JAJ Response

Julie.

This is my response to your question (sorry it took forever!)

Julie asked: Can you share your money saving secrets? Once you said you were going to do multiple posts about couponing. I got the paper and clipped ads for 6 months and I felt like I didn't save anything, and if I used coupons I would end up with a pantry full of boxed snacks and nothing more, so I quit. Since I consider you to be better than most people at stretching a dollar, I would like to hear your best secrets to frugal living. What are your favorite freebies? Where do you find the best deals?

I had a good friend in Texas try to teach me but I wasn't getting it. I felt like you. I was getting cheap snacks and nothing else. One day I googled couponing and a couple other words and I found this website on Michael and Mickenzies blog. It is called thekrazycouponlady.com. GO THERE. Look around.

If you REALLY want to save money read their "10 days to become a krazy coupon lady" they says everything I know about couponing. For example the 2nd day they talk about newspaper subscriptions and internet coupons. Did you know you can print coupons from your computer? You learn couponiing lingo and saving strategies.

So first, read that. YOU WILL LEARN A LOT!!

Second....Bookmark this page. One of the great things about this website is that it gives scenarios of what to buy and what coupons to use to maximize your savings.

Have you looked around it yet? Do that then come back and finish reading my post....

Alright. Good. Isn't it an amazing easy to use site?

Now what you need to do is to google "couponing" and other catch phrases and find a couple of websites that help you and that fit your needs. (Then share them with me!!)



Some more of my tips...

***When you eat out you need to use coupons. There are always coupons for restaurants that you may frequent. Look for them in your newspaper and your coupon books...Also, we also try restaurants that we wouldn't try otherwise because we might didn't know about them and are given a good deal. Try restaurant.com. You can regularly buy gift certificates for 70% to 80% off. That is you can buy a $25 dollars gc for $2!

***I know you HATE thriftstores but they are a GREAT way to save money. On Saturday Branch and I bought Little Miss her birthday gift (I will post pictures of it later). The toy we got her retails for $150 dollars. We bought ours for $4o. Brand new with a only a little problem we have to fix but SO WORTH IT! She has a lot of nice brand name clothing I spent $1-$4 one. I already have a large collection of 3T clothing for her- at least 10 pants and 20 or more shirt I have probably only spent $15. Most of them brand new! The saving in shoes alone has saved us a months rent at least!

Me, I have recently bought two new (to me) pair of pants at D.I. and I spent $8. This included a abercrombie and fitch pants that retailed around $80! Branch is really hard on his pants and shirts at work so we get $4 pants and $3 shirts for him pretty regularly.

We also buy other products at thrift stores too. Look around and you can find some amazing things that you can save money on.

Give it a try. (Just wash it when you get home)

***Garage sales. You can barter for the things. How cool is that!!

***Find a couponing friend. Someone that can help you that you can talk to and may even be able to take turns when you go shopping

***Look around before buying anything over $50. I am still learning about looking around but sometimes that save TONS!

All right that is all I can think of right now. Let me know what you think.
How about you other bloggers. What are your saving tips?

I HEART Couponing

People have been asking me about couponing since I have gotten into it. I am going to be dedicating my next several post to this subject to impart my limited knowledge on this big topic.

First off, I have only been couponing now regularly for the last 5 months. Still in that time I am now spending half of what I use to spend. But in that time I have noticed that I pay attention to what food cost, what we are eating (and tending to waste less, though that is not always true :), and actually enjoying shopping.

Secondly, I have found a ton of resources that help me save money. Believe me I couldn't do this all on my own!!

So for my first post I am going to tell you about my shopping trip tonight.

(Sorry about the picture quality, poor lighting and taking on a cell phone)

I got 15 cans of tuna, 26 cans of Campbells Chunky soup, 9 Jello packets, 4 boxes of cereal, produce, a loaf of bread, 2 boxes of pop tarts, 2 frozen dinners, a bag of vegetable steamers, juice, batteries, and a foot scrubber thing not in the picture. How much do you think I spent on this shopping trip?

Leave your guess on my comments and the winner receives my love and respect :)

Please check back later for more on the wonderful world of couponing!!