Coupon Craziness

Couponing seems to be all the rage right.  It's not surprising as many families are trying to make every dollar stretch while corporations are handing out incentives to encourage spending. 

Years ago, I'd look through the Sunday paper trying to save $0.50 here and there, but it really didn't seem worth the time or the energy.  I had a short-lived couponing interest, but I think times are changing.

There is a couponing craze going on right now.  You can have the latest and greatest coupons delivered to your email box daily.  All you have to do is print them out.  There are Couponers like the gals at Fabulessly Frugal or The Frugal Girls who have couponing down to a science.  It really is amazing.  We've watched some of their video clips and I'm speechless when viewing their savings!  They are Extreme Couponers and they even have a 90 minute presentation on how you too can become fabuless!

I would say these gals have their PhD in couponing, while I've just entered a the preschool of couponing.  Slowly, I'm getting a glimpse of the savings to be had, but it's all still a bit overwhelming.  Maybe I should use the coupon and buy the video presentation.

One thing I've noticed with all this couponing is many of the products with coupons are not products I'd ever buy.  We're not going to start eating pizza rolls or boxed dinners just because they may be free.  In order to find coupons of food we'd actually eat or products we use, I've had to do a little more research.  Whole Foods has great coupons available online or in a store publication.  In addition you can print coupons from Horizon Dairy or Organic Valley for organic products.  For some items, if you "Like" them on Facebook, they'll give you a coupon to print out.  I'm trying to discipline myself to search for an item I'm interested in and see if there's a coupon before rushing out to the store.  I'm gathering I've just hit the tip of the couponing iceberg.

In the last few weeks I've experienced couponing success at Staples.  We go through a lot of paper in this homeschooling home and at $3-4 per ream it can really add up.  Right now Staples has an offer on Hammermill Copy Plus Paper.  The regular price is $6.79/ package.  Immediately you receive $1.80 off at the checkout, thus paying $4.99.  They will then print out a rebate form for $4.49/package.  This means the package of paper will end up costing $0.50!  What a bargain!

When all is said and done, these 2 packages of paper were $1.  Great savings!

So begins this couponing adventure.  I'm sure there's a homeschool project one of the kids can do as I know I have a couple kids who are great at reading the grocery advertisements and keeping me up to date with the sales.

Living a life of good financial stewardship is not just the responsible thing to do, it's teaching our kids wonderful life lessons to live within our means.