Show Me The Money!

We are always looking for ways to save money. Especially in today's tough economic times.

A week ago, we were invited to go have dinner with a couple from church at their home. As we were talking over our scrumptious chicken stir fry, the men talked about men stuff while the woman and I spoke about women stuff. Our discussion somehow lead to grocery savings.

She asked, "do you clip coupons?" I admitted that I do, but don't find that I save a ton by using them.

She went on the explain how much she saves, how much she gets for free and so on.

As Arthur (on the King of Queens, of course) once said to Doug after Doug presented him with his whole water-filter-pyramid-scheme, "This is me leaning in with interest", I too leaned in closer, not missing a word. That and I'm half deaf.

She tells me about a website where you can purchase coupons for a few cents each. She continues telling me about how she purchases Sunday newspapers and goes over all the sale circulars that come out weekly. Meijer, Kroger, even CVS and Rite Aid. By matching up the coupons with all that is on sale, including buy one get one free, there is much to be saved.

Seems like a no brainer. I certainly knew about the whole going to different stores because of their sale items could equal big savings. I just didn't want to take the time to go from one store to another. I'm comfortable with doing my "one-stop shopping, one night a week".

Well, since then, I've spent a lot of time researching different websites that offer a ton of information on this. I'm going to give it a few months and see if it in fact makes a difference.

If you are interested in checking into this yourself, here are a few websites that I have found along with the one that she directed me to:

www.thecouponclippers.com
www.hotcouponworld.com
www.couponmom.com
www.thegrocerygame.com

Here's to big savings!

***

Tonight, I matched up a ton of coupons with the sale ad, mainly at Meijer. I got so many items for practically nothing and several for free! I saved FORTY-FIVE dollars. In coupons. Before, on a typical shopping trip, I might save $3 - maybe $9.

Forty-five! That, was awesome.

I intend on handing a stack of coupons to the cashier each week.

Cha-Ching!

***

Oh, I can't forget to mention these very neat tidbits.

I hadn't shared with anyone of my new interest in coupon savings yet. Two days after that dinner, when I pick up my Dad for our weekly grocery excursion, he hands me a piece of paper with four different websites on how to save big with coupons, that he "just so happened to catch on the news" and had thought about me. (!)

Today, my Mom stops by at work and "just so happened" to have an abundance of coupons that she thought I could use. (!!)

Tonight, while at the check out, my Dad excitedly hands me a coupon that he had received after checking out. Its one of those printed from that little coupon do-hickie at the register. It said, "save $8 of your purchase of $105 or more". Well, he never spends that much and immediately knew that I could benefit from it. "Just so happens" that the computer generated it for him and I was behind him in line? (!!!)

Very. Cool.