New to couponing

[Anonymous]

"using coupons" is really a broad expression for an entire mentality of shopping. Some PP are sort of right -there aren't many coupons for lettuce, for example. But there are deals to be had. I try to aim for a minimum of 20% savings during each trip, combining sales with coupons wherever possible.

SO that means I don't say I'm gonig to have X, Y and Z to eat this week, and then go shopping for X, Y and Z.

It means I look at the flyer and say, hmm, pork loin is on sale, and hmm, mangos are too, so one dish will be a pork loin with mango salsa. So I build my menu around what's on sale.

And, over time, you learn your own sort of schedule, so while mustard might not be on sale this week to do a mustard glaze, it was on sale last week.

If I were in your shoes, I"d set a target budget first, work on hitting that week after week, and figure out how to buy extra things one week to be used in subsequent weeks next. Over time, you can decrease your budget because you're regularly saving 15-20%. ANd while that may not sound like a lot, saving 20% off a $400 budget is $80/month.

[Anonymous]

Op here. This is all so helpful. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Like some of the PPs, I gave couponing a whirl and found it to be a waste of time and, actually, money. Finding and organizing coupons takes time. Then, you have to be sure you are only buying things you would be buying anyway -- I was never very good at this. I would see a coupon and think, oh, we could use that. Then, there's the fact that most coupons for food are for processed foods that we don't eat anyway, and that most of the coupons for household items like cleaning products are for name brands that I don't use anyway or can buy cheaper from Amazon using subscribe & save. Add all that together and I was barely saving more than the $2 it took to buy the damn Post to begin with. I buy household items at Costco or sometimes Target and groceries at Costco and Wegmans. I don't normally shop at Harris Teeter because their prices on many items are so inflated that even with a double coupon I often wasn't getting a much better deal than I would be at Wegmans or Target. You can get some good deals if you combine sales and coupons, but who has the time to do all the research and coupon juggling that that requires? I came away from it thinking it's kind of a racket.

[Anonymous]

Several have mentioned Amazon subscribe & save(?). What are you buying and how much does it save?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have also discovered, astonishingly, that Whole Foods has the cheapest prices on some stuff!

Every grocery store has low prices on *some* things. That is how they lure you in.

[Anonymous]

Picking up a few things tonight:

Arnold Bread - BOGOF + $1 coupon
Sargento String Cheese - BOGOF + 2 55 cent coupons, which my store will double
Kraft Singles - BOGOF + 2 50 cent coupons which my store will double

[Anonymous]

OP, I don't have the attention span or organization skills for couponing, BUT I do clip lots of coupons and download any that I can- I get them from the Sunday paper inserts.

What I do is basically clip any coupons for stuff that I would actually buy (don't clip ANYthing that you wouldn't actually buy- you'll just be wasting money). I also download coupons for milk (I drink almond milk) and yogurt (fage and chobani have them online a lot- you might have to give your email but I use my junk email).

I make a list for a big food shopping trip- and make a check mark on the things that you have coupons for (so you remember to use them at register). Bring any extra coupons for stuff that you don't need at the time, but usually buy- because if there happens to be a sale on, say, cheerios, and you have your coupon- you can get a HUGE savings and it would be worth getting even if you don't need it. Usually using a coupon on something that's currently on sale saves over 50%.

[Anonymous]

8:08 here again.
The PP above who mentioned not really having set meals in mind works. Many people find making a weekly menu helpful, and I agree, but I also like to be flexible- If chicken breasts are on sale, I'll get those. If ground turkey is on sale, I'll get those. Sometimes they'll be a HUGE sale on, say, chicken thighs (crock pot!)- and I'll spend $8 on like 7 pounds of meat. (I know, not the best meat but for the short term it's what I need to do).
And then just portion out all the meat and put it in your freezer.

[Anonymous]

A lot of grocery stores have deals now that you can load onto your shoppers card through their website. Never tried it but that sounds like an easy way to save money.

[Anonymous]

I just bought a coupon organizer from Amazon - it almost looks like a wallet purse - it's so cute. I am finding I don't throw away valuable coupons anymore - they all go into the organizer and its small enough for my purse.

I printed a bunch from coupons.com - they are manufacturers coupons!!!

[Anonymous]

Which grocery stores will double coupons? I usually rotate between Shoppers Food Warehouse, Safeway and Giant.

[Anonymous]

Here's a very good deal and no coupons needed.

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/blog/organic-red-and-green-grapes-sale-friday-only-628?sf14358454=1

[Anonymous]

Harris Teeter doubles coupons up to $1 for one week every other month or so and does the same with coupons up to $2 occasionally. I generally cut out coupons of high value and save them up till then.

I spend about 15 minutes organizing them to the approximate area of the store. It's a good way to get things like toothpaste and tampons for next to nothing. Harris Teeter also has $5 off coupons for purchases over $25 every week in its ad.

I also use the Target coupons printed from its online site. You can use then on top of manufacturer's coupons for the same item.

Beyond that it is just too time consuming for me chase down coupons and deals with them.