Monday, December 12, 2011

Here is a link to a TARGET coupon matchup for this week.

Look at this site, you may be able to print coupons that are listed and try out a little shopping trip, coupons in hand!!

http://www.thecouponchallenge.com/target-coupon-matchups-1211-1217.html


Blogs to follow?

I started saving money through couponing after I took a class from http://www.ilovetogossip.com (Portland, ME area)

I also check the following blogs regularly:
http://darlenemichaud.com/ (Sanford, Maine area)
http://www.mavenofsavin.com/ (Massachusetts area)
http://www.moneysavingmaineac.com/ (Bath/Brunswick/MidCoast area) *Best Shaws and Hannaford matchups
http://couponchicksofmaine.com/ (Augusta area)


Most blogs will also have a facebook page and I find that is an easy way to stay up to date on free and cheap items from several different blogs all at the same time. Once you start finding them on facebook they come right out of the woodwork and you can find more from the pages they like/follow and build your resource list that way. Within facebook, I have created a separate list that is just for couponing/money saving/frugal living, etc... that way your facebook  is not dominated by the coupon/money saving stuff. You can keep it separate from the rest of your friend list.

I have a TON of other sites I like to check and compare deals from. One of the best I have found is http://thekrazycouponlady.com/

If you are going to a specific store, google the store name with the word "matchups" or "coupon matchups" to see if there are deals you can take advantage of while you are there. Most of the time you will be planning your trips ahead of time, but even if you don't get to plan ahead it's good to google it first and see if there are ways to save $.

Thoughts? Questions? I have more info I can share...not sure what you want?


How Do I Do It?

1. Get Organized
-I tried couponing several times and was overwhelmed with it because I didn't have an organized system
-It doesn't matter how many coupons you have, if you can't find what you need when the sale is on the coupons are not going to save you any money!

Get a binder with a zipper.
Baseball card sheet protectors (not sure what they are called). 
File Folders or some other way to date/store/sort weekly paper inserts. 

Start buying Sunday papers for the coupon inserts. I buy 4 copies each week. File them by Name and Date (Smart Source 12/4/11, SS 12/4, RedPlum 12/11/11, RP 12/11...) You don't have to clip out every single coupon from every single insert. I look through them, file them, then when the blogs give you a coupon matchup to a sale they will tell you "get X coupon from SS 12/4 insert", etc... It's quick and easy to find them and clip them as needed.

Buy All You magazine (it's only from walmart or online subscription-you can find it pretty cheap if you google it).

Follow coupon blogs and print the coupons they bring to your attention or coupons you know you will use. Don't just print every coupon you see online, you will be swamped! You can print 2 copies of a coupon from each computer in your home. If you see a deal coming up from one of the blogs and they tell you to print the coupon before it's gone, print it ASAP and print it twice and print it from every computer in your home, twice. That way when the sale comes you will have enough coupons that you can stock up!

Get some business envelopes, write the store name and weekly sale dates on front (most store sales will run Sunday to Saturday each week, Shaws runs Friday to Thursday each week). When the blogs tell me a sale is coming and to print coupons to use for a later sale, I print print print and put it (with any corresponding coupons from inserts) in the corresponding envelope with a little note that spells out the scenario for me so I don't have to go back online to remember why I printed it.

Print the store coupon policy and keep it in your binder. Take it with you on your shopping trips. As soon as you start doing this you will suddenly see TONS of people who also do this. It's like they are coming out of the woodwork!!

Want more info? Let me know...I am working on posting links to all the sites I follow.
Is this helpful at all? 









Sunday, December 11, 2011

Saturday 12/10/11


Price $1.05


8 boxes *pasta, 2 egg nog, 1 soft soap hand soap, 2 organic tomato paste

 *Yes, I am now that lady who will be bringing a pasta dish to Bible Study!

** I accidentally added the 2 College Inn Organic Chicken Broth into this picture but it is not from this shopping trip! oops 








Sunday Savings 12/11 CRAZY!!!



4 boxes Kleenex hand towels, 2 cans evaporated milk, 1 box pasta, 2 cans organic tomato paste, 4 international delight flavored creamer, 1 pomegranite, blueberry toaster tarts, 16 oz baking soda, 1 Dozen EGGS FREE, 2 Oakhurst 1/2 & 1/2 creamer, 4 (1.5lb packages) Purdue chicken breast, 2 Oakhurst Egg Nog, 3 bottles Seltzer water, 4 packages christmas peeps, 4 glade candles, 1 glade air freshener spray, 1 Panteen Hair Care gift set (shampoo, conditioner, hair spray) 3 Boxes Centrum Pro Nutrients Supplements.

 












Friday, December 9, 2011

Shopping trip at Shaws

This was one of my better trips. I paid $8.44 for everything you see here.

I saved $16.00 on this shopping trip. 

 

2 cans evaporated milk, 2 cans organic tomato paste, 4lbs assorted pasta, 2 containers of organic chicken broth, 2 packages frozen buttermilk pancakes, and a pack of 6 bulky rolls.  

I'm getting excited about all of the organic finds on these couponing adventures! :) 



Whole Foods Shopping Trip!!! FREE

Best part about this trip,....FREE after coupons!!!!

 

2 Organic containers of gravy! Just in time for Christmas dinner, if needed! :)