Extreme Couponing?

The new season of Extreme Couponing has hit the airwaves!  The stores and manufacturers are bracing themselves for another slew of insanity from the unwashed masses decending on the stores with stacks of coupons trying to score deals and in generel create all manner of chaos. 


The couponing community, in general, is up at arms about the show and is making lots of noise about boycotting and all of the issues that this show has created for them in their personal endeavors to score the best deals.  Stores and manufacturers have tightened up the rules for using coupons in defense against some of the practices that have been considered acceptable by the people featured on the show. 

I love watching the show, it is entertaining to see what people will actually buy just to get it free.  I had a friend in town when I watched the season premier and he nearly lost his mind when we watched someone walk out of the store with 132 jugs of iced tea and lemonade (we won't even get into reaction from the 1200 boxes of cereal).  The important thing to realize about anything you see on TV is that ultimately it is for ENTERTAINMENT purposes.  TLC has showcased something that all of us are interested in during these difficult economic times and taken it to extremes....hence the title of the show.  There has been an incredibly positive reaction to the show from viewers and coupon use has jumped exponentially everywhere.  It has provided a way for people to save money on one of the highest expenses in a household that they may not have ever considered before watching the show.  Nothing wrong with that, I jumped on the bandwagon after catching a couple of episodes while I was sick and stuck on the couch for 3 days. 

However, before I went out and bought 47 papers I did a little research on the subject (Yeah, yeah I know....but this is me after all).  One of the first web links I found was all about "realistic couponing".  Going into the store with a huge stack of coupons with the expectation that you are going to get thousands of dollars of product for less than $50 is unrealistic at best.  The rules, guidelines and general etiquette (Yes, I know...an unfamiliar word in our society today) of shopping and using coupons should be enough to stop anyone from even attempting such a thing.  It does happen and will wind up frustrating and annoying anyone who is either on the coupon using or coupon receiving end.  This is what drives the stores and manufacturers to take steps to stop the madness!! 

Stores have increased their awareness of proper coupon use and are starting to increase the training on their coupon policies for employees.  Don't be frustrated or upset when the cashier at the store reads your coupons, asks questions or even call over a manager to confirm that it is acceptable for use on the items you are purchasing.  We are there to save some money but their job may be on the line for taking a coupon improperly.  Tolerance and acceptance when someone is not able to accept a coupon is required and you can just tell them that you don't want the item.  They will remove it from your order and you can move forward.  Getting frustrated or upset will not help, it will just make that cashier frustrated and less willing to want to learn proper coupon usage in the future.  Manufacturer's have also made changes to the coupons that they issue.  They have lowered dollar amounts, given a shorter expiration times, limited the number of coupons you can use during one transaction and issued fewer coupons in an attempt to offset the current craze.  Some manufacturer's have considered cancelling their coupon program completely!  

These changes have made couponing more challenging and many people are having to rethink their shopping strategy.  Using coupons is still a great way to save yourself some money.  It does take time and effort (some of the methods that I have outlined in previous posts can limit the amount of both) not to mention planning and common sense.  Going in with a reasonable expectation and starting out slow will definitely help you to be more successful in finding something that can save you money and not only entertain you but provide a rush at the checkout lane.

I have said it before and will probably say it again.  My average savings at the stores is upwards of 50% and I am usually getting a minimum of twice what I was before for less money.  Walking into a Target and walking out for under $100 was a struggle for me.....and I would wind up with 2 half full bags.  Now I spend around $40 and have 3 - 4 full bags....It really makes a difference.  The feeling of accomplishment walking out of the store is incredible and I am now proud of what I have purchased (hence the photos posted on FB) and make sure that Joe gets to see everything before it gets put away.  I don't actually think he cares.....but he tolerates being given a tour of the kitchen island when he comes home ;-)

The best defense against issues at the checkout lane is to be prepared.  Read your coupons, understand how they work and what limits they may have.  You should also read the coupon policy for the store that you are shopping at.  Knowing what is acceptable and not acceptable will help you and the store with a smooth checkout.  Above all, use common sense in what you are buying and how much you are buying.  I can't think of anyone who needs 100 bottles of hand soap, even if it is free.  Sales cycles run between 6 weeks and 3 months.  The same item will be on sale again and there is a very good chance that the coupon will be reissued or still good.   You will be shocked at how fast you wind up stockpiling things even when you only buy a few.  Your stores will appreciate your moderation and so will the rest of us that also want to get a few of those inexpensive items.

Until next time.....Happy Couponing!

Putting It All Together - Part 4, Shopping!

Now you have the basics on coupon theory, have collected some coupons and organized them (Right?) it's time to shop!!


Your first step is going to be to build your list.  Yes, a list....if you don't already work from one this is going to take a little getting used to.  Here are a few links to sites that provide coupon match ups by store.  This is your road map to savings!  These sites will tell you what is on sale, provide the information on the coupons to use and also provide links to internet coupons you can print to get savings on some items. 

http://www.couponing101.com/
http://www.couponmom.com/
http://www.howtoshopforfree.net/
http://thekrazycouponlady.com/
http://www.totallytarget.com/ 

Other sites are out there, these are just the ones that I have worked with at some point.  If you don't like any of them take a look around the web and find one you really like.  This is important, it will save you hours of effort and clue you in to things that other people have found in their stores that may not be in the ad!  One other note, most of the pricing listed on these sites is regional.  Some prices and coupons may vary, I always list price and coupon on my list so that I can evaluate what my stores are actually charging.  Sometimes it makes a difference in what I will actually purchase.

I recommend starting with one store and giving it a test run.  Get your list together, gather your coupons for just those items (I use an envelope to put my list and coupons I know I will be using in) and head to the store.  I know that you will have other items to purchase when you are starting out so make sure they are on the list.

Eat something before you do your shopping!!!  I know this sounds basic but it really makes a difference.  The average amount of overspending done by people who shop while they are hungry is $40 (In my case this also happens when I go into the store with my Brother-In-Law)!      

The first few weeks of coupons shopping will be training on how to shop from now on.  Stick to your list, when you have a coupon for something that is on sale and the price is really good (A lot of the match up sites will give you a heads up when it is a "stock up" price) grab a few of the item if it is something that you know you like.  Sales cycles rotate anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months.  Until you get a handle for when the same item is going to be on sale again, get enough for 2 months, that should cover you to start with and you will start to get a feel for when it cycles.  Don't panic if you miss a sale either, again, sales are on a cycle so it will come around again and again and again!  Another thing to focus on the first few weeks is pricing, there are some things that the sites don't consider stock up prices but that still go on sale.  Monitor these common items that you buy and start to decide what the max price you will pay for something is and also what price you will pay for it when you don't necessarily need it.  For example, I will  not pay over $0.99 for toothpaste (and that is the good stuff, I prefer Colgate Total and Joe likes the Crest 3D white) ever!  However, when I find it for $0.25 it is an automatic purchase as long as I have space for it.

Another thing that couponing will train you for is letting go of brand loyalty.  I have had the opportunity to try all different kinds of things that I wouldn't normally have bought.  Some have been great and others have been gawdawful.  There have been a few things that even my husband wouldn't eat and that man will eat ANYTHING.  If you are trying something different make sure you only buy enough to try it first, if you buy 10 packages of something that even the dog won't eat, you are not saving money.  I won't even donate that stuff!  Same goes for personal items, cleaning products, paper products, etc.  If you buy 4 bottles of a cleaning product that smell awful and don't clean anything you haven't saved yourself anything.  If you buy 1 and decide you hate it, you are out a minimum amount of money and can just toss it without the guilt.  

After a shopping trip I always set everything out on my kitchen island and do a "post shop" evaluation (those of you that are friends on FB have seen some of the pictures).  I look at what I purchased and in addition to the overall total I evaluate what I spent per item to decide if I got a good deal or just got excited.  I also evaluate how much of an item I already have to decide if I need to quit buying an item no matter how little I pay for it.  As a good friend of mine, The Great Soa, says "Know Your Limits!"



"Know Your Limits!"
In addition to developing a sense of pricing limits you also have to develop a sense of how much to keep on hand.  This ain't hoarders guys.....If I come to visit and you have dedicated 3 rooms of your house to storing items that you have been stockpiling we are going to have a serious talk!  Start keeping and eye on what you are using from your coupon purchases and monitor your expiration dates.  If there are things that you are buying that you have to throw away because you cannot use them in time, that needs to be evaluated.  If you start seeing that things are going to expire within a month and you know you will not be able to use them, bag them up and take them to a local food bank.  It doesn't matter if you paid $0.50 for something if you are only going to throw it away.....Paper products and household items generally have a really long or no expiration dates so definitely stock up on those, however, set yourself some limits on how much you will keep around.  If you have a wall of toilet paper that will not be used for 5 years and you keep buying more, sooner than you think that toilet paper will start taking over the house.  Same goes for smaller items, I don't care if you keep getting soap for free, at some point there is just too much to use.  

A couple of things to keep in mind.  It takes time to work up to big savings.  Until you really build your coupon collection there will be sales that you cannot take advantage of.  Don't get discouraged!  Keep at it for a month or so.  My minimum savings now is 50% and almost always more than that.  When I first started it was more like 10% or 20%, my grocery spending did not change but I was always walking out with more than usual.  Now I can take advantage of sales on higher priced items without blowing my budget because I know there is plenty at home that I don't need to worry about.  Which leads me to the next thing. Stick to your budget!  Starting out is is easy to get in the mode of wanting to take advantage of every sale, every time.  Even with lower prices on items getting too much of them or too many different things can still break the budget.  Pace yourself and remember that next week there will be more deal on different things.....the savings will not go away they will move on to something else and then work their way back around. 

