Interview With The Couponer: The Coupon Diva Desirea

We are starting a new series here on Dual Income Need Coupons/ Money Saving Mode of "Interview with the Couponer", where we will be interviewing different coupon users and asking them about their experiences.

To get us started, I'm interviewing Coupon Diva Desirae from My New Addiction Savings.  She will be featured on the April 27 episode of Extreme Couponing on TLC, so be sure to watch for that.


Julie: How / Why did you get started couponing?

Desirae: I started couponing about 4yrs ago when my husband just graduated from college, working 2 jobs & we just had a baby. We were living paycheck to paycheck, driving one car and had over $30,000 in student loans to pay. I couldn't stand living like that anymore so I looked into couponing and after that it was history...

Julie: What made you decide to participate on the Extreme Couponing show?

Desirae: Because I wanted to show families & mothers around the world that you don't have to live paycheck to paycheck. That you don't have to spend your last dime on food, and you don't have to worry about providing for your family. You don't have to be extreme like us but you can start somewhere.

Julie: How do you feel about all the controversy that has occurred recently about the show? Do you worry that it may affect how viewers view you?

Desirae: There is tons of controversy about the show. People believe we are the reason for everything [changes to coupon policy] that is going on right now. When really it's because of coupon fraud and people misusing coupons. If the show wasn't here they would blame it on something else. The thing people need to realize is that its TV. we don't shop like this daily, weekly or all the time. This was the film crew following us for 1 day to 1 store. We are trying to show you that you can save extreme. Stockpilers dont buy 500 mustards in 1 shopping trip it takes us weeks or years to get that much. But we are just showing you that you can save extreme & that it's possible. Also almost every single one of us on the show pre-ordered their [groceries]. It might look like shelves got cleared but really its our part cleared and then the store comes behind us to restock the stores stock!

Katie asks: Why buy and hoard things you get with coupons, especially if you are never going to use them? Why not donate?

Desirae: I dont consider it hoarding. Hoarding to me is living in filth, having no clue what you have, expired food & greedy, not donating. I donate everything. My neighbors, family and friends are welcomed to come over anytime to get what they need. I give to the great dane rescue, the pregnancy centers, and shelters. What I use I keep for myself & what I don't need I give away.

Just because they don't show the giving part on the show don't assume we don't donate

Abed asks: How do you have time to Coupon to that extreme, work, keep the house clean, and spend time with your family?

Desirae: I ask myself that often! I am a wife, mother, cook, housekeeper, photographer, extreme couponer, blogger, & about to be a college student. I just have to find time to balance everything.

Julie: Do you ever have moments where you wonder if all the effort is really worth it?

Desirae: Nope, because I know it's worth it. When I can feed my family on $150 a month I know its worth it. I will never ever ever pay full retail for anything. Even if i win the lottery i wouldn't stop :]

Julie: What do you hope comes from this show? Do you think the overall lasting effect will be positive or negative?

Desirae: We are always going to have those negative people that are either jealous, or don't have anything to do with their time. People aren't always going to agree with what I do. Instead of them creating negative all over they need to find time to create positive. Extreme couponing is like talking about abortion or Obama. Someone is always not going to agree with my actions or beliefs.

Julie: If you could give one piece of advice to new couponers, what would it be?

Desirae: To be organized & don’t get overwhelmed! Start off slow & don’t overdo yourself or you will get burnt out. Don’t try to be like me in the first week of couponing because it’s taken me a long time to get where I am! Stay organized so that you can stay focused & have more drive to coupon!

Thank you to Desirae for taking the time to answer our questions.  You can get to know Desirae better on her blog, Facebook and Youtube Channel.

How to Get the Sunday Coupon Inserts If Not In Your Sunday Paper

For some reason, not all areas get the Sunday Coupon Inserts as part of their Sunday paper. Evidently, there are different contracts each paper has with the insert providers, so your paper may only carry inserts from one or two or none of the three insert providers (SmartSource, Redplum, and Proctor & Gamble).  Not to worry, if you are one of the unlucky ones, there are other ways to get your inserts.

By Mail: In some areas these inserts are mailed out to your home instead of included in the Sunday paper.  Personally, I think this is a nice perk as it would save you a bit of money.  If you have a PO Box it's even better because you can often find extra copies that have been left behind by other box holders who don't want them.

If the inserts are not included in your Sunday paper and are not delivered to you automatically, you can sign up to have them delivered at the provider's websites.  To see if Redplum is included in your local newspaper and where to find it, click here.  You can also sign up to receive the RedPlum Mail Package here.

If your area does deliver the inserts via regular mail, you may want to stop by the post office the day after they are delivered to see if they have any extras.  You can also check around the PO box area for those left behind by others.

By a Different Paper: If you live near a larger city, you may want to pick up that paper instead of your local paper, as it's more likely to have more inserts.

Extra Sources: Some areas may have other local freebie papers that include copies of certain inserts.  For instance, in my area there is a small paper geared towards military and government contractors, called "The Redstone Rocket" which usually includes the weekly SmartSource insert. 

