The Payoff of Stockpiling and Meal Planning

So back before I got into this whole "Organized Homemaking" thing, I really struggled with grocery shopping and meal planning (or lack thereof). A lot of the time we would go out to eat, but when I would actually cook, there was zero planning. I would just say, "Let's have spaghetti (or whatever meal sounded good)." It was a totally different experience back then than it is today.

Before:

I would just go to whatever store was closest (usually Harris Teeter or Super Target) and would buy what I needed. I would grab some pasta noodles, sauce, lean ground beef/turkey, a green pepper, an onion, and perhaps some frozen garlic bread/texas toast. I would also usually end up grabbing some other random things (especially if I went to Target).

I wouldn't have a single coupon, but I would grab what brand was the best "deal" that day. I would spend probably around $11.00 just for the stuff for the spaghetti. If I added texas toast, it would be at least $13.00, not to mention the other random things (ie cookie dough/brownie mix for dessert).

After:

Now, I coupon and only buy things when they are great deal and stockpile. I buy all of my meat on sale and individually package it for the freezer. I never spend more than $3.33 on lean ground beef/turkey and usually get it for better than that. I buy pasta noodles (whole wheat) for virtually nothing and spaghetti sauce (even the large jars) for under $1.00. I buy my peppers when they are 50 cents to $1.00 (I cut them up and freeze them in freezer bags). I still buy onions when I need them, but they are usually not that expensive (maybe 50 cents apiece). I also stockpile baking goods (like brownie mix) when it goes on sale. I don't impulse shop anymore.

So, even if I haven't technically meal planned, I can say, "Let's have spaghetti." I go to the pantry and grab my free pasta noodles and cheap spaghetti sauce. I grab a pound of lean ground beef/turkey and my diced peppers from the freezer. I either have an onion from my fresh produce shop or have Lee stop and get one (saving me money - he will not impulse shop). If we want garlic bread, I have it in the freezer (I probably got it for 50 cents). If we want brownies, I have mix in the cupboard that I probably got for free or maybe 25 cents. So, I cook the same meal (if not better since I only buy name brand with coupons) for roughly $5.00 (including bread and dessert).

So by doing all this couponing, stockpiling, and meal planning, I saved myself $6-8 (or more) for just one meal. Not to mention the headache of going, "What's for dinner?" "How about spaghetti?" "I have to go to the store." "It's not worth it." "Let's just get fast food." We have a healthy, home-cooked family dinner which to me means we are building family memories. For me eating around the dinner table at home is very different from eating around 10 other families at McDonalds while your kid plays (and doesn't eat). Of course there is the place and time for that as well (all moms need a break from cooking and kids enjoy playplaces).

Goal Price List

I've been meaning to do this for a long time. I wanted to post a list of what I consider my goal prices for things. This helps because I can look at "deals" and make sure they are really good deals. Obviously demand can make the price I am willing to pay go up (like if we are out of milk and we are at Harris Teeter, I don't care if I could save 50 cents down at Walmart).

Here's my goal price list for commonly used items:

Meats:
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts - less than $2.00/lb
93% lean ground beef or turkey - less than $3.00/lb
Pork chops/loin - less than $3.00/lb (I really love to get it for less than $2.00/lb)
Fish - less than $5.00/lb
Steak - less than $6.00/lb

Dairy:
Milk - less than $3.00/gallon
Eggs - roughly 10 cents/egg
Cheese, shredded - $1.00/bag
Yogurt - $1.00/pack (I really love to get it for FREE which is possible during Super Doubles at Harris Teeter most times)

Deli Meat:
Packaged sandwich meat - $2.00/pack (I prefer to get fresh from the deli though)
Packaged turkey bacon - $2.00/pack (I've gotten this for like a quarter before)

Produce:
Grapes - 99cents/lb (I will pay more if they look good and we want them)
Apples - under $2.00/lb (really love to get them cheap in the Autumn)
Bananas - under 50cents/lb
Watermelon - $3-$4 in season
Pears - 99cents to $1.50/lb
Pineapple - $3-$4 in season
Zucchini/squash - 99cents/lb
Onions - 99cents/lb
Potatoes - $3.00/5lb bag
Carrots - $2.00/lb
Bagged salad mix - less than $2.00