The most important thing is to have fun with this.  Saving money is exciting!!  Until next time, Happy Couponing!

Putting It All Together - Part 3, Organizing

So now that you have started your collection and you have all these coupons, what to do with all of them??

There are so many different ways to organize coupons that I will go ahead and list several.  It really depends on what kind of time investment you want to make and what works for you.  None of these methods are required and you can change anything you like about them, these are suggestions.  If you find something that doesn't work for you, don't do it!  Giving up on couponing because it is taking too long to organize or you are getting frustrated trying to find what you are looking for is an awful thing.  I will explain some different methods in order of the time investment needed.  Take what you like and ignore the rest, I promise I will not be offended ;-)

The absolute least time commitment that can be made is keeping your coupon inserts intact.  Get 12 hanging file folders or large envelopes and file them by month.  If you get more than one insert put them together and paperclip, binder clip or just plain stick em in together.  Almost every coupon matching site will give you the date of the insert that the coupon is in so you can just go and pull that insert and clip the coupon that you are looking for.  The pros of this method are obvious, there is no real time investment and the only time you need to actually clip is when you need the coupon.  The cons are that when you are in the store you have nothing but what you need so, if you run across a great deal that you have a coupon for you have to go home and find it then make another trip to the store (there are searchable databases for coupons that should tell you what insert they are in).  Additionally, by keeping the inserts intact you will wind up having expired coupons taking up space.  The ranges for coupons in a single insert can be several months.  My last inserts had coupons that expired as early as the end of September and some that were good until December. 

The next method is similar to the first but a little more time consuming and hard on the back!  This method will require a very large binder (probably up to 5" eventually) and lots of sheet protectors (The larger ones that will hold lots of sheets) also one of those supply pouches that will go in a binder for a small pair of scissors.  You will still write the date of the insert on the front but then file them in your binder by week in whichever direction works best for you (oldest first or newest first).  You will still pull out the coupons that you know you are using but then you have all of the rest with you while you are shopping so you can take advantage of any sales you find.  The pros of this method are that there is not a huge time investment associated with filing your coupons.  Also, you can take them with you when you go to the store so that you can clip out what you need while you are in the store.  The cons are.....well, to start with dragging around a huge binder with all of those inserts is really hard on your back.  Trying to find a coupon for a specific item in the store can be trying when you have to flip through all of those (although with smart phones and coupon databases you can at least know which insert to look in) and then clip your coupon in the store.  I am not a coordinated person, trying to pull out an insert and a pair of scissors in the store without making a mess and dropping all manner of things on the floor is just not something I can see me doing gracefully.

Now we move into the clipping methods.  This will require that you go through your inserts and clip out all of the coupons in them.  (Sidenote, I never throw away any coupons whether I think I will use them or not.  You would be amazed at what they will actually pay you to take out of the store....Also, any expired coupons that I do not use get mailed off and are sent overseas to the military.  They can use coupons for up to 6 months after they have expired.)

There are two major methods for filing clipped coupons both require a binder (Mine is 3") and some baseball card sleeves.  These are available in Target and Walmart in the trading card sections.  You can also buy them on ebay or from Amazon.com.  I got most of mine from Amazon because the pricing was really competitive (I had a really difficult time finding them in the stores, they just couldn't keep them on the shelves).  You will also need dividers, use whatever works for you if it is colored paper or actual tab dividers or well whatever you can come up with.  Remember that the goal is to save money so don't invest huge $$$ on your filing supplies.

Your first step is going to be to match up all of your insert pages if you get multiples.  I get 4 so I pull em apart and stack them, then staple the pages together so that I am clipping all 4 at the same time, be sure that you get them lined up correctly.  Totally devastating to destroy them by hacking off important parts.  I am scissor challenged so I use a paper cutter to hack up the inserts (with a large margin) then go over each one individually to trim them down with a pair of scissors while I am watching TV at night (Yeah, I know....it's that OCD again....I just can't help it!!!)

Store Aisle Filing:  

Using this method you will file your coupons according to categories based  on your grocery store aisles.  I am linking a suggested breakdown from www.krazycouponlady.com.  This can be modified to suit your preferences but this will give you a good idea and a place to start. http://thekrazycouponlady.com/kclcouponbinder.pdf
The pros to this method is that when you are in the store shopping you can look up items that are on sale on the fly based on where you are standing in the store.  Since your coupons are already clipped you can just take them out and add them to what you have planned to use.  The cons of this method are that trying to file them can take time, deciding where some things go in the breakdown of the store aisles can get obnoxious especially since different stores will keep items in different places.  Also, some things just don't fit into a specific category and can cause frustration during filing.

Alphabetical Filing:

Oh be still my little couponing heart. I am a huge fan of filing by alphabet...anything in my house that can be sorted that way IS.  Makes putting things away or finding them super easy for me.  The pros of this method are that when I am in the store I can find a coupon for any product.  They are filed alphabetically by product name so it is super easy to find what I am looking for and since they are already clipped I can just pull them out and add them to my "use" pile.  I also only need 12 dividers because I can do several letters in one section, A-B, C-D, E-F...ok yeah you get the point.  If a section gets too big I can just add inserts to it.  The cons of this method start with the time investment.  Every week I have to rearrange the coupons to keep everything in alphabetical order to make sure I can find what I need when I am looking for it.  Also, for the alphabetically challenged this can be frustrating and annoying.


Ultimately, you need to find what works for you.  I tried a few different methods before I settled on mine.  I wanted to give a good overview of different methods that I have culled from different sources all at once so that you can make a more informed decision.   You can always try one method on for size and see how it works, if it doesn't work for you personalize it or switch to a different method!  Couponing is all about what works for YOU!

Until next time, have fun and HAPPY COUPONING!

Putting It All Together - Part 2, Collecting Coupons

I have been getting a lot of interest and questions about couponing so....I'm BAAAAACCKKKKK!

I want to do a quick overview of coupon theory since it has been months since I last posted.  Ultimately the goal is to get to the point where you are only buying what is on sale and you have a coupon for.  I am absolutely not recommending that you buy 600 of something when it is on sale.....trust me a stockpile will build faster than you can imagine when you are just purchasing a few of something.  My personal limit is 4 of anything, EVER.  When you are first starting your savings will not be an overnight thing, there will still be things that you absolutely have to have.....please for all of our sakes, if you run out of deodorant do not avoid buying it because you do not have a coupon and it is not on sale!

Your first step to getting started with coupons is to build your collection.  Your best resource for coupons is your Sunday paper.  I currently get 4 copies every week.  Houston has an early Sunday edition and I get 2 of those.  That gives me all of the coupon inserts and the sales ads that give me the pricing that starts on Sunday.  (A quick note:  Drugstores, Target, Walmart, etc. update their sales on Sundays.  Grocery stores update their sales on Wednesdays.)  This gives me a chance to review what is going on and find out if I need to rush out to take advantage of a sale on Sunday.  I also have 2 delivered to the house on Sunday morning.  We have considered setting up a 3rd delivery and only buying 1 on Saturday but at some point I may cut back on the number of papers I get so we have been stalling.  Unfortunately the Chronicle does not deliver the Early Sunday edition so I do have to go out and pick it up.

Depending on the size of your household you will need to figure out how many papers are appropriate for you.  Start small....give yourself a chance to try it out.  If you call the newspaper and they start delivering 10 papers to your house and you discover that you HATE couponing and that you are not seeing any savings and it is not worth your time (If any of that happens you get in touch with me IMMEDIATELY, we need to have a lesson!) you could be stuck with a ton of newspapers and nothing to do with it.  I recommend starting with 2 that you pick up on Sunday mornings (Or Saturdays if your paper does an early Sunday).  That will give you a chance to start seeing what coupons are available and what sales happen also starting to develop your shopping routines. 

In addition to your Sunday paper inserts, there are tons of printable online coupons.  Coupons.com, smartsource.com, bettycrocker.com & pillsbury.com just to start with.  There is a pitfall to avoid with the online coupons.  When I first started I was printing like a maniac, had tons of the online coupons.  What I have found is that a lot of the time these are duplicates to the ones that are in the paper and they have a shorter expiration time (Usually around 30 days from the time you print them).  Now, I usually only print them when I have a specific purpose in mind.  For example, when I go to krazycouponlady.com and they have a listing for a sale with a link to the coupon and it is one that I don't have a paper copy for I will go print it.  Another thing to know about online coupons is that you are limited on the number you can print.  It is 2 prints per COMPUTER in your house.  I personally have 2 computers and have access to Joe's (at least when he is not looking) so I can print up to 6.  This is also a good alternative if you don't want to deal with the Sunday papers.  You can skip some of the hassle and see at least some savings with an extreme minimum of effort.
However, there are deals that you will absolutely miss out on because they do not provide all of the coupons in an online format.  In addition, there were some serious problems with online coupon fraud a while back so a lot of the stores banned the use of them.  The non acceptance of online coupons has been lifted in most places but it still has the potential to cause some problems.

