From where I sit, having the opportunity to get ads from THREE commissary/nex locations (NWS-Charleston SC, NSB-Groton CT, NBK-Bangor WA), I am completely disappointed in their complete lack of advertised specials.
Several people have questioned my intentions, since I am trying to gear myself more toward the military families out there just beginning into their couponing adventures. Honestly, I do think that the commissary has overall lower prices than regular civilian grocery stores. HOWEVER, the entire point of couponing, in my mind, is to match the coupons up with advertised specials to get the most bang for your buck. Sure, anyone can carry a binder full of coupons everywhere they go to ensure they get to use their coupons wisely, but to not ad-match your coupons beforehand means that you may be missing out on a great deal.
For example, I know the commissary has Yoplait yogurt for $0.50 everyday. If I can find a better deal somewhere else, I will get my yogurt elsewhere. Often, I've found deals like "buy one, get one free" (QFC), where the yogurt is priced at $0.75 everyday. Obviously, it's only a few cents less that I'm saving, but when it's combined with other specials on miscellaneous goods, the savings, as we've seen, can really add up.
Many military families that are struggling financially are doing so because one spouse stays home while the other works. If I can balance a demanding one-year old, dog, and husband, as well as maintaining a clean house, and continue with my other hobbies, and still be able to find these great deals, I don't see how anyone else could really use the excuse that "it's too time consuming". And then, you have to evaluate, what's more important: ad-matching and couponing for better deals for better finances, or maintaining your current situation? If it's the latter, then why even waste time on this blog any more?
I firmly believe that "shopping around" can be very beneficial. One of the biggest lessons I've learned thus far in five months of couponing is that you can not be loyal to one brand. Consequently, that rolled over into loyalty to one store. Thus far in my couponing adventures, Albertsons has changed their coupon policy from taking all coupons (from competitors) to only taking manufacturer coupons and Albertsons coupons. Walgreens is in the process of changing their rebate program, and also has changed their policy to where, if your coupon does not scan, we will not manually punch it in anymore. And Kmart has decided to take internet printable coupons again. Loyalty to one store can truly limit your profit. And loyalty to one brand can truly limit your success as well.
My issue with the commissary is their lack of advertised specials. The NEX ads have been good about getting to me WEEKS in advance before sales take place, but are unfortunately always filled with useless junk (exercise equipment, underwear, watches, household decor) that do not have coupons and do not have a NEED from shoppers. (When I say NEED, I mean - "high consumption/use ratio" ... we NEED shampoo, deodorant, razors...) Although there are a few advertised specials, they never seem to be able to beat the drug store/grocery store chains enough to prompt me to drive onto base and go through the gate-hassle to get one certain item. You could argue that, while on base, I could go to the commissary, but due to their lack of a circulated/mailed advertisement, I do not want to gamble with those chances.
Bored, I did a side-by-side-by-side-by-side comparison of four stores: Safeway, Albertsons, Commissary (Bremerton), and Grocery Outlet.I strongly suggest that everyone does this if they have the time. It's very helpful to have a list of all the goods that these stores carry so that you can refer back to this at any time you're not sure if the advertised deal is really a "deal" (I chose similar items: eggs, milk, bread, etc. that they would have, even though the brands may be different. I picked the lowest price and the highest price, and I gave myself a "range" where milk may cost $2.49 - $2.67 per gallon.). To be honest, Grocery Outlet's prices far exceeded my expectations and they truly came out on top for someone who wants to be frugal, without being brand-loyal, and without using coupons. However, since they only have one day a month where they accept manufacturer coupons, I choose to limit my shopping at that store to the bare essentials (soy milk, bread loafs, frozen chicken nuggets).
When I make my weekly shopping list, I use the ads, find the deals, and make "menus" for that week. That is how almost every other blogger does their shopping, and I realized quickly that couponing without a game plan is not smart. If I find that I need a few extra supplies for the week, but nothing is on special (such as eggs or milk), I then refer back to my "price comparison list" to figure out which store has the better deal for my dollar.
So, while I am trying to gear my blog in the direction of helping military families (which, is a long-range goal, mind you), be patient with me. I am still learning a lot, and I am trying to help people see what I am doing as I am doing it. I want to have these posts, most importantly, for me to refer back to when I am better at this couponing thing. We're all human and we all make mistakes, so I am trying to correct my errors before my blog gets too popular. I have not yet figured out which direction I want to go, but I do want to help people, and that's all I know.
There's a lot to be said about people who get great deals and teach others how to get them too. I want to join the wonderful ladies who've helped me, so I can continue to help others. Couponing is a fun "game" to play, and it's always rewarding when you walk out with hundreds of dollars of groceries and you only paid for a small percentage out of pocket.
Wednesday, April 22
Albertsons Coupon Matchups for 22April - 28April Ad
I AM SORRY FOR THE HORRIBLE LAYOUT OF THESE COUPONS!!! I'M WORKING ON A BETTER LAYOUT.
ALSO, KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE ARE JUST PRODUCTS THAT I HAD COUPONS FOR AND THAT I HAVE BEEN COLLECTING COUPONS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS. Maybe people can give you the exact location of where they got their coupons, but I am not that organized, so I appologize. I am also finding that coupons are very regional, and even my friends across the sound in Seattle get slightly different coupons than I do. I print coupons online, as well as get them from The News & Tribune, Seattle Times, and Kitsap Sun every Sunday.
GOOD LUCK!
Keebler cookies ($1.97) .... less $0.55 coupon .... $1.42 total
Eggo Waffles ($3.00/each) .... less $0.75 coupon .... $2.25 total
Good Earth Coffee ($6.99) .... less $1.00 coupon .... $4.99 total
Bisquick Pancake Mix ($1.50) .... less $0.75 coupon .... $0.75 total
Bisquick Pancake Mix ($1.50) .... less $0.60 coupon .... $0.90 total
Betty Crocker Muffin Mix ($1.50) .... less $0.40 coupon .... $1.10 total
Betty Crocker Muffin Mix ($1.50) .... less $0.45 coupon .... $1.05 total
General Mills Cereal ($1.50) .... less $1.00 wyb 3 boxes coupon .... $3.50 for 3 boxes
Cinnamon Toast Crunch ($1.50) .... less THREE $0.55 coupons .... $2.85 for 3 boxes ($0.95 per box)
Crystal Light Drink Mix ($1.50) .... less $1.00 coupon .... $0.50 total
Crystal Light Drink Mix ($1.50) .... less TWO buy 2, get 1 free coupons .... $3.00 for 3; $6.00 for 6. ($1.00 each, wyb 3)
Huggies Overnight Diapers ($8.69) .... less FOUR $2.00 coupons .... $34.76 for 4 packs ($8.69 each)
Pillsbury Toaster Pasteries ($1.50) .... less $0.35 coupon .... $1.15 total
Kraft Bagelfuls ($1.50) .... less FOUR $0.75 coupons .... $3.00 for FOUR ($0.75 each)
Curves Chewy Granola Bars (1.50) .... less $0.75 coupon .... $0.75 total
Gushers fruit snacks ($1.50) .... less TWO $0.75 wyb 2 coupons .... $4.50 for FOUR boxes ($2.25 for two boxes)
Nature Valley Bars ($1.50) .... less TWO $0.60 coupons .... $1.80 for TWO boxes ($0.90 each)
Kraft Salad Dressing ($1.50) .... less $1.00 coupon .... $0.50 total
Kraft Salad Dressing ($1.50) .... less TWO $1.50 coupons .... FREE total for 2 bottles of dressing
California Pizza Kitchen - meal for one ($1.50) .... less $1.00 coupon .... $0.50 total
Warm Delights Minis ($1.50) .... less TWO $1.00 wyb 2 coupon .... $4.00 for FOUR; $2.00 for TWO
Warm Delights Minis ($1.50) .... less TWO $0.50 wyb 2 coupons .... $5.00 for FOUR; $2.50 for TWO
Betty Crocker Cake Frosting ($1.00) .... less $0.50 coupon .... $0.50 total
Betty Crocker Cake Frosting ($1.00) .... less TWO $0.55 coupons .... $0.90 for TWO; $0.45 each
Betty Crocker Pasta Salads ($0.75) .... less $1.00 wyb 2 coupon .... $0.50 for TWO boxes
Arm&Hammer Laundry Detergent ($3.99) .... less $1.00 wyb 2 coupon .... $7.00 for TWO detergents
Yoplait Yogurt ($0.49) .... less SIX $0.40 wyb 6 cups coupons .... $15.24 for 36 cups; $2.54 for 6 cups
Yoplait Yogurt ($0.49) .... less $1.00 wyb 8 cups coupon .... $2.92 for 8 cups
Yoplait Yogurt ($0.49) .... less $0.50 wyb 6 cups coupon .... $2.44 for 6 cups
Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls (2/$4) .... less $0.40 coupon .... $3.60 for 2 rolls
Michelina's Frozen Entrees (4/$3) .... less $1.00 off 5 coupon .... $2.75 for 5 meals
Weight Watchers Frozen Novelty Snacks (2/$5) .... less TWO $0.55 coupons .... $3.90 for two snacks
CONAGRA FOODS IS OFFERING A PROMO WHERE THEY GIVE YOU A $10 CATALINA WHEN YOU BUY $25 WORTH OF THEIR
FOODS. HERE ARE COUPON MATCH-UPS THAT I PLAN TO USE TO GET SOME CATALINAS...