Condiments:
Peanut butter - less than $1.00 (I love to get it for like 50cents)
Jelly - less than $1.00 (I love to get it for like 50 cents)
BBQ sauce - FREE
Mustard - FREE
Mayo - 50cents
Ketchup - under $1.00
Frank's Red (we use this a ton) - 50cents
Salad dressings - under $1.00 (very easy to get for FREE)
Worcestershire sauce - FREE
Steak sauce - $1.00

Canned Stuff:
Canned Veggies - 50cents/can
Canned Tuna - FREE - 25cents/can
Canned Cream Soups - 60cents/can
Canned Soups - 25cents/can

Pasta/Rice:
Packaged pastas - 50cents
Packaged rices - FREE - 50cents
Jarred pasta sauce - under $1.00/jar

Breakfast Stuff:
Cereals - under $1.00/box (I love to get these for FREE)
Oatmeal - under 20cents/packet
Poptarts - under 50cents/box (We only get these if they are a super good deal)
Breakfast bars - $2.00/box (Luke loves these so we get them no matter what, but I like to stock up when they are a great deal)
Fiber One bars - $1.50/box (Again, Lee loves these so we get them no matter what, but I like to stock up when they are a great deal)
Granola bars - $1.00/box (Again, Lee loves these so we get them no matter what, but I like to stock up when they are a great deal)

Snacks:
Fruit snacks - FREE (I only stock up when they are FREE or super cheap as they are a treat)
Chips - we rarely buy chips so if we want them, we shop whatever is the best deal of things we like
Pretzels - $1.00/bag
A lot of our snacks are bought based on super good deals. We don't buy too many chips/cookies. I prefer to make homemade cookies from low-cost baking ingredients (flour, sugar, butter, vanilla, etc).

Cleaning Products:
Wipes - less than $1.00/tub (I love to get these for FREE)
Sprays - less than 50cents (I love to get these for FREE)

Laundry:
Detergent - 5-10cents/load (at least the load indicated on the bottle/box)
Fabric softener - 5-10cents/load (at least the load indicated on the bottle)

Dish:
Dish soap - FREE - 50cents/bottle (depending on bottle size)
Dishwasher detergent - $2-$3/bottle

Toilet Paper/Paper Towels:
Toilet paper - roughly 25cents/roll
Paper towels - roughly 50cents/roll

Baby Stuff:
Diapers - 10cents/diaper
Wipes - FREE to 2cents/wipe
Baby Wash - $1.00/bottle

Food Storage:
Baggies - 5-10cents/baggie
Containers - 25-50cents/container

Freezer Food:
Ice cream - $1.00/container (only buy when it is a great deal)
Frozen pizza - $2-$3
Lean entrees - $2.00

Personal Care:
Face wash - $1-$2
Shampoo - FREE - 50cents
Conditioner - FREE - 50cents
Soap/Body Wash - FREE - $1.00
Shaving gel/cream - FREE - 50cents
Razors - FREE - $1.00 (for the good ones)
Deoderant - 50cents
Makeup - $1-$2
Toothpaste - FREE - 50cents
Toothbrushes - FREE
Feminine hygiene - FREE

Please let me know if there are any other things you think I should add to the list. :)

Couponing - Weekly Schedule

A lot of people have asked me, "How much time do you spend couponing?" and "How do you do it?" People seem to want to know how I actually plan my trips and how much time it really takes me. I decided that I would do a post with my basic weekly schedule.

What Is My Weekly Schedule?

SUNDAY
Coupon at CVS (their deals start on Sundays - earlier I get there the better)
Coupon at Rite Aid (their deals start on Sundays - earlier I get there the better) (I only go to RA if there are a good amount of deals)
Coupon at Kroger (I only go to Kroger if there are a good amount of deals)
Buy Sunday paper(s) for the coupons (if there are $150 and up I get 2; if less, I get 1; on the 1st Sunday of the month, I buy 3-5 because they have a ton of coupons including P&G)
Clip and organize coupons (at the end of the month, I pull expired coupons)

MONDAY or TUESDAY
Plan my trip(s) to Harris Teeter on Southern Savers

WEDNESDAY
Coupon at Harris Teeter (their deals start on Wednesdays - earlier I get there the better)

FRIDAY OR SATURDAY
Plan my trip to CVS on Southern Savers
Plan my trip to Rite Aid on Southern Savers
Plan my trip to Kroger on Southern Savers

How Do I Plan My Trips?