Your next resource for building your coupon collection is your store card.  There are several sites that cater specifically to this.  Proctor and Gamble will load directly to your store loyalty card www.pgesaver.com, also the website for your specific store (mine is www.kroger.com) will often have store coupons you can load directly.  A word on this.....a lot of times your paper coupons have a higher dollar value on these items and you can use multiples.  With the store cards, they will process any coupons you have loaded FIRST and then not allow a paper coupon for the same thing.  These are also only good on 1 item.  I always run my store card AFTER they have processed my items and coupons.  Another thing to watch for is that sometimes the digital coupons just don't work.  If it happens to you, get ont he phone with the 800 number and usually they can work it out for you.  In addition to store coupons, you will sometimes get little pieces of paper that print from the register called Catalinas.  These are coupons issued based on what you have purchased.  They can be for the same item or something similar and in some cases just a certain dollar off amount on your next purchase.  Look at them before you throw them away!!!!

No coupon collection would be complete without some store specific coupons.  Target is fantastic for couponers since they actually provide store coupons on their website.  The coupon policy at Target allows for a store coupon AND a manufacturer coupon for the same item.  This week I went in and got toothpaste for $0.24 a tube because Target had a $1 off and I had a manufacturer for $1.....it doesn't get any better than that!  Target also issues coupons in your Sunday paper, there are usually a few scattered in there and on occasion you get a full Target insert.  When you print coupons from the Target website they are usually valid for a much shorter period so I never print them unless I know I am going to use them.  They have the same limitations as other coupons so only 2 prints per computer.  In addition to Target, several of the local drugstores have a similar program.  Walgreens issues a coupon book every month that you can pick up in the store, those can also be matched with manufacturer coupons for big savings.  CVS issues coupons from a big red machine when you scan your card.  Both Walgreens and CVS have a program where they issue store credit when you make certain purchases.  Walgreens has Register Rewards with no card required, so lets say they issue store credit of $3 when you purchase $10 of a certain product.  They do not limit the number of times you can do this in a week so if you find a really excellent deal you can go back more than once.  CVS is a little different, since they require a loyalty card to take advantage of these deals they set limits on the number of times you can use them and it is tracked on your card. 

Once you start using coupons you will find them everywhere.....on products that you are purchasing (called peelies), tear pads sitting next to a product on the shelves, little machines in the aisles of your grocery store (blinkies) and so on.  Coupons are EVERYWHERE!

A final note:  Your store does not lose money when you use coupons.  The manufacturers that issue coupons reimburse your store for the full amount of the coupon plus a processing fee.  When a store issues a coupon they do it for marketing purposes, they want to get you into the store because the chances are that you will buy additional items and a higher loyalty to that particular store.  Never "feel bad" about taking advantage of the savings that they are offering you.  The stores are winning and so are you!

Putting it all Together - Part 1, Coupon Theory

I have spewed out all sorts of information in my previous blogs about this new habit of mine.  I wanted to put it all together in some semblance of order to make things a little easier.  I am one of those annoying people that likes to know the why for and the how to and understand the reasons things work.  I made a previous attempt at using coupons and it turned into an Epic Fail....I wound up buying stuff I did not need and my grocery totals actually went up instead of down.  After several weeks I gave it up and decided that it was just not for me.  I was just not getting it and I failed to do my research.....however, I looked at it again and did my research this time and I gotta tell you...I am hooked now!  This has become a game to me.....I am having a great time with this and seeing a savings of at least 50% or more on my receipts is a total high.  Fair warning y'all....this can be addictive!

Alright, enough of my babbling....here it is.  The entire goal of shopping this way is to buy the things that you regularly use when they are on sale and you have a coupon (or coupons) for them.  At this point my total spending not gone down significantly but now I am bringing home 2 - 3 times more than I was before.  There are still things that I *have* to buy because we are out but for the most part, I can now just buy the items that we use regularly when there is a sale and a coupon and just toss it in the cabinet until we actually need it.  

Ultimately the goal is to get to the point where the only things we have to buy on a regular basis are produce and dairy.  I have razors, toothpaste, toothbrushes, hair dye, feminine products, deodorant, laundry soap and assorted other stuff that I do not have to buy for at least a year.  I got most of these for under $1 and in some cases they paid me to take them out of the store!  Any given week my trip to Target, just getting the items that we needed was between $80 and $100.  I have not walked out of that store for over $40 in at least a month and I am walking out the door with more than I have on my *big* shopping trips before. 

I am using the extra money that I was spending there to stock up on other things from different stores and testing some theories to see how well they go.  I scored big last week at Kroger on center cut pork chops.....18 for $10!  I came home and used my Foodsaver to package em up and toss em in the freezer. I spent $12 at the bread outlet and have a ton of that stored in the freezer (I have yet to have to tap into that so I cannot tell you if it has worked out well or not.....we still have plenty of bread that didn't go into the freezer from that trip).  Again, see where I am going with this?  I know that in a lot of cases freezer space is limited, Joe and I are lucky enough to have a spare freezer in our garage so we have more room to work with but the deals are out there on a smaller scale.  

It takes some time to get used to this way of shopping.  I cannot tell you that next week when you go into the store you will walk out with a ton of stuff for practically nothing.  My first couple of weeks were completely unimpressive.  There was still lots of stuff that I needed to buy that was not on sale or that I did not have a coupon for.  Also, my coupon stock was low and I did not have the array that I have now so I was working with limited resources.  If you are not prepared for this it can be frustrating and feel like it is not worth the effort.  Give it a little time to really kick in....also, do not hesitate to look for help!  Find a website that does the match ups for you.  The one that I use most frequently: http://thekrazycouponlady.com/krazy-this-week/ 

This is FREE and if you like them on facebook you will get updates on new deals that they discover throughout the week.  Even if you have not started collecting coupons or aren't sure if it is for you, take a look at the site.....it may be enough to change your mind.  You can look for your local stores and see what is available, some of it only requires printing an internet coupon and no newspaper required. 

Set some realistic goals before you go into the store next time (after looking at the Krazy Coupon Lady, of course).  My first one was to see a savings off my total at the store of 15% or more, some stores will actually print your percentage on the receipt and for some others you have to do the math yourself.  It took me a week or two to hit that point and it has just gone from there.  My standard savings now is 50% or more.....gotta tell you, I *LOVE* seeing that one!  

Coming soon:  Putting it all Together - Part 2, Coupon Basics.  Until then, good luck and happy couponing!

Alternate Source for Coupons!

Ok, so you are collecting your inserts from your Sunday papers and organizing them.  So now you ask "Ms. Ran, where can I get MORE!".  I actually have an answer for you.....Yay!

There are several sources for more manufacturer coupons online.  These coupons can be printed at home and they are all over the place.  Do be aware of the expiration dates on your printable coupons.  Sometimes even if you can print 10 you may not want to.  I usually start with 2 unless I see a sale on the item.  Using a coupon just because you have it does not save you as much as waiting until there is also a sale on the item.  Of course, the manufacturers and the stores absolutely love it when you do it that way ;-)

Coupons.com:  http://www.coupons.com
This site has manufacturer coupons that are updated monthly.  The 1st business day of the month they all reset and add more.  Check them out right around then because some of them only have a limited number of prints available for everyone so, grab the ones you *have* to have right away.  You are allowed 2 prints of manufacturer coupons from EACH site per computer.  Yes, I said per computer.  I have 2 computers so I can get a total of 4......I have been banned from using Joe's computer because he is a weirdo but, still 4 is good for us.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/
More manufacturer coupons and regardless of whether you have printed the same coupon from another site you still get 2 more prints!  This site does require a sign up to access the coupons but as I said before if you have an alternate email address this is no big thing.  They will send you emails every once in a while and sometimes they have coupons in them!

http://www.pillsbury.com
Same thing as the Betty Crocker site here......2 more prints!  This site also requires a sign up and they will send out occasional emails.

A ton of the grocery stores are jumping on the digital coupon bandwagon, which is a great thing for all of us!  Our local Kroger and Randalls (Safeway) both offer this service.  I will warn you to watch very carefully for these coupons on your register receipt.  I have had a TON of issues using Kroger's service.  The idea is sound and is great when it works.  You log into the website and look at the coupons available then click and they load directly onto your store card.  When you hit the checkout lane they automatically come off your total.  These coupons count as STORE coupons so you can also use a manufacturer coupon on the same item!

There are a couple of websites that will also put MANUFACTURER coupons on your savings card, I have not had any issue with these working on my card so definitely make use of them:

PGE Saver:  https://www.pgesaver.com/
Proctor and Gamble update this site on the first business day of the month and these coupons can be loaded directly to your savings card.  These are manufacturer coupons and cannot be stacked with another but they can be stacked with a store coupon.  This does require a sign up and you have to register your store card with the site.

Cellfire:  http://www.cellfire.com/
This is the same as PGE Saver but it offers different manufacturer coupons that will load directly on your card.  This has fewer coupons than PGE Saver but definitely worth looking at.

A note on these types of coupons.  Be careful before you load these, look at what you have in your stash of coupons.  Sometimes the paper coupons have a higher savings dollar on them and you cannot use both.  The store will automatically use the ones loaded on your card first so if you attempt to use another coupon it will not be valid.

