I have been using coupons now for about 6 weeks and it has turned out to be the best decision I have made in years. I am married with three kids. I and my husband both work full time jobs. Two of my children are pre teens (which mean they have a lot of activities, i.e. football, church bible study and choir rehearsal, tutoring, etc). I have a newborn. I DO NOT have hours of time to devote to extreme couponing…but I have found that you don’t need to as other people have done the work for you!
Couponing has allowed me to save money on things I need and has allowed me to get quality items.
How I used to shop:
On Sunday, I would sometime buy the paper. Actually had the Sunday paper delivered to me all summer and never once cut a coupon.
On a Monday I would ask my husband, “Honey what do you want to eat tonight” and he would say something like “let’s have chicken, rice and a vegetable”. I would then go the store (during my hour lunch break at work) and buy…chicken, rice and some vegetables. I would pick up other things that looked good along the way. Maybe I would pick up a few sale items and some extra meat (ground beef or pork) to last us for the week. I would make sure there were eggs, bread, cereal (hot and cold) and milk for the kid’s breakfast. I would shop some times at the local big chain grocery stores (Price Chopper, Hannaford and Wal-Mart), but other times I would go to the local discount stores (like Aldi’s and Save a Lot) that don’t carry many brand name products. I would seldom have a plan or a list. A quick lunch time grocery store run would cost me easily $80 to $120 dollar. My husband would do the same thing by Thursday, he would be in the store, impulse buying and spending way too much money on things we really don’t need!!! We would easily spend at least $300 (most times more) a week on toiletries, dog food (for the dog, not us!), pampers, and food.
How I shop now:
Saturday: I spend about 1 hour on the internet researching sales and what is matching up to the coupons…just an hour…you really don’t need to spend more time than that because people out there have already done the hard work for you. It is awesome what stay at home moms and dads have done for us people who really desire to save money. I also purchase the early edition of the newspaper on Saturday. It is cheaper and has the same coupons. I have not settled on the amount of papers I buy, it depends on the quality of the coupons. I have never purchased more than 4 Saturday papers at once, but I do get at least 2 per week. At $1.50 a piece, I would say it is worth the investment.
Sunday: I spend another hour or two mapping out what’s on sale that I want to buy and matching them up to my coupons. In the beginning this process took longer because we needed so much stuff! (Did I mention I started couponing while on maternity leave? We were so poor during the last 4 weeks of my leave because my $ finally stopped coming in from work. By the time I went back to work and started to get my regular salary again, we were out of everything!!! You know it is bad when you don’t have rice in your house…). So on Sundays I map out the stores I want to go to and get the coupons ready. I put the list and coupons into individual envelop and put it in my work bag.
Monday: During lunch I usually go to the drug stores. I am lucky to have close to my job a Walgreens and a Rite Aid that are right across the street from each other. On Monday I spend maybe 20-30 minutes in each store and get what’s on my list. I am getting really good at this.
Tuesday: Grocery store day, again with my coupons and list handy and during my lunch break. I don’t buy anything that is not on my list. If something is not available I may save that purchase for after work, or I may get a rain check, it depends on the circumstances. I still shop during my lunch break (1 hour)…because its easier and I don’t have the kids with me. I am focused. I know where most products are and I am usually in and out of the grocery store in less that 30-40 minutes! It is awesome.
After 6 weeks of shopping like this, I can truly say that we have everything we need. Yes I had to buy rice without a coupon, but oj, apple juice, bagged salad, fresh tomatoes, fresh avocados, snack bags of apples, hamburger helper (for the kiddies), almonds, bacon (turkey and pork), milk, sugar, eggs, bread, mayonnaise, ketchup and a host of other items have all been purchased at a fraction of the price since I’ve used coupons. Since I’ve started shopping the sales and using coupons, I have never saved less than 50%, but I also have never saved a ridiculous 90% either. I would say my average is about 55% percent on items that my household absolutely needs!!!
