Our shelves have been filling thanks to couponing (yes, we're trying to make that word officially a VERB). I started taking pictures, knowing that our organizing would make for a great blog post, but as I did, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for the blessings (all right in front of me) couponing has brought. Grateful for those who have taught me how to do this, the means by which to purchase the items and the impact all I've saved has meant to our budget, as well as the products themselves being available on our free-market shelves. So much to be thankful for!!
We've made room in the garage for the things that we'll store a bit and reserved our pantry shelves now for more of our short-term, more immediate-use stuff. Like Kurt's spices. :)
I wish I had an overall total of what I've spent compared to what I've saved. What I do have are individual experiences. I started couponing in the middle of June after a conversation with a friend I work with in YW. She sent me to a website, I found others, and off I went.
I LOVE seeing the total before coupons and the total after coupons be significantly different. I love the sound of catalina's and register rewards printing (and have even admitted to a bit of an addiction to those sounds...). I especially love keeping my money!
So here are a few of my exeriences the past few months. I realized that I don't have pictures of EVERYTHING (that's probably a good thing as I do have pictures of a LOT). The bread I got for 50-cents a loaf has been eaten. Many of the wipes I got for just over $1 have been used (tho you'll see some of them in a minute). We drank the milk that was 39-cents a gallon, and have eaten the cheese that was about $1.50 a pound. The soda we got FREE has also mostly disappeared (whew! that went quick!!). 8 12-packs for free was a nice way to stock up and share!
There are other things that have disappeared to different places around the house ~ diapers are in the changing table, well stocked. I've decided there's no need to pay more than $6 a package. And that is for Huggies and Luvs, not any store's brand. I can still cry when I think of the story of the woman who bought 150+ packages of diapers and paid a little over $14. That's 2-cents for every THREE packages. It took her 55 transactions and 45 minutes, but when you do the rest of the math you discover that she MADE $1500+ in those 45 minutes, if you average a typical package of diapers at $10 each. ah! She has two in diapers, but is now set (based on my own usage calculations) for well over a year for them both. AH! I could cry.
While I haven't had quite that incredible of an experience (yet!), I have felt the giddy leap in my chest when some of these found their way into my basket and then required very little, if any money to pay for them.
We have to start somewhere and what would a blog post be these days without some sort of CRUISE reference???
These travel-sized detergents are PERFECT (ask me how I know) for doing laundry on a big, wonderful boat. I am stocking up for our future trips! Oh, and these were all FREE!! 
The Suave and the Johnson's first aid kits were all freebies. The Aveeno and the baby wash are special for the eczema we have on some little people's skin in our house. The Sea Breeze was cheap after I stacked a Walgreen's coupon with a MFR one.
We've had more Hamburger Helper than this, but why would I buy it if we weren't going to eat it? At 98-cents a piece, a doubled 75-cent off of three makes for some happy tummies. The Chinet was 50-cents.
Don't laugh or shake your head. You know who lives in this house!!
Don't laugh or shake your head. You know who lives in this house!! Didn't pay A THING for any of these....
Little bit of Randominity here... The croutons were Buy One Get One Free (BOGO or B1G1F). The Graduates I had a Target coupon and a Manufacturere (MFR) coupon for each. The tissue got thrifty when it was on sale during the back to school season and then using a 50-cent off three brought the price down even more. The girls have all taken their required boxes to school already! We are set for the winter for sure.
My first thrifty wipe experience got me seven containers for just over $1 each at Rite-Aid. The most recent deal had them for 49-cents at Walgreen's with an in-store coupon and a MFR. FORTY-NINE CENTS!!
Little bit of Randominity here... The croutons were Buy One Get One Free (BOGO or B1G1F). The Graduates I had a Target coupon and a Manufacturere (MFR) coupon for each. The tissue got thrifty when it was on sale during the back to school season and then using a 50-cent off three brought the price down even more. The girls have all taken their required boxes to school already! We are set for the winter for sure.
My first thrifty wipe experience got me seven containers for just over $1 each at Rite-Aid. The most recent deal had them for 49-cents at Walgreen's with an in-store coupon and a MFR. FORTY-NINE CENTS!! If only I'd had more coupons or found more on the shelves! With two in diapers here, we use these things!!
Kurt started loading the shelf in the garage while I was taking pictures, so here is a tiny snip of what that is going to look like.
Kurt started loading the shelf in the garage while I was taking pictures, so here is a tiny snip of what that is going to look like. The Velveeta has been a good after-school snack. These are just a few of those I've been able to get on the cheap. Most recently I had an in-store coupon for $1 off of four. Then I stacked that with MRF B1G1F's... Plus I got a $1 Register Reward for every two I bought... this might even have turned into a money maker.
The UnderJams was my first experience with a great Albertson's Clearance Rack find. I had $2 off coupons, and they were marked down to $4.49 (I think?). I saw them later at Target for $13.99 a package. We're not quite to where we need these yet, but they will be there when we're ready!!
Post cereal has been on sale, can you tell?? The Selects were 25-cents a box just the other day. They are normally $4.89 EACH! (who pays that much?!?) 