Store coupons are also fantastic and can really add to your savings.  Target has taken this idea and just run with it like crazy.  This is one of my favorite places to shop anyway but now with the savings I am getting.....well, lets just say they are starting to recognize me when I walk in the door.  I keep waiting for someone to come after me with the handcuffs and arrest me for robbing the store!!!!  These prices are fantastic guys.....stacking your manufacturer coupons with the store coupons can save you a TON!

A couple of examples that I have cashed in on in the past couple of weeks.
     Zantac:  Regular price $7.59, Target Coupon for $2 and Manufacturer Coupon for $5 = $0.59 for 30 ct
     Beneful: On Sale for $13, Target Coupon for $1 and Manufacturer Coupon for $2 = $10 for 15.5lb
   
     Sharpies: On sale for $1, Target Coupon for $1 = FREE for 2pk
     Papermate Pens:  On sale for $1.02, Target Coupon for $1 = $0.02 for 10pk

In addition Target does these great deals where you buy 2 items and get a $5 Gift Card for Target.  Yesterday I found 2 of these in the razor section.  They worked out like this:
     Venus Breeze:  On Sale for $5.39 each, manufacturer coupon for $3 off each = $2.39ea, received $5GC                 so I actually made $0.22
     Schick Quattro:  On sale for $7.29, Manufacturer Coupon Buy 1 Get One and (since I had 2 items) $3 off one = $4.29 for 2, received a $5GC so I made another $0.71.

You cannot use the gift cards for the transaction that you receive them for.  So, I split my transaction yesterday and paid for my GC items and a couple of other things (Sometimes Target Coupons only allow 1 item per TRANSACTION) then I turned around and used the cards on my next and much larger transaction. I walked out of the store yesterday with $120 worth of items for under $40.......

Facebook has gotten to be so big that all of the manufacturers and store have their own sites and keep them updated with all sorts of stuff.  You can cash in on coupons, freebies and all sorts of other things just by visiting the sites and hitting the "Like" button.

The Krazy Coupon Lady:  http://thekrazycouponlady.com/krazy-this-week/
I cannot say enough about this site.  Every week they post the information for each of the stores and give you links to manufacturer coupons or the dates for the inserts that coupons were available in from the newspaper.  Also, if you "Like" them on FB you will get several updates a day on new deals that members have found in the store that may have been unadvertised or that they stumbled across accidentally.  They will also update you on new Swagbucks offers, freebies that they have found and additional manufacturer coupons that have popped up.  I have stopped looking at any other site and use this one exclusively.  I do have to make my own lists and it takes a little more time than SavingsAngel but well, this one is free and with the updates to my Facebook I can just keep a running list until I make it into the stores.  I have also noticed that this site is updated IMMEDIATELY and sometimes way ahead of time.  I am already seeing the information on the sales that are starting on Sunday!

Both of the above can save you a ton, HOWEVER it does post a lot of stuff to your Facebook page.  If you want to keep your stuff nice and clean you can set up an alternate Facebook account for all of this stuff.  That way you can keep your regular Facebook nice and clean.

One more note and I am off to do my grocery shopping ;-)  Drugstores (CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid) and Superstores (Target) have sales cycles that start on Sunday and end on Saturday.  Your grocery store sales cycles run from Wednesday to the following Tuesday.  The drugstore and supercenter sales tend to attract a ton of people and things can run out very quickly.  On some items they will offer a rain check but that is kind of iffy.  The sooner you can get in to take advantage of those sales, the better off you are.

Until next time......happy coupon hunting!

Freebies for Fun!

In my hunt for deals and coupons online I have run across some new websites that reward you for all different kinds of stuff and thought I would pass them along!  Some of these programs I have been part of for years and my participation has just renewed but others are brand new.  All of these websites are ones that I currently use and have not had any issues with.  HOWEVER, I will recommend that for any of these online sites or coupons or anything else that you set up an alternate email for just this kind of stuff it can get you signed up for some weird junk sites sometimes.  15 minutes a week digging through junk email and utilizing my "Mark as Junk" button is a fair price to pay for some of these freebies so I will continue.  I do not know that any of these sites have increased my junk mail since this email address has been active for more than 10 years and I have a ton of junk but it is always a good idea to use an alternate for anything you sign up for online.

So, here we go!

Mycokerewards:  http://www.mycokerewards.com
Joe and I are HUGE Coke drinkers....Utilizing this website to enter the codes from all of our 12 packs and 2 liters is worth it.  You get 10 points per 12pk and 3 points for 20oz or 2 Liter bottles.  At 240 points you get a coupon for a free 12pack.  There are also tons of other things that you can get with your points and you can also use them to enter all sorts of sweepstakes.  I usually use my 3 points from individual and 2 liter to enter these just for fun.  So far I have not won anything but......some of them have not completed yet!  Cross you fingers for me.....

Mypoints: (Referral link on FB main page) 
I have been a member of this site forever.  This is a program that gives you points for all kinds of stuff.  They will send out several emails a day.  You can either participate in the offer or just click the button to get 5 points for visiting the website.  I have had very good luck with receiving my rewards from them in the past, lots of free gift cards for just reading my email and clicking on links.  They also have programs where you can print coupons online and after they are redeemed you receive points for them (I have not yet had any hit redemption yet so no opinion on this particular program.  I will start tracking this probably next month to see how it goes) also online purchases made through the site will give you points.  Lots and lots of ways to earn points on this site.  There is no referral link available on the site so I will post my referral link on my main Facebook page for y'all.  If you miss it, send me a note and I will email you a referral link.

Swagbucks:  http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/MsRan
Ok, this is a brand new one for me but I like it!  Ultimately it is similar to a lot of reward programs with a little twist.  This one is a search engine.  We all search the internet a few times a day and ALL of your search engines track your usage and such.  Well, when you use the Swagbucks search engine you are awarded random points for doing your searches!  So there....if I am gonna be tracked I might as well get points for it!  They also issue random Swagbuck codes that you can enter into the site to add points to your account.  There are about 2,000 different rewards that you can exchange points for.  Also, if you are following The Krazy Coupon Lady on Facebook (You ARE, aren't you?) they will tell you about random Swagbuck codes available.  There is also a Swagbucks widget for your web browser, however it is not yet available for Google Chrome so I had to install Firefox again to utilize this application.

Vocalpoint:  http://www.vocalpoint.com/index.html
This is another new one for me.  There are no reward points or anything for participating BUT this site is all about freebies and testing new products.  The more you participate in the site, the more they are supposed to send you.  Again, very new so I have not gotten a ton of free stuff.  I did get hooked up with a free coupon for a Fresh Express salad pack.  The deal is that once I get the coupon and purchase the product I have to go back and give a review.  I can totally do that!  Another of the samples they were giving out were new Glad garbage bags with Febreeze Odor Control.  Those went really fast, I totally missed the bus on that one and was awfully sad about it.

There are other ways to get freebies and coupons aside from the web.  The new smartphones have amazing apps that will reward you for scanning items and such.  These apps are all for the Android system and are free.  The ones I use on a regular basis:

The Coupon App:
This one will give you heads up on deals every day.  It is a little funky and I have had some issues with it.  You can email the coupon to yourself and print it from your computer.  I have seen coupons for Dinners, Office Max, Justice for Girls...all kinds of stuff.  Definitely worth taking a look at.

Gas Buddy:
This one tracks prices at all of your local gas stations to give you the best pricing.  The best part is that it is updated by users who earn points for updating gas prices.  This includes YOU!  Earn points that you can trade in for free gas for updating prices when you fuel up.  Also check for the cheapest gas near your location, no matter where you are!  I *love* this one.  We have a couple of gas stations here that compete for pricing so I can see which one is lower before I leave the house.  Regardless of when it was updated I still get points for updating the current pricing.

Shopkick:
Scan items in your favorite stores and earn kickpoints that can be traded in for Gift Cards!  There are a couple of different apps on the market that do this but this one has given me the least problems.  You get points for opening the app when you walk into certain stores and also some stores have scans available inside.  Target is a huge participant!  Also, this app provides special offers for the stores that you are in.  I have not used this function yet since I haven't had one for anything on  my list for the day but I still check every time.

The amount of free stuff out there for the taking is incredible.  Look around and see what you can find.  Check websites for the brands and products that you use the most.  Sometimes they have free stuff for members, so sign up and watch for offers coming in.  If you find anything really great be sure to let me know!

Until next time.....may you find freebies!

It's all About the Packaging

I have said it before and I will probably say it again a gabazillion times.....I am a sucker for marketing campaigns!  I often get the visual of a marketing team sitting around a conference table and asking "What would Ms. Ran want us to say so she would buy this?".  It is a horrible thing to admit but, well "Know thyself!".

One of the things that this journey I have embarked upon has taught me (and it continues to be a very painful lesson and a constant struggle) is that I have to really evaluate what I need vs what I want.

Convenience is a huge thing these days.  The majority of families require both partners to work outside the home to make ends meet which means that time is a precious commodity.  The packaging of foods in snack size packs and prepackaged dinners is wonderful for busy families.  However, if you actually look at the price point for these things you see a HUGE difference.  Sometimes you pay more than double for something in a "convenient" pack than you would for the same thing in the regular size.  I am prone to this marketing as well, I do not work outside the home but I do keep myself busy during the day.  The war on dog hair takes more time than I ever could have imagined, especially during this time of year when they are all shedding constantly. I am often eating while doing something else, which makes the snack sizes great since I don't have to worry that while I am not paying attention I wind up eating a whole bag of chips ;-)

The introduction of the 100 calorie packs was amazing to me, how cool is that!  Grab one of these babies and you have a perfect snack portion with no chance of going over what you should be eating.  However, when you start evaluating the cost of these snacks.....Holy Wow!!!!  Really?  It's almost like being robbed.  I cannot tell you how many boxes of these I have purchased over the years.....incredible.  If I had spent a little time portioning out a regular size box of whatever snack I wanted into Ziploc bags and tossing those into my pantry instead I could have saved myself more than 60% and gotten WAY more.  Kicking myself about it now does me absolutely no good......I can write it off as a learning experience and move on but Oh, the pain!

