Mandi from Organizing Your Way (and the Deal Seeking Mom Project Administrator) is exploring 31 Days of Organizing for a Better 2010 this month with tips to make your resolutions a reality.
Today, she’s talking about building your savings, and I wanted to share an easy way that almost anyone can find an extra $520 a year in their budget to add to savings!
Coupon myths — we’ve all heard them from our friends and family. Sure, they’re amazed by our savings, but there’s always an excuse for why they can’t do the same:
- Using coupons is too hard.
- Cutting and sorting coupons takes too much time.
- Coupons don’t really save you that much money.
- I never find coupons for the items I need.
And on and on…
Now we know that none of these are true. There are tons of resources online that make using coupons super simple these days. The organization part does take a small amount of time, but coupons can save you a bundle that will make that extra time pay off. And I’m fairly certain that there are at least a few coupons out there for everyone these days.
So what is the real reason these people aren’t using coupons? Maybe they just don’t want to bother with them. Maybe they’re just comfortable with their current routine and are living within their means, so it seems like a non-issue.
But I often wonder if they’ve stopped to think about what they’re missing out on. Consider this — if you only clip coupons from the Sunday paper for items that you need or usually buy, and then you actually use them when you’re at the store, I’d estimate you could save on average at least $10 a week. That translates into around $40 a month or approximately $520 a year!
Now how much more could you save if you take an additional ten minutes to check out a resource like the Deal Seeking Mom Coupon Database to see if there are any printable coupons available for items you’re planning to purchase?
Of course the challenge in this is translating these virtual savings into concrete savings. If you’re spending that extra money on lattes or quick trips through the drive-thru, then you probably haven’t truly saved anything. But if you take two minutes to login to your checking account after grocery shopping and transfer the amount you saved to your savings account, now you’re making real headway on building a savings that may come in handy some rainy day.
What could you do with an additional $520 or more a year? Clipping coupons is a simple way to start building your savings without changing your lifestyle one bit. So why don’t you check out the Grocery Grab and Drugstore Deals to get started today?
Head on over to Organizing Your Way for more tips on building your savings in 2010!
Tammy
I have tryed to turn so many people on to couponing and they always have a reason they can not. I dont get it. I feel like it is free money just waiting to be used, but my thought is if you are not going to use coupons that means there are just more for thoses of us that do use them.
I recently wrote a paper on couponing for one of my classes and the professior was impressed she asked to use it as an example for future classes. She said it was a real weired subject but she also said I was very passionate about it.
I know that last year my family and I saved almost $3,000 between coupons and free samples. There are many products that we would never have used if it was not for coupons.
Thank you guys so much for all the work you put into this site and keep it up.
Lea
Tammy,
Id love to read your paper. I agree, ive tried toturn some people on to couponing and the excuses are lame. I sure feel great when I save 12bucks at the grocery store in one trip!
Lea
[email protected]
Joyce Callahan
I feel that couponing is my hobby…I spend a little time on it every week. I cut the coupons from the Sunday paper, then file them by expiration date. Then on Wednesday when the grocery ads come out, I match up coupons that I have with what’s on sale. I probably only spend about 30 minutes a week on this “hobby”, but being the single mom of 4 teen boys, if I didn’t use coupons, we wouldn’t be able to eat at all. I honestly only spend about $40-$50 a week on groceries for all of us.
I file the coupons by expiration date so that if one is about to expire, and it is for something I will use anyway, I can go ahead and get it even if it’s not on sale. I do throw away many expired coupons that I am not going to use, because if it’s not on sale, I wouldn’t have bought it anyway. But there are MANY times when I have gotten things free with coupons, or they have paid me to take the item from their store.
I haven’t figured up how much I have saved in a year’s time, but I would estimate it is at least $600. I rarely buy things without a coupon. Even a 25 cent couon is a quarter I can spend on something else! I can’t “save” the money in a separate account, because I use the coupons to help our budget go farther. But it is a nice concept, that maybe I will be able to try eventually.
I love this site!
andrea
For some people, too, that are barely getting by, it could mean the difference between affording barely enough food and eating pretty well. Pay $2-plus for generic cereal, or less than $1/box for brand name with sales/coupons? The little bit of time and effort it takes is definitely worth it.
