Little Miss loaded up.  We were going shopping.

The first aisle in my shopping path was the pads aisle.  Wonderful.  I could stack all my other stuff on top of the  jumbo packs.  After all, buying pads isn't exactly something you want to advertise to the world.  Especially when the packages look like this...

Except I was buying two packages of pads that contained 45 pads/package.  Yes, they were huge.  It wasn't going to be easy to conceal these monstrosities, but I was going to do it.  Until...

Two little stinkers happened.  In my perfect world, I would have sat them down in the cart and went about my shopping.  However, I didn't factor in Chunky Monkey and Little Miss using them as pillows to carry out their epic pillow fight.  I'm pretty sure the words, "Quit hitting your cousin over the head with my pads" came out of my mouth.  AND, I'm also pretty sure the lady five aisles over heard me as well. 

My humiliation wasn't even close to being over.  As I was checking out, I handed over my Buy 1, Get 1 Free coupon I had for the pads.  I was trying to hand it to the cashier right when she scanned the item so she wouldn't have to go back and look at the price.  Apparently, I threw her off her game.  As I handed the coupon over, I said, "Ma'am, I have a coupon for that item you just scanned that will need a price written down."

"I'm sorry.  What item was that for?"

Looking back at the line of 3 people behind me, I discreetly whispered, "The pads."

"I didn't hear you.  Could you speak up, please?"

Repeating just a little louder, "The pads."

(In almost a yell)  "Did you say the pads?"

Covering my face with my hands, I answered, "Yes, the pads."

Really???  Complete embarrassment.  Thankfully, the rest of my items checked out well and my pads, kids, and I were able to make it out the door.  All of us are safely at home.  The pads are tucked neatly away in the bathroom where they will remain until this baby is born.  But, if for some reason I didn't purchase enough, it's going to be Steven's turn...and I'll be sending him in with coupons.  He'll appreciate that for sure!

Next up on my shopping list...breast pads.  Pads, pads, pads.  I just can't get enough of them!

Christmas Spending Update

I only have 2 small gifts left to buy.  Everything else is done and wrapped.  Even the stocking stuffers.  This may be the earliest I've been done ever.  It feels good.  It also feels good that I only spent what we had.  No looming debt hanging over me to be paid next month. 

Here's the total so far...

Total Spending: $517.48
Total Savings:   $492.76

If I didn't purchase items on sale with coupons I would have been at a total of $1010.24.  Instead I shopped for about half that price, AND purchased everything that was on the lists of the people we buy for. 

Here's one little tip for you...

SAVE YOUR RECEIPTS!!!  Almost every store does price adjustments.  Just the other day I walked back into Target and recieved $10 back because an item had gone on sale.  If I didn't have my receipt, or wasn't aware of how much I originally paid, I would have lost out on $10.  I've done this multiple times with clothing stores.  A few years back I received almost $100 back in my hand for price adjusting.  There is a catch though.  Most places only give you a 2 week window, and you can only adjust one time.  Use your adjustments wisely! 

Christmas Savings Update

I got a large portion of my Christmas shopping completed this past Saturday.  I had an hour and a half of kid free time to shop.  Let's just say I was on a mission.  I had my cash envelopes stuffed with coupons, my list of items, and time clicking away.  An hour and a half may not seem like a long time, but when you don't have 2 to 3 kids tagging along, you can accomplish almost anything.  Not only was I able to pick up almost all the items I was searching for, but I was able to really focus on making the most of the coupons I had in my hand.

Here's my totals to far...

2011 Christmas Spending...$288.39
2011 Christmas Savings.....$384.31

This coming weekend Steven and I are shopping for the kids.  I don't have near as many coupons for the items on their list, but I've done my research for the lowest prices in town this week.  I'm crossing my fingers for good savings, and more importantly, to be DONE with shopping.  Me likey presents under the tree, but me no likey having unchecked items on my list.

A Running Tally of Christmas Savings

We have a lot of people in our family and we buy for everyone.  It's easy to spend an arm and leg on Christmas, and we have in the past, but now I use coupons and sales.  Throughout the Christmas season I hunt for the best deals to purchase exactly what's on everyone's list. 

Last year I know my receipts added up to well over $1,000, but we only spent $600 cash.  We didn't do anything on credit.  We did the envelope system. 

It worked so well because it kept Steven and I searching for the best deals, and we didn't impulse buy for our kids (we have a tendency to do that).