There are all kinds of things that we buy without thinking about it, just from habit.  I use Splenda in my coffee every morning and in my iced tea.  I have always bought it in the packets 1000 for $20 at Sam's Club.  Perfect portion and I know exactly how many to use for everything I drink.  I started looking at it the other day since I was running low.  Buying the bag of Splenda is about half as much as the packets.....for the same amount (ish).  Wow, really?  OK, evaluation time......and we come to a no brainer.  I bought the bag and spent another $2 at Target on a Rubbermaid container with a pour spout and filled that bad boy up.....I haven't gotten the hang of exactly how much to use yet but soon I won't even notice.  Not as convenient maybe but hey, money in my pocket.

Another pitfall in the stores is the Value Size.....hey, there is more in there for less right?  Not always......sometimes you pay less per unit when you buy the smaller packages.  This is especially true when you are using a coupon or coupons for an item.  Sometimes it means buying more of it but if you can get 2 for less than what you are paying for the Value Size and wind up with more then....well, another no brainer.

Ultimately, the point I am trying to make is that if you start really looking at what you are buying and change your perspective a little you can save yourself a good amount with a minimum of effort.  Buying your snacks in a regular size package and then putting a snack size amount into a ziploc will add a little time, buying things in less convenient packaging might be a pain in the rear until you get used to changing your routine a little and really watching your unit pricing might add the amount of time you spend in the store but after a few weeks, the savings might even add up to a new pair of shoes!

Until next time.....Happy shopping and may you save a ton!

Beyond the Coupon - Other Ways to Save

I have been on a mission to save.  I know this will not shock anyone since you have all been listening to me babble about it on a regular basis.  I wanted to find ways to save beyond my grocery store and on things that were not necessarily classic "sale" items or that I was probably not going to find coupons for.  

Joe and I took a field trip yesterday to look into some different things for research purposes, of course.  The really big one made my day.  We found an outlet for Mrs. Baird's Bread!  Some of you will be unfamiliar with the brand but locally it is a very big one.  I am a bread fanatic, I love bread.....so this was an exciting discovery.  I managed to walk out with 5 loaves of bread, 2 things of bagels, hamburger buns, hot dog buns, 2 packages of english muffins and 2 boxes of snack size cherry pies.  My total at the register?  Under $13.....Now, since it is an outlet the bread is close to its expiration date which means that in order for it to stay good I need to toss it in the freezer.  So, out came the Tin Foil and the Ziploc bags and I went to town.  This is a great time to test the theory that bread stays perfect in the freezer.  Anything that I thought we could not eat in the next couple of days got wrapped up, zipped up and is patiently waiting to be thawed.  If the experiment does not go well, then I am really not out anything since one package of english muffins were snarfed for breakfast and lunch, a bunch of the pies are gone and we ate half the hot dog buns and half of the hamburger buns are slated for chicken sandwiches tonight.  If none of the bread in the freezer turns out ok, I still got my moneys worth.  The really great part about it is that these are the breads that I buy regularly!  The english muffins and bagels are Thomas's, the bread and buns were a mix of Mrs. Bairds and Orowheat.  The bakery outlet is a bit of a drive from our house (For my local Houston folks, it is off South Gessner.  Take 59 to the Gessner exit like your going to Olive Garden and instead of taking the flippy-do, a technical term, just cross the intersection and go about 3.5 miles down Gessner and the bakery is on the left.) not horrible but not as close as my regular shopping haunts so I would prefer to do it every other week, if not once a month.  

However, on the corner of South Gessner and 59 there is also a Staples.  I am a big fan of Staples and always have been.  Their pricing is better than a lot of the office supply stores and I will admit to a minor office supply addiction.  I have been working on this one for years and have gotten much better but, well we all have to have our vices.  On the way home, we wandered in to look around because I saw an ad last week where they were advertising all sorts of cool stuff for a $1.  They also have a back to school program where you purchase a savings card and get 15% off of all school supplies through Sept 17th....all of you parents out there, stop into the store!  When we got home, I opened my paper to dig through (I buy the Early Sunday edition of the Chronicle on Saturday to look at the ads and check out the coupons that I will be getting the next day.  That way if I see anything I have to have I can get up early and run out to get it before they are all gone.) and found an ad for Staples where they have a couple of items for $.01 this week AND reams of multipurpose paper at $.25 (This does require a rebate).  Paper has been on my watch list because the prices are ridiculous in the stores.  More than $6 for a ream in a lot of cases for the store brand!......I can totally do $.25.  As a sidenote, this ad was NOT in my Sunday Chronicle.....today I had ads for Office Depot and Office Max, they have some really good sales going on as well but nothing as exciting as Staples.  I have read that for a month or so Staples does these sales on schools supplies every week.  You can go online to Staples.com and sign up to receive their ad via email every week or just stop by the site and look at the ads on Sunday or Monday when the new ones come out.  

So, I think that for a while I will be making a weekly trip to Staples to stock up on supplies (btw, this is a great item to donate.  There are tons of programs out there for underprivileged children who cannot afford supplies) and while I am there I will wander down to the bakery to see what I can score during the week rather than what is left on a Saturday afternoon ;-)

I have also been watching the meat cases in the stores I go to.  I usually go to 3 stores a week...Sam's Club, Target and a grocery store (either HEB or Kroger, depending on which one has the better sales).  So I have been looking at all of the meat cases to see what is going on.  The sales for meat come every week depending on the store and what they have in stock.  However, if you can find them some of the meat (on sale or not) has tags on it with discounts!  This can be either because the expiration date is coming up soon or they just have a ton that they want to move.  I see those and snatch them up!  I got a killer deal on hamburger last week and the week before that I took home a roast for under $6....that was 2 dinners and sandwiches for 3 days in our house!

This time of year is a great time to look around and see if you have a local farmers market for produce as well.  I have been looking but haven't found one yet.  These are excellent places to get fresh produce directly from the farmers at incredible prices.  Take the middleman and the markups out of the picture and you can find excellent deals on fruits, vegetables and all sorts of other interesting stuff.  A lot of these things can be frozen, canned or stored in other ways so that you can have your favorites any time of the year.  

Try doing some online searches and see what turns up.  There are savings to be had out there, sometimes you just have to go look for them.

Until next time, happy shopping and good luck!

Why Coupon?

Alright, I know that this whole thing has come out of left field from me.  I did explain at one point that I should not watch TV because I am exactly the person that they write ads for and watching shows really gets to me.  If I see an episode of Hoarders, I immediately go into cleaning mode.  I watch Extreme Couponing and say "Huh, I could do that", etc.....I can almost see them at the advertising agency looking at each other and saying...What would Miss Ran think, how can we hook her?  So, I usually keep the TV off and just toss my Ipod in one of the players (Yes, I have one in every room of the house including the master bath) and listen to an audiobook instead.  Commercial free and still entertaining!  As an added bonus, when the twins were babies and I put them in their crates for a nap I ran the book so they associate it with napping which means that they calm down and pretty much sleep when I listen.  Although when I combine it with cleaning, I do get sleepy help so as I clean I have two 60lb dogs laying on the floor at or on my feet but, well not important.

The point is that after watching a few episodes, I started doing some research.  I wanted to find out if it was worth it, it can take some serious time and effort.  However, I have no intention of loading up my garage with a bunch of stuff that it will take me 100 years to use.  One of the guys on the show has a wall of toothpaste, something like 1000 tubes.  Really?  What on earth would I do with that much?  Even if I handed out toothpaste to all of my friends and family every time I saw them and only used half a tube I still could never ever use that much.  How much toothpaste can you donate to a food bank or charity?  I have no idea but the idea that I would have to store it for any period of time makes me a little twitchy.

Ultimately my decision was, that yes it can be worth it.  Coupon use is great when, like anything else, it is used in moderation.  Please keep in mind I am not headed to the grocery store with a list of a thousand items that I plan on paying $.50 for.  That is out of the scope of normal for me.  However, keeping an eye on the sales ads and getting the stuff I normally buy for a lot less or even getting to try new things for an excellent price is worth a little of my time.

 I would *love* to reprint the introduction from Pick Another Checkout Lane Honey, unfortunately there is that whole copyright thing.  However, I am going to link it here again.  If you click on the link and find the book excerpts on Amazon they do have the introduction there and you can read it.  These ladies say it much better than I ever could.

Now, I am not recommending that you get in touch with your local newspaper and have 6 copies delivered to you on Sunday and spend all of your time clipping, organizing and going bananas to save $10.  There are other ways.  As a matter of fact, you can even save money with just internet coupons.  There are a couple of different sites that you can print coupons directly from (coupons.com, target.com, etc.) and some free websites that can clue you in to the deals.  I am once again going to recommend http://thekrazycouponlady.com/krazy-this-week/ they have updates all the time on great deals.  Also, utilize your Facebook.  Like your favorite products and they will send updates on new stuff along with some coupons that you can print, etc.  If you decide to go the route of getting a newspaper, you can look at my previous blog about organization techniques.  There are some that require almost no time or effort.

