When most people used to think about couponing they would think about their blue haired granny patiently clipping away and taking her coupons down to the local market to save 25c on some milk and cookies. Nowadays most people associate coupons with those CRAYZEE ladies on the tellie. Piling their carts high with a million periods worth of free Midol. Digging through the dumpster for coupons. Beating up their husbands for bargains (ok so I made that last part up) but you get the idea on TLC's "Extreme Couponing" is all about the bigger the better, the tighter the sweater.
Being the hardcore cynic that I am automatically figured out that obviously the fix was in on the show. They must set up the registers to allow all the coupons to double and to allow 63 of the same coupon. Basically stuff that will get your kicked out of your local VON's. So I didn't really think free items were possible. Maybe one or too but not many.
Oh yee of little faith.....
In the past 3 weeks I have managed to get the following free sometimes multiple of each item. All legal no shoplifting, sometimes a little coupon yoga but all above reproach. Ethics are important to me.
Dish Liquid x3
Tweezers x2
Gatorade x10
Salad Dressing x6
Pepsi x3
Allegra (free after rebate)
Clorox Wipes (free after rebate)
Hand Sanitizer
Lip Balm x4 ( 2 different brands)
Body Wash
Candy Bars x2
Bandaids x2
Eye Shadow
Eye Lash Curler
Nail Clippers x2
Nail Buffer
Toothpaste x2
I've also gotten numerous other things for AT LEAST 75% off of retail. I keep an Excel spreadsheet of every couponing transaction and am sitting at an average of 68.8% saved.
This experiment might just work out.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Birthday Booty
No! Not that kind of booty!
Ever since I moved to the United States from New Zealand I've always had the dilemma of deciding when my birthday actually is. Y'see New Zealand is 20 hours ahead of the U.S so today is yesterdays news to them. So do I celebrate my NZ birthday or my US birthday. Of course there is only ONE logical conclusion. Celebrate my birthday on BOTH days. Now in my household this stretches out to be a birthday week/month depending on how festive I am feeling that year.
Of course with birthdays come birthday bargains. This is what I partook in this year to reduce the cost of eating out so many days in a row.
Benihana: Now I LOVE me some Benihana not as much as I love Gyu-Kaku but I still love it. What do I love more? A $30 free birthday gift certificate to be used within the month of my birthday simple for belonging to their "Chef's Table" club. What nice about this offer is it covers all your food and non-alcoholic beverages up to $30 which is a better value than just a free entree. The catch is it's only valid m-Th. No big deal we ate on a Tuesday at lunch (better value) and got a whole table to ourselves. What impressed me was when we sat down because I had made a reservation 30 minutes prior and mentioned it was my birthday she asked me if I had my birthday certificate so NO problems redeeming it. Also I got a free picture with me and my honey and green tea ice cream. Also I should note that the certificate doesn't require you to take another person so if you wanted to pretend your not getting older you could go by yourself. (Hey don't knock I used to eat lunch at Benihana's up to 3x a week by my little old lonesome no big deal and is super fun and you meet a lot of cool people.)
Black Angus Steakhouse: Now if you a member of Black Angus's "Prime Club" you will receive a coupon for a free steak dinner on your birthday up to $20 in value but only if someone else goes with you and buys a full meal. You also get a cookie sundae and a silly happy birthday chant. Two things I like about Black Angus. 1) Blackberry Gingerale- tastes better than any drink in a chain restaurant has a right to. 2) Call ahead seating OR Reservations with Open Table which is my favorite. Just book a table on your mobile on the drive over.
Acapulco Cantina: If you belong to their "Email Club" (needs a sexy name doesn't it?) you will get a coupon for one free entree to use any time during the month of your birthday. You also get a flan and a birthday song in Spanish. I went to the location in San Pedro Ports 'O Call where we sat by the waterfront and they have mariachis to hire to play your favorite song. For me that is Besame Mucho which I sing along to in my broken spanish. General cost of mariachis is $5 a song.