Ask Friends & Neighbors: If your area does include the coupon inserts but you don't want to pay for the paper, ask your friends and neighbors if you can have their inserts.  Most of them probably don't use them and would be happy to save them for you, rather than throwing them away.

Coupon Lingo

BOGO, $1/2, Blinkies...What does it all mean?   When you are reading here at Money Saving Mode/Dual Income Need Coupons or are other places online, you might see an acronym that you aren't familiar with.  This list is here to help you decipher the couponing lingo. 

$1/1, $1/2: One dollar off one item, one dollar off two items, etc.

2/$1, 3/$2: Two items for one dollar, three items for two dollars, etc.


B1G1: Buy one item get one item free
B2G1: Buy two items get one item free 
Blinkie – SmartSource machine with a red blinking light on it. Coupons from those machines are referred to as ‘Blinkies’
BOGO: Buy One, Get One

Catalina/CAT: Catalina coupon machines located at register, dispense long receipt-like coupons that may be used on a future purchase. Catalinas, refer to the coupons themselves which may be manufacturer or store coupons. Some Catalina coupons are advertised and some are generated based on consumer behavior.
Coupon: a note from a store or manufacturer that entitles shopper to a discount on specific product.  Coupons may be clipped form the newspaper, printed from the internet
or even downloaded to your store loyalty card.  
Couponing: [koo-pon-ing, Kyoo-] (v.) the practice of redeeming discount coupons in order to save money.
Couponer: [koo-pon-er, kyoo-] (n.) A person who collects and saves coupons to redeem them on products, such as groceries. 

DND: Do not double
Double Coupon - Value of the coupon can be doubled. For example, if you had a coupon for dog food for .50 cents off,  the coupon would be redeemed for $1.00 off or double of face value of the coupon. (Kroger Delta doubles up so $0.60!)
ECB: Extra Care Buck CVS pharmacy program; now renamed Extra Bucks.
E-Coupons: Electronic coupons may be downloaded onto your store loyalty card or cell phone. Download from your PC or go mobile and download to your loyalty card through your cell phone. Grocery coupons must be downloaded to your loyalty card and will be deducted automatically when you swipe your card at checkout. E-coupons may be downloaded to your cell-phone for other retail items such as movie rentals. Download a coupon using the mobile ap and show your discount code to your cashier.
Extra Bucks: CVS rewards program, formerly called ECBs. Extra Bucks print according to the store‟s weekly or monthly advertised deals. When you make a qualifying purchase, you receive the coordinating Extra Bucks value as advertised. Extra Bucks are similar to catalinas or register rewards, but they print directly onto the bottom of your receipt.
ETS: Excludes trial size
Exp.: Expires

Inserts: Coupons found in the Sunday paper
IP: Internet Printable coupons may be printed right from your home computer. Usually limited to 2 prints per computer, download quick and safe printing software to be able to print securely from home.
IVC: Instant Value Coupon. Walgreens store coupon, found in Walgreens Easy Saver Catalog and on in store tearpads. IVCs may be stacked with a manufacturer coupon.

 

MIR: Mail in Rebate, refers to rebates which must be submitted by mail. These are the traditional rebates that require you to mail in both your receipt and proof of purchase in the form of UPC barcodes. Manufacturer: The company who produces the brand items: Dove soap manufacturer, Pace Salsa manufacturer, etc.
MFR:  abbreviation for manufacturer
Manufacturer Coupon: A coupon created by the manufacturer, or by a marketing company on the manufacturer‟s behalf. Manufacturer offers a discount to shoppers in order to entice them to buy their product. When a coupon is redeemed the manufacturer reimburses the store for the entire value of the coupon, plus a handling fee, aprox $0.08.

OOP: Out-of-Pocket; refers to the amount of money you will pay a store to make your purchase. Does not include and after-purchase savings, coupons or rebates.
OYNO = On Your Next Order

Peelie: Adhesive manufacturer coupons found on products in the store. Peelies are often good on a wider selection of products than the one it is stuck to. Be sure to read the fine print on the peelie to discover if the coupon may be used on a smaller size or different variety of the same product, to allow you to maximize savings.
PG or P&G = Proctor & Gamble Insert
PSA: Prices starting at

Q: Abbreviation for coupon

Raincheck: A Rain Check is a written slip that you can request from a store when a sale item is out of stock. When the store restocks the item, after the sale period is over, a rain check entitles you to purchase for the previous sale price. Store may include an expiration date as well as a quantity limit on your rain check. Rain checks are usually issued at the customer service desk.
Rebate: A rebate is a refund of part or all of the amount paid. Rebates are sponsored by a store or a manufacturer. Either clip and mail UPC barcodes or enter receipt proof of purchase online, then wait for your rebate check in the mail.
RP:  Red Plum Insert
RR: Register Rewards. Walgreens drugstore rewards program, and version of the catalina coupon. Look for the same machines located at register, dispensing long receipt-like coupons that may be used on a future purchase.

