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Remember those Restaurant, Service, and Store Coupons!

Carol — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:15:24 +0000

In my last post Get Into The Coupon Game: Clip, Organize, & Save!, I discussed getting into the coupon game, and I gave some suggestions on how to organize yourself to best utilize your coupons for grocery shopping. But there are other types of coupons that we don’t want to forget about.

During the week in our newspapers, magazines, and mailers, we have access to coupons to restaurants, services for things like car repairs or dry cleaning, and department/misc. stores. Unlike the grocery coupons, we need to keep these coupons with us at all times. I labeled three of the coupon holders, one for Restaurants, the second for Services and the third for Stores (other than grocery). I keep all three with me in my purse at all times. You never know when you may need one, and you don’t want to miss an opportunity to save money!

Save Over 50% on Every Grocery Bill. That’s Lots of Money!

Carol — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:29:41 +0000

Today I saved 57% off my grocery bill. I spent $60 and saved $80.59. I lugged in 10 bags of groceries into the kitchen. And that’s not just buying junk food or stuff we’ll never eat. This is good healthy food (well, most of it). King Sooper was having some great deals this week, and combined with double coupons, many items were free or I actually made money on the deal.

According to the register receipt, $56.85 was saved using the King Sooper shopping card, and $23.74 was from coupons alone. Combine the two (store sales with coupons) and the money saving really adds up. I almost exclusively shop at King Sooper because they double coupons up to $1.00.

Over the next week, we will show you how we save so much. Yes, we do use coupons, and with the tight economy, more and more shoppers are discovering the value of coupon shopping. When I can save $80 with an hour of my time invested, that’s time well spent. Here are the items that were in my cart this week. I think you’ll agree, that’s a lot of food for $60.

3 bottles each shampoo and conditioner
2 boxes Honey Bunches of Oats
2 rolls Bounty paper towels
2 large bags Sun Chips
2 Blistex lip balm
1 Right Guard deoderant
2 packs Bistro ready eat pasta
Dentek floss picks
2 Kashi frozen meals
1 box microwave popcorn
Asian Noodle Bowl
Orowheat bread
Fresh snap beans
5 Quaker minis
frozen peas
Barilla pasta sauce
Bertolli Frozen shrimp/pasta dinner
2 tubs Challenge butter
5 lbs organic potatoes
3 McCormick spice mixes
Tillamook cheese
4 pounds chicken breasts
3 bell peppers
4 organic zucchini
2 bosc pears
5 fuji apples
1 artichoke
3 avocados
Sunrise? Can’t figure out what that is.
Fancy shrd ita?? No idea.

Organize Your Grocery Shopping Day

Carol — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:55:06 +0000

How many times have I arrived at the grocery store only to find out that I left my coupon book at home. Or, get up to the register and realize I forgot to bring my reusable bags. Or, I forgot the check I was suppose to deposit. I put a stop to that with a little organization the day before.

Now when I complete cutting my coupons and creating my lists, I immediately place them into my coupon binder. I use one of my reusable shopping bags to hold my coupon binder, grocery lists, any returns, a list of all errands and all my reusable shopping bags. I then place it by the front door. Next morning, I am not getting out the door without everything I need. Now I am not wasting my time or my money!!

Don't Forget!

Get Into the Grocery Coupon Game–Part Two

Carol — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:52:29 +0000

To summarize my Get Into The Coupon Game: Clip, Organize, & Save! blog, I talked about putting together a coupon binder as well as cutting and organizing coupons. We are ready to move on to the next step.

On Wednesday mornings, I pull all the grocery ads from the newspaper (there are usually coupons included). If you don’t get the newspaper, you can ask to be placed on the mailing list for all the grocery stores–most will be happy to mail you a weekly ad. I go through each ad and write down their best deals for the week. All of the stores lower their prices on certain items to pull you into their store, and we want to take advantage of them.

After I have gone through the ads, I prepare my weekly menu and grocery list based on the sales and what’s in season. Watch for future blogs on menu and recipe ideas. Take advantage of seasonal buys. During November, I stock up on turkey, which can be as little as $5.00. After Christmas, the hams go on sale–Carol and I bought several at 75% off last year and froze them.

Carol and I use a service called “The Grocery Game”. For a small charge, you receive a list every Sunday to a grocery store of your choice (I choose the one that doubles coupons). The list indicates anything in black as being on sale, but not at the lowest prices. Anything in blue is on sale at the lowest prices of the season and recommends that we use our coupons. Anything in green is free when you use the listed coupon. So you can see how valuable this tool can be and I believe it to be worth every penny! I encourage you to visit the website for more information.

Sunday is here and I am armed with my list of sales items, grocery list and “The Grocery Game” list. I now start pulling coupons and paperclip them to the appropriate list–see the picture below for a visual. Since “The Grocery Game” list is available Sunday morning when coupons are published, you have Sunday, Monday and Tuesday to shop before the new ads come out Wednesday morning.

