Extreme couponing backlash

As I wrote about here and here, extreme couponing has become really popular in the past few years thanks to a reality show and also thanks to the poor economic conditions. However, not everyone is happy about the trend, including other shoppers, cashiers, store managers, and manufacturers. The article below from msn.com covers the backlash that extreme couponers are facing. Will the actions of some "crazy couponers" make it harder for the rest of us to use a reasonable amount of coupons on our next shopping trip? It remains to be seen.

Extreme couponing sparks backlash

Sunday Paper still Key for Coupons



From MediaPost

Do you use Groupon, Twitter, or online coupons to save a little money? You're not alone. However, a recent study shows that 49% of coupon users still use the good ol' Sunday paper. Are you one of them?

People Still Turn to Sunday Papers for Coupons

Extreme Couponing: My Edition

Image from Google Product Search

As you may recall, I posted here about extreme couponers who go nuts buying items with multiple coupons and then storing the items until they need them. I decided to give it a limited try.

My first target has been toothpaste. It's something we use all the time, is easy to store, and we are not picky about the specific brand and type. Over the past few weeks, I have been clipping most manufacturer's coupons I have seen for toothpaste. This week, my first opportunity presented itself. A Target coupon book came in the mail which contained a $1 off Colgate Total coupon. Ha!  I had clipped a $1 off Colgate manufacturer's coupon two weeks ago. I marched over to Target and picked up a tube of Colgate Total for 64 cents by combining the two coupons.

A small victory, but I will take it. Do you have any recent coupon victories?

Extreme Couponing?

From http://www.thekrazycouponlady.com/

Over the past year, I have read and seen several stories about so-called "extreme couponing." This involves using coupons and store sales to get items for a very low price or for free. Often these extreme couponers will get many many packages of a certain product and stockpile it, just because it is very cheap. Some of them are so good, the store will owe them money at the end of a purchase transaction because of the combination of coupons and sales!
Have you seen the TV show about these deal-finders? It's on The Learning Channel (TLC) and is called Extreme Couponing.

Here's a website that has tips and strategies, as well as weekly breakdowns for stores such as Target and CVS. http://thekrazycouponlady.com/

What do you think of the strategy? Have you ever done it? The jury is still out for me, but maybe I should try it for a couple weeks and see what happens...

Free admission to gardens throughout the US on Friday May 6

I found out about a great deal being offered by Better Homes and Gardens. This Friday, May 6 (National Public Gardens Day), they are offering free admission to public gardens throughout the United States. For more details see the link below. You just enter some information about yourself (be sure to uncheck the boxes asking for email newsletters unless you want junk mail), which garden you want to go to, and print your free voucher.

The weather is looking great for Friday, so I think my daughter and I will be checking it out.

http://npga.bhg.com/

Some participating gardens in places my readers live:
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (Minnesota)
Boerner Botanical Gardens (Wisconsin)
Olbrich Botanical Gardens (Wisconsin)
Chicago Botanic Garden (Illinois)

Grocery deal at Target

I haven't had a chance to go check this out for myself, but there is a great deal going on at Target this week. If you buy ANY seven frozen items you get a $5 giftcard. Yes, that's right, any items. It's not just on the items shown in the Sunday paper circular. And you can combine with manufacturer's coupons as well.

I will be heading there tomorrow to see how much I can save! We need some frozen items (chicken breasts, pizza, juice, vegetables), so I might have a fun picture/receipt to show and tell. Also, I have a feeling that Valentine's items, if still left, will be at 75 or 90% off so will have to check that out, too.

Until tomorrow...

PS- I just checked Target's online coupons and there are several out there for frozen items. Some amazing deals to be found for sure!

Fun Coupon Facts

There was a good article in the Star Tribune this weekend about coupon use. Some interesting factoids from the article:

2.9 billion coupons were redeemed in 2008 and

3.3 billion coupons were redeemed in 2009, marking the first increase since 1992

367 billion coupons were issued by brands in 2009

38% of "super heavy" coupon users and 41% of coupon "enthusiasts" have household incomes of more than $70,000

While Internet coupon use is growing quickly, 89% of coupons come from newspaper inserts

Source: Coupon Craze

Do any of these facts surprise you? I personally have been using more online coupons but the majority are still from the Sunday paper.

The Krazy Coupon Lady?!

A friend of mine recommended a website/blog that shows you how to use coupons to save a ton of money at stores such as Wal-Mart, Target, CVS, and several others. It's actually similar to what I posted here a couple weeks ago.

Krazy Coupon Lady

Looks like some great ideas. Just remember, if you don't need something, don't buy it just because you can get a good deal!

