how do you save so much?

[SavingInLakewood]

I make lots, ok TONS, of quick trips on my way in to work and on my way home. This AM between 2 store, I did:

12 boxes Kraft mac n cheese
8 Planters nuts and choc trail mix
1 Rubbermaid container

Total: $2.18 + I got back a $2 CAT coupon for my next trip!

I'll repeat on my way home at those same two stores. To stop at the 2 stores, it takes about an extra 20 mins, but totally worth it IMO. The $2 CAT will roll right on into the next order so when I get home, I'll have:

24 msc n cheese
16 planters
2 Rubbermaids and will at the most have spent $2.50 today.

Remember, typically only a few items will be cheap or free any given week. Stock pile as much as you can. For example, after a couple more trips I will be set on Mac n Cheese and trail mix for several months.

The other day I had a $64 order go down to $3, but that was a rare ocassional for me. One time my KMART did doubles (they only have twice this year) so my $250 total went to $30. Again, RARE for me.

I will venture to saw most couponers do LOTS of little trips rather than one or two big trips a week.

Finally note: Hubbies often don't talk the fine details of couponing. Its a language they don't know. When I get home today, my hubby will see all my above from today and I'll tell him I only paid $2.xx. He knows about the little freq trips, matching sales, doubles, etc...I don't bother trying to tell "the story." Now if he talks to a friend or fam, he'll say, "my wife got 24 XX and 16 YY all for only $2.XX. So that person hears that I got "24 XX and 16 YY all for only $2." This could have been what you were told when the wife paid $20 for $200 of stuff. See what I mean?

[suzyqs]

Originally Posted by angela2678

Buying two papers a week won't do it. When there's a coupon that will make a staple free (like pasta), you have to have a lot of them.

How many papers a week do I need to buy in order to get a good stockpile going? Thanks!

[angela2678]

Originally Posted by suzyqs

How many papers a week do I need to buy in order to get a good stockpile going? Thanks!

What I do is go to the store and flip through the inserts (we have three big papers in my area, and they all have different Qs). That's how I decide how many of each paper to buy. I buy a minimum of 4-6 and usually 10-12, but that's in part because I do a lot of donating. I do go "browsing for deals" specifically to find things I can get for free/nearly free to donate. You can also check eBay for coupon-clipping services if there is a specific Q that you need.

[suzyqs]

Originally Posted by angela2678

I buy a minimum of 4-6 and usually 10-12, but that's in part because I do a lot of donating.

OK Thanks, I have been buying 3 a week, but I think I am going to up it to 6 this Sunday. Wish I would have had more last week with the Electrasol deal, but live and learn I guess, that's why I like this forum so much!

[cranra28]

Originally Posted by suzyqs

OK Thanks, I have been buying 3 a week, but I think I am going to up it to 6 this Sunday. Wish I would have had more last week with the Electrasol deal, but live and learn I guess, that's why I like this forum so much!

I only buy 3 a week and trade for others I need. I often find that 25% of my coupons are things I don't need or use. I just find it easier to trade for specifics than have to deal with that many inserts.

[kodasmom]

Originally Posted by cranra28

I only buy 3 a week and trade for others I need. I often find that 25% of my coupons are things I don't need or use. I just find it easier to trade for specifics than have to deal with that many inserts.

I buy 2 papers a week and I have found it easier to trade for the coupons that I need. Coupon Trains are great as well. I have also been stockpiling my Q's from ebay... It seems to help a bunch.

The only issue I have is actually sitting down to create the spreadsheet for the trade.. LOL

My fur kids and girls keep me pretty busy

[Sylvia]

Originally Posted by suzyqs

This isn't my post, but I wanted to ask, exactly how many papers do you buy? The first month I started with two and am now getting three a week thinking I should have had more than that this week? My DH is thinking I need a 12 step program after I brought home 9 shampoo/conditioners after the CVS and Kmart deals this week

Sometimes men just don't get it at first. Mine went through that too but a few stern looks and a few awesome freebie runs stopped that right away. Now he comes to ask if I have Q's or if I have a stash of something.... yesterday it was batteries. LOL

I think "MOM" says to buy 2 per person in your family. I tend to peruse (heh! college word!!) the Sunday paper I get delivered then decide if I want more papers. If there is a great set of Q's I tend to buy 4-5 more... but I have bought up to 11 more. This past week I got 3 more papers to get the Finish $2.50 off coupon. But other than that... I really didn't need anything else in the paper (yet)

OH and btw Suzy... Walmart usually has Sunday papers all week. So you probably could get more should you find you need extra Q's

[angela2678]

I never just buy a big stack of papers...I go thru it first to see. For me, the coupon trains and the trading seem like giant hassles...I suspect that a lot of the Qs I want are the same ones that other families want, and it seems like a lot of time spent messaging and dealing for trades. And I never know what I'll end up using--at Wegman's grand opening, they had full-size St. Ives body wash for $1.50 each--and I had 20 Qs for $1.50 off any St. Ives body product. I didn't think I'd ever use them (so I might have traded them away), but I ended up getting 20 bottles of body wash to donate to the homeless shelter.

Also, because I stack/staple/chop the inserts, it takes almost no time to cut everything out and file into my binders. I do buy on eBay when there is a staple item that will be free; sometimes that makes more sense than buying a whole paper just for one Q.

[bnkkey]

Sometimes men just don't get it at first. Mine went through that too but a few stern looks and a few awesome freebie runs stopped that right away. Now he comes to ask if I have Q's or if I have a stash of something.... yesterday it was batteries. LOL (Quote from Sylvia)

I hear you Sylvia....My dh finally has most of it down...though he was still shocked when I got his favorite Gillette Fusion razor for free yesterday!!! He said" I paid 15.00 for mine a month ago." So today I went and bought two more!!! LOL Can't wait to see his face when he gets home!

And I buy two papers a week,then I have friends and family who give me thiers and if there is a certain coupon I want alot of ,I will trade with my other couponmoms or buy on ebay or a clipperservice.

[mariax2]

Ditto to all of the advice you receive here. I am new to this iste and learning a lot so far.

I live in Florida and we do not have any store that double-triple coupons, but I continue to use store and manufacturer coupon for item, like today I saved 49% at Publix on Stayfree pads, it was the best deal of my city. I asked the veterans and somebody told me in other state the pads were $1.00, but we do not have that store. Anyway, I am happy!!

Good luck is fun!

Mariax2