Things to keep in mind when couponing

Number 1 and most important:  Get to know your stores coupon policies.  coupondivas.com has a great individual store breakdown.

For example, I mainly shop and Shop Rite, they have two different coupon policies as a business but each store can choose which one they want.  They have a 4 of the same coupon her person per day at mine.  Which is really dumb, TLC's show has really ruined it for others. 

My store will also double UP to .99. Also they will only double up to the cost of the item, they don't give money back, another way Extreme Couponing has ruined everything.  Still not complaining because free is free.  If you have a box of cereal for $2 and a .75 cents coupon they will double it to a $1.50 cent coupon making it .50 cents. 

Number 2:

Check the sale flyers in your paper and check out sites like CouponDivas to check out the ads, sales and what coupons you can use.  Also remember stores like Target have Target specific coupon which you can combine with manufacturer coupons.  Combine with sales if at all possible to have max savings.  For example if Caress body wash is normally $3.00 and they have it on sale for $2.50, and  Caress has a .75 cent coupon and Target has a $1 dollar coupon - combine all of those savings and get the item for .75 cents. 

Number 3:

Only buy items when they are free or close to free - stock up when you can that way you do not run out of that item and have to pay full price when needed.

There are many more tips but this is what I have for now.  Check back often for more steals, deals and tips!

7/21/11 Target Shop = $3.21

 

Cherokee size 5 boys jeans: Org. $12.99 on clearance for $3.24 & 1 $2 off Target coupon = $1.24

2 Scotch tapes: Org. $1 on sale of .50 cents with 2 .50 cent off Target coupons = FREE

Command 4 pack hooks: Org. $5.99 on clearance for $2.84 with a $1 Target coupon = $1.84

that plus tax = $3.31  a total savings of about $18!!

7/20/11 Target Shop = $8.56

 

Purchased:

Cherokee Size 5 boys jeans : Org. $12.99 on Clearance for $6.48 with $2 off Target coupon = $4.48
2 Half Gallons 8th Continent Soy Milk : $ Org. $2.84 each with two $2 off 8th Continent coupons = &.84 cents each ( http://www.8thcontinent.com )
Vaseline lotion : $2.99 with $1 off peelie coupon
4 packs Bic Cristal pens: Org. $1 on sale for .50 cent with (2) B1G $1 off coupons = FREE ( http://www.coupons.com )
2 packs Papermate pens: Org. $1 with (2) $1 off Target coupons = FREE

Total of $8.56 (including tax) from $27.67 pre-tax for an approx $19 savings!

Not bad for what little I got!

(All Target coupons are available at www.Target.com )

Gerber & Bic freebes!

There is a 55 cent coupon off of the Gerber toddler bowls.  Shop Rite has them on sale and they double coupons - making them free! 

Check them out at http://www.coupons.com

Also on coupons.com there is a Bic coupon Buy 2 Get $1 off and Target has their Bic Crystal pens for .50 cents each - also making them free!

Grand Total of $0.00

This was my Target trip today. I had coupons and they were all on sale. All legal. Multiple computers.  Grand total of $0.00

So money gets tight....

I am going to start blogging about my attempts to cut my spending and trying to save money while paying all of my bills on time.  There are certian bills I can NOT cut back on.  Such as my car, and my rent.  However, I can cut back on my cable.  I can not cut back on my internet because with hubby trying to start his own business that is our life line.  I can't cut back on the house phone because that is the only way of checking on my kids. 

I need to shop better to feed a family of six.  It really doesn't help that my baby's milk is 5-6 dollars a gallon.

With gas prices on the rise again we need to conserve gas and do things in an economical fashion.  I need to shop at stores on the way home from work so I don't have to make an extra trip.  We have to play closer to home with the kids.  Friends houses on special occasions. 

NO MORE ALCOHOL!  What is left in the cabnet is it.  No more. Oh well. I think I can manage.

I already coupon, not an extremist, but I have enough body wash, shampoos, lotions and toothpastes to last for a year lol.  Hopefully next year things will look brighter.

I have also started to work on my credit.  Maybe I can get my credit up enough in the next year where they will over look my dings from 6 years ago and approve me for a mortgage.  I want to buy a 3 family, give one apt to my mom, and rent out the other one for additional income. Hopefully I can make it happen.

Wish me luck as I start on my journey.

So I see that Target had a Black Friday in July thing today.  It was supposed to start at midnight.  So I stay up (sort of cat napped while waiting) until midnight last night, just for me to notice 12pm PST!!  Who  does anything PST, everything is done EST.  So I went to bed. I wake up early this morning to look and they have NOTHING that I can use or want.  So that was a fail.

Oh and Boog peed in my bed last night.  That also smells of fail.

Blah day at work yesterday - hopefully not the same today.