Couponing

I found a new hobby recently. I read a blog called The Consumerist.  I love the things they have to say about my rights as a consumer and the stories they tell of the consumer triumphing over store/company.  I find links to other blogs there and I usually follow links that tell about money saving ideas / frugality.  I found two great sites a few weeks ago and began to follow their advice about collecting coupons and then using then in combination with the store's sale price and /or store coupon.  Many times this ends up with the product being free or really cheap.  The problem I have had in the past was that I never new how to match things up the right way to make all the effort pay off.   I found a site by a lady that lives around here.  She told me exactly what I needed to do and where I needed to go to get the deals.  Through that first site I found others like this one , this one and this one.  I now read several blogs and I usually know about a sale before it is going to happen.  I also learned how to get those coupons that the register seems to spit out randomly.  In my research I have found blogs that talk about stores that I do not have locally.  Apparently a store in the midwest called Aldi's is amazing.  There are also stores throughout the country that double and triple coupons.  

A few of my recent deals was getting four bags of Hershey's Kisses for free, 62 boxes of Post cereal for .67 cents a box (yeah we like cereal), four containers of body wash for free, and just today two full size Kraft salad dressings for .08 cents each.  I also have had the total of the receipt be less than the amount of coupons used.  

There is a little work involved.  I spend about an hour clipping the coupons each week.  I organize them into a binder and I print out blog posts of where I need to go and how exactly I need to work the deal.  In the past month I have gotten our years supply of mayo, pasta sauce, shampoo/conditioner, body wash, bar soap, peanut butter and air freshener.  I probably have at least a year's worth or cereal too.  

This pastime may not be for everyone but I have time at this point in my life and I enjoy finding the bargain.  I know many other are searching for ways to live on less.  The economy is terrible and everyone is suffering.  Some of the frugality blogs make me laugh.  They recommend shopping at second had stores and consignment shops and clipping coupons.  Many tout the benefits of doing things that you once paid someone else to do (i.e.: yard work, housekeeping, cutting your kids hair).  I think I have done all of these things for years.  The couponing thing is new, I used to look at all the ads and then go to Wal-Mart and make them match the lowest advertised price.  I must say that getting things practically free/free is better.