I am interested in learning how to extreme coupon. I've seen the how to videos on couponing. I buy the Sunday paper as well as visit sites where I can print coupons. I also have the coupon policies for all the places I frequent. I have a binder full of coupons and yet I still do not understand the process of being able to do what is done on the show Extreme Couponing.
I am a single mother of three and we barely get by. Our food never lasts the whole month and we are left without food for weeks at a time. I want to be able to provide food for my children and not always worry about them or I going hungry.
Please anyone, help me help my children. All I need is a guiding hand on how to use the coupons effectively so that I can build a stockpile that my children and I can use so that we may never run out of food again.
And whatever I do have that I can spare, I would love nothing more than to help others, so I would definitely donate whatever I can. I love the feeling I get when I'm helping others. So please help. I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks so much.
Elizabeth
Elizabeth,
Hold on a second while I sweep up the bits of my heart that just shattered all over the floor. I'm so sorry that you are struggling. No one should have to worry about running out of food. Even more heartbreaking is that you have little ones who have rumbly tummies. Kids should not go hungry. Really, no one should.
Clearly you've watched the show Extreme Couponing. What I want you to understand is that that type of shopping is not really typical for most serious couponers. It's extreme by design because that's what viewers want to see. Excess and drama drive ratings.
I can assure you that the couponers featured on that show could not possibly shop like that every week. First of all, it's not every week that we can find an amazing sale that will net us hundreds of dollars in free food at the grocery store. Some weeks that's possible, but not every week.
Also, that show demonstrates a very unbalanced way of eating. People need to eat protein and produce, which you don't often see on that show because it would drive the cost up. Not nearly as impressive as a zero balance at the register.
Couponers get great deals on everything from toothpaste to clothes detergent, as I'm sure you've seen on Extreme Couponing, but what I want to focus on with you is the food.
First things first, get assistance. You have kids and they need to eat. Go to your local food bank or call around to churches to find out which ones offer food pantries. Now is not the time to be proud if your kids are not eating. That's what assistance is for, to help you for the short term until you can get back on your feet.
Find out which stores double coupons in your area. This will help you tremendously. Pair your coupons with sales to maximize your savings. When you first start stockpiling, your stockpile will not be the most well rounded selection of food. That's because sales happen in cycles.
So, one week there could be a killer deal on cereal which may allow you to get tons of that for cheap, and the next week could offer a deal on spaghetti sauce. You just never know what opportunities the grocery fliers will bring each week. When I first started couponing, it took me about six months to form a well rounded pantry.
Your best bet to find the free/cheap food deals is to follow forums such as afullcup.com, weusecoupons.com, slickdeals.net, hotcouponworld.com, or any other ones you find on the net. There are many. Go to those sites and find the grocery stores in your area. Read those forums each week, as they will be your #1 resource to help you find the very best deals in your area.
Talk to your meat manager. Ask him what days of the week they do meat markdowns. Get there first thing that day to get the best pick of greatly discounted meat.
Look for the discounted produce rack. This is a rack in the produce department that has fruits and veggies that are ripe or bruised. As long as you eat the ripe produce right away, it's totally fine. This is a good way to get fruit and veggies at a discount.
Find out if you have a bread outlet in your area. Bread outlets are an excellent way to get cheap bread, bagels, pizza crusts, English muffins, and many other baked goods at a fraction of retail value. Bread products freeze well too.
Take your high value coupons to big stores like Walmart and Target. Their prices are already low, so your high value coupons will create an even more significant savings. Be sure to read totallytarget.com because Kerry does an AMAZING job listing what's free/cheap there each week.
Target has store coupons that you can pair up with manufacturer's coupons which often times offer huge savings. Surprisingly, you can pick up lots of groceries at Target. My Target isn't even a Super Target, and I get great food deals there.
Even the drugstores have good deals on food. Be sure to read hip2save.com to see what's on sale at the drugstores. Collin posts the sales/coupon matchups on Saturday, so be sure to see if you spot anything your family could use. I've found free/cheap cereal, crackers, cranberry sauce, sugar, cheese, butter, and many other foods at the drugstores, just to name a few.
When you get a little more advanced, I'd suggest you once again use the forums for your drugstore sale info because you can find out the sales a couple of weeks in advance. This will greatly help you by giving you the time you need to find the coupons to match with the sales.
Whew, that's a lot of info. I think I'll stop with that for today because it's a lot to digest. The most important thing about couponing (besides having the coupons) is knowledge. Knowledge of what's on sale, what coupons are available, and how to best utilize your coupons.
You will need to do research to get the answers, and the forums I mentioned will likely be the key to your success. Knowledge is everything when it comes to couponing.
