It would be nice to include "At least offer to pay for gas".
I am currently hosting someone from abroad, staying for close to a month. She didn't bother to bring a gift, which I don't really mind. What I really do mind is she doesn't offer to pay for anything, gas, food, groceries etc. She would only pay for her own snacks/food. I live in California where currently the gas prices is $4.19/gal. I had to refill gas every 2-3days to bring her to places she wants to go, yet she doesn't bother to offer to pay even 50%. She has only been here for 1 week and my patience is running really thin. One week, I already spent 1 month's worth of gas money. I had to take a month off work so that I could bring her around. She's not appreciative at all, kept saying not interested in this, that etc. Geez, she's really making me regret agreeing to host her and I'm almost ready to tell her to pack up and live in a hotel.
It depends on the week, but usually 1-3 times. I have breakfast Sunday mornings at McDonald's before Church and Volunteering at our local no-kill animal shelter. Also, my husband and I may have it, if we are out doing errands, and need to eat on the run b/c we aren't going to be home soon.
Never, I'm 68 years old and I am same weight as I was as a senior in high school, 160 lbs. Fast food or junk food is not what I consider food, when I see the Mac arches the last thing I would think of is food.
Very seldom - I cook at home a lot (healthier & tastes better). We do when traveling, and sometimes I grab dollar/value menu snacks if I get hungry out & about.
Rarely. Too unhealthy and I don't trust the fast food people. I think they're drugging up their food to make it taste oh so extra good - and making America oh so extra fat - while their pockets get oh so extra fat.
I eat fast food only a few times per year. Besides being not healthy, I don't really like it. Plus, I'm cheap. I try to always have my fridge and pantry stocked. Even without a plan, I can usually put a meal together.
I eat fast food a few times a month. I use coupons when I do, and I try to stick to healthier choices from the menu. This helps my waist and my wallet.
hey
Ive been doing this method for over 2 months now.
Im still struggling with the process. I started diluting the baking soda in boiling water since I have hard water. I also spray very little acv on my ends since my hair is oily but I still find my hair feels like straw and sometimes it stills feels greasy. You said that you wash with the baking soda and than use the vinegar to rinse it out???? sounds interesting although I dont know if using the acv on my scalp will make my hair oily. Please help, I was away this week and had to use shampoo and I miss it sooo much, I really want to stick with bs and acv but Im starting to feel like Im never going to get my hair to feel like everyone on their blogs claim.
1. You Usually Have to Buy Something to Get a Coupon
Hmmm....by this logic, stocks, bonds and insurance don't make sense, either.
I spend around $3-$4 a week to typically save $20-$30 a week in doubled coupons. That seems to be a pretty good return on investment. If you feel wasteful buying the papers, order from a clipping service online, instead.
2. Coupons Attempt to Modify Behavior
True, that is why you need to be smart.
Number ONE: smart couponers won't buy the coupon item unless they are going to use (or donate) it.
Number TWO: the coupon must bring the price down to the same cost or less than a comparable generic or "off" brand we already planned to buy.
Number THREE: The primary rule for all serious couponers don't buy ANYTHING without a coupon/sale combo - that especially means rocky road at 3 AM! If you have that little self control, then you have larger issues, lol! ;) Impulse buying is just something you get over pretty quickly. My kids get to try new treats all of the time because of coupons - the favorite in the summer is ice cream, of course. But any given week, it could be Nestle Drumsticks, Magnum bars, Fat Boy sandwiches, yogurt Yosicle pops or the store brand bucket, depending upon what is on sale with a coupon that week. In the winter, it ends up being coupons for cookie and brownie mixes, instead. But they know they won't be able to get it unless it's on sale, with a coupon and there isn't a cheaper generic available.
So, coupons HAVE modified my behavior, by ending my former impulse buying and now trying new things, rather than being brainwashed into buying a specific brand without coupons!
