Couponing is not for everyone.
It is one of those things where you need to measure the return on your investment. Is the money you save worth the time you invest? If your family makes a large income that more than covers your monthly necessities, then maybe your time is better spent in other ways. If you have a home business that generates a good income and that you enjoy doing, then maybe putting in a few extra hours a week can help offset the grocery budget crunch at your home.
But, I have found that 2-4 hours a week spent researching deals, clipping coupons, and shopping saves us at least $100/week on food costs. That’s gaining us at least $25 for my time. Most weeks it’s worth it for us.
On highly stressful weeks when I can hardly see straight, let alone cut a coupon, I’m okay with just buying what I need. A girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do.
But, most of the time, couponing really works for our family. If you haven’t started your couponing adventure, but you’re interested in checking it out, you may want to breeze through this series that I did last year:
- 8 Great Ways to Find Coupons
- Coupons: You Gotta Know How to Hold Them – a primer on coupon organization
- Shop Listing – a primer on reading sales flyers, price comparison, and matching up coupons
- Meal Planning From the Sales – how coupons and sales and meal planning join together in a beautiful melody — well, sorta.
That’s the basics of what I do on a semi-weekly basis. I enjoy it — most of the time — there’s a thrill in getting a really good deal. So, you could call it a hobby that benefits us in a number of ways.
Do you coupon? Why or why not?
GIVEAWAY! As a way of encouraging you to start your couponing journey, I’m giving away $20 worth of coupons to five readers. All commenters are entered in this giveaway which will stay open until next Wednesday (St Patrick’s Day) at 8 pm PST. Please make sure you leave an email contact for me to find you when you win. Winners will be selected at random. Winners are posted here.
{ 215 comments… read them below or add one }
Just started couponing and I’m hooked! I am a homeschooling mother to 6 so time is very precious around here! I spend a couple hours thru the week doing ‘research’ and then make a meal plan and grocery list for the next week. Last week I spent $70.00 on groceries that will make 42 meals!!! LOVE IT!!! (so does my husband
Would love to be entered! And I love the links posted! Thanks!
I love couponing!! Ok, I love to use them and save the money, but not so much the finding and cutting and organizing. But, it’s so worth the effort! Thanks!
I coupon some, but I try to just buy things I would buy anyway. The temptation for me is to think something is a great deal and buy it when we would be just fine without it.
I don’t coupon, but I should though – at least a little bit. I don’t know that I would spend hours researching, but I feel like I could do better at least using coupons for the items we do use.
I’m most thankful for coupons! They helped me to survive while my husband was unemployed. Now that we are employed, they help me to save money in our budget for other things.
I’m also an avid couponer love them! Good offer. I have my 1st ever giveaway for a box of YouBars going on right now! Thanks.
I love couponing, I’m still new to it but it makes a HUGE difference in your grocery bill. It’s like a game for me! Luckily, so far I have tried to go to the same cashier at my Publix because he coupons too, so he is very understanding when I come with all my coupons and loves to see what deals I have gotten.
This is great info! Even for people who already are “couponing!” It’s nice to learn some more tricks of the trade!
Thanks!!!
I love using coupons. I have just gotten back into it in the past few weeks, and it really does save us a lot of money! Plus, it’s thrilling to get things for almost-free.
)
I don’t use coupons very often. In our newspaper we don’t get many coupons.
When I lived in Phoenix I used them some of the time, but honestly most of the time I bought junk food for our family.
Thankfully our grocery budget is between $260 – $300 per month so I am okay with not spending time trying to find a coupon source.
@Johnlyn Broeder, it’s hard to stay away from the junk, esp when it’s free! I try to stick to crackers and juice, yogurt and cereals. But, I did buy some fruit snacks this weekend for an upcoming vacation. Small sanity savers for free.
I agree with your statement “Couponing is not for everyone.” While I LOVE the concept of saving money, even if it means investing some of my precious time, I’ve found it to be more frustrating than anything. I can’t tell if it’s the area I live in, the resources I’ve tried or just that I’m not very good at it. Either way, the few times I’ve made efforts have resulted in very little money saved. But I’m fascinated & even thankful that it does seem to work for others – especially those in much tighter circumstances than ours.
I’m not willing to drive more than 15 miles just to save a couple bucks at a different grocery store – and around here, I’d have to drive at least 20 miles to the nearest “other” big grocery store. I shop the ads as much as possible but I avoid buying non-food items at a grocery store, which is what a lot of coupons are for.
I try to avoid buying a lot of processed items – which seems to be what most coupons are for. Once my kids are a bit older, I’ll consider doing the CVS thing, but that’s out of my way as well.
I guess, for now, it all boils down to convenience. Saving 20 cents on anything just doesn’t “add up” to me as significant. 40 cents off 6 Yoplaits? Big whoop. And those are the type of coupons I’m seeing in my area.
I still read the blogs that discuss couponing, though, as I do think I’ll get into it once I have a little more free time on my hands. But for now, we just try to buy the minimum, use what we have in the pantry & the freezer & call it good. Thx for the links!
@Vicki R., I think you’re wise to do what you can for now. Over time, I’ve realized that there are certain coupons not worth clipping. But, getting organic cereals for a quarter, now, that’s kinda cool. Happens a cpl times a year, and I love it.
I am just very recently trying to figure out how to match coupons with deals……..it’s sort of fun actually.
