Coupon Day

I never use to care about the grocery flyer in our local paper. But, now, it sometimes is the highlight of the week! Just kidding, sort of ;) Anyway, since I have been clipping coupons, I almost get excited to see what this week's deals will be at the grocery store.

I am not a professional coupon clipper by any stretch of the imagination. As a rule of thumb we spend about the same amount of money but get a least a third more groceries including things like discounted gas cards for example. So the cost for gas is included in our grocery bill but it will save on our weekly gas cost. One of the luxuries we have stumbled upon now are really great candles. The grocery store will have a sale on them or Buy One, Get One (B1G1) and with a coupon or two that I have clipped we get great smelling, name brand candles for next to nothing and the girls LOVE candles.

Here are some things that I have figured out or just work for our family:

Now that we have cupboards full of all kinds of things, we only by nonessential stuff when they are B1G1 and I have two coupons.

Our breakfasts, lunches and snacks consist of things that I have bought on sale.

Dinners, for the most part, are planned around what is on sale.

We don't have to buy things just because they are on sale. I have noticed a pattern on things, to some degree. Like paper towel and toilet paper are usually on sale and I usually have a coupon.

I always buy diapers and wipes when on sale because I am going to need them for at least another year!

It kills me now to buy things for full price or even when they are not B1G1 or without a coupon. (Which sometimes causes me to buy things that we may not really need only because I don't want to need them and then pay full price ;)

I have found coupons for just about everything. I now carry around a plastic storage bag with all kinds of coupons from Bed, Bath and Beyond to coupons for a couple of dollars off Fisher-Price toys. I keep them with me because I never know when I will be in any of those stores or need any of those items. We just got back from TCBY with having 3 coupons for free kids cups.

One thing I won't do is go from store to store. I do most of my grocery shopping with all of the kids. I refuse (I know it is a strong word) to get in and out of the car three times just to get a deal.

Daddy will go to W/D to get meat on sale. We wait for the B1G1 free roasts etc. and then stock up.

We don't have much use for brand loyalty anymore. It buy basically what is on sale. For those few items that we will not budge on brand, I collect as many coupons as I can and when those things go on sale we buy much more than we need at the time.

Another thing I have to be careful of is buying junk food because a lot of times that is what is on sale or what we have coupons for. I try to the best of my ability to have three healthy meals and two healthy snacks a day. So, I will not, for the most part, buy junk food just because it is on sale.

I have learned to ask questions at the grocery store. Before if I couldn't find something or didn't understand a price or what exactly was on sale, I would just not worry about it and either buy it or not. Now, I ask questions. And so far, if something is mismarked or not placed properly the store is more than willing to make up the difference.

I never in a million years thought I would do this just for grocery shopping. (Just like I never thought I would drive a minivan ;) Now, I find it to be a challenge, almost a game. And, my way of contributing to the finances of the family.

Off to "clip" more coupons . . .