I can see how people that don't coupon think it's a waste but it has been amazing for my fiance and I.
#1. I have never paid for a paper. I am currently enjoying 1 free year subscription to my local sunday paper full of coupons. I then get a second paper full of coupons from my company break room. And lastly, if I ever need MORE coupons, I swap with a friend. Nothing comes out of my pocket for coupons. Even if I did spend $1.50 a week, saving hundreds of dollars a month would be well worth the purchase.
#2. Yes many coupons are printed to suggest new products, but if those coupons paired with a sale are going to score me free shampoo I could care less what the brand is. And when that particular brand's freebie scenario stops coming around there's another brand doing the same thing. So I find quite the opposite, you have to shirk shopping habits and brand loyalties. You get what's free or super cheap rather than habitually buying the same brands.
#3. If getting a great deal on laundry detergent requires buying 10 bottles, so what? You buy it and then don't have to buy it again for months and it will get used up no problem, especially if you have a larger family. Yes, buying multiples of a product you've never tried before may not be a great idea, but in most cases buying multiples of canned goods, freezer products, personal care items and household cleaning supplies is great. Most savvy couponers can get these items for free or less than a buck at the stores, if you're idea of savings is saving 50 cents then I can see how you wouldn't think it's worth it. When I'm walking out of the store with 10 FREE bottles of laundry detergent, it's worth the shelf space.
#4. Coupon exchange clubs exist, but you certainly don't need to be involved in one to score big savings if you don't have the time to do so. I have one friend that coupons who I occasionally trade with but other than that, it's all on my time, my schedule, and in my household. Secondly, who doesn't have a binder or pocket folder laying around? Even if you don't, you buy one once for a dollar at the dollar store and never have to again. Then as someone else said, clip your coupons (and only the coupons you might/will use) in front of your television show. It takes hardly any time if you are smart enough to skip clipping coupons you will not use. And lastly, joining your store loyalty program is a hassle? Before I got into couponing I was already a member of a few store loyalty programs. I have only joined 1 since I started couponing and it took a whole 30 seconds to give a phone number and receive the store card. And again, if you spend an hour a week to save $100 a week, you're paying yourself $100 an hour. i certainly don't make that at my job and am happy to do it.
#5. Lots of coupons come up for pre processed foods, but an equal amount surface for non-food items that you use every day, and food items like milk, bread, cheese, yoghurt, oranges, meat, spices, sauces, nuts and seeds, etc. The list goes on. You can skip clipping the processed/freezer/packaged food coupons and still end up with a binder full of useful savings.
I only have a household of 2 people but we alone have saved hundreds of dollars over the past 6 months I have gotten into couponing. Thanks to these savings we get to enjoy ourselves on a cruise next month. It's so worth it.
So my advice to people wanting to start couponing, it's NOT A WASTE OF TIME. watch out for a deal on the sunday paper, snag one from your breakroom, look at a great coupon blog like hip2save or the krazy coupon lady, spend no more than an hour a week clipping and organizing, bring your binder to the grocery store/drug store and enjoy hundreds of dollars in savings.
When I met my husband, he mentioned to me his love for corn. He loves to have corn with everything. Then one day I thought " Which is the easiest and most costly way to make eat a delicious dish or corn?" Thats when I though "Corn Casserole!" This is the easiest and most delicious food to make. Using my store has Buy one get one free. The recipe is:
I have tackled this but in fairness I will say that I have been sewing (simply) for many years since my Home Economics class in 1963 ! Curtains are very easy since you are at least just hemming and not cutting a pattern or doing seams, zippers or buttons.
I recently needed to cover two small basement windows so I bought one curtain panel in Target (a sheer paisley print), cut the panel into two pieces and hemmed both accordingly. Quick, easy and cost me about $15.00 total.
Take advantage of price matching! I drive by a big-box store everyday on my way home to and from work. I look at all of the sale ads and the store that is too far away to go to for a few good deals gets price matched at the big box store. They have never asked me to show them the competitor's ad, I just usually note the prices on my list.
I have to plan around a gluten free diet for my son. My favorite is planning the leftovers when there's a sale. For example, my kids love when chicken breasts go on sale - I typically buy 5 to 7 pounds. Day #1 - baked chicken w/ lemon and herbs served with rice and vegetables. (During the summer I buy green beans/corn on the cob, blanch and freeze in one meal servings).
Day #2 - Chinese chicken made with GF tamari sauce and whatever vegetables were on sale that week.
Day #3 - Chop up the rest of the chicken, add a pinch of taco seasoning, one can of green chilis (stocked up on while on sale) and use for taco filling.
If there's enough for Day #4 - into the enchilada soup. :)
Breakfast for dinner is our cheap & easy go to meal. Eggs, pancakes, waffles, french toast, quiche, casseroles. Simple. Filling. Inexpensive. And best of all, the ingredients are always available from the fridge or pantry.
Can you update this article with more recent info? It's really helpful and our Senior citizens are impacted. Shop rite has been giving free antibiotics.