3. Coupons Encourage Over-Buying
This is just silly. If you've never tried an item before, of course you aren't going to buy a bunch of them! Just don't try it until a single item purchase coupon comes out - buy whatever you would normally buy until then.
Besides, multiple item coupons are usually offered for established brands. Coupons for new or newer items on the market are usually for just one of the item and are usually very high valued to encourage you to at least try it.
If someone already knows they like the item, these multiple-item coupons can be nice to have, because so many stores restrict how many coupons can be doubled per transaction. My store will only double 5 coupons per transaction, so I'd rather have one coupon for $1/2 rather than 50¢/1, so I can get more of the items I want per transaction.
4. The Savings vs. Time Investment Is Low With Coupons
Holy cow! Too lazy to even sign up for the store discount card?? Yeah - couponing is not for you. It takes 10 minutes or less to get that card and instantly saves you a LOT of money WITHOUT coupons!
I do NOT belong to a coupon exchange club; I only buy 2 newspapers (occasionally getting really good coupons for something I really want to stock up on from an online clipping service, which takes 2 minutes) and I still save 50% - 70% every week. (This is savings from my previous spending - when I was buying only sale items, generic or off brands from Walmart or bulk from Sam's - not savings based on retail cost for brand names.)
The first mistake is thinking you need to clip all of the coupons and use some complicated organizing system. I have an accorion pocket file carrier with the pockets labeled by month. I get the paper inserts, write the exact date on the front by the folded edge and pop them in the appropriate month pocket, with the dates at the top. Each week, before I make my shopping list, I check out the local coupon match up blog for my store, which tells me where to find the coupon I want by its date. Then I go to that month and pull out the insert and clip ONLY the coupon I need and pop the rest of the insert back into the pocket. Every six months, I toss the now-expired inserts from the earliest 3 months. So, it takes about 30 seconds to file my inserts every Sunday and another 30 seconds to find the coupon I need later on. I spend about 15 minutes a week printing out online coupons I may use.
All-in-all, I spend about 2 hours a week to save $100 - $150 per week for my efforts. That's like being paid up to $75 an hour! I was able to quit a minimum wage second job, working away from my family 18-24 hours a week, because of the savings. I'd say that is a pretty darn good time investment!
5. Coupons Typically Push Pre-Packaged, Processed Foods
Such a newb. LOL!
A LOT of people buy non-food items at the grocery store for convenience - cleaning supplies, personal items, etc. Or they think they are getting it cheaper buying in bulk at warehouse clubs or Walmart (which is what I was doing.) This is a HUGE part of weekly "grocery" bills.
I will only buy a brand name if I can get it for the same price or cheaper than the cheapest generic found in town. For example, for toilet paper, I won't spend more than 16¢ a roll, because that's what the lowest quality, cheapest "off" brand I can find is. So that is what I was buying from Walmart or I'd buy from Sam's Club (which was actually more than 16¢ a roll, but I justified it because it was cheap for brand name.) Now, I have several packages of brand name, high quality toilet paper stocked up that I bought for LESS than 16¢ per roll using coupons combined with sales at the grocery store!
Not to mention the brand name dish washing detergent, dish soap, laundry detergent, fabric softener sheets, pet food, cat litter, deodorant, adult and kids shampoo, bath soap, paper towels, vitamins, hair dye, tampons & pads, pain medication, toothpaste, baby wipes, sanitizing cleaning wipes, kitchen sponges, air fresheners, garbage bags, bleach, cleanser, glass cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, dried pasta, frozen veggies & potatoes, canola & olive oil, soups (mostly for recipes, but some for my husband's convenience), tomato sauce, fruit cups, cereal, oat meal, coffee, powdered diet drink mix, salad dressing, ketchup, various mustards, peanut butter, jelly, mayo, energy drinks (which my husband would otherwise be paying full price for at the gas station on his way to work), lunch & deli meat, block and shredded cheeses, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, coffee creamer...the list goes on. All for either the same price or less (sometimes absolutely free) as the cheapest, lower quality generic version available or for 50% - 70% off a brand name we would have bought anyhow (like my favorite Dove deodorant, which I could just buy in bulk at Sam's for $3 each - if they carry it - or double a coupon at the grocery store and get for just $1.)
