Wednesday, September 30, 2009

End of the Month

Just a quick little note:

The end of the month is upon us again! We just finished our budget for October, and things are looking alright just about now.

And the grand total of savings during September from coupons: $290.45

So for all of those that don't believe in using coupons, or just don't understand why one would want to take the time, that amount is exactly why! And that is just the savings from coupons (added up from all of our receipts during the month), and does not include things that were bought on sale and such.

How much did you and your family save this month?

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Ways We Save

There are so many ways out there that different people have noted on how to save money. Here are a few that we've found to work for us:

1. Bring lunch to work rather than go out to eat.

2. Shop at garage sales and thrift stores.

3. Shop around before making big purchases.

4. Compare Sunday ads and make our shopping lists.

5. Use coupons, and use them often! Match up sales, store coupons, and manufacturer coupons to maximize the savings.

6. Use Register Rewards at Walgreens and Extra Care Bucks at CVS for all purchases.

7. Got rid of our landline phone, we just use our cell phones anyways.

8. Make a budget each month, revise, and stick to it!

9. Rarely use credit cards anymore. If we do use them, we pay the balance off each month.

10. Sign up for freebies and search for coupons online.

11. I use mass transit to get to work rather than driving.

We also sell items on EBay, Craigslist, Etsy to make a little extra money. Use extra money made to pay down debt (those darn student loans!).

What have you found to work best for your family?

Hello all!

I've been a sales shopper since birth, am thrifty at heart, and have been working to bring these traits to my new life with my awesome, loving husband! Couponing and saving are my game! Especially with being newly married, we have decided to dive into the world of doing all we can to spend less and save our money.

I love a challenge and always keep my eyes open for other ways to save. I get excited to look at the bottom of my receipt and see just how much I saved on a shopping trip! I think it's beginning to rub off on my man!

People have lately been asking me about how I save and if couponing has really helped my hubby & I with the place the economy is at the moment, so I decided to tell my story. I hope you enjoy, learn a lot, and I am excited to learn from you all as well!