SCR: Single Check Rebate, Rite Aid Drugstore monthly rebate program. Each month pick up your rebate booklet to see hundreds of dollars in possible rebate savings. Shop with coupons, save your receipts and enter quick information online. The SCR system stores all your rebates and totals them each month. Request your monthly check be mailed to you and cash it like any other check!
SS: Smart Source Insert
Stacking: Stacking may refer to using any two promotions together. When a coupon coincides with a promotion, we say “stack the coupon with the sale or promotion”.
Stacking Coupons: Stacking coupons refers to using both a store coupon and a manufacturer coupon on one product. Nearly all stores will allow you to “stack”. Only one manufacturer coupon may be used per item.
Stockpile (v.): to buy many items at a time in order to build your stockpile.
Stockpile (n.): a food storage or stash of food and non-food items.  Buy items when they‟re on sale and you have a coupon. Buy products before you need them and build up a stockpile of food and toiletries. When you run out of an item, shop from your stockpile.
Store Coupon: A coupon created by the store to entice you to buy a certain product at their store. Stores receive no reimbursement from store coupons. Store coupons may be found in the weekly ad, printed online or downloaded as e-coupons.
Store Loyalty Card: A free card which you present at checkout to receive additional savings. Fill out a short application to receive a loyalty card at your local grocer. If you don‟t want to carry the card, the cashier can look up your preferred card by entering your ten digit phone number.

Transaction: a transaction refers to your entire purchase, especially the payment you make for that purchase. If I buy 30 items and then pay the cashier, I just made one transaction.
Tear Pad: A pad of manufacturer coupons found near product on shopping aisles. Tear pad manufacturer coupons may be used at any store, not just the one where you found the coupon.

WAGS: Abbreviation for Walgreens Drugstore

UPC: Universal Product Code, barcode on the product

WYB - When You Buy 

YMMV - Your Mileage May Vary - This is often seen in a couponers post on a forum and it means that depending on your store's policies, the deal posted may or may not work.

8 Ways to Get More Coupons

While the newspaper is the first thing we think of as a resource for getting coupons, it's definitely not the only way.  Below, I've listed 8 ways (including getting the newspaper) that you can get more coupons.

1. The Newspaper - each week there are coupon inserts in the newspaper.  The number of inserts varies from week to week, as do the quality of the coupons.  You can get a heads up on what coupons will be in the paper each week from the Sunday Coupon Preview.  Checking this list out each week will help you know if it's worth buying more than one copy.

2. Online - manufacturer's are making more and more coupons available online either on their own website or via coupon provider websites.  Check the website for your favorite products regularly for new coupons, and check out these websites at least once a week: Coupons.com, Redplum.com, Smartsource.com, & Coupon Network

3. Add Digital Coupons to Your Shopper Card - Stores like Kroger, Safeway, Vons, and others with shopper cards may have coupons available on their website that you can load directly to your shopper card.  You can also load coupons to these cards from Cellfire and Shortcuts.com . One caveat on digital coupons, some stores do allow you to stack these with paper coupons, however many do not and often your paper coupon may be a better deal.  With this in mind you may want to wait till just before your shopping trip to add any coupons to your card.


4. Contact the Company - Companies love it when you let them know that you enjoy their product and will usually reward you with some nice coupons for your effort.  On most manufacturer websites you will find a "contact us" link at the bottom (or top) of the page.  Use this to contact the company and let them know you like their product.  While you are at it don't be scared to ask if they have any coupons available.  They will usually send you coupon via postal mail, and often these coupons will be much higher value than you will find elsewhere (sometimes even free products!).

5. Facebook - "like" the companies you like on Facebook. They often offer special promotions and coupons on Facebook that they don't provide anywhere else.


6. Free Samples - free samples aren't just about getting a trial size of something new. I will often order free samples of products that I already use just because I know it will come with a coupon.


7. Coupon Swaps - You may be able to find coupon swaps locally at your church or community center, but you can definitely find them online.  WeUseCoupons.com always has many different ways that you can trade coupons, and often others who are just willing to give you a RAOK (Random Act of Kindness) and pass on some coupons they don't need.


8. Coupon Clippers - There are many people across the internet who are more than happy to sell their time clipping coupons.  In return for a small fee you can purchase the exact coupons you need or buy whole inserts.  You can find a list of these services under "coupon resources" on WeUseCoupons.com

The Coupon Noob's First CVS (and couponing) Trip

Since I hadn't gotten Sunday's paper but I wanted to see if I could go into a store and make some magic happen like other bloggers did, I chose CVS to be my first place to coupon at.  Tuesday night, since I was driving by a CVS anyways, I went in and got my ExtraCare card and a Green Bag Tag.  I also grabbed this weeks ad too. (If I would have known that the Green Bag Tags were going to be FREE this coming week, I would have waited. I went home and registered my ExtraCare card online at CVS.  There was a promotion that if you liked the CVS Beauty Club on FaceBook you would get a a CVS coupon valid for a FREE full-size Essence of Beauty Antibacterial Collection product via email.  (Coupon offer available until 4/15 - coupon expires 4/18)   Also, I followed CVS on Twitter for another coupon for a free coupon for any one candy or beverage.  (Coupon offer available until 4/14 - coupon expires 4/17)

