coupons 101
Why I Don’t Always Use Coupons
I love saving money with coupons. I don’t always love using coupons. Because, let’s face it, clipping coupons—enough to really save a LOT on groceries—is a lot of work. Yes, the payoff is often impressive—I mean, who wouldn’t want to bring home $127 worth of groceries for less than $0.25—but the truth is that using coupons is not always feasible. I know many of you first found this blog by searching for help on how to start using coupons. You stumbled upon my Beginner’s Guide to Coupons, mastered the 8 week baby steps program, and are now coupon geniuses. Please don’t worry—this is still a good thing! Everything in that ... read more
Publix Digital Coupons: The Good, The Bad, & The Nitty Gritty
For all of us loyal Publix shoppers here in the South, the launch of the new digital coupon service might be the most exciting coupon news since Publix released their official coupon policy almost two years ago. This is BIG stuff, people! (And I apologize in advance to all you non-Publix or non-coupon shoppers; you may just want to skip this post, or go learn how by reading my Beginner’s Guide to Coupons series. It will change your life!) I admit that lately I have not been all that good about clipping coupons. I haven’t bought a Sunday paper in months. Between homeschool and blogging and shuttling my girls to ... read more
How to Save on Food for the Holidays
Thanksgiving. Christmas Dinner. Holiday Parties. Seasonal baking. For most of us, food plays a starring roll in our holiday festivities. We all have our favorites, that certain special dish we only eat once a year. Without it Christmas or Thanksgiving just wouldn’t be the same. Oh, the pressure. And while our mouths start watering at the mere thought of golden roasted turkey & homemade apple pie, the cost of food, especially when combined with all of the other expenses this time of year, can be a serious strain on your budget. Even scarier, it is often one of those “hidden” expenses that we don’t account for when we think about ... read more
How to Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half
Food is expensive. The average family spends just over 10% of their household income buying groceries–over $6,000 a year–and even while average wages have gone down, the price of food keeps going up. When you are just trying to feed your family, that is a pretty scary prospect. That said, as more and more people are beginning to realize, coupons can be a great way to save money on food. If you’ve ever watched TLC’s Extreme Couponing, you probably already know that sometimes those savings can be quite dramatic. The problem is that those dramatic savings often come from seasoned coupon users who have spent countless hours clipping & ... read more
coupons 101: how to make drugstore scenarios
It’s the day before Thanksgiving which means the countdown is on to some of the biggest sales of the entire year. And while most people don’t automatically think about heading to Rite-Aid, CVS, or Walgreens when they think about shopping on Black Friday, the fact is that all three drugstores feature some pretty exciting sales, at least exciting for those of us who love shopping with coupons. I’ve been wanting to do a more in-depth post about how to make drugstore transaction scenarios for a long time, so I figured what better week to do it than Black Friday week? CVS especially has a ton of fun freebies and money ... read more
coupons 101: how to shop at walmart
I want to thank you all for your patience and kindness–the comments, emails, and words of encouragement–during this time. My mother-in-law was a special woman and she will be missed. We are currently in Chicago; the funeral was yesterday but we will be staying for a few more days to tie up the loose ends. I hope to get back to my regular posting schedule soon! In the meantime, my dear friend Jennifer Camp has written an awesome tutorial for shopping with coupons at Walmart. Many of you probably already know her from all her hard work on Saving Well Spending Less and Print Hot Coupons. Jenny is our resident ... read more
there is no shame in saving money
I wasn’t planning on writing a post today (I’ve been trying to reserve my weekends for family time), but I couldn’t resist sharing this with you guys. I guess it just touched a nerve. Every once in a while someone will ask me if I am embarrassed to go to the store with a whole stack of coupons. I’ve had other people wonder if I’m not ashamed to write so much about saving money and how little I pay for things. Those of you who watch my videos probably already know the answer: No, I am not embarrassed. Not even a little bit. I am proud to be a coupon ... read more
coupons 101: how to plan your meals around coupons {& e-Mealz giveaway}
