Do You Spend Less When You Coupon?

[3beeboys]

I just started couponing a few months ago. It seems to take so much time, run around, organizing, and figuring out deals...but I'm giving it a big effort. I get stressed trying to make SURE I get to the Saturday newspaper on time before they sell out or before someone steals all the inserts. So now I feel like my Saturday revolves around that magic time, and I can't just leave and do something fun because I'd miss those darn papers!!

I compared my spending this month with March. I only spent $40 less. I think I'm just consuming more. I can't figure it out. I seem to just be getting the "good deals" and while I have over 400 diapers now and enough body wash to last me until next year, and a fridge full of free/cheap yogurt, I can't seem to figure out if I'm "ahead" enough to justify the time spent doing it. Also, my rebate checks haven't come through yet, so that would drop my total OOP for the month by about $40. I had to do an Aldi run and a WM run this month to get things that we needed but didn't have coupons for.

I guess since you're here, you all feel like it's definitely worth it but I can't seem to wrap my head around the overall "worth it-ness," considering that I can't cook and eat what I want to because the menu revolves around sales/Qs, the stress of finding and getting deals, the money spent on printer ink, time involved, Saturdays lost, etc.

My husband called to say he got the three papers today. There are four inserts in each. Now, for my friend who loves couponing, it's like Christmas. I want to CRY at the thought of having to clip and organize them all. UGH.

Anyone else struggle with this?

[mzbeers]

Once you first get started, it does take more time, but as you build up your stockpile you will need less and less, so the longer you do it, the less time consuming it will be. Also, I don't spend as much time chasing after papers, I find it easier, and less time consuming to just trade for the Q's I need. No hunting or clipping.

After you do it for a while, you will realize what works for you and what doesn't. Give it some time, and see how things go. It really is difficult starting out. I've gotten to the point where I don't really need anything, but if I see a good deal, I'm all over it.

[res030ei]

When I first started out I got frustrated when i would see someone post they saved 80% plus on their grocery bill. I felt like i was doing something wrong. Now looking back I realize they had a stockpile already where as i didnt and they were able to just shop the best deals (or cherry pick). For me starting out i was able to have savings from 45-50% on the sale and coupon items. I did have to buy items that were not on sale. After you get threw a few sale cycles and stockpile then you will see more and more savings. Starting out it is kind of rough but the more you coupon shop the more you get used to it. There are lots of websites that do the coupon matches for you and that really helps take the workload off of you.

Starting out my goal was to get as close to a 50% savings as I could on everything I bought. I say set a goal and stick with it awhile.

[mum2hba]

It can be very difficult getting started. The savings don't always seem to come right at the beginning. In the 2 years since I started using coupons. I have cut our grocery budget in half. We were spending over $400 every month, now I spend $200 a month. If I have a really good month it will be even less. I am in the process of rebuilding my stockpile though because I lost it in November; when my stockpile was well build up I could spend a little over $100 in a good month.

I do not get a Sunday paper...just too much work keeping track of all the coupons. Saturday morning I use a clipping site to get all the coupons from the inserts that I really want. Saves me the hassle of clipping all the coupons.

[skimo]

I agree with the other posters; It does take a bit to get started up, but once you have your systems figured out..the time is minimal, and coupon shopping becomes second nature. As for clipping all the coupons, I personally would recommend you only clip what you absolutely know you'll use, and file the rest. When a sale comes along, then pull out those left-over coupons and clip them. If your stores participate in the electronic loadable coupons, use those too. You can usually combine an E-coupon and a paper one. Initially, it may seem like your shopping and dinner menu revolves around the sales ad, but as you stockpile, you'll find your pantry and freezer are your grocery store and you can cook and plan according to what you have and use the sales to replenish your stockpiles. It doesn't happen overnight, but give yourself 6 months, and you'll never regret the time you put into your couponing!

[CouponSAHM]

I kind of look at the last 2 years I have been couponing as "coupon college". There was a ton of work without the clear benefit of substantial savings in the beginning. I kept plugging along at it, week after week. I am now just past my two year mark and feel like I have "graduated" and gotten the dream job I always wanted. I have a stockpile that will last at least 2+ years, my grocery savings are consistently over 83% and I can stop and take a break anytime I want. My only weekly needs are milk, bread and produce. I continue the up-keep and buy a paper or two every week if I want, but I can leave it in the garage still bundled if I so choose. The stress of chasing the deals are long gone and now all that's left is the thrill of a good find and an amazing OOP total. Like I said it felt alot like college..work your butt off to eventually graduate and land a great job. With couponing instead it was: work my butt off to learn as much as I could, save as much as I could and build up as much as I could and now I am in the land of super savings.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

The savings comes over time when you build a stockpile.

I always recommend starting with a budget so that you know where your money is going. Lets say for example your current budget is $100 a week for groceries. When you first start set aside a small portion of that $100 a week for dedicated stockpiling something that is on sale with coupons and is, of course a stellar deal. Lets say you dedicate just $10.00 a week at first to stockpiling.

