Prompted by a student's essay, I have been experimenting with coupons. Even in our 'poorest' days as newly married college students, I didn't use coupons, though I did shop the store sales. My student's huge savings inspired me to give coupons a REAL try. Not paying for deodorant and getting toothpaste for 20 cents? Yes, I thought, this is worth a try! My first week, I spent $160, saving $115. I followed my student's advice: 1) only buy what you normally would, 2) only buy things that are on sale, and 3) only buy things that you have coupons for. According to her advice, store sales are on a 6 week cycle, so after about a month, you should be stocked up with everything you need. In the meantime, plan meals from what's in the pantry, rather than shopping for what you need.
So, this week, armed with the latest batch of coupons from my mother-in-law's Sunday paper and coupons.com, I diligently shopped the Bashas' sales. I spent $73, and saved $81! Even the cashier was impressed. :-) My best buy this week? A bottle of Vaseline Sheer Infusion. Normally $6.88, it was on sale for $3.88 and I had a coupon for $3.75. My cost? 13 cents!!! Do I always buy this particular brand of lotion? No. But I do buy lotion, I like Vaseline on the whole, and I'm not particular. So, 13 cents well-spent. :-) Another great deal--Bashas' has GM cereals on sale for $1.99 a box. When you buy four boxes, you get a gallon of milk ($3.88) for free. I had coupons for 50 cents to $1 off each box of cereal. So, for about $6, I got 2 boxes of Cheerios, 2 boxes of Kix, and a gallon of milk. Not bad!
I might be able to save more by shopping at different stores, but Bashas' in the only one in town, and with gas prices being what they are, I'm thinking that the extra savings might not be worth the trip. Couponsense.com I've heard is good, too, but for now, I'm content with shopping Bashas' super Fri/Sat sales and clipping coupons, especially since I discovered that I have two EXCELLENT coupon clippers in my house! :-)
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
5 comments:
I used to use coupons all the time. However, rule #1 keeps me from using them. I can't find coupons for the things we use.
Way to go on the lotion!
BTW-in another post you mentioned reading Michael Pollan's book in class. Which book was it?
Diane--
I totally AM! :-) I can't believe how much I'm saving--AND it's easy! :-) Thank you so much for being an inspiration!
Kelly--We read an article by Pollan "The Vegetable Industrial Complex." It was interesting & I found a great clip of him from the Colbert Report. I believe I mentioned this in the post you're referencing, but I think it's interesting that he says that regulation is the problem, but he wants more regulation to fix it. :-)
Karen
To be more specific, we don't buy processed foods any more, and that's generally all there are coupons for. We buy juice at Costco-always cheaper so far, don't eat cereals. I usually buy my lotions at specialty stores when they are on sale, and use my CVS receipt coupons for anything else. I'm not against coupons, I used to use them all the time-had them in an organizer sorted the same way the aisles were at the store I shopped, the whole thing...it just doesn't fit our lifestyle anymore. It's not that we have to have Ruffles potato chips and the coupons are for Poore Brothers, we just don't buy potato chips at all. :-)
Kelly, I LOVE CVS. I have couponed for years, but just got into CVSing this year. It is so much fun to sit down every week and work the deals to my advantage. It is like a huge puzzle. Do it this way and get 30.00 in products for 8, but if you rearrange your check out order you can get them for 6 and then walk away with "Bucks" for the next week. I have to admit I spend about 45 minutes some weeks working on it. I am sure as I get better at it it wont take as long, but ssooo much fun anyway!
Post a Comment