Janet! First of all - TAKE IT BACK!!!!!! The things that you bought that you DO NOT USE, WOULD NOT USE - and CAN NOT USE and got JUST for the sake of TRYING to get a good deal?
Honey - take it back. Dont be embarassed, don't worry - just take it back. No one is going to be angry, upset, mad - whatever. THE OBJECT here? IS to get - not to PAY. NOT to feel defeated.
Did we all do it? Yes. Did we all start out learning and making mistakes? YUEEeeeeeesssss. And OMWord did I hate it, give it up, turned MY binder into a Pokemon collectible. (Sorry Everywoman) I looked today. I was going to give it to Everywoman if I still had it but I did turn it into the every-collectors dream Pokemon card carrier (The little plastic pages) and DF said i took my binder BACK to Big lots. $19.00 worth. So yeah - I just didn't GET how "Happy little Colin" and everyone else gets all these great deals and freebies and here I am going WTF? (sorry but when it's over money and I'm reading the paper and matching up my deals like everyone else WTF was appropoe)
THEN? THEN? I read about all these women doing these STACKING coupon deals so I go to MY stores and I get NASTY left over men from 1700's Salem who would rather bind me and put rocks in my pocket to see if I sink with my coupon binder than to give me a twofer on a Glad scented wall plug in or GOD forbid an Oral B tooth brush - OR OH yeah forgot this one - FOUR Frappachinos.....at a Wallgreens. Because he accused me of PRINTING and COPYING a coupon. NEeeeever occured to narrow NED that I printed one at home, one at work, one from a friend at home, and one from a friend on his work computer. WOW - Yes I'm an evil temptress and my goal today is to rid you of all your Frakey Flipping Frosty Frappacino. You Frog. (kakkled as I walked out of Walgreens and I haven't been back) But that was a long time ago. I think I was still going to therapy. It was before the stroke. Things may have changed since then. Things may have changed since then. Things may have changed since then. What? Oh moving on.
So....First thing you have to know about couponing? It takes time! It will come - it takes time. Being a genius that you are and good at math helps but it's tricky so do ONE deal and let it go at that. Try to do either FOOD OR junk but not both to start. I picked food - I can't eat razors. So I started with food. And what a fool I was - OMG I cut coupons for EVERYTHING - and I KEPT EVERYTHING ....and if you will for a moment -----think Lord of the Rings---now think that little thing that runs around trying to get the ring from Frodo - with the gravely voice yelling "MY PRECIOUS" -----Yeah - that was ME with every coupon I could get - because "I never knew WHAT one I would need to "make my deal".....and you know I can't stand corn dogs" but MY PRECIOUS may have a deal for corn dogs....so we keep the precious.....and my binder weighed like 15 lbs...(I could have bowled with it) and the worst thing was I was keeping coupons for things I would NEVER eat - but thought - IT WAS A GOOD DEAL EVENTUALLY - right - so keep it. And no......things you won't eat or use? NOT a good deal just to GET a good deal. I mean if I have to buy a jar of some off brand BBQ sauce now and then to get Dukes mayonase? Sure - but If I have to buy 20 jars of Kimchee to get 3 jars of pickles? NOT a good deal.
Then? The coupons expire....this is something that LESS is MORE. Again - keep what you NEED will use - and pass the rest on. This is why it's good to have a few coupon buddies - and share. This is where MY PRECIOUS really took a great turn because I GET "MY PRECIOUS" in the mail - and I do that dance - that exact dance that that little twisted Hobbit does did when he got the ring in the end - so happy - every time I get coupons in the mail because I KNOW they are ones I WILL use....and CAN make GREAT deals on for stuff I WILL EAT. And Not that I can see my coupons buddies dancing like I do....but I send them couons that I know THEY like too - I found what I call COUPON SOUL SISTERS....because the stuff they want/like/use? I'm like - Mmmm NOT FOR ME.....and vice versa....so it works great.
As far as the CVS deal? THAT one takes time and I am still working on that SLOWLY -----and I mean SLOWLY - but here's the thing - YOU HAVE TO take control of that. WRITE IT OUT - BEFORE YOU GO.
TODAY - HERE's WHAT I DID - and this is my EXACT SCENARIO......WORD FOR WORD.
I wanted - to use up my $5,99 CVS BUCKS that was expiring on Wednesday - if you don't use it - you loose it. So That's $6.00 play money to me - You have to use it all - or you can't get it on a gift certificate.
SO - I think ======
Now the sale paper has Oral B tooth brushes on sale and the paper had a $2 coupon and a BOGO coupon PLUS you get CVS BUCKS BACK _ $2.00 - BUT you do NOT want to use THIS deal wITH ANY OTHER DEAL BECAUSE by the time you use THE COUPONS, AND THE SALE AND GET THE CVS BUCKS ? YOU WILL only OWE - $1.07 ---cash and you will have $2.00 bucks.....keep this separate. Deal #1
So I did that first. I paid her $1.07 cash - and GOT a CVS BUCKS FOR $2 -
Then I forgot to SCAN my CVS CARDS - in the CVS coupon machine - BOTH cards (mine and DF) spit out coupons for FREE candy bars - $1.29 value (i think) each. SCORE. Deal #2, Deal #3
Now - The things that I wanted on sale?
