Still Clipping Coupons

Last week's grocery shopping trip totally made me feel like I was on the television show!  It wasn't my most profitable shopping trip ever, but it was fun!

I had an overflowing shopping cart and a huge stack of coupons.  When someone got behind me in line with only five items, I didn't notice right away.  I was too busy watching the prices appear on the monitor.  Then I had Problem #1.  I forgot to hand the cashier my rain checks at the beginning and she had already scanned those items.  She had to void the products that were already scanned and call over a manager for approval.  She rescanned the items at the correct price and kept moving. 

Problem #2 occurred while she was scanning my coupons.  None of the coupons for the rain check items would scan.  Again, she had to call over the manager, who was starting to dislike me.  She fixed the problem and went on her merry way.

On every episode of the show, it seems like the shopper says, "The coupons aren't doubling!"  I always wondered if I would notice if my coupons weren't doubling.  Today, I had the opportunity which brings us to Problem #3.  "The coupons aren't doubling!" I exclaimed.  I purchased five boxes of cereal that were on sale for $2.50 each.  I had a $.55 coupon that should have doubled.  Each box should have cost $1.40.  Again, my cashier called over the manager.  We explained the problem but she wasn't willing to help.  "There's nothing we can do about that," she said in a very grouchy tone.  "The manufacturer created this coupon to not double.  The store cannot do anything about their coupon."  Even though I knew this information was not true, I dismissed Grouchy Gerta because I was anxious to get out of the store.  The manager totally has the power to manually double the coupon.  The coupon did not state that it could not be doubled.

I was getting embarrassed by this point and finally turned to the people behind me.  "I am so sorry!" I said.  The 60-ish woman gave me a huge smile and said, "Don't be!  We are really enjoying watching you!  When I saw what you were doing, I turned to my mother and said 'She's a couponer!'  We are so excited to see what you save!"  I was pleased as punch!  Most customers get grouchy when they are delayed but these people were rooting me on!  "Will you please let us know what you save?" she asked.  I was ready to broadcast it over the P.A. system so I would surely tell these nice people!

At the end of the checkout process, I paid with cash and was handed my ginormous receipt.  "How much?!" my fan club exuberantly exclaimed.  "Total savings:  98.37!"  The woman turned around to make sure her elderly mother heard.  "Wow, that's so wonderful!  It was a pleasure to wait...at least you weren't on welfare!"  Ha! 

I looked around but, sadly, did not see any television cameras.  It was still fun, even if my audience was only three people.  Saving money should be this much fun every week!

This week, I got a young, male cashier who was very attractive, even though I was a good decade and a half older than him.  When he noticed who I was and what I do, he dramatically asked me, "Am I on The Show?  Are there television cameras here?"  He looked around in an animated fashion and straightened his hair.  "No," I sadly said, "I wish!  I promise, if I ever do get to that point, I will come to YOUR line!"  He told me it's a deal and expertly scanned all my groceries without a problem.  Yeah, I'll take the cutie cashier any day over the grouchy old lady who acts put out that I'm actually asking her to ring out my purchases. 

Oh- by the way, I scored 12 tubes of toothpaste totally free!  Yeah baby, that's what I'm talkin' 'bout!

Still Saving

In case you were wondering, I am still on this crazy, roller coaster, coupon ride.  I still check the coupon sites several times a day, I still spread the newspaper inserts all over my living room floor, I still have scissors strategically placed throughout the house for quick clips, and I still run my poor printer to death with internet coupons.  There is nothing quite like the feeling of getting something more than half off or even free. 

This week at the grocery store, I scored four Colgate toothbrushes for free.  Someone had cleaned out the shelf before me but I happened to find four in the wrong place.  Luckily, I remembered to score a rain check so I can use the rest of my coupons to get free toothbrushes next week!  I got shampoo for $1 and deodorant for $.50.  Kraft shredded cheese came to $1 a bag.  My bill before coupons came to $147 and $84 after coupons.  Not too shabby!  It's really nice to leave the store with money still left in my wallet.

This morning, I went to Target with a friend.  I scored a Smurfs playset for $4 after a 70% off sale.  I got a Giada saute pan for half off that I will give as a bridal shower gift this weekend.  Feels good!  What doesn't feel good is that I forgot to give the cashier the one coupon I planned on using.  I'm going to blame that one on Baby Girl who was arguing with my friend's kid in the giant Target shopping cart.

I honestly didn't think I was going to make it this long.  At first, I was overwhelmed by the amount of time it took.  After a two week break with no Sunday coupons during Christmas, I kind of got refreshed.  I was anxious and excited to get back to it.  My poor binder looked sickly after removing all the coupons that expired 12/31.  Now, it's healthy and fat again (like me) and is saving me lots of money!