I started couponing back in November. My first time shopping with coupons I saved $221.02. I spent 286.50 for a months worth of grocery and household products! Three hours of time was spent on clipping, organizing, and shopping. That is $74 per hour of work! It was unbelievable!! It inspired me to start my blog and share my experiences. My boyfriend and I started a computer business a little over a year ago. And as anyone knows the first year is sooo hard. With saving this kind of money, I rest a little easier knowing that groceries are not as big of a dent in my budget. I have cut the expense by 40%. Can’t wait to hit that 50% mark!
I have learned so much and just want to say thanks for all of the great information you share.
@Christy, thanks for your kind words, Christy. I’m glad that my info is helpful. And way to go on saving 40%!
Oh yes I coupon! It’s one of my favorite hobies. I love Sunday mornings when I get to sit down with all my new sale adds and coupons (and a cup of coffee). And checking my favorite deal sites is a great break for me at work.
I do admit that all the clipping and organizing can get a bit overwhelming at times. But when that happens I just leave them unclipped for the week. I try not to strees too much over it. (Until I can’t seem to find that coupon I KNOW I had some where! LOL)
Couponing has saved me a ton of money. I have a teenager who I swear eats her shampoo. (That is the only explanation as to how it always disapears so fast. ) So getting things like shampoo and body wash for practically free is a real budget saver.
@Jenelle, the drugstore game is great, isn’t it? I haven’t had to pay for shampoo and toothpaste in years!
@FishMama,
Yes I know! Some people I know can’t believe i don’t ever pay for toothpaste. And it’s so simple too!
The month of February I finally saw my couponing pay off. I have a $600 a month budget for groceries, pet food, cleaning products and personal grooming products. In February I only spent $396. My pantry, freezer, storage closets and refrigerator is full. I also donated 7 bags of groceries , housewhole and personal products. The $200 I saved went into our kitchen makeover account.
@vicki,
Vicki,
That’s awesome! I’m still struggling to keep our food bill at or below $400/mo. So I’m really impressed you were able to save over $200.
@vicki, Excellent!
I’m a hit and miss couponer. I have printed them off the internet and use CVS ECBs. I need to have a better system. Thanks for the links.
I am completely addicted to couponing. Over $100 in groceries for less than $25 most weeks?? Yes, please!
And we are eating just as healthy and MUCH better quality food! Name brands really are better….even though I spent years trying to convince myself they weren’t!
i learned about couponing when i was about 5, cutting coupons for my mother.
now i’ve been using it for our family faithfully for the past 3 yrs. what a huge blessing!
~eunice b
rsmile2u @dejazzd .com
I’ve been using coupons before I was married! Now that we’ve added a first child, some weeks I’m really good with it, other weeks, it just doesn’t happen.
I love coupons and use them weekly.
I coupon all the time, but got away from the great deals that I just don’t use, I search for the items that is wanted, needed and bought.
Some ppl I know think that I am crazy, or as they call it …I have a problem…..because they don’t coupon, or see no reason to save that little, sad.
@Ursula, I agree. Pursue the deals that work for you.
I do use coupons…but I haven’t quite mastered the art of it. I do have trouble finding good coupons — especially non-printables. The one store in our area that doubles coupons won’t accept printables.
Thanks for the chance to win.
I started couponing about a year ago, and I cannot believe the savings that I have seen! Occasionally, I get out of the groove, and get behind on cutting out coupons – which really shows at the register.
I do coupon, but it is really hard to keep up with. I am trying now to only do it when I feel I have spare time and not feel guilty about buying the necessities without coupons. Otherwise it can easily get really overwhelming! I love the savings though!
My husband and family/friends thought I was nuts when I organized my coupons last week into a binder. But once they learned how much I’m saving, and all of the “freebies” I can get, they are impressed and want to know more. Thanks for making this journey easier!
We coupon because it helps ease our budget. When we were in college, we shopped with double coupons just to eat, but now we see it as good stewardship of our money. Every year my husband and I sit down and evaluate the amount of money I need to provide for our household expenses. Since beginning to coupon again last year, just a month after our 4th child was born, I’ve been able to maintain the same level of expenses for the past three years even though we have two in diapers and our older two are eating like adults now. My husband really appreciates the effort I have put into using our money wisely. We can put the extra into savings now to build it back up again.
@Sarah, great job!
I love to coupon. I always used them but a year ago I stepped it up and I’m saving so much now. And I have created a nice stockpile too.
I’ve been doing my best to coupon for a few months now… but most of the products that I buy on a regular basis have very few, if any coupons available. (organic meat, dairy, etc) Even when I do find coupons for them… chances are that the store brand is cheaper than the name brand even with the coupon. I’m just not a pro yet!
I started using coupons regularly after going through Dave Ramsey’s FPU class 2 years ago. Before couponing, I thought it would take too much time and/or effort, but now it’s become a habit, and it’s easy. It just takes a few extra minutes and stretches our dollars much further.
My kids have really picked up on this coupon habit too. Now instead of asking to get something at the store, they say, “Do you have a coupon for that?”
@Jennifer, love it when the family embraces couponing. Hubs just walked in with a Cuties coupon.
I love couponing. I always feel like I have beat the system when I get great deals and spend way less than I would have normally lol. I guess you could say I am competitive like that. Couponing has saved our family a lot of money and the stockpiling of our cabinets, freezers and househould items is amazing. I never thought I would get excited about see multiple tubes of toothpaste or deodorant lol. Thanks to sites like yours, I am getting better by the day!
