Confessions of a Newbie

BethK · 05-27-2008, 08:22:39 PM

I can't be alone in being so overwhelmed / in awe of the ladies on here. I'm sure everyone feels that way in the beginning. So, just to lighten the mood, I'm going to make a few newbie confessions. Maybe you're in the same boat as me....

#1) I shop at CVS all the time (even did a lot of Christmas shopping there last year) and don't have a CVS card. I know, GASP!! Honestly, I never understood what it was for. The clerk asked me if I had one, I said, "No, do I need one to get the sales price?" She said no, so I never worried about getting one.

#2) I've used coupons here and there for some items in the past, but I don't think I've ever even used a coupon for many of them items you ladies are getting free. Those toothbrush/toothpaste/deoderant coupons always go straight to the trash!

#3) Before my husband died, I spent probably $600 a month on groceries for the three of us (two adults & a 2 year old). That's not including all the eating out we did also (usually one or two nights a week). Reading about all the money saving techniques on here, I'd like to kick myself for spending that kind of money!

So what are your confessions?

itsagreatday20 · 05-27-2008, 09:44:05 PM

I'm new too. So sorry to hear about your husband...God Bless you. I used to use coupons then stopped. Probably bc we had the money and I wasn't too interested in saving here and there or spending the time to do so. Now we are struggling a bit and I'm back to the coupons. I really could kick myself as well bc whether I have the money or not I should be trying to save where I can...maybe if I would've been clipping we'd have a little extra right now!! Anyway, I feel pretty stupid but have decided that no matter what financial situation I'm in I will take the time to clip coupons! Thanks for starting this thread...I've been thinking about this and glad to get it out!

lineke66 · 05-27-2008, 10:11:18 PM

I am so confused! I have been reading all day and still can't figure out how to do this. We spend about $800 - $1000 a month on food and toiletries. With gas prices going up, I need to cut back on that monthly amount. Maybe I am being impatient.

wannabefree · 05-27-2008, 10:37:25 PM

Dear Linek, just keep on reading all the information available here. It will start to make sense as you begin to do it. It IS overwhelming at first. In the beginning you are happy to save a few dollars here and there but you get better and more refined at your "deals" and you do better and better. I believe I have taken an approx grocery bill down from $80 to $25 each week...including toiletries thanks to CVS!

Don't be hard on yourself it takes time to learn to play the piano, roller skate etc.....

thickbluebug · 05-27-2008, 11:46:56 PM

Worst thing I did when I was new:
using a coupon even if wasn't the best deal, or trying to use every coupon in my binder.
There is always another coupon coming out. It may take 2 cycles of q's b4 I get that $1/1 downy, but it will come out again!~

The best thing I do now:

rebate

I just got 15 pairs of sunglasses at dollar tree for $15. I have a rebate for $15 on sunglasses/beach items. I use to buy expensive sunglasses and they broke - lens crafters cause I thought they were lighter weight. ha.
It doesn't bother me so much to break my $1 ones. LOL I have years of sunglasses for my family now.
I have been trading for 2liter pepsi rebates and steak rebates. Most traders will take stamps.
There are rebates on everything - even flip flops and coolers.
Roll those rebates like you roll cvs and wags ecb/gc rebates. Allocate so much money for rebates and use the new check you get next month on new rebate items.
I have a stock pile and buy very few things that aren't qualifiers for my rebates.
Chips n dips, nuts, meat, seafood, salsa, pizza, condiments, chefboyardee, pudding, oranges, bread, cheese, bottles water, light bulbs, tooth whitener, pepsi 2 liters 12 packs and 20 oz drinks, are all rebate items for me.

megani · 05-28-2008, 02:56:14 AM

I did not understand coupons at all, its embarrassing.

I thought clipping coupons had this stigma and took forever.
I spend less than an hour a week and last week saved 50% - so worth it.