To me it is worth the time. I am saving $ more than ever. My kids always love seeing what I bring home from my shopping trips. I rarely have to buy non name brand foods (operative word being HAVE…I still do sometimes because some of the products are just as good).
Real people eat and use the stuff I buy.
And I can say this, you don’t have to stockpile and buy ridiculous amounts of any item…You just have to buy the coupons and save them until they expire. There is always toothpaste and toilet tissue that is on sale and often times free - ALWAYS. You just have to have the coupon.
Don’t knock it if you haven’t tried it and if you decide to try it don’t go crazy!!!!
PS…I can say one thing is correct about this article…I do use more ink that I have in the past. But what’s the sense of having a computer and printer if it doesn’t work to your advantage. Couponing works to my advantage.
Over the past three weeks I have started to fulfill a new role, the role of Mom and I wouldn't change it for the world. It's much more difficult than my old 9-5 development job, but it's so much more rewarding to watch my little one grow!
Cautionary Tale!
Summary: If your situation through sickness, job loss/downsize or health issue has you in an upside down mortgage; do the math and stop paying your mortgage. Screw the banks! You must save yourself and your loved ones. I got less calls after stopping. Never once did it become an issue with the bank. The window of opportunity is closing on doing this tax free and with the shortage forgiven. The realtor was of no help(wanted commission as fast as possible and HAFA made for delays. The short sale lawyer was an obstacle to doing it my way. Research on the internet till your fingers bleed. You must price your house as an huge bargain, without the right price you won'tget an offer. Without someone willing to jump through the hoops as a buyer, you will not get out of the house and eventually they will foreclose; although it was never intitated in the 15 months I did not pay my mortgate. My house sold for 56% of what I agreed to pay for it and closing costs are not include in that figure (bank pays for all that in a short sale!). Never worry about how cheap the house is selling for, just get rid of it.
I have lived this nightmare and have come out the other side. The unknown was the hardest part. Yes, it was a mistake to buy the house to begin with. Once you make a mistake, life goes on and I had to unwind it. I did not buy the place with the thought of not paying for it. I did not realize the property tax would be $14K a year. I did not know I would come home from work one day and find out that my wife had grabbed a few things and left; leaving me to solve the problems of a broken marriage and a house I couldn't afford on my own. I cashed in all my retirement accounts to keep making the payments. I slashed every cost. I prayed. I cried. I sold the house via short sale in July 2011 after 3 1/2 years on the market and I don't know how many showings. I stopped paying on the mortgages in May 2010. I applied for the HAFA process and was approved so that both mortgages are gone and I am not required to repay the shortfall or pay tax on it. I came out smelling like a rose. I rent now. My retirement will be delayed and very simple. My credit is not that bad, about 650. I have my health. To judge people and throw out mean comments about how evil a person is who is not paying their mortgage is an odd reaction. I used my brain and the tools that were out there to solve this mess. I ask you this, if you were in the same boat, what would you do? The mistakes I made were this: 1. I bought a house that couldn't be supported by only one income. 2. I cashed my retirement in to pay the mortgage. 3. I accepted money from my very nice girlfriend to help pay for the mortgage on an unsaveable deal. 4. I did not stop paying the mortgage earlier.
That's if you're using the coupons on those food items. I save most of my money on the non-food items, which leaves me more for fresh produce, meat & dairy. I don't know how people can say they wouldn't love to save 50% - 100% on hair care products, deodorant, laundry supplies, cleaning supplies, cosmetics, paper products, pet food, etc. Those are the products most people end up just tossing in their cart and paying full price for and what really builds up that bill!
There are also lots of decent food item coupons - even organic & health foods. "Processed" doesn't always mean Hamburger Helper, frozen entrees and pizza rolls. I use coupons on pasta, beans, frozen veggies, tortillas, cheese, cereal, granola bars, yogurt, peanut butter, coffee, creamer, butter, pickles, frozen potatoes, biscuits, salad dressing and other condiments, orange juice, etc. Those are all processed in some way, but they aren't really "junk food."