I hope this helps you, Elizabeth. Coupons can make a huge difference in your grocery budget, and I'm sure you'll appreciate that as your couponing skills grow. It takes time to learn, so don't get frustrated. You can always come back here to ask for help.
And for my other newbie couponers, feel free to ask questions too. Just use the comment section of this post if you have a coupon question.
For my more seasoned readers, if you have any advice, please feel free to chime in. I'm sure I've missed some other great ideas that you might know about. Let's see if we can all help this reader out.
Posts
31 comments:
Elizabeth,
I would recommend that you take it slow and learn the sales/cycles at one store before moving to a second store, or even the drug stores (as Melanie mentioned). If you don't, your mind will be mush and you will want to give up couponing.
Don't pressure yourself into running to every store to try to get the deal because the sale will eventually come to your store. Also, don't beat yourself up if you miss a deal. (I learned all of this from experience.)
Tshanina
My only other suggestion for Elizabeth would be to, if she can not find it for cheaper anywhere else with a coupon, go to Aldi, or Price Rite for the other things she needs. We buy milk at Aldi or Price Rite as well as bread, bagels, and all of our veggies because it is a lower price everyday, and they often have things on sale that make it a way better deal (bananas for .39/lb, etc) (Apples at price rite are generally .99/lb as well, everyday) So if she has either of those stores around, that can be a big help.
As well as buying generics! Many generic brands are similar enough to their counterparts. If you can not find it cheaper with a sale and a coupon (which many times you can), generics are often much cheaper.
Finally, I would like to say that there is nothing wrong with asking for help! You have children to take care of, and you are doing the best you can!
great advice Melanie!
I love Meagan's blog for breaking down how to start couponing. Check out here series here http://www.frugalfunfortune.com/beginners-start-here/
carrie
Another big one that fails to get mentioned is be aware of where you live. Not every geographic location gets the same deals/coupons. And if you have fewer stores (especially drugstores), you'll be more limited as well. It's always infuriating to me to see folks out East getting stuff for free/near free when I'm not getting that coupon or sale at my stores here in the midwest. Or I just don't even have that store within 300 miles. (CVS and Rite Aid? I'm lookin' at you!)
Take it easy, take it slow, so you don't burn out. Focus on two to four great deals each week. And yes, please, ask for help.
I have a ? about the deal Kroger is having this week, buy 4 participating products and get $4 instantly taken off your total at the register. combined with coupons, what are some possible deal scenarios? (I'm a new couponer too:)
Beer Rebates! If you are lucky enough to live in a state that does NOT require you to buy beer, beer rebates are a great way to get your money back as they usually encompass things you would buy anyway (i.e., produce, baking items, meat/fish, snacks, etc).
You can find them in most major grocery stores & Walmart.
Melanie definitely provided much of the basic information to begin couponing. I have been doing it for years, and still have so much to learn! One recommendation for you is to go to the local stores that sell the newspapers and ask if you can take the coupons from the remaining papers on Monday or go to the recycle bins in your area. This will allow you to find multiples of the coupons you want!
Melanie,
Please have your reader make sure her kids get free/subsidized hot lunch and to see if she qualifies for WIC or food stamps. Also, in our town, we have a food pantry and she should not be too proud to ask for help while she is learning how to stretch her resources. I do a lot of volunteer work and nobody wants anyone to go hungry, especially kids. Also, churches and synagogues may have additional resources for her. I hope that she is just being a little dramatic, because her post makes me feel very very sad.
Good luck,
Eileen
I DEFINITELY agree on getting government/community help, and quickly. I think couponing might help here, but I was in a similar situation when I had young children, and taught myself to cook cheap (but good). Tuna, dried beans, peanut butter, rice, pasta, cheese, and produce on sale and in season (or frozen) are all cheap sources of healthy meals. While there are occasionally coupons for these items, if you buy store brand and/or in bulk, they are relatively inexpensive. I hope your reader's situation improves -- she and her family will be in my prayers.
Hi,
I have been couponing for about four years now. Not sure what state she lives in but if she is in IL I would gladly assist with helping her learn.
Heidi
My biggest tip would be to find someone in your area that coupons and have them "hold your hand" too. I do that with my friends A LOT -- and that includes shopping with them, giving them freebees from my stockpile and giving extra coupons. If she's not sure of who in her area might be a couponer and she's on facebook/twitter/etc - put out a post and ask friends. There are a lot of people who are couponers who don't announce it to the world but would be happy to help a friend in need. I've done it with SEVERAL friends who lost jobs - even when I wasn't getting a paycheck. Its how we all ate. We'd share items and coupons so that everyone got what they needed. And -- know that we all started out at one point too -- the end is in sight!