I thought you could only use one coupon per trip to the store and it had to be on a full price item. I was so clueless it was sad.

cndij · 05-28-2008, 03:41:09 AM

I actually considered myself kind of an expert before. Formerly belonged to the "GG" site, been clipping for almost 25 years. My big deal, was getting 6 jars of Dukes Mayonnaise for about $2 last year. My mother in law thinks I have a grocery store in my cupboards, when in reality, I only have 3 or 4 ea of things I use regularly. If she saw some of the pictures of the stockpiles here, she would have a heart attack. I've already told my husband to have some shelves built in the garage in anticipation of my new stockpiles.

I feel fortunate to have discovered this board and the wealth of information here.

Now my REAL area of expertise is in the collection of points and miles for free travel. Been to Hawaii on miles 3 times now,(I feel like the little girl on one of the YouTube videos here that says "free with a coupon") and between the 3 trips have taken along for free besides my husband: my mom, my brother, my uncle, father in law, mother in law, and 3 neices. So any help I can give to anyone in that area let me know. It takes the same kind of dedication and research as the couponing does, so hopefully within a short period of time I can also be a coupon expert.

Cindi

Kyrthira · 05-28-2008, 05:05:49 AM

I knew you could use more than one coupon (like one for your cereal, another for your cookies, blah blah) but I didn't know that if you had TWO boxes of cereal you could use a coupon for EACH BOX! Go figure. o.O

I also didn't know you could use coupons on sale items -- it totally never occurred to me that you could save ANOTHER fifty-five cents off that bag of chips by using that coupon!

And going back to the first part -- multiple COPIES of a coupon? Going out and getting multiple inserts if you can? You can do that?!?

Some of the simplest things in the world, and I just figured them out when I joined here. Hah!

ank220 · 05-28-2008, 01:37:31 PM

I knew you could use multiples of coupons - I just never did. I never thought to collect more than one copy of an insert. I also would rarely use a coupon for a good deal - if I did, it wasn't on purpose. It just happened to be on sale when I needed it.

I also never shopped CVS or Walgreens, and always figured rebates were a hassle. Sure, they are a *little* bit more work, but now I've started and I'm loving it! I can't believe I missed out on all this before!

Like another poster mentioned, I tried to use most of the coupons in my binder right away. It took me a while to realize I don't have to chase the deals and coupons - they will come to me. Besides, it's not a great deal if you are spending twice your monthly budget just because you have coupons... lol. It really is okay to stockpile a little more slowly! I also learned to check and see what coupons were out in other areas of the country. Sometimes I could trade for better ones if I looked.

Probably the hardest thing to do was to convince my DH that even though we didn't "need" a certain item right *now*, that it was better to buy it now than wait until later when there was no sale/coupon.

I think he was convinced on the morning he said "Honey, do we have any more toothpaste?" I said, "Look under the sink." he he he... we had enough toothpaste to fill a small kiddie pool - along with shampoo, conditioner, handsoap, and bodywash... He was also impressed when he saw the stockpile of toothbrushes. He said, "Wow! These are the expensive kind!" No more dollar store brillo brushes for us... lol. Only the best for my hubby! LOL.

For me, the 24 box cereal stockpile was my favorite accomplishment. (though, it's almost tied with my recent massive 80 box pasta collection that I got for 5.80 - all of that tax!)

One of the neatest moments I had was when I was reorganizing my cabinets. I found a generic can of scrubbing bubbles cleaner. I had to look at it for a minute because I didn't recognize it. I realized that my cabinets were full of brand name items - and I paid less for them than I would have paid for generic/store brand items before! I actually felt rich. LOL!

GameVoid · 05-28-2008, 07:42:35 PM

I've only been doing this 2 weeks and my 2 biggest blunders so far:

1 - Handing the coupons to my daughter to hold onto while I looked for something in my wallet, then completely forgetting about the coupons until we got back in the car and she asks me what she is supposed to do with them.

2 - Running out and buying a Sunday paper to get the inserts...on Memorial Day weekend...which means no inserts. Glad I didn't buy 3 like I had originally intended.