The other thing I did was to check out what some of the other bloggers shopping scenarios for this sale week.  The easiest way to do this is to google CVS scenarios and the sale week you want them for. In my case, I googled "CVS sales scenario 4/10".  I wanted to start small and wanted to only be about 10 dollars OOP. (Out of Pocket for the really new couponers.)   I chose a scenario from Southern Savers, but modified it a bit.  (To see the scenario that I used, scroll towards the bottom of the page and look for Transaction #2.)  I used only printable coupons for this trip since at the time, I didn't have access to newspaper coupons.

My Transaction

(1) Air Wick Ultra Freshmatic - $6
       Using  (1) -$4 off Air Wick Freshmatic Ultra starter kit Printable
(2) Lysol Neutra Air Kit - $12
       Using  (2) -$4 off Lysol Neutra Air Freshmatic starter kit, (sign in) Printable 
(1) Lysol Disinfectant Spray, 12.5 oz, $4
       Using (1) -$1 off Lysol Disinfecting spray, 12 oz +, (sign in) Printable
(1) 20 oz. Mountain Dew Throwback - $1.59
        Using (1) free drink or candy coupon that I had emailed to me for following CVS on Twitter (good for $2.00)

Printables Tip - Prints are usually tracked by IP address, however with forms like this they may also track with your email address, so to print more from a different computer and/or you may need multiple email addresses as well.

Total Before Coupons -  23.59
Total AFTER Coupons - 10.10 PLUS a $10 ECB back towards my next purchase
Total OOP .10

 Not too bad for a total CVS couponing noob.  There was one catch though - I had planned on using my CVS coupon valid for a FREE full-size Essence of Beauty Antibacterial Collection product that I had gotten in my email, but I couldn't find that product in the store.  The clerk didn't seem to know where it was either because he showed me to the wrong product.  I had a couple of days left before the coupon expired and I knew I was going past another CVS that evening so I figured I'd go in there and use it later.  All in all, it was a successful trip for me.

How I learned to Coupon on You Tube

After seeing my friend Victoria's coupon box on FaceBook, I sent her a message begging her to show me how to coupon.  She responded with a ton of links that pointed me in the right direction.  Her best advice though?  Search You Tube for couponing.  So I did.  There are TONS of how-tos on couponing.  The best one I found was Southern Savers. 

Jenny from Southern Savers literally starts at the beginning.  The plus side to learning couponing on You Tube is that there is a pause and rewind button, so if you need to hear something again, take some notes or take a break from information overload, you are able to.  Each of Jenny's videos are 6 to 10 minutes long and really breaks down how and why you do something when you coupon. 

This is the first in her series called "Introduction to Couponing: Getting Started Part 1" 

There are 3 videos in the Getting Started series, 2 on organizing your coupons and then the one that sent me on my first shopping trip (which I might add ended up being successful, but that's another post.) - The Beginner's Guide to shopping CVS.

After watching these videos, I KNEW that I could coupon, and be successful at it.

New Contributor: Welcome to CouponNoob

Jennifer is long-time friend of mine that I've only had the pleasure of actually meeting in person once, and that was way too long ago.  She's going to be joining me here on Money Saving Mode/ Dual Income Need Coupons and sharing her Coupon Newbie experience.  She just started couponing THIS WEEK!  Now, I'm going to let her tell you about herself and why she decided to start couponing.

I decided to start couponing for so many reasons.   I was laid off from my job as a server at a casino in December of 2009, and my husband and I decided that our 4 boys needed me at home more than we needed that second income.  Even when we had a second income, we didn't have any savings, we just spent even more money.  In July of 2009, we realized what a mistake that was when my husband got laid off also.  We had just expanded our family by adding my stepdaughter from my first marriage to our brood.  We struggled, but we made it.  He found another job in October of 10 and we started to get back on track.  In March 2011, I was getting ready to pay off our van (used, but ours!) and pay my landlord the last of the late rent, he got laid off yet again.  Well, technically he was "downsized" but that's semantics.  It was supposed to be a part time position working 3 days a week, yet since the downsizing, hes worked 5 hours.  That was 4 weeks ago.

Like I said, I have 5 children.  (Girl is 16, the boys are 13, 9, 7 and 4) They eat ALOT. They need alot of things also.  There's also a few things that they'd like too.  I want them to have they things that they need, and some of the things that they want.  I'm tired of scrambling when they come up with last minute things like all kids do.  I'm tired of telling them that we can't afford something.  I want to have savings so that we have an emergency fund so I don't ever want to lay awake at night again and worry about how I'm going to pay the rent and other bills, yet have enough to feed my family.  Believe me when I say that unemployment benefits in Mississippi don't take care of even your most basic needs.