Find assistance in your area first and foremost.
As far as couponing, find someone that does this all the time and ask if they will show you the ropes, i.e. take you with them when they go so you see it from beginning to end.
Good Luck and Many Prayers!
I would reccomend alsoto tell people she is around, church, work, school etc tha she is intrested in couponing and ifthe person does not need the coupons can she have them. Get a cupon buddy..exchange coupons. Also you can use your food stamps with coupons which helps sretch your money as well as there should be no taxes.
Donna L.
VA
I agree if you are in that great need you should definitely get some government assistance to get you caught up. Reaching out to friends, church organizations and family is certainly justified. Don't let the little ones go hungry. I for one dislike being hungry (although I should go hungry a little more often) Once you get on your feet than start slow. My favorite thing to do is buy beans and lentils in the bulk section you will get a better value there. Also must add Fruits and Vegetables to their diet and whatever is on sale and in Season. Trader Joes always has bananas at .19 cents each. Thats a great healthy and fulfilling snack. Good Luck. Please accept help and in the future you will be in a better position to help others.
One thing that will help, no matter what kind of food she must serve her children, give it silly names or tell them how it helps their bodies. Eat whatever you must with cheer. Happiness/cheerfulness is contagious. Help them to enjoy right now and hope for better. Even a drab meal can be cheerful. I hope you do not have drab meals. Something made with a bit a chocolate helps to round out a sad meal. So, smiles and chocolate are my recommendation.
Be careful that the item you use a double coupon with in one store is not actually cheaper without a coupon in another store. Did anyone say that? I run into it all the time.
We just moved from Central Fl to middle of no where Az. I use to be good at couponing, but am having trouble out here. Maybe someone could help me. In Fl I had Publix, Winn Dixies, Aldi, and Walmarts plus Walgreens and CVS. Now in Az I have Walmarts, Smiths, and Safeway plus walgreens and CVS. I use to be good because I would do my shopping at publix's and winn dixie. I only went to walmarts, walgreens, or cvs for small or special stuff. Also in Fl I got 2 newspapers, here there are no newspapers delivered out here. "Town" is 30-45 minutes away. Needless to say the first time I walked in Smiths and Safeway I wanted to go back home because I could not find anything lol. I am getting better now, but still need some advise. What do you do when you do not have a newspaper and there are no sites devoted to Smiths/Safeway AZ? Thank you for your help.
Hi Elizabeth -
You already have great tips here - starting with Melanie's post and in all the comments.
Please don't set the bar too high when it comes to coupons. Any amount you save is a "win" and it counts.
I heartily agree with getting assistance. It's called a safety net with good reason. It is one way we all pitch in via our government to help each other get through rough times and get back on our feet.
My husband volunteers at our local food pantry and many of the clients volunteer there as well. Almost everyone in need who walks through the door for the first time is a little bit afraid. But cheerful volunteers who understand the situation and are helpful eases that anxiety very quickly.
Wishing you all the best -
- Lee
Where does Elizabeth live? I am interested in helping her out with coupons, clothes, I have a stockpile I could donate. Please Elizabeth e-mail me at ruckey04@gmail.com I would love to help you out.
Elizabeth,
Believe in what the others have said. Ask for help. Get on assistance. Do whatever you need to do. My family and I had to do that after my daughter was born 21 months ago. We only qualified for 4 months, but it was what we needed to help get us through those very hard times. We were also on WIC which is a tremendously wonderful program. I wish we still qualified. Nothing like free dairy products.
Couponing is hard. It can be overwhelming and at times, pretty darned frustrating. When I started couponing in June 2011, I went GONZO snatching up deals like they were the last ones ever. The temporary high I got from the savings was awesome; but the resulting lows from discovering I still spent too much or sometimes this felt even worse: missing that Awesome deal.
Four months in, I quit. I was frustrated, burnt out, and just plain done with it. I still checked the blogs, because well, they are kinda awesome! I'm still only part-part timing it, but hope to get back into it with a renewed sense of optimism this coming year.
My point is don't try and snag every coupon/every deal, they will come around again. Take it slow. And please, ask your community and even the government for help. Your babies need you to, because you're Mom.
And my couponing newbie question:
I still haven't figured out a good way to get decent inserts. I live in Montana. We have one newspaper available that only ever gets Smart Source (approx 6-7 low, low value coupons), Red Plum (3-4 low value coupons), and P&G (12-15 coupons). We have one chain grocery store, Albertsons. And get 3 doublers in the paper once every 4-5 months or so.
I like the others, feel for Elizabeth and know her pain.
