Coupons

A lot of people get frustrated with coupons, or say they don't have the time to use them, however I find that they are well worth the time and work. I usually spend from 3 to 5 hours a week on coupons AND grocery shopping. The extra two hours comes in play if I decide to add a trip to the surplus store. We have all seen those people on t.v. who buy $400 worth of groceries for $2.50. That is not a realistic goal for coupon use. I am able to save 40% to 50% of my bill each and every week, which helps me so much. In my opinion, that is probably the norm.

I tend to clip the majority of the coupons in the paper and often get them through the mail. I have signed up for emails through all of the major companies online and have written to companies I really like to request coupons. But, normally, I just use the ones from the Sunday papers and my mail.

Today, I went to the grocery store and made two orders. The first was my weekly purchases. Total bill was $140.83 before using my store club card or coupons. I ended up paying $79.53, with a savings of $61.30 (43%). This will feed my family of four AND I purchased several items for my stockpile.

The second order was just for fun with my best coupons. I sometimes do this to lift my spirits and give me a boost. I purchased a total of 7 items and paid $.32 (tax only). The purchase included 3 rolls of toilet paper, 1 bottle of shampoo, 1 bottle of drying agent, 1 pack of gum and a box of brown rice. Total savings: 100% ($10.03).

So, is couponing worth it to me? Well...this week I spent 3 hours total clipping coupons and shopping. I saved $71.33. That's $23.78 per hour. Yep, sure is!