Let me preface this by saying one of my biggest weaknesses has been that I am NOT frugal. I have never liked to take the time to search for deals, comparison shop or any of that stuff.
However, when I had another baby (so 2 in diapers) and noticed I was spending $700 a month on groceries, and gas prices were through the roof, I decided that maybe, juuuuuust maybe, it would be worth my time to try and save a litte.
So I started getting the paper, clipping coupons, watching the ads, and picking Kimber's brain, and was amazed at how much I have cut back our grocery bill, without cutting back our groceries. In fact, I've been able to buy much more for storage than I ever did before.
Yesterday I got:
10 liters of A&W and 7up- Retail price 23.90 total- for FREE
40 bags of Green Giant Fresh Steamers Veggies- Retail 99.60 total- for FREE
Two 24 packs of bottled water- Retail $15.58- for FREE
A slew of other stuff for very cheap....
3 Jumbo size bags of Huggies Diapers- Retail $40 total, for $15.50
I was spending $350 every 2 weeks on groceries. Yesterday I spent $163 and saved $257. And I was able to get 8 bags of stuff for my storage, that I usually wouldnt have squeezed into our monthly grocery budget.
Kudo's to Kimber for all her advice, emails, and tips, and Brittany for all her forwards. You're helping me a ton! If anyone is interested, I have a link to Kimber's blog, where she tells a lot of her secrets. It's on my list and it's Kimber LOVES a deal! (Hope you don't mind Kimber!).
The thing is, I am more likely to be referred to as a shopaholic than a cheapskate, really. I LOVE to spend money! I just have a lot of other things I would rather spend it on than groceries :)
I also found out about a Caregiver's Cash back program. If you buy items to care for an individual (including children under 5) you qualify. The link is http://www.caregiversmarketplace.com/. You just buy 5 items that are on the list and send the form in and you get cash back. For example, I get $1 cash back for each package of Huggies I buy (with my 2 boys, that is A LOT of huggies!). This is part of how I got the Huggies so cheap. Rite Aid had them on sale for 3/$33 ($11 a pack). Then they had their own single check rebate on them for $10 for the three, making them $3/$23. Then I had coupons for $1.50 off each pack, making them 3/$18.50. Then there is the caregiver's rebate of $1 off each package, making it 3/$15.50.
So just because I can, I will probably come on here each time I do this to brag about what I got for free/cheap. And I'll pat myself on the back for finally getting around to building up my food storage to more than the 3 months-ish I had beforehand.
Which brings me to my next project, which is cleaning out my storage room and adding shelving so I can FIT all this food and stuff!
6 comments:
So I used to clip coupons but I don't get the paper. I'd clip them from online site like couponmom.com and the actual store. But it was so time consuming trying to plan my weekly menus around the sales and coupons. I don't think I kept that close track though either about how much I actually saved versus what I would have otherwise bought. I do love how Smith's gives me a running total of what I've saved too though. And I need a better coupon organization plan. Send me your forwards please. And I'll check out that blog. Thanks!
It isnt really worth it unless you pair the coupons with the sales. If you keep all the weekly coupons and only use them for items that are already on a great sale, and then stock up on just those items, you save a ton. That's how I got all the free stuff. I wouldnt waste my time saving 50 cents here and there on items that are more expensive than generics anyway. And while I do this, I still buy my regular stuff so I dont plan my menus around what's on sale. I only buy what I would buy anyway. I would probably save more money if I didnt do that, but this way I can still eat what I would if I werent doing it. Just easier for me.
Isn't great saving so much money. I have been using coupons for a couple of years now and that is how we have gotten our food storage. I get five sunday newspapers every week. But it's worth it. I use www.pinchingyourpennies.com it's really great too. I think it's addicting to see how much you can save and get for free.
That is insane! Congratulations on getting so much for so little! I would love to hear more about how you are doing this. I have always wanted to get better at the whole coupons/rebates/sales game, but have yet to figure it all out. My main problem is that I don't have the time to visit numerous stores each week. Did it take a lot of time to get these items at amazing prices?
Include me on the forwards as well please!
Very impressive! I always have the best intentions every Sunday when I go through the coupons, but you should see my little coupon book- it is stuffed full of expired coupons that I forget I have and forget to use! I'll have to check out that link, it seems helpful! I'm so with you when it comes to the shopoholic problem, retail therapy is my weekly addiction:)
I would love your forwards as well! Who doesn't love to save money?!!
Post a Comment