Couponing

You know my life must be pretty boring if I’m getting excited about couponing – but oh well. 

So I just back form a great trip to Shopko. – a great trip. I just bought all of this (oh, plus a giant rice krispy treat which I ate on the way home.) A total of $45.11 worth of things we NEEDED.

Meh.. boring Tiff! You say, but with a little help from the coupon fairy I bought it all for $0.90. Um, yeah! $0.90! Now its not a great as the time Rite Aid PAID me $5.00 to walk out of their store with $30.00 worth of merchandise, but still – I’m pretty darn happy with myself.

I guess I should really thank my dentist. A week or two ago he told me that I needed to start using a special prescription toothpaste (what the?) and wrote me out a script for it. “It’ll only be about $15.00 for it” he said. Um…no! Thought I, I’m not paying $15 for toothpaste! So the prescription has been sitting on our bathroom counter being ignored. Then last night I was sorting through the pile of papers that mysteriously grew on our kitchen counter when I came across an ad from ShopKo – I had also been ignoring this because I never go to Shoko, but on the back of an add was a coupon “Get a $25 gift card when you fill a new or transferred prescription to ShopKo” Hm! Perfect! Suddenly I didn’t think my dentist was so dumb – I wouldn’t mind spending $15 on something I “need” (the toothpaste) only to get $25 free dollars! So today after work I went over. 

If you have not tried your hand a couponing – you really should. Its worth it. Once you get the hang of it you can really save money – tip #1 – Always pair you coupons with great sales! So that’s what I did! and so, a break down if you will. :)

1. Kotex 1 (big box) (I should be embarrassed for posting a picture of Kotex panty liners online, but I’m not. You’re a women too… you get it.) Regularly $6.99 – On sale for $4.99
2. Kotex 2 (little box) Regularly $3.49 – paired with a coupon “$1.50 off two Kotex Packages” So - each little liner ended up costing only $0.03 each. I think I can handle that.
3. Neutrogena Foot Cream 1 (Best lotion EVER-seriously!) Regularly $4.59 – Store Sale “Buy 1 get one 50% off”
4. Neutrogena Foot Cream 2 (Best lotion EVER-seriously!) Regularly $4.59  (now $2.30) Paired with a coupon “$1.00 off any Neutrogena product” Meaning - only $2.69 each.
5. Re-Nu Contact Solution Regularly $8.79 – On sale for $7.72.  (When the clerk rang it up she looked at it and said ”Ooo that’s a great price!!” I just smiled and I handed her a Re-Nu coupon for another $1.00 off. Total : $6.72
6. Palmolive Dish Soap 1, 2 & 3 which I happen to love! Regularly $3.49 each so $10.47  - On sale of $.87 each.  Tomorrow I’ll go back for more armed with a Palmolive coupon for $1.00 off any product and clean them out. (food storage, ya know) Unless of course you get there first. :)
7. Finally Windex Multi-Surface cleaner Regularly $3.49 also on sale, for $1.89 – paired with a Windex coupon for a $1.00 off. Totaling: $0.89 - Nice.
8. Oh yes, the rice krispy treat – it was also on sale. :) Regularly $1.50 now $1.00.

So, between some quick couponing and good sales my total came to $25.90 and I was just tickled pink to pull out my free $25.00 gift card I had just picked up at the Pharmacy and swipe away all but $.90!

Really ladies, if you have not tried couponing, I really recommend it, I had always thought that it was cheesy "hobby" and that my day was to precious to run around like mad trying to save $0.30. But I finally took some time to really learn how to do it - and its actually saving us tons! Not all of my shopping trips are as good as this one, but it really adds up. Don't think of it as being a cheap-skate -think provident living and stretching your budget so you can live within your means.

Look around your house for items you already buy, then check online for free printable coupons (my Kotex, Palmolive and Windex coupons came from Coupons.com), or in the magazines you buy or in the paper (The Neutrogena coup came from a free sunday paper). Also check the packages of things you already buy, many manufacturers will include coupons (like the Re-Nu coup) and sign up for emails from the brands you like - they will send you great deals! (Cambells just sent one for a $1.00 off two cans of soup - which are normally only $0.50 each = free soup!) Give it a try! Its worth it!