Notice how little "processed junk food" is on my list above? Saving money on all of those non-food and basic items allows me to get more fresh fruit and vegetables and splurge on more expensive things like avocados, artichokes, baby carrots, melons, cherries, fresh asparagus, nuts, gourmet cheeses, fresh bakery bread, etc. I don't eat beef or pork, so I end up buying more expensive things like turkey bacon and my camping/hunting husband also needs special food for his trips, which couponing allows me to afford. It also allows me to be able to afford some extra "treats" (yes, and the occasional frozen pizzas, mac & cheese, higher-end granola bars or natural fruit snacks for the kids, frozen egg rolls for Chinese night and other convenience foods that helps us reduce our eating out expenses, as well.)
I used to use the exact same "tried-and-true tactics" and thought I was doing pretty well. But using coupons, I still save an additional $100 or more a week, while getting higher-quality items and being able to afford better produce and meats. It's a nice feeling to be able to spend less than you did before and still not ever feel like you are settling for inferior product or giving up something you really wanted because you canot afford it. It's also nice being home instead of working that part-time job. :)
Maybe once a week. I know I shouldn't. And I find to go healthier fast food means more expensive fast food. But sometimes I just run out of time and steam.
It would be nice to include "At least offer to pay for gas".
I am currently hosting someone from abroad, staying for close to a month. She didn't bother to bring a gift, which I don't really mind. What I really do mind is she doesn't offer to pay for anything, gas, food, groceries etc. She would only pay for her own snacks/food. I live in California where currently the gas prices is $4.19/gal. I had to refill gas every 2-3days to bring her to places she wants to go, yet she doesn't bother to offer to pay even 50%. She has only been here for 1 week and my patience is running really thin. One week, I already spent 1 month's worth of gas money. I had to take a month off work so that I could bring her around. She's not appreciative at all, kept saying not interested in this, that etc. Geez, she's really making me regret agreeing to host her and I'm almost ready to tell her to pack up and live in a hotel.
I tried this out was pretty good, few things i got without even thinking id want to do. Think i'll give it a shot of achieving them.
I very rarely eat fast food. If I do, the only place I'll go to is In and Out.
It depends on the week, but usually 1-3 times. I have breakfast Sunday mornings at McDonald's before Church and Volunteering at our local no-kill animal shelter. Also, my husband and I may have it, if we are out doing errands, and need to eat on the run b/c we aren't going to be home soon.
Never, I'm 68 years old and I am same weight as I was as a senior in high school, 160 lbs. Fast food or junk food is not what I consider food, when I see the Mac arches the last thing I would think of is food.
About twice a month on the way home from church. Those services sure run late for the little hungry bellies.
Not to often. We have had fast food only twice in 2012.
Very seldom - I cook at home a lot (healthier & tastes better). We do when traveling, and sometimes I grab dollar/value menu snacks if I get hungry out & about.
sheena
Rarely. Too unhealthy and I don't trust the fast food people. I think they're drugging up their food to make it taste oh so extra good - and making America oh so extra fat - while their pockets get oh so extra fat.
I responded on Twitter. https://mobile.twitter.com/#!/1bets1/status/235521759942692865
I liked you and your post on Facebook.
I eat fast food only a few times per year. Besides being not healthy, I don't really like it. Plus, I'm cheap. I try to always have my fridge and pantry stocked. Even without a plan, I can usually put a meal together.
Rarely eat fastfood. Perhaps 1-2 times a month and when it's an "emergency" and I haven't planned a meal and the kids are crazy!
https://twitter.com/ElenaIstomina/status/235517710035988481
I like you on Facebook
I eat fast food once a week.