Couponing has always interested me, and in the past I've tried it, but wasn't successful at it.  I didn't understand the concept of saving the coupons until a sale at the grocery store, then stocking up.  I have minimal space to have storage, but its enough to be able to get a stockpile going for my family's needs.  I am also a pretty faithful Aldi's shopper.  Their prices are great, don't get me wrong, but for alot of things there isn't an Aldi's brand that you can get, plus they don't take coupons.  I knew that there were things that we used everyday that I was paying for, that couponers were getting for FREE!  I wanted some of that free stuff too!

My friend Julie started a blog when she started to coupon Dual Income Need Coupons and I was so interested to see the deals that she'd blog about.  But couponing was still so confusing to me.  Then this past week, a friend that I used to work with posted a picture of her coupon file on Facebook.  I commented on her picture asking her to teach me to coupon.  She responded with some great beginner sites to read and learn from. 

I've decided to blog about my couponing journey for 2 reasons.

1. I want to keep track of my couponing and deals that I get.

2. Maybe this will help others like me that want to coupon, but are a bit intimidated by it.  Or don't understand how it works.

You're One of Those Coupon Ladies

Yesterday, on my way into Publix I saw a lady who had just finished loading her car. I asked if I could take her buggy for her. She said "Sure", then looking at me commented, with a smile, "You're one of those coupon ladies!".

"Yes, Yes I am". Although, I'm not sure what gave me away. Some people see my little coupon box and instantly think coupons, others look at it and think it's a purse. Either way, I do get lots of compliments on it.

The cashier, yesterday, also properly identified it, commented that she loved it because of the zebra print. It only took me 3 months of couponing to finally find a system that worked for me and I do still love it. There are times I wish it had a few more dividers and when I buy another one I may label it a bit differently, if only because our shopping habits have changed a little bit. After 4 months of use it's starting to wear out a little bit on the inside, small tears here and there. But, I will carry my little zebra coupon box as long as I can. Then I'll grab another 40% Off coupon for Hobby Lobby and go buy another one for $6.

Extreme Couponing: Couponers Are Odd

At least according to this article from ABC regarding the new series of Extreme Couponing.

As much as I love to coupon and I love it when I see the 90% savings come through, I'll never be an Extreme Couponer of the level that could ever be on this show.  While I will watch it, I'm drawn to it on two levels:

1. I'm a couponer. So yes it appeals to me in that it's featuring something that I do and enjoy.

2. I like a good train wreck.  The truth of the matter is that I'm drawn to this show in the same way that I'm drawn to Hoarders.  There's something enjoyable about watching other people air their lives and laundry and OCDs.  And, for too many of the couponers they will feature on this show couponing has become an OCD of the same level as the people featured on Hoarders.  For that matter, many of the people they will feature on this show, probably are hoarders.

If you are new to couponing there are some important things to keep in mind as you watch this show.

1. 90% Savings is the exception, it's not the norm.  To achieve that level of savings you are either shopping at drug stores (where I achieve the highest % of savings) and using lots of register rewards and +UPs.  OR, you are buying lots of things you don't need.  To achieve that level of savings you need to purchase things that are on sale with coupons that make them free.  As we saw on the original Extreme Couponing show, that means lots of candy and lots of pasta.  I've done it.  I posted a shopping trip here not two months ago where I used the overage from my pasta (that I didn't need) to reduce the cost of the milk that I did need.  These types of deals don't come along every week.

2. You can only use so much!  There's a fine line between stockpiling and hoarding. Keep that in mind as you shop.  You don't have to get EVERY deal you see.  The deal will come back around and you'll have a chance at it again later.  I promise!

3. This is TV! - There is a reason they call it EXTREME Couponing and that's because they are showing the most extreme examples they can find.  They work with these people and with the stores to create extreme situations.  They aren't going to show you the frustration that couponing can bring when a store imposes limits on coupons that weren't there the day before, or when a cashier just doesn't want to deal with coupons that day so they make up their own rules.

So as you begin your couponing journey, keep these things in mind.  Be happy with the savings that you get and know it's more than you got before you started couponing.  Learn more every day, but there's no need to spend hours and hours every week planning your grocery trips and clipping coupons.  You have to balance the money you are saving against the time and the cost to your life in other ways.

Couponing Favors the Rich?

I saw this headline and I first thought that this was going to be an article about how often you'll find the best printable coupons under zip codes of the Rich & Famous... that wasn't the case.  This was actually a letter from someone who was upset because a coupon writer's advice seemed to favor using the internet to get deals and coupons.

I thought this was interesting that someone would think this and unfortunately I think it's another case of blaming the wrong person.  Anyone can get great deals, some of us will have to work harder at it than others.  There are definitely some advantages to having the internet when it comes to getting some of the best deals but they all boil down to 1...

It's easier to get multiple coupons when you can buy them off coupon clipping services or print them.  It's easier and cheaper to really stockpile when you can use multiple coupons.  However, if "Extreme Couponing" taught us anything it's that you don't need a computer to save major money.  One of the most featured couponers from that show was Joyce, who got multiple copies of the coupons she needs just by asking her friends, relatives and neighbors for their unused coupon inserts.

