How I Live Without the Sunday Paper
Thursday, February 26, 2009 Posted by Christina
I used to get the Sunday paper delivered to my house. Then I did some math. I was paying the same amount as if I had bought it at the grocery store or gas station. When I got that paper I felt I had to go and buy the “great deals” that were advertised. So, I called and canceled my subscription. While I missed the routine of getting in the paper, I found many ways to find info I needed for the week.
TV schedule
I don’t have cable so I only need to know what is on the free channels. The website TitanTV lets you put in your zip code and shows you what is on TV in your area. I don’t look more than a day in advance and have found myself watching less TV.
Sale Flyers
Target and Kohls (and most other places) have a link on their web page to their weekly sale flyer. You can look at them there without having to recycle all that extra paper. Some sites even have coupons or free sample offers, too.
Grocery Store Flyers
This was a little trickier. One of the local stores has “store coupons” in the paper a long with their ad. I found that by going to their website, I was able to print them off instead of cutting them out of the paper.
The other stores in the area put their flyers on the websites just like Target. If they have a coupon in the insert, I can pick one up in the store when I get there.
Coupons
I found that most of the items I had coupons for were items I didn’t buy. Either the store brand was cheaper or it was something I could live without. However, I love the coupons I print off the Internet. If you are new to this site or internet coupons, please use the “Coupons” link at the top of this page, visit the blue box on the right sidebar of this page or just type in “coupons” in a search engine and you will be amazed!
Weather
www.noaa.gov. Need I say more?
The News
I found that the weekend news wasn’t news. It was mostly just fluff. If the nightly news and NPR’s morning edition can’t fill me in on the information I need, I don’t need to know.
If you love your paper, don’t give it up! There is something wonderful about turning the pages and smelling the ink. However, if it’s not something you are in love with it might be worth it to save the money for something you do love.
~ Guest Blogger Susan
Be sure to check out these other great posts from Guest Blogger Susan.
photo credit: Brit.
February 26, 2009 8:38 AM
We have never had a subscription to the paper at our house. Most of it comes down to if I want to read it I either go to the library or I no my in-laws or my parents get it. As to the rest the stores always have their ads online and for that matter our local paper is published online.
The need for a physical piece of material in the house does not justify the cost.
February 26, 2009 9:09 AM
Yeah, with easy availability of information out there (internet & other resources) I can see why a lot of newspapers are struggling to keep a float. People are just too digital these days...and more resourceful.
February 26, 2009 9:15 AM
I buy the Sunday paper at my gas station strictly for the coupons.
Since I started using coupons the correct way (Bargain Briana has great articles for coupon beginners) I have seen my food bill cut in half or more each trip even though I always bought sales and store brands before and cook mostly from scratch, and I have been able to start my stockpile of necessities like shampoo, body wash and soap, facial tissue, toilet tissue, cereal, etc.
The items in my stockpile have cost me $1 or less. Some have even been free. My husband commented that we are getting more food for less money, and it's the name brand stuff. You really can buy name brands for much cheaper than store brands when you use the right techniques and timing.
Anyway, all of that was to say that while I do not subscribe to the newspaper, the cost of purchasing a paper each Sunday is more than made up for by my grocery savings.
February 26, 2009 10:18 AM
I buy the Sunday paper for the coupons and TV listings. I have an old slow computer so it's not always convenient or time effective to print coupons or try to look up TV listings. I figure I use enough coupons to cover the $1.20 I pay for the paper.
February 27, 2009 6:39 PM
I used to think that coupons just did what you said....make you buy things you never use. Until I started to really get into using them. I match the coupons I have with the weekly sales at a local grocery store that doubles coupons up to 99 cents. Those 75 cent off coupons suddenly become $1.50 off an item! Today I got 4 free bottles of suave shampoo and Satin Care shaving gel for .90 cents a piece! Free Colgate toothpaste.
I paid $13.79 out of pocket and saved 66% off my bill! (Or I saved $25.84)
I may take some time and effort to use coupons but I have saved almost $700 in 5 weeks of using them!
I also get 2 Sunday papers and I use a site called A Full Cup (Free to sign up!) to get the weekly deals that have coupons.
February 27, 2009 7:52 PM
Weather:
Less clicking to get the same place.... weather.gov
by going to noaa.gov, you have to click an extra link...
March 1, 2009 5:05 AM
What a great post! I tried the tv and weather links, and they are super sites. Thanks!
~Susan
March 1, 2009 5:20 AM
I just blogged about this post! Perfect reading for a Sunday morning.
~Susan
March 2, 2009 2:55 PM
I don't subscribe to the local paper for all those reasons. I subscibe only to the New York Times Sunday paper to get REAL news. And I read a section every day so it's like a week's worth of real news.