In the past week I mentioned my love for couponing. In fact I got a few emails asking me about it, so I thought I’d share a recent trip and a few of my favorite tips.
First off, I don’t coupon every week and I don’t coupon on every shopping trip. In fact, I do a majority of my food shopping at Trader Joe’s and Henry’s Market and they don’t accept most coupons. I specifically coupon for household, pantry, and personal items.
I do 99% of all my coupon shopping at Albertsons, Safeway/Vons, and Target. Of all three, Target is my favorite store to coupon at, because you can get some amazing deals.
Tip – Collect your coupons!
I collect my coupons from a variety of sources. My favorites are the Sunday Paper and the Target website. Most people know about the Sunday Paper, but rarely do they know that Target posts their own coupons on their website. In most cases you can use a Target coupon and a Sunday Paper (manufacturer) coupon on the same product. Now you can see why I love doing my shopping at Target.
Lately I’ve found more and more coupons posted on Facebook when you LIKE a company or product. So if you really like a product, check out their Facebook page.
Tip – Do your prep work!
One reason people get overwhelmed by Couponing is that they don’t know where to start. So I’ll make it easy for you, go buy a Sunday Paper. It’s well worth the $1.50. Or have just the Sunday paper delivered, it’s usually cheaper to pay for the subscription.
The next best tip I have is to follow couponing websites. They’ll do all the research for you, post the sales, and tell you which coupons to use. It’s really quite dummy proof. Take a look at a few then narrow it down to your favorites so you don’t get overwhelmed.
KrazyCouponLady.com
TotallyTarget.com
I add the sites to my Google Reader so I can just check the new posts throughout the day from my phone.
Tip – Stick to the script!
I make a list when I do my couponing and I do my best to stick to it. I get into trouble when I start browsing. So usually once a week I’ll scan through the best of the weekly deals and pull the necessary coupons. Then I’ll either write or type out a list of deals. There’s no right way to make the list, just go with whatever works best for you.
Tip – Stay Organized!
Make your lists and paperclip your coupons together so it’s easy to just pull out correct packet at the checkstand. So why do you see 3 sheets in the below picture? I was going to hit 2 different Targets, because I absolutely hate doing multiple transactions in one store. It’s just my personal preference, and I happen to have 2 Targets within a mile of my home.
The third piece of paper is for research. Sometimes I have coupons, but I don’t know if they are a good deal since I don’t know the cost of the item. So I made a list of those coupons and I’ll check prices in the store and decide if I want to use the coupons. I specifically do this because I don’t carry all my coupons with me in the store. I have binders, but I always leave them at home. Again, just a personal preference.
Tip – Think outside the box!
Coupons are not the only way to save money. These days a lot of stores are giving discounts for using reusable bags. Target gives you 5 cents for every bag you use. Seems like too little to matter, but it adds up. 5 bags will save you $.25 and that is the same as many coupons you have clipped, so why not save the additional quarter.
Also, specifically for Target, consider getting the Target Debit Card. Let me be clear, IT IS NOT A CREDIT CARD. The Target debit cards links to your checking account and has no credit check to apply. There’s no fee for using it, and it saves you 5% on your purchase.
Tip – Check the Register!
I’m not fanatical about it, but I do keep an eye on the register when the cashier is ringing up my items. Sometimes thing ring up wrong or a coupon doesn’t catch. If you’re paying attention, the grand total won’t be a huge surprise.
Tip – Keep your Receipt!
When I leave the store, scan your receipt. If you see a discrepancy, walk back into the store and let them know. If you come back a few days later, it can be harder to get the proper resolution. I also hold onto my receipt at home in case I have any returns later. You may also be able to get a price adjustment if some of those items go on a better sale in the next few days. But you can only get the money back if you keep the receipt.
Today’s Haul…
Today was a decent haul, but not the greatest since there were a few unexpected items in the cart. Remember that whole part about sticking to the script, sometimes I just can’t help myself. In fact, that hapless browsing means I purchased a full price umbrella that I thought was on clearance. I didn’t catch it at the register, but it stood out when I scanned the receipt. I’ll be returning it this weekend.
I’ve broken down everything below in case you want to see how it worked for me. Although, I won’t do this very often, unless people really want to see it.
I spent OOP (out of pocket) $98.64 $84.52
I saved $82.72
I’m returning the full price umbrella which was $12.99 (+ tax) which is how my OOP lowers to $84.52.