This year I want to keep a better tally of how much I'm really saving.  I'm hanging onto every receipt and adding up the savings.  Hopefully, I"ll be surprise.  Throughout the season I'll give you updates on how we're doing.  So far, I've done very well and I have a stack of coupons to utilize at the stores I need to visit.

Total Spending: $85.41
Total Savings:   $130.02

I hope to keep the spending amount well below the savings amount.  We'll see over the course of the next few weeks.

It's important to Steven and I to be givers.  Our hearts are mainly focused on those who have difficulties sustaining the basics of life, but we also like to give good gifts to our family and friends.  Giving good gifts doesn't have to put you in debt.  Just a little work and research can help you keep your costs down when searching for the gifts on your list. 

Here is one website I use religiously when retail shopping.  It helps me find coupons for the stores I'm shopping at for the season.  Matching those coupons when items go on sale is the best way to save your money.

You might be wondering if we do Black Friday at our house, and the answer is...nope.  We have never done it.  The main reason is I like my sleep.  The other reason is I usually don't find the items I'm searching for discounted at their rock bottom prices on Black Friday.  I have to really weigh my desire for sleep for the desire of savings.  So far sleep has won out.  I guess we shall see this year.  I'm still waiting to search through the Toys R Us ad.  So far Walmart and Target's won't be waking me from my slumber or keeping me up late into the night.

Bread Store...A $$$ Saver

A frugal friend of mine was shocked that I didn't shop at our local bread store.  After much convincing I decided to check it out since it's a mile away from Little Man and Little Miss' gymnastics.  I'm glad I did.  It's a money saver.  Here's what I purchased last week (I usually go once a month)...

7 loaves of whole wheat bread
1 package whole grain bagels
1 package whole grain English muffins

If I were to purchase this in a store it would have easily been $16, but I only paid a little over $6.  The key for me is to shop on Thursdays.  At my local bread store, Thursdays mean double money days.  For every dollar I spend they count it as two and mark it on my card.  Once my card is full, I get to pick two free items off the table (English Muffins and bagels).  Then if I spend over $6, I get an additional free item from the table (1 loaf of whole wheat bread).

I'm sure many of you are wondering how we go through 7 loaves of bread before it goes bad.  Well, we don't.  We do go through a lot of bread, but I only keep one loaf out at a time.  The others go to the freezer.  When it's time for a new loaf, I pull it out to thaw (usually takes 45 minutes) and it's just as fluffy as the day I bought it.  It works for us.

I've had a few questions about the bread's 'freshness'.  In full truth, the bread is just as soft as it is on store shelves.  It is not stale, nor day-old bread.  You should really try it out if you have a bread store near you.  It could save you a few extra dollars, or in my case and extra $10 a month.  Hey, it all adds up!

By the way, tomorrow I'm going to reveal the gender of our baby.  Here's a hint...we already have one! ;)

Doing a Vacation on a Budget

Never, ever did I think we would take a vacation once I stayed home, but we did.  We took the most amazing vacation.  What can I say?  I'm blessed. 

About a year ago, Steven and I started looking into taking a vacation just the two of us.  The longer we searched we both felt like we would be missing out if we left the kids at home.  Our main goal right now is raising our kids and building a strong family.  Even though a solo trip would have been nice, it just didn't fit our goals.  I'm so glad we made the decision to take the little munchins because they are the ones who made the trip.  Seeing them learn about a new part of the world through all new experiences was simply awesome.  We loved every minute of watching them.

Getting back on track, here's how we saved...

Our Lodging:
We knew we wanted to beach it for the week so once we found a perfect little condo on the beach we took it.  The price was just right at $1350 for the entire week, and my mom and her husband asked if they could join us.  Uh, YES PLEASE!  Who can turn down an extra set of hands and splitting the costs?  Not me!  Since we booked  early we received a discount that brought the condo down to $1050.  There were a few extra costs associated like tax, cleaning fee, and damage deposit (which we will get back), but that's it.  Not to mention the condo supplied all the necessary beach items...towels, umbrellas, chairs, toys, wakeboards, boogie boards, etc.  That saved us on renting or purchasing new.