Andrea
I’ve considered transferring the money I save weekly from couponing into a separate account…but when I sat down with my husband, ran over the logistics, I realized that this was pretty adventurous of me. I’ve been couponing now for over a few years now (and grew up watching my mother do this as well…), so my savings and “couponing ninja skills” (as the hubs says) are pretty advanced – I save on average, about $50 a week. I just don’t know if our budget could afford that every week, but now I’m motivated to try and find a happy number and save it every week. Imagine my husband’s surprise when I tell him how much I’ve saved – I did that to afford a birthday trip for him last May too. Holding money back each week from the grocery budget was hard (and he complained a few times about how “tight” I had been with the money), but when I surprised him by giving him a trip for his 30th (his boss emailed him and let him know he wasn’t welcome at the office that week because he was going on vacation and she wanted him to relax ;) ), it made it all worth it. Maybe I’ll be successful again this year – I saved over $2K that way last year!
Christine
What a great idea! I’m trying something a little different this year. I have a spreadsheet in which I account for all grocery spending (including drugstores). At the end of the month I’ll transfer to savings whatever money is remaining from my budget. The month is more than half over and I see have close to 75% of my budget left. Couponing is ‘da bomb’! :-)
Angel
I have just re cently started using coupons. My husband doesnt understand it and thinks it takes to much time but I love it. I love seeing what I canget for free. I also have been able to try new products and brands that I wouldnt normally use. Example would be all laundry I love it but will not buy without a coupon. Thank you sooo much for your site, if it wasnt for you I would not use them.
Terri
As much as I would love to put my saved money into savings…I look at my coupon savings as covering my baby expenses. If I’ve saved $20 this week with coupons, that covers my diapers, wipes, etc that I need for my son. Basically, I’ve been able to keep my grocery bill the same, even with the added baby expense! I love it!
Heather
It’s my job to be the steward of my family’s finances & couponing helps me do that. It enables me to cut down on our budget, but still buy mostly organic items. My budget may be more than others because of the lack of organic coupons, but every bit helps & adds up.
Excuses why someone can’t coupon are simply that….excuses. Meanwhile, I am happily getting items for free or next to free!
Roni
I just love couponing, I’ve only been doing it for 3 months and I never realized how much can be saved. Thanks to sites like this I’ve been able to save and purchase “good” brand items that I otherwise would not have been able to afford. I love to share my “saving” stories with my family and friends.
Jan
I have been couponing for almost 30 years now, a habit I developed from my mother. I was shocked when I married and was out on my own and I discovered that no one I knew couponed. In fact friends began to joke that I couldn’t buy something unless I had a coupon for it, but lo and behold we always had a stocked pantry and plenty of money left over. I still don’t get why someone doesn’t coupon, but it is fine with me. It is my hobby and I get a thrill out of getting things cheaply or free and giving so much more away to the food pantry, the canned food drive at school or as gift baskets to friends or for fund raiser donations.
Mommy Kennedy
Great write up! Thanks so much for the information!
Bearista Gigi
I love coupons. We are never out of shampoos, toothpastes, cereals, contact lens solutions , body lotions , razors etc… When it comes to a food deal, I always check the expiration date and figure out how much we will need before that date. I never waste food or eat expired food even those are free.
I seldom buy Sunday paper unless I am pretty sure I will use about $6 value coupons inside. Otherwise , I am more willing to buy coupons at ebay for what I really need.
Enjoy couponing and saving:)
ann
I have been couponing for quite a few years now. I think it affords us the lifestyle we want to live @ more than half the cost!
I buy EVERYTHING on sale and with coupons from the big stuff (electronics, household items) to the small stuff(clothing,groceries etc). It has become very difficult for me to ever pay full price for anything.
I have become so good @ it that my hubby is even in the game with me and will search for the lowest price bf he purchase anything!!
When I stumbled on this site I was amazed and quite please @ how much people are also doing this and this gave me more motivation to continue to do what I do.
Thanks Tara and all your hardworking staff for all you do and in helping me to track even more deals!!
Amy @ Amy Loves It!
Great post, Tara! I am working to turn my virtual savings into concrete ones. Thanks for the great tips!
Corrie @ "Cents"able Momma
I love how I get almost all my toiletries for free or almost free by combining coupons and sales at CVS and Rite Aid.
Not only does my family have a great stockpile, but I have been able to provide almost all the toiletries for a family member with financial difficulties. She doesn’t have to feel guilty about me providing her with items she can’t afford, and I get the coupon high from getting such a good deal :-).
Moe
I’m very new to the coupon “hobby”. Some mom’s from my child’s school told me what a great deal they got, and I decided I just have to give it a try. There is so much i do not understand yet (I tried to get the same deal my friend told me about – but never found all the “coupons/offers” that I needed to do it :-(
For those of you that are sharing tid-bits of HOW you’r edoing it – THANK YOU
I have yet to clip and file coupons – I don’t know the best way to do it yet… so for now I
m keeping the inserts from the Sunday paper, and look through it when i read the e-mails I’m getting from DSM
Thanks for teaching me…