When do you start seeing a difference in your budget?

[Imagine]

I've been couponing since January. I've built a pretty decent stockpile of cleaning supplies, soap, shampoo, toothpaste and a few other things. Food stockpiling is going much slower. We have not changed our diet, but I have become less tied to certain name brands if I can get a better deal. Only one store around here doubles/triples and limits it to one per transaction. I use several sites to track deals and have kind of figured out a system. However, I'm not seeing a huge difference in our budget yet.

For grocery and household, I spent about $60 less from January - April of this year versus last year. Now, we also spent about $540 less in dining out over the same time period, so obviously we've been buying more groceries.

Is this typical? Am I doing something wrong? Should I be seeing more savings? Do I need to step it up? How long does it take to see good savings? I'd be happy with a 10% savings, but I'm not seeing that yet, unless you include dining out savings.

(If it matters we are a family of 4 - 2 adults and 2 teens.)

[amylynne01]

To be honest, it took a full year of stockpiling to see a difference. When I started budgeting in 2009, my goal was $5000 a year. In 2010, I spent $4044, and so far this year I've spent $1140 (puts me on track to spend $3200 this year). I also have a family of 4, but my kiddos are 3 and nearly 2. So yours eat a lot, and I have 1.5 in diapers (DD1 is day potty-trained).

Like you said, any savings is good. And you've saved a ton from not eating out, so you see that it IS working. However it takes patience, dedication, and motivation to keep going with this. It's not an overnight thing - stockpiling takes time. Keep on going with it. I know that you can do it!

[Imagine]

That makes me feel better. I was getting discouraged, but I see that I shouldn't. Actually, I had a pretty good shopping day today. I finally got around to using the $3 Nivea bodywash coupons I had, so I'm set in that department for awhile. :)

[cheapdate29]

The savings will vary depending on your lifestyle and the ability to stockpile large quantities when it's at it's lowest price or B1G1 and that requires a cash investment and a large pantry plus freezer. Couponing takes a lot of time to scour the best deals and learning prices. We only have two in our family but I never buy anything unless it's on sale and if it's a processed food, it must have a matching coupon as well.

I hope my Kroger has the Nivea this time so I don't have to wait in line for a raincheck.