Evolution of a couponer

[weasy71]

I have to say its been so interesting watch my own journey as well as that of other newbies into the world of couponing..We all probably started out the same ....interested but unsure...How could these people be saving so much, how did they get so much for free or cents?

Remember when you used your first coupons? was it nerve wracking and exciting all at the same time? and maybe we didn't pay as little as some, but dammit we payed less!! How empowering....it made us want to do better..

Then on to getting braver, looking for better deals...steeling your nerve to head to checkout, hoping you wouldn't get the "evil" cashier or worse yet.....the dreaded CSM...lol...

and finally feeling like you've mastered that...on to the quest of overages and stacking...finally feeling prepared to take on the store and any employee who dared to reinforce a policy in the way they interpreted it.....

to finally the mastery of so many of this site like couponmommy, Jennyfromtherock, coupondude, just to mention a few who's posts I read diligently.......Tell me how you've evolved and where you are in the evolution.....its exciting to see the progress!!

[floweredangel]

Well, I'm still in the first stage. I saved $10.00 off my last shop, which I thought to myself "good, but I can do better and I need to learn more"

$10.00 off is more than I would have saved before for sure, as I barely even looked at the flyer for deals so using coupons on deals is new and exciting for me.

Hoping with time I'll be able to find more coupons I can use and eventually be more confident and find better deals and then work up to a small stockpile.

Have to edit. I had $10.00 in coupons. Most of what we bought was also on sale, but then I don't buy things unless we realllllly need them or they're on sale, or it's weekly fruit/veggie staples we need.

[Gamerfaith]

I think I saved around $10 on my first PM & coupon combo shop, but it was the first time I realized I saved over $35 on my grocery bill that I really was proud.

I think you really start getting excited when you get your first free item from a sale/coupon combo or your first overage. Or even your first multiple item haul.

[MrsSaver]

I've learned so much in the little time I have been couponing. There is no way I will ever go back to full retail. I've gotten so many things for free or close to free and have run out of room already in my pantry......love it, love it, love it

[jjbmat]

Couponing is letting me stay at home with my girls! Thanks to everyone here!!! My girls thank you too!!!

[Chantel]

I remember my first OH MY GOD, NO WAY coupon moment. I had just discovered coupons, last summer I think. Before I actually signed up for SC and was just browsing random deal sites regularly. I had clipped my single brandsaver from my paper, and held my coupons tightly in my hand as I entered walmart. I, the fool I was spending money on things back then, told my mom I needed a new deodorant.

This was back in the dark ages when when I needed something, I had to go to the store to buy one because I didn't have 30 to choose from on a shelf in my basement.

Anyway, we go to the deodorant section, and I was holding onto my $9 WUB 3 women's product coupons from brandsaver. I don't remember what ridiculous price the deodorant was, but 3 together had to cost at least 10 dollars, because I remember walking out of there having paid one dollar for three deodorants. I was stunned. My mom was stunned.


Then fast forward a few months later. It seems like yesterday. October 2010, I was sitting at my computer with my coupons in hand, they were spread out on my keyboard. I was busy scouring the LD website and flyers, looking for deals and figuring out how much I could combine with what little I had.

I had just gotten my license to drive, I had never stacked before, and decided now that I could drive, I had to try. I drove to LD around 6 or 7 pm, it was dusk. I walked in tentatively and asked a lady wandering around if they stacked. She said yes. I shyly got my items, which were some always pads and liners, a toothbrush and some deodorant (all P&G brands ). Here's my receipt (yes, I took a picture! I was proud!)



I also had a coupon for free cookie dough from a Listia auction, so I walked to the grocery store across the parking lot and bought that. I was so, so happy. It would have cost me about $40 for what I purchased there, and instead I walked away spending $11.

I graduated from stuffing my flyers in my purse and having envelopes for my coupons to folders and a bag, and now my folders have become a huge photo album full of coupons.

Since my initial stacking trip, things have just grown and grown. You can look at my album if you want to see from December 2010 - recently how big.

I started when I was still 16, I'm 18 now and really, it's been the biggest accomplishment of my life so far. Looking back, the $11 I spent that weekend is about what I spent this weekend in tax, but I got $109 worth of stuff at LD rather than $30.

[itsjill]

I agree! This is my new hobby and keeping me busy, and money in our family account. This was my first month taking coupons seriously. Next month my goal is to save all reciepts and tally it at the end to see how much i spent, and how much I saved.
SC is my new favorite website. I sooo wish there was an app for smart phones, lol
My DH question is now, ok you saved X? but how much did you spend?
So, I will have answers!

[floweredangel]

Where do you keep track of what you spend and what you save? Do you include sale prices in savings, such as regular $3.99, on sale $2.99 so you include that extra $1?

[weasy71]

really great comments. I am wondering also about how you are keeping track Jill. Excel spreadsheet or something like that?

[itsjill]

I posted another link, called my august savings plan for my DH.

