[khaski]

Well, I fell out of couponing in 2013. Sure, I'd pull one off a pad at the store or off a package while I was there, but otherwise, I didn't pay much attention. I need to get back into it, as it did significantly reduce our grocery and health/beauty products. I used to track it, and I remember that in 2011 or '12, I saved over 2k (and yes, that accounted for the prices of gathering the coupons through clipping services or papers). So, time to get back on that horse. Whether you're new to couponing and want to give it a go, a steadfast couponer who never stopped, or like me, took a break and want to get back into it, join me! I do also count rebates in this, IF they're on food/health/beauty/pet products (not electronics or the like). I used to count extra care bucks from CVS as well, though it's been a while since I played that game as we're pretty well set on that beauty/health stuff.

So...I used a $1 coupon at the store last week, and I just spent $3.12 ordering from a clipping service. Time to run and add it to my siggy to start tracking it!

 

[EmilyD]

I don't usually do coupons, but as a part of
my weight loss plan, I am only using packaged
products with calorie counts on them, so I am
going to start clipping any I can use.

So far this year 3 WW coupons for $3.00 per
10 WW products. I have several more to use.
Will get the papers tomorrow.

 

[Tnmom]

I save d51% on my grocery bill this past Tuesday. Using coupons and sales with my Kroger card. Not sure about the week before but since I will be taking part in this challenge I will be keeping up with it

 

[khaski]

Bought another $2.32 of coupons this week, saved $9.45 on my grocery bill of roughly $150. I printed out some coupons as well, though I don't know how to 'count' those in my expenditures (paper, ink). I think I will not be counting those, as most of the coupons I use are generally ones from the paper. Time to restock to coupons! I'm very low, to be sure, but getting back into the swing of things.

If anyone is interested in reading "We Use Coupons- You Should, too! How Couponing Saved my Life' by Nathan Engels (Mr. Coupon), I have that title on my Kindle and I can 'loan' it to one other user. Send me a message if interested. Good for those new to couponing or those who've been out of it for a bit.

 

[wunsagin]

I usually keep track, last year I kinda fizzled though. So far this year I have saved almost $96, it's in my siggy. I count all coupons, register rewards and walgreens points since those are used as money. Anything that puts money back in my pocket.

 

[EmilyD]

Used another WW coupon, so I am up to $12.00
I have clipped coupons for 2 weeks now, not sure
if what I "make" will even out the price of the papers.

 

[khaski]

Emily, I have stopped buying papers and I just use clipping services now. Much easier and cheaper at least for me. Glad to see others joining in, and I'm looking forward to building my stockpile again and saving some good money while doing so.

 

[mombottoo]

I've been using coupons for so long my kids still joke that even if I became a millionaire I'd still use coupons ...I even have my grand kids using them! My total is in my siggy line. I get most of my coupons off the internet: Coupons.com, Redplum, Smart Source, Hopster and manufacturers websites. I belong to Mypoints, Shop your way, Walgreens Rewards, Rite Aid Rewards, Shopko Rewards, Staples Rewards, Speedway Rewards, BP Rewards, Wesco Rewards, Meijer M-Perks and Kellogg's Family Rewards.

It takes time to keep up with all the various plastic cards, but I always use the one I have for where I am. Even a nickel off a gallon of gas is worth it, although I won't be counting those savings in the total. I wish they'd come up with a "universal card" kind of like our universal remotes. That way you would have only one card for everyone.

 

[wunsagin]

I wish they'd come up with a "universal card" kind of like our universal remotes. That way you would have only one card for everyone.

A few years back I was grocery shopping here in Okla and gave a shoppers card from a store in Missouri by mistake, it took it no problem and applied all of the correct prices. Curious, the next time I was in Missouri I used the Okla card and it worked too. The stores are 2 different companies.

Saved another $20 today.

 

[mamamia]

I was known as the "coupon queen" in one of my local supermarkets, and I never saved less than 50%. But for about the last year or so my crown is turned upside down, and it's a good week if I save $20! I really see a huge difference in the coupons themselves. Where before you had a usual, standard coupon, where you would save $1 on one item, it's now more often than not, $1 on two, or even three of that item. I really believe that show Extreme Coupons ruined things. I used to get pretty excited about my shopping trips because I knew I was saving a hbundle, and it was so much fun to watch that balance go down, down, down. But still, I don't think I'll ever stop using them. Even if I only saved $5, that's 5 more dollars for us. It just seems like more of a chore than a pleasure now.