Pam Cooking Spray (2/$6) .... less $0.35 coupon .... $5.65 for 2 cans
Hunts Pudding Snack Packs (10/$10) .... less $0.50 coupon .... $1.50 for 2 packs
Rotel Tomatoes (10/$10) .... less $0.50 coupon .... $1.50 for 2 cans
Rosarita Refried Beans (10/$10) .... less $1.00 wyb 3 cans coupon .... $2.00 for 3 cans
Healthy Choice Meals (5/$10) .... less $1.00 wyb 2 coupon .... $9.00 for 5 meals
Healthy Choice Meals (5/$10) .... less THREE buy 5, get 1 free coupons .... $30 for 18 meals
Friday, April 17
Coupons I'm Excited About
Here are some printable coupons I've found that I really want to share with everyone:
Sorry that some of them expire VERY soon!!! At least it's the weekend, maybe you can use them while you're doing your weekend shopping!!!!!
$10 off purchase at Kohls (expires 18April2009)
Misc Target coupons
$10 off $50+ purchase at Carter's (expires 30April2009)
40% any regular-priced item at JoAnn Fabrics (expires 2May2009)
$15 off purchase of $45+ at Yankee Candle (expires 10May2009)
$5 off your next purchase at Sears (expires 2May2009)
30% off list price of any book over $10 at Borders (expires 19April2009)
15% off one item at Barnes & Noble (expires 19April2009)
Sorry that some of them expire VERY soon!!! At least it's the weekend, maybe you can use them while you're doing your weekend shopping!!!!!
$10 off purchase at Kohls (expires 18April2009)
Misc Target coupons
$10 off $50+ purchase at Carter's (expires 30April2009)
40% any regular-priced item at JoAnn Fabrics (expires 2May2009)
$15 off purchase of $45+ at Yankee Candle (expires 10May2009)
$5 off your next purchase at Sears (expires 2May2009)
30% off list price of any book over $10 at Borders (expires 19April2009)
15% off one item at Barnes & Noble (expires 19April2009)
Bath & Body Works Deal 17April2009
Although I typically don't indulge myself into the girly world of lotions and smells, I decided I'd give Bath & Body Works a try after getting a coupon in my email for a free 3oz signature collection lotion with any purchase.
The fine print did not say anything about a minimum purchase, so I could have bought anything in the store and still obtained a free signature collection lotion.
I left the store with a large-sized lotion, a small "preview" lotion (they have a new scent coming in may!), and the free 3oz lotion, for $12.49 after taxes.
In addition, I got 2 coupons in my bag when I left:
"Free Home Fragrance Item with any $10 purchase (up to $12.50 value)"
"Free Signature Collection Item of your choice (with any pre-assembled gift set purchase (up to $12.00 value)"
Target Experience #1 17April2009
I decided to give Target couponing a try. I've always found Target's prices to be pretty high compared to other places, but I found some coupons that I couldn't pass up.
What I got:
V8 V-Fusion ($2.99)
Axe Shower Gel - trial version ($0.97)
2 Easy Mac Cups ($0.92 each)
2 Teddy Grahams ($2.00 each)
2 Schick Quattro razors ($7.84 each)
2 bags Hershey's Bliss ($3.49 each)
2 Market Pantry fruit snacks ($1.52 each)
2 Gerber Graduates finger foods ($2.19 each)
2 Dry Idea deodorants ($2.00 each)
Coupons I had:
$3.00 off one Gerber Graduates Food Item
(2) $1.00 off one bag Hershey's Bliss chocolates
(2) $1.00 one bag Hershey's Bliss chocolates - Target store coupon
$1.00 off one box Teddy Grahams
$1.00 off two boxes Teddy Grahams - Target store coupon
(2) $1.00 off Market Pantry Fruit Snacks - Target store coupon
$2.00 off V8 VFusion Drink
$1.00 off two bowls Kraft Easy Mac - Target store coupon
(2) $2.00 off Dry Idea Roll-on Deodorant
$1.00 Axe shower gel
(2) $4.00 off Schick Quattro razor
(2) $2.00 off Schick Quattro razor - Target store coupon
Prices after coupons:
V8 V-Fusion ($0.99)
Axe Shower Gel - trial version (FREE)
2 Easy Mac Cups ($0.84)
2 Teddy Grahams ($2.00)
2 Schick Quattro razors ($3.68)
2 bags Hershey's Bliss ($2.98)
2 Market Pantry fruit snacks ($1.04)
2 Gerber Graduates finger foods ($1.38)
2 Dry Idea deodorants (FREE)
Before coupons, my total was $45.97 (I sneaked a look at the screen before the guy rang my coupons up!). After the coupons were processed, my total was $16.31 after taxes. I saved $29.66, which makes my savings percentage 64%. That's not bad, in my opinion, considering Target prices, and factoring in that it was my first attempt at Target couponing.
For those of you who are beginners to couponing and are following my blog, I was able to maximize savings by combining both target store coupons (printed off the internet) and manufacturer coupons (both printed off the internet and cut out of the newspaper). Although the general rule of thumb is to have the same number of items as coupons, this rule is broken when combining manufacturer coupons with store coupons.
I am very excited about the Schick Quattro razors because they both ended up only being $1.84 each. I desperately needed new cartridges for my current razor, but I've dropped it so much that the little graspy things that hold on the blades have nearly broken off. So, you can't beat a razor that comes with 3 extra blades for $1.84!
