Are you more DIY than you were before?

With the economy taking a dive and still struggling (IMO) to revive itself, lots of people have turned to more self-sustaining or DIY methods of food prep around the house in order to try to stretch their dollars or be more accountable for what they use.

I personally have really enjoyed and been inspired by Couponing in Critical Times' blog. She does a fantastic job of routinely emphasizing and giving personal examples of things she grows, makes from scratch, or finds creative uses for rather than wasting odds and ends.

I dove into the realm of trying to grow some of our own food this summer and not only have I done pretty decently at the growing part, but it's also forced me to appreciate that food more (b/c I spent the $ on pots, dirt, etc) and use it in as many ways as I can. And THAT has lead to even more experimentation in the kitchen with MAKING things that are usually store-bought to save even more money.

*I went whole-hog in my planting by ordering all my plants as SEEDS and starting from the ground up, literally. NEVER done that before! But it was really fun! I got to give away quite a few seedlings as I thinned them out, even trading some for other people's herbs/plants.

*I grew a mix of summer lettuces and spinach so that we could have our own fresh salads instead of the bagged version (which almost always went partially bad before we could finish). I started harvesting my lettuce early so we began with baby green salads. I've since let both go to flower/seed and will try to harvest some of those for next year. I will probably also order an extra pack to start a late fall crop.

*My bell peppers didn't do well for some reason.. I made the mistake of planting them with the eggplants (which have taken over) and I think those guys just sucked the soil dry of nutrients. Lesson learned for next year.

*My italian eggplants have started coming in droves and I've been learning to blanch 'em, bread 'em, and freeze 'em for eggplant parmesans. By the time the summer is over I should have plenty to last through spring.

*One of my swapped plants was a single basil plant. Over everything else, this thing is exploding! I've used the leaves on frozen pizzas, salads, pasta, and I plan to try to make my own pesto.

*With the fresh basil and discovery of my local bakery outlet, I've bought Texas-Toast style bread and have been making my own frozen garlic toast. I keep butter, garlic powder/salt and oregano on hand, the basil is from my yard, and the loaf costs about $1.25. I get upwards of 20-25 slices whereas I was paying $2 for 8 slices of the store kind.

*Once upon a time, I'd buy a bag of potatoes and just accept the fact that 1/2 would go bad before I used them. We can only eat so many baked/mashed/roasted potatoes in a household of 2, y'know? But at the same time, I was buying frozen roasted potatoes b/c they kept far longer... Why?? B/c I didn't realize I could slow-bake a few potatoes at once, let cool completely on the counter, then slice/dice and FREEZE myself. Once frozen, I can just pour out however much I want for roasted wedges, casseroles/potpies, or frying as breakfast.


What are YOU doing to become more DIY?


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PROOF that Lists ARE a good thing

What's that phrase we always berate kids with? Do as I SAY, not as I DO? Maybe we should take a little of our own advice from time to time? ;-) Well, that's what I thinking last night.

Somehow I got myself another "protege" to try to tutor in the "Way of the Coupon." I figured this week would be excellent b/c of the Mega Sale continuing! I also got a request from my mom to pick up a few things for her from the sale (got her Kroger card and got her allll signed up on Cellfire, Shortcuts, and P&G)...

So far, I've done just fine "multitasking" and number-crunching in the store while shopping for me. Just for me...

The "problem" with the Buy 10, Get $5 off Mega Sale (basically $.50 off each item) is that you have to REALLY keep track of how many items you buy. If you buy only 9 items, you don't get the $.50 sale discount on ANY of them. The last 2 times I've shopped a Mega-Sale (last week and a couple months ago) I ALWAYS went in with a list numbered in sets of 10. Too detailed? Maybe. But it made my trip so much easier and smoother.

This time I figured I was going to snag the few items mom wanted, and focus on my coupon-tutoring subject. He did make a basic list, but he didn't know how to match it to the Mega-Sale so while he got the concept, we had to make it up and keep counting/RE-counting as we went.