Vintage Converse Handbag (Clearance) $34.99 $24.48
Target Website Coupon -$5.00
OOP: $19.48
Mini Umbrella (Clearance) $12.99 $6.48
OOP: $6.48
Up & Up Dryer Sheets 40 count $1.37
Target Website Coupon –$.50
OOP: $.87
V8 Fusion Vegetable Juice (2 Bottles) $2.99 each
V8 Fusion + Tea (1 bottle) $2.99
Manufacturer Coupon -$1.50
Target Website Coupon -$1.00
Manufacturer Coupon -$2.99 (Free Fusion Tea with purchase of the above V8 Fusion)
OOP: $3.48 ($1.16 each)
Silk Soy Milk $3.99
Manufacturer Coupon -$1.00
OOP: $2.99
Up & Up Apricot Facial Scrub $2.10
Target Website Coupon -$.75
OOP: $1.35
Dove Men’s Body Wash with bonus trial Deodorant $3.99
Dove Women’s Body Wash with Bonus Trial Body Wash $4.08
Manufacturer Coupon -$3.75 (off the Men’s BW with the purchase of the Women’s BW)
Manufacturer Coupon -$1.00 (off the Women’s BW)
Target Website Coupon -$1.00
OOP: $2.32 ($1.16 each)
Olay 2ct Body Bar (2 packages) $1.99 each = $3.98
Manufacturer Coupon -$1.00
Target Paper Coupon -$1.00
OOP: $1.98 ($.99 each)
Dove Men’s Care 8pk Body Bars $8.79
Manufacturer Coupon -$4.00
Target Website Coupon -$1.00
OOP: $3.79
Reach Floss $.89
Manufacturer Coupon -$1.00
OOP: MoneyMaker $.11
L’Oreal Liquid Eye Liner $7.99
Manufacturer Coupon -$1.00
Target Paper Coupon -$1.00
OOP: $5.99
Sally Hansen Hard as Nails $2.04
Sally Hansen Nail Color $2.04
Manufacturer Coupon -$1.00 (off the Nail Care Product)
Manufacturer Coupon -$2.00 (if you purchase the above Nail Care product)
Target Paper Coupon -$1.00
OOP: $0.08 ($0.04 each)
CoverGirl LashBlast Mascara $6.94
CoverGirl Single Eyeshadow $3.00
Manufacturer Coupon -$1.00
Target Peelie Coupon -$3.00 (free eyeshadow for purchasing the mascara)
OOP: $5.94 ($2.97 each)
Aussie Hi Shine Hairspray $5.68 ($2.84 each)
Aussie Instand Fix Hairspray $2.84 each
Manufacturer Coupon -$3.00
Target Paper Coupon -$1.00
OOP: $4.52 ($1.50 each)
Zyrtec 5ct $5.29
Manufacturer Coupon -$5.00
OOP: $0.29
Up & Up Allergy Relief $4.04
Target Website Coupon –$0.75
OOP: $3.29
Clif Z Bar 6pk $3.49
Target Website Coupon –$1.00
OOP: $2.49
Hefty One ZIp 22ct Storage Bags $1.97
Manufacturer Coupon -$0.15
Target Website Coupon –$1.00
OOP: $0.82
Iams 8lbs Dog Food $13.00
Iams Rebate Coupon -$12.99
OOP: $0.01
Zantac 150mg 24ct $7.59
Manufacturer Coupon $5.00
Target Website Coupon –$2.00
OOP: $0.59
Tums 3rolls $1.92
Manufacturer Coupon -$1.00
Target Website Coupon –$1.00
OOP: Moneymaker $0.08
BenGay Deep Pain Relief $6.84
Manufacturer Coupon -$5.00
OOP: $1.84
Composition Book $1.49
OOP: $1.49
Sharpie Permanent Marker $1.49
Target Website Coupon –$1.00
OOP: $0.49
Papermate Ballpoint Pens 24ct $2.69
Target Website Coupon –$1.00
OOP: $1.69
Ziploc 100ct Bags (2 boxes) $5.00
Manufacturer Coupon -$1.00
Target Website Coupon –$1.00
OOP: $3.00 ($1.50 each)
Whoa! There you have it, my haul from this week in one trip to Target.
Oh I forgot to mention that by using my Target Debit card, I saved an additional $4.67.
Changing My Destiny 