A Thrifty Mom

Question: How much do you really stock up for a family of four? Also, on the online coupons how many coupons do you print of each one and are you printing all available or just the ones that you think you will use? Some will print several on one page and others only print one coupon on each page(lots of wasted paper).

Answer: I always say stock up on items when they are at least 50% off…get what  your family will eat in the next 2 months.  But if it is 75% – FREE then I stock up as much as I can store, and what my family will eat  before it expires.  Each family’s needs are a little different, so it is hard for me to say how much for you to buy.  But the longer you coupon the better you will get at learning what you personally feel is a great stock up price and how many to get to meet your family’s needs.

As for the printing question, if it is a product that your family uses or if it happens to be a high value coupon then I go ahead and print them.  Because I do not want them to reach their print limit and  miss out.  But if it a product that I do not really need or buy often I wait to print it till it matches up with a sale.  Click here to see the latest new printable coupons. Hope that helps?

Question:

I have a coupon question that I did not see the answer to on your coupon 101 page. I am just getting started and purchased multiple papers for the first time this week. I see that there is a .50/off eight yoplait coupon as well as a .40/six yoplait. Since I purchased three papers, I have three of each. If I purchase eight yoplait cups will they let me use all six coupons since there are eight items or is one coupon since it covers eight yoplait containers?

Answer:

I get this question about once a week so I thought I would do a post on it to help clear up any questions others may have.  You can use one manufacturer coupon per item.  But if the manufacturer coupon states $1.00 off 2 them you can only use one coupon per two items.  Or in the above example you can only use one coupon ( for .50 cents off  per 8 items.

In some cases you can use two coupons per item this is called Stacking your coupons- You are able to do this when you use a in-store coupon ( a coupon that the store prints, normally in the weekly ad. It will have the store logo on it) along with a MFR (manufacturer coupon). You do have to be careful because some stores like Target have their store logo on manufacturer coupons.  When you use the in-store coupon and the MFR coupon together this is called “stacking” your coupons. So watch for those in-store coupons, and see if you have a MFR coupon to go along with it.

Question: How much do you really stock up for a family of four(2 girls 8 &3, 2 adults)? Also, on the online coupons how many coupons do you print of each one and are you printing all available or just the ones that you think you will use? Some will print several on one page and others only print one coupon on each page(lots of wasted paper).

Answer: I always say stock up on items when they are at least 50% off…get what  your family will eat in the next 2 months.  But if it is 75% – FREE then I stock up as much as I can store, and what my family will eat  before it expires.  Each family’s needs are a little different, so it is hard for me to say how much for you to buy.  But the longer you coupon the better you will get at learning what you personally feel is a great stock up price and how many to get to meet your family’s needs.

As for the printing question, if it is a product that your family uses or if it happens to be a high value coupon then I go ahead and print them.  Because I do not want them to reach their print limit and  miss out.  But if it a product that I do not really need or buy often I wait to print it till it matches up with a sale.  Click here to see the latest new printable coupons. Hope that helps?

Question:  Why do you shop at Albertsons when it seems to have the highest prices over all.  If I use my coupons there, it really only makes them the same price at what I could get at Walmart or Winco BEFORE coupons.

Answer:  I have to say that I think you can find a “thrifty deal” at just about any store you go to.  All stores have deals it is how you use your coupons with the stores sales that really helps you save.  SO to answer your question yes if you just walk into any store and use a coupon you will save some money…but the key to saving is waiting to use a coupon with a really good sale.  Walmart and Winco do tend to have lower prices over all, but they do not run promos very often like Albertsons and Walgreens.  The goal is to stock up on these promo items at their lowest price point, and then use a coupon on top of that promo to get that item at its rock bottom price.

