Just got back from Target. I got 6 Crest 3D White toothpast (5.8 oz size) for 41 cents a box!!!! Here's how...
Value 2 pack - $4.49
$1/1 Target Coupon
$1/1 Manufacturer Coupon
Equals - $2.29
Buy 3 value packs, get $5 Target Gift Card.
$2.29 x 3 = $7.47 - $5.00 = $2.47 / 6 = $0.41 each!
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Stockpiling Is A GOOD Thing...
While on this couponing journey, I've heard a lot about stockpiling. I've seen Extreme Couponing how people have more supplies that a person who ever use in a lifetime.
Stockpiling doesn't have to be that extreme, but it's the process of buying items so that you are not a slave to the store.What do I mean by being a "slave to the store" is buying groceries when you need them. That might sound crazy, but read on...
If you only buy products when you need them, then you are forced to buy the product at the price the store sets for you. If you need butter and the cheapest butter you can find is $4.00 than that's the price you will have to the price that they set. But if you collect coupons and have one that's $1.00 off one pack of butter, you wait for the butter to go on sale (say $3.00 a pack), and then use your coupons to bring the price down to $2.00 a pack. So even though you don't need the butter, you buy some when it's a "stockpile price" because you know you use butter in the near future.
Stockpiling allows you to wait until the products you use on a regular basis are at rock bottom prices (and hopefully with coupons). Then you buy enough to last you until a rock bottom price comes around again. How do you know how many to buy? Think about how much you use an item in a 3 to 6 month period. This is how much you buy (if you have space) because this is about how long it may take for that item to be at rock bottom price again. Sales usually come back around every 3 to 6 months. In this area, it's a little sooner since we have so many different grocery and drug store in close proximity.
The idea is that with your stockpile, you can go there when you need something that you will always pay rock bottom prices for instead of going back to the store and more than likely having to pay full price.
Speaking of rock bottom prices, I was able to match up a sale with coupons to get 20 ounce Lipton Natural Tea for $.09 a bottle! Got these at the Safeway this morning! The sale is on until Tuesday, Sept 30.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Don't Sleep On Thrift Stores!
I do shop with coupons and sales even for clothes but don't go much to thrift stores to get clothing. I usually just donate old or outgrown clothing. Well, my couponing gf and I decided to go to this one thrift store that I've donated to, but had really looked for any clothing in since my daughter was very little (at least 5 years). But times are tight and a deal is a deal. Lo and behold, what do I see? A pair of Timberland boots that I've been in love with for since they first came out (maybe 5 years ago). They were my size! I just couldn't resist. They looked brand new like they had never been worn. I carried them with me around the store trying to decide whether I would get them or not. One thing for sure... I couldn't put them down. If someone else got them, I was going to be HURT! For 29.99, I just couldn't pass them up! As soon as I got them home, I looked them up on the Timberland.com website and sure enough, they are still being sold for $165! I would have never paid that price of course, but I was just too excited! I won't sleep on thrift stores ever again!
Blame It On The Clearance Section!!!
In my couponing research, I've seen people talk about Target's clearance section, but never really shopped the store that way until last night. I was able to get some serious deals that way last night!
On Target.com, they had a $5 off any Merona bottom. I went STRAIGHT to the clearance section and was able to find some capris marked all the way down from $16.99 to $4.24! So with my $5 off coupon, they were FREE!
I also was in need of some new towels and wash clothes. I was prepared to only buy maybe 2 or 3 sets. Wouldn't you know that they had beach towels on clearance! So instead of paying $6.99 for one, they were $1.74! I was able to get 8 towels all together. They would have normally been $55.92 but I paid $13.92!
There are great deals to be had by looking in Targets clearance section first (while matching them up with coupons whenever possible of course!)
On Target.com, they had a $5 off any Merona bottom. I went STRAIGHT to the clearance section and was able to find some capris marked all the way down from $16.99 to $4.24! So with my $5 off coupon, they were FREE!
I also was in need of some new towels and wash clothes. I was prepared to only buy maybe 2 or 3 sets. Wouldn't you know that they had beach towels on clearance! So instead of paying $6.99 for one, they were $1.74! I was able to get 8 towels all together. They would have normally been $55.92 but I paid $13.92!
There are great deals to be had by looking in Targets clearance section first (while matching them up with coupons whenever possible of course!)
Stack Those Coupons!
It's been very busy with back-to-school season. While I had to take a few moments away from blogging to help my new middle schooler get adjusted, I have not taken a break from couponing! While on a family vacation, I was able to get 8 bottle of Nivea shower gel TOTALLY FREE!!!!
