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Post by bobbysgirl on May 15, 2011 19:10:50 GMT -5
I see where GG is coming from. I do use coupons, but I can't seem to do it well. I don't have a CVS, my grocery store doesn't double coupons, and when I went to all the coupon websites, it just ended up with my inbox being inundated with spam. I also don't do multiple trips. I'm a partner in a law firm, I have a 3 yo and a 5 yo, and I commute 45 minutes each way to work. I find I value my time more than chasing deals. If the couponing life works for someone, knock yourself out. I just find it doesn't work for me. Your plate is full SWAMP. I wouldn't worry about couponing at this point in your life.
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Post by bobbysgirl on May 15, 2011 19:17:13 GMT -5
Well stated, dancinmama I am honestly amazed that you have not read The Tightwad Gazette. I highly recommend it. She promoted a frugal lifestyle in the 1990 when it was not in style. She was a SAHM with six or eight (I forget which) children and her husband earned about $40,000/yr. They saved enough to pay cash for their home and she started a "Tightwad" newsletter. By the time I read an interview of them in Money magazine, they had saved $1M on his earnings while raising their large family. Eventually she stopped publishing the newsletter, but put it into the book. There are three volumes and most libraries carry them. I would love to read the tightwad gazette! Every time I go to the library it is out! It sounds like she was one smart lady, though I don't know if I'd be OK with only buying 2nd hand clothes and furniture! I have a post on my blog - that doesn't make money in any way- about a conversation I had with Amy. Her books are wonderful and filled with information. Like anythimg else, you use what works for you and forget the rest.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 15, 2011 19:25:24 GMT -5
I would love to read the tightwad gazette! Every time I go to the library it is out! It sounds like she was one smart lady, though I don't know if I'd be OK with only buying 2nd hand clothes and furniture! I have a post on my blog - that doesn't make money in any way- about a conversation I had with Amy. Her books are wonderful and filled with information. Like anythimg else, you use what works for you and forget the rest. I make good, wholesome meals for my family, but isn't she more of a suzi-homemaker type? I think I read the article on your blog and was quite impressed.
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Frugal Nurse
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Post by Frugal Nurse on May 15, 2011 19:34:49 GMT -5
Gardening Grandma- I read in another thread that you were once on food stamps. Did you know that coupons could have helped you stretch those food stamps far enough to provide good food for your family (food stamps typically aren't enough to buy a month's worth of food at regular prices). So while you sit here and condemn couponers for saving money on products that are completely beneath, you may want to think back to a time in your life when you needed to stretch your dollars further and how much those coupons could have helped. I hope that many more people who really do need help will learn to use coupons and be able to get the things they need for their families when money is tight. Heck, it might even prevent them from needing food stamps in the first place.
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Post by bobbysgirl on May 15, 2011 19:44:23 GMT -5
I have a post on my blog - that doesn't make money in any way- about a conversation I had with Amy. Her books are wonderful and filled with information. Like anything else, you use what works for you and forget the rest. I make good, wholesome meals for my family, but isn't she more of a suzi-homemaker type? I think I read the article on your blog and was quite impressed. Our conversation was so relaxing, it was fun. I see her more as a mom and wife first, a savvy business woman next. She looks at being frugal as a business and has become quite comfortable in her retirement for her efforts. The family worked as a unit, which is imperative for a successful outcome. She and her husband did start the frugal lifestyle before they had children.
