Couponing

 

I have always used coupons. There are times when I don't bother as it does take prep work and patience. With the extreme couponing show, coupon use seems to be revitalizing. With the new computer age, it is awesome how various websites can help you plan matching up sale items with coupons getting items at a fraction of the cost and sometimes free. I have attended two workshops on using coupons recently. I thought I knew it all. I did not.
I do not want to give away all the info at these workshops as these people are trying to make a living doing that but I will say that the Crazy Coupon Chick was very informative and fun (even raffled off prizes--and I won).
I will share that my favorite new website so far is Living Rich With Coupons. They gave us others to check out and I'm not done exploring.
I am not going to tell you that the groceries in the picture I got for a couple of dollars. I am just starting. I will say everything in the picture I bought with a coupon. The grand total was $85.32 which includes 4 pounds of boneless chicken (99 cents a pound), two pounds of sausage. Some of the best deals I made were Whole Fruit Bars for 1.29, Wheeties .88, V-Fushion (retails 3.49 I got them for .49 each, Wise chips .99 each bag, 12 rolls Cottonelle 5.49, Hefty ziplock bags .84 each, Turkey Hill iced teas were .49 each, Greek Yogurt .50 each, ice cream 1.67 (though I have never tried Blue Bunny), 60 cans of Coke products for $10.00, pickles were .74 a jar, my favorite shampoo, Fructis, 1.49 each, shave gel .69, Lipton soup mixes 2 free and 2 for .50, ketchup and mustard .50 each and best of all the deodorant free and 3 boxes of healthy pasta for free and at the end I got 3.50 off my next purchase--which I was taught, I did immediately with some non coupon items I left out for another transaction.
The coupons today totaled $74.96, though to hear the store say it with their sales and using their card, I saved $165.45. These items were bought at Shop Rite.
My husband says if I keep this up, he will let me retire--that's incentive. The way things are in this economy, we will have no choice when I retire. Well, at least couponing is a hobby that saves you money. Right now that is what I call it, a hobby. In case you are thinking it, no, I will not be hoarding like those on TV.