Add'l NOTE to self: No matter the # of items, get my OWN basket for my stuff. We used the main part of the cart to separate my "subject's" items into Mega and NON-Mega sale items, which meant that I shoved my stuff into the top part with my binder. Yeah... doesn't work.

Here's where I suppose some karma came into play: we went to check out and my protege had 30 items. But only 2 of the $5 discounts came off. I looked at the receipt and saw the Total cereal hadn't triggered and was ringing up at non-sale price. So I asked and told them the tags were up; it was busy and normally I wouldn't be so heavily handed with coupons during the after-work rush hour, but it was when we could go. They checked really quick and pulled him over to customer service to give him his $5. I was so focused on THAT, I didn't even WATCH my receipt, not at all. I didn't do BAD; I spent about $16 and saved $33 (70%). But after we got done I realized I'd miscounted my own items and only had 19!!!! Only one $5 discount. *WHINE*

WAIT, though... we then took a look at his box of Total, wondering why it didn't trigger the discount... It was the 1-lb box instead of 10.5 oz! I didn't even THINK of that when I asked for the 3rd $5 discount; I'd even grabbed that box myself too. SO, all in all it was fair that I legitimately missed one of my discounts considering I got him one that he shouldn't have had.

But I am NEVER going shopping sans my psycho-detailed list again!


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Knowing When to Just NOT Shop

This will be quick for now, and may get updated later as it's late, and as I am suddenly DROWNING in coupons to get clipped! Between the multiple coupon inserts, getting multiple copies dropped in my lap, and all the new printables, now is one of those time my binder system is a real pain.

Against my better judgement, I think, I ventured ot Ingles and Kroger tonight to grab a few items I felt I had to snag at their current price. I didn't do as well as I'd hoped for various reasons, and it taught me a valuable lesson:

* Thou shalt not go to the store if the deals are lukewarm, unless thou really really needest something.

I'll post totals later, but here are a few of the "sins" I think I'm guilty of...

(1) I strayed from the "list." Not that this isn't EVER okay, and I really really wanted that Mayfield Banana Split icecream! But it's probably the fastest way to jack up your total without realizing it in the store.

(2) I left the binder home. Actually, this isn't SO bad b/c the other stuff I bought off-list didn't have coupons for them anyway.

(3) I went to the store during a week when the deals for both stores were just... "Eh." Now WHY did I do that? I think I lured mySELF in with the promise to just go in, get the free/cheap stuff, and get out. And that didn't happen. Of everything I bought, I think I only really NEEDED the bleach (ok, and the icecream), and even that could've waited.

Also, I had an issue AGAIN at Kroger with a P&G esaver coupon not coming off. Last time, I was supposed to get $2 off Herbal Essences. I bought 2 items using a paper "Buy any item, and get a styler FREE" and I theorized that because the paper coupon applied to BOTH products DURING a P&G promotional event (the Buy 4 / Get $4 off), the P&G promo sort of cancelled out the e-coupon.

But this time it was for Aussie hair care. And Aussie had no tags for the P&G event this week! So there should've been no problem stacking my $2/2 coupon with the $2/1 e-coup. I'm not sure why it didn't come off. Oh well...

General Savings Tip: Bakery Outlets. Find them. Use them. Love them.

There are a lot of items that new couponers often think they can't really get frequent deals on, like meats, veggies/fruits, and basic dairy like milk because there simply aren't a lot of coupons offered. One of the things I often could NOT find deals/coupons for was bread. ... Let me correct myself: I couldn't find a lot of deals for the name brand stuff I really liked and WANTED to buy. Only the generic store brand. Which was perfectly fine but... I don't know. Having grown up in an area that had umpteen Italian bakerys and delicatessens in walking distance, I'm kind of spoiled when it comes to bread and baked goods! I'm not TOO good for Kroger brand sliced bread but I know the difference between that and the fancier whole grain kind with fresh oats or pumpernickel seeds and a good crispy crust...