@Kristen, having a full pantry is a dream come true for me.
I love coupons. They have really helped my family eat more and good foods too! I try to spend about 1-2 hours planning and clipping to save about 50-75 each week. It is fun and my kids love to see how much we save!
I used to be so good about couponing when we lived in our house and got the paper delivered every Sunday. Now that we’re living in an apartment, I’m having a harder time couponing. But I’d love to get back into it.
@Lauren, we make Walmart a regular stop on Sundays and pick up a few papers.
I do a lot of couponing, and use it as an opportunity to purchase low cost items to donate. I would like to do more for our own stockpile, but it seems hard to find good coupons for healthy items.
@Kristin, there are several healthy manufacturers that you can sign up for. And health food stores usu have coupon books.
I am just learning to coupon. The past three times I’ve shopped, I’ve saved about 30% on our grocery bill… but I keep reading about people who save 70%, so I’m still working at it. It’s become a sort of game in my house, and my hubby now asks, “How much did you save??”
@Angela, my contact:
ahorne (at) cox (dot) net
I love couponing! I just converted to a binder style and I love it!!
Still learning how to really use coupons to maximize our budget…this sure would help save some cash! Thanks!
Okay, I love coupons
however I have learned to be selective with which ones I use and to not let couponing consume me…there has to be a balance in all things. Thanks for the giveway, count me in!
~Connie cmhesh at yahoo dot com
I love couponing too. I save alot for our family. I’ve also learned to balance it over time. Some weeks just don’t allow for much cutting and organizing but then I catch up a week or two later. Plus I’ve got several co-workers hooked too. We share ideas, coupons, web-sites, etc. It’s a social thing for me.
Rosanne
I’m a pretty seasoned couponer. I spend at least two-three hours a week researching the sales, finding coupons, clipping, and organizing. We just finished up a mega catalina week at Jewel (Albertsons) and boy did my coupon book thin out! I’m so happy though, all the food I got for less than $75 out of my pocket, and I still have $50 worth of catalinas to use. I LOVE coupons.
I am an avid coupon clipper but don’t have good access to them here at JAARS. I would love to win!
ooh thanks so much for those links! I have been needing some help meal planning from sales. I can’t wait to dig in to those sites!!
Yes, I coupon. I started couponing when we started doing Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University.
My biggest savings are from non-food items. And that allows me to use the majority of my grocery budget on food.
Coupons by themselves are not a big deal. It’s when you combine them with great sales that they can pack a punch.
Couponing can take more time initially. It seems when you hit your groove, that it’s not as hard as at first. And it isn’t for everyone.
I have been couponing for about a year. I love how exciting it is to get a great deal.
I just recently started couponing and can’t decide on the best way to organize. I finally bought a notebook (zip up kind) and baseball card pages and dividers. I just can’t get motivated to sort all the coupons and by what division. So I currently have a notebook full of loose coupons. Ugh. But I have found some great deals lately – like FREE Chex mix at Krogers store when stacked with cellfire coupon!!
would love to coupon – i try to do a little but know i could do better
I love to coupon. I was an infrequent couponer until about 8 months ago when I really got serious and down to business. Thanks to various blogs (yours included!) I’ve learned to shop the fliers and do the “drugstore game”. Now there are items I don’t purchase unless I get them for free.
I have recently started couponing and am loving it. I love the challenge of seeing how much I can save each week.
Oh, oh, pick me, pick me!
Thanks for the opportunity!
yes i coupon! the sales around here are not great so i can’t maximize my savings by matching sales and coupons, but at least the coupons save me some money.
I’m big into couponing and finding good deals. I don’t real feel like it’s very time consuming because it’s just a part of my regular routine.
I coupon and now it is just part of my routine. I clip and file the coupons every Sunday night in front of the t.v. Sometimes my husband even helps. I don’t print a lot of coupons, however, unless I am going to get a really good deal with it. I feel that saving a couple cents is not worth the ink for my printer. I do print out my coupons at Target to get some great deals there.
I would love a boost to my coupons!
I use to be really, really good at using coupons and then life got really busy and I stopped. However, I’ve been trying to start again. What I really need is an assistant to help me with everything
I definitely use coupons and I LOVE IT!!
First, for my small-town with little savings, I saved $98 in January alone using coupons ~ that’s huge! Secondly, couponing offers the benefit of a challenge, seeking out the best deals supplied by independent grocers that cannot offer the same sales as the chain stores. And lastly, realizing the amount I save in coupons helps me to be more aware of my grocery/household expenditures and continually look for opportunities to reduce my spending and maximize my purchases.
All these years before fully understanding coupon useage, I had just been throwing my cash away!
I started doing coupons around the first of the year. We have cut back our food budget, but our pantry is overflowing. I often scan blogs for deals when I need to chill from other activities during the day. I print coupons and keep them in a stack in my bedroom. When I am ready to go to the store, I cut those coupons and file them in store envolopes I have created.
I have the Sunday paper delivered to my house. I scan it in bed with my coffee before church (dh brings me the paper and hot coffee) If I like what I see, I go buy more papers if I like what I see. I cut those coupons and file them while watching TV Sunday evenings.
Between couponing and freezer cooking, meal preperation has been simplified so much and we are saving so much money.
