Does Couponing Save? February 2011

Does Couponing Save?

So last month I had decided to post what I had spent for the month. Thinking it was higher than usual due to some stock-up items (coffee mainly), I am doing it again this month. I'm curious to see what my average spending is. *

*Please keep in mind we are a family of 6. I am a stay at home mom with 4 kiddos who are home-schooled. We are here for every meal except Friday Dinners when we do Life Group (potluck) or a Date Night. This equals out to about 89 (80 for February) or more meals a month prepared at home. We also purchase 1/2 a cow every year so meat is rarely on my list. If you're interested in saving on meat, go HERE to learn more.

FEBRUARY 2011

Albertsons

4 Orville Popcorn

4 7 ups

2 Kikkoman Sauces

1 Bag of Spinach

2.5 lbs of Bananas

10 Campbell's Soups

2 McCormick Taco Mixes

2 McCormick Fajita Mixes

1 Ronzoni Pasta

1 6pck Snapple tea

4 Hunts Spaghetti Sauces

5 Rotel Diced Tomatoes

6 Hunts Diced Tomatoes

2 Childrens Cold Meds

1 Axes Hair Gel

2 Dixie Paper Plates

1 Dixie Napkins

Total Before Coupons and Sale Prices: $98.20

Total Spent: $17.83

RiteAid

1 Dawn Dishsoap

2 Arm & Hammer Laundry Soaps

1 Gillette Pro Fusion Razor Gift Pack

1 Olay Foam Face Wash

1 Olay All Day Moisturizer

1 Olay Complete Body Wash

3 Gain Dishsoaps

1 Gain Dryer Sheet

2 Total Advanced Toothpastes

6 Chex Mex Snacks

1 Gillette ProGlide Power Razor

1 Listerine Mouthwash

2 Cordicidin Flu Meds

2 Afrin Nasal Spray

2 Betty Crocker Frostings

2 Betty Crocker Cake Mixes

2 Mentos

1 Excedrin PM

8 BioTrue Contact Solution

2 Old Spice Fresh Collection Deodorants

1 Uncle Bens Rice

3 Trial Size Vaseline Lotions

2 Huggies Diaper Boxes

7 Jumbo Huggies Diapers (please note: I bought the amount I did because I pre ordered 14 packs to make sure I was not a 'shelf clearer". Please consider talking to your local store manager about special orders on the products you want a lot of)

1 Huggies Pull Up

1 Excedrin Migraine

1 Kotex Panti liner

2 Always Panti liner

1 Clorox Bleach

2 Dove Shampoo/Conditioner

2 Dixie Ultra Paper Plates

Total Before Coupons and Sale Prices: $353.76

Total Spent: $67.78

Safeway

6 Powerade Drinks

2 Quaker Granola Bars

8 Rice A Roni

1 Pledge Spray

Total Before Coupons and Sale Prices: $34.43

Total Spent: $16.82

Walgreens

2 Hefty Ziplock Bags

4 Dozen Eggs

3 Dove Deodorants

Total Before Coupons and Sale Prices: $23.39

Total Spent: $6.30

Walmart

2 Uncle Bens Rice

1 Gain Dryer Sheets

Total Before Coupons and Sale Prices: $7.33

Total Spent: $2.33

Amazon

1 Huggies Diaper Box 140ct.

Total Before Coupons and Discounts: $41.69

Total Spent: $4.69 (please note: if you would like to learn how to get diapers cheap on amazon, please, go HERE for details. This is very similar to what I did.)

Misc. Items

Bread $15.00

Milk $21.30

Produce $15.00

Grand Total Before Coupons and Sale Prices: $610.10

My Total Out of Pocket: $167.05

Total Savings Was: $443.05 or 73%

Rewards Received:

$10 Catalina

$86 or more in +ups

Rewards left to use: $34

Well, this is it. I really feel like I didn't spend a lot on groceries, but more on household, but the idea of a stock-pile is to live off of your previous deals which in turn gives you more money to stock-up on current deals.

Recently, a friend of mine had asked on her Facebook page what the average cost per person for food per day is. It was very interesting to read the comments left. Some of her friends have a good idea of shopping frugally, but there were a few that were spending an outrageous amount per person. I'm not saying you have to live and breathe coupons, but a little effort and time does go a long, long ways. Based off of what I have above, the average cost to feed a family of 6 per day is $.99 a person. Not bad! And I still have a lot of rewards to use.

I do look forward to posting again this next month. I just placed an order for chicken through Zaycon Foods so I've already spent $63.60. This includes 40lb.s of skinless chicken breasts and works out to $1.49/lb. Again, if you're interested in learning about saving on your meat purchases you can go HERE to learn more.

Rite Aid, as seen above, is my favorite store. There are many times I get there and what I want is gone. So I get a rain check. They are amazing about rain checks and will deduct any +ups you may have earned from the cost so you don't miss out on that savings.

One thing I hugely recommend it meeting your local stores manager. Find out when they get deliveries and what day you need any pre-orders in. This way, when you know something great is coming (my Huggies diapers) you can have them order extra. This keeps you from being a 'shelf clearer' and will give the other shoppers a chance to get the same deal.

Last, but not least, if you see there are only a few of the product you went in to get on the shelf, take only a few. Keep in mind, you are not the only person looking at that deal. If you know when your store restocks (like on the BioTrue Solution), go in again and get a few more. If that doesn't work for you or if you want to stock-up on items to donate, wait until the last day of the sale before you 'clear shelves'. This will give everyone a chance to share the deals that are out there.

Happy Couponing!

{ -Rachel- }

Previous Monthly Posts:

January 2011