In the last 3 posts I showed you what and where to get huge discounts on groceries, toiletries, and household items. This blog is mainly about groceries but I wanted to share with you what other consumer items you can get cheap and what time of year is the best time to get them.
Here is that list broken down by month.
January
*Winter Coats and other winter clothing
*Up to 90% off Christmas decorations
*Outdoor items such as bicycles and sports equipment
*Real Estate, prices creep up in Spring
*Boats, usually last years models
February
*Winter clothing
*Valentines Day items, usually up to 90% off
March
*Dishes such as fine china
*Video games
April
*Electronics
*Vacations, book early for summer (in a later chapter I will show you how to travel up to an 80% discount)
May
*Small appliances on sale usually after Mother's Day
*Bath towels
June
*Tools, after Father's Day will net a better discount
July
*This is the start of really cheap deals for school supplies
*Fourth of July decorations
*Large appliances such as washer/dryers and refrigerators
August
*Summer toys and pool equipment
*Flip flops and other summer footwear
*Patio Furniture and other garden items
*Computers for school (TIP: purchase on the national no sales tax day for extra savings)
September
*Additional summer items but above ground pools and inflatable one's provide a deeper discount
*Summer clothes, up to 75% discount
*BBQ Grills
October
*Home improvement store items, lawn mowers seem to be best
*BBQ Grills
*Summer Trees and plants (make sure it's safe to plant in your zone)
November
*Halloween items, first week after Halloween
*Puzzles and games for the holiday season
December
*Christmas decorations and holiday items after Christmas
*Wedding dresses
*Cars
*BBQ Grills
Happy Deal Hunting!
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Where Can I Get More Free Coupons?
There are a ton of places on the internet to get FREE coupons, however this blog is about grocery coupons. The best places to go are to the websites that stuff inserts in your local Sunday paper.
You can do a Google or Yahoo search or go to these two websites:
*Click here for RED PLUM
*Click here for SMARTSOURCE
For the General Mills, Proctor & Gamble, and other manufacturer coupons you can visit this website below.
Tip: These websites require you to download printing software. This also keeps track of how many of each coupon you print. Usually you will be only able to print one or two of each of the one's you choose.
Remember...if you have any questions please feel free to email me or use the comment section.
HAPPY COUPONING!
You can do a Google or Yahoo search or go to these two websites:
*Click here for RED PLUM
*Click here for SMARTSOURCE
For the General Mills, Proctor & Gamble, and other manufacturer coupons you can visit this website below.
Tip: These websites require you to download printing software. This also keeps track of how many of each coupon you print. Usually you will be only able to print one or two of each of the one's you choose.
Remember...if you have any questions please feel free to email me or use the comment section.
HAPPY COUPONING!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Where To Use All Your Coupons
You have spent minutes or hours cutting coupons. So, where do you use them and how do you know what to buy and when?
There tends to be trends on what goes on sale and what coupons are printed depending on the time of year. Here is a brief overview of what and when:
January
*Diet Foods
*Cereal and Breads
*Teas
February
*Candy (before V-Day and up to 80% off a few days after)
*canned foods
*snack food
*Heart healthy products
March
*Frozen foods
April
*Eggs
*Hams
*Lamb
*Kosher and Passover foods
*Asparagus
*Whole grain and soy products
*Leafy green vegetables
May
*Paper goods (plates, cups)
*Barbecue items
*Soda
*Berries
June
*Dairy items (cheese, yogurt, ice cream)
July
*Hot dogs
*More barbecue items and condiments
*Baked Beans, pickles
August
*Fresh produce
September
*Breakfast items
October
*Halloween candy (a few days after up to 80% off)
*Wine
*Pizza and pasta
November
*Turkey
*Stuffing, canned items (soup, veggies, cranberries, etc.)
*Baking items (sugar, flour, etc.)
