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How I Shop: A Tutorial for Saving On The Basics

Every so often, people ask me how I am able to save so much money on everyday items. Sometimes it's the patient customer behind me in line, and other times, it is the sales clerk. Sometimes it's a curious friend. But they always want to know how I do it.

Well, there's no quick answer. And there's no easy answer. There are no get-rich-quick ideas here. It's a combination of hard work and passion. Saving money is truly a thrill of mine. I love the rush I get from saving 20, 30 or 60 percent on my grocery bill. I love getting free or next to free items.

So, I've decided to put together a little tutorial for saving money on groceries, personal care items, and household supplies.

First off, recognize that this will take some time. I've been doing this frugal living bit for seven years now, and I still spend an hour or two a week finding deals. (If I counted all the time I put in on the blog, it would be a lot more!). When I first started couponing, it would take me two or three hour blocks to figure it all out. It gets easier once you know where to look for deals and have a good coupon stash assembled.

I have a good organization system for coupons. You have to find what works best for you. I personally have a coupon binder that is organized by types of products (baby, cleaning and laundry, dairy, etc.). I like to see all of my coupons at once, so I like using the binder.

I clip coupons from the Sunday papers once a week, usually while watching television. We get three different newspapers on Sunday (my hubby and I are former journalists!) and my parents also give us their coupon leftovers. I also have a very sweet uncle who sends me all the diaper/baby coupons in the mail. I'm learning to be more selective in my clipping... but if there's a chance at all that I may use a product, I clip it... you never know when a really amazing sale will come along. Read some more about couponing here.

You need to have a sense of what you already have. I like to establish a stockpile of stuff when it's on sale so that I can make it last until the next great sale. A current inventory will help you know where to fill in the gaps. Committing to building a stockpile does take some money up front, but once you get a good stash of stuff, it's really nice to not have to go to the store as often. Because of my stockpiling, I don't set a weekly budget for groceries. Instead I think more on a monthly basis. Depending on the sales, I may have one month that I spend $350 and another month I spend $160.

You should also know your prices. Some people keep a price book, where they write down the best price on a given item. I am such a deal hound, that I've committed most prices to memory and don't need a price book anymore. (I am SO ready for the Price is Right!)

I look at all the sales fliers for my area: Super One Foods, Ogles Marketplace (local), Cub Foods, Kmart, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart and see if anything leaps out at me as being a good deal.

I'll match up coupons to good deals in the fliers... which makes them an even better deal. To save time, I always check out the following websites for other deals: Coupon Mom, Money Saving Mom, A Full Cup, Hot Coupon World, The Centsible Sawyer, Centsible Shopper, Sisterly Savings; sometimes I'll peruse a few others if I have time. (Check out my blog roll (at right) for ideas). Usually these sites have links to printable coupons that I can also use for more savings.

I then check out Baby Cheapskate for the best diaper deals and Freebies4Mom to make sure I'm not missing out on some free stuff.

Then I make my shopping list. I pay close attention to what things we need immediately, and what things would be good to stock up on if there's a decent sale. Some weeks there are NO good deals... so I don't shop at all! How can I do this? Well, I have my stockpile! I simply pull items from my pantry or freezer. On these off weeks, I still may buy milk or fresh fruit, but that's it.

I like to shop by myself. I love my family, but they distract me on my money saving mission. I like being able to take my time to evaluate the deals.... or discover clearance/discounted items. I don't have that kind of time with three little boys.

If I don't find the deal I'm looking for in the store, I usually don't buy the item. I just file the coupon back in my binder for a better day. I try very hard to stick to my list, and I really think about sale items before I put them in my cart... it must be something I will use.

I try to hit several stores in a day. A trip to town costs $8 for me now, and I don't get out much without the kids, so I combine all my errands into one trip.

So that's how I shop. In May, I was able to save nearly $300 using these methods. I'm on my way to a $200 savings for June.

What are some ways you save on the basics? Do you have any favorite resources?

Coupons, Coupons, Coupons

Seems like my inbox keeps getting more coupons than I can keep up with! What a great problem to have!

Anywho... here are some of my favorites for the week:

Walgreens has another $5 off a purchase of $20 or more coupon. Remember this is post-coupon and pre-tax total, so plan accordingly. This is good Friday, June 27 ONLY.