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Gardening Grandma
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Post by Gardening Grandma on May 15, 2011 19:48:47 GMT -5
Gardening Grandma- I read in another thread that you were once on food stamps. Did you know that coupons could have helped you stretch those food stamps far enough to provide good food for your family (food stamps typically aren't enough to buy a month's worth of food at regular prices). So while you sit here and condemn couponers for saving money on products that are completely beneath, you may want to think back to a time in your life when you needed to stretch your dollars further and how much those coupons could have helped. I hope that many more people who really do need help will learn to use coupons and be able to get the things they need for their families when money is tight. Heck, it might even prevent them from needing food stamps in the first place. 1)That was in the 60's. Coupons weren't around. 2) I have not " condemned" anyone for using coupons. I HAVE pointed out that food coupons are generally for prcocessed foods. (which, incidentally are not as nutricious but are very profitable for food companies)
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murphath
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Post by murphath on May 15, 2011 20:02:20 GMT -5
Well, as usual, I'm a little late to this thread and have to admit that I have only read the last few pages. I have to ask: why is using or NOT using coupons such a heated issue? I think there are different levels of coupon use: 1. Never use coupons--time issues, not worth it, etc. 2. Clip the coupons but never use them--leave them at home, can't find them, etc. 3. Clip the coupons for things you need and actually use them. 4. Save the coupon inserts each week (and try to get more of them), file them, use a coupon database, online coupons, etc. 5. Extreme couponers such as those depicted on television. Before discovering The Grocery Challenge thread, I was probably in category 3. I used coupons for stuff I normally would buy and was really happy when the item was on sale as well. After reading for a few months what the GC thread gals were doing, I decided to jump in. I found them all very welcoming (thanks, dancinmama!) At the time, my husband's business of over 30 years was suffering from the recession and it was eventually closed. Not too many people hiring 57 year old men out there--ageism is alive and well. To see if using coupons was worth it, I kept track for a year. The original value of items purchased was @ $5,000. My out of pocket costs (actual cash spent) was @ $500. I also received over $600 in rebates so in essence, I made @ $100. The tracking did not include my savings at the grocery store, Office Max, or Kohl's. I usually save over 60% on groceries by using the sales, store loyalty card, store loyalty on line program, and manufacturer coupons. Because I save so much on all our health and beauty, toiletry, make up, laundry and cleaning supplies, etc., I now have the money to buy mostly organic fruits, vegatables, and milk. And like, dancinmama, I live in the land of yucky coupons--none of my stores double and our Sunday coupon inserts are not as wonderful as those in Southern Calif. for some reason. ( Dancin-I think they're jealous because we live in the pretty part of the state! ;D) But there are ways around that as well. Safeway was offering a $10 off your next order coupon when you bought a $50 gift card for certain stores--Kohl's being one. Kohl's happens to be the closest (and only) store around here so it's where I usually shop for family gifts, clothes etc.. Spending $150 there (using their sales, % off deals, and newspaper peelie coupons, of course!) is very easy so I bought 3/$50 cards. This essentially gave me $30 to spend at Safeway. Combined with coupons, sales, etc. I bought $96.53 worth of food and paid $4.63. With regard to processed food: I do try to keep those products to a minimum. We do buy crackers and chips for lunches but I bake from scratch and prepare healthy dinners. We even pop corn the old fashioned way. I suppose ice cream is a processed food, but I just can't resist it! ![:o](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/shocked.png) So, for me couponing is now a habit, a hobby, whatever... Is it work? Does it take time? Of course! Is it worth it? For me, yes. For you, maybe not.
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Frugal Nurse
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Post by Frugal Nurse on May 15, 2011 20:10:45 GMT -5
Murpath- this is OT, but DH and I refuse to eat microwave popcorn because the powdered butter in it can cause lung cancer. We use one of these: www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-60120-Microwaver-Popcorn/dp/B00004W4UPIt is great since DH is not good at cooking and would never be able to pop his own corn (and he eats popcorn for a midnight snack about 3 times per week!)
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murphath
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Post by murphath on May 15, 2011 20:27:29 GMT -5
frugalnurse: That's why we pop our own. It tastes so much better than the microwave kind.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 15, 2011 20:29:02 GMT -5
Gardening Grandma- I read in another thread that you were once on food stamps. Did you know that coupons could have helped you stretch those food stamps far enough to provide good food for your family (food stamps typically aren't enough to buy a month's worth of food at regular prices). So while you sit here and condemn couponers for saving money on products that are completely beneath, you may want to think back to a time in your life when you needed to stretch your dollars further and how much those coupons could have helped. I hope that many more people who really do need help will learn to use coupons and be able to get the things they need for their families when money is tight. Heck, it might even prevent them from needing food stamps in the first place. 1)That was in the 60's. Coupons weren't around. 2) I have not " condemned" anyone for using coupons. I HAVE pointed out that food coupons are generally for prcocessed foods. (which, incidentally are not as nutricious but are very profitable for food companies) They were around, you probably just didn't realize it. I used to go shopping with my mom. She would use coupons that were cut from the local newspaper (newsprint coupons) and coupons that came in magazines. Obviously they were not as plentiful as today, but by 1965 half of all U.S. households were using coupons. Not only would my mom use coupons, but she'd get blue chip stamps at the grocery store. After we got home and helped put all the groceries away and folded all the brown bags, we'd all want to help put the blue stamps in the book.
