And this week's savings is.........

You'll have to wait (or scroll down to the end) to find out.

I almost missed out on a few of my savings today, but I have to thank my forgetful nature for some of the coupons I got to use today!

I met a friend for breakfast and a walk this morning, with the intentions of doing a grocery trip afterwards.   My coupons for the trip were ready, after consulting this week's Shaws ad and making a list.   Before I left I put my coupon pouch on the table, got distracted, and left without it.  I decided to skip out on my morning grocery shopping trip.

Good thing.

I skipped the originally planned grocery trip and stopped on the way home to pick up a newspaper for my coupon clipping.  Not as many good ones as last week for me, but I did score for some of this week's trip.  

Among the coupons found in this week's ad were several  for TGI Friday frozen products, as well as one for Progresso soup, both of which were on sale this week.

So, I decided to make a trip to the grocery store after all.  

Today's purchases:

4 cans of Progresso World Recipe's soup (on sale for 2/$3, plus I had a coupon for $1 off four cans of Progresso soup)

4 cans of Chunky soup (buy 1 get 1  free, plus I had a coupon for $0.50 off four cans which was doubled because Shaws doubles all coupons up to $0.99)

3 bags of Orida fries (part of a buy 3 get 3 free mix and match promotion that includes the TGI Friday products listed below.  I also had a coupon for $1.50 off 3 Orida fries products)

3 boxes of TGI Friday chicken wings (part of the above mix and match promotion, plus I had a $2.00 off coupon for 2 TGI Friday chicken snack products)

1 box Jose Ole Taquitos (on sale for $5.99, plus I had a $1.00 coupon)

2 packages of Perdue boneless chicken breast (buy 1 get 1 free, plus I used the $1.00 coupon I received in the mail last week)

Red seedless grapes (on sale for $1.99/lb)

Also, I had my $10 next visit coupon that I got last week at Shaws, which I used today since it was expiring this week

My total before coupons/Shaws reward card savings:  $70.82

After total coupons and Shaws reward card: $22.25

Total savings of 69%

In addition to my savings, I scored three new coupons at checkout:  
1 for $1.00 my next visit (good until November)
1 for $0.75  off 3 cans of Chunky soup (good until Januray)
1 for $0.75 off 3 cans of Campbell's Healthy Request or Chunky  Select Harvest soup (good until January)

I had set a goal of 50% savings for this trip and have beaten it by 19%!   So, what should my goal be for the next trip?   Although I got to 69% this week, I'm thinking that for each trip my goal should be 10% higher than the previous trip's goal.    Since this trip's goal was 50% savings, I think my next trip's goal should be 60% savings.   If I go over it, even better!

Sunday Clippings

I'm routine oriented, and with my recent determination to save, my Sunday routine of course now includes a required trip to the store for the Sunday newspaper.

When I started coupon clipping earlier this summer, I initially balked at having to purchase a newspaper just for the coupons.  That may be one of the things that kept me from coupon clipping in the past.   Yes, I worried about having to spend a big $1.75 on a newspaper only to not find any worthwhile coupons!

I learned quickly not to be picky if I wanted to save.    I've always had my preferred brands and a quick initial glance through the available coupons proved to be disappointing when I didn't find very many of the products I normally bought.   So, I let go of my preferences, and looked again.   At a second, more thorough glance, I found things that I may be willing to try if the savings were good.   With that philosophy, more coupons got clipped.  

Take this weekend for example.   Would I ever, on my own, purchase 10 boxes of pizza rolls?   Or four cans of soup when I prefer to make my own?   Definitely not.    But I knew there may be nights when I come home and don't have the time or energy to do more than open a can of soup.  Or maybe I may have some friends over and may need to through a box or two of pizza rolls into the oven for a quick snack.  

If I want to save, then I need to change too. 

Anyway, this Sunday's newspaper proved to be a good purchase.  Today's coupon inserts included Red Plum. Smart Source, and P&G.  I spent $1.75 on a newspaper and clipped $27.75 worth of coupons.   Definitely worth it!

Flattery will get you.....$5 in coupons!

Like many coupon seekers, I search the usual spots for coupons: Sunday newspapers, online, product websites.  And from those I've accumulated a good batch of coupons.

Last weekend I decided to try another tactic....flattery.   I visited many product websites, submitting compliments about how much I loved the product.   My hopes was that maybe one, or more, would mail me a coupon.

Today, barely a week later, I got my first reward for my efforts in the mail:  An envelope from Turkey Hill with several coupons totaling $5!  Oh, and the coupons don't expire until 2013!  That gives me plenty of time to plan the best way to use them to maximize my savings. 