I may not be working my way toward the TLC show, Extreme Couponing, but I'm saving my family money and getting stocked up on the things we use the most.  It's definitely a "hobby" I plan on sticking with.

Better Late than Never

I love it when I get my daily posts out early in the morning.  But sometimes, on days like this, I can't find time to post until after 4 in the afternoon. 

You see, today was couponing day.  While it was technically my second week on this new, crazy journey, it was actually only my first full week.  A good friend, who just doesn't get it yet, came over this morning to learn from my vast, frugal knowledge.  We spent hours clipping, sorting, and studying ads.  I helped her determine which deals were good enough to splurge on and which needed to be passed over.  She had a $130 weekly budget.  I was determined to help her stay under budget but stockpile some necessities at the same time.  My budget was also about the same. 

Results were good!  My friend only went $3 over budget but scored $8 in savings on her next shopping trip!  Success!  I spent $197.19 (eek!).  Weekly specials and sales saved me a whopping $61.88 and I had $20.50 in coupons!  I also scored $12.00 in coupons toward my next shopping trip!  So I got almost $200 worth of groceries and toiletries for $102.81!  I was quite proud and grinned all the way to my car!

Ready for another deal?

Today after 6:00 PM, go into any Chipotle Mexican Restaurant dressed in a costume inspired by The Family Farm (think farmer, crop, animal, or farm implement) and you'll get a burrito, bowl, salad, or order of tacos for only $2.00!  You can't beat that deal, especially if you're an addict like me. 

We have choir practice tonight but I plan on taking the whole family to Chipotle afterward!  Yes, I will be wearing a cowboy hat to practice.  Laugh all you want, but I'll be enjoying a very cheap burrito for dinner!  I might just wear my boots.

Couponing

A while back, I mentioned that I would love to try my hand at Extreme Couponing.  I had never seen the show but planned to record a few episodes.  I also told some of my friends I was thinking of looking into it.  Everyone I talked to had pretty much the same response, "You don't want to do that."  Others said, "Unless you want to buy 40 bars of soap at one time, this isn't for you." 

I watched the show.  I loved the show.  I decided that I do want 40 bars of soap.  I envied the stockpile in their basements.  I totally don't see it as hoarding.  It's well organized, it consists of things they're going to use, and they saved a ton of money by doing it.  I've been suckered in.

I started researching.  I found some good blogs that give step-by-step instructions of how to begin.  I read informative websites and I found out the best places to print coupons.  After reading everything, I discovered that I've been doing a mild form of extreme couponing for years, I just haven't been using coupons.  One of the most important steps is to only buy what's on sale.  That's what I do.  I don't plan family meals based on what sounds good or what I've been craving.  I decide what to cook based on what's on sale.  For example, this week it's pork ribs and turkey breast.  My store receipt keeps a tally of  how much I've saved to date.  My total saved from coupons so far this year is only $28.53.  That's laughable.  Our grocery store has a food perks program that you build up by using their gas station.  With that program, I've saved $67.33.  Again, that's nothing.  But with weekly specials and sales, I've saved $617.61.  So you see what I mean- I've already been shopping the sales for years.  If I add coupons to this mix, I think I just might be able to do this.

One thing I will not be doing is buying things we don't use, even if it's free.  I don't believe in waste.  But I don't see any problem with having a stock of soap, deodorant, and paper towels.  We go through those things so quickly anyway and seem to always be running out.  It's amazing how fast our family of six goes through one of those giant packs of toilet paper (Baby Girl uses about 3 times the amount she should use).  Those packs cost $12.  I'm tired of paying that much money to clean my hind end!  If I can get it for cheap, I'm going to do it.

Monday is my shopping day.  I'm a scheduled girl!  So I'm starting today.  I know I won't gets results like the people on the show and I'm not expecting to.  I don't have a huge supply of coupons yet.  But I hope to save at least ten dollars.  Last week, I saved $11 with coupons.  That was huge for me!  I hope to increase my savings each week.  I'll let you know how it goes.  I will be shopping at two different stores.  Browsing through the ads, I found out that the store across town has much better specials this week.  I hate that store and don't know where anything is, but I guess I'll figure it out eventually.

So, wish me luck if you want.  Roll your eyes at me if you want.  I'm going to give this a serious go.  I found out this year that I can grow tomatoes, I can run 6 miles, and I can post almost daily on my own blog.  So I think I can do this too.  We'll see...