s/o being poor

Wzz

i have been saving so much by using coupons. ever since AuntFlo shared that thriftyandthriving.comm website, i have been spending a LOT of free time planning shopping trips. i know i talk about it a lot, so some of you may be sick of hearing about it.

this week, i spent $40 on a full list of groceries that will last the week, including meat and produce.

next week, i might spend the same or less.

my goal is to keep my grocery bill this low so next month i can start using the envelope system and maybe start tucking away more money into savings. this will come in handy because i keep getting parking tickets.

lastly, target sucks these days. i have a ton of love for them, but their online shopping experience is unpleasant and the in store experience has become a nightmare. i accepted their request to do an in store survey that was supposed to take all of 5 minutes, but i decided to walk out after 10 minutes because the kiosk i was sitting at was broken.

**O-Face**

Ugh.  That sucks re: target, wzz.  I agree some of their online coupons suck (though you didn't say this specifically), and they don't offer great savings.  I ALSO agree on the online shopping thing (you DID say this).  It's as if they want you to use popups throughout the ENTIRE site.  It's annoying and I just don't like it.

AND, why are the prices online different than instore?  This bothers me for some reason.

VarunaTT

I just don't find coupons for things I will use. It seems to be for mostly processed foods, frozen veggies or bread.  The canned goods that have coupons, I can buy in bulk cheaper or the store brand cheaper than the coupon.

I try to pay attention to the sales fliers and buy when fresh produce is on sale and then freeze it appropriately.  But about the only thing that shows up in coupons that I'll use is frozen veggies and even then, it's cheaper for me to buy the store brand or fresh on sale and freeze.  I just quit trying.  I find my time better spent in buying bulk staples and sales, freezing than with coupons.

GBCK

Couponing WELL requires more organizaton than I seem to have (organizaton isn't my strong point though).

And the ability to do math on the fly.  And the time to go to 3 stores.

I see people do it well, but when I standing there w/ my coupons, calculating price per oz, I tend to find generic store brand is still cheape a lot of the time--the only way to make it work is to stack coupons w/ sales.

I did get a ne-mail coupon from amazon for suave kid's shampoo...and, WTF amazon?  I can buy it at meijer, not on sale, for less than what it'll cost per bottle, in bulk, w/ a coupon.

tawillers

I don't get sick of hearing about your savings, wz.  I like it.

I do not share your online Target hate, though.  I get great deals online and the (free) shipping I get with my Red debit card is very fast.  I usually get things the 2nd day.

I have been slacking in the couponing department for the past 2 months.  I check my sites when I remember but I haven't been doing as great as I do in the winter.

Wzz

the coupon thing takes a while to really get going with.

Wzz

taw, i bought some good kid sneakers on target's website. it's just that it takes so long to load. i wonder if i just need a new computer that is NOT circa 2005.

tawillers

Oh, I see.  It's the actual navigation.  Yes, I agree.  It's a bit slow, depending on what I click, and it has been since last year.  It's annoying.

GBCK

I do like 'virtual coupons'.  The smartphione ones make my life easier at Joanns and the M-perks thing at mejier.

baconsmom

I'm with Varuna: I can't ever seem to find coupons I'll use, so I gave up. I buy strictly what's on sale, and Wednesday is my shopping day because that's when WalMart discounts meat. We're doing well on a hybrid Costco-regular store program, though. 

mrsconn23

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_wedding-woes_so-being-poor?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:47Discussion:42e34d6b-fc8e-4752-8b65-fe8a160f005bPost:7e351bfd-c3bf-4fbe-9804-1cd6f991c822">Re: s/o being poor</a>:
[QUOTE]I do like 'virtual coupons'.  The smartphione ones make my life easier at Joanns and the M-perks thing at mejier.
Posted by GBCK[/QUOTE]
This.  I also get Target's mobile coupons too.