I go to Southern Savers (http://southernsavers.com/) and click on the store I am looking for deals at (I generally shop at Harris Teeter and CVS, but I also do Rite Aid and Kroger if there are enough deals to warrant the drive).

They have a checklist maker and I just quickly click the deals I am interested in and print the list.

If there are printable coupons that I need for the deals (only if I absolutely want them/they are a great deal), I print and clip those.

I go through my binder and find the coupons I need for the deals.

I put it all together in the ziploc bag for that store.

I go to the store and get my deals.

How Long Does It Take?

I would say that clipping and organizing coupons, looking up the deals, printing the IP coupons, pulling the coupons, and organizing my baggies takes no more than 3 hours a week (if that even). I have gotten pretty efficient.

At first it seemed like it took me a lot of time since I was learning all the stores policies, looking for every deal, going to every store, and didn't quite know what I was doing.

Now I can clip the coupons I know I want (I don't clip them all anymore) in 15 minutes probably (more if I get multiple papers). Same with finding the deals. I only get the ones I need/want/are rock bottom deals, so I don't spend as much time on that part. I do all of this during downtime (like when I am watching TV at night).

I also zip into and out of the stores really quickly. I know the lay of the land at each store, go through my list, get my stuff, and check out. Unless there is a coupon problem, or I have to think on my feet, it takes just a few minutes to get my deals. I would say I shop faster now than I did before since I only go in and get what I want, I don't dilly-dally and look at all the deals. I can't imagine walking aimlessly around with my giant coupon binder doing the math in the store. That would be nuts for me (and very impractical since I usually take Luke with me). I would say I spend an hour or two (at the most) at the store each week (including getting my fresh stuff each week).

So I spend no more than a total of 5 hours (probably a huge overestimate) planning and shopping. I probably spent at least 1-2 hours before. The way I look at it is, I have cut my grocery budget from $600 or more to $450 or less and I get at least twice as much for that amount (including lean meats, fresh produce, milk, and bread each week). TOTALLY WORTH MY TIME! :)

Stockpiling 101

I just read a great article on stockpiling and thought that I would share it with you guys. This lady seems to have a really great blog all about couponing and smart grocery shopping. I know a lot of my readers love to hear about those things. She is very thorough including examples and pictures. I hope you enjoy!

http://beautyandbedlam.com/stockpiling-groceries-101/

Rainchecks

What is a raincheck?
A raincheck is a "coupon" for lack of a better word that you get at a store when they are out of an item that you want.

How do you get a raincheck?
When you go to checkout, tell the cashier or customer service desk that you need a raincheck for ________ (whatever you needed it for). They will fill out the paper and put all of the specific details.

How do you use the raincheck?
When you go back to the store and find the item you wanted, you present the raincheck at checkout and they will have a manager override the price.

How to Play the Drugstore Game

This is a general breakdown of how to shop at CVS, Rite Aid, and Walgreens. I will be devoting a post to each one individually, but I thought I would give you a general idea of "How to Play the Drugstore Game."

CVS
CVS Extra Care Bucks (ECBs) program is an instant rebate program that prints out CVS “money” on the bottom of your receipt when you purchase qualifying items. They work just like cash on your next purchase (or any purchase before the expiration date). You also get an additional 2% or your total spending quarterly. This program is a great money maker for toiletries and baby items. You can use manufacturer coupons, store coupons, and ECBs on the same item. You need a CVS card (FREE!!!) to access these bucks.

Rite Aid
Rite Aid’s Single Check Rebate (SCR) program is a monthly rebate program that gives you money back in the form of a monthly check for qualifying items. You simply buy the item (hopefully using a coupon in addition), pay for it, go on their website and type in a few things off of your receipt, submit for your check at the end of the month, and a couple of weeks later you get a check. You can only request a check once in the month, so it’s best to wait until the end of the month.

Walgreens
Walgreens Register Rewards (RR) program is an instant rebate program that prints out WAGS “money” on a coupon when you purchase qualifying items. They work just like a cash coupon on your next purchase (or any purchase before the expiration date). You can only use as many coupons as you have items (ie if you have 4 things, you can use 4 coupons – a RR counts as a coupon). You can get a cheap filler item to get past this.

