Questions...although I am getting better

[lisap21]

Ok I am full swing into trading etc...My bill is way down but some of you are getting so much stuff for free, how do you do it? All I have for stores in the immediate area are price chopper, hannaford, walmart, shaws,kmart, cvs, riteaid, aldis, family dollar, yankee dollar, dollar tree, staples. An hour away I have pretty much every major chain store like super walmart, target, walgreens, home depot, lowes, bj's. What am I doing wrong?

I figured maybe I am not waiting until the really good sales to make items free but then the only store around here that doubles is price chopper and they only allow 2 like item coupons for doubling per transaction. Shaws doubles up to .75 but they are so ridiculously high priced b/c they are in a very wealthy area. I appreciate any input...I have my first kid going to college in the fall!:thanks7:

[SyLph211]

It seems that since you a limited to only one store in your local area that doubles on 2 like coupons that your savings is going to be a lot different than someone who has a ton of stores that double unlimited or 10 like coupons. It really helps to watch your local ad a lot and check into the thread for help also. Sometimes new people to stockpiling get discouraged because they see people who have been doing this for years getting awesome deals and they cannot achieve it. It takes some time and getting to know the sales etc.

I love this site due to a ton of people helping each other out and noteing the sales and unadvertised items. My Bi-Lo is higher priced than other stores due to being in a wealthy neighborhood and having only food lion as a competitor. There are sometimes twice as high on certain items but I watch the ads and save my coupons and a lot of times will luck up with free or near free items. I don't do my major shopping there either. So maybe there are things you could save your coupons for to use at Shaws that would give you free or close to free.

[tmsmalley]

A lot of getting things for free depends on your location, the doubling (if you even have any), having the right coupons at the right time and most importantly, patience. As you build a stockpile of cheap things, you can then afford to wait it out for a sale that combines with a coupon for a totally free.

For example, now that I have a stockpile of Equal, I can afford to wait for the periodic $2.50 coupons for Equal that seem to come out and then align with the periodic sales at Wags that put Equal half off ($2.50). If I didn't have a stockpile, I'd have to buy some, coupon or not, sale or not. Instead, I can now wait for the free Equal to come around again.

So, don't measure yourself against people that have been doing this for ages, may have a different combination of stores or doubling, may have a need for different products, etc. Be happy with the stuff you're getting right now at a much reduced rate and be watchful for things that you can use that come in the right combo for free or really cheap.

Tess

[puakinikini]

I agree with Tess - it is hard not to compare, but many people have better sales and stores that run different promotions than what will be available in your area.

It took me about a year to really see a noticeable difference in my food bill, but I was able to bring my health, beauty, and cleaning supplies down to almost nothing much faster (thanks to having both cvs and wags).

Keep working at it - it takes practice and patience.

[borntoshop]

lisap21 ... You hit the nail on the head when you said it takes time. Give yourself time to build your stockpile. Start small. You may have to hold onto a coupon for awhile before it will make a deal for you. If you go for every deal out there, you'll get burnt out. It definitely is more work but your stockpile will grow if you give it time.

[lisap21]

Ok thanks to blxmom1 I got 5 bottles of Kraft dressing for .08c a piece! The guy at the register said as he was scanning the coupons "I think I am going to end up paying you". Tomorrow I am going to do 5 more and bring them to the homeless shelter as I have at least a years supply in my basement.