When you first start to coupon it is sometimes best to shop at the lowest price stores for your “must have items for that week”  but set aside part of your budget for your stock up coupon items.    That way you can feel ok about buying 30 cans of soup in a week, knowing that your family will now have soup for the next few months at is lowest price point.  But you have also taken care of the basics first.  Before long you kitchen pantry will be full of items that you got at their lowest price point or free.  And you will not have to pay full price for them when you run out…instead of running to the store and paying full price you just run to your pantry.

Question: I have followed your blog for a couple months now, thank you for all you do! We have a daughter that is a little over 1 1/2 now. We have been talking about baby number 2, with my new thrifty ways I am wondering if you can share some ways cut cost of having a baby. I would love to know what you bottom price is for diapers..food..ect. I want to begin to build a stock pile so we are not hit with all the costs at once! thanks for trying to find time for me!

Answer:  I have found that if you wait till you think you can afford to have a baby you will probably NEVER have one.  Matt was 26 when we got married and eager to have a little one.  I was only 20 and still very young, the thought of having a baby scared me to death but it was also something that was very important to me.  My son Matthew was born about a year and a half later.  I was still very young, scared and then finding out he was missing half his heart was more than a little over whelming.

But one thing I have found after having 3 kids is there are lots of ways to cut costs, here are a few of my ideas:

• First off I have breast feed all my babies, Yes is is very good for them, but it is also VERY THRIFTY!  This can save you a ton of money!
• I have found they grow so fast, and they do not really get dirty unless they have a total diaper blow out.  So once they outgrow their clothes they still look brand new.   Some of those little outfit are VERY expensive, I will normally buy one or two new clothing item’s for photos or special days.  But for the most part I go to good 2nd hand children’s clothing stores.  Many of them are very picky at what they will sell, and you can save a ton of money by buying 2nd hand clothing.  My local store Other Mothers,  has a huge .25 cents sale once a month , where everything is .25 cents.  I get most my kids clothes there!
• The bottled baby food is nice, but will send you to the poor house.   If you buy fresh squash ( or grow it in your garden),  fruit and veggies and make your own baby food it is not only better for them but saves a ton of money.
• Start watching the sales and buy a few packs of wipes or diapers when they are on sale for a good price.  By the time your baby is born you should have a nice sock pile.  I stock up any time they go close to 50% off!
• If you are thinking of having a baby check your insurance plans, we pay more per month for our family plan but it pays for the baby 100%, all I have to pay is a $500 hospital stay.  I may pay more a month but this has saved me thousands for the price other plans cost.

Those are just a few of my ideas, what thrifty baby tips do you have?

Question:  Will a store accept printed coupon if they aren’t color? I think its a stupid question, but as I don’t have a printer & would have to go to the library I don’t want to end up not being able to use them cuz they’re black & white…

Answer: I personally do not print them in black and white, I go ahead and print them in color.  I hate to use up the color ink, but it is worth it so me.  Like I have always said some stores are more coupon friendly than others, my local Albertsons does not seem to mind them in black and white.  But I know other stores will give you a hard time or refuse to take them because they can not see the water marks on the coupon.  They fear that they have been photo copied so they refuse to take them.  I am not one to fight with the cashier so I just find it is easier to print them in color.

I would like to hear from the rest of you, I know that many of my friends print in black and white.  What has been your experiance  what stores are willing to take them?

This is an email I got yesterday from one of my readers.

“HELP!  I was at Walgreens today and had a coupon that was for a higher value than the item I was purchasing.  In the past the cashier and/or manager would either adjust the price of the coupon to match the price of the item or adjust the price of the item up to match the value of the coupon.  This manager was VERY adamant that they ARE NOT allowed to do either of those.  I called corporate and he told me they don’t have any specific policy.  Have you ever run into this issue?  Do you have any emails from corporate regarding this issue?”

I get questions like this all the time, this is an OLDER post I did a few months ago to address this question!  It is a great thing to learn for new coupon shoppers and a good reminder for everyone else.  Hope it helps some of you at your local Walgreens!

Question:  I am a little new to couponing, would you mind telling me what the abbreviations stand for and where I can find each of the coupons?