December
*Baking items
*Champagne
What kind of savings can you expect? Here are a couple items I saved on with my trip to HyVee last night, July 12, 2010:
*Kelloggs Froot Loops, Rice Crispies, and Frosted Flakes (24 oz box)
Original Price: $3.98
Sale Price: $1.98
Coupon: $1.25/3 (Red Plum,$1.25 off 3 boxes)
Final Price: $1.56 per box
% Saved: 61%
BONUS:FREE coupon printed at checkout for 1000 Nintendo DSi Points
*Oral B CrossAction Toothbrush
Original Price: $4.29
Sale Price: $2.99
Coupon: $2.00 (P&G,$2.00 off one)
Final Price: $.99
% Saved: 77%
*Marcal Small Steps Paper Towels
Original Price: $2.39
Sale Price: 3/$4
Coupon: $1.00 (Smartsource,$1.00 off one)
Final Price: .34
% Saved: 86%
TIP: You can combine a store coupon with a manufacturer coupon for even more savings and sometimes free.
These above examples are NOT unrealistic.This happens every week. So you can see if you purchase more than one paper, purchase through a coupon clipping service, or print free coupons from the internet, you can "stockpile" (something kept back or saved for future use or a special purpose) therefore saving you a lot of money over time.
How do you know what and when? There a a couple of ways to do this. My preference is the second of these two examples as it saves me a ton of time for a small fee (Isn't your time worth some money?)
1. Get sales circulars from your paper or favorite grocery store. Skim through the ads and figure out what's on sale and what coupons you have.
*This strategy is very time consuming and because the stores will have many unadvertised specials within the store you may miss a lot of good deals.
Who wants to spend hours walking down the isles with your coupon box trying to find
the deals.
Trust me, I did this when I first started using coupons and it was time consuming and very frustrating.
2. Use a service that finds the good discounts for you.
*This strategy is a downright a blessing! Not only did it save me hours of precious time that I could be spending with my family, but I found out where ALL the best coupon discounts and cheap deals are.
This service is Nationwide and covers more than one store. Most likely your grocery store is on their list since many of them are chains.
Did you know that you could buy groceries at your local drugstore? Oh, yes! Stores such as Rite Aid, Walgreens, and CVS are also included in this service.
Where do you get this service? How much does it cost?
The good news is you can try it out for $1 for 4 weeks. I can find that under the cushions in my couch!
The cost after the trial period is: 1 store membership is $10 every 8 weeks. That works out to about $1.25 per week. A 2 store membership is $15 every 8 weeks, a 3 store membership is $20 every 8 weeks and so on.
If you decide to subscribe please put my email address as the referrer (tracyenos2008@yahoo.com). I get FREE weeks for every three people I refer. You can do this too.
To check this service out GO HERE.
Happy Couponing!
There tends to be trends on what goes on sale and what coupons are printed depending on the time of year. Here is a brief overview of what and when:
January
*Diet Foods
*Cereal and Breads
*Teas
February
*Candy (before V-Day and up to 80% off a few days after)
*canned foods
*snack food
*Heart healthy products
March
*Frozen foods
April
*Eggs
*Hams
*Lamb
*Kosher and Passover foods
*Asparagus
*Whole grain and soy products
*Leafy green vegetables
May
*Paper goods (plates, cups)
*Barbecue items
*Soda
*Berries
June
*Dairy items (cheese, yogurt, ice cream)
July
*Hot dogs
*More barbecue items and condiments
*Baked Beans, pickles
August
*Fresh produce
September
*Breakfast items
October
*Halloween candy (a few days after up to 80% off)
*Wine
*Pizza and pasta
November
*Turkey
*Stuffing, canned items (soup, veggies, cranberries, etc.)
*Baking items (sugar, flour, etc.)