But even if people don't eat any of those items, most people need toilet paper, cleaning supplies, hygiene supplies, etc. If you can severely reduce your costs on just those items it can still save you 50% or more on your monthly bill! That is where I usually see my biggest savings - not on junk food. Now I buy a lot more fresh produce and even "luxury" items like portabella mushrooms, avocados, asparagus and artichokes that were usually too much for our budget!
One also must be aware of the ultra high end [ie the hilton's] rewards cards. These cards' annual fees can run into the 100s of dollars and as such, one must be sure that they will be spending enough to offset the high annual fees.
I opened my first checking account with my college credit union. 9 of the 15 years that I've had the account, I've lived out of state. They have first-rate online banking services. I can use the ATM at most other credit unions all around the US. I always get a person when I call them on the phone. (And, I know what time it is for that person, and what the weather's like, and probably which branch they are in, and we talk about the "inside joke" I've left in my CU file before we do the transaction... so I feel good about it too :-) I have an IRA, a Roth IRA, CDs, a money market, and all the basic banking accounts.
Their mortgage agent wisely talked me out of buying a house at the wrong time in my life, saving me $$$ and a huge hassle. (Not to mention buying at the wrong time for the market.)
My only regret is that they only do mortgages in one state, and I'll probably buy someplace else so will have to find a different credit union. Also, my Health Savings Account is with a different institution (for which the fees are paid by my health plan, or I'd be switching in a minute).
My favorite comfort food is also a budget food. My wife makes homemade crescent rolls from scratch. They're inexpensive to make, pretty filling, and quite delicious. She brings them to every Thanksgiving meal.
I'm a New Zealander so my favorite Thanksgiving meal is roast lamb with mint sauce, kumara (sweet potato), roast potatoes, parsnips and yams. With all that I just LOVE yorkshire puddings with gravy!
Since credit unions are all part of the same national network, moving should not be a problem at all. My credit union reimburses me bank fees on ATM withdrawals, so essentially I have access to ALL ATMs in the USA at no fee, unlike banks who nickel and dime you to death.
I was just at a conference where one of the speakers recommended catching up with 10 people a day to keep yourself remembered in your social networks -- and it can be as easy as posting on the Facebook page of someone you haven't talked to in a while.
This is a great post. Making smart financial decisions is all about careful forethought and projecting consequences into the future. It seems like a small concession to make to drive Old Gray and be able to save; when you are able to retire comfortably, nobody cares what you drove. Some things matter more than image, and saving and investment are certainly two things to care about. I am all for driving old cars: there is less stress involved. I was lucky enough to get a new car as a gift from my parents, but I ended up worrying so much about anything happening to it that if I could go back, I would rather have more money now and less stress driving an Old Gray.
On days when I find it hard to love anything about my job, I am reminded that because of my job it was possible for my husband to quit his job and go to law school. We are a team in everything we do, and for this phase in my life I am just incredibly grateful that I can support him in following his dream.
In some cases recently (well, since Cash for Clunkers), it makes sense to get a new car over an older one. The delta between prices isn't much, and you can sometimes get perks - a warranty to cover your repairs, 2 years of routine maintenance, 0% financing, etc.
I agree - on a $30,000 or a $40,000 car, you're usually off buying used. However, in some cases the math has switched to favor new cars (and even evil leasing, heh!). I think it's more important than ever to run the numbers before you show up at the car lot.
When I bought it, my '97 BMW was a small luxury - it's entry level and cost about as much as a fully loaded Taurus. It fits my needs perfectly, is a pleasure to drive, gets 30 MPG, and I've maintained it religiously. I'm expecting another 100,000 miles out of it, by which time they should have the kinks worked out of the 100 MPG turbo-diesel pluggable hybrid.
I am so with KristinM is what i wanted to say...not with the guest who said couponers only buy crap...that is just not true!!!!
I am so with you!!!!
I have been using coupons now for about 6 weeks and it has turned out to be the best decision I have made in years. I am married with three kids. I and my husband both work full time jobs. Two of my children are pre teens (which mean they have a lot of activities, i.e. football, church bible study and choir rehearsal, tutoring, etc). I have a newborn. I DO NOT have hours of time to devote to extreme couponing…but I have found that you don’t need to as other people have done the work for you!