One thing you can do to save some money is hit up your local BAKERY OUTLET. We have about 3 of the Merita/Dolly Madison outlets in our area alone and last week I took my mom by one out of curousity. What a gold mine! Mind you, this will all be processed packaged breads/baked goods, but it's all going to be brands like Wonder, Hostess, Sara Lee, and affiliated.

The other thing is that it is an "outlet" and prices are lower for a reason; most all the product is nearing its sell-by date but it IS all still good for at least another couple weeks or so. But it's PERFECT if you need bread for a dinner, party, BBQ, or if you know you can get through a loaf in 1-2 weeks in your family. Often things like hotdog buns are cheaper than storebrand by half. I managed to get a bag of Merita Warming Rolls for $1.00 and a big loaf of Wonder Texas Toast for $1.19. These would have cost me $5 together easily at the store if not more.

Now, what about if you don't have a big family or event to buy for? What then? It's hardly worth it to spend even a $1 on bread that will be unuseable in a week or 2... Well, I used the warming rolls as a side item for dinner all week (they go great with homemade chicken soup, btw). For the Texas Toast, fortunately, most bread freezes quite well. I decided to make my own frozen Texas "Garlic" Toast: I melted a few tbsp of butter spread in a cup, and mixed in Garlic powder, a bit of salt, and chopped basil. Pour/spread over the individual slices, then wrap in freezer paper and stuff into freezer bags. All we'll have to do is toast them in oven for 4-5 min per side.

You could also buy the clearance stuff to make homemade breadcrumbs. My grandmother used to do that all the time... but, yeah, I'm partial to buying them in a can myself.

They also have pies, doughnuts, cakes, and even cereals at much reduced prices. One tip is to bring either cash or checks; I'm not sure if it's common practice at all of them but mine did not accept credit/debit cards.

Reach out to manufacturers for coupons

As a newbie, I know that it can be really frustrating to see the weekly lists of deals being posted and know that you don't have the newspaper insert coupons needed from weeks and weeks ago (meaning you can't get that deal). It's also even more frustrating if you don't or just aren't ready to subscribe to a huge metro-paper, and your local version either gets low-dollar coupons for items versus cities like Atlanta, Nashville, etc... or none at all (yep, still seething a bit over that Angel Soft coupon).

But you CAN get some pretty decent coupons that not everyone else will have... by reaching out to the manufacturers of your favorite brands and just... ASKING. Here a few reasons to try this if you haven't already, and to not give up if you HAVE but have not really gotten any results:

(1) You tend to get GOOD coupons for at least $.50 (doubles to a $1.00 usually!) off ANY one of that type of product. ANY kind, size, shape, etc. The coupons with few or NO restrictions are not always easy to come by!

(2) The coupons the manufacturer sends you directly are generally good until the end of the year, sometimes well into the NEXT.

All you need to do is make a list of the items you use frequently (or would like to use more if they were more affordable). Then, go to the website for the product (Google it if needed), search around for a "Contact Us" link, give your full name and correct mailing address in the form provided, and compose a short cheerful message in which you tell them that you LOVE using/eating/cleaning with their product, add a quick detail perhaps, and then mention that your region rarely gets coupons for their product. Or that you haven't seen any in awhile. Or ask if they EVER offer coupons (it's okay in my book to "play a little dumb" here). Thank them for their time, and hit SEND.

The responses you'll get will vary, and you really won't get any results for a week or two, sometimes more. You may just get an email thanking you for your comments and letting you know that they DO indeed provide coupons in local papers and to keep your eyes open. But usually you'll get a nice little envelope or postcard-style mailer that thanks you for you taking the time to write and encloses a couple of coupons for you to use.

SOMETIMES... the person at the office who sends these things off will have been having a really good day when they stuffed your envelope, because you can get HANDFULS of coupons that fit all of the numbered descriptions above. Woo-HOO!