Answer:  Sometimes on my match ups you will see something like this  ”use the $3.00/1 in 08/02 SS”, this means the $3 off one coupon from the August 2nd Smart Source.  There are three main coupon inserts that come in the Sunday paper.  The Smart source (SS), the Red Plum (RP) and the Proctor and Gamble (P&G).  Now one important thing to note it that not all papers get all the inserts.  Or you may get the insert but it may not have all the coupon in it.  Larger city’s tend to get more coupon, or higher value coupons.  So just because I have it listed does not mean it is always in your Sunday paper.

Below are just 2 of the many emails I get asking me where I store all my thrifty deals,

Here’s my purpose for writing – I live in a pretty average sized home – with a pretty average sized kitchen, pantry, garage, etc.  We have an average refrigerator/freezer and we have another freezer in the garage. I’m curious where people stash all the stuff they accumulate.  We have a linen closet full of toilet paper, paper towels, sunblocks, mosquito repellent, deodorant, soap, toothpaste, etc.  And my pantry is just about dangerous to open for fear of being attacked by falling food. I’m really curious where else people go with all this stuff.  I get more than we consume right now and I’m good with that right now because I’d like to continue to have a little more of a buffer in this economy for my little family, but barring finding a box of cereal when I open my glove compartment, I’m looking for creativity!

I’ve been struggling with storing all my ‘thrifty’ deals. I remember reading a while back that you lived in a smaller home, so where are you keeping everything?  Would you mind blogging with pictures of how you are storing and where you are keeping everything. My friend and I are contemplating on buying storage drawers or baskets to keep everything but would like to avoid that cost if possible.

First I have to say I can not believe I am showing you this photo…. Ahhhhhh.  It is not all neat and perfect like I wish it was.  But once again I am going to swallow my pride, and show you the not so pretty parts of my life, in order to try and help you!

I get asked questions like this  daily, and yes I live in a very small 900 sq ft house, so space is a huge issue.  I have one tiny pantry that fits a small amount of food in it but one shopping trip will fill it up.  We went ahead and bought a large stand up freezer and have it in our garage.  We also bought 2 large sturdy shelving units from Home Depot. ( I say sturdy because we made the mistake of buying cheap  ones first and the weight of the food made them fall apart)  We have the 2 storage shelves set up in our garage.  But here is the thing, you have  make sure your garage is insulated and will stay cool or the heat will make your food go bad.

I keep all the personal care products in my walk in closet, and laundry room.  Some day I DREAM of getting a larger home with a huge storage room. Where I can store all the food my little heart desires and have it perfect and in order.  But till that day my garage works just fine.  I do have to say, only store what your family will be able to use.  I have made the mistake of going over board and buying so much of something just because it was a good deals, that it goes bad before my family can eat it all.  I now have a certain spot for each item, so when the “granola bar spot” is full, I know that I can’t buy any more because I will have no were to store them.   This helps me stock up on the items my family will eat and use. So watch those dates, rotate your food, and keep in it a cool, dry place.

What tips so you have for storing food?  I would love to hear from you all!

Queston: When you first started the stock pile process did you still have grocery bills that cheap?  I am just starting out but I cannot figure out how to get started and only spend $100 in a month.  Everytime I go to the store I end up doing the whole grocery shopping and then I will pick up a few extra items to start my stockpile because they are on sale.  Just wondering how hard it is also to get out of the habit of doing a complete shopping trick to just getting on sale items?  Thanks for any information you can give.  I am recently became a stay at home mom and want to prove my worth to husband to help save money for the family.

