civilized couponing 101-Lesson 2

Did you guys think I gave up on couponing? 
Well I didn't!  I was out for a couple of weeks because of illness but I am in it more than ever and getting better every day!  I was so excited to hear that I got so many of you to at least try to get in the game and I am convinced that THIS post will get even more of you into it...are you ready for how awesome this will be?    

This week, I aim to convince you to at LEAST try CVS...or at least start there.  THIS is my best series of trips to date and I am excited to share the details with you!

Now these items were purchased on one trip...I honestly don't remember all the specifics but I'll share what I remember. 
All the razors and cartridges were on sale for $9.99 each.  For each one you got $4 in Extra Bucks (CVS money) and I had a coupon for $4 for each razor and set of cartridge.  In the end each item was $2 each...I do remember averaging the cost of each razor blade and it being .88c each.  Not too bad right? 
I know the Thermacare was free with Extra Bucks.  I think the Colgate was .50 each with coupons and Extra Bucks. 
What I DO remember...is that on my next trip to CVS...

using ONLY Extra Bucks, coupons and $3...I got ALL of this and $9 in Extra Bucks...so really CVS paid me $6 to buy this stuff. 

And if you notice, it's all normal stuff that we would normally use!

There are no tricks involved...I only used coupons, cash and CVS Extra Bucks.  I do now buy two newspapers because I learned that the bigger papers (I get the Washington Post) give you MORE coupons and higher value coupons. 

HERE is a great post on how to learn CVS and other drug stores. 

I would also encourage you to follow For the Mommas and Hip2Save for really great daily deals and heads up on hot coupon items!  I don't regularly visit their blogs but just follow them on Facebook.

For example...earlier this week Hip2Save posted about this great deal at Target that I was able to scoop up because of her heads up on Facebook.   Target had Mederma (think stretchmarks?) on sale for $2 (normally $17) and the Mederma website had $2 off coupons making the Mederma....FREE! :)

See?  Easy stuff.  (Nearly) effortlessly saving amazing amounts of money on NORMAL things! 

I've made it my goal to never pay full price for anything ever again...and I will work hard on getting all my toiletries for free or pennies!

So have I convinced any more of you to jump in?  WHY pay full price?   

civilized couponing 101-Lesson 1

(The photo above shows all of my "free or cheap" stuff due to civilized couponing). 

OK friends, you asked for it, at least the majority of you have.  To those who would rather not read another coupon post, I do apologize and I do promise that this is not going to become a coupon blog.  Like it's role in my life, couponing will just be a little slice of this blog, so hang in there, OK?

This first post is for those of you, like me, who had NO idea where to start because it all seems SO overwhelming and complicated and like some sort of elusive club that requires a complicated handshake.  These civilized coupon lessons will be a series of baby steps, simple easy things that anyone can do.  So if you want to start, here is your chance to ease on in there...and once you are in momentum takes over for you.  The rush of getting 50-60-100% off of items is enough to keep you going back for me.  Knowing that you can buy the things you want and need at a steep discount is a huge motivator.   

Here is some basic info that will help you:

Time: I probably spend about an hour a week on couponing, not counting shopping, which I would be doing anyway.  The majority of that hour is spent cutting out and organizing my coupons from the Sunday paper. I ONLY cut out and keep coupons for things I would normally use or buy. 

Organizing:  I DO use a binder.  But you can use whatever you like best.  Some people like envelopes or those accordion organizers.  Use what makes YOU comfortable even if it's paper clips. 

Resources:  I use Hip2Save the most.  Start with her site...she makes it the easiest!  You can go to Hip2Save, click on stores and then click on the store of your choice and she outlines the best deals to get that week, which coupons to use and how great the deal you can get.  I'll share some more sites with you next time, but I don't want to overwhelm you.

Start! This Sunday, buy a paper.  I have found that the Washington Post has more coupons and HIGHER value coupons than my local paper.  I have started buying both.  Start by looking for coupons on things you would buy anyway and just try to get into the habit of bringing your coupons to the store with you to use.  I really feel like this is the best way to start...snowballing.  Or baby steps.  Saving a little bit, in an easy way will get you kick started.  See if, like my store, your grocery store will double coupons.

Pick a store to start with: On Sunday, when you have your coupons, take a look at Hip2Save under the CVS tab.  She lays out in detail what the best deals are there that week and I have found that CVS is the best and most easy place to start.

An example from this weeks deals that is easy to understand:
CVS had Colgate toothpaste on sale for $2.75.
This Sunday there was a coupon for .75 off of Colgate. 
CVS was also offering $2 in Extra Bucks (essentially CVS money) when you bought that toothpaste.
So...$2.75 minus .75 minus $2 in Extra Bucks equals FREE toothpaste. 

Extra Bucks to me = money.  You can use it on anything at CVS (except prescriptions).  Once you get the hang of it you can keep rolling those CVS bucks over and over until it is very rare that you ever have to use your own cash.

