Friday, March 7, 2008

Coupon Madness

So after reading my friend Julie's blog I decided I wanted to start saving on my grocery shopping. I started on phase one with getting my parents Sunday newspaper this week and clipping the coupons for stuff I will use. I started getting online and learning about fanatical coupon clippers (don't plan on getting there, ever!), and learned how to take advantage of CVS and Walgreens.

My first trip to HEB my total was around $160 with $14.60 off in coupon saving. I was so excited, my next trip wasn't near as succesful, but I didn't expect it to be. I spent close to a hundred with a savings of $4.90. Tonight I decided to try my hand at CVS and Walgreens. CVS's big savings is with the extra care bucks you can earn, and most coupon clippers say to wait until you have a store coupon and a manufacturers coupon (yes, you CAN use both) and the stuff is on sale. At CVS I saved $15.00 and got $5.98 in extra care bucks (you keep the little coupon thing that prints out after your receipt and use it just like money on your next trip). Then... I went to Walgreens, which promted this post. I paid approx. $31 dollars out of pocket and saved $29!!! And this is all stuff I will use; bounce dryer sheets, miralax prescribed for Caden, flushable wipes for Nathan's potty training, colgate toothpaste, pull-ups, baby orajel, etc. I have to admit that you do have to do a bit of stock piling when you start coupon clipping. But man, this saving stuff is addicting.

I have also been printing coupons off the internet and signing up to receive free offers. I know that means I will get tons of junk mail, but I think it is worth the extra time sifting through it to save almost 50%! By the way, have you noticed that milk is almost $4.50 a gallon??? I had no idea it was up that much (yes, I buy it every week, no, I never looked at the price). It is on sale at walgreens for $3.49 until tomorrow. Let me know if you see any good deals anywhere!

2 comments:

Julie said...

Yea! I'm so excited! :)

The whole coupon/saving thing is totally addictive, isn't it?! I get so excited every Sunday when I can attack my inlaws' paper and again on Tuesday when the store ads come out. I so wish we had CVS and Walgreens here, but we have neither and I hear that you can get some screamin' deals there!

Good luck and have fun with this!!
By the way, I love your blog - especially your last post - you're really an inspiration and got me thinking about what I should really be doing with my time.

Love ya and miss ya tons!
Julie

Anonymous said...

YOU ARE SO IMPRESSIVE! MY MOM USED TO SHOP AT THE GROCERY STORES THAT WOULD DOUBLE/TRIPLE YOUR COUPONS BUT I AM JUST TOO LAZY BUT YOU HAVE INSPIRED ME TO BE BETTER! THANKS!

Counter