In my short time couponing I've gotten:

(1) coupon from Heinz for $.50 off any Heinz product
(1) coupon from PastaRoni (and affiliated) for $1.00 off any PastaRoni or affiliate owned product (there were at least 6 completely different grocery item logos on the coupon)
(2) coupons from Mahatma Rice for $.50 off any rice
(4) coupons from Lea & Perrins for $.50 off any L&P product
(4) coupons from Purina for $3.00 off any Purina Cat food (Danion, Zander, and Shin-shin all say thank you!)
(8) coupons from Tyson for $.50 off ANY Tyson product (this has worked on FRESH meat with no problem!) Tyson, you win the prize in my book!

So, take a look through your pantry, see what you use, and then hit your keyboard running! If you go into it expecting the usual form email reply, you'll be pleasantly surprised!

All You Magazine

After all the great deals at CVS this week -- and the lack thereof elsewhere -- I'm taking a week off from major shopping trips. I did however need to swing by my local Wally-World to pick up the July issue of All You magazine (and a refill for my Glade Sense & Spray gadget... NO coupon, yep, sorry). I found out about this sweet little publication about a month or so into my couponing venture and I am definitely addicted.

Here's the quick low-down on All You:

• You can ONLY get it at Walmart (as far as I know... and I foolishly looked for it in tons of other stores b/c for awhile I had all but stopped going to Walmart).
  
• It's about $2.24-$2.49 per issue off the rack but you get anywhere from $60-$100+ in coupons in EACH issue (this month's has about $69... in May I think there were $112!).
  
• You CAN subscribe to it via delivery, usually for a much better deal than buying it off the rack like with every magazine; multiple sites have great discounts on it (I know, I am committing a carnal coupon sin here by still buying it off the rack... but, let me explain...)
  
• The ONLY downside is that occasionally the store version will have extra insert booklets or a few more coupons than the subscription version. All You is supposedly working to change that, and when I confirm that they do it'll come to my mailbox.

All You ALSO tends to have a few select and really SWEET coupons that you won't necessarily find in your regular inserts. For example, my quick scan through this issue found a $.50 off 1 Viva Paper Towels (that'll be free on the right sale) and a Buy 2 Get 1 FREE on Lean Cuisine (... okay, I MAY have to go use that at Kroger this week while LC's are still $2 each; normally the best coupon you can get is $1 off 4 or 5).

Want to learn how to do what I'm learning to do? Local Couponing Class!

Head on over to the Coupon Mommie to get the full details of a couponing CLASS she'll be hosting at the library in Maryville, TN on Cusick Road this Thursday! Admission is completely FREE and you'll learn the ins and outs of how to get started on your way to saving over 50% on groceries and other household goods.

I have to say that Jennifer's site was the first LOCAL blog that I stumbled across as I was slowly learning the ropes of this "extreme" couponing thing and she has been so kind in answering my random emails/questions along the way. It's hard to explain but knowing that someone is having such success at couponing in my own backyard somehow makes it seem all the more possible for ME to become really good at it, too.

I'm hoping to be able to attend if grading and paperwork for the classes I teach as an adjunct don't eat me up this week, but even if I can't I hope others will take this opportunity to learn from a local!

Where to Get Your Coupons

(NOTE: I'll be adding to this post as I discover more sources)

Okay, so you want to give this crazy couponing thing a try? The first thing you'll need to do is start accumulating a stockpile of coupons. Where to even BEGIN?

1. Your Local METRO Sunday Newspaper. This will probably be the easiest and most accessible way for you to start collecting coupons on a regular basis. Notice that I recommend getting your nearest METROPOLITAN newspaper; that means buy the "biggest" paper you can for your area. The sad truth is that the larger cities get the best coupon inserts and usually the most "regional" versions of coupons as well. So, where Atlanta's major paper will get a coupon for an item that's $2 off 1, we "small-townfolk" here in Knoxville will only get the $1 off version for that same item. Or no coupon at all (there's an Angel Soft coupon I'm STILL peeved about missing). It may not sound like a lot, but it can mean the difference between FREE or not free items.

• You can go buy it every week. But once you really get into this, you'll find that that gets pricey. And if you're busy like me you may miss an opportunity to snag a paper.
  
