Beautify Our Lives and Homes ~ My Krazy Coupon Days! 7/3/11

I first started to use coupons back when my kids where just in Elementary school (they are now in high school and starting college). The only store I knew about that had great deals was Ralph's. I remember reading an article at our homeschool group and it got me very motivated to give it a try! It was so exciting to see all the food I was buying and to see the savings printed at the end of the receipt! I continued to do this for about a year and then I stopped. I stopped because I found myself buying things just because I had a coupon for them and not because we really liked it or needed it. It's obvious that I didn't know what I was doing!

Years Later my husband saw a report on tv regarding The Grocery Game and thought it was great and wanted me to try it out. I did and my love for using coupons came right back, but now with more knowledge and experience then before. I organized a three ring binder with the card holder inserts and all the categories. I received my first 2-4 weeks free I don't remember exactly how many, but I do know that this time I was shopping to have a stock pile to feed my family now and later! I did this for about 2 years and my stock pile lasted for about 2 more years after I stopped, pretty good don't you think? I had to stop because I got very sick and was not able to go shopping for more than 15 min. at a time. With The Grocery Game it would take me about 1 1/2 hrs - 2 hrs every time I went and that didn't count the pre-sorting! It also cost me $10 for 8 weeks per store and $5 for each additional I wanted. It was worth the money if you used it.

Now to the present and the craziness of Extreme Couponing with TLC! I had never heard of anyone shopping this way and didn't think it was real...it kind of is and isn't all wrapped up in one. By now I'm sure many of us know that reality tv is not really reality tv. The stores featured on the show agree to let these ladies (families) shop there for the show. Most stores don't allow us to empty their shelves and take every item available just because we have a coupon! Most specials have a limit and the stock pile they have and show on tv took them a very long time to achieve. 

In one of these episodes I saw a very nicely dressed lady going through a dumpster and I was like, "No way, not a chance!" I continued to watch the show and one thing that really got to me was what she said at the end. She said she was doing this to bless her family and help when there was nothing else she could do. The show I had watched before was with another lady that shopped this way and admitted to being a coupon addict and couldn't stop herself!  Long story short I found out later that this Krazy lady going through the dumpster had never done this before, it was just for the show and she said she would never do again! I don't blame her :0) Reality TV at it's best people!

The Krazy Coupon Lady is her website and it's completely FREE! Here you will find everything you need to know about couponing and so much more! She tells you what's on special at each available store and how many to buy. If you are a Beginner she will take you step by step on how to start couponing. It's all there for us to take advantage of, if we choose to. If you have a facebook account and you "Like" her page, you will receive up to the minute alerts of Free products, specials, etc. I love the Krazy Coupon Lady and I went on my first Krazy Coupon Trip!

Want to know what I got and how much I paid for it??? 

First let me tell you I went to four different stores. It didn't take as long as I thought it would and it was so much fun! I went to RiteAid, CVS, Vons and Target.

I had 4 separate transactions at Target ~ 4 Spaghetti Sauce and 4 Whole wheat pasta Total $10.56 Paid: $6.56

I had 4 separate transactions at CVS ~ Hair Gel, Revlon Clear Nail polish, Tylenol Precise patch, 2 Colgate Toothpaste, 1 Deodorant Total: $24.84 Paid: $8.69 and I still have $3 Rewards. It's like I really paid $5.69!

I had 1 transaction at RiteAid ~ 2 Body Wash Total: $7.61 Paid: $4.98 and I still have $1 Reward. It's like I really paid $3.98!

I had 1 transaction at Vons ~ 4 Gold fish crackers, 2 boxes of Cereal  Total: $18.14 Paid: $ 7.36

Total Purchased: $61.15

Total Paid: $27.59!!!!!

If you think about it, I really saved more if I would count the actual prices, not the specials, but that's ok for my first Krazy Coupon Experience...don't you think?

One of the biggest lesson in my First Krazy Coupon experience is the seperate transactions. CVS, RiteAid and other stores give what they call Rewards or money back to use on your next purchase. If you are making separate transactions you are not only using your coupons, but the reward money from the previous purchase! The second lesson would be to buy at least two newspapers. Ideal would be 4, but I'm not there yet. If I would have had two coupons at RiteAid, the Dial body wash would have cost me  no more than $2 total! So come on, go get your newspapers before I do!!!!

I will keep you updated on My Krazy Coupon Days and show you what I get and how I'm doing on my Stock Pile! 

I want to know how you are saving and what you do to help save money for your family???