I recently posted on Facebook that I unpacked a box full of free goodies. I don't mean samples of shampoo that I get in the mail, but rather normal items that we buy but get a great deal on. I was flooded with inbox messages on my "magic", and the reality is: there isn't any!
In a previous post, (2 posts down..) I highlighted one shopping trip. The real idea is that it takes time to stock up on items for a "stock pile". I don't need to go all Extreme Couponing and buy 200 bottles of mustard, because that doesn't make sense for my family, so even if it's a good deal, it's a waste of money for us.
However, when Jonathon was in the military, he had to shave every other day. He and I both have sensitive skin, so we never bought cheap razors. Luckily, the expensive ones are usually the best deal. I can get them for about $1 a piece, rather than the $6-$8 they normally cost. This IS a good deal for us. Decide what your family needs, and look for deals on those items. Don't get caught up in a good deal, because if it's not something you'd normally use - it's a waste. The exception to this is, if it's free and can be donated to a battered women's shelter, humane society, needy family, etc.
I find most of my deals at Target. They have coupons on their website (http://coupons.target.com/#?lnk=nav_t_spc_13_inc_13_16) that you can stack with manufacturer coupons. This means awesome deals on most items. UTILIZE THIS! I recently got Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, Dora's Memory Game, Don't Spill the Beans and a card game ABSOLUTELY FREE at Target because of a stacked coupon. Same with Play Doh. I have at least 100 containers of the stuff - some of them the cute tiny tubs. These will make great party favors. I also bought about 50 bottles of Flinstones and One A Day vitamins because instead of spending $6-$9 (depending on the bottle), I spent a whopping $0.30 each.
The razors for example usually have a $3 coupon in the P&G insert of the newspaper (once a month). Target runs gift card deals, where if you buy 2 razors you'll get a $5 Target gift card. Ok - so if you buy two razors at $6.50, you have (2) $3 coupons, and you get a $5 gift card back, you're only paying $1 each. That's when I buy 20 of them because this deal may not come around for another 6 months. I do count gift cards back as money, because I can spend it the same.
Another way is rebates. I just received 4 rebates - PAM cooking spray, Feline Pine cat litter, Arm and Hammer cat litter and Lysol wipes. I have a few more sitting on my counter to be submitted. In any case - I got every single one of those items for free, or the cost of a stamp rather. It's nice to get money in the mail box instead of just bills.
A few months ago, IAMS had a coupon for $3 off of any bag of cat or dog food. I like my cat and dog, but I REALLY don't want them to cost me money. The trial size bags of IAMS at Target happen to be $3 each. Between that deal, and a similar Purina One deal that was too good to pass up, I can feed my cat for approximately 18 months. I wish I could say the same for our dog, but we do buy his food at Sam's Club.
The paper towel deal was simple. Target made a coupon that said $1 off of ANY Up&Up paper towel (their brand). Not a good idea on their part! Their single rolls were only $0.98 each, and if you have the right cashier (meaning some teenager who really doesn't care), I made $0.02 cents each, which isn't a ton - but I got 75-100 rolls for free plus some overage for buying it. The older cashiers would price adjust the coupon to the $0.98, whatever. Not bad! I know we'll use them, so it's not a waste.
Look for holiday clearance. At Halloween, Wal Mart was clearing all their Halloween stuff out 2 days after the 31st. They had BOXES of Hefty plastic party cups - the ones that come 30 to a bag and cost around $3. I took a shot by asking the manager if they were clearing those out, too, since they were orange and black cups. She said absolutely and gave them to be for $0.30 a bag. I have two boxes in my basement now, ready for a party - and not even a Halloween one. Either color could be used for almost anything. I would have gotten more, but I felt bad for the kid who had to price adjust every single bag.
The last thing I really utilize is writing to companies. I give them feedback, good or bad, and in many cases, they send you coupons in return. This is GREAT, because honestly, the coupons the companies send you are pretty rare. Lots of free item coupons. I complained to Windex for a faulty bottle that leaked - they sent me (2) FREE vouchers for new bottles - but they had a value of $4.99 each, which means I got the massive refill sizes for free. But the same goes if you give positive feedback, I have gotten LOTS of coupons for free stuff by saying I loved it. It takes time, yes, but when I do this, I try to do 5 a day. It honestly takes 20 minutes or so, and my mail box gets flooded with free or cheap stuff. Stay away from Proctor and Gamble or Kraft - unless you have a complaint. They'll send you coupons if you hated something - but nothing if you liked it.
I also try to share with friends and family, and we donate pet food to the shelter. I believe I have been given the knowledge to do this for a reason. Not only to keep my family living comfortably, but to help others who aren't so fortunate. Do the Lord's work!
Look for blogs who lay out scenarios for you. They'll give you step by step instructions on what your transaction should look like, no guess work!
The key thing to remember (for me anyway) is that it's not about getting
a large quantity in one container - these trial size bags of IAMS were only 14
ounces each. But, they were FREE! Get to the check out with spending as little money as possible! Sometimes, getting the trial sizes is a great deal simply because you put no money into it.
Happy shopping!!
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