Originally Posted by teachme  I just started using coupons. But how on earth do you get down to paying so little for things like toilet paper, paper towels and wipes?
At my grocery store they have a roll of Paper Towels for 89cents. isn't that a good deal? What can you recommend I do to pay less? For that brand of Paper towels they have no coupons.... any comments would be appreciated. |
1.
Originally Posted by teachme At my grocery store they have a roll of Paper Towels for 89cents. isn't that a good deal? |
No it isn't a good deal --- for me. I pay nothing or get overage.
2.
Originally Posted by teachme For that brand of paper towels they have no coupons.... |
If that brand has no coupons, don't buy that brand. Brand loyalty costs you.
3.
Originally Posted by teachme How do you get down to paying so little? |
Stockpile when it's cheap.
It's actually a very simple concept, but one that most people have trouble understanding. Stockpile.
If you go to the market every week and buy the same things, most of those weeks you are paying full price. Even if you use coupons, you are paying full price minus the coupon price. That's more than sale price many times.
Consider this: Before I started using coupons, I was a stockpiler. If there was a good sale - and I knew my prices then better than I know them now - I bought enough to last until the next sale. If you can't keep track in your head, write down when your stores have huge sales on things. Write down the price. You'll see a pattern. If it's every 3 months, buy enough to last 3 months --- or a little more if you can. Don't buy something else you want/need in order to be able to buy enough.
Tada!! Your first stockpile item.
Do it over with other items. Pretty soon, you'll have enough stockpile that you never HAVE to go shopping except for basics: milk/dairy, meat (unless you have a freezer), produce. But that doesn't mean you stop shopping. It means you now only buy what has a short shelf-life and new stockpile items - or replacement stockpile items.
I have enough tp to last a year and a half - and I paid either nothing or got overage. Combine sales, coupons, and hopefully a catalina deal and you've got it - FREE!! or darned close - pennies a roll. Now when I think of replacing stockpile item, I don't buy at a good sale price. I wait - I can wait for almost 18 months - and I keep my eye on the stockpile - and even if it's not down much, if it's overage, I get it. Free, I might pass it up. I can afford to be picky now.
I haven't gotten shampoo (free) in almost 6 months - and I'll probably pass up the next sale too - unless it's "better than free" - then I'll donate what I have and keep the new.
Read the newbie threads. Read them again - especially the stockpiling ones. Pay attention to your sales patterns; note your best prices.
No room for stockpile? think again. Read the threads on where to put your stockpile.
Then, go slow. It won't happen overnight. I was stockpiling for 30 years before I figured out how to get multiple coupons without buying a ton of newspapers.
Good luck
Re: It's all about the bottom line! What is your best price? 
(updated 10/22)
, mama to 3 little girls.