Nothing feels better than walking out of the store with a bag of groceries that I paid .27 cents for. It also leaves me more money to buy things like potting soil and seeds to start the garden this year.
I have used coupons for all 17 years of our marriage. But it’s only been in the last year or so that would say that I “coupon” (i.e. match sales with coupons, stockpile, etc.) Do I LOVE couponing? Not usually. But I love the results. And I feel that this is my duty to my husband and children. I am a homemaker, my husband is a pastor, and we have 5 children. So that’s a lot of mouths to feed and not a lot of money to work with! I look at couponing as part of my job description in Proverbs 31. At this point in my life, I don’t make an income. But by couponing, stockpiling, cooking from scratch, etc., I can still be an asset to the family checking account! And every once in a while, I can even contribute a few dollars from a survey or two!
Just getting started! Thanks for the links! I’ll be studying up!!
I just started couponing in November and I have a love/hate feeling about couponing. I love the savings, but hate organizing them. I seem to get them organized one day and if I let 2-3 days pass… then it disorganized again. I hope to get an pattern down so I can stay on top of it without my house looking like a pile of papers.
Just started couponing 4-5 months ago. Even though I am not advanced enough to get $150 of groceries/household items for $25, my bill, between sales and coupons, tends to be 50% off regular price. That makes it worth the cutting and matching.
I LOVE couponing – love to save my family money, love the deals!!
I’d love some coupons!!
I’ve always used coupons & gotten exited to save a dollar or two. Recently, I’ve started seriously couponing to save ten or twenty. It’s a little work, but it sure makes a difference. I think that it’s fun, too. ; )
I don’t use a coupon unless it’s soemthing I was planning on buying anyway. I always check the Sunday paper to see what’s in there. We live in East Texas and quite frankly you wither buy groceries at Brookshire’s or Wal-Mart. On a good day you can get soem at other places if you are already driving 100 miles in any direction! I cry when I see how much we have to pay for fruits and veggies out here compared to others. We eat alot of that and I wish we had a cheaper place to get some.
I love couponing. However, I do have to be careful not to get consumed by it and put the deals in front of time with God, my husband, and friends. I can get really obsessed with things like couponing or meal planning and making sure I stick with exactly the plan I have made, so I just have to watch myself to make sure I don’t go too far. I also love coupons for “healthy” products and try not to buy things that are just a good deal and full of empty calories… I’d eat them, and so would my husband, but that’s just not healthy! Once in awhile I’ll get those junk food items (especially if I have a free coupon) but I try to avoid them.
I don’t coupon, but I’m young and I’m careless with money. Now that I’m married, I see how much money we actually spend (or rather *I* spend) on food. I’m starting to get into the idea of using coupons. I’m a bit excited about it actually
mrandmrs@itwasyou.net
I always use coupons, but I never seem to have enough.
I LOVE coupons and the deals you can get with them. I get upset when I have to pay full price for an item. I cannot imagine shopping without them. The money we save by couponing we use in other ways like treats out to dinner!
I use coupons and do pretty well, but feel I could do better at it.
I coupon-lite as I call it. I was a super huge serious couponer with a binder and multiple inserts and everything, but it wasn’t working for me. I made some changes in how we were eating and found that I don’t need to use nearly as many coupons to get great deals. I mostly coupon for toiletries and nearly free pasta, etc. Now, I’m an insert girl.
I have just started couponing….but I am totally hooked! After each shopping adventure, I take a picture of what I bought and text it to my husband, asking him “how much!” It is always fun to see what he thinks and then the actual price!
I have been couponing for the past year thanks to a frugal friend. I surprise myself and the cashier sometimes with my savings!!
I love to coupon but, like you, sometimes can become overwhelmed by life and have to skip it. I usually clip my coupons while watching tv on Sunday night, then file them as soon as I can. I am pretty good at remembering what I clipped if I have to go to the grocery store before I file them. My biggest frustration is using a coupon one week for a pretty good deal and then the next week there is an even more amazing one to be had!! I am interested in learning where to find more coupons than I clip.
Yay! What a fun giveaway. I use coupons, and would put these to good use.
I love to grocery shop and save money!
I love to coupon and save bundles every week.
I would love to be entered into this giveaway, I have recently started couponing again after taking an extended break, so all the extra coupons would be great!!! Thanks for offering this!
I do use coupons. I use them because they save me money. Although it has been a learning process.
I don’t coupon. I buy almost everything completely fresh or in bulk. Plain produce, meat, eggs, etc. I don’t really by any brands of anything, so there aren’t any coupons anyway.
I just started couponing about a month ago and thanks to blogs like yours have been getting AMAZING deals! The grocery store is the best place to get a deal and I am getting even better ones now than I did before using coupons.
Thank you for your blog, it is super helpful and encouraging.
Please enter me!
I have just recently started using coupons regularly. On one particular trip the total at the register was about $100, by the time I got out my stack of coupons it brought the total down to $75. My husband could not believe that I had saved that much and I know that is just a portion of what I could be saving! Looking forward to saving lots more! By the way… everything I bought was already on sale and I had an entire buggy full plus some. It was very exciting.
I agree with you–measure the time versus the savings. I have found that there are periods in my life when I coupon, shop separate stores, and save and stockpile like crazy. Later, when I don’t have the time for such things, I fall back on that stockpile so I’m still not overspending. I haven’t clipped coupons for a while, but I haven’t had to buy toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, and the like for well over a year. Now I’m back to getting organized in the coupon realm, which is good, since I see we finally need shampoo and conditioner again.