The great thing about the internet is that you can get help from others on finding deals and don't have to rely on yourself to do the matchups. However, I kinda think that doing it all yourself may save you some money too as you won't be looking at these deals thinking "oh I got to have that", you'll only be looking for the things you already buy and saving money on them.

To Roll or Not to Roll, that is the Question!

So, I think I'm finally figuring out the value of rolling ECBs/+UPs/RR at the drugstores.  When I first started couponing our grocery budget was higher so it was really easy to just buy everything in one transaction and take the rewards I received and use them the next time I visited the drugstore.  In January, it worked out really well for me at CVS as I did a transaction early in the month that was almost free but gave me $20 in ECBs. I used part of those on another transaction which earned me another set of ECBs and so on. I continued that through January and finally used them all up at the end of the month.

However, I started out February with only a few +UPs at Rite Aid and no rewards anywhere else. If only Rite Aid had been the only store with good deals at the beginning of the month. OR, if only I'd been smart enough to roll my rewards and do multiple transactions.

What I did:  I did two transactions at Rite Aid on my first trip of the month last week.  I knew I'd be spending a bit out of pocket but I hadn't really calculated how much. Mistake #1.  So I did two transactions, the first was to purchase the 15 jugs of Gatorade which would produce another $5+UP to go with the stack I already had.  In the second transaction I put everything else.  That second transaction cost me $40 OOP, and gave me back $30 in +UPs.

What I should have done: I should have broken that second transaction down into several smaller +UP producing transactions.  Had I done so I would have spent less than half of what I spent out of pocket and still walked away with a few +UPs.

So, why didn't I do it? Because it's a lot of work and it takes a lot of time.  As if my transaction didn't already take a good bit of time and create a lot of work since some of the product didn't ring up correctly.  Another point for doing smaller transactions is that it's easier to identify mistakes (on the part of the computer).  We often just assume that if it says it's on sale that the computer will get it right, but that's often not the case.

I'm still learning and I doubt I'll jump into doing 10 different transactions on my next drugstore visit, but I will start trying to break it down a little more to cut my out of pocket spending.  While my husband keeps telling me we can raise our grocery budget back up to the level it was in Dec (basically $100/mo more than it currently is), I know we can do just fine on the current budget - I just have to learn better spending habits.  And, sometimes the only way to learn is to make yourself do something.

The Couponing Rush

Today as I was standing at the counter at CVS and I saw the total $39.95 flash across the screen. I kinda freaked out a little.  "I don't have that much money!".  Ok, well I did but I didn't want to have to dip into something other than the grocery fund to buy this stuff.  I've been here before, with this freaking out and having to remind myself that the total won't be near that after all the coupons are run through.  Even so, you can't help but freak out a little and wonder "Was my math right?"  "What if it's more than I expected?". 

Some weeks I'm much better at the pre-trip math than others.  Sometimes it's hard to know how much something will run if you don't buy it every day and you can't count on the online prices because the prices in the stores are different.  Sometimes you end up seeing a great deal you didn't plan on and throwing it in.  It really doesn't matter how good I am at the math, I think it's a bit of a rush, similar to what you might get gambling; actually I think it's exactly the same as when I play a hand of poker and make a big bet.  I'm hoping it pays off.  To me it feels exactly the same.  My heart beats faster, I may sweat a little, I'm hoping my anxiety doesn't show but most of all I'm hoping my gamble pays off and I get what I wanted in the end.  Usually, I do... ok most of the time.  I have to say that the outcome is much more predictable with couponing than poker.

I don't know if I'll ever get over this feeling at the register.  In some ways I hope I do, in other ways the rush feels kind of good and makes knowing that you got that great deal feel all the better.  When you watch a total drop from $39.95 down to $4.33, how can you NOT feel good!  The folks who don't coupon, really don't know what they are missing.  That said, I can also understand how some folks can get addicted to that feeling and turn into the "extreme couponers" that just live for the deal.  Once you get one great deal, you really do want to find another one and it does become really hard to buy things without getting a deal.

Cutting Our Grocery Budget by Over 60%

I just decided to do a quick look back and see just how much we've cut our grocery budget since we started budgeting.  I knew we'd cut it a fair amount just by budgeting at all, and I knew I'd been slowly cutting it down every couple of months since but when you look at just how far we've come in just a few months it's pretty amazing.

August 2010: $540 - that's what we spent on groceries (give or take a few dollars).  This didn't include anything we might have bought at the drugstore (while picking up prescriptions) and the sad part is that most of this was spent in small $10 quick trips.  It's amazing how those quick trips add up!

September 2010: This was the first month we started budgeting and started planning before we spent.  At that point our set grocery budget got chopped to $400 for the month.  My husband was initially shocked when he saw me coming home with 4 or 10 of a particular item we usually only bought 1 or 2 of but once I explained my plan, he came around.  My plan, I told him, was to get our grocery budget down to $50 a week.  This would include all the health & beauty items (not OTC drugs necessarily, as there is a small amount built into our "prescription" budget for that).