• You can have it delivered. This is the option I finally chose. Jennifer @ CouponMommie had actually posted about a great website for discounted newspapers right about when I was hunting for a deal on a new subscriber package, so it worked out PERFECTLY. I'm currently subscribed to the Knoxville News Sentinal's weekend package for $1.40/week (that alone is worth the $2 Sunday paper). After my 6 month term is up, it will increase to $2.80/week but that still saves me time and gas.

Each Sunday paper will contain anywhere from 1-5 coupon inserts, depending on the schedule, and will come from SmartSource, RedPlum, or P&G (Proctor and Gamble). On holiday weekends, there may be NO inserts. Go here to see the most current schedule of inserts (thanks Jenny @ SouthernSavers!); this can change according to what the companies feel like doing but it has seemed pretty accurate to me.

Many coupon queens out there recommend subscribing to 5-10 different newspapers to get the maximum amount of multiples. I'm personally not there yet, nor am I sure if I ever will be. Plus I just prefer more local options like...

2. Your friends, family, neighbors, and anyone else you're willing to grovel to for extra coupon inserts. Just kidding about the grovelling (well, depending on who you're asking)! But, seriously, consider that there are probably tons of people you know who get the paper and just toss it away, coupons and all. Go ahead and ask if they'll save the inserts for you. My mom is a pretty reliable source and she also does a bit of collecting on my behalf.

Remember, I said ASK. Do not just casually snag the paper out of your neighbor's driveway just because it's 1pm on Sunday and they haven't retrieved it yet. People (me) are entitled to sleep late one day on the weekends and that's the whole point of having the paper delivered: knowing it'll be there whenever you choose to get up and get it. :-)

3. Extra EXTRA inserts. I haven't tried any of these methods but I have HEARD of...

• Checking your local breakfast haunts like McDonalds or coffee shops. They often keep a couple of complimentary papers on hand OR customers bring theirs to read, then leave it for others. (Okay, this I have done before, but mostly just by happy accident)
  
• Striking up a deal with your local newspaper seller. If you've got a good relationship with the gas station on the corner, ask if you can have the coupon inserts from the papers they don't sell.
  
• "Dumpster Diving" at the recycling center. I'm not too sure about this one, but if you have a local recycling center, you COULD see if they'd let you go through the bins of papers that get dropped off and snag coupon inserts. Honestly, this seems to be for the truly "committed"... and I mean that in every sense of the word!

4. Buying/Trading coupons. In the case that you know a REALLY good deal is coming up that you'd like to stock up on OR if you miss out on a coupon that your local paper didn't have, there are plenty of people happy to get you what you need.

• The Coupon Clippers seems like a great website run by some great people that do ALL the work of clipping for you. You can search their extensive database by keyword or alphabetically, buy the coupons you want in the quantity you need and they'll send them to your doorstep, often that same week if you order by their indicated deadlines. They charge a very small administrative/handling fee for each coupon and there is a $3.00 minimum.
  
• Coupons & Things by Dede is a site I've actually used and I was really happy with their service. They sell clipped coupons but also have WHOLE inserts for those back-weeks you want to purchase if you're just getting started, or if you need extras... or for when you're still buying the paper and miss a week (hence my deciding to just flipping subscribe already). Their handling fees for the whole inserts are VERY reasonable. I think I ordered 5 of them and paid $6 including postage.
  
• ThriftyFun.com is a site I signed up for when I was in desperate need of coupons for food for a Petros-style buffet that I was helping to put together for a local benefit event. I didn't expect much from it but was surprised! It's basically a standard message board forum but they have a section where you can post requests for coupon trades. I'm guessing that the more flexible you can be in what you have to trade (or are looking for), the more luck you'll have. I ended up getting a reply in just 1 day from a nice woman who traded me coups for sour cream and salsa in exchange for Betty Crocker Box Top cutouts (which I don't use). We just swapped addresses and paid for a stamp apiece. Easy!

5. All You Magazine. This is a GREAT magazine available only at Walmart and containing upwards of $75 in coupons each month (sometimes less, but often MORE). The new issue is available at the beginning of the month, but if you're a subscriber you'll get it early as with other magazines. See my post here for details. You can also get a great subscription rate for TWO years through Jenny at Southern Savers HERE.