I love to coupon and spend about 1 hour a week with them this is very beneficial to our family of 5. It is a source of income in a snese for a sahm. Thanks
stephanie@702com.net
I use coupons for everything! I LOVE to save money.
I love to use coupons. I just get so excited when I find a good deal.
I’m still trying to get the hang of it. Some good weeks. Some not so good weeks. Find better deals on toiletries than food. Still working on it.
I just used coupons to get 3 things of Dawn Dish detergent for free at CVS. Love couponing, although I thought it was a waste of time just a year ago.
~Alicia
I have been using coupons for a while, but I always shopped at the commissary. Since my husband and I are now seperated, I have started shopping the sales and trying to match the coupons with those sale items. It is time consuming, but I am starting to see the benefits of it on a more regular basis now. Thanks for the great info and for the giveaway chance!
i love couponing, but sometimes get overwhelmed and just let it go. that’s been me lately, so my supply of coupons is pretty much non-existent.
I’ve been doing some couponing for over a year, but got serious about it back in the fall. I went from saving 10% to 20% to saving 30% to 50%! It’s definitely worth the effort for me. Also we started eating healthier, and I am still able to have these kinds of savings.
I grew up watching my mom clip coupons…but she was never as hard core as I have become. Since I moved into my 1st apartment at 20 (now 30) I would cut coupons and Wags coupons (not knowing that they could be stacked!!!!) I began cutting more and more and doing the legwork on my own. After having my son (now 16 months) and becoming a SAHM I started reading blogs and learning A LOT! My friends and family now call me and ask q’s about couponing. I’ve broaded my skills to not only rolling ECB’s and RR, but rebates, rebates, rebates!!! Hoping to plant my first garden and maybe invest in a bread machine…oh how things change when you grow up!
I love couponing–I even have my mom and neighbor hand over there’s since they don’t use them: )
My husband and I are new parents feeling the financial strain of childcare and other necessities. I have wanted to get into couponing but don’t know how to start. Thanks so much for the tips!
Yes I coupon, and love it! You’re right — there’s totally a thrill in finding the good deals
I’ve been doing it for about a year now, but my husband recently got laid off, so now I’m really thankful I already have this skill under my belt. Needless to say, I’m always looking for more coupons!
I am starting to get the hang of couponing…but could always do better!
Thanks for the offer! I have always done coupons but years ago in a really big way when we cut most of them from boxes and got some from big bins in stores when anyone could bring unused ones and throw them into the big pile and then sort through to find their need. Was that ever crazy when there are thousands in the bins and lots of ladies picking through. I saved empty boxes and packages that everything imaginable had come in to get the bar codes or a certain part of the box/pkg. to send in for merchandise or possibly coupons/free stuff……so long ago I do not remember!! That was long ago!! Too, too much “useful stuff”. Had to let that gig go!! Then I just saved in stores and coupons. So through the years I have evolved to doing the “modern” way with you gals and I just the second before I wrote this used your “here” to go to Crystal’s RefundCents site and ordered her Deluxe set-up and the year newsletter and on line deal. Thanks for the info. Of course, we have all seen the Coupon Queen and her family on lots of TV shows and news casts. I have once again subscribed to our local newspaper for Sunday’s coupon books and have printed way too many (?) coupons (can one ever have too many coupons and yes, I do know the correct answer to that statement!!) so I am ready as I have been “studying” the deals at my four local places to shop with the best of you in my semi-small town. As we are a university town we do have Wal-Mart SS, Walgreens, CVS, and Kroger so I am already over my head with too much going on. I know start small!! Yes, yes. I know the organizer will help tremendously so thank you for the heads up as I was about to go with the big binder set-up so we’ll see how this goes I may change yet. I have two DIL’s so I am sure it won’t go to waste no matter which way I go or if neither. I do send them coupons and buy stuff(cheap, of course) for them and they get most of my samples…..hmmmm. Lots of sweet grandkiddos so nothing goes to waste around here. God’s Blessings to all of you and your endeavors. May we all end up at the check out stands with lots of free or almost free goodies!! And remember to have FUN with it! After all it’s only money……ugh! Back to the coupon room!!
I coupon, I save at least 50-60% weekly, this week I save 88% and was excited! I’ve been couponing for a year and a half and would LOVE to be better at it!
Thanks for the giveaway.
5langfordatcomcastdotnet
I honestly don’t know how people can “save” so much using coupons. I don’t buy much processed foods, and that is what the coupons are mostly for. I use them ONLY if I need and use the item. Mostly I buy Great Value brand from WalMart. I am frustrated with my local town grocery store because they will not accept coupons printed from the web. I ask every time I go there, but they always say no. I love saving money and being frugal!
Love my coupons – couponing is actually a hobby with me – a challenge – love it!
oops. makjellathotmaildotcom
Would Love to win this giveaway! I love coupons and have really enjoyed my journey towards cutting back our grocery spending even further-thank you for the chance to win! :0)
Amber
I’ve been couponing for awhile now. But lately, after reading this blog (ahem), I’ve become more strategic with my couponing. And, it’s working! I’m saving so much more by watching the sales and stacking store and manufacturer coupons for best deals. (I never knew you could use more than one coupon for a product until I started reading this blog. Thanks for your tips!!!)