Personally, I am getting 3 newspapers a week (I have time on my hands so this is not an issue for me.).  The Houston Chronicle issues an Early Sunday Edition that is available on Saturdays.  Since Joe and I are almost always out on Saturday anyway, I pop into a store and pick one up.  This has all of the ads and coupon inserts in it, so I can check and see if there is any reason for me to get up at the buttcrack of dawn and race to CVS to catch any really great deals.  (Quick reminder, newspapers do NOT issue coupon inserts on holiday weeks.  4th of July is coming up so, don't expect to see anything that week).

Sometimes there really are great things going on at the drugstores.  This week it was 5 12pks of Coke products for $13.....that is $0.21 a can, rather than the $0.23 you can get when they do 4 for $11 and I actually pay $0.27 when I buy the 32 pack at Sam's....This is one of those things that I have no issue with stockpiling.  I drink a lot of Coke Zero and the cost can be gawdawful.  Now I am sitting on a good 14 12pks for me and another 5 Cherry Coke Zero for Joe.  They are currently piled up in my nook and yep, I am totally OK with that.  This is something I absolutely know we are going to use.  Now, I can wait for the sales and cash in on them without ever having to pay full price for it.  Also, I get points with My Coke Rewards when I enter the codes on the website and will be able to earn free 12 pks......Also, some of these drugstores issue rewards for purchasing different items.  So at CVS, the issue ExtraCare Bucks when you purchase certain items.  I have talked about these before.  Ultimately, these are credit for an item that you purchase that print on your register receipt and you can use them for any other purchase in the store.  You also earn a 2% back bonus (These start printing on July 1st, so it will be interesting to see) for using your card.  So, when I went to buy my Coke my out of pocket cost was $0.01 because I had CVS bucks enough to cover the cost.  They will not issue change on these so, don't waste one for $1 when you owe less than that.  Walgreens has a very similar program and I think that Rite Aid does too......check out the ads and see what you can get.  Ultimately when you get going on this you can just roll your CVS bucks over and never have to pay out of pocket!  Course, I used a bunch of mine on something that didn't have a reward so I am down to $5, so I may have to do a trip or two to rebuild my stash.....Am I sorry?  Not at all.....totally worth it.  Walking out of a store after digging in the bottom of my purse to find a penny gave me quite a rush....You should have heard Joe after I told him, I actually got a "Holy Crap!" out of him ;-)

Ultimately, you can save money with coupons.  The best way is to watch your sales, use a coupon in conjunction with the sales at your stores and buy the stuff that you normally do when the price is low and you can utilize your coupon for maximum effect.  If you get a coupon and run out and use it the next time you go to the store you can save a little (and the manufacturer and store will love you for it) but you will not get the maximum savings from it.  Another note is that until you really get the hang of it there will still be items that you need to buy even though you don't have a coupon.  Don't worry about it, cut yourself some slack and just do it.  Please do not run out of deodorant because you have no seen it on sale or do not have a coupon!  If you do, please do not come visit me.....just find where it is not the most expensive and buy one.  Then wait for your coupon and sales to line up and buy a few.  Then keep an eye on your sales and when you see it at a great price and have a coupon buy a few more......Set yourself a limit on how many you will keep on hand (for example, I will not keep more than 10 of certain items...deodorant, toothpaste, etc) and stick to it.  Once you max out on it then don't buy it until you get down to a level that you want to restock on, then start watching your sales again.  Also, set yourself a limit on how many you will purchase at a time....I won't use more than 3 coupons on any one type of product.  So, if I have coupons for $1 off on BBQ sauce and they are on sale for $.99 I will not buy more than 3....make sense?  Your limit on items may be different than mine, and it will probably really be based on what you use more.  We use a lot of laundry detergent in our house....so that is definitely something I do not mind having around.  However, we don't use a lot of frozen spinach.....see where I am going with this one?

Do not expect that your first couple of trips will be perfect.  It takes time to get the hang of it...and again you are still going to be buying stuff that you need to have for a while.  Now, if you manage to have a perfect shopping trip?  Definitely let me know how you did it!!!!

Good luck and happy couponing y'all.....as always any questions or comments are welcome!

The Saga Continues...

After my fabulous adventure at the car dealership yesterday morning I decided to take the opportunity to crawl back in bed for an attitude adjustment.  A few hours of sleep can work wonders when you are so exhausted you cannot see straight.  I have also found that being tired amplifies things and makes them look much worse so I was hoping to get a little perspective on the car situation after I had rested.  I had a lovely nap, the dogs were completely on board with this and we all slept for a few hours.

When I woke up I had a voice mail from the dealership so I fortified myself with a Coke Zero and made the phone call.  They were unable to find the problem that I had explained to them even though I pretty much told them exactly what to look for.  At this point, the only thing that they could figure was that it was *possible* that the AC blower was shorting out.  Unfortunately, this repair is not covered by our extended warranty and would cost us around $250.  Ummm, no......

I gave the nice man Joe's cell phone number so that he might be able to get more information about what the problem was and where to find it since all I knew was what Joe told me and could not give him specifics.  I do not give out Joe's number lightly, I try not to call him during the day when he is working because as a programmer he needs to be focused and the last thing he needs is his wife yammering at him.  When I do require something from him I generally send a text that he can answer when he has a break and can get to it.  At this point, I have already made 2 phone calls to him from the dealership and now I am giving out his number.  So, I finally hear from Joe around 5ish and apparently they did call him several times and after he explained exactly what the problem was and where to find it (this required him to basically explain the electrical system of the car to them) they finally located the problem and came up with a way to fix it that will only cost us $100.  Ok y'all this is the DEALERSHIP, they work on these cars all day every day.  When Joe told them where to find the problem you would think that they would have had a little lightbulb go on over their heads and understand without him having to tell them how the car is wired..........but no.  I mean c'mon, really?

Today they are scheduled to actually do the repair so Joe is driving the loaner car, which by the way they gave to me with less than a quarter tank of gas.  By the time I got home (less than 5 miles) the fuel light went on.  Joe has to stop on the way to work to put gas in this car and leave early to get to the dealership before they close to pick up his car.

I have to tell you that yesterday afternoon I was seriously considering becoming a one car family.  If we sold off both of our cars, we could pay off the remainder of the loans and still have enough to put a really good down payment on a better commuter for Joe.  Luckily Joe can maintain his head when I go into my insanity mode and the idea was pretty  much shot down in flames.  Although, as soon as my truck is paid off (December, thank god) I think we will be in the market for a new commuter car for him.  I can tell you now that a Hyundai will NOT be on our list of potentials.

No Good Will Come of an Early Morning Excursion.

The problem with being unemployed is that my responsibilities at home include taking care of everything that is not Joe going to work.  This includes fun stuff like vehicle maintenance, dog care and all the shopping, cleaning and laundry.  Sometimes this is enough to want me to run screaming back to work, a job...any job...anywhere.  Then reality asserts itself and I recall my working days when I was up early every day, racing to get ready to go and driving off to work, spending my entire day away from home and still being responsible for all of the things I currently have to get done and never having enough time for anything.

Gracie and the Twins are all feeling much better, we have not had any throwing up issues since midday yesterday from them.  Now they are restless since they had a "down" day.  Mattie is feeling better but he did throw up around 3am, which requires me to get up and clean the mess and love on the poor sick baby.  He is still a little off but doing better.

Leaving my house to run an errand early in the morning requires an effort on my part.  Gone are the days when I could hop out of bed half an hour before I needed to leave grab a shower and go.  These days I need to get up a couple of hours before I need to leave and run the twins around to get them tired out before I put them in their pens and leave the house.  This is difficult on the best of days but after Sunday night when I was up every hour because the twins were taking turns throwing up, then last nights joyful awakening to Mattie's addition to the puke party makes it completely awful.  I am not a morning person to begin with and I do not function well with limited sleep.  I know this will not shock anyone, especially if you have ever had a reason to deal with me before 10am.

This morning I needed to take Joe's car to the dealership since he has been having some issues with a couple of different things.  Since the warranty was due to expire this month I wanted to make sure we got it in ASAP.  I was due at the dealership at 9 which meant getting up at 6:30 and dragging all the dogs around the house in puppy games.  Grace and Travis are not morning dogs, trying to wake them up early is just not a productive experience.  They are definitely their mama's dogs, mornings are not for them and playing and running around is just not an acceptable start.  On days like today when I am not in the mood either, the impulse to just lay on the floor next to them and take a nap is nearly overwhelming.  Luckily Jack and Mattie are more than happy to keep me awake and to drag Grace and Travis into their morning adventures no matter how unhappy they are about it.

So we spend the morning running around, and finding some mud in the backyard to track on mama's carpet (that is their favorite game, they like to help mama clean it up.  I am not sure that drinking the soapy water and standing on the mud is actually helping but they like to think so.)  and generally being noise and chaotic.  I get the twins back into their pens and the big dogs upstairs and head out on my merry way.