{Little, but cozy}

Our Meals:
My mom and I  both like to cook so we got together and made a menu for the entire week.  We pulled together what we already had and took most of our own groceries instead of purchasing once we arrived. I'm glad we did, because like we suspected, the grocery prices were outrageous.  We only ate out 3 times.  Mainly because we stayed on the beach all day and didn't leave time to clean up and go into town for dinner.  This saved us also.  The restaurants aren't exactly inexpensive.  One meal of burgers and fries was $60.  Not what I'm used to paying.  We even had 3 ice cream cones that cost $24.  Worth the experience, but I had to resist asking if they had any available coupons ;)

Our Entertainment:
Did I mention we were on the beach?  I realize some people can't do the beach thing all day every day, and my husband is one of them so we rented bikes for 2 full days.  This proved to be the smartest thing we ever did.  We had a blast, got in some much needed exercise, and saw many gated communities that we couldn't just drive through.  It was nice to see how the millionaires live!

{Me, Little Man, Steven, Little Miss, and Michael checking out a new beach after a ride}

 {The coolest little wooden plank riding area.  It was like going on a roller coaster. 

Well at least on the way down.  The way up was a bit more challenging}

Our Travels: 
Brace yourself, folks...we drove!  Yes, we drove the full 15 hours, and it wasn't bad at all.  We broke the trip down to two days down and back.  The kids were mini rock stars during the drive.  Our only stops were for gas and food.  No extra pee stops...except once.  Flying all four of us down to FL would have cost us a little over $2000, plus a rental once we arrived.  Our fuel and hotel (for two nights) cost for driving was only $500. 

 {Now that's some good car sleeping}

{Little Man a little tired}

That's it.  I don't have any other secrets or tips.  Most of the stuff is common knowledge, but it's nice to know you can still take a family of four on vacation for under 2 G's (another Steven-ism...it means 2 grand or $2,000).

Couponing For A Cause

I've often talked about how to reach some of your financial goals through couponing, but there's really a bigger purpose for using your hard earned money wisely.  Giving.  We live on such a fixed income, that handing out cash can sometimes be difficult.  Even though we believe that you can't outgive God (Malachi 3:10-11), we still try to get creative in the manners in which we give.

Couponing is one way that my family is able to give immediately.  We have a small stockpile of items (not extreme).  I maintain a stockpile for two reasons.  Reason #1:  It keeps me from paying full price later on when I need an item.  Reason #2:  When circumstances arise, I shop my own unused items and donate.

{Photo from ABC News: AP}

As Steven and I watched the footage of the devastation from a massive tornado in Joplin, MO my heart sank.  Parents with their little children walking in the rain with no where to go, nothing to eat, no shoes, no way to get out of town until the light of day arrives 10 hours later.  I can't even imagine what that would be like.

Right now my stockpile is not large, and I'm wishing I was a hoarder like on Extreme Couponing so I could unleash a HUGE stockpile on these people.  Since I don't, I'm asking for your help.  Joplin, MO is so close to us, there are many organizations that are making 'runs' up to the area.  Please, please, please pull your extra items and give.  You will bless others in a time of need, and in return you will be blessed...

Luke 6:38 Give and it shall be given to you.  A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Seriously, I have lived this.  My life is this verse.  In a time where we make less money than we did when we were first married, we see the benefits and rewards of being a giver.  Not giving actually frightens me.  For the measure you use, it will be measured to you...I don't want people to be stingy with me, so I don't want to be stingy with others.  Strangers or not.  Go ahead.  Try out this giving stuff.  You'll love it.

My First Time

While you sleepy heads are enjoying your morning coffee and reading this here blog, I am out making some money, er- saving money.  In fact I'm saving in a whole new way this morning.  I'm hittin' up the Harp's Double Coupon Event in Tulsa.  Each month, Harp's, has a double coupon event.  I've never been before, but today was my day.  I spent a considerable amount of time preparing for this trip.  I'm hoping to spend under $20 and stock up on some much needed items.

Since I don't know their everyday store prices, I have my high value coupons listed.  In front of the coupon I wrote how many of that coupon I have, and after the coupon I have what the total savings would be after the coupon doubles.  This way as I'm hunting down my deals, I can decide if I want to purchase an item or not.

Yes, I have issues.  It's okay if you noticed.  I'm well aware.  No, I don't mind if you point it out.   However, if you find these pictures helpful, I regret to inform you that you too have issues.  Sorry 'bout it.

I have my coupons listed out this way so I can shop efficiently.  For example, when hitting the condiment aisle all I have to do is look at the price of Kraft BBQ Sauce.  If it's around $1, I'll get 2 bottles because two coupons each double up to $.90.  I'm good with spending $.10/bottle.  That's my plan at least.  It could all go you-know-where in a handbag real fast if the prices are high.  In that case, I will tuck my tail between my legs and whimper all the way home, and don't think I won't.  Savings are a big deal to me.