Give it a try!  Go to http://turkeyhill.com.  Under "contact us" enter your information, add a compliment or suggestion, and soon you too may receive your $5 worth of coupons!

Off to a good start

One thing I learned from Extreme Couponing is, to be successful, one must research and plan prior to any shopping trip.   This involves comparing coupons to the weekly saving flyers of each grocery store, and carefully calculating out how much of what to buy to make the best savings.

Last night I searched the online versions of the weekly flyers for my two local grocery stores, Hannaford and Shaws.   I finished searching the Hannaford flyers with a feeling of disappointment, not finding anything to match my current batch of coupons.   As I neared the end of the Shaws flyer, I felt a similar letdown.   That is, until I reached the last page.

There it was, an opportunity to earn $10 off my next trip to the store.   Could I do it?

To qualify for the $10 off coupon, I would need to purchase $25 worth of products from the specific list on that page.  And there were specific requirements, such as a certain number of an item would need to be purchased (for example, 10 cans of Green Giant Vegetables for $10, or 2 cans of Progresso soup for $3).   Fortunately, there was quite a bit on this list that I would actually use.

Even better, I was able to search online and find coupons for almost all of what I would be getting!

Then began the planning steps.   First, I had specific quantities I would need to buy in order to qualify for the savings.   Then, because the $25 minimum needed was after coupons were added in,  I had to determine how much the coupons would take off the total.   Shaws also doubles coupons up to 99 cents, so I had to add all that in as well.

I headed off to Shaws with my list and coupons in hand.   As I reached the vegetable aisle, I saw that many had been there before me!   Fortunately I was still able to find 10 cans that applied to the special offer.   I continued through the store, finding items on my list, making one change when I couldn't find a product. 

As I emptied my cart at the checkout, I worried that something would not work.   I think I had a minor version of that feeling of panic that some of our Extreme Couponing participants feel as they hope their planning worked.  

So, did it work???

Yes!!!

My total before my Rewards Card and coupons were entered in: $57.52

After my Rewards Card savings and coupons added in: $34.22

Total Savings:  $23.40

That's a 41% savings, better than I have ever done.  And, I got a $10 coupon towards my next shopping trip.  

So, what did I get?

10 cans of Green Giant vegetables

10 boxes of Totino Pizza rolls (I know, not the healthiest choice, but a fun occasional snack)

1 box of Betty Crocker Instant Garlic Mashed Potatoes

4 Cans of Progresso Soup

2 Bags of Chex Mix

1 container of orange juice (not on sale and not part of the special savings, but I needed it)

Also, many of these items are part of the Boxtops for Education program, so there's an added bonus!  

Today was a 41% savings.   My goal for the next trip will be 50%.   My $10 off coupon (which, by the way, has no minimum purchase requirement) is good until 10/29, so I'll be doing some big planning to put that to good use. 

A good start for the Aspiring Extreme Couponer.

Why???? Let me explain....

So, why do I aspire to be an extreme couponer?

Let me explain.....

Like many, I have watched the show "Extreme Couponing" in awe as shoppers have gone into a store, purchased hundreds (even thousands) of dollars worth of items, and then paid a tiny fraction of that initial total for all of it.  

And, like many, I am trying to significantly reduce my expenses.   Even though I have a full time job and am earning more than I ever have before, my past debts are catching up with me.   A year ago I finished grad school and, in addition to my Master's, I also graduated with over $60,000 in student loans to repay.   The government wanted me to pay them $700 a month, I worked it down to $350.  Somewhat of a relief, but still a big chunk of my income.   Then we add in credit card debts acquired due to my (stupidly) choosing not to work full time while in grad school, car payments, insurance, etc.   Put it all together, along with rent, that barely gave me anything left over from my paychecks. 

Something had to be done.   I knew my parents were big on coupons and savings.  And, of course, I caught a few episodes of Extreme Couponing and became inspired.  Earlier this summer I decided to give it a try.  I began purchasing Sunday newspapers, starting clipping, but barely noticed a difference.   So I stopped.

Now I am ready to try it again.    I watched Extreme Couponing more closely, checked out blogs of people who are big on savings, and started buying those Sunday newspapers again for the coupons.

Although I admire the savings of those on Extreme Couponing,  I do have my limits.   I don't want to leave the store with hundreds of bottles of soda, endless bags of candy, and other things that I don't even use.  I don't intend to have a basement resembling a mini-grocery store, filled with huge stock piles of supplies (especially since I live in a small apartment and don't even have a basement).   So there is my big challenge.   I want to save, but I want to make realistic purchases of things I actually need and will use.  

From here on, I will make my effort to be a better shopper.   A better saver.   Today begins my journey as an aspiring Extreme Couponer.