Coupon Strikes Again

I can't believe I'm actually doing this. For two years I've resisted the urge to blog about my grocery store/couponing trips.

But today I had to do it.

Grocery prices have been going up (here is the USDA average costs of food at home), I wish I could be specific, but I know our usual foods have been costing more than our usual budget. Darn! So, time to build up the food storage again so I can spend the cash on fresh fruits, veggies, meat, eggs, etc.

What you see:

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  4 things of olive oil


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  14 yoplait yogurts


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  2 Almond Milk (total 1 gallon)


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  2 McCormick Pepper


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  Lemon abstract


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  Almond abstract


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  Montreal Steak Seasoning


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  Cinnamon


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  2 boxes of raspberries


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  2 80ft Reynolds wrap


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  In Style Magazine (splurge)


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  6 Gerber baby food packs

What you don't see:

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  28 boxes of cereal


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  (5) 3.99 off your next purchase of milk (which I can use on any type of milk)

Dollars and Cents:

$45 out of pocket (after coupons and sales, including taxes)

-$20 in milk coupons

________________

$25 for all this stuff including 28 boxes of cereal

My comments:

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  Where do I get coupons: I get 7 Sunday papers a week. Plus online printables.


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  Where do I find my deals: I use Fabulessly Frugal website. I love them, they are local to me and free. They give me all the info.


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  How much time did this take: A lot! 2 hours prepping (figuring out what I wanted to buy, clipping coupons, organizing) and 1.5 hours in the store. And yes, Jacob did watch 2 hours of cartoons during my prep. I need to fix that...plan better so I can do it while he sleeps or is with John.


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  I only buy things I use. I make sure to take notice of expiration dates. Today I broke my rule. I bought cereal I WILL NOT eat. I will give it away, but they were free and I got milk a great price. So extra work there. I don't do that often, but I have some big milk drinking going on at my house....none of which I drink. Go figure!


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  I DO NOT spend time wandering down isles looking for good deals. Inevitably I'm watching the clock because my kids are at their grandma's house or it is 10pm and I'm TIRED. I let other people find the deals. One day, when I can super extreme couponer, maybe I'll find the deals.


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  Couponing has a learning curve. The deals wont be this great (or better...some people do so much better) until you've had a little practice. But you'll still be saving on what you normally buy, so I think it is worth the practice.

I know this seems like a lot of time and effort. But since I have the time, my husband is working so hard to provide for us, and I would like to be a provident provider in some ways.....I think it is worth it.

I do NOT coupon every week. Only when the sales are good and for what I use.

I only coupon at 2 stores. I found the best deals for me at Albertson's and Walgreens. Others have different stores. I have found that if you try to coupon at many stores you'll get burned out or you will NOT get good enough deals. There are some power couponers out there who do many stores....but I'm sure their kids are in school and they would rather coupon than sleep :)

I mostly eat WHOLE FOODS, we don't eat too much processed foods. That gets so expensive. But there are processed foods we do eat....nut and soy milks, yogurt, baking stuff, cereal, etc. I'm glad to save where I can...and save money for the produce.

Things I love to coupon for....TOILETRIES. They don't go bad, you'll always use them eventually, and people love them as gifts. I'm not kidding. I know that seems weird...but save someone $10 on a razor then they can spend the $10 on some new nail polish or a book :)

Since I am so particular about my couponing.....I still need to find ways to keep my food costs down and still eat well. I think I may start to meal plan....more hard core....I do meal plan now, but it is loose and open ended in a way.

Hope you enjoyed sharing my couponing thoughts. Please share with me ways that you save money on your groceries, or ways you keep your groceries in your budget with the increasing costs.

Jessica at LifeAsMom is writing a series on eating well for less. It is an interesting series

p.s. I haven't blogged in so long....Blogger is making me crazy!