Coupon Revelation

I have always tried to save money by using coupons. This was especially true when I was at college, living off campus and not on a dining plan. Since moving back home, I have tried to use them more frequently as a way to help out my parents with the cost of grocery & household products. I got caught up in the couponing frenzy about a year and half ago. I bought a trapper keeper, plastic sleeves and even joined coupon forums. I was spending a good 5-7 hours a week clipping, organizing and planning shopping trips.

I realized I wasted a lot of time trying to clip and organize coupons when many of them would expire before I got to use them. I also spent way too much time going to different stores and going up and down every aisle to see if there was that oh so treasured unadvertised deal. I accumulated a lot of health and beauty items that eventually I will use them but the overflow of closets and shelves of products is a nightmare. I will say it is nice to not have to run out and buy deodorant ot toothpaste every time I need it. Or worse- running out to get a toothbrush when yours falls in the toilet or cat litter box.

I will say this- I never did get wrapped up into buying items just because they were a good deal. We try to eat healthy and try not to eat frozen dinners or over processed foods. I have been known to try certain products because I had a coupon. Sometimes I liked it- others not so much.

All in all, a year and a half later I no longer plan out weekly shopping trips and scour the ads for coupons. I cut out what I know I will use and file them away in my binder. I do enjoy having a binder- it makes trying to find coupons on the fly easy. I still try to buy everything with a coupon if I can, but there are certain brands of products that I use and consume and will do so with or without a coupon.

One thing I have discovered is tha CVS is great for finding good deals especially when you are a subscriber to their Extracare Club. They seem to have good prices if not the lowest every so often on the brands of paper goods my house uses. I try to keep the house stocked up on pasta, toilet paper, paper towel, laundry soap and cereal. I usually have to rebuy these items once a month. It saves so much time not having to run out on random trips to buy these items.

Do you coupon?
What have you discovered about couponing?

I Love Couponing

There is a newpaper vending machine near my office. I noticed a few weeks back that the Hartford Courant machine had an "I Love Coupons" ad. Everytime I happened to walk by I forgot to take a picture. Once I did remember, it was replaced. How sad! BUT, last week I noticed it was back. Yay!! I snapped a photo with my Blackberry and just had to post it here!