But this post is about shopping at Target. Not sure if you know, but Target has three kinds of coupons that you can use...
1. If you sign up thru Target.com, every few weeks, Target will send you coupons straight to your cell phone. This is very convenient because as long as you have your cell phone with you (which most of us don't leave home without).
2. & 3. Also on Target.com, you are able to print Target coupons and manufacturers coupons. While you can only use one manufacturers coupon or one store coupon on one item, you can use one store coupon and one manufacturers coupon on one product to get extra savings.
Case in point, a friend of mine worked this deal last night... She needed diapers for her daughter. She had two manufacturers coupons for $2 off Huggies diaper of any size. I had two Target store coupons $3 off coupon any Huggies diapers. Target had a jumbo pack of diapers on sale for $19.XX. Her first thought was to get the jumbo for $19 and use one of my coupons to take $3 off giving her a total of $16. Once we looked closer, she was able to buy two of the smaller packages which were $9.49 a piece. Then once she used both the manufacturers coupon and the store coupon for $4.49 total for each package. So she paid $9 and got around the same amount of diapers as if she would have bought the jumbo pack!
PS, sometimes the Sunday paper has Target coupons as well.
But this post is about shopping at Target. Not sure if you know, but Target has three kinds of coupons that you can use...
1. If you sign up thru Target.com, every few weeks, Target will send you coupons straight to your cell phone. This is very convenient because as long as you have your cell phone with you (which most of us don't leave home without).
2. & 3. Also on Target.com, you are able to print Target coupons and manufacturers coupons. While you can only use one manufacturers coupon or one store coupon on one item, you can use one store coupon and one manufacturers coupon on one product to get extra savings.
Case in point, a friend of mine worked this deal last night... She needed diapers for her daughter. She had two manufacturers coupons for $2 off Huggies diaper of any size. I had two Target store coupons $3 off coupon any Huggies diapers. Target had a jumbo pack of diapers on sale for $19.XX. Her first thought was to get the jumbo for $19 and use one of my coupons to take $3 off giving her a total of $16. Once we looked closer, she was able to buy two of the smaller packages which were $9.49 a piece. Then once she used both the manufacturers coupon and the store coupon for $4.49 total for each package. So she paid $9 and got around the same amount of diapers as if she would have bought the jumbo pack!
PS, sometimes the Sunday paper has Target coupons as well.
Monday, August 29, 2011
These Are The Days I Coupon For!
So far, I've saved a nice amount of money with my extreme couponing. If I save 50% or more on my grocery/drug store bill, I'm good. Other people's expectations are not always the same because of the "Extreme Couponing" show. Keep in mind that I do try to get my bills down as cheap as possible, but from watching the show, people expect for a person to be able to get $2,000 of groceries for 59 cents. On a regular basis, this is not the case, but there are those few times where you are able to get some you like for cheap. I've gotten Degree deodorant for 9 cents a piece, feminine hygiene products for 9 cents a box, Colgate toothpaste for 27 cents a tube and now... Dawn dish detergent for totally FREE! Okay, I admit, it wasn't totally free... I had Tao pay 20 cents for the tax! lol 20 cents for 4 bottles of Dawn is really good!
Want to get this deal too? There was a $1.00 off one bottle of Dawn coupon in this past Sunday's paper. There is also one in either this month's Ebony or Essence magazine. Take this coupon(s) to the nearest CVS and get your free Dawn dish detergent too!
PS. You can only use up to 4 of the Dawn coupons per transaction.
Want to get this deal too? There was a $1.00 off one bottle of Dawn coupon in this past Sunday's paper. There is also one in either this month's Ebony or Essence magazine. Take this coupon(s) to the nearest CVS and get your free Dawn dish detergent too!
PS. You can only use up to 4 of the Dawn coupons per transaction.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
A Big Thank You And Answering My First Reader Question!
First, I'd like thank everyone for all the support and well wishes on my blog. It means a lot to me people actual spend their time to read my thoughts. It means so much!
So... I'm quite excited to answer my first question - Where do I get my coupons from. The answer is a number of places....
1. I get the bulk of my coupons from The Washington Post. I spend my time between DC and Baltimore because I live in DC and HE lives right out side of Baltimore. I prefer the Washington Post over the Baltimore Sun. I've learned the two papers have most of the same coupons, but the Washington Post does seem to have a few more than the Baltimore Times from the few times when I bought both papers on the same Sunday. Each week, it depends on what coupons the paper will have that dictates how many papers I'll buy. Most weeks, I buy either 2 or 3 papers every Sunday. If there are going to be a lot of coupons that I really want/need, then I'll buy as many as 5 newspapers. I find out some of the coupons that are going to be in the Sunday paper before hand by looking on websites for couponers that will list them or from my second source for coupons....
