Couponing, how do you do it?--Part 1!

So, if you've read through any of the posts I had over the last week, you see the word coupon come up over and over again. That's because 90% of my shopping is done with coupons. I've had neighbors and friends ask, how I do that, so I'm going to share!

I have always used a few coupons here and there, but really got into this about a year or so ago when things were VERY difficult for us. My husband works VERY hard and I am SAHM with two children in the toddler/preschool range, but making ends meet was beyond difficult. I started by browsing lots and lots of sites claiming to help you save money. I have a list of favorites that even after a year I still visit almost daily for a peek at what they have listed in their good deals.

We Use Coupons.com
I actually help out in the Harris Teeter forum there and there are lots of great people that are VERY coupon knowledgable and friendly to boot, they are where I finally got the shove into the kind of couponing I do now and have been featured on local stations in the site owner's home state and nationwide on ABC.

SouthernSavers
She ALWAYS has a great deal or freebie and an awesome coupon resource. The insert previews there are the best! For those who don't know what an insert it, it's what most couponers call the papers that come each sunday that are just strictly coupons, like the P&G Insert, the Smartsource Insert, and the Redplum Insert.

Free Stuff Times
Chris has one of the best lists of freebies on the web by far and his site is constantly updating with new deals!

Until I was ready to post and put myself out there(and possibly embarass myself) I simply lurked on these sites copying the deals that other people posted. And this worked! It worked for quite a while until I started noticing I was still not saving enough on what I needed to and I had some serious questions I needed answers for. I finally caved and started posting on the Forum boards for these places and commenting on the feeds for the deals on the blogs. I had been so wrong about being embarassed!! People went out of their way to help me understand and get better deals on what I needed. If I didn't have a coupon, there was always someone willing to send me one to help, if I was confused, there was always a reassuring word as they helped spell out the deal for me.

It took a LONG time, but now I consider myself to be a pretty proficient couponer and I have those folks above to thank for it. I only hope to be as much help to others as they were to me.

~Part 2 to come tomorrow!~

Target Run, Forgot the Giftcards *GASP* 6/2/2010

So while my friend and I were out yesterday we stopped at Target to do a quick run, by then our kiddos were basically shopped out, so we hustled and I only picked a few things up.

~6 Arm and Hammer Travel Toothpaste
~2 Shout Sprays
~2 Scrubbing Bubbles Extend Sprays
~2 Oil of Olay Toners
~1 Bonus Pack SatinCare Shave Gels

Total OOP: 7.77 with a 5.00 GC back

I only gave the girl two of my three Arm and Hammer TP coupons, so I'm returning two of those and then I realized as I walked to pay all my GCs were at home, so I couldn't roll the deal, but I was already there, so I went ahead and forked out the cash.

CVS Markdown, Tiny Run, Big Savings! 6/3/2010

So I ran to my local CVS this morning in the hopes of finding some more diapers(apparently the coupons I printed for the ones I got yesterday had reset!) and ended up just getting a couple of things that were also clearanced, but still great finds!

I got:

~1 Johnson and Johnson's Bedtime Baby Bath marked to 1.74
~1 Aveeno Baby Shampoo marked to 1.42

Total OOP: 1.64 and I have to go back and have a 1.00/1 q adjusted, so it will be just 0.64 OOP for both!

CVS and Diapers Diapers Diapers OH MY! 6/2/2010

A friend and I got wind of the 75% off Huggies at CVS and we met up to shop and were off and running!! Here's what I got, what I spent and what I made!

I got:

~2 Mega packs Huggies, size 5
~2 Mega packs Huggies, size 6
~3 CVS Thin Diapers, size 5
~1 20oz Diet Pepsi(CVS hopping is thirsty work!)

Total OOP: 8.33(2.55 on a CVS Money Card, so 5.78 actual OOP)
ECBs Spent: 6.97
ECBs Made: 6.00
Coupons Saved: 13.00
CVS Savings: 75.36

I am just in AWE at all the great diaper deals lately!! I was buying these when they were 50% off last week thinking to myself "WOW 8.99 minus my $3/1 Huggies coupons and some ECBs, what a deal!!" and just look at that above....7 packs for the price of one!

In case you're wondering, the CVS Thin Diapers are 75% off this week as well and putting out a $2.00 ECB!(Limit 1) SO the deal looks like this:

1 pack CVS Thin Diapers-2.37 + NC tax= 2.55
Get back a $2.00 ECB(which you could roll into the Ban Deodorant in this week's ad and get a stick of deodorant for 0.99 with $2.00 ECBs back from that...or make it better, use a $1.00/1 Insert coupon for the Ban and get it better than free!)

Incoming!! 6/2/2010

Also I didn't get to share yesterday's mail with you!! I got my campaign packet for the BzzAgent Got2B Campaign! It included: 4 double pack samples with 1.00/1 coupons, 1 completely free product coupon, 4 2.50/1 coupons, and a letter and booklet with instructions on how to pass out information and what to do afterwards.

I also received the newest issue of Savour, a few credit card offers(hahaha, getting out of debt by getting more...I don't think so!), the local store papers, a Lane Bryant home mailer and an insurance ad. My kids got the latest PawSox Home mailer, which tickled them pink!

Incoming!! Email 6/3/2010

So apparently I got NO mail at all today, but I did get some great email!!! I am on the CVS Advisor Survey Panel and from time to time they offer you ECBs(different amounts for each survey and sometimes it varies person to person) for doing surveys they send out. I got one today, got rejected after entering my zip code(no clue why?) but was still given $2 in ECBs!!! This helps me completely recoup from the 75% off Huggies they had this week that I could not resist!

Buy 1 OFF! PowerPad Lamp, Get 1 Free High Value Coupon!

SC Johnson has a great high value coupon available right now for BOGO OFF! PowerPad Lamps(up to 10.00)Get in on this one fast before they're all gone!!

Buy 1 OFF! PowerPad Lamp, Get 1 FREE!(up to 10.00 value)

they also still have the BOGO OFF! Clip On Starter Kit(Maxium value:3.99) still; print it from HERE.