Here is a coupon for Buy One Get One Free American Greetings cards at CVS. (Thanks to Dawn's Delicious Deals!) She recommends using those Extra Care Bucks to sweeten this deal... Boy, I wish we had a CVS... sniff..

Get $1 off Wild Harvest Organic products here. I was able to print two coupons, which I took to Cub Foods and used to get two cans of diced organic tomatoes for FREE. (Who says coupons are never for anything healthy?)

Get $1 off 1/2 gallon of Little Einsteins milk here. (Thanks to Freebies4Mom!). Heather at Freebies4Mom is also giving away coupons for FREE Little Einsteins milk, so be sure to check that out, too.

Get a 50 cents off any Mrs. Dash salt-free marinade here.

Get $1 off any two Mott's products for kids here.

Get a free Pledge Multisurface Cleaning Kit here. (Thanks to The Centsible Sawyer!).

Reynolds will have a $2 off coupon for their Handi-vac Starter Kit in the Sunday, June 29 newspaper. Click here and you can also get a coupon for 55 cents off the bags.

Don't forget to check out all the printable coupons in my sidebars from Coupons.com. This week there are coupons for Yo-Plait Plus, Eucerin, Hills Brothers, and much more!

HOT COUPON WEDNESDAY: $5 Off Luvs Diapers

Another Update 6/25: Thanks to a tip from A Full Cup, I found that if I went back and signed up with a new account (and different e-mail), I then got a message saying my welcome kit with the $5 coupon was on its way). It's worth a shot, anyway!!

Update 6/25: Well, I don't know about you... but the early bird must get up REALLY early, because despite getting up before sunrise, I was not able to get the $5 off coupon..... when I did sign up, the website did say they would mail me a $1 off coupon. So, at least it's something....


In conjunction with the release of Anita Renfroe's new video, Luvs Diapers will be giving away a $5 off coupon here.

There's a limited supply of coupons and the giveaway starts at 5 a.m. Wednesday, June 25, so be sure to get up early to get yours!

Luvs and mom-comedienne Anita Renfroe - known for her “Total Momsense” song to the tune of the William Tell Overture that became a YouTube sensation and her appearances on Good Morning America - have teamed up to show parents that there is a way to get through today's changing economic times without losing their minds, wallets or sense of humor!

The video is cute and funny, and the details of the coupon deal are at the end, so it's worth watching.

Good luck and stay tuned to Northern Cheapskate for a future Luvs giveaway!

"Incredible" Deals at Kmart

You can get a coupon for $5 off a purchase of $20 in toys at Kmart here. This offer expires July 31.

And for those of you who are aching to see the new "Incredible Hulk" movie and frequently spend your money at Kmart, here's a deal for you:

Buy $50 in Kmart gift cards and get two free movie passes to see "The Incredible Hulk." (up to $7 each). Don't delay: You have to make your purchase before June 15.

Coupons and Deals: Friday the 13th Edition

Everyone thinks Friday the 13th is so unlucky... so I've decided to give you 13 links to coupons and deals I've been reading about so that it won't be so unlucky anymore!

1. First off, you can now print coupons from Coupons, Inc. straight from the advertisements on the sidebars of my blog. You can also click on "See All Coupons" for the full list of printable coupons available and print all of the ones you want. You'll save money, and you'll be helping me out (I get a few pennies for every coupon you print!). Coupons.com is a favorite resource of mine for coupons. I always try to look there before I head to the stores.

2. Sears is currently offering a sweet deal for those of you near a Shell station. Buy $100 in Dockers Clothing either in the store or online, fill out this form, and you will get a $75 Shell Gas Card! You'll also have a chance to win a Toyota Prius. But hurry fast. You must make your purchase by midnight on Sunday, June 15.

3. In need of some help regulating your digestive system? Get $2 off a box of Kashi Vive Cereal coupons here and here. I was able to print a total of four coupons. It's not available in my area yet, but I expect it to be soon.

4. Sick of Honey Bunches of Oats yet? Well, if you're not, it's your lucky day. The Centsible Sawyer reports that the $2 off Honey Bunches of Oats with Chocolate Clusters coupons have been reset. I was able to print three more coupons. Several stores, including Walmart and Walgreens, have recently had these for $2 a box. Gotta love free cereal!