@Becky, I forgot to leave my contact: bklloyd@swbell.net
Love coupons! Thanks for a chance at a great giveaway.
I love, love, love a good deal. My husband – not so much. I’m slowly converting him though – like this weeks $199 grocery bill for $72 – for our family of five. Thanks to some great deals in the past three weeks, my freezer is stocked to capacity. I’m excited (and a bit nervous) to have our first pantry challenge. I’ll be curious to see how long the stash can last. Yeah!
marlandann (at) rocketmail (dot) com
I have used coupons at the drug stores, but am really interested in doing them at the grocery stores. There are no bloggers who blog in our city, and even when I copied the exact transactions of the drugstore bloggers, I was spending 5-6 hours per week. I’m trying to figure out how to look up my own deals more quickly for the stores that we have.
I have just started couponing but I am really looking forward to getting good and saving big bucks!
Thanks so much for entering our family. Thank you, also, for all the really helpful info you provide us all!
Gos bless you guys.
I do coupon. I’ve been couponing for about a year. At first I was really heavy into it, buying whatever I had a coupon for. I’ve learned A LOT over the past year. Now I do use coupons, but not as often as I used to. I’ve learned to pair a coupon with a sale to get free or very cheap items. I’ve also been trying to use more healthy, organic and whole foods so I don’t ususally find coupons for those.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Thank you so much for entering us!
Oops—I am so sorry…..I was entering a similar giveway a minute ago, too….and I may have entered YOUR giveway twice by mistake, instead of just once! :-/
I’m not trying to cheat–honest….just trying to go fast to honor my commitment to My Wonderful Husband to limit my computer time.
If so, please delete one when you have the time. Thanks so much!
I hope I win!
LOVE my coups!! I, too, though will go without and buy just the minimum if I have a crazy week!
I’ve been couponing off and on for years. I’m inherently lazy and sometimes find myself slacking off, but when I really put the effort in I usually find myself saving about 50% of my weekly grocery bill.
I have been a “serious” couponer for 4+ years now and have cut my grocery budget in half! I used to spend several hours a week cutting, organizing, matching sales…now, I it doesn’t take nearly as long and I don’t chase each and every deal….just what works for my family. I love to stock up on free personal hygeine products which are great for donating! When I first began couponing, money was very tight. We weren’t finacially able to donate to Hurricane Katrina victims but we loaded up my husband’s pick up full of diapers and toiletries that were either free or close to it. We took a picture to see just how much we were able to give by using coupons.
I love using coupons but must admit I fell off the bandwagon due to some health issues.
Looking forward to reading the links you posted.
I used to save about 10% with coupons and I thought that was good but in our single income family of five I wanted to do more. My new year’s resolution was to see if I could seriously cut our grocery budget and cook to keep from eating out. I’ve learned so much from wonderful bloggers like you and this past week I saved over 70%! Woo hoo! I still feel like such a newbie and it takes me hours, but I believe that it will get easier and I’ll get quicker the more I do it. Thanks for the inspiration!
Yeah, Alycia! I’m so glad to have been able to play a part in it. Thanks for letting me know!
OOOH! How fun! I used coupons–but I keep trying to learn to be/do better!
I hope I win!
It is so very satisfying see the total start shrinking, and shrinking, and shrinking as the cashier scans your coupons.
I’ve just started couponing a little more, and I am thrilled at the savings I come across when I do. I should put more time/effort into it each week, but I just haven’t gotten myself that organized about it yet. Thanks for sharing all those links!
ive been couponing for quite some time and i love it! i started making coupon binders…i find thats the easiest way to store/save my coupons without wasting so much time!
you can win a mabelino coupon binder here this week!
http://www.mrsmoneysaver.com/2010/03/mabelino-coupon-binder/
I just started couponing in November and love it! I went to the store tonight to price out fish stuff for our new aquarium. Even though I knew I wasn’t buying anything, it still felt really strange to be in a store without my coupon folder!
I started coupons and price matching in late 2008 and didn’t really notice a signifigant savings, so I decided to make a spreadsheet and track my savings to see if it was worth my time!!! To see the amount we were actually saving add up like it did was unbelievable. In 2009, I’m proud to say that with coupons, price matching at Wal Mart (cause I don’t have the time or energy for every store), and using my in store rewards; I saved $6500.00!!!!! Amazing I know… and not to mention the money I made as a stay at home mom doing things like inboxdollars.com, shopathome.com, selling a few things on craigslist, rebates, and a few others, I made $1300.00. That I would like to improve, but I no longer track my savings because I know it’s working!! My husband begs to differ with saying “you didn’t save $6500.00, you just had that much more to spend”. Either way it was very satisfing.
Are you my Amy Malcolm? The one who lived next door to me once upon a time? So glad to see you – and great job! And if you’re not my long-lost neighbor, welcome to LifeasMOM.
Couponing saves us $7 or more/trip. not alot at the moment, but still better than nothing! Add in pricematching, and I usually at least double that. I love how I am working towards building a stockpile, and it’s so good to know I have food in the basement/pantry.
I love couponing….I am addicted!!!
I have just started using coupons and love the savings.
What a great post! You are right, couponing isn’t for everyone, but it is for ME! I have been couponing for as long as I can remember (thanks Mom!) and have been “super couping” for the last 10 years or so. I am the breadwinner in our family and make good money, but couponing helps us to save a lot of that money. I love reading the comments from everyone that loves to coupon!