Homework: Buy a paper.  Organize your coupons.  Check out the CVS deals on Hip2Save.  Start somewhere.  Don't worry about getting FREE just yet, start with the small goal of saving ANYTHING and we will go from there.

OK?  Hopefully I haven't overwhelmed you.  I REALLY want to help you baby step your way in and I want you to know that if I can do this...anyone can. :)

Any questions?  I will answer them in the comment section.   You can check out my friend Beth's progress too...she's my little coupon protege and learning right along with all of us. :) Yet another, normal, non-shelf clearing, non-fifty bottles of mustard having mom who just wants to save money where she can. 

xo

yes or no? comment, pretty please. :)

I'm trying to gauge interest in whether or not I should blog my coupon adventure?  This will not become a largely saturated couponing blog but I thought it might be fun to do some posts about it...maybe a little FYI about the things that I am learning or if I can post timely info about good deals?  I already have a couple of proteges. :) So what do you think?  Should I or no?  Interested in a little, from the ground up couponing? 

Please take a moment to comment a let me know what you think. :)

xo

nerd post alert: i am not THAT crazy coupon lady.

I informed you some time back that I have started couponing.  And not THAT kind of couponing.  There will be no 50 bottles of mustard or 10 gallons of marmalade here.  I am what my friend Beth refers to as a "Civilized Couponer".  It's true.  I've learned a lot and I thought I would share it with you.

First of all, I decided to start couponing because of my sister in law.  My busy, professional chiropractor, actively involved in her community, first time mom who has no NEED to coupon sister in law, who informed me that she never pays for razors, or many other toiletries.  She had me at free razors.  Is it just me or do you HATE to buy those kinds of things?  I mean if SHE has time to do this than anyone can.  I promise you that. :)  And she is normal, too.  I've seen inside most of her closets and there aren't any hoards of crazy stuff.  She DOES have an awesome closet FULL of diapers that she hasn't paid more than a couple of dollars a pack for that makes me feel jealous and foolish for ever buying a pack at full price.

With that said...

Here is a little fyi to prove I am not one of THOSE couponers:
-I only buy ONE paper a week.  I may eventually buy two but I will never buy dozens, nor will I ever dumpster dive or rob recycling bins to get coupons.
-I only coupon for things that I need or use.  Maybe eventually I would do it to score free things to donate to food banks or animal shelters but I am taking it slowly to learn the process well.
-I don't do shady things.  The end.
-I am overly nice and kind to my cashiers.  I talk to them, empathize with them and are EXTRA kind to them in a GENUINE way.

I started slow but have already shaved lots off of my grocery bill and I have set us up to NOT have to buy any kind of toiletry ever again at full or even half price.  I can honestly say, I will NEVER pay full price for anything ever again.  

While I am learning the system and how it all works, I started by committing myself to a couple of stores to start with.  For me, I chose CVS, Giant and Staples.  CVS because that is where my sister in law frequents for her best deals and honestly I needed her support and help.  Giant because that is where I like to shop the most and is the grocery store I am most familiar with.  And Staples because...well, my sister in law told me to. :)  

This week has been a good couponing week for me here are some of my BEST deals. 

At CVS this week I had two trips, the first was on Sunday and I got:
3 cases of Pepsi
3 cases of Amp
3 greeting cards
a shaving cream
2 bottles of advil
and
a peanut butter egg.
Between coupons and Extra Bucks I paid $2.15!!!!!

I did a second trip later on in the week and was able to get ALL of the above FOR FREE with CVS PAYING me $1.27.

For this particular trip, CVS was running a special spend $12 on certain products and get back $6 in Extra Bucks.  THEN there was a rebate in the Red Plum for $5 this week for spending $10 on the same products leaving me with owing $1.  THEN on top of that I had a coupon for each item leading to my $1.27 profit. :)  My sister in law was able to make $5-6 on the same deal because she has more coupons in her stash than I do.

See?  All legit and not crazy, just matching up deals with coupons.  :)

Another good deal I got this week was from Kroger.  They were running a special where you buy ten of a certain assortment of product then you get $5 off of your bill.  My sister in law also sent me an $8 rebate from Digiorno when you buy two pizzas...which were included in the Kroger deal.  I also had coupons for everything else.  At the end of the day I will have paid $9.50 for ALL of this.  That's like buying the pizzas (on sale!) and getting the rest for FREE.

Why am I telling you all of this?  To encourage you to give it a try.  I resisted for a long time because of all of the stereotypes out there about couponers and I didn't want to be associated with them.

But thankfully, because I have a nice, normal and awesome sister in law, I have jumped in and I am NEVER going back. :)

So jump in.  Get a paper.  Start small and learn along the way.  You WILL get hooked.

Love, a Civilized Coupon

*disclaimer...I am not saying that any of you gung ho couponers are crazy or uncivilized...just a little out of my comfort zone. :)