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Frugal Nurse
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Post by Frugal Nurse on May 15, 2011 20:30:51 GMT -5
They were around, you probably just didn't realize it. I used to go shopping with my mom. She would use coupons that were cut from the local newspaper (newsprint coupons) and coupons that came in magazines. Obviously they were not as plentiful as today, but by 1965 half of all U.S. households were using coupons. Not only would my mom use coupons, but she'd get blue chip stamps at the grocery store. After we got home and helped put all the groceries away and folded all the brown bags, we'd all want to help put the blue stamps in the book. What is a blue chip book?!?
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MN-Investor
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Post by MN-Investor on May 15, 2011 20:54:02 GMT -5
Mom had S&H Green stamps. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S&H_Green_Stamps. Blue chip stamps were a competitor. You collected stamps, put them into books, then got stuff in exchange. I don't remember what Mom got. I just remember licking the stamps.
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Frugal Nurse
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Post by Frugal Nurse on May 15, 2011 20:56:55 GMT -5
Mom had S&H Green stamps. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S&H_Green_Stamps. Blue chip stamps were a competitor. You collected stamps, put them into books, then got stuff in exchange. I don't remember what Mom got. I just remember licking the stamps. Thanks! I was born in 84 so I guess they were phased out before my time!
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constanz22
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Post by constanz22 on May 15, 2011 21:20:50 GMT -5
Mom had S&H Green stamps. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S&H_Green_Stamps. Blue chip stamps were a competitor. You collected stamps, put them into books, then got stuff in exchange. I don't remember what Mom got. I just remember licking the stamps. I was gonna say that they were probably like S&H Green Stamps. I'm 41 and I remember helping my mom and grandma put them in books. I think they had a little catalog that you could pick stuff from for x amt of filled books.
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midjd
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Post by midjd on May 15, 2011 21:26:38 GMT -5
Hmm, my mom did that, but with Camel Bucks... ![](http://syonidv.hodginsmedia.com/vsmileys/stirpot.gif)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2011 22:44:33 GMT -5
I don't believe this! Gardening agrees that coupons can be useful, but points out some potential flaws of couponing. She uses coupons if she doesn't have to put a lot of time and effort into obtaining and using them. She has also given at least minimal effort to actively seeking more coupons suitable for her and her family, but has determined that she would not gain enough to make it worth doing more than what's she's already doing. Nothing wrong with that. dancing, frugal, and other more serious couponers put more effort into finding coupons they can use, because they have found the benefits to be worth their efforts. They educate themselves and others on how to avoid the potential pitfalls of couponing. They urge people that are looking for ways to save money to try couponing and are willing to help *newbies* learn to make it beneficial to them and their families. Nothing wrong with that either. Some people wouldn't be caught dead with a coupon because they don't have to concern themselves with cutting expenses. Some people use them when/if it's convenient for them; they are happy to save a few pennies or dollars, but they aren't willing to put a lot of time/effort into doing so by couponing. Some people are willing to spend the time/effort it takes to coupon enough to ensure that it makes a difference in their expenses. Some people take it to extremes, like on the tv show. Except for the extremes, it's all ok. I think everybody here agrees on that, so I don't get the bickering. ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png)
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2kids10horses
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Post by 2kids10horses on May 15, 2011 22:58:46 GMT -5
I can't resist...
GG, just think how many coupons you could have clipped and sorted in the time you've been wasting on this thread?
Geez!
My wife does the coupons in our household. There's a site (free) that lists all the deals this week at the grocery store, tells you where to get the coupons.
My wife prints it out, highlights the items she wants, paperclips the coupons onto the list, and tells me to stop by and get the stuff on the way past.
We don't spend hours in the car going from store to store. We don't waste gas going from store to store. We don't buy stuff we aren't going to use.
We do save a lot of money.
We save enough money on grocery store items, drugstore items, clothes that we can buy other things that most people can't afford. My kids play in orchestras. I was able to buy them really, really, nice instruments. Because of the savings at the grocery store and thrift store.
And the clothes from the thrift store are nice! Abercrombie & Fitch, GAP, Banana Republic, etc. But instead of paying $65 for a pair of jeans, we pay $1.