2. In my NW, DC neighborhood, we get 2 free papers that are delivered to our homes. The first free paper is the Northwest Current. For the last 2 years, my daughter was a student writer for them. They come out on Wednesdays. There are coupons in the paper every Wednesday that mimic the Sunday Paper coupons, but not all of them are included in this free paper. The second free paper is the Examiner. This paper is also delivered free to our home on Sundays. This coupon section is almost identical to the one that comes out on in the NW Current.
3. There are about 6 or so websites that are for nothing else but coupons. They are national recognized coupons that you can print with your home printer. I don't print too many this way. Some are too good to pass up and not print. A lot of these coupons seem to mimic the coupons already in the Sunday paper.
4. There are so many people who don't coupon, so I get lot of coupons from people giving them to me.
5. I get Ebony and Essence every month. Lo and behold, there were coupons in there this month! That really made my day! Sometimes it's the little things! lol
6. When I go shopping, I've found coupons in my cart. The kind that print at the register because of something else you bought and have to be used at that same store.
7. Stores themselves have different ways of putting out coupons. CVS puts them in their circular in the Sunday paper as does Safeway and a few other stores. CVS will also print you instant coupons at times if scan your bonus card at the red kiosk usually at the front of the store. RiteAid's website has commercials they require you to watch before you are able to print out a coupon using your home printer. Walgreen puts out a monthly coupon book that can be picked up at their store. I really like store coupons because you can use a manufacturers coupon along with the store coupons for extra value. Say I want to buy an item that's normally $7.50 but is on sale for $5. If I have a store coupon for $1 and a manufacturer's coupon for $1, I get that item that's normally $7.50 for $3!
8. I also get some coupons from FB. More and more companies are handing out coupons for "liking" their FB page.
9. Sometimes, there are coupons in the packaging of products I've bought.
I hope this post has helped!
So... I'm quite excited to answer my first question - Where do I get my coupons from. The answer is a number of places....
1. I get the bulk of my coupons from The Washington Post. I spend my time between DC and Baltimore because I live in DC and HE lives right out side of Baltimore. I prefer the Washington Post over the Baltimore Sun. I've learned the two papers have most of the same coupons, but the Washington Post does seem to have a few more than the Baltimore Times from the few times when I bought both papers on the same Sunday. Each week, it depends on what coupons the paper will have that dictates how many papers I'll buy. Most weeks, I buy either 2 or 3 papers every Sunday. If there are going to be a lot of coupons that I really want/need, then I'll buy as many as 5 newspapers. I find out some of the coupons that are going to be in the Sunday paper before hand by looking on websites for couponers that will list them or from my second source for coupons....
2. In my NW, DC neighborhood, we get 2 free papers that are delivered to our homes. The first free paper is the Northwest Current. For the last 2 years, my daughter was a student writer for them. They come out on Wednesdays. There are coupons in the paper every Wednesday that mimic the Sunday Paper coupons, but not all of them are included in this free paper. The second free paper is the Examiner. This paper is also delivered free to our home on Sundays. This coupon section is almost identical to the one that comes out on in the NW Current.
3. There are about 6 or so websites that are for nothing else but coupons. They are national recognized coupons that you can print with your home printer. I don't print too many this way. Some are too good to pass up and not print. A lot of these coupons seem to mimic the coupons already in the Sunday paper.
4. There are so many people who don't coupon, so I get lot of coupons from people giving them to me.
5. I get Ebony and Essence every month. Lo and behold, there were coupons in there this month! That really made my day! Sometimes it's the little things! lol
6. When I go shopping, I've found coupons in my cart. The kind that print at the register because of something else you bought and have to be used at that same store.
7. Stores themselves have different ways of putting out coupons. CVS puts them in their circular in the Sunday paper as does Safeway and a few other stores. CVS will also print you instant coupons at times if scan your bonus card at the red kiosk usually at the front of the store. RiteAid's website has commercials they require you to watch before you are able to print out a coupon using your home printer. Walgreen puts out a monthly coupon book that can be picked up at their store. I really like store coupons because you can use a manufacturers coupon along with the store coupons for extra value. Say I want to buy an item that's normally $7.50 but is on sale for $5. If I have a store coupon for $1 and a manufacturer's coupon for $1, I get that item that's normally $7.50 for $3!
8. I also get some coupons from FB. More and more companies are handing out coupons for "liking" their FB page.
9. Sometimes, there are coupons in the packaging of products I've bought.
I hope this post has helped!