UPDATE:  I have returned from Harp's with a few lessons learned. 

Lesson 1:  If you want all the deals you're scoping out, be there when they open.  The freebies I was hunting were already gone 2 hours after opening.

Lesson 2:  Leave the kids at home.  Both my little nuggets did great, but after standing in line for over an hour they were getting tired and I was running out of entertaining ideas.  It's amazing what a pair of socks can do in a pinch.  I'm fairly certain the other customers thought I was a few eggs shy of a dozen.

Lesson 3:  Just because a coupon doubles does not mean you have a good deal.  I was pretty shocked at the stuff in people's carts.  For example, one lady was stocking up on Cheerios.  Each box was $4.69.  She had -$.75 coupon that would double to -$1.50.  Great double, but expensive cereal.  She was still paying $3.19/box.  Had she waited until cereal went on sale to $2.50 (through a competitor ad), and used her coupon she would have only paid $1.75 instead of $3.19.  It's important to be aware of original prices before heading out.

Here's my small purchase...

Not much but, all of it was either free or under a $1, except the diapers.  Those puppies were $5.69 (still a good deal).  I'm ready for the day that Little Miss can hold her pee overnight, but still thankful she's daytime potty trained.  Overall I'm happy I participated in the deals, but I do plan on switching up my strategy next time.

Walmart's Coupon Policy & The Gift of Time

Go here to print Walmart's Coupon and Competitor Ad Policy

On the far right side of the screen you can download the pdf for the coupon and competitor ad policy.

I used to think the only way to give was to give money or gifts.  As I've grown older and wiser, I've realized the gift of time can be just as fruitful if you manage it right.

About a month ago, I was asked to speak at a church about couponing.  It was a really great experience, and it allowed me to get over my fear of public speaking in front of adults.  Since I didn't sweat profusely through the entire event, I decided to ask my Facebook friends if they were interested in learning how to use coupons.  I seriously thought there would be maybe 10 people max who were interested.  To my surprise a little over 40 people responded and about 30 showed up.

Since I learned how to coupon by reading blog after blog and site after site, I wasn't going to ask for people to pay me for free knowledge.  After all, I am no expert.  I just know how I cut my bill in half.  So instead, I asked each person to bring one or more tolietry item(s) that would go to Arms Around BA.  I was so blown away when I gathered all the donations. 

Here are the details of all the donations...

• 3 packages of toliet paper
• 1 roll of paper towels
• 1 Kleenex box
• 4 tubes of toothpaste
• 3-2 pack toothbrushes
• 2-6 packs of bar soap
• 12 deoderants
• 2 bottles of lotion
• 1 mouthwash
• 11 body washes
• 2 loofah's (not pictured)

I never imagined this much would be collected.  A big thank you to the ladies who attended the couponing event.  I really appreciate each of your generous hearts.  Your gifts are going to bless people you may never meet, yet you still gave.

Now, for my little message.  Maybe you don't have all the resources to put together a donation like this with your own finances, but you have a skill that others could benefit from by simply giving your time.  Time is precious, but what could you do if you gave some of yours to benefit others?

There are so many needs in our communities.  Wouldn't it be great if we all made the decision to impact an organization in our community regularly?  Maybe it's your local food bank, maybe it's your child's school, maybe it's your neighbor.  Just get out there, find your niche, and bless others.  I promise, it will come back and bless you in ways you could never imagine possible.

Two Holidays, One Day

Coincidentally Earth Day and Good Friday reside together this year.  That brings about two Public Service Announcements (PSA's).  Lucky you!

Earth Day PSA

Earth Day has been quite the event the last few years with the whole Go Green movement.  Although we don't live a 'green' lifestyle, we do live a 'free' lifestyle.  Free as in free-bies.  So here's the run down of the free stuff you can grab on Earth Day (4/22)...

Starbuck's:  Bring in your reusable coffee mug for a free Cup O' Joe.

Origin's: Bring in this form AND your current face wash for a free full sized bottle of their facewash.  It just so happens both Steven and my's facewash is empty.  Happy, happy, joy, joy!!!

Disney Store:  Bring in 5 plastic bags in exchange for a free cutie pie reusable Mickey bag.