Store Couponing Policies

I think this is the most helpful post I could write about couponing. Every store has their own policies for couponing and you do not want to go in not knowing what they will allow or you will be disappointed. I have a color-coded Excel spreadsheet with all of this information, but I cannot post it on here. If you are interested, email me at ashley-webber@hotmail.com and I will gladly email it to you.

When Do the Stores Run the Deals?

Wednesday - Tuesday
Harris Teeter, Lowes, Food Lion

Sunday - Saturday
Kroger
CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid

*It's best to go the first day and/or the middle of the "week" as that is when they have a good stock.

What are the Store Coupon Policies?

Food Lion (FL)
Accepts coupons
Does not double or triple coupons
No limit to how many coupons you can use

Kroger
Accepts coupons
Doubles coupons up to 50 cents
No limit to how many coupons you can use
Can only use 2 identical coupons (2 identical IP coupons) per transaction

Harris Teeter (HT)
Accepts coupons
Doubles coupons up to 99 cents
No limit to how many coupons you can use
Can only use 3 identical coupons (2 identical IP coupons) per transaction
Can only double 20 coupons per VIC card per day
Every so often, HT offers Super Doubles (doubles coupons up to $1.98) or Triples (triples coupons up to 99 cents) – regular doubling rules apply

Lowes Food (LF)
Accepts coupons
Doubles coupons up to 99 cents
No limit to how many coupons you can use
Can only use 4 identical coupons per transaction
Can only double 20 coupons per LF rewards card per day

Walmart
Accepts coupons
Does not double or triple coupons
No limit to how many coupons you can use, however if you use more than 40 a manager will be called

Pharmacies – CVS, Rite Aid (RA), Walgreens (WAGS)
Accept coupons
Do not double or triple coupons
No limit to how many coupons you can use
Put out their own coupons that you can stack with a mfr’s coupon

Membership Clubs
BJs accepts coupons and you can stack them with BJs coupons
Costco does not accept coupons
Sam’s does not accept coupons

Where Do You Find the Deals?

Most people think you have to take store ads and analyze them to death to figure out how to save a few pennies on stuff, but that is not at all how I coupon. In fact if that was the only way, I wouldn't do it. I don't have that much time. There are websites that tell you exactly what the deals are going to be (as early as a week in advance), what coupons to use, where the coupons came from (including links if they are Internet Printables), and what you should expect to pay for the items. They are fabulous!

1) Southern Savers - www.southernsavers.com – she lists all the deals for Harris Teeter, Kroger, Food Lion, CVS, BiLo, Walgreens, and Rite Aid
Southern Savers is my favorite website for couponing. Not only does she list the deals, but she has click boxes that create a printable shopping list. It is as easy as it gets.

2) A Thrifty Mom – www.athriftymom.com – she lists deals for some stores and also other thrifty deals that come along – she posts a few times a day
I love A Thrifty Mom in that she posts a lot of random things like, "How To Get a Free VeggieTales DVD" or where to go to get coupon booklets sent to you. She is out west so there are things that aren't applicable to us, but there are so many things that are that she is worth checking out. She also runs contests for free coupons and other neat things.

3) I Heart Sites – www.iheartcvs.com, www.iheartwags.com, www.iheartriteaid.com – these sites list the deals for the pharmacies weeks in advance sometimes
I don't really use these, but I thought I would share them.

4) Store Ads – compare the ads to your coupons
This is not really necessary if you go to Southern Savers.

5) Just go with coupons you want to use and compare at the stores.
I do this ONLY when I am going to the store already and I have specific coupons that I want to use. Example - I love Frank's Redhot sauce and we use it a lot for Buffalo Chicken Tenders. This is an item I don't have to get for free to entice me. I like to get it as cheaply as possible so I will carry them with me to Kroger and Harris Teeter (my main stores) and if they have it on sale or at a price I want to pay with the coupon, I will use it. I always have a limit to what I want to spend on certain items. I will do a post with those prices soon.

How Do You Use These Coupons?

COUPON + SALE = COUPONING SUCCESS

You match the coupon to the sale that a store is having.