Dennys: Now this one you don't need to belong to any club or list just show up at Dennys on your birthday flash the server your drivers license and get a free grand slam. Simple. Eggs, Bacon and Pancakes. Whats not to love?
Just a friendly reminder to be kind to your server and tip on the prediscounted bill. It takes just as much effort to serve a table with a coupon as it does without. Unless of course server was terrible in which case I a big fan of writing something dry and witty on the bill in lieu of a tip.
All links provided for your savings pleasure and not to line the insides of my pockets.
Ever since I moved to the United States from New Zealand I've always had the dilemma of deciding when my birthday actually is. Y'see New Zealand is 20 hours ahead of the U.S so today is yesterdays news to them. So do I celebrate my NZ birthday or my US birthday. Of course there is only ONE logical conclusion. Celebrate my birthday on BOTH days. Now in my household this stretches out to be a birthday week/month depending on how festive I am feeling that year.
Of course with birthdays come birthday bargains. This is what I partook in this year to reduce the cost of eating out so many days in a row.
Benihana: Now I LOVE me some Benihana not as much as I love Gyu-Kaku but I still love it. What do I love more? A $30 free birthday gift certificate to be used within the month of my birthday simple for belonging to their "Chef's Table" club. What nice about this offer is it covers all your food and non-alcoholic beverages up to $30 which is a better value than just a free entree. The catch is it's only valid m-Th. No big deal we ate on a Tuesday at lunch (better value) and got a whole table to ourselves. What impressed me was when we sat down because I had made a reservation 30 minutes prior and mentioned it was my birthday she asked me if I had my birthday certificate so NO problems redeeming it. Also I got a free picture with me and my honey and green tea ice cream. Also I should note that the certificate doesn't require you to take another person so if you wanted to pretend your not getting older you could go by yourself. (Hey don't knock I used to eat lunch at Benihana's up to 3x a week by my little old lonesome no big deal and is super fun and you meet a lot of cool people.)
Black Angus Steakhouse: Now if you a member of Black Angus's "Prime Club" you will receive a coupon for a free steak dinner on your birthday up to $20 in value but only if someone else goes with you and buys a full meal. You also get a cookie sundae and a silly happy birthday chant. Two things I like about Black Angus. 1) Blackberry Gingerale- tastes better than any drink in a chain restaurant has a right to. 2) Call ahead seating OR Reservations with Open Table which is my favorite. Just book a table on your mobile on the drive over.
Acapulco Cantina: If you belong to their "Email Club" (needs a sexy name doesn't it?) you will get a coupon for one free entree to use any time during the month of your birthday. You also get a flan and a birthday song in Spanish. I went to the location in San Pedro Ports 'O Call where we sat by the waterfront and they have mariachis to hire to play your favorite song. For me that is Besame Mucho which I sing along to in my broken spanish. General cost of mariachis is $5 a song.
Dennys: Now this one you don't need to belong to any club or list just show up at Dennys on your birthday flash the server your drivers license and get a free grand slam. Simple. Eggs, Bacon and Pancakes. Whats not to love?
Just a friendly reminder to be kind to your server and tip on the prediscounted bill. It takes just as much effort to serve a table with a coupon as it does without. Unless of course server was terrible in which case I a big fan of writing something dry and witty on the bill in lieu of a tip.
All links provided for your savings pleasure and not to line the insides of my pockets.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Bring on the clowns or not.
Coloring your can sometimes be a nerve racking experience even when your in the hands of the professional. I remember crying in the salon chair as I realized that the hair dresser I had chosen was all that good. The color turned out OK but I refused to let her cut my hair.
But at least if a salon messes up your tresses you have some recourse be it a do over or a refund but when your own your own things can go very bad very quickly. Case in point. One afternoon I was applying my own highlights in the bathroom. As you do. Well I had the misfortune of splashing some dye in my eye. Going into emergency mode I immediately stuck my eye under the faucet and rinsed it for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile the bleach I had applied to my hair was still cooking.....