Steven is off work for Good Friday, so here's our freebie day...

Load up three kids and swing by Starbucks.  Each donning our own super cool reusable travel mugs.  After our loading up on caffeine, we'll take a short drive to our local mall.  Once inside the gloriously overpriced stores, we will stay focused on our main goal.  Leaving with free stuff.  This could be a real trial considering we're taking 3 kids into the Disney Store. Do you think they'll buy that it's a museum instead of a store?  Looky, looky, but no touchy, touchy.  Hey!  I think I just made a new motto.

Good Friday PSA

It's no secret that I think my church (Church on the Move) rocks.  I do.  It's the best.  We love it there.  Love the people.  Love our pastor. Love the kid's program.  Love, love, love.  Since I love my church so very, very much it's only natural that I would invite you to one of the many services being offered.  The super cool part, if you are a traditionalist there are 2 Sunday services, but if you live on the edge like we do, there are other options.  We don't really live on the edge.  Unless you call going to church on Saturday night living on the edge.  Nevermind.  I'm losing you here...

Here are the service times:  Friday            7pm
                                          Saturday 5 & 7pm
                                          Sunday  9 & 11pm

Hey, if you hit up the Earth Day freebies or my church you might just see me.  You may not believe it, but I'm even more effective at sucking out your braincells in person.  I'm just that awesome!

A Jump Start on Couponing

• Couponing is too hard.
• Couponing is confusing.
• I don't have the time to coupon.
• There aren't coupons for the products I buy.
• I don't want to look poor by using coupons.

I've only couponed for a year, but I've heard all of the above comments from people.  None of them were mean spirited, just thoughts out loud from people who want to start, but have reservations.  After all couponing is a job.  A J-O-B, and any job I've had takes time.  Your time in exchange for money.  Couponing is no different.  You will spend some time clipping and finding deals, but in exchange you will save a considerable amount of your hard earned money. 

If you are interested in couponing, but feel overwhelmed by the task I have a few tips for starting out.  Tips that helped me become a successful couponer.

1. Know What You Currently Spend You won't know if you're saving money, if you don't know what you spend on groceries/tolietries already.  Go back to your online banking or check registry and track your spending for the last few months.  Keep this handy when setting your grocery budget.  When I first started out, we were spending close to $600/month on groceries and tolietry items.  A good chunk of our budget. 
2. Just Start Clipping!!! Clip coupons for any products you use or would use.  For example, if you use Tide laundry detergent, but see coupons for another brand of laundry detergent go ahead and clip it.  You very well could have an opportunity to try another brand for free or close to free.  A few months back, I had the opportunity to get a few bottles of Era laundry detergent for free.  Surprisingly, I really like the Era brand.  This is just one case in many of various products I've tried using coupons.  My rule of thumb is if I would use it, clip it. 
3. Choose ONE Store-Start utilizing coupons where you feel the most comfortable, but be sure the store accepts those coupons.  Fortunately, in my area almost every grocery chain (with the exception of Aldi) accepts coupons.  Once you get comfortable using coupons at your store, then branch out to others, like Walgreens, CVS, etc.  You can really save some bucks with the promotional items at drugstores.
4. Choose ONE Method-I suggest starting with coupons. Be sure to take your coupons with you, and don't forget to use them when you are checking out.  Coupons is ONE method of saving money.  After you get comfortable with using coupons, THEN begin using Competitor Ads.  Competitor Ads are the ads that other stores put out advertising their weekly sales.  Target and Walmart will honor the sale prices of other stores in your shopping area.  However, it must be for a $X.XX amount and not for a % off or Buy One, Get One Free advertisement.  For example, if you see cantaloupe on sale in an ad for $1.98, and Walmart's price is $2.98, they will adjust the price for you.  You must tell them as the item is being scanned, and have your ad ready when checking out.  Recently, Walmart starting accepting Competitor Coupons (woot woot!).  Case in point, I had a Lowe's and Target coupons for a few items.  Even though the checker was unsure about taking them, she called over a manger who showed her how to do it.  I ended up saving some major $$$ on this new deal!
5. Add a New Goal Each Week  Don't put so much pressure to save a huge amount in the beginning.  Get used to using coupons, then begin utilizing competitor ads, and finally add competitor coupons.  It took me a good 6 months to understand how to get the best deals and the coupon policies/tricks at each store.  Give yourself time to learn, and time to start saving.  You may only save $10 the first month, and that's okay.  $10 is still a saving!  Be proud of what you accomplish!
6. You Will Get Faster  In the beginning, I spent about 1-2 hours per week clipping coupons, searching for deals and making my menu.  Now I only spend about 45 minutes.  If saving money to you is important, then you will find the time.  For my mom, she started couponing in the summer months.  She's a teacher and knew that's when she would have the time to invest in the learning process.  By the time school started again, she had a good handle on the time she was spending to save money.
7. Don't Be Afraid To Ask Questions If you have a question, just ask.  Most store clerks in my area are very helpful.  Occassionally, you will run into an issue where a clerk doesn't want to work with you or your coupons.  In that case, don't be afraid to ask for a manager or to remind the checker of the stores coupon policy.  However, do NOT be hateful towards them even if they are wrong.  If they won't accept your coupons, competitor ads, and/or competitor coupons, then politely refuse the items.  I've done that a handful of time.  There is no reason to be embarrassed.  It's your money!

