Coupons????

Am I extreme couponing?

I wouldn't say extreme couponing. I'm just saving money. I won't go to a bunch of stores. I went to two stores yesterday - Wal-Mart & Tom Thumb. I'm using some apps that give digital coupons & one that helps me track the paper ones. But I only buy what I need. I used shortcuts.com yesterday and saved $3.25. Also, cellfire allows you to add more savings to your reward cards. I actually saved over $20 @ Tom Thumb! It's a little exciting!

I had to buy a new smoke/CO² detector for $38 and in a roundabout way it was free because of my savings yesterday. I was excited; Michael thought I was a little crazy but if it works... I'm also going to keep close track of my savings using Quicken.

You know what they say “Curiosity killed the cat - satisfaction brought him back!”

Oh, yeah - don't forget to go to the manufacturer's websites and like them on FB because they have some coupons there that are exclusive.

I set up a 2^nd email account just for coupons & sales. This way I can sign up for any website and not worry about junk mail as much because it’s just gmail and not my Windstream account. I know it’s kind of crazy but it’s the best way for me to keep my sanity when it comes to all of those emails!

A hard part for me is tracking sales. When you live in the country it’s hard to get sale ads. Plus your store choices are limited. I won’t drive to kingdom come to save money especially when gas is so expensive! I only go to Gainesville so my choices are Wal-Mart & Tom Thumb. Sometimes going to CVS can be a deal too.

One of the things I learned yesterday was in my shopping list, I need to note how many of each item has to be purchased in order to qualify for the coupon. Also, don’t give up on using a coupon. If you have to, ask to see the manager. I had a coupon for 2 free dog treats with the purchase of dog food. When I picked up the items, I read & reread the coupon to make sure I picked up the right things. When the cashier scanned the coupon, the register kept kicking it out. I asked for the CSM who read the coupon, verified my items, and gave me the $5! It was worth it!

Will I do this again?

Yes, definitely! It’s going to be hard when I’m working full-time but in the long-run it is worth it!