Savings...

I wasn't going to post about this. But I saw a lady in the store that I knew, and I was curious and wanted to know what she was buying and what deals she had found, not to copy or do what she was doing, but more just excited to see her little family saving and getting good deals. So I thought if I like hearing about others excitement on the subject, maybe it would be an interest to someone else too.

I had gotten into coupon shopping a couple of years ago... I wasn't an extreme coupon er (I really despise that new TLC show, makes humble coupon shoppers look bad, they are not all like that!! at all!!!!). But I was able to stock up some things at affordable prices, so that I didn't have to buy them again until they were on sale.

But last year before the holidays, I became overwhelmed with so much going on in my life, that I decided to stop my newspapers, stop getting my coupons, and use the time I was spending doing my coupon shopping to put back into my family time. I would still do it here and there, when I could find a printable coupon to use. But wasn't able to stock up much at low prices.

As I watched our little stock pile of things like shampoo and deodorant and laundry soap and razors and stuff get used up, and I watched the prices in the grocery store go up and up and up... so last week I decided to order my multiple newspapers again commit back to coupon shopping for our household.

It does take a little planning time, but not allot, because there are so many sites and blogs that are helpful to find the deals for you.

So only armed with a few coupons the first week (it takes a couple of weeks to get stocked up with them... and some deals you find the very first week are good with coupons that came out in the 2-4 weeks prior). But I was okay with all of that, I know for $11 in papers a month, I totally save that and much, much more. It's worth it.

So for my first week out, since there are so many more couponers out there now, even compared to last year. I had just a couple of things I was interested in finding. And I wasn't hopeful that the merchandise I wanted would even be left on the shelf.

But totally to my surprise, it was! I got a couple of, not GREAT, but good deals on things we actually needed at home.

Ranch Dressing for .40 cents a piece... I remember last year finding these for free lots of time with coupons and doublers... but we were out, and the missionary puts ranch on everything!! So I was very happy to have some on the shelf for a good price to get started. Same with the mac n cheese, he LOVES it, but at $2.00 a box I quit buying it... no way! So when I found them for .39 cents a box, I got a few, who knew mac n cheese would be a special treat one day?

I won't break down all my deals here, there are way more sites that do that really well. I don't know how they have the time to keep such good records, but I am trying to keep a spreadsheet on what I am able to save each month. It helped me last time show my family that it was well worth the time, and they very much supported some of the silly things I might do for a coupon or a great deal.

One of the BIG deals of the week were these Emerald Breakfast on the go... our local Albertsons had a big order of them. I saw couponers walking out with handcarts of boxes stacked on them. I would have like to have a box or two, but didn't have the coupons for them yet.

The next day I saw some pop up on the internet to print, but you are limited to 2 coupons per printer. So, I printed off 4 of them... it wasn't cases, but thought we could try them. And went back to the store... not super hopeful there would be anything left. Low and behold, there was 6 cases left on the last day of the sale. So I got me 4 boxes for free, just paid the sales tax. And put them on the shelf. The missionary loves them to take in his lunches and had already put a dent in the 4 boxes I got.

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Lunch snacks can be so expensive. He works hard, so he eats ALLOT!!!

We figured we might save just in groceries enough money while he is on his mission to pay for another full 2 year mission. That is allot of food.

But I know getting back on my coupon watching, it will be worth it and we will save money. I am soo grateful for the mind to do it, stores that are sooo good to be accomodating to coupon shoppers, and the opportunity to save money. It brings wonderful blessings. It's not for everyone, but it works well for me, if remember not to be too greedy, and just do what I can, and buy what I need.