The Binder Method Was The Better Way...
Well, I've gotten my coupon binder together. Took me 3 whole days, but it's finally there. It seemed take forever. There were times when I just wanted to give up organizing it, but I knew I could't go back to the way it was...
I have to say now that it's all organized and all, it's much easier to find the coupons I need. I put them in alphabetical order by the product name. So the coupons for Duracell batteries are filed before the section for Energizer batteries.
All the work organizing paid off. It's so much faster to find coupons as well. I've been shopping a few times since then with my coupons and it's been a much easier and faster experience. AND, no one has given me the "oh, you're a couponer" look. I know it happens because I've read couponers in other states getting those looks from people when they see their coupon binder. Not that these looks would stop me from couponing. No one else pays my bills so....
I have to say now that it's all organized and all, it's much easier to find the coupons I need. I put them in alphabetical order by the product name. So the coupons for Duracell batteries are filed before the section for Energizer batteries.
All the work organizing paid off. It's so much faster to find coupons as well. I've been shopping a few times since then with my coupons and it's been a much easier and faster experience. AND, no one has given me the "oh, you're a couponer" look. I know it happens because I've read couponers in other states getting those looks from people when they see their coupon binder. Not that these looks would stop me from couponing. No one else pays my bills so....
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Being Realistic About Couponing...
The show Extreme Couponing, while having inspired a lot of us to start/restartt using coupons, it's also set a very unrealistic expectation of couponers. People who have watched the show seem see the glitz and the glam of it all that has been put together (and in some cases worked out with the store owner/manager prior to taping of that segment/episode) for the sensationalism of it all...
I guess I'll just come out and say it... It's not normal even with couponing to get 2k worth of merchandise for 6 dollars on a regular basis. Every once in a while, you are able to come out of your favorite stores having saved 90% or more, but more often than not, your percentage will be around 50 - 75%.
As a rule, I try to buy what I know my family will eat/use and save as much as I can while doing it. I'm not going to go to ridiculously extreme measures by buying and stocking 100 cat treats because I got them for free, but I own no cat.
I try my best to be as realistic as possible with my couponing expectations so that I'm not disappointed when I don't measure up to an imaginary bar that's not rooted in real life expectations.
I guess I'll just come out and say it... It's not normal even with couponing to get 2k worth of merchandise for 6 dollars on a regular basis. Every once in a while, you are able to come out of your favorite stores having saved 90% or more, but more often than not, your percentage will be around 50 - 75%.
As a rule, I try to buy what I know my family will eat/use and save as much as I can while doing it. I'm not going to go to ridiculously extreme measures by buying and stocking 100 cat treats because I got them for free, but I own no cat.
I try my best to be as realistic as possible with my couponing expectations so that I'm not disappointed when I don't measure up to an imaginary bar that's not rooted in real life expectations.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
My Coupons Finally Broke Me Down...
When I first decided to get serious about couponing, I did a lot of research about a lot of things... What were the couponing rules and etiquette about couponing. I also wanted to know what methods people used to keep their coupons organized.
On the latter issue, I saw that a lot of people use the binder method. People buy zippered binders and baseball sleeve sheets (the sheets that baseball card collectors use to showcase their baseball cards) and place their coupons in there to make it easier to find later. But that was never going to be me. Even though I was going to get serious about couponing, I was not going to carry around that big binder. Just couldn't imagine carrying around this big huge binder that I couldn't hide my little secret from the world.
I started out with a small free coupon holder that my mother picked up from some event she went to. Within two to three weeks, I had out grown that holder. I went back to my mom who had another of the same coupon holder. Again, within weeks, I had outgrown both coupon holders. I was in denial for a few weeks, but after my coupons falling everywhere in the grocery store TWICE because the holders could not stay closed, I finally decided I needed something bigger.
So.... My next step was to look on Etsy where I found someone who made a purse like contraption. It even came with bigger, more sturdier dividers. It was four inches deep which could surely hold lots of coupons. I love my little coupon purse, but it barely took 6 weeks for me to outgrow the coupon purse.
Now that I've gotten this far, I had 2 choices. Get the 6 inch deep coupon purse... Or... *sigh* Getting the dreaded binder.... It took me 2 more weeks of denial fornthe coupons to wear me down. Today, I did it... I brought a zippered coupon binder and 4 packs of the baseball card sleeves. I at least tried to make it cute and got the zippered binder with a handle and a shoulder strap.