I am not including taxes, and yes I am using a spreadsheet.... Totalling purchase price, quantity and then the coupons used. In seperate columns I am totally, the bonus points earned, and new coupons that I picked up on the purchases.
http://forum.smartcanucks.ca/223571-...-fo-dh-canada/

Its to hard to post the spreadsheet. I will adjust it as I go.

I haven't thought about using sale prices, because they vary, and it might be a nightmare to track all of that..

[wiserwithwords]

I was always interested in coupons before but it would be the odd one in the store and mail and that was it. I had no idea there were that many different coupons out there.
I went from just shopping sales and stock piling to now using coupons and wow is all I can say! My freezers have never been so full and I have shelves upon shelves of stock pile so I will never have to pay full price for anything again.

Coupons have allowed me to stay home with my kids and allowed us to purchase things that we wouldn't normally be able to. Our savings by using coupons to match with sales (and the advice given here) will allow us in the next few months once we get caught up on debt to save for IVF and building our future home. I know it may sound crazy but we are able to save hundreds every month which will add up to thousands every year so if we can put what we save into an account I think it maybe possible.

Anything priced over a dollar after coupons anymore seems expensive to me (with the exception of fresh produce, dairy and meat) Personal hygiene like shaving cream, deodorant, beauty supplies etc I refuse to pay more than just tax. It has really shown me that you don't need to pay $10 for bathroom tissue.

I think my favorite thing of all is learning how to really maximize my savings using rewards cards, especially Optimum. Before I'd be able redeem my points once every few years, now I have been able to get a .16 cent WII and my kids Easter was covered completely by these points. I also use swagbucks like crazy as well. I haven't figured out aeroplane, airmiles or superpoints yet but hoping that I will find threads which will explain those better (anyone want to share some tips??)

[redhdlois]

Couponing is letting me stay at home with my girls! Thanks to everyone here!!! My girls thank you too!!!

Now that is an awesome brag! Mom's should be able to stay home to raise your family...I hate that the economy is such that most people can'ts...kudos to you for finding a way to do it!

[momof4monkeys]

i have only been couponing for a month and i have saved loads of money already.

i was thrilled when i got my first free items and dh was hooked when he saw i saved $68 and only spent $11 (especially when he saw what I got)!

my skin is nicer (free lotion) the house smells nicer (cheap smellies) and cleaner (i really want to clean more with my cheap cleaner LOL).

he said, "this sandwich tastes better knowing it has free meat in it"

I totally agree!!!

Ps - i have also met a totally cool group of like minded ladies, willing to share info and coupons!!

[iceblueraven]

A year ago, I would have laughed if someone had said a .50 cent coupon was worth a lot. It's worth .50 cents...isn't it? And .50 cents off my grocery order wasn't a big deal.

And one day, by accident, I came across SC. And then I started creeping SC. LOL I admit it. I creeped you guys. A lot.

For whatever reason, out of the blue, I woke up and went to every store in the city and collected coupons (no not all of them, a few here and there ). The same day, I ordered coupons online. And then there was a smartsource not too many days later (redplum didn't thrill me as much).

So I was lucky and had a big pile of coupons really quickly. But I would never bring all of them to the store, just the ones I needed. Right? It only took about 2 missed opportunities for great clearance deals to put a stop to that. So I'd remain discreet and just have a little file folder right? Keep it in my purse, neat and tidy, nobody had to know.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Now I have a huge honkin 4 inch binder, organized by category, that I carry in a huge honkin bag that also holds my calculator, pens, wallet, envies, stamps and scissors (never know when you're gonna need to clip a coupon somewhere).

After I got my binder, the first person that asked "are you one of those extreme couponers" made me turn red, felt like I had to give this long explanation...etc etc. Now I just say "yeah, I do ok" and carry on with my life.

But I'd never need to trade. PFFFFFFFT. Yeah right. There are coupons I have now that I didn't even know existed. I can only say, "Aw, why didn't I get that one?" so many times before I say "hey, can I have that one?" So far, everyone has been more than fantastic and my trades have been not only productive, but fun!

Like I said in another thread, the first time I combined a coupon + a sale, I thought I was breaking the freakin law or something. Like sirens would go off and they'd kick me out or something LOL. Now I won't buy anything if I don't have a coupon and it's not on sale.

And I can price match like it's nobody's business, without taking up much more time than a regular transaction...until the cashier takes the magnifying glass to the coupons LOL.

Oh, and those Cranky cashiers? Used to be terrified. Now? Ok, still a little afraid of the cranky pantses. But it's getting better.

And I track each transaction with sale prices, regular prices and coupons used (I use a spreadsheet)...and I can proudly say I now save 50% consistently and have many good days with 60-80% savings. My stockpile is getting awesome too!! Right now, we could only buy nothing produce and milk for the next 3-4 weeks and be just fine YAY for stockpiling!!

[floweredangel]

"And I can price match like it's nobody's business, without taking up much more time than a regular transaction...until the cashier takes the magnifying glass to the coupons LOL."

I haven't been having as much luck with the price-matching. We usually shop at RCSS and if the flyer says "Select" varieties they will only price match the pictured item regardless of the description.