She is...Frugal

Hey Y'all,

I think we have been friends long enough that I can share a secret with you all without the fear of judginess... Is that even a word? Well, here it is...I am a couponer~ there I said it. What do you think?

Before you get too worried, I am not a "hoarder" type couponer. I have never been the one who bought anything and everything just because I had a coupon or it was nearly free. And I certainly do not buy 400 of them. I do keep a small stash of items stockpiled. These are things that we will use and I have gotten them on sale and super cheap using my coupons, discount cards and store sales. The key to couponing is to never “need”the item. That is why you “stock pile”. Ideally, you have enough of any item you will need until it is on sale again. I haven’t mastered this part… but I do save where I can.  

Although I do have a pretty pink "trapper keeper" for my coupons, I like think I am a selective couponer. I only buy things and brands my family normally uses. I don’t brand hop often. If there is a new brand/ product out that I think we might like, I am more inclined to try it if I know I am not paying full price for it. That way, if we don't like it we aren't out too much money and if we do, well that's just a plus.

There is a lot of work that goes into crazy couponing and I truly do not have that much time to devote to researching every sale and website to find all the best deals. Fortunately, we don’t have to. There are several websites I use to find the best deals, Sunday newspaper for my coupons and a few phone apps that give you rewards for buying products. I would suggest you set up a coupon email address~ you will be bombarded with sales emails quickly. Here are few of my tips...

Coupons: you can’t beat the Sunday newspaper. Be aware, there aren’t coupons in every Sunday paper. This link, 2016 coupon insert schedule, will give you a pretty good list of when coupon inserts are in the paper. You can print them from online sites too if that works better for you. Coupons.com is a good option.

Loyalty cards: If your stores offer them- sign up for one. They give you access to sale prices, coupons and discounts and most can be loaded into your phone’s Passbook for easy access. Grocery stores, drugstores, restaurants and even pet stores offer them. I use CVS often - they email you lots of coupons & % off coupons, plus they have a magic coupon machine in the store. You just scan your card and they print out right there for you.Typically it’s for items on sale but not always- they are usually good for a few days too which means the item will probably be on sale soon so hold on to that coupon. They also give you ECB (Extra Care Bucks) on select products each week. You get a coupon on your receipt for real money off of your next purchase. As a newbie to the coupon world- CVS is fun! You can work all kinds of deals once you know what you are doing.

Apps: These are easy to use and require very little pre planning. (that’s a definite plus for me) Here are my favorite ones right now:

Cartwheel: This is for Target, need I say more~ Sign up here Target Cartwheel. As you are shopping, use your phone to scan the bar code on your items. It will tell you if the item you have is on the “cartwheel”, you just "add" it to your list. If it isn’t, they show you a comparable item that is… usually the Up& Up brand. At the checkout, just show the cashier your barcode and you save instantly on your purchases. You can also add items to your cartwheel before you shop. This works in addition to any other coupons you might have for products.

iBotta: sign up here https://ibotta.com/r/zjaara.  When shopping or when you get home, scan the barcode on your items and then upload a picture of your receipt. Once purchases are verified, money goes into your iBotta account. You can withdraw your money through a PayPal account or have it uploaded to different gift cards (Amazon, WalMart…).

Checkout 51:sign up here Checkout51. Like iBotta, only certain items are available each week. So it might be a good idea to look at the list of items before you shop. You aren't required to scan your items, only upload a copy of your receipt.

ShopAtHome: Super easy to use! Go here ShopAtHome to sign up. Now whenever you are shopping on line go to the ShopAtHome.com website and log in. Then search for your item or store and they will show you promo codes and discounts for the store. You are then directed to their website and complete your shopping as normal. Once your item is purchased, your ShopAtHome account will be credited with a percentage of the sale. You can receive a check in the mail once your balance reaches $20.00. See~ isn’t that easy!

As for where to go to find the best deals, I trust Southern Savers and Time 2 Save Workshops. These are both so up to date on what will be on sale and when and what coupon to use to get the best deals & even where you can find the coupons. These ladies do a great job and we are very fortunate that they are willing to share it with us!

I think of couponing as a game. The more you prepare ahead of time the better your return will be. Whether you are a college girl, just starting out, newlywed or long time married, most of us will agree saving money is a good thing. My family doesn't share my same excitement for my game. So you can bet that I will be excited to hear how well you played the game on your next shopping trip. Be sure to comment below. 

                                                                                                                                 xoxo,

                                                                                                                    Amy