Thanks for all the links! I am sort of new to using coupons to plan my shopping trip and love it! The amount of money we have saved is fantastic!
Thanks!!
I just went thr0ugh the whole couponing series. It’s fabulous! I learned so much well done! Thank you.
love coupons thanks!!
I have used coupons for years and I swear by it!
Absolutely I coupon! How could I throw away money? We don’t make enough to do that…and if I did, I would bet I could do something else with that money saved! -Amanda Y. (ayyogurt) (at)(yahoo)(dot)(com)
I am currently working on a coupon organizing system and I am able to clip coupons from the newspapers and send savings to my Gerbes card, but I can’t print online coupons as my printer is not functional. I have to buy a new printer soon! Looking forward to all the savings I will be gaining from the online side of things!
I do couponing but feel I could do better. We only have 2 local stores, one which I find horribly overpriced, but we make do with what we can get on sale. I have committed myself to devoting extra time each week to searching for coupons and striving to knock some more money off my grocery bill!!
I love the challenge of couponing. It helps keep my cupboards stocked and my kids happy.
Thanks so much for your newsletter and this giveaway as well! My wife and I (she’s disabled and bedridden) love your site and appreciate all you do to help everyone! Yes, we coupon! We also buy store brand items too and have really been trying to cut costs with the high cost of meds., drs. visits, and food! Thanks for your links and assistance! God bless to you and your family!
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Ray. What a wonderful husband you are! Blessings to you both.
I definitely use coupons- they have done wonders to save our family money!
I love to coupon, it just figuring out how to get the best deal, that I need to work on. I’m still finding my way, but not doing to bad. I’ve always been a couponer, just not this seriously… I love it… and when people see how much money you save, its fun to watch!
I love couponing! It’s such a fun and rewarding hobby. I’ll never go back!
I love to coupon. It’s such a rush to see the total go down at the register. I’ve seen jaws drop at my totals.
Plus it’s nice to be recognized like a super star at the store.
I am trying to get back into couponing. I have so many mouths to feed lol.
http://www.mommyoffaith19.blogspot.com
I am working on couponing. Some weeks it goes better than others. I love saving money and am glad to buy some things that my family enjoys that I wouldn’t usually buy. Things have changed in our budget and now I’ll need to reduce my grocery budget….that means I’ll have to work on my couponing even more!
I haven’t yet, because it’s just myself and one roommate in my house right now. I’d love to start!
You can totally get a ton of stuff for free or super cheap, even if it’s only 2 of you.
coupons are a great money saver for us and would love to win this giveaway
shopannies@yahoo.com
Learning to coupon is a challenge but also kind of a game. One us mommy/wife/homemaker want to play.
I also think of couponing in retrospect to Prov 31:18 ESV- She perceieves that her merchandise is profitable. Profitable not necessarily in $$ wise but a wise financial move for her family’s well being.
I am starting to get into couponing, and really enjoying it, especially saving so much money!!
I am on the brink of using coupons. I love the idea of saving money with coupons but I am still learning to be effective and consistent. I loved this post – most helpful! I truly love your site. I happened upon it while searching about coupons a few months ago and I have been hooked every since
Thank you so much, Brandy. Glad to have you here!
would love to win the coupons to help me get started!!!
I so appreciate you sharing your wisdom on couponing. I have really been working on it for the past few month, but your advice gave me better insight to improve my attack on the grocery budget!
Yeah! I’m so glad. Happy to be helpful.
I’m off and on with my couponing. I have tried to stop as we are in the process of selling our house and moving. I want my pantry to look neat and organized, but today I bought 12 cans of organic tomatoes: Regular price $2.40, 50% off because the brand was discontinued from the store, then I had 3 $1 off coupons – how could I resist! Or several weeks ago when I got 4 boxes of Cheerios for $.25 each. Once we move, it will be stockpiling all the way, for now I try to keep the obsession in check! Love your blog – great tips and always inspiring!
I agree with you, clipping coupons can be time consuming but in the end you are rewarded for your time with the amount of money you save.
I could really use these coupons! I have 3 small kids and I am a stay at home mom.
Couponing is so different than just buying stuff that you have coupons for…that’s what I used to do when I was spending close to $200 a week on groceries and still eating out way too much. I wasn’t much overjoyed by saving $1-2 using coupons when my bill was so hight. But now that I know how to use coupons strategically, I love coupon shopping and I have whittled my grocery spending down to $65 a week or so. I have a long way to go, but I feel so positive about the steps that I have taken because of your blog and a few others that give such great tips, advice and deal alerts. Thanks for taking the time to do this!
I’m trying…I’m really trying…. but it can be so overwhelming!! Part of me feels like is “another thing” I should be doing for the better-ment of my family! But…I keep looking at blogs and websites and trying to learn the lingo and get a little more knowledge. I figure every little bit counts!
I do coupon (have for a few months now) but will say that it does take time – so make sure you have that if you want to do it.
Yup, most days i love it and sometimes just get frustrated and buy the best deals without them!
I started couponing almost a year ago. I have saved hundreds and hundreds of dollars since then by combining sales with coupons. My favorite couponing site is http://www.afullcup.com
I love couponing and it is also a great help to our grocery budget. I love the thrill of a good deal and have gotten sooo many things for free!! It’s very worth it to me!! Thanks for your site and the giveaway.
