coupons? The frugal tip thread got me to thinking... How much have you saved in one shopping trip with coupons? I don't do processed foods, so I don't really save in the food department. But I do save buying all the other stuff. Yesterday I ran to Dollar General close to the house to get some items.. I even remembered to bring my coupons (couponing is new for me) Every thing but one item I had a coupon for... saving me $5.50 off my total cost... not much savings but a little saved is better than nothing! HOw do you get the most savings with your coupons?
I usually save between $5 and $10 depending on what I'm buying that week. It's not much, but it is usually a little more than what my tax would be, so it's like shopping tax free.
At the height of my coupon days, I'd save between 10-30% off my total bill with store and manufacturer's coupons. Currently I don't use many coupons, with the exception of local store coupons. It was too much of a hassle, the cashiers always got annoyed, and I save more buying off-brand, non-prepared foods anyway. The best deals were when you could use a store coupon and a manufacturer's coupon on the same item. You have to read the fine print, though, because sometimes they don't let you do that.
I've saved up to 90%, however that was w/ a $25 grocery coupon for transfering my perscription, shopping all sales, only spending about $30 since it was a fast trip of just a few items(ran out of pull ups and needed a few things as well) and maybe a coupon for the pull ups. My typical though was acloser to 10-30% depending on what I was buying. However I've been making from scratch lately and found that to be much more cost effective in the first place and healthier and tastes better. I don't do much w/ coupons anymore since the price of the Sunday paper went up to $3 around here and most the coupons aren't for things we eat/use anyhow. I would match make my list from what was on sale and what I already had on hand, add the coupon in , and shop at the stores in town that were not only cheapest but also double coupons up to .50. That was my biggest thing was the store doubling my coupons. Also if it's something I know we eat a frequently I would buy some extras since we would eat them anyway. Usually though I find I spent more on things we didn't use because we had a coupon. Now I just use the ones that print out at the register or are already on the product since they are for things I am getting anyhow. Sometimes I will print out coupons if I find them for things I use anyhow. Usually it just takes too much time for me to do a lot of looking for coupons though and the price of the paper doubling was also a turn off especially when we would usually only get half the ads and coupons anyhow.
It varies. I've saved just over half, but that isn't a regular thing. I went to a coupon workshop, and to be quite honest, it was a waste of $10. The only thing I got from it was a local website that compares weekly ads to coupons, and where to get on-line coupons.
I do not use coupons anymore. It isn't worth it. There isn't anything I use that coupons can help with. Many years ago I doubled when possible, but our stores no longer double and the only Ralphs up here closed. So to answer your question, I can't remember! lol I do remember walking out of the market one time with a load of groceries and I was very excited so it must have been a savings.
I quit buying the newspaper to get the coupons, too. Paying $2.50 for a newspaper that I might save $2 from isn't worth it. I'm mostly a store-brand buyer, so coupons rarely make it worth it. I do check out a couple of the money-saving sites for those rare things that will be worth it.
My neighbor has been giving me the sales ads and her coupons form the Sunday paper. I cook mainly form scratch so, food coupons don't help me. Now, If I would just get off my back side and make my own cleaning supplies I would not have to buy any or use coupons for them! I was making my own shampoo and cond... but I fell off that wagon.. I need to start again, but my girls don't like it so I have to buy their shampoo.. :roll: I am even thinking about making my own deo. but having trouble finding a place to buy the ingredients.
My biggest would be last week when I posted about getting free items like boxed potatoes and cereal. I saved 99%. But, that was a special deal that I found and after that was over, I commented on how it is a full time job to do that considering it took hours for me to find the coupons, go shopping, and even later recalculated that I could have saved another $5 just by doing it a little differently. I am happy to save between 40-50%, often times in the 30-40% range. I have noticed it harder to save since I have been avoiding processed items (like others have stated). I am happy that Fry's does send out customized store coupons. I have to laugh because mine are always for dairy items, produce items, or frozen veggies. I take it as a good sign since friends who used to tell me about these coupons would have theirs for free chips or snack bars. It was interesting because I heard people talking about these coupons and could never figure out why I didn't get them. I called the number on my Fry's card and they said it was because when we signed up (my husband) we checked the box to not be contacted with future communications. Ooops. They fixed it and life has been great. Dh asks me why I don't coupon like I used to and it is because of store policy changes (no longer combine store and manufacturer coupons) and we just eat more homemade items. However, I could not pass up the great deals last week. We do plan on donating some for food drives, giving some to my in-laws who have BIL and his kids living there, and adding to our emergency food stash (just add water type of foods and cereal).