When I finally came up for air my stomach started to sink the last foil I had partway applied had come loose and the bleach had leeched out to the rest of my scalp. I frantically jumped into the shower to wash it all out and assessed the damaged. Once dry it was glaringly apparent that I had a GIANT highlighter spot in the middle of my hair.
Sighing I called the salon where I usually get my hair done ( when I have a 50% off coupon of course ) and managed to get an appointment for later on that evening. They managed to fix my hair at the cost of $300 for a full set of highlights and low lights plus base to disguise my hatchet job. Don Coupon was not amused either by the cost or the fact that he spent a Saturday evening at the hair salon instead of elbow deep in a tub of popcorn at the movies. I was forbidden to dye my hair again.
Flash forward several years to last Sunday. I perused the Rite Aid flyer and they had a sale for Samy FAT FOAM hair color. It was on sale for $8.99 plus you got $5 +UP for your next purchase AND I had a coupon for $1 off so $8.99-$5+UP-$3Q= $0.99c. For 99c cents it was worth a go.
I haven't had any hair color in my hair since Thanksgiving and that was a demi-permanent so I was essentially starting with a clean slate. I chose R5 Medium Reddish Brown.
Now the first and only problem I had with this brand was NO where on the box did it state what level of hair color it was. Was it a permanent or does it wash out. I assumed from the ingredients ( ammonia+peroxide) that it was a permanent color but I really didn't quite know what I would get as I'm standing at the sink clutching the little red box that would hold fate.
Would it be a very subtle can hardly tell not worth my time even dying it red or would it be fire engine red CLOWN hair ( oh please not clown hair please not clown hair ) There is only one way to find out.
Now what is different about this hair color and what I REALLY like about it is that its a foam, y'know like mousse. Each box comes with a plastic cocktail shaker. You pour the liquid processor in and then sprinkle the peroxide color powder in. Put the lid on and shake it like a Polaroid picture for 30 seconds. What you SHOULD have is a nice thick foam like mousse. After this part its all easy breezy beautiful. Just apply the foam in the order in the directions let it cook for 30 minutes and rinse.
The foam was very easy to apply and I had less problems with dripping and dying my ear accidentally and getting dye all over the bathroom. I usually let my hair over-process a little to make sure I'm getting the full saturated color especially with red hair dye since the color molecule is bigger than other colors it tend to fade and oxidizes quicker so I prefer it to be a little darker in the beginning. Also most home hair colors tend to self exhaust meaning once they get to a certain point they won't process anymore. This is make it easier for DIYer. Obviously this is not the case when your mixing your own bleach for highlights.
The finally result is a nice deep reddish brown that "pops" a little in the sunlight. Just the way I like it. I didn't expect this. Most red dyes are not like this. They are either too subtle or have a burgundy tint. I wouldn't have expected this from the color on the box but when have I ever achieved the color on the box.
So for 99c this gets a big thumbs up from me and if your near a Rite Aid and you have the $3 off coupon I would suggest picking a box up for yourself. It's a really good hair dye for beginners.
Great hair done cheap. Clowns need not apply.
But at least if a salon messes up your tresses you have some recourse be it a do over or a refund but when your own your own things can go very bad very quickly. Case in point. One afternoon I was applying my own highlights in the bathroom. As you do. Well I had the misfortune of splashing some dye in my eye. Going into emergency mode I immediately stuck my eye under the faucet and rinsed it for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile the bleach I had applied to my hair was still cooking.....
When I finally came up for air my stomach started to sink the last foil I had partway applied had come loose and the bleach had leeched out to the rest of my scalp. I frantically jumped into the shower to wash it all out and assessed the damaged. Once dry it was glaringly apparent that I had a GIANT highlighter spot in the middle of my hair.