I *hate* driving Joe's car.  The hamsters that run the thing are slow to start and stop, compared to my SUV it is like being in a go cart so I need to leave at least 15 minutes earlier than normal to make sure that I actually make it where I need to be on time.  I get to the dealership and wander in a few minutes early so I can drop the car off and get my loaner.  My plan is 15 minutes there and then back out again.  However, come to find out that our factory warranty expired last month!!!  When we bought the car, we spent the extra $2k on the extended warranty, as a general rule I tend to avoid these but since we were buying a Hyundai and I was uncomfortable about that to begin with and this is a transferable warranty so it should help with the resale value.  Now I get to take another trip out to the car to see if I can find the paperwork on the warranty so they can verify (Apparently even if it is purchased through a dealership they do not have a record in the system and need some paperwork for which warranty company you are covered by) coverage and all that.

We get that taken care of and NOW I find out that our extended warranty requires that we pay a $100 deductible on covered repairs.  WTF?!?!?!??!?!  No way, you have GOT to be kidding me.  Unfortunately, I said a very filthy word when I heard this because, really I have already paid $2k for coverage that I am just now getting?  Alright, I am over it....sort of.  Now I have to make a phone call to Joe so he knows what I just found out.  Thank god his brain is on because mine is still in bed, he reminds me that both of these issues that we are having are things that we have already taken the car to the dealership to have repaired while we were still under warranty.  OK, good.....I can work with this.  So, I go back in to talk to the nice man and pass this information on.  Now here is the problem, when we first moved here we took the car into a different dealership to have the work done on the AC System.  I refuse to return to that dealership because they were jerks and idiots.  I had so many problems there that I was just not interested in going back.  So, the bottom line is that *IF* this is something covered by the extended warranty I still have to pay $100 to get it fixed.  If it is not covered by the warranty then I have to pay $89 for the diagnostic.  This absolutely infuriates me because we paid a good chunk of change for this additional warranty on a car that I had no faith in to begin with and have consistently been proven correct about my misgivings in owning it.  This is just another annoyance to add to my reasons for not owning one.  If it made any sense I would just sell it and get something else but, well sometimes the emotional response has no logical basis.  I comfort myself with the fact that Joe said the same thing after I talked to him ;-)

Ultimately the lesson learned from this mornings adventure?  Stay in bed, everyone will be better off.

Posting Comments to Blogspot

I have been having some complaints that Blogspot is not allowing people to post comments.  I believe that I have found the solution!  I have opened up allowed commenters to anyone, although all comments WILL be moderated.  So, please feel free to leave your comments!

Coupon Organization 101

There are a ton of different ways to organize your coupons and it really all depends on what works for you.  I will list several different ways and that I have read about with what I think are the pros and cons and then I know you will be thrilled to hear how I organize mine!

The first is the easiest and most painless way.  When you get your Sunday papers, pull out the inserts and write the date on them and then toss em in a file folder for the month.  Also, when you print your coupons on the first business day of the month (from coupons.com, etc) you can toss them in the front of the file folder.  Most of your match up sites will list which insert and the date so you can just grab your inserts and cut out the appropriate one and go.

PROS:  This is the least time consuming method, very simple and saves on time clipping.  Match ups are super easy because they give you the date and tell you what the coupon is.

CONS:  Overseas military can use expired coupons for up to 6 months beyond expiration which means that eventually you will have to clip them anyway (Here is a link to the website for more information http://thekrazycouponlady.com/coupons-for-military/).  This also limits your ability to "shop of the fly" and take advantage of any good sales you might run across in the store that were not advertised because your coupons will be at home.  

The next is a variation that requires some serious arm strength!  Take your inserts and split them into individual sheets then write the date on each sheet (not on top of your coupons!) then put them in a sheet protector and toss em in a binder.  Clip your coupons before you go for you match ups and then heft the massive binder and take it to the store with you to take advantage of anything you run across that was not advertised.

PROS:  Time saving method all that is required up front is to separate your inserts, write the date and then file them.

CONS:  Carrying a huge binder with a ton of paper in it is not high on the list of things I want to do.  This will also require you to carry scissors to clip coupons in the store.  There is no way to look for a specific coupon you just have to flip through every page.

Next is the category method.  Clip your coupons and then put them into inserts (baseball card inserts available  at Target, Walmart, etc.) by category.  You can decide what categories work for you or lay it out based on the aisles of the store that you shop in the most.  Whatever works for you.  Here is a recommendation on categories http://thekrazycouponlady.com/2010/09/24/how-to-start-your-coupon-binder-this-ones-for-you-kathie-lee/

PROS: This can be laid out based on the way your store is so it can be really easy to look while you are shopping.

CONS:  Trying to decide what items go into what category can be obnoxious and can change based on your mood.  Sort and file carefully!

Finally there is the alphabetical method.  Clip and sort your coupons by alphabet, put them into inserts and then file them in your binder.  When you run into a sale in the store then you can just look it up by the product name!  There are a couple of things that can be sorted into a main name, for example all Kellogg's cereals can go into on sleeve....save a little space ;-)

PROS:  Alphabetical, Wooooooo!  Product searching is easy because when you see anything on sale...look it up by alphabet!  OK, we all know I live for this.

CONS:  It is a lot of work up front.  If you are not an alphabetical person, it can get really obnoxious.

So now for my binder.  I actually just picked up a new binder yesterday, it is a double binder (One on each side) with a handle and a shoulder strap (Ha!).  On the right side I have tabs for each of the stores I shop in that has a regular sheet protector in the front with a couple of baseball card inserts behind it so I can put the coupons I know I am using that day in them, then a copy of the store coupon policy (you can get these online or ask at customer service in the store).  On the other side I have my alphabet tabs (I have one for 2 letters so I only have to have a dozen tabs) with baseball sleeves for all my coupons sorted in alphabetical order.  I have a feeling that the complete alphabetical will break down and I will just have them in A, B, C.....but I can live with that.

Anyway, I figured that I would post this today in case anyone was waiting on the edge of their seat with their coupon inserts waiting until someone gave them a good way to file them ;-)

Happy couponing and share your binder layouts with me, would love to hear about em!

Dogs, Books and Coupon Inserts.....

My weekends are generally not peaceful or restful.  I do not do cleaning on the weekends, I use my weekdays to do that so that I don't have to worry about it while in the midst of crazy dogs (Because daddy is home with them all day) and an obnoxious husband (yeah, yeah, yeah....some of you think he is an angel.  Live with him for a few weeks and then talk to me) not to mention a gabazillion errands that *have* to be done.

This weekend has been particularly interesting (I find that I need to use that word because anything else only has 4 letters in it and I know that some of you *hate* when I revert to my swearing like a sailor).  Grace (aka: Doodle Bug, Doodle or Princess) is not feeling well at all.  She has been throwing up nearly non stop since yesterday morning, poor girl is sick and mama is chasing after her with the Resolve and the steam cleaner.  Not to mention force feeding her Pepcid to try to settle her stomach (Sidenote:  I have discussed this medication with my vet for all of my dogs and have been given the green light as well as recommended dosages.  Please do not give your animal ANY medications without having that discussion!).  She is finally feeling better this morning and even ate a little of her kibble which has miraculously managed to stay down.  However, Jacky jumped on the bandwagon and threw up last night before bed and refused to eat more than a little of his kibble this morning.  Travis is ok but I can tell his tummy is not well (My backyard is the best evidence).  The only one NOT feeling any pain is my big ole sensitive tummy Mattie......he is just fine ;-)

Sick animals terrify me....I am one of those lunatics that is on the phone to the vet if one of my dogs sneezes (Thankfully Joe keeps me from stalking my vet and makes me wait to see if it is anything more than a little dust in their nose before I make the call).  We had a chronic illness in one of our cats and we learned to pay attention to "baseline" behaviors and go on alert if we see anything outside of the norm.  It is much easier to treat an animal if the problem is caught early enough.  Yes, yes, yes....I am a "Crazy Doggy Mama" get used to it.  Not gonna change.  Our personal choice not to have children means that I am allowed to go a little nutso about my dogs and we are fine with it.  Unfortunately sometimes this interferes with my life in ways that are seemingly ridiculous.  I had to stay home last night while Joe went to the Father's Day/Birthday dinner for the family last night because the idea of leaving Grace here and having to come home and attempt to clean up all the messes after they had sat there for hours was just completely unacceptable.  I hope that everyone will forgive me, if not next time she is sick I will bring her to your house and let you watch the carpets get yucka and see how well you handle it ;-)  Yup, I'm a nut....but really, I am ok with it and so is Joe.  In actuality sometimes he is way worse than I am......but we won't go there.

Next on the list is the latest book I have read in my quest for couponing information.  This book is a very fun read but not a ton of new information.  However, the best thing is that they actually provide the current coupon policy for a ton of different stores in the back of the book!  There are two different methods for binder organization explained in the book (Neither of them alphabetical, so no go for me) but again very entertaining.  This book is EXTREMELY popular.  They did not have any copies in either the used book store or ebay.  The local retail bookstores did not have any copies in stock and I actually had to order it from Amazon.  My poor mail carried was a little disturbed that I was stalking him while I waited for it to arrive but hey, I was excited to read it.  I can't say that everyone should rush out and buy this one (Sorry Miss Joanie and Miss Heather!) There is some good information in here for a beginner and really a very easy read but again, very basic beginner stuff.  The worst part is that most of the information they give in this book is available for free on their website http://thekrazycouponlady.com.  Definitely check this site out, there is tons of information and they do early warning for upcoming deals for the week.  This is my second favorite site and the information is pretty consistent with my store prices and deals.

