Recent Adventures

Although I've not updated in a few weeks that doesn't mean I've stopped saving money by couponing!

I recently moved so I did get behind on my coupon binder, I've found one of the many keys to saving time as well as money is making sure you keep up with your binders! For two weeks I hardly touched it, I clipped my coupons and stashed them in a baggie for sorting later. Shopping was a chore because I didn't know where my good coupons were! It took me about 6 hours to get reorganized, but now I'm back down to my two hours or so a week.

Remember that subscribing to blogs is vitally important to couponing! Some people have dedicated their time to find deals for you! Money Saving Maine-iac has quickly become one of my favorites recently. I love the fact that a lot of the deals are more local, so it helps me out.

I'm very excited for the 31st to come! With several of my couponing buddies we're going to be taking a two hour class with an Extreme Couponer who was featured on TLC Extreme Couponing! I hope to get a lot of tips and learn how to save more money, and maybe be able to hold my own classes to help others learn how to do this properly!

It may seem dautning to get started, but if you just start you will find it worth it very quickly. I'm trying to keep track of how much savings I have each month. I've done a poor job of tracking this month, but last month I saved right about $310.00! Thats huge! My family can eat better, and use better quality products all because couponing saves me so much money!

Here's a thought... I live in a tiny place, how can I stock? Is it worth it? YES! Even if you can only do a couple papers a week and dedicate only an hour or two its worth it! Get a couple plastic tubs, or a shelf to make a small stock pile. Ask a friend if you can put a shelf in their basement! Right now I am staying with my parents. I'm living out of a suit case until my new apartment is ready, but I've not stopped stock piling! I have two Medium-Small boxes full of stock pile items, stacked in the corner of the room. Just in the couple of weeks staying there I've saved a guestitmation of $150-$200! I'm hardly using any space at all, but I'm keeping items I will use, now or in my new apartment later.

My stock pile includes:
7 Tubes of toothpaste - 5 of them were free, two I paid .50 for
5 Toothbrushes - Free
4 bottles of Nevia body wash - Free
6 Boxes of tissues - spent a little money on them, but its cold season and we needed them, but still I got them with coupons! I think I paid about .75 for them each?
4 packs of pantie liners - 2 free, 2 paid .50 for.
3 bottles of dishsoap - Paid about .15 a bottle.
2 Boxes of hair color - paid about $2 a box
And other things

My Food stock pile grew yesterday after my shaw's trip. I'll be posting a picture of that haul later today hopefully!

4 jars of relish - Free
4 bottles of Franks hot sauce - .19 each
1 Bottle of mustered - .49
3 boxes of Pasta - free
12 tubes of biscuits - 1.00 each
1 box of tea - I don't remember how much i paid for that, but I don't mind spending a little extra on tea, considering how much I love the stuff!
Random Candy - Paid about .33
2 boxes of Cereal - Paid $1.00 (and I'm certain I have  few more boxes stored away waiting for my new apartment)
3 packs of tuna - paid .19 each
4 cans of Campbells chucky soup - Paid $1.00 each. (most of that is eaten already)
4 boxes of granoloa bars - 1.00 a box
2 boxes of Fiber bars - 1.00 a box.
There are a few more items in there, but Nothing I paid full price for!

Even when living in a small space is it more than worth it to coupon! Just think about the little box of toiletry items I have, I have close to $100 worth of items in there, and I paid only about ten bucks for it all.

Is it worth it to you to find a little space to stash a small stock pile of toothpaste, body wash, razors, toothbrushes and such items? I've lived in small spaces before. Its always doable! You may just have to get creative!

Watch for more tips and thoughts coming soon!