December
*Baking items
*Champagne
What kind of savings can you expect? Here are a couple items I saved on with my trip to HyVee last night, July 12, 2010:
*Kelloggs Froot Loops, Rice Crispies, and Frosted Flakes (24 oz box)
Original Price: $3.98
Sale Price: $1.98
Coupon: $1.25/3 (Red Plum,$1.25 off 3 boxes)
Final Price: $1.56 per box
% Saved: 61%
BONUS:FREE coupon printed at checkout for 1000 Nintendo DSi Points
*Oral B CrossAction Toothbrush
Original Price: $4.29
Sale Price: $2.99
Coupon: $2.00 (P&G,$2.00 off one)
Final Price: $.99
% Saved: 77%
*Marcal Small Steps Paper Towels
Original Price: $2.39
Sale Price: 3/$4
Coupon: $1.00 (Smartsource,$1.00 off one)
Final Price: .34
% Saved: 86%
TIP: You can combine a store coupon with a manufacturer coupon for even more savings and sometimes free.
These above examples are NOT unrealistic.This happens every week. So you can see if you purchase more than one paper, purchase through a coupon clipping service, or print free coupons from the internet, you can "stockpile" (something kept back or saved for future use or a special purpose) therefore saving you a lot of money over time.
How do you know what and when? There a a couple of ways to do this. My preference is the second of these two examples as it saves me a ton of time for a small fee (Isn't your time worth some money?)
1. Get sales circulars from your paper or favorite grocery store. Skim through the ads and figure out what's on sale and what coupons you have.
*This strategy is very time consuming and because the stores will have many unadvertised specials within the store you may miss a lot of good deals.
Who wants to spend hours walking down the isles with your coupon box trying to find
the deals.
Trust me, I did this when I first started using coupons and it was time consuming and very frustrating.
2. Use a service that finds the good discounts for you.
*This strategy is a downright a blessing! Not only did it save me hours of precious time that I could be spending with my family, but I found out where ALL the best coupon discounts and cheap deals are.
This service is Nationwide and covers more than one store. Most likely your grocery store is on their list since many of them are chains.
Did you know that you could buy groceries at your local drugstore? Oh, yes! Stores such as Rite Aid, Walgreens, and CVS are also included in this service.
Where do you get this service? How much does it cost?
The good news is you can try it out for $1 for 4 weeks. I can find that under the cushions in my couch!
The cost after the trial period is: 1 store membership is $10 every 8 weeks. That works out to about $1.25 per week. A 2 store membership is $15 every 8 weeks, a 3 store membership is $20 every 8 weeks and so on.
If you decide to subscribe please put my email address as the referrer (tracyenos2008@yahoo.com). I get FREE weeks for every three people I refer. You can do this too.
To check this service out GO HERE.
Happy Couponing!
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Filing and Sorting Manufacturer Coupons
Okay, now you have a pile of coupons, so what do you do with them?
In my experience there are a couple of ways you can do this. Keep in mind that this may not work for you and you will find the best way that works for you with some trial and error.
Here are a couple of ways to sort and store your coupons:
1. Use a coupon box. This is the best box I have found and will last a long time. We had a house fire in March 2005 and I replaced this box and still have it.
The expense is about $25 and is well worth it. It comes with dividers already labeled and there are a couple blank ones to add your own.
To purchase the coupon box GO HERE. This is also a great resource for other cheap deals and coupons, but I will talk more about this later.
2. Tear off sheets and staple them with dates. Simply tear the sheets and match them with the other coupon sections and write the section name (i.e. Red Plum, Smartsource) and date it.
I tried this and it was too much for me to handle trying to find the coupons I needed for that shopping trip. This method takes a lot less prep time but I think you make up for that when trying to locate the coupons
Happy Couponing!
In my experience there are a couple of ways you can do this. Keep in mind that this may not work for you and you will find the best way that works for you with some trial and error.
Here are a couple of ways to sort and store your coupons:
1. Use a coupon box. This is the best box I have found and will last a long time. We had a house fire in March 2005 and I replaced this box and still have it.
The expense is about $25 and is well worth it. It comes with dividers already labeled and there are a couple blank ones to add your own.
