Coupon fever
I must be doing something wrong as I just can't seem to get my totals that extreme.
I've gone and done it. I've started couponing.
I'm not talking a dollar here or a dollar there either. Here's how it started.
The other week, there was some chatter on a few blogs I follow. Not sure if it was moneysavingmom.com or thriftymama.com – all I know is that they were talking about a CoverGirl coupon that would blow your mind. Make sure you get your Sunday paper, they said, or you will miss out.
I'm not a makeup-aholic. My trips to buy makeup come about once a year, and only when I realize that I can't scrape anymore foundation out of the bottle by adding water to it. Either that or the sliver of black eye shadow I've been using for three years breaks in little tiny pieces and softly drifts to the floor. Can you tell I don't listen to the experts when they say you should throw away mascara after three months?
I digress.
I made my weekly trip out to the Millersburg BP to nab The Plain Dealer, and brought it home to sort through coupons. I have to admit, I never really took the time to study the coupons. $1/1 or $3/2 kind of made my eyes blur, so usually I just paged through and cut out a cereal coupon once in a while. One would think my thriftiness extended into the world of little cut out squares of paper that save you money, but no, I just never started it.
That was until the day when I spotted the much-blabbed-about CoverGirl moneysaver. It was nestled somewhere in between fiber pills, and those ads for fuzzy slippers that when bought tend to gather dust in the closet. Its big numbers jumped out at me…$8/2. I couldn't believe it. As I thought about it the numbers started to click in my head. If I could find two products that were $4 each, I could get them for free.
That's when my free fall down the slippery slope of coupons began.
Next came the Schick coupons that at $3/1 allowed me to purchase bags of them for $1.97 and put the overage toward another bag. Walmart does overages, bless their blue little heart. I'm now the proud owner of eight bags of shavers and have a stockpile of six Schick coupons that will allow me to get nine more bags for free. I don't think Schick put much thought to that coupon – because in each bag is another coupon for $3/1 – which equals even more free shavers.
Some of you might be shaking your heads. I just smile and realize what is at my fingertips. I'm not an extreme couponer. I don't know that I will ever have so many coupons that I'll be able to feed my family for a year. Because really, who needs 100 bottles of barbecue sauce? Now, if it was 100 rolls of toilet paper then yes – I would go for it. If I can get a nice little pile of everyday products stashed away, then I feel way ahead of the game.
I've always been the kind of person that runs out of things. Toothpaste? Shampoo? I always wanted to be the one who had several big bottles stashed away, and proudly go get one out when the child screams from the shower that we're out of conditioner. I'm on it now. I've already got several bottles of Pert chilling in my drawer just waiting for that day.
It's a rush and I've found that it's always in the back of my mind. Maybe that's not a good thing, but aren't we always on the lookout for a good deal? We drive by a roadside market and pumpkins are on sale for $1 today – wouldn't you slam on the brakes and go back and buy some? I would.
My next step is to contain the coupons that are spilling out of the paperclips I have them in and all over my purse. I don't necessarily want a huge binder to sort and put them in, but I'm leaning that way. Because I can't have my food coupons and cleanser coupons touching, can I?
So next time the Sunday paper graces your house, take the time to really look at the value on the coupons. You can get a lot of free items by being vigilant. Decide you won't be impatient, and just take the time. I haven't yet got the price-matching down. That's when stores run a sale and it matches up to your coupon to make it nearly free. Nobody here in Holmes County doubles coupons either, so I'm guessing a Giant Eagle run may be in order.
There really is no mystery to couponing. I'm not an expert, just a lady who wants to save money and get some needed items into her inventory. I do follow lots of coupon sites on Facebook and also follow their blogs via my blog. These ladies do almost all the work for you. Daily, they list freebies, awesome coupons, and giveaways. Each of these sites has incredible coupon databases that have thousands of printable coupons too. It's a vast world that with a little time and effort, gives you incredible savings.
Here is a list of several sites that I go to daily. Because what good is a fantastic coupon if not shared? I would covet some feedback on how you coupon, or great tips you might use to get a good deal. Because after all, we're all in this together!
http://www.Moneysavingmom.com
http://www.Thriftymama.com
http://www.Frugallythrifty.com
http://www.Dealseekingmom.com
And when you're done perusing through their blogs, come on over to my blog and see what I might be up to! Melissakayherrera.blogspot.com