I'm also excited that the Dry Idea deodorant was "free" after coupons, as well as the Axe shower gel. Although Dry Idea is not a brand I've ever used, I'm willing to try anything for "free". Justin doesn't typically use Axe shower gel, but he'll try anything "free" as well.
What I got:
V8 V-Fusion ($2.99)
Axe Shower Gel - trial version ($0.97)
2 Easy Mac Cups ($0.92 each)
2 Teddy Grahams ($2.00 each)
2 Schick Quattro razors ($7.84 each)
2 bags Hershey's Bliss ($3.49 each)
2 Market Pantry fruit snacks ($1.52 each)
2 Gerber Graduates finger foods ($2.19 each)
2 Dry Idea deodorants ($2.00 each)
Coupons I had:
$3.00 off one Gerber Graduates Food Item
(2) $1.00 off one bag Hershey's Bliss chocolates
(2) $1.00 one bag Hershey's Bliss chocolates - Target store coupon
$1.00 off one box Teddy Grahams
$1.00 off two boxes Teddy Grahams - Target store coupon
(2) $1.00 off Market Pantry Fruit Snacks - Target store coupon
$2.00 off V8 VFusion Drink
$1.00 off two bowls Kraft Easy Mac - Target store coupon
(2) $2.00 off Dry Idea Roll-on Deodorant
$1.00 Axe shower gel
(2) $4.00 off Schick Quattro razor
(2) $2.00 off Schick Quattro razor - Target store coupon
Prices after coupons:
V8 V-Fusion ($0.99)
Axe Shower Gel - trial version (FREE)
2 Easy Mac Cups ($0.84)
2 Teddy Grahams ($2.00)
2 Schick Quattro razors ($3.68)
2 bags Hershey's Bliss ($2.98)
2 Market Pantry fruit snacks ($1.04)
2 Gerber Graduates finger foods ($1.38)
2 Dry Idea deodorants (FREE)
Before coupons, my total was $45.97 (I sneaked a look at the screen before the guy rang my coupons up!). After the coupons were processed, my total was $16.31 after taxes. I saved $29.66, which makes my savings percentage 64%. That's not bad, in my opinion, considering Target prices, and factoring in that it was my first attempt at Target couponing.
For those of you who are beginners to couponing and are following my blog, I was able to maximize savings by combining both target store coupons (printed off the internet) and manufacturer coupons (both printed off the internet and cut out of the newspaper). Although the general rule of thumb is to have the same number of items as coupons, this rule is broken when combining manufacturer coupons with store coupons.
I am very excited about the Schick Quattro razors because they both ended up only being $1.84 each. I desperately needed new cartridges for my current razor, but I've dropped it so much that the little graspy things that hold on the blades have nearly broken off. So, you can't beat a razor that comes with 3 extra blades for $1.84!
I'm also excited that the Dry Idea deodorant was "free" after coupons, as well as the Axe shower gel. Although Dry Idea is not a brand I've ever used, I'm willing to try anything for "free". Justin doesn't typically use Axe shower gel, but he'll try anything "free" as well.
Wednesday, April 15
Albertsons Trip 14April2009
My catalinas were expiring on April 15th and April 20th. I waited until the very last day of the sale's ad (they run Wednesday to Tuesday out here) to see if I wanted to use my catalinas for the next ad, or this one. I am very unimpressed with the upcoming sales ad, so I decided to use them for this week's one.
What I Got:
All Small & Mighty (on sale for $3.99 from $5.99)
2 blocks of Philly Cream Cheese (on sale for $1.00 from $1.50)
3 boxes of PopTarts (on sale for 3/$5.00 from $2.79 per box)
2 boxes General Mills Cocoa Puffs (on sale for $1.99 from $3.89)
4 boxes Betty Crocker potatoes (on sale for $1.00 from $2.29)
2 Lipton Knorr Pasta Sides (on sale for $1.00 from $1.99)
2 cups of mini cookies from Nabisco (on sale for $1.00 from $1.49)
1 water bottle
Coupons I Had:
$2.00 off one bottle of All Small & Mighty (internet printable only availible for a day following Celebrity Apprentice)
$1.00 off one Philly Cream Cheese
$0.75 off one Philly Cream Cheese
$1.00 off two boxes of Poptarts
(2) $0.75 off one box Cocoa Puff cereal
(2) STORE COUPONS for $0.30 off one box Cocoa Puff cereal
$0.40 off one box of Betty Crocker Au Gratin potatoes
(3) $0.25 off one box Betty Crocker potatoes
$0.75 off two Lipton Knorr Pasta/Rice sides
After-Coupon Prices:
All Small & Mighty $1.99
2 blocks of Philly Cream Cheese $0.253 boxes of PopTarts $4.00
2 boxes General Mills Cocoa Puffs $1.884 boxes Betty Crocker potatoes $2.852 Lipton Knorr Pasta Sides $3.25
Without coupons/preferred card savings, my total would have been $48.95. I only paid $4.33 out-of-pocket. That's a 91% savings!!! I used the $15.00 in catalinas I had, so I am officially out of catalinas.
Obviously, the Nabisco cookies were snacks for Aurora. I find it easier to do couponing in-stores with her if she has snacks. These little cups are perfect for my "coupon bag", and fit very nicely in the cupholders of her stroller or in the cupholders in carts.
The water bottle was for Justin - he is preparing to go out to sea, so I wanted him to have a newer water bottle, since this is about twice the size of his current one.
The coupons I am most excited about are the All Small&Mighty internet printable for $2.00 off - it's not too often you get a great brand like All for $1.99! And I am also extremely excited about my Philly Cream Cheese coupons - getting two blocks for $0.25 is AWESOME.
What I Got:
All Small & Mighty (on sale for $3.99 from $5.99)
2 blocks of Philly Cream Cheese (on sale for $1.00 from $1.50)
3 boxes of PopTarts (on sale for 3/$5.00 from $2.79 per box)
2 boxes General Mills Cocoa Puffs (on sale for $1.99 from $3.89)
4 boxes Betty Crocker potatoes (on sale for $1.00 from $2.29)
2 Lipton Knorr Pasta Sides (on sale for $1.00 from $1.99)
2 cups of mini cookies from Nabisco (on sale for $1.00 from $1.49)
1 water bottle
Coupons I Had:
$2.00 off one bottle of All Small & Mighty (internet printable only availible for a day following Celebrity Apprentice)
$1.00 off one Philly Cream Cheese
$0.75 off one Philly Cream Cheese
$1.00 off two boxes of Poptarts
(2) $0.75 off one box Cocoa Puff cereal
(2) STORE COUPONS for $0.30 off one box Cocoa Puff cereal
$0.40 off one box of Betty Crocker Au Gratin potatoes
(3) $0.25 off one box Betty Crocker potatoes
$0.75 off two Lipton Knorr Pasta/Rice sides
After-Coupon Prices:
All Small & Mighty $1.99
2 blocks of Philly Cream Cheese $0.253 boxes of PopTarts $4.00
2 boxes General Mills Cocoa Puffs $1.884 boxes Betty Crocker potatoes $2.852 Lipton Knorr Pasta Sides $3.25
Without coupons/preferred card savings, my total would have been $48.95. I only paid $4.33 out-of-pocket. That's a 91% savings!!! I used the $15.00 in catalinas I had, so I am officially out of catalinas.
Obviously, the Nabisco cookies were snacks for Aurora. I find it easier to do couponing in-stores with her if she has snacks. These little cups are perfect for my "coupon bag", and fit very nicely in the cupholders of her stroller or in the cupholders in carts.