There's also a place that sells the stuff Costco couldn't sell. Kirkland brand stuff. But at a huge discount. We stop in and see what they've got. Sometimes they have treasures, sometimes not.
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MN-Investor
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Post by MN-Investor on May 15, 2011 23:08:42 GMT -5
GG, just think how many coupons you could have clipped and sorted in the time you've been wasting on this thread? The same could be said of me. I don't do grocery store coupons. It's not that there isn't time. It's that I have things I would rather do with my time. Reading these forums is entertaining. Clipping coupons is not.
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stats45
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Post by stats45 on May 15, 2011 23:16:59 GMT -5
I don't want to criticize people who clip coupons. Whether they do it for their own pleasure or to save money, that is their business. Personally, though, I agree with gg's position.
Saving money is great, and some people are in a position where coupon and deal hunting is a very good use of time, but I've personally seen (and now seen on television) people who think getting 'deals' are the equivalent of opening up an income stream. It really isn't. Time spent cutting coupons is not as viable as working at a job, developing human capital, or maybe even spending time finding a creative way to provide a service to make some income. I completely understand and respect those options might be difficult for some people's circumstances and that may make couponing a great way to help with the family budget.
The amount of money 'saved' by coupons is often based on retail prices that few savvy shoppers pay, coupons or not. I tend to think that 'money saved' in this case isn't exactly equal to 'money earned'.
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2kids10horses
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Post by 2kids10horses on May 15, 2011 23:28:56 GMT -5
stats,
Often, with coupons, we get free stuff. No matter what the "retail" price is, free is free. (well, we DO have to pay sales tax on it.) But, still. It's pretty much free.
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stats45
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Post by stats45 on May 15, 2011 23:39:38 GMT -5
Can't argue with free! Like I said, even if people didn't save a cent and just liked it, it doesn't seem like a bad thing to me.
I'm more interested in what seems to be a growing number of 'lifestyle' deal-finders and coupon clippers who probably could place their energies into something more economically productive than cutting coupons/searching for deals. The 'saved' money number can often make you think you are doing more than you really are. If you expect me to go 'wow!' at the overall savings, my first instinct is always to ask 'How does cutting coupons compare to the most productive thing that this person could have done with the same amount of time?'
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Mardi Gras Audrey
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Post by Mardi Gras Audrey on May 16, 2011 0:15:56 GMT -5
I find both sides of this thread interesting. One thing I was thinking about while reading is the opportunity/resource cost for all of these goods. Do you think that people buying multiple amounts of goods that they won't use (free or not) has an resource cost to society? Would prices be lower for everyone if some weren't getting "free" goods? Or do you think manufacturers would just continue to have high prices and pocket the difference?
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sil
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Post by sil on May 16, 2011 0:28:24 GMT -5
One thing I was thinking about while reading is the opportunity/resource cost for all of these goods. Do you think that people buying multiple amounts of goods that they won't use (free or not) has an resource cost to society? Would prices be lower for everyone if some weren't getting "free" goods? Or do you think manufacturers would just continue to have high prices and pocket the difference?
******************* I use coupons (though I'm very much an amateur) but I have to admit that when I was reading this thread, I was wondering the same thing.
It's great that the guy with 83 years' worth of free toothpaste was donating some of it to the local food pantry, but it kind of seems unfair that gets all this stuff for free when some folks dont have the same amount of free time to clip coupons. People who dont use coupons dont just lose the $3 they spent on the toothpaste that could have been covered by a coupon, their entire grocery cost is bumped up to cover the "free" merchandise that others are getting.
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on May 16, 2011 0:28:49 GMT -5
Often, with coupons, we get free stuff. No matter what the "retail" price is, free is free. (well, we DO have to pay sales tax on it.) That's the part that I think gets missed sometimes. If I get a bunch of stuff that I wouldn't have bought anyway for free + sales tax I didn't really save any money. It cost me money. Not buying the stuff to begin with is actually free. Spending time to get the stuff for just sales tax costs me time, and the sales tax. If I was going to buy the stuff anyway, then sure, you can't really beat free + sales tax. Spending money (however little) to buy something you otherwise wouldn't have bought isn't real savings though.
