Okay, so maybe you won't be duly impressed, but I sure was! I was trying to get organized today to get things done. One of my "piles" in my office was a stack of coupons and the coupon supplements that come with the Sunday Times. I am always planning to go through them, cut them out, put them in order and go use them to save a bundle.
This doesn't usually happen - but today I was more determined or something. We really didn't need anything at the store, so I decided to go and just get the coupon items that truly were products that we used on a regular basis. I would just "stock up!"
It took me an hour from start to finish. The cart was heavy, and it was tough going up and down the aisles. I ended up discovering that several of the items weren't really a bargain after all. I left a little trail of coupons under the rejected items - and hope some shopper came along and thought it was a little manna from heaven.
But the payoff came at the cash register - $265 worth of groceries cost me $179!!
Not bad for an hour's work.
P.S. I also got lucky. At Pavilions right now, the computer randomly selects shoppers to receive a 10% discount on the total, and I was a lucky random shopper - so $26 of the $86 I saved came from that. But $60 in coupon savings is nothing to sneeze at.
I feel like Mrs. Frugality - with a crown on my head!!
And we're going to be having a lot of soup in the coming weeks - I think half of my coupons were for various kinds of soup. But in our "empty nesting" years, soup and sandwiches has become my meal of choice - and Dad doesn't complain. (I think he makes sure he gets variety at lunch!!)
It took me an hour from start to finish. The cart was heavy, and it was tough going up and down the aisles. I ended up discovering that several of the items weren't really a bargain after all. I left a little trail of coupons under the rejected items - and hope some shopper came along and thought it was a little manna from heaven.
But the payoff came at the cash register - $265 worth of groceries cost me $179!!
Not bad for an hour's work.
P.S. I also got lucky. At Pavilions right now, the computer randomly selects shoppers to receive a 10% discount on the total, and I was a lucky random shopper - so $26 of the $86 I saved came from that. But $60 in coupon savings is nothing to sneeze at.
I feel like Mrs. Frugality - with a crown on my head!!
And we're going to be having a lot of soup in the coming weeks - I think half of my coupons were for various kinds of soup. But in our "empty nesting" years, soup and sandwiches has become my meal of choice - and Dad doesn't complain. (I think he makes sure he gets variety at lunch!!)
3 comments:
Wow! I am impressed. You are one bargain shopp'in woman.
I used to cut coupons, in the early days of our marriage. I think it was because of the lack of money. It was very thrilling to save. What am I talking about, it is always thrilling to save! Why else are Marshall's and TJ Maxx my favorite places to shop.
In recent years the grocery coupon clipping has ebbed. I'm not exactly sure why. I think it has to do with my time. I seemed to have more of it back when I had fewer children, or maybe I have more money now? I don't really know?
Maybe it's because I do so much of my food shopping at Costco and Sam's these days and have switched over to grocery shopping at one grocer instead of running around to several to get all the deals.
Oh, I guess the old adage is true -Time is Money! (which ever way you look at it)
I have been up and down with coupons for years. I don't especially have time for coupons, but I seem compelled to clip them. And then when I sort through my purse and throw away all these expired coupons that would have saved me money on stuff I bought anyway, I get annoyed with myself.
For me it's more about just having a coupon shopping outing - not trying to work it into the regular shopping - and getting stocked up on those items.
The other thing I now force myself to do is only clip coupons for stuff I use anyway. In our old age, we are partial to particular brands - which is why Costco doesn't always work for me because they don't have all my fave brands. Harry is the confirmed Costco shopper in the fam. When I need bulk stuff, I go to Smart and Final - and they take coupons too!
But I may go six months and throw away a lot of valuable coupons before I do another amazing saving feat like Saturday's!
I like the random 10% deal though - I'm a gambler at heart I guess!
And after that order, they gave me a $5 off coupon with no restrictions!!
very helpful ideas - thanks Barbara
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