Your first week couponing you may find a great deal on something like BBQ sauce at $0.50 a bottle and with your $10 budget you can stockpile 20 bottles of BBQ sauce. Maybe that week you can also pick up some free toothbrushes (if you can get something for free, get it, always, if you will use it). So your stockpile budget is spend for week one. The rest of your $90 in your grocery budget is for your regular grocery items for meals and things you need for that week.

In your stockpile - BBQ Sauce, Toothbrushes

Week two may bring you a deal on frozen veggies for $0.25 a bag and some cereal for $0.50 a box. You spend your $10.00 on a combo of those and get some free shampoo at a drug store. The rest of your $90 goes to regular weekly grocery shopping.

In your stockpile - BBQ sauce, toothbrushes, frozen veggies, cereal & shampoo.


Week three you might find a stellar deal on some boneless skinless chicken breasts so you buy $10 worth and you get some razors for free. You spend your $10 stockpile budget on those and the rest of your $90 goes towards your regular weekly groceries.

In your stockpile: BBQ sauce, toothbrushes, frozen veggies, cereal, shampoo, chicken, razors

Week four you find a great deal on brownie mix and lunchmeat. You spend your $10 budget and its a slow week this week and no freebies (it happens). You spend your $90 budget on regular groceries.

Your some of your basic HBA items are now in your stockpile and you don't have to spend money on shampoo, razors, toothbrushes for awhile.

In your stockpile: BBQ sauce, toothbrushes, frozen veggies, cereal, shampoo, chicken, razors, brownie mix, & lunchmeat.

Week five because you have some items in your stockpile see if you cannot increase your stockpile budget to $15 and decrease your regular grocery budget to $85. So now you have a little more money to spend on building your stockpile and you should be able to see the decrease in need to spend as much on your regular grocery shopping stuff. So this week you find a great deal on hamburger and toilet paper is free after coupons. You spend $15 on hamburger at $0.99 a lb and 15 lbs of hamburger (give or take) will last you awhile. And you score 25 packs of free toilet paper.

In your stockpile: In your stockpile: BBQ sauce, toothbrushes, frozen veggies, cereal, shampoo, chicken, razors, brownie mix, lunchmeat, hamburger, & toilet paper.

Week 6 you stock up on canned fruit and veggies as well as some sugar and flour your freebie for the week is deodorant. You still are spending $85 on regular groceries but maybe this week you find a try-me-free rebate so you send away for that.

In your stockpile: In your stockpile: BBQ sauce, toothbrushes, frozen veggies, cereal, shampoo, chicken, razors, brownie mix, lunchmeat, hamburger, toilet paper, canned fruit, canned veggies, sugar, & flour.

You should have some makings for some of your dinners, breakfasts and lunches and even some snacks now in your stockpile so you are not buying those things each week. Can you increase your stockpile budget and decrease your regular grocery shopping budget? If you think you can, go for it!

Keep on doing this till you start to see that you have wiggle room in your regular grocery shopping budget and you can see your stockpile is growing and you are able to meal plan many of the main ingredients from your stockpile.

And then decide do you keep your grocery budget at $100 but spend more of it towards stockpiling, thus getting more for your money or do you cut your budget and try to spend less.

Personally I have kept my budget at $400 a month which was my pre-coupon budget. However in the 6+ years I have been coupon shopping I have added a few more mouths to feed and I usually spend less than $400 a month (some weeks I spend a little more, some weeks I spend very little but on average I spend $250 a month and bank the rest in a savings account) I could just set my budget at $250 a month and call it a day but I like having a larger number so if say something like meat is on sale and I want to blow $100 on filling my freezer with 50 lbs of meat, I can without blowing my numbers.

As far as time goes, take it one deal at a time, another deal will come along, and don't sweat it if you miss a deal..it will come along again. Sales run in cycles so if BBQ sauce is on sale this week...and you want to go camping...its OK in another few weeks another brand of sauce will come along on sale and you can stock up then.

[brandasa]

I would definately say to stick with it! Last July (5 months after starting to coupon) I spent 240 on groceries. This month I spent 131. It's really all about building the stockpile and figuring out when to buy. A pricebook is always a good idea - you can look around and probably find someone else's pricebook. As you build the stockpile you realize how these sale cycles work and you will save money! However, in the beginining your bill doesn't change too much b/c you are building that stockpile.

Also - why are you running to the store for the paper every week - why not just get home delivery. I find it to be cheaper than buying a paper every week.

hope this helps!

[queenofthehivemomof5]

We have two pricebooks that you can download for your own personal use on our resources page

[CSchunk]

I think the answer is pretty obvious, You spent less and you have a ton more stockpiled. You wont keep stockpiling things you have enough of already so you will continue to see your grocery bill decline more and more when you are just buying the perishables since you already have a full pantry and freezer.