On 47.50$ budget a week and need some help (More misc. ?'s from a newbie)

[missmitz]

I have a question about couponing: We recently had our first child. How do you save on baby items (formula is so expensive)---what's the secret for this please. On average, what do you guys spend on food/non-food/baby items for households that have babies? Thanks a lot.

Go to the website of whichever formula you are using and sign up for their newletter/club/coupons, whatever they call it on your specific brands site. Sign up every friend, relative & neighbor you have. Heck, go make some new friends and sign them up too! The manuf. will mail out lots of checks (work like a coupon) to everyone that signs up. Even out of state folks can just mail them to you when they get them.

[1buffy007]

thx missmitz----great ideas--my grandparents will be suprised when they start receiving baby q's!! LOL :)

[1buffy007]

I went to website (funandfrugal.com) that lists the free clubs for babies. It included huggies,enfamil,wal-mart parents choice,etc. that parents can join for coupons and free stuff. You can get a sample of parents choice and huggies pure and natural. Also, Ringling Bros. issues a vouchers to babies <1yr good to trade in for a ticket anytime in their lifetime--no exp. but you have to sign up before baby first bday. Hope this helps others. Thx again for the tip missmitz.

[mayakelly]

I have been on a tight budget for all married life (when I was a newlywed we had $15/week for awhile, about 8-10 years ago!)

I spend $40 a week for everything: food, cleaners, soap, toilet paper, razors, ect. I will go up to $50 if there is a great sale or we are really in need of something (like diapers, overnight company is coming) There are 4 of us: me and my husband and two boys aged 3 and 1. (3 year old is pottytrained)

I have been couponing for just over a year. I had let my budget slip up after having babies 3 years ago and I was spending about $75 at WalMart each week. I have worked down to $40 and my goal is to get diapers in there and still be at $40. I have been doing it for a few months now too! I didn't go shopping at all the last 2 weeks (money is tight at the moment) and today I spent $20.37 and will probably spend the other $20 tomorrow at Rite Aid, Walgreens, CVS and WalMart.

It can be easy to spend more than you should at CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens thinking you are getting it back in some form. BE CAREFUL! :) Try to have very little out of pocket. Something I have seen others do (and am considering doing) is use a gift card at the drugstores. Some you can earn or buy one for how much you would like to spend there that week or month and then use that to pay for what you get. no money on card, no more purchases.

I use a few blogs to get my lists of drug store deals, and my local grocery store ideas. I also use HCW database for my local grocery store. I send away for free product samples which usually come with coupons, use lots of printables, have done a small coupon train, and have found a way to get free copies of the newspaper coupon inserts.

Please PM me if you have more questions!