Sighing I called the salon where I usually get my hair done ( when I have a 50% off coupon of course ) and managed to get an appointment for later on that evening. They managed to fix my hair at the cost of $300 for a full set of highlights and low lights plus base to disguise my hatchet job. Don Coupon was not amused either by the cost or the fact that he spent a Saturday evening at the hair salon instead of elbow deep in a tub of popcorn at the movies. I was forbidden to dye my hair again.
Flash forward several years to last Sunday. I perused the Rite Aid flyer and they had a sale for Samy FAT FOAM hair color. It was on sale for $8.99 plus you got $5 +UP for your next purchase AND I had a coupon for $1 off so $8.99-$5+UP-$3Q= $0.99c. For 99c cents it was worth a go.
I haven't had any hair color in my hair since Thanksgiving and that was a demi-permanent so I was essentially starting with a clean slate. I chose R5 Medium Reddish Brown.
Now the first and only problem I had with this brand was NO where on the box did it state what level of hair color it was. Was it a permanent or does it wash out. I assumed from the ingredients ( ammonia+peroxide) that it was a permanent color but I really didn't quite know what I would get as I'm standing at the sink clutching the little red box that would hold fate.
Would it be a very subtle can hardly tell not worth my time even dying it red or would it be fire engine red CLOWN hair ( oh please not clown hair please not clown hair ) There is only one way to find out.
Now what is different about this hair color and what I REALLY like about it is that its a foam, y'know like mousse. Each box comes with a plastic cocktail shaker. You pour the liquid processor in and then sprinkle the peroxide color powder in. Put the lid on and shake it like a Polaroid picture for 30 seconds. What you SHOULD have is a nice thick foam like mousse. After this part its all easy breezy beautiful. Just apply the foam in the order in the directions let it cook for 30 minutes and rinse.
The foam was very easy to apply and I had less problems with dripping and dying my ear accidentally and getting dye all over the bathroom. I usually let my hair over-process a little to make sure I'm getting the full saturated color especially with red hair dye since the color molecule is bigger than other colors it tend to fade and oxidizes quicker so I prefer it to be a little darker in the beginning. Also most home hair colors tend to self exhaust meaning once they get to a certain point they won't process anymore. This is make it easier for DIYer. Obviously this is not the case when your mixing your own bleach for highlights.
The finally result is a nice deep reddish brown that "pops" a little in the sunlight. Just the way I like it. I didn't expect this. Most red dyes are not like this. They are either too subtle or have a burgundy tint. I wouldn't have expected this from the color on the box but when have I ever achieved the color on the box.
So for 99c this gets a big thumbs up from me and if your near a Rite Aid and you have the $3 off coupon I would suggest picking a box up for yourself. It's a really good hair dye for beginners.
Great hair done cheap. Clowns need not apply.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Kiss and Makeup
It's probably a surprise to people who know me that I love buying makeup and I've spent a mere fortune on makeup in the past. I tend to go on binges and purges. Usually starting with spending a couple of hundred dollars worth at Sephora and then be horrified by it and didn't buy anything for months then rinse and repeat.
I used pay about $18 for a lipstick and really not think twice. I used to think it was a bargain when I recycled 5 MAC empties at the MAC store and got a free lipstick but it's not really that free when you've already shelled out $100 plus. I've used drugstore brands on and off over the years and have really not found any major difference in the products apart from the buying experience and how it makes me feel once I've bought it. You have to admit that Chanel compacts have a certain heft to them and make a very satisfying click when you snap them shut.
However if I'm going to live McFrugal some things needed to change. I've had a few traumatic experiences over this part year that has made me realize there are a lot more important things than money and prestige. And if money isn't that important then I shouldn't be frittering it away.
Some of the best couponing finds are at the drug store razors and cosmetics can be found for mere pennies and I'm not talking generic Wet and Wild stuff either. I think the drugstore brand on the right looks more prestigious than the MAC lippie on the left.
