Year End Savings

In order to contribute to our household finances I began couponing August of 2010.  My hope was to make a significant dent in saving dollars so that I could delay entering into the workforce as long as possible.  I jotted down my savings when I thought about it and for the five months that I studied the art of couponing and clipped and wisely shopped, I saved over $1,000.00.  This was for a family of two and 4-6 pets.

Of late, I've been reading about some coupon fanatics that will present a coupon for anything that they can get for dirt cheap no matter if the product is needed or not.  When I began, I decided that I would coupon for only items that I needed, otherwise it turns into A JOB, which is something I'm trying to avoid!

It's been a fun year and I'm ready to roll into 2011 full steam ahead, clipping and saving when I can but not sucking fun out of my life by being too uptight about saving a nickle --- I'll still drink my Mudhouse Mocha and enjoy their divine Pumpkin Bars when I get the chance and go to lunch with my gal pals.  Life is too short to not celebrate life w/good friends, family, pets, and my man.

To end the year, this is my last 2010 posting of my 12/31/10 shopping trip.

 SPENT $17.50



This week many coupons expire TODAY, 12/31/10 so I headed out to grab a few deals and use those coupons.  I had a $3.00 birthday coupon from CVS so picked up 25 mailing envelopes for $1.50 for my Etsy Vintage Shop mailing.  I paid 1.50 for a box of healthy Blue Dog Bakery biscuits at Teeter where my coupon doubled for $1.50 off and it was on sale 2 for 1.  I had a coupon at PetSmart for a free can of IAMS cat food and when you have picky eaters, it's worth stopping to try a free can.  Target has 75% off Christmas items and my husband is a marshmallow addict so he got 4 bags at .29 each for his HAPPY NEW YEAR present.  I had a coupon for .40 off of Archway Cookies and they were 75% off so I paid .27.  I popped into Giant and picked up some NEW YEARs Tofutti Ice Cream for FREE because I had a coupon.  It felt good paying PetSmart a nickel and Giant ten cents --- for sales tax!  

   

Spent $17.50 and Saved $22.00

I purchased 15 products, presented 7 coupons.



So, what would I have gotten for $17.50 back in July of 2010, during my pre-couponing days?  I probably  would have gone to PetSmart for the cat litter and it would have cost me $17.00.  NOTE:  At Target it was on sale for $11.00 and I had and $2.00 off coupon --- it really all adds up! 



$17.00 (Cesar the cat not included)



HAPPY NEW YEAR 

-Rebecca

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