Answer:  When you first start to coupon, you are not going to be able to spend your weeks budget on building your stockpile.  Or you would be stuck eating cereal  and yogurt one week,  and wheat thins and ketchup the next.  When you first start your stock pile shop like you normally would…that way your family has there basic needs.  But set aside a certain dollar amount that will be your stock pile money.  You will then know that you can use that money to find items at their lowest price point and buy multiples at the lowest price.  But once that pre-set amount is gone then you will know you have to  wait till next week to start stocking up again.  Most likely you will be able to buy 3-4 times more with your “stock pile” items, soon your pantry will be filled with items you bought at their lowest price point.  So you will not need to buy them at their highest price point…..as the weeks go on your weekly spending will drop.  You will still be buying just as many items….just at a better price.

I only spent $100.00 this month but normaly I spend around $200.00  it works for my family, but make sure you do what works for yours.  Be happy about any money you save, and feel good at the progress you are making!

If you have been following my blog, many of you have noticed I have gotten a TON of free salad dressing the last month.  I have not counted but I know I have gotten at least 60 bottles free or almost free in the last 2 months.  I know many of you are wondering what I am doing will all of it.  In fact I get questions about it all the time.  Do not worry I have not lost my mind, and yes I am well aware of the fact that I  seem to get it almost every week.

First off I do eat a lot of salad, my family eats it as a side dish 2-3 times a week.  But the main reason I stock up is to give to others.  First let me say if I do not need the item, I only stock up if the store is well stocked.  There is no need for me to clear the shelf when others need it.  But I am lucky that my local Albertsons has been well stocked for the last Kraft, Wishbone salad promos.  Some times I get the free salad dressing as a filler item, for example the last sale I had to spend $25 to get the $10 discount.  All I really wanted was mayo and soap but that only came to $15.00  so I used the salad dressing as a filler item to get me up to the $25.00 mark.  It was Free so why not get it?

I have told you before that most of my family does NOT coupon shop, so it is nice to help them out with freebies.  We have family dinners all the time and I am happy to supply the salad dressing.  In my church we like to take meals into families that just had a baby, or if they are sick, or just to welcome them to our church family.  I always sign up to bring the green salad, I then not only bring them salad but a few bottles of dressing too.  It is a way that I can give back on a small budget!

I got this email the other day;

  I was just wondering what your experience has been before your blog.  I am super excited about couponing and I love getting all the good deals I’ve been getting so naturally I want to teach my new found hobby to other people like friends and family.  It seems like every time I try to let another in on my bargain secrets, they are amazed by my savings, but a few weeks later when I check to see how they are doing, nothing.  For example, I sat down with my sister in law, went over all the basics like how to get, organize and use coupons, answered her questions, gave her some extra inserts, and even took her to a coupon class, but she hasn’t done any couponing yet.  I offered to take her shopping sometime, but yet she doesn’t call.  I took my sister shopping with me one day to teach her the ropes, and after a couple of hours, she seemed really annoyed instead of excited.  I don’t understand why anyone wouldn’t want to use coupons, especially the way the economy is lately.  I guess I’m just a little disappointed because it would be nice to have someone to share a hobby and go shopping with, plus I hate seeing people I care about spending their hard earned money on things I know I’ve gotten for free.  What is the deal??  I guess couponing isn’t for everyone.  Have you had any experiences like this?

Answer:

I have to admit most of my family and friends do NOT coupon.  I think that is why I kept my coupon secrets to myself for so long.  I know some of my friends think my coupon habit is a little odd, and some of them think I am down right crazy.  That is why I love my blog, because I can chat all day about my good deals and you all get excited too.  

There is a time and a place for everything.  I know many people who have lost their jobs, would have never dreamed of using coupons  in the past.  But they have found it as a way to help their family make it.  It does take time and effort but most of us enjoy it for the most part, or we would not do it.  It has become a hobby for me really.  I guess we all have things we enjoy. For example I think ALL my friends have read the Twilight books….but I have never even picked one up?  They all think I am crazy, but I guess I do not know what I am missing so I do not really care.

What do you all think?  Why do some of us love it…..and others think this new trend is crazy?

I did this post back in March but I am still asked  daily, how I find time .  So I thought I would repost it.  

I get questions like this almost everyday;