So after my last post I got some good input, and spent time searching through different blogs and couponing sites (although mainly Southern Savers). Overall, my thoughts are that they do save money. They can save you a lot of money. However, I have hit some bumps along the way, which are:
1. To make the most out of coupons, you need space. I don't have it. Our duplex is a little over 850 sq feet (don't quote me on that, but I think that's what it is), and we have really, really limited storage space. The best way to stretch your dollar with most coupons is to buy several items at once and stockpile them. However, in this season of life, I am just not able to do that. (Unless I want to get on the show Extreme Hoaders, which I don't).
2. It takes a lot of time, and I'm still not totally sure I want to pay for a subscription to a paper. However, I am looking at online coupon sources, particularly at items I will use. I also was advised that sometimes you can get the adds out of newspapers at certain businesses (like Starbucks) that they are just going to put in the recycle bin anyway. Haven't tried that yet, but I will soon.
3. There are just a lot of coupons out there that I will never use. So sorting through a lot sometimes feels like a waste of time. I have, though, found some great coupons on things that I like and usually do buy, or wouldn't usually because of the price. (Example: Kashi has some good coupons right now, and their crackers were on sale to begin with and I had a dollar off coupon. I wouldn't usually buy those, but I did). It is pretty rare though to find good organic coupons.
4. You can be tempted to buy stuff you don't really need or want just because it's a good deal. (Do I really need that organic cereal when I can just buy whole oats for much cheaper? That one got me this past week. Oops.) By just sticking to your list and what you need it is easily avoided.
5. Often the HEB brand price is just as good or lower than the name brand with the coupon. Generally everything I've tried from them I've liked, even diapers. The same may be true of other stores, I just haven't shopped at them as much. I did go to Walmart to do some price and item comparisons and got a couple items there. Basically, my biggest bummer was that they had no organic produce, fresh or frozen. I may do my basic essentials shopping there and do produce at HEB; I'll have to compare prices and see.
I think those were all my bumps, but all in all I have saved some money the past couple weeks by couponing. My first shopping trip (which is one of those weird weeks where it has two months in it...so not all of it is technically Sept) I was so excited because I paid $91 for everything. But then I was bummed when I remembered Q needed more teething biscuits, and we ran out of bananas by the end of the week, and I needed a side dish for a potluck dinner that I hadn't planned on, so my end total was more like $100. However, that is exactly my budget, so it's ok. On a not so great note, this week I was $14 over my budget! :( I didn't do as good with entering everything into the calculator, and it was just one of those weeks where some bigger items hit at once. Bummer. Oh well, I'm learning. The money will just come out of the eating out budget, but I don't want that to be a constant fall back. Next week will be better! I've been following a site that I really like about eating "poorganically." She has some good tips.
So for those of you who are actually reading this and just really want to see cute pics of Q, thank you for reading my ramblings! I am going through hundreds (literally) of pics from our Canada trip, and hopefully should have that post done soon.
Also, at the end of the day I just want to say that God is my provider and He has given me more than I need. I am blessed and am thankful.
1. To make the most out of coupons, you need space. I don't have it. Our duplex is a little over 850 sq feet (don't quote me on that, but I think that's what it is), and we have really, really limited storage space. The best way to stretch your dollar with most coupons is to buy several items at once and stockpile them. However, in this season of life, I am just not able to do that. (Unless I want to get on the show Extreme Hoaders, which I don't).
2. It takes a lot of time, and I'm still not totally sure I want to pay for a subscription to a paper. However, I am looking at online coupon sources, particularly at items I will use. I also was advised that sometimes you can get the adds out of newspapers at certain businesses (like Starbucks) that they are just going to put in the recycle bin anyway. Haven't tried that yet, but I will soon.
3. There are just a lot of coupons out there that I will never use. So sorting through a lot sometimes feels like a waste of time. I have, though, found some great coupons on things that I like and usually do buy, or wouldn't usually because of the price. (Example: Kashi has some good coupons right now, and their crackers were on sale to begin with and I had a dollar off coupon. I wouldn't usually buy those, but I did). It is pretty rare though to find good organic coupons.
4. You can be tempted to buy stuff you don't really need or want just because it's a good deal. (Do I really need that organic cereal when I can just buy whole oats for much cheaper? That one got me this past week. Oops.) By just sticking to your list and what you need it is easily avoided.
5. Often the HEB brand price is just as good or lower than the name brand with the coupon. Generally everything I've tried from them I've liked, even diapers. The same may be true of other stores, I just haven't shopped at them as much. I did go to Walmart to do some price and item comparisons and got a couple items there. Basically, my biggest bummer was that they had no organic produce, fresh or frozen. I may do my basic essentials shopping there and do produce at HEB; I'll have to compare prices and see.
I think those were all my bumps, but all in all I have saved some money the past couple weeks by couponing. My first shopping trip (which is one of those weird weeks where it has two months in it...so not all of it is technically Sept) I was so excited because I paid $91 for everything. But then I was bummed when I remembered Q needed more teething biscuits, and we ran out of bananas by the end of the week, and I needed a side dish for a potluck dinner that I hadn't planned on, so my end total was more like $100. However, that is exactly my budget, so it's ok. On a not so great note, this week I was $14 over my budget! :( I didn't do as good with entering everything into the calculator, and it was just one of those weeks where some bigger items hit at once. Bummer. Oh well, I'm learning. The money will just come out of the eating out budget, but I don't want that to be a constant fall back. Next week will be better! I've been following a site that I really like about eating "poorganically." She has some good tips.
So for those of you who are actually reading this and just really want to see cute pics of Q, thank you for reading my ramblings! I am going through hundreds (literally) of pics from our Canada trip, and hopefully should have that post done soon.
Also, at the end of the day I just want to say that God is my provider and He has given me more than I need. I am blessed and am thankful.
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