CVS ~ Other: cvs---Telling all your friends...

[LisaKathryn]

Since the economy has been so awful in Florida we don't have any extra money but I have still been able to give to the charities that I always give to - mainly because my fav charity is a women's shelter and the things I donate I get for free at CVS or Walgreens. Every Christmas I make a care package for each woman in the shelter - I call and find out how many women are there and then my daughters help me make the packages - I use the two gallon sized ziplocs, line them with tissue and add shampoo, razors, body wash, toothpaste, toothbrushes and all sorts of nice items topped off with mints and candy. My daughters helped me estimate the retail price of each bag and it was close to $50 for each bag and I gave 25 bags and yet I spent almost nothing except time.
I think what sets us in this group apart is that we look at it like a hobby. It's fun. You should see my hubby's face when I can barely stagger in the door from all the pacakges and he says 'what did you spend?' and I can say 99 cents and I have the stuff for a $5 refund so I made $4. Today I got two large bottles of juice, 2- 2 ltr cokes, 4 cans of soup, a candy bar, 4 Glade candles and a whole bunch of other items - I spent $3 out of pocket, I got back $4 more in Extra bucks than I spent and I can do the Glade $5 rebate.
I am thrilled when my 18 year old son wants to see my receipts. He is also very understanding when he wants chips or Tostitos and I say 'they aren't on sale this week but they will be next week.'
What irritates me is my friends want to shop from my stored items and I don't mind helping them out. All I ask is that they save their grocery receipts for me to use for rebates and their Sunday coupons - they all just throw the coupons away. They didn't do either of those things and yet one of them called and asked me for shampoo. I told her I didn't have any - it was true we had just finished the bags for the women's shelter and I was all out - but still I was very irritated that she couldn't even save her receipts or coupons - it wasn't like I asked her to cut them out for me!
My sister lives in Alabama where they have lots of beer refunds with no beer purchase required - I send every refund I can to her and she has found 7 friends to let us use their addresses for refunds and they save receipts too. My neice is 13 and needing a kidney transplant - over the last 1 1/2 years I have sent my sister almost $2,000. I am sooo glad I can help even though we don't have any extra money to send and we are so far away.
I know this is long but I feel like we all inspire each other - I'd love to find a couponing friend in my area - just north of Orlando.
Lisa

[oceanbreeze]

I stopped telling ppl b/c they didn't get it or were too lazy to chase deals.

I could hit the lotto tomorrow and i would still use coupons- why part w/ my money if i can save it?

[valley411]

I'm getting to the point where I don't wanna tell anyone about couponing anymore which really saddens me :sad: because ever since I started couponing I've wanted everyone I know to get in on the deals too! I wanted to show everyone this "secret" showing them my reciepts as proof and pics of my stockpile but they just don't seem interested in doing it for themselves. My sister who needs all the help in the world - single mother w/4 kids says she doesn't have time - whatever! I give her & her kids stuff all the time and when she saw me giving a friend a care package from my stockpile she had the nerve to say "I want some too!" People just never cease to amaze me.
The only people I've told that seem slightly interested is my MIL & SIL they were so impressed to see my stockpile and want me to send them coupons but I think they just let them expire :shrug7: which is such a waste to me. I want to tell them - "Do you know what I could've done with that?!?"
My savings go to family vacations that I would not be able to do otherwise. I will still try to help others when I can and when it's wanted/appreciated but I can't worry about no one else's household and how they spend their money except for mine.

[bric2]

I understand, too. I used to email all my friends about the great deals I found from the internet and links to print coupons and such. four of them started couponing but not like me, tho. they just use coupons for things they need at the moment. i'm still learning but i have started stockpiling stuff and started a donation box. i do try to share whatever i get with friends and family. many times tho, answer I get is "no thanks. we don't need/use that." kinda make me feel bad that they don't want the stuff even when it's free! so stopped sharing with them. i rather give to someone who will appreciate my stuff.

[sweety1786]

My family isn't really interested in couponing (except for my sister who is a freshman in college and desperate for free things ) but I managed to get a lot of my friends interested in it. I have a close friend that coupons just as much as I do now, which is fun. It's nice to have someone to talk to about finding an amazing tearpad at Publix or free deoderant at CVS- my mother just tells me I'm crazy!

I was actually asked by my fiscal management teacher last year to give a short lecture on couponing- she heard from a fellow student that I saved money from it. So I got up in front of the class (123 people!) and started to explain it. I got the same reaction as other people have described- empty looks, glazed over eyes, etc. Then a friend in the class told me to put one of my receipts up on the screen. A simple spent $.85, saved $119 got their attention real quick. All the sudden I had people raising their hands, calling out questions, etc. Over the next few weeks I was answering so many questions that my friend and I decided to start a blog and answer them all at once in one place- most of our readers are from that college, right out of college demographic, so it is fun to help them use what little money they have responsibly!

Some of them still think I'm crazy (my family), but I'm finishing up school and my husband just started med school. Couponing is the only way for us to get by with such a limited income (ie, negative income due to loans!), and we manage to not only get by but can afford to take a small trip every year and do the things we want to do. Everyone always tells me that once I have a "real" job I'll stop couponing, but I am so thankful that I have had this opportunity to learn how to live wisely and responsibly with the little money we have- I really do think I will continue to coupon. It just doesn't make sense to me to pay full price anymore! Plus it is something I really enjoy- I feel like it's a game that I'm really good at I always win!