5. Sign up for Ebates and make a purchase between now and June 30 and get $10. Ebates is an awesome shopping portal that gives you cash back for online purchases and other special discounts. Use a rewards credit card and get even more cash back!

6. Try Zout Stain Remover with this mail-in rebate form (up to $4). Offer expires Oct. 31.

7. Click here for your choice of $1 off Cottonelle Ultra, Cottonelle Aloe & E, or Cottonelle Flushable Wipes.

8. Got a houseful of kids on a rainy day? Raising4Boys has compiled a great list of free (or really cheap) summer movie theater promotions for people with kids. (Wish I had one of these theaters near me!)

9. Get a 55 cents off coupon for Country Crock here.

10. Register at Clean and Clear to get a coupon for $2 off any Clean and Clear product. I was able to use mine to get two trial sizes of Clean and Clear Morning Burst Face Wash for FREE at Target.

11. Click here to get a coupon for $7 off Crest Whitestrips.

12. Register your Starbucks gift card here before July 14 and you'll get a coupon for a free beverage.

13. Download free software programs to help design your new deck or fence from Home Depot. This offer expires 7/09/08 and is not recommended for use with Windows Vista. (Thanks to The Bargainist for this tip!)

Another Week, Another Walgreens Coupon

Just in case you need to buy more stuff at Walgreens....

Here is a coupon for $5 off your purchase of $20 or more at Walgreens. This coupon is good FRIDAY ONLY.

Centsible Shopper always has a list of deals at Walgreens and reminds everyone of the fine print on the coupon: "Minimum subtotal must equal $20 or more before sales tax; subtotal must include all other applied discounts and coupons."

So you could use it on the free after rebate items, or if you have some photo printing to do, you could use it on that. Otherwise, it's probably not the best deal in the world this week.

Contests and a Freebie

Freebies4Mom has all the details on how to enter the Land O'Frost sweepstakes for a chance to win a trip to Las Vegas.

When you enter the contest, you'll also get printable coupons for $1 off any package of Land O'Frost Deli Pouch and for a FREE package of Land O'Frost Taste Escapes.

And speaking of contests: Enter to win a year's supply of Scott Paper Towels here. Don't worry, the winnings are in coupon form so you won't have to store them!

Coupon Organization Crisis Revisited

Last week, I wrote about my Coupon Organization Crisis.

First off, let me say a big thanks to all of you who sent links, photos, and ideas of how to organize my coupons.

I ended up biting the bullet and getting the Case-it Dual-100 Dual binder 2-in1 Zipper Binder, Grey at my Target. This thing has a handle. And a strap. A bunch of zippered pockets. And two sets of rings. It's huge. It's tacky. And it's already FULL of coupons. I feel so much better now that I can see all of my coupons at a glance. I figure, I'm already carrying the world's largest diaper bag... why not carry the largest collection of coupons, too!

I filled the binder with baseball card pages (well, technically they may have been Yu-Gi-Oh or some silly thing, but you get the idea), and then organized the pages by categories such as Baby, Cleaning, Laundry, and so on. I will probably get some photo pages, too, so that I can store my larger coupons without folding them.

I plan to use the smaller coupon organizer that I just bought for quick trips, and the Super Saving Binder (my new name for the monster organizer!) for the bigger trips when I'm by myself and have time to bargain hunt.

Father's Day is Just Around the Corner

Father's Day is just around the corner... Sunday, June 15, to be exact.

If you're not into the whole frugal, make-a-gift thing, here are a few other frugal options for you:
Take Dad to TGI Fridays for a FREE order of beer-battered onion rings with the printable coupon.

Or head to TCBY for a free ice cream cone or cup of ice cream for Dad.

You can get a $5 bonus gift card when you buy a $25 gift card at Applebees. You must purchase the gift card at a participating location (not online) before 6/29. The $5 bonus gift card expires on 6/30.

I personally did my shopping at Amazon (shhh... don't tell!) and got a great deal on a gift for my hubby.

Click here to get a printable coupon for 15 percent off at Barnes and Noble. Or go online and use code N4X8E8D to get the discount. The coupon and code can only be used once per customer and it expires 6/15.

If your Dad is into fishing check out this post about mail-in rebates on fishing tackle and equipment.

You can also go here and here to find cheap magazine subscriptions for Dad.

You may also want to check out this list of mail-in rebates at Ace Hardware to see if there's any deals on tools on Dad's wish list.

