COUPONS !!!

OMG!  I love the show Extreme Couponing !

I'm such a bargain seeker in every other aspect of my consumer life that I can't believe there are people who have figured out how to get hundreds of dollars of groceries for $12.  Or, rather, I can't believe I am not one of them.  I am determined to crack the code.  If I can just get to that point where I am getting 6 bottles of body wash for free and sports drinks for 20 cents I will feel like I have won.  Like I am a couponner.

This is a cool app/site.  It's kind of a mash of Groupon/Living Social/ the Sunday paper.  Lots of info!!
It makes you realize what a huge sub-culture this coupon world is.  I have been shopping sample sales and going to movies during the day and racking up points and miles and bonus crap like everyone else but this makes me feel like such an amateur!  Beware, it's even a little intimidating.

I've been perusing Groupon for over a year now and have only purchased one Groupon so far.

This isn't it, but close.  Mine was an 80% savings - more to my liking.  I think Groupon is best for spa type stuff especially if it's the kind of thing you splurge on every once in a while.  It makes that splurge more fun.

I also always take advantage of any customer appreciation gift cards like this one from completely bare.
Buying a series is a good deal but way sweeter when they give me $175 towards that purchase.

So, back to grocery couponing  And winning!  ( there is definitely a Charlie Sheen aspect to this obsession).
This little phone app Grocery Pal is nice because it gives you the weekly specials at most of the big super markets and you can make a shopping list on your phone ( it's even organized by aisle !)

oddly dark photo of computer screen

There are lots and lots of online coupon sites like this one where you choose the coupons you want to clip and then print them out.  These would be to beef up your collection of newspaper/magazine coupons which are really the best.  So the trick is, of course to find stuff on special price at your grocery store or drugstore ( Rite Aid rocks the specials) and then top it off with a manufacturers coupon and if all  goes well you pay peanuts at checkout.
  I've been dabbling and have found that it's pretty easy to get 50% off.  More than that is where the real work is.  Mind you the 50% takes work but the amount of work that you would expect.  The big discount takes dedicated coupon clipping and store special searching.

  It's kind of a game to me, but for a lot of people on the show it's the only way they can contribute to church drives or moms showing up with drinks and snacks after football practice etc.  These moms have figured out how to contribute when they wouldn't be able to otherwise.  They deserve a round of applause and much respect.  I'm just intrigued with the challenge and want to see if it's really possible.  But when I see a 20 something in the aisle at Target I get competitive.  I wonder what coupons they found and if they are better than mine... On the other hand when I see a senior trying to match the weekly circular with the stuff on the shelves I offer my help.  I will be a senior some day and the last thing I want to happen is to have some whipper snapper couponner take the last tube of Fixadent because they got it for free and figure it will last forever and there I am standing in the aisle whistling 'ssstop, leave sssome for me'.  Like every other aspect of life,  'Do unto others...'

Enjoy the bargains people, and splurge once in a while   ( as long as you get at least 70% off !)