Couponing has allowed me to save money on things I need and has allowed me to get quality items.
How I used to shop:
On Sunday, I would sometime buy the paper. Actually had the Sunday paper delivered to me all summer and never once cut a coupon.
On a Monday I would ask my husband, “Honey what do you want to eat tonight” and he would say something like “let’s have chicken, rice and a vegetable”. I would then go the store (during my hour lunch break at work) and buy…chicken, rice and some vegetables. I would pick up other things that looked good along the way. Maybe I would pick up a few sale items and some extra meat (ground beef or pork) to last us for the week. I would make sure there were eggs, bread, cereal (hot and cold) and milk for the kid’s breakfast. I would shop some times at the local big chain grocery stores (Price Chopper, Hannaford and Wal-Mart), but other times I would go to the local discount stores (like Aldi’s and Save a Lot) that don’t carry many brand name products. I would seldom have a plan or a list. A quick lunch time grocery store run would cost me easily $80 to $120 dollar. My husband would do the same thing by Thursday, he would be in the store, impulse buying and spending way too much money on things we really don’t need!!! We would easily spend at least $300 (most times more) a week on toiletries, dog food (for the dog, not us!), pampers, and food.
How I shop now:
Saturday: I spend about 1 hour on the internet researching sales and what is matching up to the coupons…just an hour…you really don’t need to spend more time than that because people out there have already done the hard work for you. It is awesome what stay at home moms and dads have done for us people who really desire to save money. I also purchase the early edition of the newspaper on Saturday. It is cheaper and has the same coupons. I have not settled on the amount of papers I buy, it depends on the quality of the coupons. I have never purchased more than 4 Saturday papers at once, but I do get at least 2 per week. At $1.50 a piece, I would say it is worth the investment.
Sunday: I spend another hour or two mapping out what’s on sale that I want to buy and matching them up to my coupons. In the beginning this process took longer because we needed so much stuff! (Did I mention I started couponing while on maternity leave? We were so poor during the last 4 weeks of my leave because my $ finally stopped coming in from work. By the time I went back to work and started to get my regular salary again, we were out of everything!!! You know it is bad when you don’t have rice in your house…). So on Sundays I map out the stores I want to go to and get the coupons ready. I put the list and coupons into individual envelop and put it in my work bag.
Monday: During lunch I usually go to the drug stores. I am lucky to have close to my job a Walgreens and a Rite Aid that are right across the street from each other. On Monday I spend maybe 20-30 minutes in each store and get what’s on my list. I am getting really good at this.
Tuesday: Grocery store day, again with my coupons and list handy and during my lunch break. I don’t buy anything that is not on my list. If something is not available I may save that purchase for after work, or I may get a rain check, it depends on the circumstances. I still shop during my lunch break (1 hour)…because its easier and I don’t have the kids with me. I am focused. I know where most products are and I am usually in and out of the grocery store in less that 30-40 minutes! It is awesome.
After 6 weeks of shopping like this, I can truly say that we have everything we need. Yes I had to buy rice without a coupon, but oj, apple juice, bagged salad, fresh tomatoes, fresh avocados, snack bags of apples, hamburger helper (for the kiddies), almonds, bacon (turkey and pork), milk, sugar, eggs, bread, mayonnaise, ketchup and a host of other items have all been purchased at a fraction of the price since I’ve used coupons. Since I’ve started shopping the sales and using coupons, I have never saved less than 50%, but I also have never saved a ridiculous 90% either. I would say my average is about 55% percent on items that my household absolutely needs!!!
To me it is worth the time. I am saving $ more than ever. My kids always love seeing what I bring home from my shopping trips. I rarely have to buy non name brand foods (operative word being HAVE…I still do sometimes because some of the products are just as good).
Real people eat and use the stuff I buy.