For many people–myself included–trying to figure out what to make for dinner out of this giant stockpile of food we’ve accumulated can be the hardest part of using coupons. There is nothing worse than suddenly realizing it is quarter after five, the kids are starving, and you have no idea what to cook. If I was a better planner, I would have a whole stash of 10 minute dinners pre-prepared in my freezer like my friend Jen. Then I could just grab it & go, and dinner would be saved. While there are times where I really enjoy the challenge of creating tasty stockpile meals, it seems like lately dinner ... read more
extreme couponing 101 {free beginner’s guide to coupons eBook}
Coupons have been getting a lot of attention lately. A few months ago, TLC aired a special called Extreme Couponing and now has created a series of the same name. I’m not sure if this is a good thing or not. TLC’s show purposely tries to make Extreme Couponers look just that–EXTREME. The portrayal leans towards obssessive-compulsive hoarders, rather than just savvy shoppers who are saving money for their family. The truth is that Extreme Couponing is not about being an extreme person, it is about extreme savings. And there is absolutely no shame in saving money! If you have been reading this blog for a while, you are probably already very familiar with ... read more
coupons 101: extreme savings for back-to-school
I know what you’re thinking: “Summer’s barely started. How can I possibly think about back-to-school shopping already?” Or maybe: “I don’t even have kids in school. Back-to-school shopping doesn’t apply to me.” Well guess what? Not only is it time for parents to start paying attention to the back-to-school sales that are just starting in order to grab the best deals for your kids, it is time for everyone else to take advantage of the specials on paper, office, & craft supplies that only come out this time of year. With some forethought, patience, & persistence it is possible to get almost everything you need for just a fraction of ... read more
coupons 101: getting your family on board
Last week I received an email from a reader who wondered what she could do to get her husband more enthusiastic about using coupons. It was a great question, and one that I hear quite a bit. It got me thinking about how important it is to be on the same page as your spouse & kids when it comes to money. By now you’ve probably learned (or are still learning) that saving money with coupons takes consistency & persistence. Though your savings will be dramatic over time, those savings don’t happen overnight. It takes time to build up a plentiful stockpile that will allow your family to eat ... read more
5 things a coupon newbie should know (& weekly shopping linky)
My time here in Washington is just flying by–I can’t believe it has already been over a week since we got here! My sister and I always have a blast when we get together and this trip has been no exception. Despite the fact that my chaotic little family has completely turned her household upside down–during her kids’ hectic last week of school no less–she has been a fabulous hostess and made us feel more than welcome. I know there is no way I can possibly thank her enough for the hospitality, but one small way I’ve been able to make it up to her is to try, in this ... read more
extreme couponing 101: FAQs
I do my best to respond to as many questions, comments, and emails as I can, but unfortunately, there are many times that I just can’t get to them all. I promise it doesn’t mean I don’t like you! I love reading all your questions and comments, and even if I can’t always answer directly, I hope you’ll keep ‘em coming. But because a lot of the same questions keep popping up, I thought it was high time that I put together a list of frequently asked questions. Hopefully this will help clear up any confusion you may have about certain things, and if you have additional questions, please leave ... read more
extreme couponing 101: rock bottom prices (& free download)
There is a lot of talk about “Rock Bottom Prices” in the coupon world. In fact, when you break it down to the simplest level, Extreme Couponing really just means always buying things when they are at their lowest possible price (after sales and coupons), and buying enough of them to stockpile and last until they hit that price again. But what is a rock bottom price? How do you know when something is a good price? I know I say this a lot–sometimes I even feel a bit like a broken record–but knowing your prices, like everything else, comes with time. You can’t expect to walk in a store ... read more
how to maximize your coupon savings
It seems like saving money is on everyone’s mind these days. And really, unless you are one of the very lucky few who don’t have to worry about money, who doesn’t want to save as much as possible, at least on all those boring necessities like food and diapers and toilet paper? A lot of beginning couponers ask me what they are doing wrong when they only save 30 or 40% at the grocery store. The simple answer is absolutely NOTHING! A 30% savings is a really great start! Saving money with coupons takes time. Even if you could go out and do a mega shopping trip like on ... read more