6. Local home mailers/Junk mail. This is a new discovery for me: don't just TOSS those packets of local restaurant and service ads that come every week or so! I used to throw them out before I even walked into the house (except the Papa Johns flyer on the front). Not anymore! They've been an increasingly good source of high-$ coupons for all kinds of items, from toothpaste to groceries. Sometimes there's 6, sometimes 1, or none, but keep your eyes peeled anyway.

7. The stuff you already buy! You probably know this already but save the coupons from the things you buy. Many products will have a coupon included in whatever "Tips" or "Recipe" booklet that's buried at the bottom of the box. Sometimes products will advertise a coupon or other type of rebate inside, others won't. Keep an eye out for those little surprises.

Other products will come with what are known as "Peelies" on the box. These are coupons that are meant to be used for that product right then and there, but you don't have to. I've bought groceries that came with a peelie but I had a better coupon in hand already; so I just "peeled" it off and pocketed it for next time. It's still good to use so long as it has a valid bar code and expiration date. NOTE: I do not recommend just grabbing peelies off of products if you don't intend to buy them. In my book that's "stealing" at worst, and just plain dishonest and shady at best.

8. INTERNET coupons. I didn't leave this for last because it's the least method... there are just SOOO many sources for IPs (Internet Printables)! A few of my favorites with the least amount of spammage/annoying flashing ads...

• www.CoolSavings.com
• www.SmartSource.com
• www.RedPlum.com
• www.Coupons.com
• www.GrocerySmarts.com (thanks to the Krazy Coupon Lady for this one!)
• Various individual manufacturers' websites

You'll find that the first 4 links will often have similar coupons available, which is actually great because you can then print multiple sets of your favorites. Oftentimes any given IP will limit you to a maximum of 2-3 prints from any one computer. This is to try to have SOME kind of reasonable limit on the amount of coupons that a manufacturer will have to reimburse the stores for. However, you can go to the various websites and print them like you're printing for the first time.

GrocerySmarts.com is a pretty NEAT website because it not only links you to coupon-collecting sites like the ones above, but it ALSO gathers all the web addresses of individual manufacturer sites. This can be time-consuming b/c you'll have to visit each product site, check for promotions, and often register to access the coupon(s). But it's worth it to get coupons that aren't always readily available!

NOTE: If you see coupons for items you regularly buy or MIGHT consider buying on the right sale, print them right away. Try not to wait until that week's sale ad is posted, b/c although sites like Southern Savers do their best to only post up-to-date and available coupon links... when EVERYone knows that item is a steal that week... EVERYone will try to print those coupons... when the print limit is reached (yep, there's also an overALL maximum limit) they're gone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why coupons?

I really don't know what started it. If I wanted to go allll the way back I guess can remember watching my grandmother and mom clip their way through the Sunday paper. Our family was always about saving where you could even if it was to spend it elsewhere. Recently, I'd tried all the ways I could think of to cut our grocery bills, the same as I’d tried to cut mine on my own, and kept feeling like I was missing something. I was going shopping with a set list, buying mostly generic and still coming home with bills way higher than I estimated. There had to be a better way.

One of the things I was already addicted to were restaurant & meal coupons; I'd carry tons of those for whenever we wanted to eat out and had no problem collecting them where I could find them and whipping them out when the check came. Why not do the same for groceries? Then one day I was searching around for tips on frugality and ran across a few sites that explained the concept of "Extreme Couponing". These ladies were saving 50% or MORE on their groceries... I wanted to learn to do that, too.


Why hadn't you ever tried this before on your own?

I had, actually. But I NOW know I was doing it all wrong.

First, I "cherry-picked" my coupons. I only cut out the very specific items I KNEW I would buy SOON, which made for very few coupons.

Second, I didn’t stockpile in the slightest, nor did I see the point. Part of it was a space issue; I lived in a tiny apartment, then moved into my husband’s after we got married (actually downsizing further if possible). But if I had a half bottle of pasta sauce in my fridge I wouldn’t replace it until it was empty and then I “had to” replace it ASAP with whatever was cheapest at the time.