I love couponing! Just need to figure out how to organize them better.
Hello!!!
I am mew to coupons so any help is good help. thank youfor all your advise!!!
Jami
I do coupon. We love it. I have foudn lately that by only using online coupons i can stil hit most of the deals i want without having to buy a paper and clip coupons.
Thanks for your great website. I check it daily.
Thank you for this giveaway. Great site!
trying to find a way to make this work for me. We just moved to the OKC area, so I am having to learn which stores allow what. Man I miss Kroger!
I LOVE COUPONS!! As a home economist (hee hee), my job is to make sure the dollars my hubby earns get stretched as far as they can, and coupons are such a great way to do that!
I’ve always used coupons, but just recently in the last year or so gotten serious about it. It’s almost an addiction….it’s nice to save money for your family! Thanks for the opp to win.
Renea H
harrinr@vmcmail.com
Yes, I coupon! We don’t have children yet, but I find time to manage my inventory and plan for shopping during other sedentary tasks or when I’m too wiped out to do much else. I can’t stand paying higher prices when I know I could have used a coupon, so that provides much motivation! My husband has been so impressed at how well we eat on so little that he’s starting to say that he would manage the coupons and shopping if I wasn’t able to do it myself!
I feel that couponing is a necessity in our house. It is amazing with a little time and energy just how much money you can save.
I have been couponing for about a year. I am a SAHM to an 8 mo old & sometimes it is a challenge- but it has saved us so much money! I’d love to win!
I love couponing! However, I unfortunately do not live around any grocery stores that double coupons
Do you have any suggestions for ways to save when you can’t “double”. I do alright but I am always looking for more ways to save! Thank you for all of your tips!
Yep. I coupon. We did it years ago in NY, where the local grocer regularly doubled and sometimes tripled coupons. Stopped when we moved because no one here doubles! It didn’t seem worth the time. I re-started about a year ago after reading moneysavingmom. What changed my mind? The concepts of stocking up when there are sales, how to use drugstore deals and not being tied to a brand. Being flexible and planning ahead makes the time so worth it! Plus, I now have children who can clip the coupons for me…
I can’t seem to stick with couponing although I do save when I find the time to clip and use them! I need a good system to organize and also know my limits because I don’t have the time to match it up with the flyers on a regular basis.
I’ve been in the couponing journey for almost a year now. I love it!
Add me to those who coupon! I feel like my job is to make my DH’s paycheck stretch as far as possible and one way I do that is to use coupons at the store! I could get better at it, but I do okay now. Since DH lost his job 2 weeks ago, coupons have been a lifesaver with allowing us to not spend so much at the grocery store.
I love to use coupons! Thanks for the chance!
I have been trying to get into this couponing routine, but haven’t been very successful yet. I want to use my time well. I plan to read the articles that you mentioned.
I am so leery to step into couponing! I don’t want it to be something that I spend all this time on, and then let it fall by the wayside for lack of conquering it! I am definitely looking into it though, thanks for your encouragement!
Thanks so much for the tutorial! Exigent circumstances have led me to start couponing – and these tips are fantastic. Thanks again!
Absolutely I’m a couponer……but I’m still working on it!!
mybrazilianlife at hotmail dot com
I started couponing in October of 2008 at nineteen years old and I feel so blessed that I learned how to save so early. Thanks for the giveaway!
I’ve been couponing for years but have gotten much better at it recently!
I LOVE COUPONING!!! I’ve been doing it now for about 6 months. I sure have along way to go to reach the levels I see other people at on the different sites but I’m working towards getting $100 worth of groceries for $3.00:)
I love couponing!! I get such a rush from seeing my total go d-o-w-n.
Just started doing the coupon thing two weeks ago. I’m floored at how much I’ve saved thus far.
I am just beginning to coupon. So far I haven’t saved a great deal of money, but I know it won’t be long before I am saving hundreds of dollars on my grocery bill. Thanks for the tips!
Thanks for the resources! I’ve been working on couponing for a while, but don’t have a lot of success with just the local paper.
I’m addicted to couponing. I figure saving money is a good addiction to have, though. My kids even ask if I have a coupon for an item they want in the grocery or toy store. The other day my son wanted a snack and asked (very seriously) which box of crackers expired first! I’ve never laughed so hard.
I am definitely a couponer! It’s great saving money on items I purchase anyway. Yesterday, I saved over $21!!! Was too excited to watch as my bill got smaller and smaller with each scan! Thanks for the organization tips! I SO needed that!!
I LOVE couponing and frankly cannot afford to stop. Organization is a must. Very easy to do and with a little effort you can save hundreds of dollars a month like I do.
To some I might be called the Coupon Angel. I love searching and clipping coupons but I also love to share my coupons with others. If I see somone in the store with a item that I have a coupon for I’ll give them mine. I know I’m helping someone else save money. I’m trying to get my son and brother-in-law to use them. Oh! Thanks for the giveaway of $20 worth of coupons.
I am a couponer!!! I do it b/c it saves me so much money!!
I really started Sept 08 after reading the “Coupon Queen’s” book. It has been a lot of fun finding deals and saving money.
I tend to fall on and off the couponing wagon. I’m ON at the moment and hoping this will be a long ride.
I DO coupon! I save money. It gives me something productive to work on when I feel like watching TV. And it gives me opportunities to teach my daughter the value of $1.
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