Coupon Closet's Shopping List

This week I also learned how to use Coupon Closet's Shopping List. It is really such a time saver and useful tool to have while you are in the store. Go to http://www.couponcloset.net/2010/10/14/how-to-print-a-shopping-list/ for a tutorial. It is seriously worth your time!

Walgreens Register Rewards

So I learned a little something new this week...Walgreens Register Rewards expire fairly quickly. Mine had an expiration of about two weeks after I received them. Unfortunately I did not notice the quick expiration until the day after they expired! So if you get register rewards, pay close attention to the expiration date so you don't forfeit your savings please!

How Much Time Am I Spending

So, I just noticed that I had a question about the time I am spending couponing. Sorry Candice that it has taken me so long to answer! I never received an e-mail letting me know there was a comment!
Now that I have a system down, I probably spend about 2-3 hours a week cutting coupons, looking for coupons, getting shopping lists prepared, and putting the coupons in my binder. The amount of time I spend going to the store varies by the quality of the sales that week. This week I did not feel there were any sales worth attending, but on a really good sales week I may spend another 3 hours spread out through the week going to the stores. That time estimate includes traveling to/from each store. So between 2-6 hours a week would be a good estimate.

A Few Weeks Later...

The summer has been fun and very busy, causing me to get behind on blogging about this adventure. I have still been couponing my heart out! I finished my first month of couponing by lowering my grocery spending by $100, and I had a lot more in my cabinets than normal. So far I feel like a fool for not starting this sooner. It definitely takes up some time, but if you are on a tight budget it is worth it! I continue to revamp my system, and have a lot of work to do before I consider myself as a coupon queen. Right now I am probably the status of the queen's maid! Every week I have a schedule to follow to keep up with all my deals. This is an ideal schedule of course. My kids come first, and I rarely get to keep to the schedule in its entirety.

• Saturday - Check deals on coupon sites for Walgreens and Target. If there are good deals, I work up a list of what I am going to try to purchase. I also get all my coupons ready for my trip to those stores.


• Sunday - After church when the boys are down for a nap I pick up a newspaper, and head to Walgreens or Target if there are good deals.


• Monday night - If time allows, I cut my new coupons and put them in my binder.


• Tuesday morning - Try to make a trip to Aldi if I need produce or other basic items. I will not make the trip if all I need is produce b/c it is cost prohibitive with gas.


• Tuesday evening - Check coupon sites for deals at Homeland, and plan trip if the deals are good. Planning the trip means I get my list of deals and coupons ready so I can be as quick in the store as possible!


• Wednesday morning - Go to Homeland if there are good deals.


• Wednesday afternoon- Check out the deals on the coupon sites for Reasor's, and plan a trip for Thursday or Friday if necessary.

I also check the coupon sites on facebook daily for new coupons, and usually print at least one a day.