The water bottle was for Justin - he is preparing to go out to sea, so I wanted him to have a newer water bottle, since this is about twice the size of his current one.
Tuesday, April 7
Albertsons Trip 07April09
Justin decided that he wanted my Mexican Taco Pizza for dinner, so I had to run to the store for some supplies.
Albertsons was doubling coupons up to $1.00, so I was fortunate enough to save some extra money.
What I Got:
Saltine crackers
Daisy brand sour cream
Pizza crust
Head of lettuce
Chips Ahoy Cookies
Coupons I had:
$0.40 off Daisy sour cream (doubled to be $0.90 off)
$0.55 off Pillsbury pizza crust (doubled to be $1.10 off)
I also used one of the $5.00 catalinas I got from the Post transactions.
My total savings was $10.08, which was an 89.6% savings! My total out-of-pocket for dinner was $1.17. I'm pretty happy with that. The Chips Ahoy cookies were a last-minute impluse buy for Aurora since she had been good all day. Had I not bought those, I would have only paid $0.17 out of pocket.
Easy recipe for Mexican Pizza:
What you'll need:
1lb ground beef
pizza crust
taco bell taco seasoning (or another brand, taco bell is just the best tasting, in my opinion)
lettuce
tomatoes
taco sauce/salsa
sour cream
mexican blend shredded cheese
What you do:
Bake pizza crust as directed on the packaging.
While it's baking, brown 1lb ground beef. Add in Taco Bell taco seasoning as directed on package.
Mix together sour cream and salsa together to taste. I usually mix a half cup of each.
When the crust is done, spread the sour cream/salsa combination on the crust.
Add ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese.
Drizzle salsa (or sour cream/salsa mixture) over the toppings.
Bake in oven for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Albertsons was doubling coupons up to $1.00, so I was fortunate enough to save some extra money.
What I Got:
Saltine crackers
Daisy brand sour cream
Pizza crust
Head of lettuce
Chips Ahoy Cookies
Coupons I had:
$0.40 off Daisy sour cream (doubled to be $0.90 off)
$0.55 off Pillsbury pizza crust (doubled to be $1.10 off)
I also used one of the $5.00 catalinas I got from the Post transactions.
My total savings was $10.08, which was an 89.6% savings! My total out-of-pocket for dinner was $1.17. I'm pretty happy with that. The Chips Ahoy cookies were a last-minute impluse buy for Aurora since she had been good all day. Had I not bought those, I would have only paid $0.17 out of pocket.
Easy recipe for Mexican Pizza:
What you'll need:
1lb ground beef
pizza crust
taco bell taco seasoning (or another brand, taco bell is just the best tasting, in my opinion)
lettuce
tomatoes
taco sauce/salsa
sour cream
mexican blend shredded cheese
What you do:
Bake pizza crust as directed on the packaging.
While it's baking, brown 1lb ground beef. Add in Taco Bell taco seasoning as directed on package.
Mix together sour cream and salsa together to taste. I usually mix a half cup of each.
When the crust is done, spread the sour cream/salsa combination on the crust.
Add ground beef, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese.
Drizzle salsa (or sour cream/salsa mixture) over the toppings.
Bake in oven for 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
Albertsons Trip 06April2009
Well, the hubs was a sweetheart today and went with me to the Silverdale Albertsons because he got off work incredibly early. He was such a wonderful distraction to Aurora that I could dig through their Post stock and find some Trail Mix Crunch (no where to be found at the Bremerton Albertsons)!
Thanks to Justin's willingness to participate, I accomplished two transactions today.
FIRST TRANSACTION:
I got 5 boxes of Post Cereal: 4 Trail Mix Crunch and 1 Honey Bunches of Oats. I only had (3) coupons for $2.00 one box of Trail Mix Crunch, so I ended up paying $2.35 for five boxes. Hey, that's still not bad. I got back a $5.00 catalina. (So I "made" $2.65!)
Total transaction savings = 90%!
SECOND TRANSACTION:
I got 2 jugs of Tropicana 50% less sugar orange juice, a dozen eggs, 3 boxes of Trail Mix Crunch, 2 boxes of Honey Bunches of Oats, and a Full Throttle energy drink for Justin. Total out of pocket: $6.49. I got back a $5.00 catalina. (So I guess I only "paid" $1.49!)
Well, Albertson's this week had a coupon for free eggs when you buy 2 Tropicana orange juice, which was priced 2/$6.00. I also had 2 coupons for $1.00 one jug of Tropicana orange juice. I used the Albertsons's coupon doubler for those to make it $2.00 off each jug. Overall, I paid $2.00 for 2 jugs of Tropicana AND a dozen eggs. I'm happy with that.
I also used 2 coupons for $2.00 one box of Trail Mix Crunch, as well as an Albertsons store coupon for $1.50 off two boxes of Trail Mix Crunch. Technically, because boxes only cost $1.57 each when you buy them in multiples of two, then two boxes of Trail Mix Crunch only cost $3.14, and I had $5.50 total in coupons, I "made" a credit of $1.86 that was used to deduct some cost.
Total savings this transaction = 82%. Not bad, considering that I "splurged" for an energy drink for Justin.
Thanks to Justin's willingness to participate, I accomplished two transactions today.
FIRST TRANSACTION:
I got 5 boxes of Post Cereal: 4 Trail Mix Crunch and 1 Honey Bunches of Oats. I only had (3) coupons for $2.00 one box of Trail Mix Crunch, so I ended up paying $2.35 for five boxes. Hey, that's still not bad. I got back a $5.00 catalina. (So I "made" $2.65!)
Total transaction savings = 90%!
SECOND TRANSACTION:
I got 2 jugs of Tropicana 50% less sugar orange juice, a dozen eggs, 3 boxes of Trail Mix Crunch, 2 boxes of Honey Bunches of Oats, and a Full Throttle energy drink for Justin. Total out of pocket: $6.49. I got back a $5.00 catalina. (So I guess I only "paid" $1.49!)
Well, Albertson's this week had a coupon for free eggs when you buy 2 Tropicana orange juice, which was priced 2/$6.00. I also had 2 coupons for $1.00 one jug of Tropicana orange juice. I used the Albertsons's coupon doubler for those to make it $2.00 off each jug. Overall, I paid $2.00 for 2 jugs of Tropicana AND a dozen eggs. I'm happy with that.
I also used 2 coupons for $2.00 one box of Trail Mix Crunch, as well as an Albertsons store coupon for $1.50 off two boxes of Trail Mix Crunch. Technically, because boxes only cost $1.57 each when you buy them in multiples of two, then two boxes of Trail Mix Crunch only cost $3.14, and I had $5.50 total in coupons, I "made" a credit of $1.86 that was used to deduct some cost.
Total savings this transaction = 82%. Not bad, considering that I "splurged" for an energy drink for Justin.
And for anyone who's keeping track, I now have 20 boxes of Post cereal! But don't worry, I eat more cereal than anyone I know, so it will not be going to waste. I also have a box of food set aside that I plan on donating for the Post Office food drive coming up, so if my mailman has confirmation tomorrow that cereal is accepted, they will be getting a few boxes. Hey, I shouldn't be the only one who benefits from "free" food. :)
Thursday, April 2
Couponing for profit & my thoughts....
Honestly, I do not NEED 20 boxes of Post Cereal. But when there are deals out there where you can find coupons to only spend 35 cents on five boxes, and get back a $5 off your next purchase coupon, wouldn't you do that?
