Coupon Update

I've learned a couple of coupon lessons since my last post on the subject.
I thought I'd share.

Firstly, I checked out two free web sites: hotcouponworld.com and couponmom.com.

The verdict:

• Hotcouponworld : does not actually tell you whether the final price is a good deal, and that's what I like about The Grocery Game - knowing whether I should use my coupon or wait for a better deal.
• Couponmom: is a lot like The Grocery Game. And free. I compared Couponmom's list and The Grocery Game's list for a couple of weeks. Couponmom lists fewer deals but, if you don't want to pay, I highly recommend it.

I also learned another clipping (actually non-clipping) trick.
A big problem with clipping coupons was that sometimes I wouldn't clip a coupon because we don't normally buy that product. Then a great deal comes along and I don't have the coupon.
Now I keep the entire coupon insert and just write the date on the front.
When I'm compiling my grocery list I only clip the coupons I'll be using on that particular shopping trip and put the insert away for next time.
Much less hassle.

As for The Grocery Game. I found a little problem with their list.
My grocery store has a lot of deals where you have to buy a minimum quantity of a product to get the good deal. That's not a problem if the price is really good.
Sometimes however, the Grocery Game people list a coupon to be used on the product.
Coupons are usually for only one item. But in this case you have to buy the minimum quantity the store lists.
So you're really only applying the coupon's savings to one of the items. Not all four as the Grocery Game implies.
Example
Fiber One Bars:
- regular price: 3.99
- sale price $1.50 each if you buy 4
- coupon $0.50 on one item
GG claims that the new price is $1.00, but that's only true for one of the four items.
The rest are still $1.50 each
In the end you're really paying $1.38 each.

All that being said, today was a good coupon day. I even got something for FREE!

Item	Qty	Original Price	Final Price	Savings
Classico Pasta Sauce	2	$3.59	$2	$3.18
1lb Penne Pasta	2	$0.99	$0	$1.98
Betty Crocker Fruit Roll-ups	4	$2.99	$1.50	$5.96
Cheerios Cereal	2	$2.99	$0.95	$4.08
Cheerios Cereal	2	$2.99	$1.00	$3.98
Raisin Bran Cereal	2	$3.49	$0.75	$5.48
Raisin Bran Cereal	2	$3.49	$1.50	$3.98
Arm&Hammer Cat Littler	1	$8.99	$5.99	$3.00
Arm&Hammer Laundry Det.	2	$5.99	$2.49	$7.00
Sobe	4	$1.99	$0.79	$4.80
Fuji apples	1.89	$1.99	$0.88	$2.10
Total Savings:				$45.54!

Not bad. Not bad at all.

Are those coupons worth it?

Yesterday I spent 30 minutes clipping coupons and printing out lists from The Grocery Game.

I went to the grocery store with my coupons and list in hand.
I spent more than an hour buying $70 worth of groceries. My grocery store has all these "Buy five or more and get a really good price" specials which, combined with coupons, could add up to great savings, but are a real pain to figure out. A REAL pain. Because it's mix and match. You can buy 3 of this and 2 of that and get the discount, or 5 of one thing, or...
You get the idea.

And then, because I was tired and stressed, I bought this:

Not on the list and not on sale.

Then I got home and discovered that I had NOT bought five of the correct item combo; or bought an item which was not eligibe for that discount, etc.
Now even more disillusioned, I ate the above item.

So...now I have stuff to return AND I have to exercise an hour more to burn off those calories.

Here are the savings:

Item	Qty	Original Price	Final Price	Savings
Duncan Hines Brownie Mix	1	$2.39	$1	$1.39
Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters	1	$3.99	$1	$2.99
Nature Valley Granola Bars	4	$3.99	$1.30	$10.76
Fiber One Cereal	1	$4.99	$1.75	$3.24
Cascade 2 in 1 Dishwasher Detergent	1	$5.99	$3.49	$2.50
Seven Up Soda	4	$2.19	$0.85	$5.35
18 large eggs	1	$2.59	$1.88	$0.71
Total Savings:				$26.94

Worth it? What do you think?

It's Coupon Clipping Time

Every so often the need to save money pops to the forefront and I start clipping coupons, because groceries are one of the easiest places to trim the fat, so to speak.

After a while it gets a little old, so I tend not to stick with it.

But this time I will.

I think.

First off:
I would not be clipping coupons at all if it wasn't for the Grocery Game web site. (I'm not affiliated with them at all.  This is just my personal experience.)
Time is of the essence to me and I don't have time to walk up and down the aisles matching my coupons to products and then still not knowing if it's a good deal or not.
The Grocery Game gives me a customizable list of all items on sale at my local grocery store and tells me which coupons to use and whether the final price is a good one.

I have a whole bunch of "rules" for clipping coupons, but I'll save that for another post.

My coupon organizer:

As you can see, the coupons are organized in categories.
I also have my phone number in there because I've left more than one of these in shopping carts in the store parking lot.

This time around I want to see if my Grocery Game ($2.50 a week) and Sunday paper (about 50c a week, I think) subscriptions are worth it.

Here are today's savings:
10 x cans of diced tomatoes - regular price $1 - coupon price 50c - savings $5
10 x 6oz containers of Yoplait yogurt - regular price 79c - coupon price 40c - savings $3.90
3  x Axe Shower Gel - regular price $5.49 - coupon price $2.67 - savings $8.46
Total savings: $17.36

There was more, but these were the most quantifiable items.
Please note that these are items I buy regularly anyway.  My teenager has expensive taste in yogurt and shower gel.

Bottom line:  Definitely worth it

(It does take about 20-30 minutes a week to clip coupons and customize your list, and about 15 minutes extra in the grocery store making sure you have everything you wanted to get.)