And here's a list for free printable Father's Day Cards.

The most important thing you can give your Dad is the gift of time. Remember, that could be time with you, or time away from you!

Luvs and Pampers Coupons for Target

There are two new coupons out for Luvs and Pampers diapers at Target.

Go here for a coupon for $2.50 off two jumbo packs or larger of Luvs at Target. It expires 7/15.

Baby Cheapskate has a $5 off Pampers diapers or training pants and wipes coupon at Target here. The coupon doesn't specify a size on the diapers, so wait until the jumbo size goes on sale, and then stock up. The coupon expires 7/31.

Remember to combine these coupons with manufacturer coupons to get even greater savings.

Coupon Organization Crisis

Is there such a thing as too many coupons?! ACK!

This week my coupon organizer bit the dust. I overfilled it and abused it one too many times, and now several of the pockets have split. I could use a little duct tape, but I know it would only be a temporary fix.

I bought another coupon organizer at Walmart for $5.88 to replace it. It is wider, and a little fancier than my older model. I spent some time making nice labels for all my categories. I felt pretty proud of my organization. I cleared out all the expired coupons and purged a few I knew I'd never use.

Well, guess what? STILL too many coupons... the stupid thing doesn't lie flat or stay closed. UGH.

So, now I'm having a coupon organization crisis. I do not want to give up carrying any coupons with me. I only travel to town once or twice a week, and I can't stand finding a great price on something and not having the right coupons with me to make it an even better deal.

So, I've started to research options. So far all of the coupon organizers you can purchase seem flimsy, too small, and overpriced to me.

Some people suggest using a file box or a even recycling a baby wipes tub... but I have this vision of me tipping over the whole box in the store (something that nearly happened to me with my old organizer) and creating a coupon catastrophe.

Others have suggested binder systems. Basically, you get a three-ring binder and use photo pages and baseball card holders to use for holding coupons. The concept really appeals to my sense of organization... it would be so nice to SEE all of my coupons at a glance. But I can't stand the thought of dragging a GIANT binder with me everywhere.

Today I saw a smaller binder that was designed for DVDs and CDs... but I'm not sure how well the pockets would work for my coupons.

So, I'm in a quandary. What's a super savings girl to do? I desperately need a good coupon organizing system, but I don't want it to be too bulky, too small or too expensive.

What do all of you super savvy shoppers do to organize your coupons?

The Month in Review: Big Savings, Big Spending

The month of May carried its share of strengths and weaknesses for our finances.

On the plus side, I saved a TON of money using coupons this month. In fact, I saved a grand total of $297.97!

And we had some extra money come to us: we got our economic stimulus check and my husband's contract got settled, so he got a nice back pay check and a slight pay raise.

But we spent quite a bit more than we usually do. We bought a laptop and printer for me, a gas grill (which has been on our wish list for YEARS), and another flu bug cycled through our house, which meant a total of FIVE visits to the clinic and FOUR prescriptions. And the sickness is not done yet!

While our extra purchases messed up our May budget, we still did not mess up our overall spending plan. We budgeted for and planned for each of these expenses. We researched and talked about what we wanted. We made sure that we had the money to pay for these items in cash.

It was fun spending some of our money. But it's fun saving it, too. We realize how long it takes to save money and how quickly it disappears. We'll be back to our normal spending in June. No more big expenditures for awhile.

As for the pay raise, we are putting half of it into our "Buy a Car With Cash Fund" and the other half will help us cover our increased expenses (primarily gas and groceries). We channeled the money into our appropriate accounts right away so that we wouldn't get used to bigger pay checks. It will be nice to watch our savings grow a little bit more.

How was your month? Was your spending on track or out of whack? What's your plan for June?

Watch Out for McDonalds Coupons

Keep your eyes peeled for McDonalds coupons!

One of my faithful frugal readers, Kelly, said her dad got two coupons for a free McDonalds chicken breakfast biscuit and a southwest chicken sandwich (no purchase necessary!) inserted with his Visa bill this month.

My frugal friend Susan said she got a similar set of coupons in an order she got from Amazon, of all places.

It's a good reminder that coupons can show up in unexpected places!

Super Savings Saturday: Walmart and Target

I'm a little slow in getting this posted, but I did want to brag, ahem... share.