I would like to clarify that "off your next purchase" coupons are referred to as "catalinas" in the couponing world, because the company that produces them is actually named Catalina.
Catalinas print out as part of promotions. Buy "X" amount of Proctor and Gamble products, General Mills products, Post products, Johnson's products, etc, and you will get these wonderful coupons back in return. They typically are common when the products are already on sale. I THINK (and I may be wrong here) that this is one way that they clear out older products to make room for new products (new flavors, new box design, whatever...). They are not limited to just the sale items, however. I once thought I would be thrifty and buy 10 cans of Progresso soup, because there was a deal that, when you purchased 10 cans, you got $10 back. The store had some cans on sale for $1.50, and I had coupons for $1.10 off ONE can, so I thought I'd get 10 cans for $4.00 and get a $10.00 catalina back and thus make $6.00 profit. However, I did not read the fine print of the ad (lesson learned!) and I ended up buying 10 cans that were not on sale. I did receive my $10.00 catalina, however. So catalinas aren't usually limited to sale items.
I consider catalinas as "profit" in most cases. Typically, if I am shopping at a store that prints the catalinas, I am a "returning" customer and those catalinas are just view as "in store credit" to me. Catalinas are good for ANYTHING you want in the store, as long as it's within the guidelines listed on the coupon (ie: no tobacco, alcohol, or other various items, as prohibited by law). I do not consider catalinas as profit when I am shopping at a store that I rarely go into. One example of this is when Kmart was doubling coupons up to $2.00 a few weeks ago. I bought 4 boxes of General Mills cereals, not knowing that I qualified for a $3.00 catalina from General Mills (buy 4 boxes, get $3; buy 5 boxes, get $5). When I got it back with my receipt, I was a little irritated, because I hate shopping at Kmart anyway because 1) they really don't have much selection here, and 2) their prices are already inflated. However, I was lucky that I needed to buy dog food, and Kmart is surprisingly the cheapest place to get a 17.5lb bag of Kibbles & Bits in all of Bremerton (even cheaper than the Commissary!). So, fortunately, that knocked the price down from $10.98 to $7.98, and you can't beat that!
Many people argue that "if you spend money out-of-pocket, you don't have a profit, because they are not handing you money out of their cash register to shop there!" And I did think along the same lines when I first started couponing. Basically, it's a matter of playing the grocery game correct. If you continue to make small purchases that cost basically nothing to get these catalinas, you can end up with almost a hundred dollar's worth, which you can then use on your larger grocery purchase. Although you can not walk into a store and go to the customer service window and say "I'd like to cash in this coupon," you can go through the store to get whatever you want, use the coupon, and either get the item for free, or for pennies.
I think of catalinas as virtual cash. It's a good way for businesses to ensure that their customers come back, and it's a good way for couponers to use sales to their advantage. A lot of couponers will "roll" their catalinas. One week, something may be on sale that offers a catalina back, so the couponer will take advantage of that sale and hold on to their catalinas. Typically, they are good for 2 weeks from the date you get them. If you plan your transactions right, you could possibly go through three sales ads before they expire. If you don't need anything on sale one week, the next week, you might.
Catalinas are basically like paper versions of grocery store gift cards.
My arguement is simple: say you go to WalMart with a coupon for $5.00 off of any pair of jeans. You buy a $10 pair of jeans and use your $5.00 coupon. You're pressed for time, so you don't try them on before you buy them, and you get home and realize that the jeans don't fit and you lost the receipt. You take them back to WalMart and the customer service lady issues you a refund on a WalMart gift card (that's how they issue refunds for no reciepts) for the price of the jeans, which was $10.
NOW: You only paid out-of-pocket $5 for these jeans because of your $5 off coupon. The coupon you used will be paid back to WalMart from the coupon manufacturer. So that $5 coupon that you came in with, that had 1/20 of a cent's value, now gave you a $5 return.
AND: You now have a $10 WalMart gift card for anything you want in the entire store. Have you lost you initial $5 investment that you put in these jeans? No. Because you have the power to get anything in the store that you want that's under $10. You only spent $5 for those jeans. So, you technically have doubled your money.
HAD YOU HAD YOUR RECEIPT, they still would have credited you back $10, because that's how their register would process the information. They are already getting the $5 back from the coupon manufacturer, so to only give you $5 back would actually create a $5 overage in the financial accounting of WalMart. (anyone who's ever been a retail manager would understand what I am saying)
I do coupon for profit. I build my stockpile of cereal for cheap and make a lot more money back in coupons. I can use those coupons to buy other items that will return my profits with more coupons, and eventually, I can get all the groceries I need.
Clearly, couponing for profit takes time and effort and a lot of transactions. I tend to grocery shop at night, when the store is nearly empty. During the day, you can typically slip two transactions through a line without much problem, but at night, the workers at my local store are all around my age (college students, probably) and have nick-named me the Coupon Queen, so therefore usually let me slip through with up to four transactions at a time. Honestly, four transactions at once is all I can handle. I put the little baskets in a big cart, and fill those baskets per transaction.
I don't see a problem with doing so many transactions and getting so much of the "sale" item to get a return "profit" of catalinas, as long as you do it respectfully. Obviously, the shelves will be cleared, BUT, you should leave some for others! I typically do what most of the other bloggers seem to do - I go back multiple times throughout the day and throughout the week. I don't think we should go ONCE, grab all 20 boxes on the shelf, and walk away. A friendly stocker at Albertsons told me that they get shipments on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I suggest finding out from your friendly grocery store workers when they get shipments, so you can figure out the best days to get items. Obviously, if a sale runs Wednesday to Tuesday, the Friday shipment will go quick. So, with Albertsons, I find that I can get the most sale items (leaving items on shelves for others, obviously) on Wednesdays and Mondays. Fridays-Sundays aren't worth going if you're couponing.
From my own experience as a grocery store cashier (MAD LOVE FOR KROGER!), I have to say that I did not pay attention to my transactions on weekends because they were so busy, and I was trying to beat the company clock (they had a certain 'time' that a cashier had to maintain while ringing up orders). As a shopper on the other side, I find that it's very hard to concentrate going out into the store during the middle of the day with the other shoppers, especially on the weekends, because people are trying to get to products, and when you're in the middle of the aisle flipping through your coupons, you're just going to get distracted trying to stay out of everyone's way, and therefore won't make as much return on your groceries.
I would like to clarify that "off your next purchase" coupons are referred to as "catalinas" in the couponing world, because the company that produces them is actually named Catalina.
Catalinas print out as part of promotions. Buy "X" amount of Proctor and Gamble products, General Mills products, Post products, Johnson's products, etc, and you will get these wonderful coupons back in return. They typically are common when the products are already on sale. I THINK (and I may be wrong here) that this is one way that they clear out older products to make room for new products (new flavors, new box design, whatever...). They are not limited to just the sale items, however. I once thought I would be thrifty and buy 10 cans of Progresso soup, because there was a deal that, when you purchased 10 cans, you got $10 back. The store had some cans on sale for $1.50, and I had coupons for $1.10 off ONE can, so I thought I'd get 10 cans for $4.00 and get a $10.00 catalina back and thus make $6.00 profit. However, I did not read the fine print of the ad (lesson learned!) and I ended up buying 10 cans that were not on sale. I did receive my $10.00 catalina, however. So catalinas aren't usually limited to sale items.