I love your points here. I reposted in on my own blog:
http://i-made-a-mistake.com/2012/08/14/is-it-enough/
We eat once or twice a week depending on what is going on. Sometimes it's just hard to fit in time for a home-cooked meal.
I eat fast food about once a month. Usually it's when I am on the road travelling across states.
I am a FB fan too. :)
I eat fast food a few times a month. I use coupons when I do, and I try to stick to healthier choices from the menu. This helps my waist and my wallet.
hey
Ive been doing this method for over 2 months now.
Im still struggling with the process. I started diluting the baking soda in boiling water since I have hard water. I also spray very little acv on my ends since my hair is oily but I still find my hair feels like straw and sometimes it stills feels greasy. You said that you wash with the baking soda and than use the vinegar to rinse it out???? sounds interesting although I dont know if using the acv on my scalp will make my hair oily. Please help, I was away this week and had to use shampoo and I miss it sooo much, I really want to stick with bs and acv but Im starting to feel like Im never going to get my hair to feel like everyone on their blogs claim.
thanks
Once a quarter? Unless, do milkshakes count? Then twice a month.
1. You Usually Have to Buy Something to Get a Coupon
Hmmm....by this logic, stocks, bonds and insurance don't make sense, either.
I spend around $3-$4 a week to typically save $20-$30 a week in doubled coupons. That seems to be a pretty good return on investment. If you feel wasteful buying the papers, order from a clipping service online, instead.
2. Coupons Attempt to Modify Behavior
True, that is why you need to be smart.
Number ONE: smart couponers won't buy the coupon item unless they are going to use (or donate) it.
Number TWO: the coupon must bring the price down to the same cost or less than a comparable generic or "off" brand we already planned to buy.
Number THREE: The primary rule for all serious couponers don't buy ANYTHING without a coupon/sale combo - that especially means rocky road at 3 AM! If you have that little self control, then you have larger issues, lol! ;) Impulse buying is just something you get over pretty quickly. My kids get to try new treats all of the time because of coupons - the favorite in the summer is ice cream, of course. But any given week, it could be Nestle Drumsticks, Magnum bars, Fat Boy sandwiches, yogurt Yosicle pops or the store brand bucket, depending upon what is on sale with a coupon that week. In the winter, it ends up being coupons for cookie and brownie mixes, instead. But they know they won't be able to get it unless it's on sale, with a coupon and there isn't a cheaper generic available.
So, coupons HAVE modified my behavior, by ending my former impulse buying and now trying new things, rather than being brainwashed into buying a specific brand without coupons!
3. Coupons Encourage Over-Buying
This is just silly. If you've never tried an item before, of course you aren't going to buy a bunch of them! Just don't try it until a single item purchase coupon comes out - buy whatever you would normally buy until then.
Besides, multiple item coupons are usually offered for established brands. Coupons for new or newer items on the market are usually for just one of the item and are usually very high valued to encourage you to at least try it.
If someone already knows they like the item, these multiple-item coupons can be nice to have, because so many stores restrict how many coupons can be doubled per transaction. My store will only double 5 coupons per transaction, so I'd rather have one coupon for $1/2 rather than 50¢/1, so I can get more of the items I want per transaction.
4. The Savings vs. Time Investment Is Low With Coupons
Holy cow! Too lazy to even sign up for the store discount card?? Yeah - couponing is not for you. It takes 10 minutes or less to get that card and instantly saves you a LOT of money WITHOUT coupons!
I do NOT belong to a coupon exchange club; I only buy 2 newspapers (occasionally getting really good coupons for something I really want to stock up on from an online clipping service, which takes 2 minutes) and I still save 50% - 70% every week. (This is savings from my previous spending - when I was buying only sale items, generic or off brands from Walmart or bulk from Sam's - not savings based on retail cost for brand names.)