Third, I wasn't bothering to MATCH coupons to the items on a really good sale. Oh, I'd take my entire little envelope to the store that week, but with no rhyme or reason; just magically expecting my pile of coupons to produce a cartful of cheap groceries like THAT. Of course, when I got there I'd compare brand-name item prices (with coupon) to the generic item prices and the generic would always be cheaper and that's what I'd continue to buy. What. Was. The. Point... I decided coupons were a scam to entice you to buy the more expensive item. Or they were for those who just couldn't “lower” themselves enough to buy generic.

It was a trap; I wasn't falling for it.

Fourth, the envelope method wasn’t working. I could never find coupons I “knew” I had, and I kept ending up with piles of expired ones. This added to my frustration, and I gave the whole thing up.


Isn’t all this time-consuming?

At first, YES, b/c I was utterly obsessed with learning as much as I could!

I still check my favorite blogs once a day or so to scan for new coupons/deals I wasn’t aware of, and I set aside a chunk of time each week to clip and file my binder. If I have a LOT of inserts or multiples it may take longer, and in those cases I’ll make my list of deals for the week and just cut those I plan to use right away. Through trial and error I’ve found the methods that work best for me and MY schedule.

Couponing this way is NOT for everyone, IMHO (although I believe ANYone can incorporate some part of it into their weekly routine to save a little extra money). If you have multiple jobs, kids, and other commitments your time is and should be your most valuable commodity; I would tell you to go enjoy a drink, a bath, a book, or a nap! I don’t have kids, but I do have 2 jobs, one of which includes a decent time-commitment at home (teaching). I have a household, pets, and a husband with whom I enjoy about a half dozen other active hobbies/pursuits.

But I also follow the blogs of moms with multiple kids who have found ways to make this work for them. Often it started out of necessity but then it became kind of… fun. And when THAT happens, the savings plus satisfaction make it all worth it.

One big tip is to get in on the blog scene and find the sites that do the legwork for you in matching sales circulars and coupons. All you have to do is cut/paste the lists, delete what you don’t want, pull the coupons from your stash, and hit the store with your own customized list of deals. I would be utterly LOST without sites like Southern Savers, Deal Seeking Mom, Coupon Mommie, and the many many others (bloggers AND the followers who share the deals they found) that take the time to list, match and verify deals.

This “Extreme” thing sounds like deal-chasing just for the sake of the hunt; aren’t you spending unnecessary money anyway?

For the most part, actually? … NO.

The joy of the hunt IS part of it for me, though. There is a weird high that comes with watching a register total drop 50% or more just from matching sales and coupons. I’ve already made a couple of cashier’s mouths drop as I handed over my store card and coupons saying, “And now for the magic part!” When I get reallllly good at this, it can be even better; lots of coupon queens are getting $100-$200 in groceries for well under $25! That’s near 90% in savings! (My best so far is usually about 75% and for small “runs” of very specific items that are free or super cheap; i.e. $30 in groceries for $7.)

And I AM buying foods/brands I never really bothered with before in quantities that I never did before… but I’m doing it because I’m getting them for FREE or waaay cheaper than generic. AND I’m still coming in under my overall target grocery budget.

Let’s start with the obvious: if an item ends up being a moneymaker (the coupons create an overage beyond the sale price – that’s right, you get PAID to put it in your cart), FREE, or just pennies once the coupons are factored in there’s almost no reason not to grab it. Even if it’s something you won’t use, you may know someone who could. Then there’s the charitable possibility; many shelters or churches can use the deodorant, toothpaste, shampoo, and pantry items that end up being totally free after sales/coupons.

Then there’s the debate of buying brand names versus generic. Most of the time if you need any given item right that second you will probably do better buying generic brand, though sometimes you get lucky with an unadvertised sale (hence having your coupon binder or other stash). This was the case for me when I used to shop with coupons… without stockpiling them and waiting for sales. Brand name items ARE overpriced… that’s WHY they offer coupons for their products. I’m learning that the trick is to wait for a sale that coincides with that coupon, making it even cheaper.