And I can say this, you don’t have to stockpile and buy ridiculous amounts of any item…You just have to buy the coupons and save them until they expire. There is always toothpaste and toilet tissue that is on sale and often times free - ALWAYS. You just have to have the coupon.
Don’t knock it if you haven’t tried it and if you decide to try it don’t go crazy!!!!
PS…I can say one thing is correct about this article…I do use more ink that I have in the past. But what’s the sense of having a computer and printer if it doesn’t work to your advantage. Couponing works to my advantage.
Tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/OneFrugalGirl/status/134380372292153344
Over the past three weeks I have started to fulfill a new role, the role of Mom and I wouldn't change it for the world. It's much more difficult than my old 9-5 development job, but it's so much more rewarding to watch my little one grow!
Wow, that sounds awesome! What a fun work environment!
Awesome answer! It sounds like you truly have a wonderful job!
That is awesome!
You are welcome!
You're welcome! :)
Cautionary Tale!
Summary: If your situation through sickness, job loss/downsize or health issue has you in an upside down mortgage; do the math and stop paying your mortgage. Screw the banks! You must save yourself and your loved ones. I got less calls after stopping. Never once did it become an issue with the bank. The window of opportunity is closing on doing this tax free and with the shortage forgiven. The realtor was of no help(wanted commission as fast as possible and HAFA made for delays. The short sale lawyer was an obstacle to doing it my way. Research on the internet till your fingers bleed. You must price your house as an huge bargain, without the right price you won'tget an offer. Without someone willing to jump through the hoops as a buyer, you will not get out of the house and eventually they will foreclose; although it was never intitated in the 15 months I did not pay my mortgate. My house sold for 56% of what I agreed to pay for it and closing costs are not include in that figure (bank pays for all that in a short sale!). Never worry about how cheap the house is selling for, just get rid of it.
I have lived this nightmare and have come out the other side. The unknown was the hardest part. Yes, it was a mistake to buy the house to begin with. Once you make a mistake, life goes on and I had to unwind it. I did not buy the place with the thought of not paying for it. I did not realize the property tax would be $14K a year. I did not know I would come home from work one day and find out that my wife had grabbed a few things and left; leaving me to solve the problems of a broken marriage and a house I couldn't afford on my own. I cashed in all my retirement accounts to keep making the payments. I slashed every cost. I prayed. I cried. I sold the house via short sale in July 2011 after 3 1/2 years on the market and I don't know how many showings. I stopped paying on the mortgages in May 2010. I applied for the HAFA process and was approved so that both mortgages are gone and I am not required to repay the shortfall or pay tax on it. I came out smelling like a rose. I rent now. My retirement will be delayed and very simple. My credit is not that bad, about 650. I have my health. To judge people and throw out mean comments about how evil a person is who is not paying their mortgage is an odd reaction. I used my brain and the tools that were out there to solve this mess. I ask you this, if you were in the same boat, what would you do? The mistakes I made were this: 1. I bought a house that couldn't be supported by only one income. 2. I cashed my retirement in to pay the mortgage. 3. I accepted money from my very nice girlfriend to help pay for the mortgage on an unsaveable deal. 4. I did not stop paying the mortgage earlier.
That's if you're using the coupons on those food items. I save most of my money on the non-food items, which leaves me more for fresh produce, meat & dairy. I don't know how people can say they wouldn't love to save 50% - 100% on hair care products, deodorant, laundry supplies, cleaning supplies, cosmetics, paper products, pet food, etc. Those are the products most people end up just tossing in their cart and paying full price for and what really builds up that bill!
There are also lots of decent food item coupons - even organic & health foods. "Processed" doesn't always mean Hamburger Helper, frozen entrees and pizza rolls. I use coupons on pasta, beans, frozen veggies, tortillas, cheese, cereal, granola bars, yogurt, peanut butter, coffee, creamer, butter, pickles, frozen potatoes, biscuits, salad dressing and other condiments, orange juice, etc. Those are all processed in some way, but they aren't really "junk food."