The items in the photo are all things I got for FREE at Target and Walmart this week!

Here are the good deals I got this week at Walmart:

FREE Vlassic Pickle Relish using the coupons here.

FREE Kashi Heart to Heart Cereal after signing up to get the coupons here.

FREE Golden Puffs Cereal. It was a dollar a box and I used the coupon from here.

Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta (14.5 oz) for 50 cents a box using manufacturer coupons

Here are the deals I got at Target:

FREE Jumbo Pack of Pampers (this was one of the coupons I got from Proctor & Gamble for being a parent of multiples)

FREE 8-ct bottle of Tylenol using a coupon I got here.

FREE travel sized packets of Boudreaux's Butt Paste (terrible name, I know) using the coupon from SmartSource.

Lea & Perrin's Worcestershire Sauce for 39 cents a bottle using a Target coupon and a manufacturer coupon.

Lays Cracker Crisps for 50 cents a bag using a Target coupon and a manufacturer coupon.

A BIG THANKS goes out to The Centsible Sawyer, Money Saving Mom and A Full Cup for helping me get these great deals.

Save $10 At Walgreens FRIDAY ONLY

You can save $10 on a purchase of $30 at Walgreens, on Friday, May 30 ONLY.

The coupon can't be used for prescriptions, alcohol or tobacco, or gift cards, but it can be used at the Photo Center, so if you have a lot of photos to print, today could be your lucky day.

Here's the coupon. Chief Family Officer has some tips for using the coupon here. Happy saving!

Super Great Walgreens Trip

I had a really great trip to Walgreens this week.

Here's what I got:

2 bags of Chex Mix for FREE using coupons I got here.

2 bottles of Excedrin (24 ct) for FREE using coupons I got here.

2 bottles of Ajax dish soap for $1.59 using Walgreens coupon and a manufacturer coupon from the Sunday paper.

2 bottles of Pert Plus 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner FREE after Easy Saver Rebate and manufacturer coupons (I had a $1 off coupon and a Buy One Get One Free coupon).

Don't forget it's about time to submit your Easy Saver Rebates. There's still time to take advantage of the deals, which Centsible Shopper has posted here. The deadline for submitting the rebates is June 7. The new online form makes it super easy and you don't have to waste a stamp!

The new June Easy Saver rebate book should be out soon. Hot Coupon World has a preview of it here.

Save $5 on a purchase of $20 at Walgreens

If you're planning a stop at Walgreens to pick up a few things, you may want to wait until tomorrow.

Walgreens has a coupon for $5 off a purchase of $20 or more that is good for Friday, May 23 only. The coupon is good toward photos, too.

Don't forget there's still time to pick up free after rebate items from the Easy Saver catalog. Check out Centsible Shopper for all the current deals at Walgreens.

Quickie Coupons: Kraft, Coffee-mate, and More

Between my e-mail inbox and my surfing, I've found a few good coupons and other deals to share with you.

You can get two packages of Kraft LiveActive Cheese FREE after mail-in rebate by filling out the form here. (thanks to HotCouponWorld)

Speaking of LiveActive, you can save $3 off one box of LiveActive Cereal thanks to this printable coupon I found at MoneySavingMom. Rumor has it this cereal is less than $3 at Walmart, so you may even make a little money on this deal. I was able to print two coupons.

Get a free bottle of Coffee-mate when you sign up on their website. This deal is only good while supplies last and expires at the end of the month. If you participated in their free deal last year, you're not eligible.

Got a scar you want to minimize? Use this $3 off Mederma coupon combined with the $2 coupon from the Walgreen's Easy Saver booklet to save $5 on Mederma at Walgreens. The product is still freakishly expensive, but if you really need it, you could save a little.

Register at Neutrogena and get $5 off Healthy Skin Rejuvenator.

Need some moisturizer that protects you from the sun? Get a $1 off Eucerin Everyday Protection Body and Face Lotion here.

Super Savings Saturday: Target Diaper Deals

I went into Target this week to take advantage of the Luvs diapers sales, only to find that there were Luvs, Huggies and Huggies Overnights on sale for 50 percent off!!!

Needless to say, I stocked up. The Luvs were by far the best deal because of the coupons I had - I got 5 jumbo packs of Luvs diapers for $2.40!!

Check out Money Saving Mom for more Super Saturday savings!