Sunday Morning Couponing

Jesse and I recently made the decision to become a one-car family.  For us, this meant that we sacrificed Jesse’s cherished ’93 Honda Civic, which had no air conditioning and had to be parked on a hill so it could be kick-started or jump-started or rebooted or whatever you mechanic-y folks call it.  (We are committed to living debt-free, which is why we had this car in the first place.  On the day we closed on our house, we put the last two dollars of our down payment in the bank in the form of quarters, signed the papers, and pushed Jesse’s Honda out of the parking lot.)  So now we just have my trusty Volvo.

I came to church last Sunday morning at Powell United Methodist, where Jesse works during the week and on Sunday mornings, and I quite enjoyed spending the morning with him.  So I decided to come again this week, but since Jesse works here, and we only have the one car now, that means I have to be here at 7:30 and stay until 12:30.  So I decided to get my usual Sunday morning routine done in his office while he works.  (I attended the first service.) This is where I’m hanging out.

It’s pretty cozy for a church office.  I decorated this two years ago, when Jesse was hired, with about $25.  Today I’ve been huddled up in here watching The Office, clipping coupons, and planning this week’s menu and shopping lists.  This is how I do it:

First, I clip all the coupons from Sunday’s paper, usually found in Smart Saver and Red Plum.  Then I hop on over to coupons.com and print all the coupons I think I’ll use.

One last trip to Kroger.com to load virtual coupons onto my Kroger card, and the couponing task is complete.  (I then print a list of the coupons loaded on my card so I don’t forget about them.)

Now for the planning.  This is when I take a gander at the handy circulars found in Sunday’s paper.  Kroger is my favorite, because they double all manufacturer’s coupons under fifty cents.  I also take a look at Food City, Wallgreens, CVS and Target.  With the instant rewards systems at Wallgreens and CVS, you can often find items that are essentially free, especially cosmetics / toiletries.

I peruse the sale items and match those up with the coupons I have.  I try only to buy what is on sale AND for which I have a coupon.  Double whammy every time.  I plan my menu according to what is on sale, and then I make shopping lists for each store I’ll be visiting.  I list the quantity, item, sale price, coupon, and total cost on my list, taking note of which coupons should be doubled (only applicable at Kroger) so that I make sure to get the most bang for my buck.

I attach the coupons I need for each store on their respective lists with a paper clip, and I’m ready to shop and save.  Bada bing, bada bang.

The best deal I’ve gotten so far was a few months ago.  I spent about $50 and saved about $60.  It’s such a thrill to see those numbers, and it becomes a really satisfying game.  I’ve gotten loads of stuff for free (mainly toiletries) with coupons, sales, and instant rebates combined.  It’s fun to try foods I might otherwise skip over were it not for the coupons.  Something I’ve loved: Sara Lee Deli Flats.  Something I would advise you to stay far, far away from:  Gogurt.  Even if it is practically free and comes with a free music download, the stuff is toxic and revolting.  And I like what Ellen has to say about it (start at 1:45):

I wish I was as funny as Ellen.  The good news is, according to one terribly inaccurate face-recognition website, I have a similar facial structure to that of her wife, Portia.  We’re all pretty tight.

Happy couponing, and steer clear of Gogurt,

Mary Ann