I used pay about $18 for a lipstick and really not think twice. I used to think it was a bargain when I recycled 5 MAC empties at the MAC store and got a free lipstick but it's not really that free when you've already shelled out $100 plus. I've used drugstore brands on and off over the years and have really not found any major difference in the products apart from the buying experience and how it makes me feel once I've bought it. You have to admit that Chanel compacts have a certain heft to them and make a very satisfying click when you snap them shut.
However if I'm going to live McFrugal some things needed to change. I've had a few traumatic experiences over this part year that has made me realize there are a lot more important things than money and prestige. And if money isn't that important then I shouldn't be frittering it away.
Some of the best couponing finds are at the drug store razors and cosmetics can be found for mere pennies and I'm not talking generic Wet and Wild stuff either. I think the drugstore brand on the right looks more prestigious than the MAC lippie on the left.
This week I took advantage of a sale they had at CVS and combined it with a coupon. The regular price for a Revlon lipstick at CVS is $8.99. This week it was on sale for $6.99 but wait there's still more. When you buy one at $6.99 you get $5 Extra Bucks to spend on your next transaction effectively making the price $1.99. I added a $1 off any Revlon Color Cosmetic to the mix to make the price 0.99c. I also had $5 Extra Bucks from my last transaction so I only paid 99c out of pocket (plus tax Uncle Sam always gets whats come to him)
So $8.99-$2 on sale - $5 Extra Bucks - $1 Coupon = 99c = Happiness.
Now the limit for the week is 3 of this item so if you have 3 coupons you could roll your Extra Bucks and get 3 lipsticks for 99c each. Now if your only starting to shop at CVS and have no Extra Bucks to start with your first transaction will be $5.99 out of pocket but you'll still have $5 Extra Bucks left at the end for next weeks bargains.
Clear as mud?
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Rookie Mistakes
Over the past week weeks I have made a few rookie mistakes and ruffled my feathers a little. I think what I picked up from the show Extreme Couponing is that checking out is stressful. Here are a few mistakes I've made and learned from.
Mistake #1: Not Knowing Your Store's Policy.
Don't worry this didn't result in a duel to the death with the cashier. Our first couponing trip after years of paying full price was at Ralphs. Now the last year or so I've shopped exclusively at Fresh and Easy and at Albertson's for last minute items. Now Albertson's doesn't double coupons and the cashiers are old and grumpy they have worked their since it used to be Lucky's. So we went to Ralph's because they doubled. How ever I "assumed" that doubled up to $1 meant that a $1 coupon becomes $2.
Mistake #2: Not Keeping All Of The Coupons.
When I first started couponing I just flipped through the Sunday coupon insert and clipped the coupons I thought I was going to use this week and threw the rest away. This turned out to be a big mistake as the sales cycles and the coupon cycles are not aligned as I thought they were. Sometimes a sale will come up the next week and if you didn't keep that coupon your SOL. Also sometimes you think you won't buy that or it's an expensive brand but the sale might come up where you can get it for free or next to nothing and then it might be worth trying.
Mistake #3 Buying Only One Paper
We already get the LA Times so I figured cool I have all the coupons I need I don't need multiples because I'm not planning to build a stockpile for 20 people just Don Coupon and I. Wrong. Sometimes the best deals will involve you having to buy 2 or more to trigger the lower price which combined with the coupon makes a deal into a steal. If you only have one of each coupon your going to pay more than you need to. Also sometimes you'll you use a coupon up one week and next week there will be an even better deal but you've already used your coupon.
Mistake #4 Not Organizing My Coupons
When I first started I didn't think I need to do an elaborate binder to keep my coupons in and I just kept them into a box which wasted a lot of my time and effort. I now use a binder.
Mistake #5 Not Having The Right Coupon At The Right Place At The Right Time.
When I first started I just took the few coupons I thought I was going to use to the market with me. This resulted in me say "Oh I have a coupon for that!.......at home." Now I keep the binder in the car just in case.
Mistake #6 Getting Stressed Out At The Checkout
Basically if you expect a problem you'll get a problem.