Monday morning, I am organized and ready to shop with my lists, coupons and my reusable shopping bags. I start with the store the furthest away from me and work my way back towards home. Because I am organized, it does not take me long to run through all the stores on my list. I also map out any errands I have to make sure that I am not doubling back and wasting gas.

Don’t forget to take your coupon binder with you into every grocery store. You never know when there may be an unadvertised special or something clearanced that you may have a coupon for. Watch very closely as they ring you up; there are mistakes made and it is your job to catch them. I never leave the store without taking a look at my receipt. If I find a mistake, I make sure they correct it before I leave. Remember, we are trying to hang on to our money, not give it away!

I use to be a brand snob, using only certain brands because I thought they were better–that is not true in most cases. Don’t be afraid to try something new in a different brand (especially with a coupon) or try the store or generic brands. There is not that big of a difference, if any. Also, most stores have a section for outdated food or day old bread–don’t forget to check it out. Many times it is only a day or two past the expiration date, but still perfectly good food.

When I get home with the groceries, everyone wants to know how much I spent–even my husband is proud of me knowing how much I can save when buying groceries. And of course, on my best shopping days, I have to phone my friends and brag about my latest steal. I pat myself on the back and start plotting my next trip to the grocery store.

If you have never used coupons, it is time to get in the game. If you use coupons, share some of your tips and ideas with us. As much as we think we know, we can always learn more! Happy Shopping!

Get Into The Coupon Game: Clip, Organize, & Save!

Carol — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:43:57 +0000

Clip those Coupons! You hear about it everywhere, you see people at the checkout in the grocery stores with their coupons, but you figure it is not worth your time and the headache of cutting coupons. Besides, they can’t be saving enough money to really make a difference! That’s exactly what I thought a few years ago. I had a young family and I worked; where would I find the time to cut and organize coupons? If only I knew then, what I know now.

I have always been frugal and watched every dime. But I was missing out on huge savings and the excitement and challenge of coupon shopping. Yes, it does take a little of your time, but it is worth it! We all shop a little differently and therefore can learn from one another. Let me share with you my method.

I am a little obsessed with organization, so I can’t begin anything without a plan of attack. I searched around the house until I found an old 8″ x 11″ three ring binder that zips closed (save money by using what you already have). I made a trip to the office supply store and searched for the perfect inserts for the coupons. I found a box of 24 multi-colored flexible CD holders–perfect for what I needed and cheap!!

I started by punching holes at the bottom of the CD holders ( I will now call them coupon holders) and alternating them in the binder. Take a piece of tape and cover the rings so that the coupon holders will not slip through the rings when your notebook gets full. Notice the picture I included as a visual. I used file labels that I already had and labeled the coupon holders as follows:

Grocery Store Coupons
Rebates
Household Cleaners
Misc. Household Items/Batteries
Paper Products/Baggies/Foil
Beauty Products/Lotions
Soap/Body Washes
Laundry Products
Dishwashing/Dish Soaps
Deodorant/Shaving Products
Health Products
Hair Products
Teeth/Mouth Products
Peanut Butter/Jellies/Syrups
Seasonings/Flour/Sugars
Baking Products/Oils
Cookies/Pies/Jello
Canned Goods/Soups/Pickles
Chips/Nuts/Snacks
Rice/Pasta
Breads/Crackers
Ice Cream
Candy/Health Bars
Meat/Fish/Poultry
Frozen/Misc. Foods
Dairy/Cheeses
Condiments/Dressings
Sauces/Salsas
Beverages/Coffee/Water
Cereal
Fruits/Veggies
Dog Food

This system works well for me, but you may want to change it a little to suit your shopping preferences.

My husband subscribes to two newspapers, so on Sunday we end up with three newspapers, that gives me 3 sets of coupons. You can buy extra papers just for the coupons or ask family and friends for theirs if they don’t use them. Sunday is my big coupon day, so I cut and organize to be ready to shop on Monday. I cut everything out even if I don’t think I will use them. You never know when an item might be free with a good sale AND coupon.

I have tried a couple of methods of organization. You can file the coupons (uncut) in a file folder dated for each Sunday, then pull and cut when you need them. This method didn’t work for me. I like to have them cut and ready to go. I put the like sheets together and cut all three at the same time. I organize them into piles according to my list above and then add them to the coupon holders. There will be a few coupons that are large in size, I just fold them in half to fit into the coupon holder.

Before I place the new coupons into the holders, I check the old ones for expiration dates. Toss the ones that have expired and remove the ones that are about to expire. You will want to take advantage of these coupons, especially if they are for an item you use frequently or if it is a $1.00 or more off coupon or a free coupon. Not all are worth using just because they are expiring. You want to use them in conjunction with a good sale to maximize your savings.

I will stop here to allow you some time to get yourself organized and your coupon binder or system set up. Watch for my blog on Get Into the Coupon Game – Part 2 where I will continue sharing my shopping methods and tips. In my opinion cutting and organizing the coupons is the most time consuming aspect–everything after that is the fun part! Stay with me, it’s worth it!!