Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Best Coupon Match-Up Sites

If you promise to keep reading my blog (kidding), I am going to list what are (in my opinion) the best coupon and deal match-up sites:

www.weusecoupons.com
www.iheartthemart.com
www.groceryshopforfree.com
www.forthemommas.com
www.southernsavers.com
www.savingwithamy.com

*Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with these sites in any way, just a faithful reader trying to share knowledge*

Happy Couponing! Email me with any questions or help with deals!

Tuesday Lunch Break Deal

Luckily my job is super close to Rite Aid and Walgreens. I ran out on my lunch break today and got two Gillette body washes for the husband totally free (just had to pay the tax), and two razors, regular $9.99 each for a total price of $3.90! I'm happy to skip lunch for deals like these!

We are NOT alone in Lake Charles!

While spending my Saturday afternoon hitting up the Kroger cleaning mega-sale, I looked up and on the same aisle, at the same time were two other ladies with their coupon binders! These sweet ladies were looking for deals and kindly let me take their picture to prove to my husband that I'm not crazy! Keep getting those deals ladies!

This Week's Deal

So far this week has been a slim week, I did have luck Saturday at Target, but I spent more that I wanted. Through process of elimination and a coupon deal on "basic" toilet paper, I have discovered that toilet paper is one thing I WILL spend the extra money on. Luckily this week Target had Charmin Sensitive on sale for $9.98 for an 18 pack- and within each pack was $30 worth of coupons. Can you say jackpot?
Combine that with a buy two packages and get a $5 Target gift card and I was sold!

First 4 Weeks in Photos- Total for all under $40




4 weeks of Couponing

So as of Sunday, April 10, I have been "couponing" for one month. I have to say that I am now officially addicted. In four short weeks I have amassed enough laundry detergent to last my household 54 weeks, enough cleaner to last me many months, 16 boxes of pasta, 8 razors, 7 face washes, 6 toothpastes.....hmm what else? Dish soap, body wash, shampoo, chicken, butter and many things I can't think of at the moment.

I was initially skeptical when I read the coupon blogs that I would be able to do this. I work more than 40 hours a week, run a household on my own, am working on a Masters, try to work out daily, and various other tasks, how can I possibly find time to figure this out? But I have discovered with about 30 minutes a day Monday-Friday, and about an hour on Saturday and Sunday, I can be a semi-extreme couponer, and so can you!

I am not going to list the daily and store deals on my blog, there are thousands of blogs and sites that do this and I will list my favorites soon. This blog is to show people that a normal person, not someone who needs to be featured on TLC, can save money and start a stockpile of goods in a normal way that will not dominate your life and take all of your free time!

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Coupon Addiction

Sundays are my coupon days.  The Sunday paper is filled with coupons, and special sales are often inserted in the newspaper.  After several weeks of casual couponing, I discovered with careful planning and a reliable calculator that I could actually get products for just a few pennies, and if I were diligent with matching coupons to advertisements, then I could actually get some products free -- and occasionally, I actually got cash back. 

Couponing definitely takes time -- I spend some time each day organizing and tracking down store coupons, but I have learned that the savings are worth the time.  Lately, I have also discovered that couponing can be addictive.  The more I save, the more challenged I become to maximize my savings the next time.

My goal:  a basketful of groceries and a pocketful of money!