Grocery planning for this week

As I planned my grocery list for the week I had some thoughts I wanted to share:

LEFTOVERS

The word of the week is leftovers! I'm making a pasta dish that creates three to four servings of leftovers which are perfect for lunches. A two-pound meatloaf is also on the menu which means even more tasty leftovers. Not sure about the other nights but I think one dinner will involve the frozen salmon I bought on sale today.

Double-up Deals

Target has a big sale on grocery items this week to celebrate the opening of many newly-remodeled stores with fresh grocery offerings. When doubled-up with some of their available Target online coupons you can get some great deals.
Kraft cheese- on sale in circular for $2. Also a $.75 coupon available online
Archer Farms Chips- There was a coupon for a free bag with $25 purchase in the Sunday paper. Also they are on sale 2 for $5 plus there is an online coupon for $1 off with purchase of three
Progresso Soup- On sale in circular 2 for $3. Also online coupon for $1 off if you buy four

Who knew? Crazy deals at CVS!

Have you ever shopped at CVS Drugstore? I haven't even though we have one not far from our house. I have never even looked at their Sunday ad! A friend of mine has really figured out how to save money at CVS. It's all about their "Extra Care Bucks." Here's a link to her blog post from today outlining the great deals she just got. I'm going to have to check out the CVS ad this week...

What a deal!

Target online coupons- some good ones are back!

I saved quite a bit of money this week with the online coupons offered on Target's website. They have private label ones back again. I got $2 off frozen chicken, $0.50 off hand sanitizer, a free bottle of juice with purchase of two boxes of cereal.....

Cool idea- creating menus from grocery ads

Wow! This mom has turned coupons and blogging into a money-maker! Each week, she takes the ad and coupons from her local grocery store and creates a menu for seven meals plus a grocery list. There is a monthly subscription fee for her recipes and meal plans. What a good idea. Maybe I will try to create a week of menus from the Sunday ad circulars one of these weeks.... but I won't charge you for it.

Stay at home mom converts coupons into a career

Update on Target online coupons

A week or so ago, I wrote about how Target was offering some valuable coupons on their website for private label products. Today when I went back to their site to check what was new, all of the private label coupons were gone! What the heck? Maybe too many people were using them? Good thing I printed several that don't expire for another month.

Target online coupons

I've used Target's printable coupons before, but noticed this week that they have some really good ones. In the past, almost all of the coupons were for national brands such as Pillsbury and Gillette. Now, there are many for Archer Farms, Up and Up, and Market Pantry available. Here are some coupons I printed this week:

- $1 off fresh produce
- $1 off Market Pantry frozen fish
- 50 cents off Up and Up multipack razors
- Free Market Pantry frozen vegetable with purchase of Market Pantry frozen chicken
- $1 off Market Pantry ice cream

You should give the coupons a try! Here's the link to the coupon page on Target.com.

Thrifty Strategy- Coupons

What are you looking at above? This is my super-simple strategy for organizing my coupons. Each Sunday when I look through the paper and when I find online coupons, they either go in the white "save" or green "use this week" envelope. Then when I make my grocery list, I go through both envelopes, throw out any that have expired and make sure the ones I need for the week are in the green envelope. The hardest part is remembering to bring the green envelope with me. The best way to remember is to keep it in the purse or bag I plan to bring with me or in the car.

Do you have a coupon strategy? Feel free to share!

Free Food- Noodles

A couple years ago I filled out a little slip of paper at Noodles with my email address (the email address I only use for this kind of thing, to keep spam out of my main email account), name, and birthday (not year). Every year since, I have gotten an email coupon for a free entree during the week of my birthday. The coupon doesn't require another purchase, which is key. That means I can get a large entree and a water for free! They also send out other random free meal coupons throughout the year. You can sign up on their website under the Noodlegrams header.

What's your favorite dish? I usually get penne rosa with baked chicken.

Thrifty Strategies- Meal Planning

Making homemade meals is a great way to enjoy time with friends and family while at the same time being healthy and of course frugal!

Over the past few years, my husband and I have tried to sit down once a week to plan our meals. Here's the routine:

1. Look through the Sunday paper for coupons and at the ads and websites of local grocery stores for what products are on sale (Target, Cub, and many others have printable online coupons)
2. Check the freezer and pantry for items I'd like to use this week
3. Get out our favorite cookbooks and/or head to the computer to find some recipes based on what's on sale, what we already have, and what we feel like eating that week (I'm planning to write about favorite cookbooks, cooking websites, and some of our favorite recipes very soon)
4. Plan the evening meal for each day, including side dishes. Write the plan and recipe page numbers on a pad of paper on the fridge
5. Make the grocery list and go shopping! And of course stick to the grocery list as much as possible.