The part of all this that made this not as painful? Finding out the zippered binder was on sale for $4 off it's original price since it's back to school season AND realizing I had a $2 off coupon for the binder as well! Getting $6 off the price I was prepared to pay definitely lessened the blow!
On the latter issue, I saw that a lot of people use the binder method. People buy zippered binders and baseball sleeve sheets (the sheets that baseball card collectors use to showcase their baseball cards) and place their coupons in there to make it easier to find later. But that was never going to be me. Even though I was going to get serious about couponing, I was not going to carry around that big binder. Just couldn't imagine carrying around this big huge binder that I couldn't hide my little secret from the world.
I started out with a small free coupon holder that my mother picked up from some event she went to. Within two to three weeks, I had out grown that holder. I went back to my mom who had another of the same coupon holder. Again, within weeks, I had outgrown both coupon holders. I was in denial for a few weeks, but after my coupons falling everywhere in the grocery store TWICE because the holders could not stay closed, I finally decided I needed something bigger.
So.... My next step was to look on Etsy where I found someone who made a purse like contraption. It even came with bigger, more sturdier dividers. It was four inches deep which could surely hold lots of coupons. I love my little coupon purse, but it barely took 6 weeks for me to outgrow the coupon purse.
Now that I've gotten this far, I had 2 choices. Get the 6 inch deep coupon purse... Or... *sigh* Getting the dreaded binder.... It took me 2 more weeks of denial fornthe coupons to wear me down. Today, I did it... I brought a zippered coupon binder and 4 packs of the baseball card sleeves. I at least tried to make it cute and got the zippered binder with a handle and a shoulder strap.
The part of all this that made this not as painful? Finding out the zippered binder was on sale for $4 off it's original price since it's back to school season AND realizing I had a $2 off coupon for the binder as well! Getting $6 off the price I was prepared to pay definitely lessened the blow!
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Hi My Name is Keisha....
...and I'm addicted to couponing... *whew* Now that I've gotten that out the way, I feel So much better!
So now that I've admitted to the truth, I can tell you a little about me. I'm a single mother who is in the middle of a career change. That means every penny counts. I don't see going back though once my circumstance change. No I will never again go into the grocery store and buy something without first looking at the sales paper as well as what coupons I have to get the best deals possible. For me, it's all about freeing up as much money as I can wherever I can so that I can spend that money for something else that would probably be out of my reach.
I have to admit, couponing for me is FUN! I absolutely enjoyed walking into Harris Teether today and walking out with $75 worth of merchandise for $14.71! (I'll try to post pics and give a summary later...)
I've heard it all about couponing and every reason not to coupon. How coupons are just for processed foods. How it takes too much time and energy. For me, I take it all in stride. I know that those stereotypes were true in the past, but as time as gone on and as our eating tastes has changed, so has the coupons manufacturers are putting out. There are even coupons now geared towards people who want to eat healthier and/or organic!
My reason for creating this blog is to share information on my couponing journey. I got the idea to name this blog, "And He Said I Couldn't Do It!" after my sweetheart and a conversation we had today. See, my sister and I are talking about hosting two Redskins /Dallas football parties this football season. I think with couponing and the event being a few weeks out, I believe I can buy all the food items needed for $30. He has his doubts. While he said it wasn't a challenge, I surely felt that way. So, "And He Said I Couldn't Do It!" was born!
So now that I've admitted to the truth, I can tell you a little about me. I'm a single mother who is in the middle of a career change. That means every penny counts. I don't see going back though once my circumstance change. No I will never again go into the grocery store and buy something without first looking at the sales paper as well as what coupons I have to get the best deals possible. For me, it's all about freeing up as much money as I can wherever I can so that I can spend that money for something else that would probably be out of my reach.
I have to admit, couponing for me is FUN! I absolutely enjoyed walking into Harris Teether today and walking out with $75 worth of merchandise for $14.71! (I'll try to post pics and give a summary later...)
I've heard it all about couponing and every reason not to coupon. How coupons are just for processed foods. How it takes too much time and energy. For me, I take it all in stride. I know that those stereotypes were true in the past, but as time as gone on and as our eating tastes has changed, so has the coupons manufacturers are putting out. There are even coupons now geared towards people who want to eat healthier and/or organic!
My reason for creating this blog is to share information on my couponing journey. I got the idea to name this blog, "And He Said I Couldn't Do It!" after my sweetheart and a conversation we had today. See, my sister and I are talking about hosting two Redskins /Dallas football parties this football season. I think with couponing and the event being a few weeks out, I believe I can buy all the food items needed for $30. He has his doubts. While he said it wasn't a challenge, I surely felt that way. So, "And He Said I Couldn't Do It!" was born!
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