Yes I was as angered when I received my unemployment prepaid card and discovered this! Talk about a double whammy!!!! It felt like a sucker punch! I felt like the government was saying, "Here you go dummy! Not only are you out of a job but.....we are going to continue to kick you while you are down and out and penalize you by charging you fees! Good Luck finding a job in this market .....hahahahaha!" Yes direct deposit was an option but what a nightmare to get set up!!!! Thank you for your article and hope it helps others!!!
People are talking about prolonging their blades. Nobody has suggested trying to rejuvenate a blade after excessive use. Please read the articles and comments and respond to comments directly instead of posting juvenile unsubstantiated crap :-)
I work at home but I spend time outside my home when I exercise. Running and biking bring me closer to nature. I also have a few pots of herbs, tomatoes, eggplant, and bell pepper on my small yard. My little garden does not only help relieve my stress but it also gives us healthy meals. Moreover, we also save a few dollars by picking fruits and herbs from my garden.
One of the best questions I was asked during an interview was to sell them a pen. The interviewer handed me a pen, and actually said, "Sell this to me." So I explained how comfortable the pen was to write with, it's smooth ink, and the ability to take it apart to refill the cartridge. I got the job. ;)
I noticed you mentioned credit unions at the end. Not being FDIC-insured was one of my major objections toward doing business with a credit union, but when I learned they had NCUA insurance and had some pretty nice perks, I went that direction. Thanks for an excellent article!
I agree that people shouldn't buy a home if they don't have a down payment. Unfortunately when we bought our house we weren't financially savvy yet. It's an FHA, but we're making great progress to do our baby steps and eventually pay it off. Thanks for the article!
I really like the idea about Amazon groceries. I thought about buying from there before, but wasn't sure if it would be worth it because of the shipping times. Also, don't they typically offer produce only in certain markets? I suppose the dry goods would be worth looking into. Thank you for the article!
Great list! I think we get so caught up with our gadgets that we forget there are real people on the other side of them who we are trying to connect with. As a result, we get caught up in our online lives and forget to nurture ourself and the people in them.
I can see how people that don't coupon think it's a waste but it has been amazing for my fiance and I.
#1. I have never paid for a paper. I am currently enjoying 1 free year subscription to my local sunday paper full of coupons. I then get a second paper full of coupons from my company break room. And lastly, if I ever need MORE coupons, I swap with a friend. Nothing comes out of my pocket for coupons. Even if I did spend $1.50 a week, saving hundreds of dollars a month would be well worth the purchase.
#2. Yes many coupons are printed to suggest new products, but if those coupons paired with a sale are going to score me free shampoo I could care less what the brand is. And when that particular brand's freebie scenario stops coming around there's another brand doing the same thing. So I find quite the opposite, you have to shirk shopping habits and brand loyalties. You get what's free or super cheap rather than habitually buying the same brands.
#3. If getting a great deal on laundry detergent requires buying 10 bottles, so what? You buy it and then don't have to buy it again for months and it will get used up no problem, especially if you have a larger family. Yes, buying multiples of a product you've never tried before may not be a great idea, but in most cases buying multiples of canned goods, freezer products, personal care items and household cleaning supplies is great. Most savvy couponers can get these items for free or less than a buck at the stores, if you're idea of savings is saving 50 cents then I can see how you wouldn't think it's worth it. When I'm walking out of the store with 10 FREE bottles of laundry detergent, it's worth the shelf space.
#4. Coupon exchange clubs exist, but you certainly don't need to be involved in one to score big savings if you don't have the time to do so. I have one friend that coupons who I occasionally trade with but other than that, it's all on my time, my schedule, and in my household. Secondly, who doesn't have a binder or pocket folder laying around? Even if you don't, you buy one once for a dollar at the dollar store and never have to again. Then as someone else said, clip your coupons (and only the coupons you might/will use) in front of your television show. It takes hardly any time if you are smart enough to skip clipping coupons you will not use. And lastly, joining your store loyalty program is a hassle? Before I got into couponing I was already a member of a few store loyalty programs. I have only joined 1 since I started couponing and it took a whole 30 seconds to give a phone number and receive the store card. And again, if you spend an hour a week to save $100 a week, you're paying yourself $100 an hour. i certainly don't make that at my job and am happy to do it.
#5. Lots of coupons come up for pre processed foods, but an equal amount surface for non-food items that you use every day, and food items like milk, bread, cheese, yoghurt, oranges, meat, spices, sauces, nuts and seeds, etc. The list goes on. You can skip clipping the processed/freezer/packaged food coupons and still end up with a binder full of useful savings.
I only have a household of 2 people but we alone have saved hundreds of dollars over the past 6 months I have gotten into couponing. Thanks to these savings we get to enjoy ourselves on a cruise next month. It's so worth it.
So my advice to people wanting to start couponing, it's NOT A WASTE OF TIME. watch out for a deal on the sunday paper, snag one from your breakroom, look at a great coupon blog like hip2save or the krazy coupon lady, spend no more than an hour a week clipping and organizing, bring your binder to the grocery store/drug store and enjoy hundreds of dollars in savings.