[sweety1786]

Originally Posted by LisaKathryn Since the economy has been so awful in Florida we don't have any extra money but I have still been able to give to the charities that I always give to - mainly because my fav charity is a women's shelter and the things I donate I get for free at CVS or Walgreens. Every Christmas I make a care package for each woman in the shelter - I call and find out how many women are there and then my daughters help me make the packages - I use the two gallon sized ziplocs, line them with tissue and add shampoo, razors, body wash, toothpaste, toothbrushes and all sorts of nice items topped off with mints and candy. My daughters helped me estimate the retail price of each bag and it was close to $50 for each bag and I gave 25 bags and yet I spent almost nothing except time.

This just makes me happy I love so much that couponing gives people like you and me who otherwise could not afford to give generously the opportunity to help others who truly are in need. My husband used to laugh at me for buying dozens of packs of feminine products when I could get them for free, until he realized I was giving them to the local women's shelter who desperately needed them. I am so proud of all of my fellow couponers!

[geishagirl97]

Originally Posted by jcpal I don't get it. I am all pumped about my CVS and other grocery store hauls. But, when I tell my friends and try to welcome them on board they all look at me weird.

My family and friends are too lazy to do it. I even give them a list of the deals and tell them just to buy a newspaper and I will show them the deals and still they do nothing. Then they complain about money. It's so ridiculous to me. My one friend went to CVS with me. I helped her save money, but then she bought all this ridiculous stuff and her total was over $100. I about died. I am upset with myself if I spend over $20.

I just think that most people are not disciplined enough to buy when things are on sale in anticipation of running out vs. buying when you need things. They cannot grasp the concept. The excuse I always get is that I really don't save money because I buy things I don't need just because they are cheap. This is not true. I buy things that we use or need on a regular basis, but I buy when they are on sale, even if I don't happen to need them right that minute. And things like toothpaste and shampoo, I do not buy them, I only get them if they are free or with an overage.

So, what I started doing last year, and they love this by the way, is making Christmas gift bags with things they need. I call them my home bags. I load them up with detergent, toothpaste, shampoo, mouthwash, dental floss, dish soap, cleaning products, cough drops, tissues, toilette paper, even some groceries that are not refridgerated. This way I can share my savings and not break the bank at Christmas. I seriously spend less than $20 on these bags and they are so thrilled to get them. My brother just told me that he is starting to run out of stuff from last year and couldn't wait to get the gift bag this year. This way I can give a "family" gift for practically $0, which they think I spent a ton on, and still get them each an individual gift.

I have given up on trying to help others, it is something they have to want to do. Sort of like smoking. If they decide they need to save the money or want to, they know who to come to. If not, I cannot force them to see the awesomeness of getting stuff cheap or free! More deals for me, it means that the stores won't be empty when I go!

[talonts]

Originally Posted by jcpal Does anyone else feel others look down on them for getting free or discounted groceries without using food stamps but doing about an hours worth of work and research? It is not that we dont make plently of money. Heck! I have a full time job making $60k. My metality is that I can get more for cheaper so I can have more for big kid toys or even the dreaded emergency without having to use a credit card. What are the opinions of others who do this hobby.

I paid off my Prius in 15 months (loan for 1/2 of it) largely because couponing left enough extra money each month to pay an extra payment or 2 every single month.

We try to get friends to coupon, so few do, but I look at it this way - less local competition ;-)

[msuzyc79]

My best friend got me in to hard core couponing at a time when I really needed it (DH lost his job and was always the bigger check in my house). I always tell my mom and other friends about how much money I save and they are always happy but do not participate. My mom is always struggling financially but won't do something simple as cutting out coupons from the paper for stuff she buys anyway. Even if she didn't do it hardcore, it would still help.....Dunno why she won't be bothered. I send her boxes all of the time with free stuff which she keeps or passes along to the rest of the family.
My DH has been out of a job for over a year, my bills are paid down (1 credit card to go) and I have more money in savings than I ever did when we had 2 good paychecks coming in. Not only has couponing helped with the bills but it has also changed my whole outlook on how money is spent....which I never worried about before. All I can say is that I thank god my best friend showed me the light.

[Linzrenee]

I had just started couponing when I found HCW. I had been thinking about it and had gotten a few inserts here and there but then stumbled upon this site. It opened up my eyes to the money that I can be saving. My bf and I live together (it's just us and the dog) but he has a hefty child support payment every month that cuts his paycheck nearly in half (yes I know-it's a lot of money).
Ever since I started hard core couponing, I come home from the grocery store and CVS w/ bags and bags full of stuff. My bf will ask what the damage was and I tell him $10 or $20 and he is like a deer in the headlights. He is amazed. Before, we would go to the store and spend $100, which is rediculous for two people and now our refrigerator and pantry are overflowing without even denting the bank accounts.
I tell the people at work and my friends and family and say smile and say how great it is but don't do it themselves. I don't understand. Yes it takes time but time is money and that money could be going towards bills or vacations or toys. I don't know...I guess that's just my point-of-view on it.