coupons

 Since I'm a stay at home mom, I feel that I can help make up for that lose of income by doing all I can to save on the groceries and bills..etc...So I'm trying to get in the habit of using coupons to help with this. Now in the past I have had a issue with just printing off what I thought would be good and then not remembering to bring them, not using them in time, or just printing off ones that really are of no savings to me. So I've decided to really try to work on this. I don't want to get 20 jars of mayo at 50 cents a jar kinda thing, (first where would I put all of that and second I cant even think of how long that would take my family to us that(I do applaud those who are able to do that and turn around and share what they have with others who need it, maybe one day I will have the system figured out to do it as well, but for now on to the basics))  but to shave of 15, 20 bucks or more off my groceries would be great. So here are my steps I'm going to try and implement.

First of all you have to realize its going to take time out of your day. I usually use this time of night after I get kiddos to make my list. (probably will change do to kids starting school at the end of the week, but we will see)

Second look at the sales ads before you print any coupons! ( a big thing for me, such a waste of paper and ink)

Third look for coupons that will work with items that in the sales ad.

Okie Dokie, In my area I have a walmart, food lion, pigglywiggly, and a Harris Teeter. So I checked their weekly ads and the only one that interest me was Harris Teeter. Now what I buy is usually cheapest at walmart, so it really has to be on sale anywhere else for me to shop there. Luckily with school starting back, Harris teeter had some good buys that I could use.  So this is what I was able to do today with using coupons for these items...

They had boxes of Kellogg's cereal on sale buy one get one free. Planters peanut butter buy one get one free and minute maid  10 pack juice boxes on sale 2 for $5.

So normally at Harris Teeter, Kellogg's cereal is $3.28 a box, so half off is $1.64 a box.I bought four boxes which came to $6.56 and found a coupon for $1 off four boxes on the Kellogg's website. So in the end I paid $1.39 per box of cereal.
Normal cost $3.28 x 4=$13.12, final cost $5.56 Savings of $7.56


Planter's Peanut butter runs for $2.69 a jar, so half off is $1.35 a jar. I do have an account with kraft first which will give you a coupon to try new items they have come out with and last week i got an coupon for $1 off planters peanut butter and in the paper today I came across a coupon for $.75 off a jar. So two jars at a cost of $2.69 minus $1.75 equals $.94 cents for two jars or $.47 cents a jar.
Normal cost $2.69 x 2=$5.38, final cost $.94 Savings of $4.44

Minute Maid 10 pack juice boxes run for $3.99, and Harris Teether had them on sale for 2 for $5. I had two coupons for $1 off a box each. So $5 minus $2 eguals $3 for two boxes.
Normal cost $3.99 x 2=$7.98, final cost $3. Savings of $4.98

Total saving with coupons $7.56+$4.44+$4.98=$16.98

Not bad for just three items...


They had other items that where also buy one get one free and most of the time you can just buy the one item and it will be half off, remember that when using coupons too or remember to use two coupons for when getting both.

So im encourage on what I can do when i really put my mind to it and at least my stores are really close to each other and its not a problem for me to hit one or two up on the same day or 6 like a did today, but that a differnt story, lol.

I also see all these woman with huge binders for there coupons I'm beginning to understand why..right now I'm using a folder but I have a feeling I will need to up grade later on.

Well see how it goes...
Wen