How has couponing changed your life?

[lecale]

.

[sharkie]

lol that sounds very familiar....so many of us can relate to that...lol

[<3 My $aving$ <3]

As a Single Parent it's made my life much easier and allows my fixxxed budget to go much farther....
I have been able to for the last 4 years send my Daughter to Summer Camp!
The last 3 summers (before this one) She was away from 5~7 nights (free) I did fundraising for that...
This summer thru our local Y She is off to Camp Stephens for 13 Nights
at a minimal cost to my budget ($100 payable over 4 months)

It also allows for what I consider EXTRAS I would NOT otherwise buy (if not on sale)
I have been to 5 concerts already this year, I had won a ticketmaster GC for $100 just before xmas.
Tea Party (Nov 2011 won ) Trans~Siberian Orchestra April (GC) Rammstein May (Won MEET N GREET + FLOOR SEATS)
Dallas Smith Red River Ex ($5.00 admission) Platinum Blonde Red River Ex (Free admission pass) The Sheepdogs ($5.00 admission)
I have tickets to Slash July 21st (early bday prezzy) Shinedown July 23rd (GC) BLS Nov 2012(remainder of GC & $20.00)

I can buy everyone more clothes (LabelsForLess <70% off regular Price (Portage Place Wpg)
Xmas is MUCH bigger for the Kids ! I still coupon the heck out of everything along the way

I <3 the Freebies, it saves me the hassle of buying something I may not like

I almost always have money left at the end of the month...

[sharkie]

that is so awesome to hear all your stories.....one big way that couponing has changed my life is I joined smart Canucks and am getting to know some of the greatest kindest people....thanks everyone for taking time out to share with us...

[MeShell]

I started couponing just before I got pregnant with my son, (he's going to be 6 months soon!), because I knew how expensive it was going to be to buy all the things a baby needs. Before couponing, I used to live pay check to pay check, spent my money in stupid ways, never really cared what things cost. *shakes head...cant imagine ever going back to that way of living!!* Now I always have money in my bank account from month to month and a growing stockpile that I absolutely love!

It's not even that "couponing" changed my life, but this website has. After a long day with baby, I always have a seat on the couch with my laptop and come on here. It always makes me smile and laugh reading posts, threads, and doing trades. Everyone on here is so positive and supportive to each other. It feels like family and I'm starting to feel like I "know" some of you, without even knowing what you look like, just by reading your comments/posts daily.

Thank you SC family :D

[TTBY]

Get into a lot more fights with cashiers

Wow! Im impressed. Im very shy and feel so embarrass when cashiers look at the coupon then look at me then back look at the coupon. Hope some day I can get over that and fight with them too

[mcandlish]

I like how couponing has changed the way I think about my money, in that, I've sat and thought about the time and effort I invested in 2011 to save money. That really has stopped my impulse shopping, especially clothes - I probably spend 1/10 of what I used to. I've always been careful with my money, but I'm definitely more frugal now.

[AliceStewart21]

It helps me save a lot when I purchasing. When i want buy something, i always want to find some coupons that i can use

[hommystyle]

A big difference after using coupons in my money.

_______________________________________
sewing machine - sewing machines - singer sewing machines

[iggysbabysitter]

I'm going camping every weekend this summer, because I don't have to worry about money!! Sure, the camp site is free (friends woodlot on their farm), our only main expense is gas getting there. I have stocked the freezer with super cheap juice for the cooler, lots of ice tea, and the stockpile is full of healthy snacks and meals to take with us
The stockpile is so well stocked that I can put up a stock of dry goods repacked in glass jars at the sugar shack my family will be working next spring!! 1-2 weeks of camping in March :O ! Where I (and my family) will work hard to make a year worth of maple syrup (and lots to gift).
I haven't enjoyed any "vacation" unless it was super cheap because the thought of spending too much and having to struggle the following months was just too stressful, but these weekend trips to the camp have been great, and I don't worry about the $30 in gas we end up spending (knowing SCOP and couponing has made this easier to take, going through 3 small towns to get to the camp means I've been lucky enough to hit 3 small grocery stores stocked with nestea, HH with $3 meat coupons and full tear pads!) I make the most of each trip .
For the past 8 years we had a tent, but it was used by the kids in the backyard for sleepovers because I couldn't afford a real camping trip.

[natynat]

I moved out with my boyfriend a year ago, and before then I did not think of money. I went shopping and bought what I wanted, whenever I wanted it. The first six months away from my parents were a reality shock. I had bills to pay, on top of my McGill University tuition fees. I knew that I had to do something. Yes, I couponed back then too, but not as much as I do today. Now, I really pay attention to the prices, and I match them with my coupons. I have never thought that I could get things for free, or super cheap just by waiting for a good sale to go on and apply a coupon on top of it. I have cut my grocery bill from $400/month to about $250...which is really good considering that my boyfriend is Italian and loves to eat lol. Also, I've learned to stock up on things that don't expire so that I never have to run out to get something that I'm missing and paying a ridiculous price for it! Now, my friends and family ask me how I do it, and I am more than happy to educate them lol.

[sharkie]

wow thanks for sharing...you guys rock

[KrazE]

I think the couponing changed my life in a different way than most.

I of course used coupons to save money, and it made me more aware of costs/prices at the stores I frequented, but what it also did was pushed me into finding other ways to save money.

For example, I now make my own laundry soap and fabric softener at a cost of about 5 cents per load of laundry. I bake much more often (3+ times a week), and have started making my own fruit leather (fruit roll ups) for the kids from the fresh fruits that I get.

I'm now looking into a food dehydrator which will allow me to do the fruit leather as well as dried fruits for snacking; prior to couponing and finding ways to save money, I would not have spent so much time on these things that are not only healthy, but cost so much less.

[wolfwoman]

Well, now my family thinks they have proof that I'm nuts

[sharkie]

lol mine to....