I've always used coupons and enjoyed shopping for the best sale. Once I bought a dress in Kaufmanns (before it was Macy's) for $9.99. It was a $120 Evan Picone little black dress. When I checked out, I had the clerk double check the price and bought the dress on the assumption that some day I would wear it. It was probably the best $9.99 I've ever spent.
Watching the show "Extreme Couponig" made me feel like a slacker. Sure, I couponed but I didn't get items for free and I only bought items when I needed them. I started by saving all coupons, even if it was for products I've never tried. My mom saved me her newspaper coupons so I had three Sunday coupon inserts per week, plus the weekly ones that come in the mail. I cut out all of the coupons, and organized them in a Dollar Store plastic binder/envelope. I wasn't ready for the full size binder organizer yet. On Sunday's, I would check out the CVS, Target, RiteAid and Walgreen ads. I looked first for any free items in those ads. Then any items that I had coupons for and maybe had in-store rebates. I found it frustrating to shop at the stores weekly though. There was a shelf clearer in my area who would shop in Sunday's and clear the shelf of all of the really good sale products. I found that if I waited until Thursday or Friday, the stores would be re-stocked. I did this for a few weeks until I realized I was becoming obsessed.
My stockpile began to grow and we started trying products we've never used. Some things were tried and never used again and some became favorites. I had enough body wash to last a year. Now I only go to one of the stores per week depending on what I need and what is on sale.
In researching couponing, I did find some really good websites. Some of my favorites are http://www.thekrazycoupnlady.com/. If you sign up, you can receive a daily email with updated coupons, sales and rebates. Some others are grocerycouponnetwork.com and coupons.com.
I watched this season's latest coupon show about the Ultimate Couponer. What bothers me about these shows are that they are unrealistic shopping. I know I still have to buy milk, produce and meat on a weekly basis. But if you watch these shows, they never do. Also, I wish they would show how they save other places, like on clothes, furniture, etc, but they don't. On one of last season's shows, they talked about how a woman planned and bought for her sister's wedding but they only showed the food purchases. I think they should do a show on how to save on other wedding items.
So what did I do with some of my extreme purchases? Some we used. Some items I donated to the food bank. We really don't need 10 boxes of pasta. The food banks are always looking for products. They will also take health and beauty products. Some of the free toothpaste I've accumulated has gone there also. My mom belongs to a women's group that send packages to the troops overseas. Alot of the personal care products have been donated to them.
Most expired coupons can be donated to the military http://thekrazycouponlady.com/coupons-for-military/.
So, ultimately, I've learned to watch the ads, cut coupons that I'll use, and buy what I need or can donate. Besides, I'm not going to spend 30-40 hours a week on couponing. I'd like to think I have better things to do with my life.
Until next time, when I continue the rantings and ravings of a mom of an
American Dream Family.....
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