January 2011: Starting this month or grocery budget was at $50/ wk  and I'm still stockpiling.  The bulk of our stockpile is built but we are still adding to it as we realize there are items missing.  Oh and the bulk of our OTC meds are now included in that budget.

The crazy thing is that in addition to chopping our grocery cost by over 60% we've also drastically cut our dining out/ entertainment budget.  As with the grocery budget we cut that when we started budgeting (and we haven't adjusted it since) but we find that we don't go out to eat nearly as often simply because there's less desire.  We used to go out to eat just because there wasn't nothing that sounded good in the house, but with our great stockpile there's almost always something good to eat at home now, and we can make going out to dinner something a little more special, and use that entertainment budget for something besides eating

.45 Net Profit at Publix (After Tax)

I'd already made my Publix run for the week yesterday and picked up a few bags of Halls on that trip, but then last night I had several more Halls coupons arrive in the mail.  Since the sale ended today I decided I'd better run back by there and use them.  Halls were BOGO for $1.65 and I had quite a few BOGO coupons and just received (5) $1 off coupons in the mail yesterday, making it possible to get 10 bags for free plus overage.

I knew there would be some overage but I was still shocked when I saw on the screen that the total was -.45 after tax.  I looked at the cashier (one of my favorites) and said "Caleb, do you really owe me money?".  He looked up and smiled and said "Yes, I do".

Gotta love it when trips work out like that.  And to think if those coupons had arrived a day later I wouldn't have gotten that deal.

And in case you are wondering, I got these great coupons thanks to friends at WeUseCoupons.com

How to Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half in 3 Easy Steps

When you see all these blogs and couponers who save these insane amounts on their grocery bill it's easy to get discouraged and think that you could never do that, or think it just takes too much effort.  The truth of the matter is that you can cut your grocery bill in half by just doing ONE THING.

1. Shop the Sales - plan your grocery purchases (and thus your meals) in accordance with what is (or is going to be) on sale.  Shopping sales alone will cut your grocery bill by 40-50% easily, without ever using a single coupon.  Each week, check the sale ads for your local grocery stores and look for the items you typically use.  Buy those items when they are on sale.

Now, granted, there are always going to be some staples that you need regularly that you can't get on sale when you need them.  For those items that are perishables, you will see little savings, unfortunately, but even those items do occasionally go on sale.  For non-perishable (or items that can be frozen)..

2. Stock Up - when the item is on sale, stock up.  Don't just buy what you will need for this week. Go ahead and buy several weeks worth.  The usual recommendation is anywhere from 1 months worth to 3 months worth. The reason for this is sales cycles.  Usually the items you see on sale now will be on sale again about 2-3 months (however, you may find them on sale again sooner at a different store chain).  You are basically spending more now to save much more in the future.  By buying it in bulk when it's on sale you avoid paying full price later.  This can save you as much as 2/3 off the price of this item over the course of 2-3 months.  If you eat a box of cereal each week that runs $2.99/box, and you see that cereal on sale for $1.99, buy 12 boxes and you've saved $12.  Of course, you could save even more by....

3. Using Coupons - clip coupons from the Sunday paper (or print coupons online) for items that you typically use (or might use).  When you find that item on sale, use the corresponding coupon with the sale.  This can often cut your price down 75% off the regular price.  If you use online blogs and websites that give you previews of upcoming grocery store sales you can even order extra coupons from a coupon clipping service (or ebay) so that you have more coupons to go with the stocking up principle.  Usually, buying coupons runs about .07 to .10 per coupon (sometimes you can get bulk amounts of coupons for an item on Ebay for as low as $1 for 30 coupons).

These are a few of my favorite places to check for Store Sale/ Coupon matchups:

• I Heart Kroger
• Passionate Penny Pincher (Publix matchups)
• Southern Savers
• WeUseCoupons - forum has special sections for every major grocery store across the country

Time To Clean Out Your Coupon Organizer

I was just going through my coupons getting ready for this weeks sale at Publix when I realized that  I had a ton of recently expired coupons that needed to be trashed. 

So take a few minutes and go through your organizer and toss all the coupons that have expired lately to make room for all the new coupons that are coming.

Sales Tax on Coupon Amounts

I don't remember how he phrased this, but hubby said something as we were leaving Publix tonight about how you only pay taxes on the amount after all the coupons.  I was quick to correct him that it doesn't quite work that way.  Unfortunately, we do live in a state where we have to pay sales tax on food purchases to begin with.  As if that's not bad enough, we get stuck paying sales tax on the amount of our purchases pre-coupon.

This is a common question and a common misconception about coupon use.

Coupons are considered currency as far as the stores are concerned.  The stores are reimbursed on the manufacturer coupons that are used, by the manufacturer, however they (the store) still have to pay sales tax on the full sale. Since it is their regular practice to pass sales tax on to the consumer (which is who is really responsible for paying it anyway) they pass on the full amount.