Now it makes it sound like I started years ago when really it's been only 21 days. A day at a time A day at a time
Mistake #1: Not Knowing Your Store's Policy.
Don't worry this didn't result in a duel to the death with the cashier. Our first couponing trip after years of paying full price was at Ralphs. Now the last year or so I've shopped exclusively at Fresh and Easy and at Albertson's for last minute items. Now Albertson's doesn't double coupons and the cashiers are old and grumpy they have worked their since it used to be Lucky's. So we went to Ralph's because they doubled. How ever I "assumed" that doubled up to $1 meant that a $1 coupon becomes $2.
Mistake #2: Not Keeping All Of The Coupons.
When I first started couponing I just flipped through the Sunday coupon insert and clipped the coupons I thought I was going to use this week and threw the rest away. This turned out to be a big mistake as the sales cycles and the coupon cycles are not aligned as I thought they were. Sometimes a sale will come up the next week and if you didn't keep that coupon your SOL. Also sometimes you think you won't buy that or it's an expensive brand but the sale might come up where you can get it for free or next to nothing and then it might be worth trying.
Mistake #3 Buying Only One Paper
We already get the LA Times so I figured cool I have all the coupons I need I don't need multiples because I'm not planning to build a stockpile for 20 people just Don Coupon and I. Wrong. Sometimes the best deals will involve you having to buy 2 or more to trigger the lower price which combined with the coupon makes a deal into a steal. If you only have one of each coupon your going to pay more than you need to. Also sometimes you'll you use a coupon up one week and next week there will be an even better deal but you've already used your coupon.
Mistake #4 Not Organizing My Coupons
When I first started I didn't think I need to do an elaborate binder to keep my coupons in and I just kept them into a box which wasted a lot of my time and effort. I now use a binder.
Mistake #5 Not Having The Right Coupon At The Right Place At The Right Time.
When I first started I just took the few coupons I thought I was going to use to the market with me. This resulted in me say "Oh I have a coupon for that!.......at home." Now I keep the binder in the car just in case.
Mistake #6 Getting Stressed Out At The Checkout
Basically if you expect a problem you'll get a problem.
Now it makes it sound like I started years ago when really it's been only 21 days. A day at a time A day at a time
Monday, August 22, 2011
Ok this is the Deal so far.
So I've been couponing seriously for about 21 days now. I've learnt a lot so far and am encouraging others around me. My husband Don Coupon is very happy with each additional $ spent and has been encourage and helping me with my new "hobby.
I've made some mistakes, had some nerve racking checkouts but also managed to score some very sweet deals including several items that ended up free or being a "money maker" ( more on this later).
I guess I should first start with how my relationship with coupons first started. I immigrated from New Zealand in 1999 because I preferred to be in the same country as my husband and living with my Angelo husband sounded a lot more glamorous than living in semi rural NZ.
When I first moved here I of course fell in LOVE with shopping both the selection ofjunk stuff available and the prices compared to NZ. I loved spending time poring over the flyer's in the Sunday paper looking at all the kinds of things I didn't know I needed.
Of course at some point my husband hands me a pile of paper and says here are the coupons. Coupons? I frown and wrinkle my nose. Back home coupons are rare and usually hard to redeem. So he clues me in on a few things and I'm like so if I just give the store this scrap of paper they'll give me the item for cheap or free? Game ON.
See back in the late '90s and early '00s the supermarkets in LA did two things. The first thing was they doubled. True doubling. If you presented a 50c coupon you got $1 off your item. Give them a $1 coupon they gave you $2 off your item. Give them a $2 off you just got $2. They weren't THAT nice but still getting an additional boost to your coupons added up to serious savings.
The second thing was they would actually print in their flyer's that if you bought x and used y coupon + doubling = super awesome price. Yay premium ice cream for 50c. Cheap makeup? super yay.