The first mistake is thinking you need to clip all of the coupons and use some complicated organizing system. I have an accorion pocket file carrier with the pockets labeled by month. I get the paper inserts, write the exact date on the front by the folded edge and pop them in the appropriate month pocket, with the dates at the top. Each week, before I make my shopping list, I check out the local coupon match up blog for my store, which tells me where to find the coupon I want by its date. Then I go to that month and pull out the insert and clip ONLY the coupon I need and pop the rest of the insert back into the pocket. Every six months, I toss the now-expired inserts from the earliest 3 months. So, it takes about 30 seconds to file my inserts every Sunday and another 30 seconds to find the coupon I need later on. I spend about 15 minutes a week printing out online coupons I may use.
All-in-all, I spend about 2 hours a week to save $100 - $150 per week for my efforts. That's like being paid up to $75 an hour! I was able to quit a minimum wage second job, working away from my family 18-24 hours a week, because of the savings. I'd say that is a pretty darn good time investment!
5. Coupons Typically Push Pre-Packaged, Processed Foods
Such a newb. LOL!
A LOT of people buy non-food items at the grocery store for convenience - cleaning supplies, personal items, etc. Or they think they are getting it cheaper buying in bulk at warehouse clubs or Walmart (which is what I was doing.) This is a HUGE part of weekly "grocery" bills.
I will only buy a brand name if I can get it for the same price or cheaper than the cheapest generic found in town. For example, for toilet paper, I won't spend more than 16¢ a roll, because that's what the lowest quality, cheapest "off" brand I can find is. So that is what I was buying from Walmart or I'd buy from Sam's Club (which was actually more than 16¢ a roll, but I justified it because it was cheap for brand name.) Now, I have several packages of brand name, high quality toilet paper stocked up that I bought for LESS than 16¢ per roll using coupons combined with sales at the grocery store!
Not to mention the brand name dish washing detergent, dish soap, laundry detergent, fabric softener sheets, pet food, cat litter, deodorant, adult and kids shampoo, bath soap, paper towels, vitamins, hair dye, tampons & pads, pain medication, toothpaste, baby wipes, sanitizing cleaning wipes, kitchen sponges, air fresheners, garbage bags, bleach, cleanser, glass cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, dried pasta, frozen veggies & potatoes, canola & olive oil, soups (mostly for recipes, but some for my husband's convenience), tomato sauce, fruit cups, cereal, oat meal, coffee, powdered diet drink mix, salad dressing, ketchup, various mustards, peanut butter, jelly, mayo, energy drinks (which my husband would otherwise be paying full price for at the gas station on his way to work), lunch & deli meat, block and shredded cheeses, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, coffee creamer...the list goes on. All for either the same price or less (sometimes absolutely free) as the cheapest, lower quality generic version available or for 50% - 70% off a brand name we would have bought anyhow (like my favorite Dove deodorant, which I could just buy in bulk at Sam's for $3 each - if they carry it - or double a coupon at the grocery store and get for just $1.)
Notice how little "processed junk food" is on my list above? Saving money on all of those non-food and basic items allows me to get more fresh fruit and vegetables and splurge on more expensive things like avocados, artichokes, baby carrots, melons, cherries, fresh asparagus, nuts, gourmet cheeses, fresh bakery bread, etc. I don't eat beef or pork, so I end up buying more expensive things like turkey bacon and my camping/hunting husband also needs special food for his trips, which couponing allows me to afford. It also allows me to be able to afford some extra "treats" (yes, and the occasional frozen pizzas, mac & cheese, higher-end granola bars or natural fruit snacks for the kids, frozen egg rolls for Chinese night and other convenience foods that helps us reduce our eating out expenses, as well.)
I used to use the exact same "tried-and-true tactics" and thought I was doing pretty well. But using coupons, I still save an additional $100 or more a week, while getting higher-quality items and being able to afford better produce and meats. It's a nice feeling to be able to spend less than you did before and still not ever feel like you are settling for inferior product or giving up something you really wanted because you canot afford it. It's also nice being home instead of working that part-time job. :)
Maybe once a week. I know I shouldn't. And I find to go healthier fast food means more expensive fast food. But sometimes I just run out of time and steam.