Money, money, money

Now that I am staying at home with the boys and we are down to one income, I am obsessed with finding deals/bargains. I even started ***gulp*** clipping coupons. I know, I know, what a "mom" thing to do. But after I started doing it, I felt like kicking myself, because I could have been doing this for a long time, and saving TONS of money. For instance. I use disposable razors that are 5.99 for a pack of 4. I have always paid full price, and considered myself lucky if I happen to catch them on sale. Well, they went on sale last week for 3.99 a package. WELL, I had 3 coupons for $3 off (which made 3 packs .99 cents) and 3 coupons for $2off (which made 3 packs 1.99) and then I had 2 "Buy One Get One Free" coupons (which made each pack less than $2.00). I spent 10.97 and got $60 worth of razors, just buy combining the coupons with the advertised sale. SCORE.

Here is how I am doing it. (And this is probably (definitely) not the best way, but it is working for me, for now). On Sundays, I get the paper, and then take the inserts out. There are up to 3 coupon inserts: SmartSource, Red Plum, and P&G Brandsaver (P&G only comes about 1x a month). I cut all of the coupons out (except for, like, pet food, since we don't have pets) and then I organize the coupons in labeled baggies.
*Health/Beauty
*Paper Goods/Home Stuff
*Canned Goods/Packaged Foods
*Refrigerated/Frozen Foods
*Meat/Produce

Then, on Wednesdays when the grocery store ads for the following week are delivered, I see what is on sale, then I make our "dinner menu" for the next week based on what is on sale. (If hamburger is on sale, then we will have 2 meals with hamburger that week...if bananas are on sale, that is O's fruit that week, etc.) Then I go through my coupon bags, and get the coupons out for the things that I will be buying. It doesn't save you money to use a coupon to buy something that you don't need. So only buy the item if you are going to use it or donate it.

As for health/beauty coupons, I scored big at Target this week. I had $1.25 off of Dove bodywash coupon, and I saw an endcap that had Dove Body wash on sale, and as a bonus, the bottles that were on sale were packaged with a smaller additional bottle...so I basically got 2 bottles of body wash for $2.50. WOOT!

Don't worry, friends. We are not "hard up" or struggling to pay bills around here. But, the more money that is left in the checking account at the end of the week, means the more money that is transferred into savings. Which means the better vacation we get to go on next year! (Yes, NEXT year. Thankyouverymuch to BP for the lovely oil spill, and ruining our plans to go to Orange Beach. ***virtual kick in the shins***) So, I will continue to get out my scissors on Sundays, and get a sick little thrill as the cashiers scan my coupons while I watch my "Amount Due" grow smaller and smaller!