So if it was so awesome why did I stop. Well a couple of things. First we started earning more money and doing well and just wanted to live the "rich" life with the other jones. Saving money didn't make you feel "rich". Also then there were the supermarket strikes and like many we left to go to trader joes and whole foods and stayed there. Then the supermarkets stopped doubling. Sadness. They eventually phased it back in at Vons and Ralphs but only up to a dollar.
So why they return to coupons. Well the main reason is I've become stingy over the years and spending money is painful so I stopped buying things but eventually your going to need/want something and it's better to get value for your money. Of course I'm not a miser either but if you can spend less rather than more on the same thing then why wouldn't you?
I've made some mistakes, had some nerve racking checkouts but also managed to score some very sweet deals including several items that ended up free or being a "money maker" ( more on this later).
I guess I should first start with how my relationship with coupons first started. I immigrated from New Zealand in 1999 because I preferred to be in the same country as my husband and living with my Angelo husband sounded a lot more glamorous than living in semi rural NZ.
When I first moved here I of course fell in LOVE with shopping both the selection of
Of course at some point my husband hands me a pile of paper and says here are the coupons. Coupons? I frown and wrinkle my nose. Back home coupons are rare and usually hard to redeem. So he clues me in on a few things and I'm like so if I just give the store this scrap of paper they'll give me the item for cheap or free? Game ON.
See back in the late '90s and early '00s the supermarkets in LA did two things. The first thing was they doubled. True doubling. If you presented a 50c coupon you got $1 off your item. Give them a $1 coupon they gave you $2 off your item. Give them a $2 off you just got $2. They weren't THAT nice but still getting an additional boost to your coupons added up to serious savings.
The second thing was they would actually print in their flyer's that if you bought x and used y coupon + doubling = super awesome price. Yay premium ice cream for 50c. Cheap makeup? super yay.
So if it was so awesome why did I stop. Well a couple of things. First we started earning more money and doing well and just wanted to live the "rich" life with the other jones. Saving money didn't make you feel "rich". Also then there were the supermarket strikes and like many we left to go to trader joes and whole foods and stayed there. Then the supermarkets stopped doubling. Sadness. They eventually phased it back in at Vons and Ralphs but only up to a dollar.
So why they return to coupons. Well the main reason is I've become stingy over the years and spending money is painful so I stopped buying things but eventually your going to need/want something and it's better to get value for your money. Of course I'm not a miser either but if you can spend less rather than more on the same thing then why wouldn't you?
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Everything starts in Hollywood
I'll admit it I have surprisingly bad taste in television. Nothing gets me more excited a marathon of Toddler and Tiaras. Not sure why. Maybe I like to torment myself? One of my new obsessions is watching TLC's Extreme Couponing. There's not a lot to this show each show features two extreme couponers starting with a scandalous expose of their "stockpile" usually obscene stacks of toilet paper and cereal. Then it focuses on the couponer discussing their "strategies" or showing them digging in dumpsters for coupons. Y'know the usual extreme embarrassing behaviours showcased on reality T.V. Then it moves onto the exciting part the shopping trip. This part features the couponer getting all hot and bothered and yelling at their husbands and in general just being a jerk. Of course no matter what episode you watch there is drama at the checkout that the couponer has to overcome. All in all this ain't your mothers couponing.
So I'm sitting back watching this thinking these chicks are crayzee. But.....just like I secretly wanted to don false eyelashes and tiara part of me was thinking. Could I do this and stay sane. Could I not go overboard and be cruel to my husband. Could I really save some serious money doing it?
The plan: Learn the lingo, Clip the coupons, Plan the haul, Save Money, Have Fun.
So I'm sitting back watching this thinking these chicks are crayzee. But.....just like I secretly wanted to don false eyelashes and tiara part of me was thinking. Could I do this and stay sane. Could I not go overboard and be cruel to my husband. Could I really save some serious money doing it?
The plan: Learn the lingo, Clip the coupons, Plan the haul, Save Money, Have Fun.
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