To purchase the coupon box GO HERE. This is also a great resource for other cheap deals and coupons, but I will talk more about this later.
2. Tear off sheets and staple them with dates. Simply tear the sheets and match them with the other coupon sections and write the section name (i.e. Red Plum, Smartsource) and date it.
I tried this and it was too much for me to handle trying to find the coupons I needed for that shopping trip. This method takes a lot less prep time but I think you make up for that when trying to locate the coupons
Happy Couponing!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
How To Save 40% to 80% Using Grocery Coupons
Like many of you, my family was hit hard with the recession and I needed a way to trim the fat from my budget.
In late 2008 I was let go from my comfortable job as a Loan Officer, working from home, after almost 5 years with the company. Now this might not seem like a big deal to some of you but this was the last leg of Murphy's Law. You know, "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong" and usually comes in 3's.
Prior to the layoff I found out my now ex-husband was having an affair with our babysitter after 10 years of marriage and two boys (I know, sounds like a Jerry Springer show!), and because of this stress I lost 18 lbs. in 4 weeks which in turn made my gallbladder quit working resulting in emergency surgery.
Now, I'm not much of a complainer but more of a "figure-outer" and I truly believe life won't give you what you can't handle.
I had been using grocery coupons since 2005 but had taken a hiatus because the family income had grown to a comfortable level. Because of the above chain of events I now had to go back and recall what I had been doing all those years to save 50% or more on my grocery budget.
The key to buying groceries cheaply is to use manufacturer coupons found in your local Sunday paper. The main coupons sections are Red Plum, Smartsource, P&G, and General Mills.
You will be able to find just about everything your family uses from food, medicines, toiletries, cleaners, and other household items. Depending on the size of your family you may want to purchase 2 or 3 papers. This will give you enough coupons so you can stockpile popular items that you use most frequently.
Clipping coupons is not for everyone. I usually take about 45 minutes on Sunday to clip and sort all the grocery coupons. It used to take me a lot longer in the beginning but I now have it down to a science, and the kids are old enough to help out too.
There are times, however, that life gets in the way or I want more of an item or two. In this case I use a great service. This service clips the coupons of your choice and ships them to your home. There is a small handling fee but it is well worth it.
If you want to find out more Click Here:
In late 2008 I was let go from my comfortable job as a Loan Officer, working from home, after almost 5 years with the company. Now this might not seem like a big deal to some of you but this was the last leg of Murphy's Law. You know, "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong" and usually comes in 3's.
Prior to the layoff I found out my now ex-husband was having an affair with our babysitter after 10 years of marriage and two boys (I know, sounds like a Jerry Springer show!), and because of this stress I lost 18 lbs. in 4 weeks which in turn made my gallbladder quit working resulting in emergency surgery.
Now, I'm not much of a complainer but more of a "figure-outer" and I truly believe life won't give you what you can't handle.
I had been using grocery coupons since 2005 but had taken a hiatus because the family income had grown to a comfortable level. Because of the above chain of events I now had to go back and recall what I had been doing all those years to save 50% or more on my grocery budget.
The key to buying groceries cheaply is to use manufacturer coupons found in your local Sunday paper. The main coupons sections are Red Plum, Smartsource, P&G, and General Mills.
You will be able to find just about everything your family uses from food, medicines, toiletries, cleaners, and other household items. Depending on the size of your family you may want to purchase 2 or 3 papers. This will give you enough coupons so you can stockpile popular items that you use most frequently.
Clipping coupons is not for everyone. I usually take about 45 minutes on Sunday to clip and sort all the grocery coupons. It used to take me a lot longer in the beginning but I now have it down to a science, and the kids are old enough to help out too.
There are times, however, that life gets in the way or I want more of an item or two. In this case I use a great service. This service clips the coupons of your choice and ships them to your home. There is a small handling fee but it is well worth it.
If you want to find out more Click Here:
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