I hope these few tips help you get started.  I wish you the best of luck, and to help you get started on a pile of coupons here's a list of printable coupons sites...

Coupons.com
RedPlum.com
SmartSource.com
Betty Crocker
Target Coupons

Happy Couponing!!!

The Expense of Christmas

We usually do pretty well at Christmas as far as our expeditures go.  I try to buy presents for others early to spread the cost out a little more, but this year I'm trying something new.  After having a successful go with the envelope spending in Chicago, we decided to do the same for Christmas.  We knew exactly how much money we wanted to spend on everyone we buy for, so we took that amount in cash and divided among the various envelopes.  

On the front each envelope is the amount of $ inside (covered up for this post), and on the back lists the items we would like to purchase.  Inside the envelope is the cash and coupons for any items we plan to purchase.  If items are purchased online, that amount of money is taken out of the envelope and designated to the credit card payment. 

So far this is working better than I thought it would.  Since I actually SEE the money, I am much more careful to look for deals and coupons.  We have most items already purchased for the kids and family with only half of the designated money spent.  Any leftover money is going to the vacation fund!  Holla!

Shutterfly Photo Card

Pop Art Ornaments Christmas

Make a statement with Shutterfly Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

If you're wondering why on I would post our Christmas photo on this blog, it involves getting a $25 gift certificate to Shutterfly.  For the life of me, I cannot find the link to the info now.  If I do, I'll share it with ya!

A Few Minutes

We are getting ready to embark on a loooonnnnngggg car ride together as a family.  We've done it once before when Little Miss was 7 months old.  It went well, but it's such a loooooonnnnnngggg time in the car.  I mean loooonnnnnngggg.  I'm trying to keep my mind off how long the car ride will be so I decided to plan our spending while we're in Chicago.  We've saved for a few months so we're able to take the kids to The Field Museum and Children's Museum at Navy Pier, but you all know I love to save $$$.

With a few minutes time, I checked free admission days to both museums.  Too bad they aren't for the days we'll be there, but I did find a coupon for the Children's Museum and a discount for teachers at the Field Museum.  Technically, I'm still under contract with the former school system I worked for so I still have a current teacher badge. 

Then I planned where we were going to eat while in Chi-Town.  Since Chicago is a HUGE city, they have a plethora of restaurants that put out printable coupons.  A quick search at Retail Me Not helped me print out quite a few choices for the Lakeshore Drive area. 

We also have some 'regular' stops we make on the drive.  All of them artery clogging establishments.  I'll pay for it later, but we can't break tradition.  Going directly to the websites of our 'regular' places led me to even more coupons.  I now have my envelope of cash and an envelope of coupons to take on the road with us.  I'm hoping to come back with some leftover cash to stash in savings.  We'll see!!!

If you're making a trip over the Holidays, you don't have to spend an arm and a leg doing the fun stuff or eating out.  A few minutes preparing for your trip can allow you to save quite a bit.

An All Time Low

On Monday I was running errands which included grocery shopping.  I was sitting in line at the bank and saw a Walmart Neighborhood Market right in front of me.  Looking at the time, I decided I could make the most of my time if I did my shopping there.  I was about a fourth of the way throught my trip when I noticed the prices of the items I usually purchase were increasing.  I stood there contemplating the time over money scenario...then I high tailed it out of there.  Money was more important than my time in that case.  It would have cost me an additional $20 to shop there as opposed to my normal Walmart.