Theresa

 

[khaski]

I'm with ya, Mamamia. While that show is interesting to see a time or two, I think it only encouraged coupon abuse/clearing shelves and companies and stores have adjusted things accordingly. And a penny saved is a penny earned, as the saying goes. Saved $14.35 today at the grocery store. The receipt used to show what % that was, but they just started '4% off (just about) everything', which is totaled at the bottom as well, and no more %. That's okay, though I miss it...saving is saving, I suppose. When I'm on my 'coupon game', I usually save 10-20%. I don't think I've ever saved 50%+ at the grocery store, though I used to 'pull' some great CVS deals like that.

 

[EmilyD]

Saved $6.00. Forgot my coupon file, but had the
weight watcher's ones in my billfold

 

[coup]

I too miss the good ole days of couponing. I just downgraded from a coupon binder to a 5 slot coupon wallet. Sigh.

So I'm in! I have receipt from the last three weeks, as that's when I started the grocery challenge. I will count digital and paper coupons used. I am not counting the $4 per week we spend on papers, as that is in ente

Week 1: 19.79 in coupons & 22 in MPerks ($20 reward for filling scripts there.) = 39.79
Week 2: 9.79
Week 3: 23.01 & 5.99 MPerks - 29

Total so far: $78.58

 

[l8eebugg]

Mamamia--I was known as the "coupon queen" also. The coupons are a lot less now than they were in the past...way less. My local store doesn't double them anymore and seem to have lots more storebrand products, which is fine, but they are not that much lower than brand names and no coupons. I used to buy all my coupons from E-bay but now there are hardly any worth it. I have a few good ones left that expire in Feb. so I will be using them next month. So sad, as that is how I built up my pantry and freezer so well. This year I managed to stockpile a couple of years of TP and paper towels...a few years of laundry soap. Used to make my own...but coupons made it for about 1.50 for a huge container of TIde pods so I used every one I could get my hands on. Tons of freezer items, so much that there is no room in two freezers. I am worried about what I am going to do when the stockpile is gone..since coupons are so bad these days. I still have my coupon notebook I made..but now there are so few coupons in it.. I just put coupons in envelope to use in store.
I use coupons so much that my kids will ask before we buy anthing.."do you have a coupon for that?" My DD1 just had a birthday and wanted to go out to eat..."Mom, do we have a coupon for ---?" Matter of fact, yes. So there is our eating out for month. All meals were 1/2 price.
If anyone can tell me where a good site is to buy coupons..I would appreciate it. Local paper is a joke and expensive..not worth buying it. Very few coupons.
Khaski--I would love to read that book but don't have a kindle. Maybe I can get it off Amazon Prime. I am going to check.
Count me in, despite my lack of coupons.

 

[khaski]

I use various clipping sites. Ebay prices often seem ridiculous these days on most coupons, and with so many fakes for sale on there...eh, I want no part of that. The Coupons Clippers is good, out of FL, though I stopped using them as their shipping times didn't work for me (not the company, the post office's- it was a gamble to get them for shopping day or not, even though the service was very quick to ship them). I am now using Klip2save, which has no minimum but charges a flat $1 shipping rate. You can google them, as I think a link won't show here. They are out of TN and I have also been very happy with their services, though I've only recently started using them.

 

[EmilyD]

I didn't get papers today, it is costing me more
in papers then I am making in coupon usage.
I will see if I use more and go from there.

 

[bumplett]

Papers are $2.50 each here now.

What are the least expensive options for purchasing specific coupons?

What do you guys do??

 

[khaski]

Ebay, clipping services. Beware of coupons for 'free' items on ebay- there used to be a lot of fraudulent ones on there, though they've cracked down on it. Saved another $8.65 today. I should have saved $5 more, but the store didn't carry that brand.

 

[wunsagin]

so far for the month of Jan I have saved $139 using coupons, starting out the year pretty good. We still have a local grocery store that doubles up to .55 but internet printed coupons face value only.

 

[bumplett]

I've never tracked my actual coupon savings, although I certainly use a stack -
I also use the Ibotta app & I love it!!

I'll try to start tracking the actual numbers in February