I consider catalinas as "profit" in most cases. Typically, if I am shopping at a store that prints the catalinas, I am a "returning" customer and those catalinas are just view as "in store credit" to me. Catalinas are good for ANYTHING you want in the store, as long as it's within the guidelines listed on the coupon (ie: no tobacco, alcohol, or other various items, as prohibited by law). I do not consider catalinas as profit when I am shopping at a store that I rarely go into. One example of this is when Kmart was doubling coupons up to $2.00 a few weeks ago. I bought 4 boxes of General Mills cereals, not knowing that I qualified for a $3.00 catalina from General Mills (buy 4 boxes, get $3; buy 5 boxes, get $5). When I got it back with my receipt, I was a little irritated, because I hate shopping at Kmart anyway because 1) they really don't have much selection here, and 2) their prices are already inflated. However, I was lucky that I needed to buy dog food, and Kmart is surprisingly the cheapest place to get a 17.5lb bag of Kibbles & Bits in all of Bremerton (even cheaper than the Commissary!). So, fortunately, that knocked the price down from $10.98 to $7.98, and you can't beat that!
Many people argue that "if you spend money out-of-pocket, you don't have a profit, because they are not handing you money out of their cash register to shop there!" And I did think along the same lines when I first started couponing. Basically, it's a matter of playing the grocery game correct. If you continue to make small purchases that cost basically nothing to get these catalinas, you can end up with almost a hundred dollar's worth, which you can then use on your larger grocery purchase. Although you can not walk into a store and go to the customer service window and say "I'd like to cash in this coupon," you can go through the store to get whatever you want, use the coupon, and either get the item for free, or for pennies.
I think of catalinas as virtual cash. It's a good way for businesses to ensure that their customers come back, and it's a good way for couponers to use sales to their advantage. A lot of couponers will "roll" their catalinas. One week, something may be on sale that offers a catalina back, so the couponer will take advantage of that sale and hold on to their catalinas. Typically, they are good for 2 weeks from the date you get them. If you plan your transactions right, you could possibly go through three sales ads before they expire. If you don't need anything on sale one week, the next week, you might.
Catalinas are basically like paper versions of grocery store gift cards.
My arguement is simple: say you go to WalMart with a coupon for $5.00 off of any pair of jeans. You buy a $10 pair of jeans and use your $5.00 coupon. You're pressed for time, so you don't try them on before you buy them, and you get home and realize that the jeans don't fit and you lost the receipt. You take them back to WalMart and the customer service lady issues you a refund on a WalMart gift card (that's how they issue refunds for no reciepts) for the price of the jeans, which was $10.
NOW: You only paid out-of-pocket $5 for these jeans because of your $5 off coupon. The coupon you used will be paid back to WalMart from the coupon manufacturer. So that $5 coupon that you came in with, that had 1/20 of a cent's value, now gave you a $5 return.
AND: You now have a $10 WalMart gift card for anything you want in the entire store. Have you lost you initial $5 investment that you put in these jeans? No. Because you have the power to get anything in the store that you want that's under $10. You only spent $5 for those jeans. So, you technically have doubled your money.
HAD YOU HAD YOUR RECEIPT, they still would have credited you back $10, because that's how their register would process the information. They are already getting the $5 back from the coupon manufacturer, so to only give you $5 back would actually create a $5 overage in the financial accounting of WalMart. (anyone who's ever been a retail manager would understand what I am saying)
I do coupon for profit. I build my stockpile of cereal for cheap and make a lot more money back in coupons. I can use those coupons to buy other items that will return my profits with more coupons, and eventually, I can get all the groceries I need.
Clearly, couponing for profit takes time and effort and a lot of transactions. I tend to grocery shop at night, when the store is nearly empty. During the day, you can typically slip two transactions through a line without much problem, but at night, the workers at my local store are all around my age (college students, probably) and have nick-named me the Coupon Queen, so therefore usually let me slip through with up to four transactions at a time. Honestly, four transactions at once is all I can handle. I put the little baskets in a big cart, and fill those baskets per transaction.
I don't see a problem with doing so many transactions and getting so much of the "sale" item to get a return "profit" of catalinas, as long as you do it respectfully. Obviously, the shelves will be cleared, BUT, you should leave some for others! I typically do what most of the other bloggers seem to do - I go back multiple times throughout the day and throughout the week. I don't think we should go ONCE, grab all 20 boxes on the shelf, and walk away. A friendly stocker at Albertsons told me that they get shipments on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. I suggest finding out from your friendly grocery store workers when they get shipments, so you can figure out the best days to get items. Obviously, if a sale runs Wednesday to Tuesday, the Friday shipment will go quick. So, with Albertsons, I find that I can get the most sale items (leaving items on shelves for others, obviously) on Wednesdays and Mondays. Fridays-Sundays aren't worth going if you're couponing.
From my own experience as a grocery store cashier (MAD LOVE FOR KROGER!), I have to say that I did not pay attention to my transactions on weekends because they were so busy, and I was trying to beat the company clock (they had a certain 'time' that a cashier had to maintain while ringing up orders). As a shopper on the other side, I find that it's very hard to concentrate going out into the store during the middle of the day with the other shoppers, especially on the weekends, because people are trying to get to products, and when you're in the middle of the aisle flipping through your coupons, you're just going to get distracted trying to stay out of everyone's way, and therefore won't make as much return on your groceries.
Albertsons Trip 02April2009
Still using the cheap Post cereal event to my favor to "earn" money, I went back for 5 more boxes of cereal...
What I got:
(2) Boxes of Post Trail Mix Crunch (vanilla almond flavor)
(3) Boxes of Honey Bunches of Oats (strawberry, peach, and chocolate flavors)
Coupons I had:
(2) $2.00 off ONE box of Post Trail Mix Crunch, any flavor.
(1) $1.50 off TWO boxes Post Honey Bunches of Oats, any flavor (Albertsons in-store coupon)
Because I bought 5 boxes, only 4 qualified to become $1.57 each, so the total overall before coupons was $8.35. (four boxes @ $1.57 PLUS one box @ $2.07)
My total out-of-pocket cost that I swiped my debit card for was $2.85. My total savings percentage is a little over 88%.
I "earned" a $5.00 coupon off my next purchase.
So, overall in the last two transactions, for 10 boxes of Post cereal, I have spent OUT OF POCKET, a total of $3.20!!! That's about the same price as ONE box!
In return, I now have $10.00 worth of coupons to spend for ANYTHING in the store that I may want, as well as a coupon for $1.50 off my next two boxes of Post Trail Mix Crunch, which I can use as a "money maker" in my next cereal transaction.
My total savings has been $46.30. Without coupons and my Albertsons grocery card, both purchases would have costed $49.50 (with these cereals priced at $2.07 on sale).
My total savings percentage thus far is 93.5%!!!!!
What I got:
(2) Boxes of Post Trail Mix Crunch (vanilla almond flavor)
(3) Boxes of Honey Bunches of Oats (strawberry, peach, and chocolate flavors)
Coupons I had:
(2) $2.00 off ONE box of Post Trail Mix Crunch, any flavor.
(1) $1.50 off TWO boxes Post Honey Bunches of Oats, any flavor (Albertsons in-store coupon)
Because I bought 5 boxes, only 4 qualified to become $1.57 each, so the total overall before coupons was $8.35. (four boxes @ $1.57 PLUS one box @ $2.07)
My total out-of-pocket cost that I swiped my debit card for was $2.85. My total savings percentage is a little over 88%.
I "earned" a $5.00 coupon off my next purchase.