This morning I got to make an incredibly entertaining phone call to the Houston Chronicle.  Some background in case you are not all hanging on my every word and remember that a couple of weeks ago we had a little guy show up on our doorstep offering an annual subscription to the Chronicle for a $1 a week for just the Sunday edition and promising me double coupon inserts.  When I got my paper last Sunday it was in 2 different bags, the first two sections were in one and the rest was in a second.  I pulled it out and had stuff fly all over the place.....and only 1 set of the coupon inserts.  Well, I always assume that the first delivery is wonky so I blew it off and went on about my business.  This morning when I wandered out to get my paper, I discovered that once again it was in separate bags and only 1 coupon insert.  So, I picked up my phone (If you are unaware, I *hate* making phone calls....really, it makes me unhappy.  I only do it in extreme circumstances, I prefer text messages) and called the Chronicle.  Now, my approach to making any phone call with a question or complaint is to check my attitude.  People are much more willing to work with someone who is not yelling or freaking out at them.  As a matter of fact if I start the phone call with "I'm an idiot" I generally get phenomenal service!  I highly recommend never making a phone call when you are angry about something.  Wait until you are calm and be cheerful, customer service people are generally so happy to talk to someone pleasant that they will go out of their way to help you.  Anyway, soap box is firmly tucked back under the desk again and onward.  I spoke with a very nice lady this morning and asked her about my double coupon inserts.  She *almost* laughed at me, they have never offered anything like that to subscribers and there is no such program (I am not shocked, door to door sales people are awful about making promises since they know there is no way to really track it....and they are probably not going to get in trouble for it anyway because how can you prove it?).  So, I asked if they did discounts on multiple subscriptions and found out that they are currently offering a promotion for $.50 an issue for Sunday only delivery.  Houston take note, $.50 a week for a $2 paper!!!!  Make the phone call, NOW.  Fair warning, you will have to pay for it in advance by credit or debit over the phone.  I now have 2 subscriptions to the Chronicle (So I still get my double coupon ads) and I paid $1 for the first and $.50 for the second.  So I get 2 papers for $1.50 a week which is still less than the newsstand price for a single one.....The promotional $.50 is only available for your first subscription any additional will cost you the $1 but still an excellent deal.  Two for less than the price of one....The Krazy Coupon Lady would be proud of me!

Speaking of the Krazy Coupon Lady, I know I linked to the website earlier but I am going to do it again.  http://thekrazycouponlady.com because I actually have a few things to say for my couponing buddies.  Due to the success of the show on TLC (Extreme Couponers) the coupon craze has hit BIG TIME.  Do not be shocked to see people stalking your neighborhood looking for newspapers sitting in driveways.  This is NOT acceptable behavior, even if they did show someone do it on national TV.  Also, supplies for coupon binders are going like crazy in the stores.  I need to add to my baseball card sleeves and cannot find them anywhere locally but BEWARE of Ebay.  Right now with the demand the prices have gone a little nutty.  Do some homework, I can buy more for less at Amazon.com right now and that includes shipping.  Although, there are some lots of binder inserts with different sizes on Ebay that I have been looking at.  Set your price, do not get caught up in a bidding war and pay twice what they are worth.  Now that the season is over the craze should start to die down some at least until the next season starts.  The chaff will start getting separated from the wheat, blah, blah...you get what I am saying.  Also, do not expect to walk into the store and immediately get $800 worth of stuff for $10.....that is not remotely a realistic expectation.  Understand that it takes time to build up your coupon collection and it does take work to match it up with your store circulars (although this is getting much easier with the success of some of the couponing websites) and really watch the savings start rolling in.  Give yourself at least a month to start seeing changes to your bottom line and also cut yourself some slack when you get a not so good deal.  This is a learning process and like learning any other skill it takes time, practice and you're going to make mistakes.  Accept that now and move on, it will make it a much better experience and something you can stick with past the craze and please do not buy 100 bottles of ketchup just because they are on sale......you will regret it ;-)

Happy couponing!

p.s.  My plan for my next post is a breakdown on how my binder is organized, in case you are not liking your current set up or haven't found a system that you like.  I will also offer some different ways that I have read or heard about from the books I have read and the sites I have wandered across.

God had a slow morning...

Y'all I know that God had a slow morning because he was getting lots of giggles at my expense!  I saw a post on one of my websites about a great deal on Hershey's chocolate (Those of you who actually read my FB posts will know what I am talking about) so I got my coupons printed and raced for the door.  I was so excited I almost ran out in my pajama pants, I only realized it when I was slipping on my flip flops and wound up with my pants around my toes in my shoe (Yes, it happens.....I'm short, pajama pants are long...back off!). So I run back to my room and change really quick then head out the door.  I actually did forget to brush my teeth (Good thing I scored Tic Tacs for $0.24 each yesterday!).

I had 3 stores to hit this morning: Sam's Club, Walmart and Target (Chocolate!)

Sam's went fine it was a super quick trip and I always score a $0.94 diet coke so that makes life good.  They are doing some remodeling so the actual cafe is closed off but they have a temporary area set up for it.  The credit card machine was not working so the nice man behind the counter had to actually swipe my card and print out something for me to sign.  So I bend over the counter to sign it and when I look up I catch him staring down my shirt.  I left the house in a crew neck T shirt this morning.....course my dogs have the "Unfortunate Aiello male boob obsession" so they are in the habit of grabbing the tops of my shirts or sticking their big fat heads in the necks of my shirts and causing some serious stretching.  I really don't get bent about having my chest stared at, it's entirely too common when you have a large one and I guess for a $0.94 soda the poor guy can take a look if it makes his day a little brighter.

Walmart is another story.  Now this is the really nice Walmart that I do not get the shakes before going into....however, I have been in this store a couple of different times looking to scores some great deals and they are just not there.....I give up, really.  No more Walmart for me.  Luckily I did need to pick up this month's copy of All You so there really was a reason for me to go into the store (This is not on any other newsstand so either you have to go into Walmart or you have to subscribe).  I am not sure my subscription has gone through yet so, better safe than sorry plus I was in the parking lot.  Now here is where it gets more interesting.  I put my grocery bag in the back of the truck, grabbed my Sam's stuff and tossed it in then shut the back of the truck..........WITH MY KEYS IN IT!  I have owned my truck for more than 5 years, I am not supposed to be ABLE to lock my keys in it because I have automatic door locks.  There I go again, proving that it is possible to do the impossible.  I usually do not toss my keys back there because I do not unlock the rest of the truck for just this reason (I cannot see the front and side doors while I am at the back and I often have my purse or wallet or whatever in the front).  This time I had my purse, binder and an unused shopping bag with me....so as soon as I realize this I pull out my AAA card for a rescue.  A word on AAA, today they sent me a hero...Henry, is my best friend today.  This one incident is enough to justify my annual fee, I do not have a spare set of keys at home.  They are on Joe's keys and he works downtown.  For him to come rescue me would have cost us 2 hours of his pay and a quarter tank of gas.  That is more than my yearly cost for AAA.....so, score for us.  This is one bill I never hesitate to pay as soon as I get it, a total no brainer.  Sorry, there goes that pesky rant again.  So, it is in the late 90's outside and I have about a 45 minute wait for my rescuer to arrive.....AND, my brand new magazine is locked in the back of the truck with my keys *sigh*.  So back into Walmart I go....I grabbed a cheeseburger and tried to entertain myself with a reminder that I hate spending money and I am not going to do it anymore and even though they have big discounts on books I don't need anymore and I can get them for less at the used bookstore and.......well, I think you get the picture.  The good news is that the truck arrived about 20 minutes ahead of schedule, I did manage to not buy anything else and he unlocked my car in about 45 seconds.  Oh, AND he gave me a cold bottle of water.....Yup, my hero!

I am going to interject a couple of sidenotes at this point.

1. When I got up this morning I realized that I had forgotten to set up the coffee pot.  Since we all know that really bad things happen when I attempt to make coffee after I wake up I have established a personal policy that does not allow me to touch the coffee maker other than to push the button and pour it from the carafe after it is ready.  So, I am running on NO coffee....
2. I am not angry, actually I am cracking up about the whole thing.  I sent Joe a text and he called me probably assuming that I was going to yell and scream and have a fit.  Instead, I laughed and told him about what an idiot I am.  He was probably incredibly grateful ;-)
3. This is all occurring before 11am......Not my best time of day.

Now I am off to Target...my last trip and the reason for my incredibly speedy exit from the house this morning.  I am really excited about this one and I get in to the store and Wooo Hoooo, it's even better than I thought!  Hershey's chocolate bars - 6pk on sale 2 for $5, I have a manufacturer coupon for $1 off 2 and a Target coupon for $0.50 off each.  Take off  $1 for each on and that means I get 12 Hershey bars for $3.....now to sweeten the deal, I also have 2 coupons for free marshmallows when you buy a 6pk of Hershey bars and a box of graham crackers (which are also on sale).....SCORE!!!  With all those free marshmallows I can use a box of the Rice Krispies I bought yesterday ($1.50 a box) and make Joe some Rice Krispie Treats!  Wait til he hears about this one, I see a happy dance coming!  This is an excellent end to my shopping excursion this morning although I have to admit to coming home and crawling into bed for a nap ;-)