Example:
Lysol Wipes
Regular Price $3.19 (Never pay full price!)
Coupon $1.00
Final Price $2.19 (Yuck!)

Lysol Wipes
Regular Price $3.19 (Never pay full price!)
Sale Price $2.00
Coupon $1.00
Double Coupon $1.00
Final Price FREE (YES!!!)

Obviously this is a perfect example as you just got $3.19 Lysol Wipes for free, but after you get the hang of it, you will do this so much you will actually won't want to pay for certain things. I will be posting a post entitled "Where Do You Find the Deals?" after this post. That will show you how to figure out how exactly to get Lysol Wipes (and lots of other things) for free or pennies.

How to Clip, Sort, and File Coupons

A lot of people think that clipping, sorting, and filing coupons takes a long time, but I can tell you from experience that it really doesn't take very long. I like to do this when watching TV as I can't stand to just sit and watch TV. I usually get 1 or 2 papers (have been known to get 4 when there are a lot of inserts). It doesn't matter how many papers you get as you can stack and clip them in the same amount of time it takes to clip 1 paper.

As I clip the coupons, I make piles based on my categories. My 1st set of piles is very general: non-cold foods, refrigerated foods, frozen foods, personal care, and cleaning.

Once I clip all of the coupons and put them in the general piles, I pull each set and divide them into more specific categories (AKA my binder categories). I only do one set at a time so the piles don't get too crazy at once.

Then I go through each spot in my binder and pull expired coupons and put in the new coupons.

If I have the same coupon but it has a later expiration date, I put it in the same slot but in the back. That way you don't use a coupon that expires two months from the day you are using it before one that expires two days from the day you are using it.

This is an easy process especially once you do it a few times.

How Do You Organize Coupons?

This is the method that I highly recommend as it is easy to use and once you set it up, it doesn’t take much time to maintain.

The Binder System:

Supplies You Will Need:
Zippered 3-ring binder
Sheet protectors
Baseball card pages
Cardstock
Index tabs

I also recommend keeping a pen and a little pad of paper/notebook (to write down the deals you want to get), scissors (for cutting your coupons), and a credit card sized calculator (to aid in figuring out the deals) in your binder.

This is the "Check Out" page protector. As you are using coupons in the store, you can put them in this protector so when you get to the checkout all of the coupons you are going to use are there.

This is the "This Week" page protector. You can put your individual baggies/envelopes in this protector for the upcoming week. You could also use it to put coupons that are getting ready to expire so you can look at the store to see if they are worth using.

This is the "Re-File" page protector. This is great if you carry the binder into the store and pull coupons and don't want to put them back where you found them right then.

How to Make It:

In the sheet protector put a piece of cardstock that tells the category.

Use an index tab with the category listed on the edge of the sheet protector so you can flip to it quickly.

Put baseball card pages behind the sheet protector for your coupons.

Put your coupons in.

Another recommendation is to keep Ziploc baggies or envelopes labeled with each store you frequent to put your coupons in. You can just take that into the store if you don’t want to bring in the big binder.

Categories:
By product type?
By aisle?
Alphabetically?
Pick a method based on how your brain works.You can have as many categories as you want or as few as you want, it’s up to you.

POTENTIAL CATEGORIES FOR YOUR BINDER

Condiments, Sauces, Marinades, Dressings
Pasta, Rice, Potatoes
Beans, Veggies, Canned Meats
Canned Fruit
Fruit Snacks
Salty Snacks
Sweet Snacks
Cereal and Oats
Other Breakfast (poptarts, cereal bars, etc)
Breakfast Mixes
Baking Mixes
Baking Needs (oils, flours, sugars, spices, etc)
Breads
Beverages
Dairy (milk, eggs, yogurt)
Deli Meat and Cheese
Meat
Refrigerated (biscuits, doughs, etc)
Frozen Fruits
Frozen Meats and Meals
Frozen Sides and Veggies
Frozen Desserts
Tooth Care (pastes, brushes, floss, etc)
Face Care (cleaners, toners, moisturizers, etc)
Makeup
Soaps/Body washes
Lotions
Deodorants
Hair Care (shampoos, conditioners, stylers, etc)
Shaving (creams, razors, etc)
Feminine Products
Baby Care Products
Medicines/Vitamins
Paper Towels
Toilet Paper
Cleaners
Laundry Care
Dish Care
Air Fresheners
Storage (baggies, foils, paper cups, etc)
Office Supplies (batteries, lightbulbs, office stuff, etc)

* Use any category you like, more or less, it’s your binder.