I haven't had success with either shampoo or deodorant. So far nothing seems to compare with the store bought fare. :|
Neither do I, but I still use coupons. My mil give me hers, I get them from the Bag, and also on line. I don't disregard them altogether. For example, Giant Eagle had Ore Ida fries on sale, $3.50 a bag, plus a free bag if you buy two. That makes them 3/$7. AND I happened to have two $1 off two coupons. So I ended up only paying $2 per bag. That's a good deal. I've been able to decent frozen pizza for about $4 each, plus I got an extra .20 per gallon off my gas as a result. So it IS good, IF you pay attention and watch what you get. I don't go buying just because I've got a coupon. It's got to be something we will use anyway, or something that's too good to turn up. Like Chex Mix I got for .50/bag. We don't normally buy it, but the price was great, and the kids appreciated the special treat.
If you have an Ingles near by about 4 times a year they will TRIPLE coupons.... I'm not much of a couponer-the most I've saved was at Kroger-they add int he what you save with the 'sale' price, markdown items and coupons and I've saved 60% But coupons alone-I don't tend to use them much. I heard a tip the other day about where to find coupons on fresh produce-but I FORGOT and can't remember WHERE I heard it! Maybe KrazyCouponLady video about Walgreens changing their rewards???? Like Patty-I don't buy much that coupons would help with-I'll use Kroger's digital coupons sometimes, but buying papers (which we don't read) for coupons for products we don't buy...does not equal saving money. I save by planing my menu around my pantry and weekly sales and using this freewear http://www.homeplansoftware.com/shoplist.htm for making my shopping list (it adds the prices as you build the list-I like it because it lets me stay under my budget and know when I can PLAN to splurge on special treats that might be on sale)
If you think of that produce coupon, let us know! Produce is where I spend the most money. I don't buy much frozen or canned produce (some, but not as much as fresh). I'm going to try that menu planning link, too! I already plan my menus (bi-monthly), but love that figuring in the price feature. I usually estimate, but that will make it easier.
I usually save around 40%, but have gotten as much as 70% (although that was a very special case!). The way to save more is to stock up when there is a sale + a coupon. For instance, when Prego pasta sauce was on sale for 2.00, and I had a coupon for .50/2, then I used several of the same coupon to get my pasta sauce for 1.50. Those are the actual numbers, but you get the idea. I buy a lot of extra when things are a good sale, and that is where the most of my savings come in, not from coupons, but coupons certainly do help! My store (Kroger) sends me coupons monthly, and there are usually a couple of products that I can get for free. I think this week it is baby carrots and Cheerios.
I clip coupons, but like you don't buy a whole lot of processed foods....so I'm pretty selective about only cutting coupons I really think I'll use - and the occasion "fun" item that I might not normally get, but will get as a special treat. I shop MOSTLY at Aldi which doesn't accept coupons. When I do go to a regular grocery store - I'm usually going there because they're having a ridiculous sale on something, and I have a good coupon. In those instances I usually save like 40-50% of the bill or something. I have a few times saved up to 90%....but literally I was ONLY buying what was on sale, and I had coupons, and they got doubled or tripled because of a store extra sale type thing.
Since moving here, I have done most if not all my shopping at Aldi's... I told my sister in law that a smart shopper and saver would shop there.. she said its a store for poor people. :shock: I have saved so much money shopping there... but Now if I have to go to the other stores, I bring my coupons!
Guess I'm poor, then. I've got no problem shopping there at all. I even have a blog about recipes made from Aldi ingredients.
They've just built an Aldi's in one of the better, newer neighborhoods around here. Believe me, "poor people" don't shop at THAT store!!! (But others, yes, I can see where she gets that idea.) I've been shopping more at Aldi's, but there are some things they just don't carry.
I've never been to an Aldi's but they are putting one in right now not too far from where I live. I plan on going to check it out.l
We do not have an Aldi's around here. I usually shop at Winco because their bulk prices are too good to pass up.