Finally, there’s the issue of stockpiling. Most items go on sale in 6-8 week cycles. The other trick is to try to make your supplies last until the next cycle so that, in theory, you never have to pay close to full price for anything. Ever.

Of course, this is only feasible with frozen and dry goods, and you’ll need to know how long something will usually last in your house. There’s also the issue of space. At the moment I’ll confess that my cabinets are STUFFED. I only just sweet-talked my husband into giving up a small amount of space in the garage (a.k.a. “Man Zone”) to a set of plastic shelves into for stuff I buy that I don’t have room for in my cabinets. Forget about the freezer. I’m really not sure how I’m opening the door and not being buried in bags and boxes.

The nice thing is that this gives me several WEEKS off of buying a long list of items; I only have to concern myself with fresh groceries and other odds/ends. And, if something happens -- a cat eats a dryer sheet (vet = $$$); a car needs new tires; etc. -- I can also NOT buy groceries and we'd be more than fine. The first couple months or so of doing this, you will probably spend your usual grocery budget, but you’ll get so much more for it.


Things I Don’t Do:

* I don’t chase every single deal out there to make my total savings look better NOR do I buy things to “use up” coupons. Some weeks we need more fresh meat or produce; there are rarely coupons for that. Some coupons never really match to great enough sales for me. You let ‘em go (and if that makes you feel guilty, there are places you can send expired coupons for a good cause). If I manage to stock up on certain things I won’t chase those sales for weeks. As of writing this I’ve maxed us out on BBQ sauce thanks to some FREE or under 10-cent deals; I won’t buy more for a few months (unless country ribs also go on major sale!). Which brings me to…

* I don’t stockpile like we’re headed for Y3K just because something is a good deal; I DO stock up for our household’s needs/preferences (and for the space I have). I COULD get my hands on 10 coupons for Cheerios if it’s only $1.00. But do I want to be eating the same cereal for months on end, even alternating every week? No. A household with 3+ kiddos however might want to take advantage of that deal; they’ll go through it much faster.Take the BBQ sauce, for example. Last week it was on sale FREE with coupon. Weeks later, it’s again on sale. Could I find another 10 coupons and go buy 10 bottles? Yes. Am I going to? No. Six is more than enough to last us most of grilling season. And I’m not devoting a whole shelf of my makeshift “pantry” to BBQ sauce! Even with items that stay good for a year, you have to buy in quantities that work for you.

* I don’t go to shopping without my list and coupon binder if I can help it. Even if I’m just snagging 10 small items. You never know when a good unadvertised deal may pop up. I have been known to pull the wrong coupons or miss some completely. And just like when I was shopping SANS coupons, I made lists so I know roughly where I should end up budget-wise.

* I don’t forbid myself from buying stuff NOT on sale. You just can’t live that way. I try to plan ahead and buy stuff ON sale WITH a good coupon match BEFORE we absolutely have to have it. But this isn’t always realistic. Things get used up quicker than anticipated or you decide to make/do something on a spur of the moment. This IS a good example of why couponing still comes in handy, though: if you have a good stash of them you’re likely to have a few that will prevent paying full price for anything.

* I don’t get picky about brands. I have my favorites, but if I just wait for THOSE to be on sale, forget it. Besides, I’ve been sticking to generics for so long; it’s not like I’m going to have a hard time transitioning to tastier name brands! You have to be willing to be flexible. I don’t know about you but frankly when stuff is $.50 to free my flexibility level goes way up!

* I’m not forcing myself to try or master ALL the stores at once. The important thing when just getting started is to learn the lingo, learn the basics, and go one store at a time. Right now my store of all stores is Kroger; I’ve tested the waters with Ingles; and I've done Walmart a few times. I've JUST started with CVS but I don’t go Wagging (Walgreens) yet because I’m just not ready and what I’m currently doing is all I can fit into my schedule. But this is OKAY.