I'm tempted to save this one for last, because it warms my heart and brings a smile to my face and is still one of my favorite transaction experiences. It was the first time I'd used a Catalina to pay for items. With that promotion, all of these were FREE. We ended up getting 50. And before you wonder too long about what we EVER will do with all of that BBQ sauce, well, Christmas is coming!
The UnderJams was my first experience with a great Albertson's Clearance Rack find. I had $2 off coupons, and they were marked down to $4.49 (I think?). I saw them later at Target for $13.99 a package. We're not quite to where we need these yet, but they will be there when we're ready!! 
Post cereal has been on sale, can you tell?? The Selects were 25-cents a box just the other day. They are normally $4.89 EACH! (who pays that much?!?) 
I'm tempted to save this one for last, because it warms my heart and brings a smile to my face and is still one of my favorite transaction experiences. It was the first time I'd used a Catalina to pay for items. With that promotion, all of these were FREE. We ended up getting 50. And before you wonder too long about what we EVER will do with all of that BBQ sauce, well, Christmas is coming! Seriously, with a family of seven a marinade takes at least a bottle and a half. These will last a while, but will be there when we need them. And if anyone is out on a Sunday afternoon, you know who to call!
Another favorite couponing experience pictured here ~ Listerine has been on sale and the coupons have been plentiful. The Smart Rinse I got most recently was on sale for 2/$8. I had B1g1F coupons plus $1 off coupons. Then when you purchased two you got a $3 RR (Register Reward). Yep, they ended up FREE. The worst I did was pay $2 for 2 of any of the rest of the bottles.
Another favorite couponing experience pictured here ~ Listerine has been on sale and the coupons have been plentiful. The Smart Rinse I got most recently was on sale for 2/$8. I had B1g1F coupons plus $1 off coupons. Then when you purchased two you got a $3 RR (Register Reward). Yep, they ended up FREE. The worst I did was pay $2 for 2 of any of the rest of the bottles. We use Listerine not only for minty fresh breath, but for killing throat googlies when someone's throat is sore. With 5.5 teeth brushers in the family (Nathan is still a work in progress), we will make good use of these. But again, if you're in need, you know where to find us!
I love the trial sized deals! These would have been around 23-cents each. The Body Wash was FREE thanks to a RR.
It's shampoo. It was cheap.
I know I paid between 49 and 74-cents for each of these, thanks to matching sales and coupons.
For the most part, these were free though I know I might have paid 25-cents for as many as three of them.
Another day's special was 8x10 collage prints. These were all FREE and document some of the special events in our family over the past year. Can't wait to frame them or turn them into a nearly-done scrapbook page!
All of this stuff has shown up in my mailbox, totally free to me. Most recently is that bottle of sunscreen on the left, from some schmancy company I hadn't heard of. Who couldn't use a little extra sunscreen??
Finally, here is our beautiful garage shelf, full of our incredible couponing finds.
Can I just share one more thing?? That Wish Bone dressing turned out to be 78-cents just yesterday when I stacked a store coupon with a MFR. Am going back for more a little later!
I love the trial sized deals! These would have been around 23-cents each. The Body Wash was FREE thanks to a RR.
It's shampoo. It was cheap. 
I know I paid between 49 and 74-cents for each of these, thanks to matching sales and coupons.
For the most part, these were free though I know I might have paid 25-cents for as many as three of them. There are other ways our family has been benefitted by couponing. The awesome couponing community, and all of the bloggies who post the amazing deals for us to find, share special deals that get us things other than groceries.
Walgreen's recently had a week-long promotion of a different photo product free or super cheap each day. One of the days was a FREE 11x14 "poster". All I paid was $1.99 shipping. I ordered Tueday and it was at my house on Friday! I painted the frame black and by Sunday morning had this in the frame. I finally followed through on my desire to get a picture of all of my kids in white, and am so pleased that this special keepsake was also a very thrifty deal!
Another day's special was 8x10 collage prints. These were all FREE and document some of the special events in our family over the past year. Can't wait to frame them or turn them into a nearly-done scrapbook page!All of this stuff has shown up in my mailbox, totally free to me. Most recently is that bottle of sunscreen on the left, from some schmancy company I hadn't heard of. Who couldn't use a little extra sunscreen??Finally, here is our beautiful garage shelf, full of our incredible couponing finds.Can I just share one more thing?? That Wish Bone dressing turned out to be 78-cents just yesterday when I stacked a store coupon with a MFR. Am going back for more a little later! Couponing has blessed our family as you can see. I encourage anyone who'd like to try it to go for it! It takes some time and there's a little bit of a learning curve, but I consider it a hobby (because I love doing it) and a job (because I can benefit my family), so the time I spend feels worthwhile.
I encourage you to visit: http://athriftymom.com
and/or
and find their "coupons 101" section. A great way to get started!!
Blessings from our home to yours!
4 comments:
impressive! way to go. those shelves look greeeeaaaatttt! :)
blessings come in the most interesting ways sometimes. It's always awesome seeing pantry shelves filling to overflowing, especially when it's with awesome deals. thanks for sharing your new found skills.
Impressive! I am totally in awe...yet again!
LOVE IT!!!!! What can I say you are the Coupon Queen!
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