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Mardi Gras Audrey
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Post by Mardi Gras Audrey on May 16, 2011 0:34:49 GMT -5
Often, with coupons, we get free stuff. No matter what the "retail" price is, free is free. (well, we DO have to pay sales tax on it.) That's the part that I think gets missed sometimes. If I get a bunch of stuff that I wouldn't have bought anyway for free + sales tax I didn't really save any money. It cost me money. Not buying the stuff to begin with is actually free. Spending time to get the stuff for just sales tax costs me time, and the sales tax. If I was going to buy the stuff anyway, then sure, you can't really beat free + sales tax. Spending money (however little) to buy something you otherwise wouldn't have bought isn't real savings though. I'm surprised that the govt hasn't picked up on this and isn't encouraging everyone to have an 83 year supply of tooothpaste... it would definitely boost sales tax coffers and could enable local govts to fill budget gaps.... ![:P](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/tongue.png)
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stats45
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Post by stats45 on May 16, 2011 0:40:35 GMT -5
I hope you are whispering that audrey. The last thing I want is a 80 year toothpaste supply closet mandate. ![:P](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/tongue.png)
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Mardi Gras Audrey
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Post by Mardi Gras Audrey on May 16, 2011 0:46:05 GMT -5
But, stats, it would all be "free".... ;D
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 16, 2011 1:09:55 GMT -5
I find everyone's comments to be so interesting: GG thinks that the gals on the Grocery Challenge are spending too much time couponing because it's just not worth the time and effort expended - "life is too short". Stat thinks it's a waste of time too, but because it is not the most productive thing that people could be doing with their time. Tonight I drove less than a mile from my home and picked up my FREE coupon inserts. Then I drove (2) blocks up the street to Walgreens and back toward my house stopping at CVS and Safeway (next door to each other). At Walgreens, I bought (3) 12 oz. canned hams that don't expire until 2015 for our earthquake/emergency tub and (3) packages of Betty Crocker cornbread muffin mix on rain check. I paid $.14 and saved $6.70 based on sales prices; not retail prices. Then I went to CVS. I bought (3) boxes of Swiffer pads, I jar of Kraft mayonnaise and a bag of kettle corn. I paid .83 and received a coupon good for $3 off my next purchase. I saved $14.99 based on the sales prices; not retail prices and gained a $3 coupon. Then I went to Safeway and bought two bottles of Franks Hot Sauce for buffalo wings. I had two free coupons up to $3.25 off each bottle and each bottle was priced at $3.89 so I paid $1.28 total. I saved $6.50. The hot sauce was not on sale and I do not know what a good sale price would be as I have never bought it before. Total time spent was about an hour. I spent $2.25 and received a coupon for $3 at CVS so let's call that a wash. I saved $28.19. To have that much money in my pocket after taxes, DH would have to gross $42. I don't think that I wasted an hour of my life; nor do I feel that during that hour I might have done something else that could have been or would have been more monetarily productive. Yep, I could have been kicking back at home watching the hockey game or picking my nose. I chose to be out saving the money that DH works so hard to earn, rather than spending it AND collecting free coupons that I will use in the weeks to come. ![:)](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/smiley.png) I want to emphasize that I DO NOT THINK that couponing is for everyone. To be honest with you, some people are not mentally cut out to do it, some people are just too busy, and some people simply cannot be bothered. IF you want to give it a try and want to learn to do it, I'll be more than happy to spend my time helping you. If you aren't interested in couponing and/or saving money - that's fine too. Leave it to those who are.
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Sum Dum Gai
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Post by Sum Dum Gai on May 16, 2011 2:19:02 GMT -5
Where did you get the Safeway coupons for Franks? I'm addicted to that stuff and we do a lot of our grocery shopping at Safeway. $3.89 seems like a pretty normal price for the large bottle by the way.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 16, 2011 2:56:52 GMT -5
Where did you get the Safeway coupons for Franks? I'm addicted to that stuff and we do a lot of our grocery shopping at Safeway. $3.89 seems like a pretty normal price for the large bottle by the way. It was a pretty normal price. The coupon was not a Safeway coupon, it was a manufacturer's coupon for a FREE bottle up to $3.25, so even though the product was not on sale, the value of the coupon made it worth buying @ $.64/bottle. The coupon was in the Chronicle and it expired today. That is why I used it. A lot of times, I will hang on to a coupon to the bitter end to see if the item goes on sale so that I can get the most bang for the buck.
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