Great article!
Kimberly weaver's study link is broken. Could you please fix?
Fried rice is NOT gluten free. Soy sauce has wheat in it ans say sauce is a key ingredient in making fried rice.
Have you ever been teenager?
When I met my husband, he mentioned to me his love for corn. He loves to have corn with everything. Then one day I thought " Which is the easiest and most costly way to make eat a delicious dish or corn?" Thats when I though "Corn Casserole!" This is the easiest and most delicious food to make. Using my store has Buy one get one free. The recipe is:
1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8-ounce) package corn muffin mix (recommended: Jiffy)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 to 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar
I guaranteed you will be happy with this casserole! Delish! And my husband thinks im the best corn casserole maker :)
Storage units are generally not a good idea. However, comparing it to a drug problem is ludicrous.
I have tackled this but in fairness I will say that I have been sewing (simply) for many years since my Home Economics class in 1963 ! Curtains are very easy since you are at least just hemming and not cutting a pattern or doing seams, zippers or buttons.
I recently needed to cover two small basement windows so I bought one curtain panel in Target (a sheer paisley print), cut the panel into two pieces and hemmed both accordingly. Quick, easy and cost me about $15.00 total.
Take advantage of price matching! I drive by a big-box store everyday on my way home to and from work. I look at all of the sale ads and the store that is too far away to go to for a few good deals gets price matched at the big box store. They have never asked me to show them the competitor's ad, I just usually note the prices on my list.
I can't agree more with your point about travelling slowly, its something that we're planning for 2014
I have to plan around a gluten free diet for my son. My favorite is planning the leftovers when there's a sale. For example, my kids love when chicken breasts go on sale - I typically buy 5 to 7 pounds. Day #1 - baked chicken w/ lemon and herbs served with rice and vegetables. (During the summer I buy green beans/corn on the cob, blanch and freeze in one meal servings).
Day #2 - Chinese chicken made with GF tamari sauce and whatever vegetables were on sale that week.
Day #3 - Chop up the rest of the chicken, add a pinch of taco seasoning, one can of green chilis (stocked up on while on sale) and use for taco filling.
If there's enough for Day #4 - into the enchilada soup. :)
Breakfast for dinner is our cheap & easy go to meal. Eggs, pancakes, waffles, french toast, quiche, casseroles. Simple. Filling. Inexpensive. And best of all, the ingredients are always available from the fridge or pantry.
I would have to say tofu for versatility and nutritional value.
Can you update this article with more recent info? It's really helpful and our Senior citizens are impacted. Shop rite has been giving free antibiotics.
Yes I was as angered when I received my unemployment prepaid card and discovered this! Talk about a double whammy!!!! It felt like a sucker punch! I felt like the government was saying, "Here you go dummy! Not only are you out of a job but.....we are going to continue to kick you while you are down and out and penalize you by charging you fees! Good Luck finding a job in this market .....hahahahaha!" Yes direct deposit was an option but what a nightmare to get set up!!!! Thank you for your article and hope it helps others!!!
Pasta! It is cheapand can be combined with so many other ingredients.
Spaghetti....and top it with commercial tomato veggie sauce or pesto....
People are talking about prolonging their blades. Nobody has suggested trying to rejuvenate a blade after excessive use. Please read the articles and comments and respond to comments directly instead of posting juvenile unsubstantiated crap :-)
can also be used to clean the the drain when used with vinegar
I work at home but I spend time outside my home when I exercise. Running and biking bring me closer to nature. I also have a few pots of herbs, tomatoes, eggplant, and bell pepper on my small yard. My little garden does not only help relieve my stress but it also gives us healthy meals. Moreover, we also save a few dollars by picking fruits and herbs from my garden.
One of the best questions I was asked during an interview was to sell them a pen. The interviewer handed me a pen, and actually said, "Sell this to me." So I explained how comfortable the pen was to write with, it's smooth ink, and the ability to take it apart to refill the cartridge. I got the job. ;)
I noticed you mentioned credit unions at the end. Not being FDIC-insured was one of my major objections toward doing business with a credit union, but when I learned they had NCUA insurance and had some pretty nice perks, I went that direction. Thanks for an excellent article!
I agree that people shouldn't buy a home if they don't have a down payment. Unfortunately when we bought our house we weren't financially savvy yet. It's an FHA, but we're making great progress to do our baby steps and eventually pay it off. Thanks for the article!
I really like the idea about Amazon groceries. I thought about buying from there before, but wasn't sure if it would be worth it because of the shipping times. Also, don't they typically offer produce only in certain markets? I suppose the dry goods would be worth looking into. Thank you for the article!
Great list! I think we get so caught up with our gadgets that we forget there are real people on the other side of them who we are trying to connect with. As a result, we get caught up in our online lives and forget to nurture ourself and the people in them.
Love this post. My grandmother used to make mayonnaise cakes. Soooo good. Thanks for sharing.