Ch-Ching

My last trip to the grocery store was a darn good one. I was asked to blog about coupons and how well I do with them. First I'll post about my routine, then I'll post how well I did.

1. Check your stores coupon policy. You can do that online with most of them, or speak to someone in customer service. If you can speak to a manager, even better. Our local grocery store takes two coupons per item. They take one manufacturer's Q and a store Q. That store Q can either be their own store or a competitor's. Find out who they consider competitors.
2. Join and follow coupon blogs. There are several that I follow that save me a ton of money. One of my favs is Pennywise4life.com and is run by my friend Melissa (hey, Melissa!). She links you to other great frugal sights that also save me money. Another of my favs is IHeartPublix.com. These people do most of the work for you and point you in the right direction. Some sites will even preview the upcoming ad for you. It helps determine which coupons you need to be on the look out for.
3. Join and follow coupon sights. Coupons.com is another one of those sights that does the work for you. And those coupons you get in the Sunday paper? Those come on line as well. If you only buy the paper for coupons, like I do, you can even get a preview of the coupons to determine if it's beneficial, or a waste of up to $2.
4. Check the websites and coupon racks of your store and their competitors for coupons. One of our local competitors was offering a $5 off $20 purchase. I don't shop that particular competitor, but I use their Qs. Our local will let you stack those as well as long as you have enough to cover it. For example: If I spent $150, I can use a $10 off $50, a $5 off $20 and another $10 off $50. If I had a Q to cover the remaining $30, I could use it. Already I have $25 off the top, taking my total down to $125.
5. Make a list and stick to it. Qs help us stock up on things that there may not be coupons for, like meat. One of our competitors has a Buy 1, Get 2 Free Q, but it has to be specific to what our store carries. I stock up when I can, but use lots and lots of Qs to offset the cost. If you stick to your list, you save more money.

I sit down twice a week and visit my websites. I usually have a menu ready and know what I'm looking for. If I have to change it a little to fit the sales, I do. Stay on track and stay on budget. I preview the coupons to determine if I need to buy a paper or just download my Qs. I treat it like a game and have a lot of fun. That's key. If you dread it, stop. It isn't doing you any good, and it's bringing you down, which is making you resent it even more. Make it a habit to keep your coupon binder or holder with you at all times. You never know when you'll need it. Here's my last trip to Publix, or at least part of it to get you started.

Pillsbury Crescent rolls 3/$5 I bought 12. I had 10 .50/1 coupons, and 0ne .50/two (manufacturer's coupons). I also had 4 $1/3 (store coupon), and a $5 off the purchase of 20 item Q (store coupon). The 20 item was a mix and match. The rolls were 12 of that 20. We use the rolls to make breakfast casseroles for church.

Mueller's Pasta BOGO I bought six boxes of pasta, three different varieties. They were all $1.39 and I had 2 $1/3 store coupon and 2 50cents off. I paid $1.17 for 6 boxes of pasta.

Progresso Bread Crumbs BOGO I had $1/2 and these were part of $5/20 items Q. I also had another $1/2 Q. One of my Qs was a manufacturer and one was store. They were $1.95 each, and I got paid to take them out of the store.

Progresso Chicken Stock BOGO I had $1/2 store Q and a $1/2 manufacturer Q. These were also part of the $5/20 item coupon. They were $2.59, so I paid, before the $5 Q, .59 for 2. I normally make my own stock, but used a bunch for Italian Wedding Soup, and haven't had a chance to make more.

Muir Glen Organic Diced Tomatoes 2/$3 I had two $1/1 coupons, which brought the price down to .50 each. I also had a $1/2 store Q that brought my cost down to 0. These were also part of the $5/20. As much crock potting as I do, these come in handy. And, they're organic.

Classico Spaghetti Sauce BOGO I had $1/2. I think I had a store $1/2 Q for these as well. They were $2.59, so I paid .59 for 2 jars.

Rubbermaid Produce Saver BOGO These were $4.49. I had a coupon for a free one, and it was BOGO. I paid $0 for 2. I need these as much produce as we get.

I spent $7.85 for all that stuff. Are you seeing a pattern? If it's a BOGO, use a coupon for each item. Stack your store Qs and your manufacturer Q. Some stores double and sometimes triple, but our stores don't. Some states do a Penny item. Check your flyers and your web sites. But, please, always follow the rules. Some people and stores think that you are trying to pull a fast one. Be prepared to inform the cashier of the policy.

I was able to stock up on meat and other items that would have brought my total to over $180 if I hadn't had my coupons. I saved $20 off the top with $10/50 and two $5 coupons. My total I spent was $93.11. Not my best by far, but no great meat coupons this week. Some decent prices on a big ham that we had for dinner tonight. I saved $90.76. Do you see why I coupon? My friends have had bigger savings, but I can usually save more than I spend. Couponing has helped us through lean times and stocked our freezer and pantry for almost nothing most of the time.

There you have it. I hope I have inspired you. If not, visit the sites I linked and you can learn how to save money from them. Happy Qing.