Coupons

I just got my grocery shopping high as I watched my total start at $97 and drop down to $42!!! I'm not a total die hard couponer but I do pretty good I think. Here's a few things that I've learned over the past year that fit my life:

1) I usually only shop at one grocery store unless there is an absolute blowout deal. I tried out the multiple store thing, but usually ended up spending a bit more as well as the time just wasn't worth it.

2) I plan my meals based on the weekly adds. I always get whatever meat is on sale and then go through my coupons. I try to only buy items that are on sale plus that I have a coupon for. Some weeks I get a ton of stuff and other weeks not so much.

3) I "large" grocery shop every other week and "small" grocery shop every week. This helps me to really sort out my coupons on my "large" shopping week and just focus more on the store coupons on my "small" week.

4) I very, very, very rarely take my kids grocery shopping!!! Not just because I tend to get things that I normally wouldn't get without them, but it is "my time" and I love to not be distracted. Some people get pedicures, I use coupons....go figure. In mind it's spending vs saving!

5) Buy one get one free items are fabulous if you have 2 coupons. Tonight I got two Glade autospray scent things that are origially 12.99 a piece for $2.99. They were marked down from $12.99 to $10.99 then they were buy 1; get 1 free plus I have two $4 off coupons. Thus I got what some would potentially have paid $25.98 for $2.99.

6) I love to check out the clearance bin at the grocery store because it's usually marked way down plus you can use a manuf. coupon on top of the clearance price! Tonight I got a box of haircolor with the base color plus highlights that normally sells for $19.99 a box for $4.00. It was in the clearance bin for $7.00 plus I had a $4.00 off coupon. Some spend $100 on color and highlights....I spend $4. To me that's WAY cool! I can still look good and do some of the things that make me feel pretty yet do it in a way that doesn't make my family suffer.

7) I usually go late at night after I've put the kids to bed so that way the store is not crowded.

Tonight there was a couple behind me and I apologized ahead of time saying that I had coupons and it might take a few extra minutes. They were great about it and starting commenting on how much I was saving. It was so funny. The husband was in shock and told his wife it was time they start using coupons (in a nice way) and she was totally amazed that I saved over $50. He kept saying, "It's like you've hit the lottery. How did you do that?" I told him to pick up a Sunday paper and simply plan a little and they could do it too. It was fun. I came home and told Josh all about it because it really does make me feel good when I know that I've done something to help out my family.