Once I arrived at my normal Walmart (only 5 or 6 miles away), I asked the Customer Service Department why the prices were so different.  She let me in on a little secret.  Not all Walmarts in a city are priced the same.  Their pricing depends on competitors in the area.  I found that extremely funny considering there is only one other grocery competitor in our local area.  She went on to say that's why the Walmart at the 71st and 145th location is cheaper than this one.  SAY WHAT?  I have been paying more to shop at this Walmart, when the the cheaper Walmart is not even that far away from me.  HELLO!  Penny pincher here.  I'll be changing Walmarts!

So, there's my story for an all time low in frugalness!  Or maybe it's a high, depending on who you are...

Less then $10

A lot of people tell me they don't coupon because they like to buy organic.  Truth is, I use more coupons for tolietry and household items then I do for food purchases.  Here's what I got for a little less than $10 this week. 

Three tubes of toothpaste and a deodorant didn't make the pic this time.  I already put those suckers away and wasn't about to get them back out.  You get the point, so here's the breakdown...$6 went to the coffee and cereal. Both bottles of Lysol totaled $2, and everything else was free with coupons (paying tax was the remainder of the cost).  Overall, I saved around $45.  I love these kind of shopping trips!!!

Expired Coupons

If you've read this blog for any period of time, you know I hate being wasteful.  Loathe it. However, throwing away coupons doesn't really bother me.  Or, shall I say 'didn't' really bother me.  I recently discovered that active military personnel can use coupons six months after expiration dates.  So here's a great way to help others, that doesn't cost much (just standard postage), and doesn't take any time at all. Go here to learn all about it!

Freebies

When I first started this whole couponing thing, the websites that I follow always posted links on ways to get free samples of products.  I thought it was a waste of time.  Having a ton of little bottles here and there would be annoying, right?  Right.  Wait, wrong!  Recently, I started filling out the online forms to get free samples.  Not only do I get mail other than bills cool stuff in the mail, but the free samples often come with high value coupons.

Here's a few things I've received in the last couple of weeks...

See what I mean?  Sometimes, you even get full size products to try, or coupons for a completely free full size item.  Are you convinced yet?  Yes?  Okay, here's a few places to get you started...

Vocal Point 

Signing up is free and easy.  From this site alone I have received 2 sample packs of Pampers, a full size bottle of Dove Intense Hair Repair, a full size bottle of Pantene Nature Fusion shampoo, and 2 sample packs of Pantene Mr. Right shampoo and conditioners.  Each sample also came with multiple coupons for the product I was trying.

Kraft First Taste

Signing up is also free.  This is where I got coupons for a free full size Mayo with Olive Oil and the Philidelphia Cream Cheese Minis.  I've also received great coupons for Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon, lunch meat, and a few other items I can't quite remember right now.  The children suck out all of my brain cells.  Just a fact.

One last thing...if you are a facebook person, do a search for Mojo Savings.  They post all kinds of daily deals and freebies.  It's a really easy way to be in the know in the coupon world.

Happy Couponing!

Buy One, Get One Free Tip

Manufacturer's are really putting out coupons for Buy 1, Get 1 Free.  If you have two of them, it means you get both of your items for free (you'll still pay tax).  Recently, I purchased 7 body washes and 1 deoderant for free all because I matched up 8 Buy 1, Get 1 free coupons.  Registers allow this becuase you have the correct number of items to match up with the correct number of coupons.  Earlier this week I purchsed two Oral B Pulsar toothbrushes.  Each one retailed at Target for $5.49.  I used two Buy 1, Get 1 Free Oral B Pulsar manufacturer coupons.  I got both for free.  Obviously, you have to have two of same coupon to do this.  Here's a way you can get them...

• Buy multiple Sunday papers.  P&G coupon inserts offer the most Buy 1, Get 1 coupons.  However, they only have inserts in the first Sunday paper of the month.  I always get an extra paper then.
• Know someone who doesn't coupon?  Ask if you can have their inserts.
• Go dumpster diving.  No seriously...head over to your local paper only recycle center.  There are quite a few inserts that are just waiting to be taken.
• If you know someone who has a paper route, ask for the extra Sunday papers.  They'll just go to waste anyway.

I currently have such a stock pile of body washes, toothbrushes, and toothpaste, that I no longer am willing to purchase them unless they are free.  Even then, the extras go to a local charity, because it feels good to give!

Happy Couponing!

Wisp Clips Giveaway still going on...