My former CVS bucks $5.99
DIET COKE - .69 2L (2) (Substitite)
DAWN soft pink dish washing detergent (2) .99 each (Substitute I wanted the Always Infinity panty liners for $3.99) that paid back a buck and I had a coupon for $1.00 off.
Carmel (.33) Substitute
These were okay substitutes - BECAUSE (Dawn was on my list of needs, Coke is something we drink and use) the carmel was a gift to the cashier for her help and a filler)
24 pk. CVS bottled water $2.49 sale
CREST Large Mouth wash - regular $6.49 on sale $4.49 Coupon -2.00 = $2.49
Total out of pocket?
zero.
total amount walked out store with ? $2.00 CVS bucks from that tootbrush deal......
SO i went to the CVS down the hill for the Always feminine things -
I also scanned my card.....again. Got .50 off a bottle of store water - wihich i needed by now no car a/c. and a coupon for $2.00 off a bag of skittles (how lucky is that?) they were on sale for $2.50 with 20% more per bag. and so this is how my deal broke down.
Always things - 3.99 -
Skittles............2.50
Bottled Water...1.50
CVS BUCKS...-2.00
COupon.........-2.00
Coupon...........-.50
Total Due......3.49
Then? I got a CVS Bucks for $2.00 from the Always
So basically? (without the tax) I got what I got and Still have $2.00
seed money for my next CVS deal.
2 bottles of dawn, 2 two L bottles of coke, 1 case of water, 2 awesome 5.00 toothbrushes that were on sale for $3.00, a huge bottle of Crest mouthwash, a bag of skittles (almost a contradiction there huh?) , a bottle of cold water, a box of always fem. stuff. 2 free reg. size candy bars, paid $4.50, made $4.00 and had a good time but it took me about 35 minutes to do it beacuse I had to tell the cashier to LET ME THINK....
THEN ---and only because I think I lucked up - I went to BI-LO - where they had ORAL B battery operated toothbrushes normally $10.69 each on sale for $5.19 each and I had coupons for $3.00 each that I NEARLY handed to the lady in CVS because I saw the $10.00 price and thought - I will NEVER use them....but just got 2 $10.00 toothbrushes for $2.19 each - (stocking stuffers) and then they had Dove Mens body wash on sale for $3.00--okay so I had a coupon for BOGO free. Which makes the soap EACH $1.50. Now normally I don't GET this stuff but----It's reg. $4.99 each. So i thought for $1.50 - again - maybe a nice stocking stuffer/Christmas basket thing - and went Okay I'll splurge. Then I did the food thing ----which I usually try to get doubles of my coupons for BOGO and watch the BOGO and don't always BUY two things - but if it will store, freeze and we use it - YES - then I will.
YOu have to sit and figure out - WHAT do we eat.
WHAT do we eat a lot of?
What can I make meals out of 3 months from now ---because the grocery cycles, coupon cycles and sale cycles GO on about 3 month cycles. You can watch sales on certain things and they 'cycle' = brands, products, will go on sale about every three months of the year. Coupons run concurrent with those sales. NOT everything, but most things. Some more popular things run sales more often - but most sales and coupons for food stuffs run about every three months. When I buy pasta? We like Mullers - I wlil buy planning on what and how much we will eat, and DONATE for about three months. Mostly because if I do my coupons right? I can usually get around 20 boxes of pasta for under five dollars if there is a bogo sale or the coupons run .50 or 1.00 off. So far this year? There have been two sales. There was just one a month ago. I have pasta out the wazoo - (as df says)
take a couponing class.......there are several all over. YOU WILL LEARN YOUR WEIGHT IN SAVINGS - no joke.
Make sure you know each stores policy.
and don't worry about calling me..........
OH and by the way - the math on some of the sites I told you about? HORRENDOUS. BUT in all fairness? They do a LOT of good, and not everyone is good at keeping it straight. So do NOT depend on THEIR math, and their stores prices. I've found a LOT of mistakes. YES it is upsetting.....just write it out - on your own - and adjust. it's about all you can do.
I made my own excel spread sheet when I started - but then again -i was analana...and there is NO substitution for just getting out there and doing one deal at a time. Seems to me food is easier.
Oh and even with food - I did a few (three) deals and then paid......just to check my own math......Then id' let the cashier ring up a few more deals -----then pay. Check my math. Till I got some confidence. I mean what does she care? Know what I mean??
Huge HUGS......and refunds girl.....do not get discouraged.....