Since store coupons are really nothing more than extended sale, we don't pay sales tax on that amount.  This is why if you have a coupon for a "FREE" item or a coupon that makes an item free when combined with a particular sale, you'll still end up paying something out of pocket.

 To get a better image of how this works, take a look at my CVS trip from Sunday.  You'll find that the total of all of my items (before coupons) was $21.95.  I used $18.25 in manufacturer coupons (which is what ECBs are considered as well) and a $4 store coupon.  My total tax liability was $1.44 (which is 8% of $17.95; or the amount after the $4/20 coupon is subtracted).  

If you get lucky and you have several coupons that create an overage and all of your items are free after coupons you may reduce your tax liability.  This happened for me last week at CVS when my total after coupons was <.13>, and I actually paid less than the tax total out of pocket.

Saving Money with 50% Off Deal Sites

This weekend, we've used 3 different restaurant deals we got at Groupon or Living Social, for a total savings of $43 on 3 meals.

While there are many more deals we think about purchasing, we find that we save the most by only buying deals for places that we already go regularly and only buying one deal at a time.  Although, there are some deals we've considered buying multiples of and kind of wish we had done so (especially when we like the place enough to use the deal the very next day).  But, I know why businesses like sites like Groupon and Living Social, and it's simply because they make money off the deal. 

Here's how it works:

1. They are guaranteeing sales.  By having you purchase your meal upfront, they know they have the sale whether you redeem your certificate or not.
2. You've paid but if you don't claim your deal, you can lose it. Most 50% off deals expire in 6 months.  These aren't gift certificates with no expiration date.  If you don't use it in time you will lose it.
3. Chances are you will spend more than your certificate amount.  Keep in mind your certificate does not include gratuities and often there are particular exclusions to the certificate (whether it be certain days or certain items).  So be sure to read the fine print before you purchase.  I recently read on another blog a complaint from a young woman about a 50% off deal she purchased for a hair salon.  The certificate was $25 for a $50 hair service, the problem is that her hair was long and therefore didn't fall into the $50 hair service price range.  If you are looking at a deal for a service, make sure you look at it just like you would a restaurant, the certificate covers the amount stated, which may or may not be enough to cover the full service.
4. Recidivity Rate - the #1 reason that businesses would sign up for a deal site like this is that they know that a certain (and typically pretty high) percentage of users won't use their certificate at all.  The highest percentage of users will use their certificate on the first day it's available to them.  However, by making it not available to you until the day after you purchase it they actually decrease this percentage a good bit.  After that first day the % of people who won't use the certificate at all goes up exponentially.

So if you are going to purchase deals on Groupon or other similar sites, make sure it's for something you will use very soon after you purchase it, and don't purchase deals so often that you end up with a backstock of deals that you have to use before they expire. 

What's a Raincheck For Anyway?

So I had hubby with me when I went back to Publix to grab a few things today.  While they had most of the items that they were out of when I went last week, they were still out of the Jolly Time popcorn (that would be free after coupons).  On the way out I stopped at the Customer Service desk to grab a raincheck.

When we got to the car, hubby asked "So what does that raincheck thing do anyway?"  So I explained.

A raincheck is the stores written commitment to you to sell you the item they are currently out of when they get it back in stock, at the sale price.  The raincheck guarantees you the sale price when you return after the sale is over. 

Rainchecks can be a great way to save a little extra or to delay spending a little.  If you don't have a coupon for an item when it's on sale, it gives you a little extra time to get some together.  That said, while the customer service person isn't likely to go run to the back or send a bagger to check to see if they are really out of stock on something, you shouldn't ask for a raincheck for an item that is actually in stock.  But, if you do have to ask for a raincheck, ask for a raincheck for the maximum amount allowed, and then do what you can to get more coupons together, before you purchase the item.

Since my local stores have been out of the Jolly Time popcorn all week, and the stuff is free after coupons, I'll be doing my best to track down more coupons before I purchase it with the raincheck.  I now have an extra month to do so.

The Coupon Bubble

My husband and I play poker.  There's a term in poker tournaments for when you go out of the tournament 1 spot too early to make any money.  If you'd stayed in just a little longer you would have gotten paid, but for whatever reason you are going home empty-handed.

I believe that coupons have a Bubble too.  The Bubble seems to vary a little bit from area to area (and even store to store), but basically it's that point where your coupon is just slightly the wrong amount.  My local stores will double coupons up to .50, so a .50 coupon is just as good as a $1 coupon.  However, a .55 coupon is The Bubble.  Had it been just .05 lower it would have doubled!  But, it wasn't so instead of getting that $1 off, I feel like I'm losing out on .45!

Some stores will double UP TO $1 (so a .55 coupon would be increased to $1) and others still will double the $1 ones, and some won't double at all.  When stores double they only get reimbursed by the manufacturer for the coupon amount, so they are basically absorbing the difference.  So, while I may hate the Coupon Bubble, I'll just be happy to have any coupon at all and be glad that my stores do double up to .50!

What's your coupon bubble?