Coupon Update #1

I have a long drawn out explanation to my thoughts on Couponing... but seeing how most of you don't care on my theories, I will answer the questions you are dying to know :)

1. Yes I did save money!
2. I will be continuing coupon
3. I saved a total of $100 in the first week.

Now then... for my long explanation and theories on couponing:

I have discovered that couponing can be effective. However, it is not an overnight success where you start saving instantly! In order to successfully coupon you have to buy things you eat when they are on sale, use a coupon to make the sale price even lower, and buy multiple of these items so you have them when in need.

So... here is an example. I usually make some pasta dish once a week. When I make my menu I write down the type of pasta to buy and go and buy it (along with the other items on my list). BUT with couponing that will not save you money. Instead you wait until Pasta (or whatever item you want/need) is on sale. So last week Pasta was $1.00 a box at Vons. I had (3) $1.00/off coupons for pasta. So I "bought" three boxes... but really because it was on sale for $1 and I had a $1 off coupon it was FREE. So now for the next three weeks I don't have to buy pasta! Which is why I ordered three newspapers, because I want/need three coupons to really make this work.

Make sense?

So the trick is to buy multiples of things when on sale with a coupon. So now my Food Storage closet is even more handy because I can store all my weekly "extras".

On to CVS... this is where I saw the biggest change in my budget. I usually budget out a Target allowance and I go there each week to buy the essentials: paper towels, deodorant, razors, feminine products, etc... I typically spend around $50 on these so called Target runs. This week I spend $30 at CVS and got the following....

- Paper Towels

- 2 boxes of feminine products

- 2 packages of razors

-2 cans of shaving cream

- 2 bottles of my face wash

- gum

- pens

If I had bought all these things at Target I would have easily spend $60 plus I now have $15 in CVS bucks... so technically I only spend $15 on these items. 

All in all, it was a success. I know couponing isn't for everyone, but for now we are sticking to it!