So, overall in the last two transactions, for 10 boxes of Post cereal, I have spent OUT OF POCKET, a total of $3.20!!! That's about the same price as ONE box!
In return, I now have $10.00 worth of coupons to spend for ANYTHING in the store that I may want, as well as a coupon for $1.50 off my next two boxes of Post Trail Mix Crunch, which I can use as a "money maker" in my next cereal transaction.
My total savings has been $46.30. Without coupons and my Albertsons grocery card, both purchases would have costed $49.50 (with these cereals priced at $2.07 on sale).
My total savings percentage thus far is 93.5%!!!!!
Wednesday, April 1
Albertsons Trip 01April2009
Albertsons is having a fantastic sale on Post cereal this week!
Select boxes are on sale for $2.07. If you buy 2, they are discounted to $1.57 each.
If you buy 5 boxes or more, a "Save $5.00 off your next purchase" coupon will print out.
I was lucky to find a $2.00/one box Trail Mix Crunch on Post's website. We're lucky to have three computers in the house. Last night, I was able to print four off of my laptop, but today they placed a limit of 2 coupons per computer.
So off to Albertsons I went, with very little more than a prayer that the shelves weren't completely cleared off ... (and they almost were!)
What I got:
(4) Boxes of Post Trail Mix Crunch (Vanilla Almond flavor)
(1) Box Post Honey Bunches of Oats (Chocolate Clusters flavor)
Coupons I had:
(4) $2.00 off ONE box Post Trail Mix Crunch, any flavor.
My total out-of-pocket spent was (HOLD YOUR BREATH!) ......... $0.35!
TOTAL SAVINGS PERCENTAGE TODAY : 98.6%
The math basics here:
I bought 5 total boxes, so I had 2 multiples of 2, which means 4 boxes were priced at $1.57 each and 1 box was priced at $2.07.
Before coupons, that makes the total $8.35. After the (4) $2.00 off coupons, I spent $0.35.
Clearly, the coupons priced at $2.00 off ONE box created an overage in my favor that the store is actually gaining money on the deal from the manufacturer.
The best part of this whole thing is that I got a coupon for $5.00 off my next shopping purchase. That basically means that I made $4.65 off Albertsons tonight by buying 5 boxes of cereal. Since I do almost all of my shopping at Albertsons anyway, this "in store credit" is just as good as cash to me.
I also recieved a "$1.50 off TWO boxes of Post Trail Mix Crunch" coupon that's an Albertsons store coupon. Since it's a store coupon, I can combine this with my manufacturer's coupons, and thus get $5.50 off my next 2 boxes (because I still have a few more $2.00 off coupons left). Considering that these boxes will be priced at $1.57 each (because I will be buying TWO), I will thus receive a "credit" of $2.36. Obviously, I can use this to my advantage to lower the price on another item that I may purchase on my next transaction.
SCORE!!!!
Tuesday, March 31
Safeway Trip 31March09
Safeway is one of my least favorite grocery stores in the area because they seem very overpriced. When we first moved to Washington, I "price shopped" several different grocery stores one day (since it took us a week to get our belongings back, I had nothing better to do with my time).
What I got:
(4) Boxes of Rice A Roni (on sale for 75 cents each when you buy 10 qualifying items)
(1) Can of Nalley brand chili (on sale for 75 cents each when you buy 10 qualifying items)
Coupons I had:
(1) $1.00 off FIVE cans of Chef Boyardee, any flavor. 
My idea of "living frugally" back then was buying store brands rather than name brands, to save a dollar here and there.
Since I got into couponing, I've notice that there are some advantages to Safeway, because they do discount a lot of name-brand items that have coupons either in the Sunday paper or that can be found online.
What I got:
(4) Boxes of Rice A Roni (on sale for 75 cents each when you buy 10 qualifying items)
(1) Can of Nalley brand chili (on sale for 75 cents each when you buy 10 qualifying items)
(5) Cans of Chef Boyardee (on sale for 75 cents each when you buy 10 qualifying items)
Coupons I had:
(1) $1.00 off FIVE cans of Chef Boyardee, any flavor.
(1) $1.00 off FOUR boxes of Rice A Roni, any flavor.
My total spent was $5.50.
My total saved was 11.76, making this transaction with 68% savings.
It might be safe to say that Safeway is becoming one of my more favorite stores. :)
Monday, March 30
Why Am I Blogging?
When Justin was out on his first patrol and Aurora was less than a month old and screaming non-stop, an overly nosey naval hospital doctor sent Fleet and Family Support Services to my house because she thought I could use someone to help me with the baby so that I could nap - she thought I looked stressed. (Really, sometimes I forget to brush my hair and put on makeup before I leave! lol) While these ladies were in my house, we got to talking about the reasons why I am truly not stressed (it was more me trying to inform them of how laid back I really am, than anything else). We started talking about Justin and I's finances, because they said that not having a husband around to help with the baby is almost as stressful as not having your finances under control and having a new baby with all of the added costs.
When I showed them the budget break down of each individual bill, it's due date, our interest rate, and projected pay off balances/dates ... I thought they were about to suffer from a stroke. They told me that there are very few E4 and below families our age that have their finances under control. (Justin had not reenlisted at that point, so we were still an E4 family) They actually began to inquire more about my budget and were impressed that I have a budget for the rest of the year. When I budget, I do budget for a year in advance. So, right now, I have my budget from April 2009 until April 2010. In late April, I will create a budget for May 2010. Always stay one step ahead!
They pretty much offered me a job at Fleet and Family because they said they are always looking for people to sit down and help people make financial budgets. I considered it, but mostly I just wanted to stay home at that point and enjoy my new baby. Plus, who was I to tell people how to budget their money, because I was still overspending sometimes and we were still living paycheck to paycheck.
I began getting into couponing last fall, when Justin and I both had cars, were both going out and spending money, and were not communicating with each other about our financial spendings. We blew our budget for four months in a row, and at the beginning of his second patrol in October, I really paid the price...
When Justin's crew has control of his submarine (ie: refit, patrol, and the few days they're home after patrol before handing the control to the other crew), we lose our BAS. That means, we lose about $290 a month. When you're already on a strict budget with the $290, not having it really makes a difference. We lost our BAS in the fall, when our electric bill was rising (due to heat usage), and when Aurora was just beginning to eat lots and lots of baby food. When we finally got family separation pay and back pay, I had to use all of that to catch up on our budget and bills (they only pay you family sep pay after 30 days of the sailor being gone. The first check you get fam sep on is much higher, because you have the $260 pay for the prior 30 days, as well as for the upcoming 15 days).
Christmas 2008 was the last straw for me before I realized how desperately I needed to become a more frugal wife. In an effort to be a nice wife, I decided to cook for any and all the boys who were not able to go home for Christmas, since the submarine got back so close to the holiday. I spent over $400 and had a 12-course feast. It fed 10 people overall, although we were expecting 14. We had a lot of leftovers, which we happily ate, but we still ended up throwing away a lot of food.
In January 2009, I began doing research about couponing. I met a lady who had a blog and she sometimes posted about getting 10 bags of groceries for under $30. I thought it was damn near impossible. With all of the blogs I read, everyone kept saying "build your stockpile!" And the more research I did, the more I realized that the key to frugal living is truly in building a stockpile.