I remember the days of buying a lb of hamburger meat, dividing it into four equal portions, freezing 3 of them in baggies and using one of the now 1/4 lb to make a box of generic hamburger helper...and that was feed my son and I for a few days. Add a piece of buttered bread and well..you do what you have to.
I have learned that if you can get something super cheap...and your kids will eat it...get as much as you can. I will not harp on nutrition at this point. I am of the school of thought that your kids need to eat. PERIOD. and I know I sure the heck couldn't have cared less about the food pyramid when I was trying to make a box of hamburger helper with less than a 1/4 lb of meat in it...feed my baby for a few days.
Yes they do need some nutritious foods...but I know any food is better than none as well.
I also want to point out that the bread outlets, often accept foodstamps as well...
if you don't get them now you should apply.
Next is to do a search for low cost meal ideas.
This will really help you stretch the food you do have into the most meals and a variety of meals.
Good luck! We are praying for you!
First of all, Elizabeth needs to get assistance to make sure her children (and her) are eating.
Getting a stockpile started and put together takes a bit of time, it does not happen over night.....but at least during this time, Elizabeth can rest assured that she and her children get help and dont have to go without food, not even for a day, let alone weeks :(
Where does Elizabeth live ? I'd love o help .....
My heart breaks for Elizabeth and her children too. I don't have anything to add to the extensive list of suggestions already listed by Melanie and the above readers. My prayers to Elizabeth and her children. Good luck!!
Really great advice in this time of great need. Thank you!
Also have Elizabeth get help from local food banks. We have two in Newton that help families in need and will provide about a week's worth of food a month.
You can also see if your community has local produce markets. I have two and many times they are cheaper than the grocery store. Usually though produce is ready to use within a day or two. It is possible to work out some sort of price reduction on the produce as it is getting too ripe to sell. Spring summer and fall are much easier times for the produce markets in my area to make deals though.
Elizabeth,
Check out Trent over at The simple Dollar. If you're having trouble with food, I'm willing to bet there is stress with other financial aspects as well. He has some great outside-the-box ideas to cut costs and bring in extra money. He seems really good with answering questions regarding specific problems, too, if you write to him as well. Good luck...I'm really rooting for you!
I have a source for lots of Barilla pasta. If Elizabeth emails me her address I will ship some to her.
I have a lot of Barilla pasta. I will mail some to Elizabeth if she sends me her address.
Thank you all for sharing your words of wisdom. Unfortunately, Elizabeth just commented on an older post with her plea and did not leave any contact info. I hope she reads this post and gleans some info and insight that will help her. Thank you so much for your assistance and willingness to help!
I also wanted to point out something...(I was the one dividing the lb of hamburger up)...I realized that I was going to have to do something to change things. I got better at couponing but that wasn't going to help me long term. I went to my local community college and found out what I needed to do to enroll. My school was paid for 100% through the pell grant program. I got enough extra leftover to help w/ gas and applied to WorkSource to get daycare assistance. I mean it when I say it changed my life. It's one thing to worry about feeding your children and something else to make a plan to make sure that you never have to worry about that again. It's hard. Even I laugh when I tell people that I just graduated from a ONE yr program after almost 21 yrs of going to school, but that's exactly what I did. Sure I could have just streamlined into the one yr program but I knew I wouldn't be able to go back later so I took classes as I could while I worked full time. I am 3 classes from my Associates degree. I am actually about 12 from my 4 yr Bachelors...now I just have to decide which road to take and which will be easier on my family.
Either way...I will soon be working as a LVN and I have shown my kids that hard work does pay off. I sure hope she reads these posts. Hope is something she needs more than anything right now.
Melanie's ideas are spot on. My suggestion would be to use a coupon clipping service if you don't get good coupons in the paper. Buy a few extra coupons of the products on sale for the week or that your family uses most. Most of my coupon orders are well under $10.00 (usually around 6.00) and I get extras of what I really want. My newspaper is over 3.00 so buying extras adds up quick.
Also, look for foods that have good nutritional value like oatmeal that you can use as is or as fillers to meatloaf, etc. A bag of unpopped popcorn is pretty cheap, has good fiber and can be popped in a paper bag (3-4 TBSP) in the microwave. I bought a bag at Walmart for $1.49 recently and that will probably make at least 10 bags of popcorn. It makes a great snack.
Elizabeth,
I am a firm believer that Christ commands us to help others in need.
“For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land” Deuteronomy 15:11.
I would love to help you out. I have an ample stockpile of toiletries (shampoo, soap, toothpaste, etc) that I would be more than happy to send you. I know this isn't food, but if you had these type of supplies, then you could focus primarily on buying food. If you are interested, please send me an email at theblessedcouponer@gmail.com and we will chat. May God bless you and your children. Take care.
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