Where Do You Get Coupons?

You want multiple coupons so that you can stock up when you see a good deal

1) Sunday Newspaper – Subscribe or pick one up Sunday morning; ask relatives, friends, and neighbors if they get the paper and don’t want the coupons
a. Red Plum (RP)
b. Smart Source (SS)
c. Proctor & Gamble (PG)
d. General Mills (GM)

2) Online Internet Printable Coupons (IP) – Don’t print on draft
a. http://www.coupons.com/
b. http://www.smartsource.com/
c. http://www.redplum.com/

d) Specific manufacturers’ websites (ie http://www.deerpark.com/)

3) In the Grocery Store
a. Catalinas – these are coupons that print out at the register when you checkout (sometimes are $$$ off your next order)

b. Blinkies – those coupon machines that you see around the store

c. Peelies – these are “peelie” coupons that are on products in the store

d. Hangtags – these are coupons found on dressing, sauce, and marinade necks (you do not have to buy the bottle, just take the coupon)

e. Winetags – these are coupons found on wine bottles (you do not have to buy the wine, just take the coupon)

f. Tear pads – these are tear-off coupons found on displays in the store

4) Product Packaging – sometimes you will find a coupon in the product (ie on the inside of a rice box, cereal box, etc)

5) Magazines
a. Parade in the Sunday paper

b. All You – basically a coupon magazine

c. Other magazines

6) Direct Mail – sign up for coupon booklets to be sent to your house (free!)

7) Store Flyers – stores, especially drugstores, put coupons in their flyers

8) Trade
a. Friends
b. Online swaps – http://www.ecoupons.com/

9) Buy Them
a. http://www.ebay.com/
b. http://www.thecouponclippers.com/

Couponing Myths vs Facts

So many people hear about the words, "couponing" or "coupons," and a million things come to their minds.

Couponing Myths:
"If you coupon you have to waste a lot of time clipping and organizing the coupons, not to mention the time to figure out how to use them."
"I will just end up buying things I don't need just because I had a coupon."
"I will only save a little bit, so why even bother?"
"There aren't coupons for the things I buy."
"I shop at Walmart or BJs (or any other warehouse club) and they have the best prices, so I don't need to use coupons."
"I will have a house full of stuff."

Couponing Facts:
There is a simple system of finding, clipping, organizing, and using coupons.
You can only buy the things you need/want, but if you do buy things just because you have a coupon, they will be FREE or potentially make you money to buy the things you do need. (You can donate things you get for FREE if you don't need/want them.)
If you coupon, you can save a ton of money on things you were already buying.
There are coupons for almost anything you can think of from personal care to food to pet food to cleaning products to organic foods to fresh foods.
When used correctly, coupons can get you things for FREE at almost any store from CVS to Harris Teeter to Kroger.
Yes, you could potentially have a house full of stuff, but I think this is a good thing. You can set yourself up so that you rarely (if ever) have to go out and pay a ridiculous (AKA retail) price for anything ever again.

After seeing the facts about couponing, I hope you will take the time to learn how to do it. I know it has completely changed our family's budget, meals, and stress related to shopping for the better.

Teaching Couponing on My Blog

Hey Everyone!

After much prayer and thought, I have decided to attempt to teach couponing on my blog. I am really hoping it is as effective as teaching in a real class would be. I have found that most people are so busy nowadays and a lot of my friends and blog readers don't live locally, that coming to a class is not always an option. So, I will be starting to blog the "class" on here. The label for the posts will be "Couponing - How To" and/or specific to the store (ie "Couponing - Kroger") if you want to see all of the posts in one place.

I have a lot of material to cover, so I am going to be breaking it down into pieces. I am also requesting that if you have specific questions that you leave them in the comment section of that post or email me at ashley-webber@hotmail.com. You might want to become a follower so that you get updates sent to your email account whenever I post.

I really hope this works. Please feel free to give me any feedback as far as readability, understanding, and questions specific to couponing. I really enjoy having interaction with my readers. You guys are awesome!

Ashley