How I got $40.07 of grocerys for .42 at Meijer

First, this wasn't something I was doing every day.....I seldomed couponed-if I remembered there was a coupon or remembered where I put it then it would be used.

Struggling to make ends meet seem like a normal thing for every family these days.  I know I have been for quite a while.  Im not going to cry a river, thats useless but Ive come to realize that if I dont put the hard work and effort into everything, it just isnt going to happen for me.

So on with what you all would like to know.



I went my friend Jackies house for a pool party for the girls on Tuesday July 26. Jackie and her friend were talking about couponing.  Now I wasnt exactly pleased.....more irritated because I was like "OMG, not one of these kinds of "partys"???????????

I was more than surprised when we went to the pool talked girl "shop" and had a really good time-NOT TALKING ABOUT COUPONS!

THEN.........................we started talking about how hard it has been with trying to make ends meet every month for our familys. Thats when the coupon subject reared its ugly head.....

Jackie showed me her "stash" her "STOCK" so to speak.   Laundry detergent stock that I could only hope to have since I seem to go through a bottle a week for only 2 people!!!  Tooth brushes, deoderant, toothpaste, pop, cereal, soup,  etc...etc...etc......

I was like WOW!!!! My eyes were bulging out of my head!!!

Now anyone who witnessess all that "stock" knowing that she got it all for almost FREEEEEEEEEEEEE would be JUMPING UP AND DOWN LIKE A CHILD BEING TOLD HE IS GOING TO CEDAR POINT FOR THE SUMMER!!!!!

Ok OK OKKKKkK!!!!! Give me a few more minutes to tell the story......

So anyway, I hate shopping....never liked it, did some clothing shopping way back when I was married but I think that was more because of the stress I had being married (some of you know why....) but I really hate grocery shopping, snotty people, long lines, and forgetting my glasses so trying to read the damn isle signs was hell!!!

Jackie had a simple little system.... that was how I knew I could do it! But boy oh boy was I frustrated at first, overwhelmed, stressed out and almost said FORGET IT the first week.

I spent A LOT of time reaching comparing, and ultimately I streamlined it "for me".

Here is what I do....

First, thanks again to Jackie, she gave me a binder folder with 6 pockets....to hold the coupons the list etc for when I go to the store. Then told me to start getting the newspapers Detroit News, Detroit Freepress and the Macomb Daily on Sundays. (You can buy the inserts, from Craigslist etc but there goes your savings.)  She also showed me how she stores/files the coupons. There are two inserts in the papers they are  RED PLUM and SMARTSOURCE...sometimes there is P&G as well.   She writes the date on the front of the insert, 7-10 or 7-31 etc and files them by date in a hanging file folder.

Second, I researched some coupon sites that she refered me to, then found some that work better for me since I hate shopping I need it simple or I wont be doing it no matter how much I save.  (A few of the sites are on the sidebar here on my blog page ...right over there :)  -------------->)

Here are some sites:

• Bargains To Bounty
• Coupon Database
• Coupons

Third, I narrowed it down to the stores that I shop at the most, because I know where stuff is to reduce my stress levels.....search by store on those coupon sites. (Kroger is one of my favorites only because of the Fuel Points-since I drive all over the world these days.)

Fouth, I look for the freebies.....or stuff that is less than a dollar (You know you can go to the dollar store for stuff but I wanted better than the dollar store, the last time I went to the store, I purchased 14 items for 3 cents each!!!) But you can scroll through the site and look for stuff that you NEED versus what you WANT. (Buying to much & hording will come back around to bite you, be kind and courteous of others or if it pisses off the right person or the right store it will all come to an end....just like it did a few years ago.)

So when I make my list, I have taken an OATH to only get that stuff which is on the list!!!!

Its not hard, its time consuming....in the beginning but plan to simulate or do a run thru for a week or longer. Prepare for failure or a slow go even if you have to just try one thing at a time.

OH and one more thing, when you go to the check out, for the first few times go to the self-check out so you can slowly scan and see what prices are ringing up and make sure there are no coupon $ mistakes-there are some coupons that ring up wrong and you'll need to watch out for that.

Im very happy to help any one, times are tough and we need to do what we can do.

Please check back, Im going to post more links and more ideas as I come across them.

If you have any questions, please feel free to message me.

Happy Couponing!!!