But even if people don't eat any of those items, most people need toilet paper, cleaning supplies, hygiene supplies, etc. If you can severely reduce your costs on just those items it can still save you 50% or more on your monthly bill! That is where I usually see my biggest savings - not on junk food. Now I buy a lot more fresh produce and even "luxury" items like portabella mushrooms, avocados, asparagus and artichokes that were usually too much for our budget!
One also must be aware of the ultra high end [ie the hilton's] rewards cards. These cards' annual fees can run into the 100s of dollars and as such, one must be sure that they will be spending enough to offset the high annual fees.
I love to make green bean casserole. It has only a few ingredients. It is super easy to make and most everyone likes it. :)
I opened my first checking account with my college credit union. 9 of the 15 years that I've had the account, I've lived out of state. They have first-rate online banking services. I can use the ATM at most other credit unions all around the US. I always get a person when I call them on the phone. (And, I know what time it is for that person, and what the weather's like, and probably which branch they are in, and we talk about the "inside joke" I've left in my CU file before we do the transaction... so I feel good about it too :-) I have an IRA, a Roth IRA, CDs, a money market, and all the basic banking accounts.
Their mortgage agent wisely talked me out of buying a house at the wrong time in my life, saving me $$$ and a huge hassle. (Not to mention buying at the wrong time for the market.)
My only regret is that they only do mortgages in one state, and I'll probably buy someplace else so will have to find a different credit union. Also, my Health Savings Account is with a different institution (for which the fees are paid by my health plan, or I'd be switching in a minute).
My favorite comfort food is also a budget food. My wife makes homemade crescent rolls from scratch. They're inexpensive to make, pretty filling, and quite delicious. She brings them to every Thanksgiving meal.
I'm a New Zealander so my favorite Thanksgiving meal is roast lamb with mint sauce, kumara (sweet potato), roast potatoes, parsnips and yams. With all that I just LOVE yorkshire puddings with gravy!
I work for a nonprofit that does amazing work in our community, so what I like most is involving others in our work, especially volunteers.
Since credit unions are all part of the same national network, moving should not be a problem at all. My credit union reimburses me bank fees on ATM withdrawals, so essentially I have access to ALL ATMs in the USA at no fee, unlike banks who nickel and dime you to death.
I was just at a conference where one of the speakers recommended catching up with 10 people a day to keep yourself remembered in your social networks -- and it can be as easy as posting on the Facebook page of someone you haven't talked to in a while.
The number 6 really applies to me and how I "manage my money" :/
This is a great post. Making smart financial decisions is all about careful forethought and projecting consequences into the future. It seems like a small concession to make to drive Old Gray and be able to save; when you are able to retire comfortably, nobody cares what you drove. Some things matter more than image, and saving and investment are certainly two things to care about. I am all for driving old cars: there is less stress involved. I was lucky enough to get a new car as a gift from my parents, but I ended up worrying so much about anything happening to it that if I could go back, I would rather have more money now and less stress driving an Old Gray.
On days when I find it hard to love anything about my job, I am reminded that because of my job it was possible for my husband to quit his job and go to law school. We are a team in everything we do, and for this phase in my life I am just incredibly grateful that I can support him in following his dream.
I love the flexibility of my job. I can work out of any of our branch offices, or even just from home!
In some cases recently (well, since Cash for Clunkers), it makes sense to get a new car over an older one. The delta between prices isn't much, and you can sometimes get perks - a warranty to cover your repairs, 2 years of routine maintenance, 0% financing, etc.
I agree - on a $30,000 or a $40,000 car, you're usually off buying used. However, in some cases the math has switched to favor new cars (and even evil leasing, heh!). I think it's more important than ever to run the numbers before you show up at the car lot.
When I bought it, my '97 BMW was a small luxury - it's entry level and cost about as much as a fully loaded Taurus. It fits my needs perfectly, is a pleasure to drive, gets 30 MPG, and I've maintained it religiously. I'm expecting another 100,000 miles out of it, by which time they should have the kinks worked out of the 100 MPG turbo-diesel pluggable hybrid.