No one said it was going to be easy, and at times I still find it very challenging. I am inspired, however, and I plan to continue to build my stock pile. People often give me hell for having 60 cans of Progresso soup, or 20 boxes of Post cereal, but hey, you know what? You can't ever have enough canned food or boxed cereal. Just like you can't ever have enough toilet paper or diapers. If, God forbid, we ever got snowed in, or ashed in (if Mt. Rainier erupted) - at least we would have SOME food in the house.
I am no where close to living as frugally as I would like. Clearly, it will take time, patience, research, and a very large chest freezer for some overstock ... but someday, it will happen. My total inspiration is the lady who only spends $15 a week on groceries, and allows herself $100 a month for her stockpile needs. Basically, she spends $15 a week on meat, dairy, and other parishable items ... and allows herself about $25 a week to restock anything from her stockpile that may be running low.
Everyone says the same thing, over and over: restock your stockpile. Everyone says that sales repeat themselves every 6-12 weeks. I have not been paying enough attention at this point to see whether or not that is true.
Although my main purpose of doing this blog AT THIS POINT, is to keep track of my savings/spendings and "brag" about it to others, I really hope to someday have a more popular blog that others can come to and use as an example when they're starting their couponing hobby.
I still want to volunteer at Fleet&Family someday. I think it would be nice to get involved like that and help others. But several people have suggested actually using my skills and creating a "class" to teach others. Fleet&Family offers a lot of classes to Navy wives: baby basics, spouse101, compass (a "welcome to bangor/bremerton base" class) ... as well as many other informative classes. Clearly, if they are correct and there are wives out there who haven't taken control of the family finances (which, off the top of my head, I can honestly name 5 that I know of personally), then maybe this would be a beneficial class for them.
I want to help others, the way others helped me. No one should have to sit around and worry over whether or not they'll run out of food before the next pay check. No mother should worry about whether she'll have enough formula, diapers, or wipes until the next paycheck. And no husband should have to worry about making enough money, especially when he's already stressed enough from his job in the military.
Clearly, becoming involved in couponing takes an open mind. You can't be one of those people who can only see things from one angle. When you read my blog, as well as other blogs, you will find that we count coupons that we get back with our receipt (such as my $5.00 off your next purchase coupons) as "profits". Honestly, they are profits, because if we're already spending our money in that store anyway, these receipts are just as good as someone handing us an in-store gift card. But there will be a separate post about couponing for profit.
I've only been "intense couponing" for three months, but we're already experiencing the positive effects of having a stockpile. By next year, I hope to cut our grocery bill in half. By the year after that, I hope to cut our grocery bill by 75% (from where I financally stand today).
Welcome to my journey. :)
When I showed them the budget break down of each individual bill, it's due date, our interest rate, and projected pay off balances/dates ... I thought they were about to suffer from a stroke. They told me that there are very few E4 and below families our age that have their finances under control. (Justin had not reenlisted at that point, so we were still an E4 family) They actually began to inquire more about my budget and were impressed that I have a budget for the rest of the year. When I budget, I do budget for a year in advance. So, right now, I have my budget from April 2009 until April 2010. In late April, I will create a budget for May 2010. Always stay one step ahead!
They pretty much offered me a job at Fleet and Family because they said they are always looking for people to sit down and help people make financial budgets. I considered it, but mostly I just wanted to stay home at that point and enjoy my new baby. Plus, who was I to tell people how to budget their money, because I was still overspending sometimes and we were still living paycheck to paycheck.
I began getting into couponing last fall, when Justin and I both had cars, were both going out and spending money, and were not communicating with each other about our financial spendings. We blew our budget for four months in a row, and at the beginning of his second patrol in October, I really paid the price...
When Justin's crew has control of his submarine (ie: refit, patrol, and the few days they're home after patrol before handing the control to the other crew), we lose our BAS. That means, we lose about $290 a month. When you're already on a strict budget with the $290, not having it really makes a difference. We lost our BAS in the fall, when our electric bill was rising (due to heat usage), and when Aurora was just beginning to eat lots and lots of baby food. When we finally got family separation pay and back pay, I had to use all of that to catch up on our budget and bills (they only pay you family sep pay after 30 days of the sailor being gone. The first check you get fam sep on is much higher, because you have the $260 pay for the prior 30 days, as well as for the upcoming 15 days).
Christmas 2008 was the last straw for me before I realized how desperately I needed to become a more frugal wife. In an effort to be a nice wife, I decided to cook for any and all the boys who were not able to go home for Christmas, since the submarine got back so close to the holiday. I spent over $400 and had a 12-course feast. It fed 10 people overall, although we were expecting 14. We had a lot of leftovers, which we happily ate, but we still ended up throwing away a lot of food.
In January 2009, I began doing research about couponing. I met a lady who had a blog and she sometimes posted about getting 10 bags of groceries for under $30. I thought it was damn near impossible. With all of the blogs I read, everyone kept saying "build your stockpile!" And the more research I did, the more I realized that the key to frugal living is truly in building a stockpile.
No one said it was going to be easy, and at times I still find it very challenging. I am inspired, however, and I plan to continue to build my stock pile. People often give me hell for having 60 cans of Progresso soup, or 20 boxes of Post cereal, but hey, you know what? You can't ever have enough canned food or boxed cereal. Just like you can't ever have enough toilet paper or diapers. If, God forbid, we ever got snowed in, or ashed in (if Mt. Rainier erupted) - at least we would have SOME food in the house.
I am no where close to living as frugally as I would like. Clearly, it will take time, patience, research, and a very large chest freezer for some overstock ... but someday, it will happen. My total inspiration is the lady who only spends $15 a week on groceries, and allows herself $100 a month for her stockpile needs. Basically, she spends $15 a week on meat, dairy, and other parishable items ... and allows herself about $25 a week to restock anything from her stockpile that may be running low.
Everyone says the same thing, over and over: restock your stockpile. Everyone says that sales repeat themselves every 6-12 weeks. I have not been paying enough attention at this point to see whether or not that is true.
Although my main purpose of doing this blog AT THIS POINT, is to keep track of my savings/spendings and "brag" about it to others, I really hope to someday have a more popular blog that others can come to and use as an example when they're starting their couponing hobby.
I still want to volunteer at Fleet&Family someday. I think it would be nice to get involved like that and help others. But several people have suggested actually using my skills and creating a "class" to teach others. Fleet&Family offers a lot of classes to Navy wives: baby basics, spouse101, compass (a "welcome to bangor/bremerton base" class) ... as well as many other informative classes. Clearly, if they are correct and there are wives out there who haven't taken control of the family finances (which, off the top of my head, I can honestly name 5 that I know of personally), then maybe this would be a beneficial class for them.
I want to help others, the way others helped me. No one should have to sit around and worry over whether or not they'll run out of food before the next pay check. No mother should worry about whether she'll have enough formula, diapers, or wipes until the next paycheck. And no husband should have to worry about making enough money, especially when he's already stressed enough from his job in the military.
Clearly, becoming involved in couponing takes an open mind. You can't be one of those people who can only see things from one angle. When you read my blog, as well as other blogs, you will find that we count coupons that we get back with our receipt (such as my $5.00 off your next purchase coupons) as "profits". Honestly, they are profits, because if we're already spending our money in that store anyway, these receipts are just as good as someone handing us an in-store gift card. But there will be a separate post about couponing for profit.
I've only been "intense couponing" for three months, but we're already experiencing the positive effects of having a stockpile. By next year, I hope to cut our grocery bill in half. By the year after that, I hope to cut our grocery bill by 75% (from where I financally stand today).
Welcome to my journey. :)
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