COCO / Extreme Couponer?

jaycee7389 · November 2011

Does anyone do "extreme couponing" or something similar? FI's friend and his wife saved 6k this year on groceries doing this! FI is now obsessed and really wants to do it, but we don't have any experience.

elannis · November 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_extreme-couponer?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:77f180dd-2bdf-484b-a58d-d4f2ff8e91e7Post:565b0376-989f-45db-b0a4-94dbff089ae5">Extreme Couponer?</a>:
[QUOTE]Does anyone do "extreme couponing" or something similar? FI's friend and his wife saved 6k this year on groceries doing this! FI is now obsessed and really wants to do it, but we don't have any experience.
Posted by jaycee7389[/QUOTE]

Coco has a lot of good tips!

jaycee7389 · November 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_extreme-couponer?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:77f180dd-2bdf-484b-a58d-d4f2ff8e91e7Post:8f834e4c-d9c9-4098-9feb-5730895ae844">Re: Extreme Couponer?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Extreme Couponer? : Coco has a lot of good tips!
Posted by elannis[/QUOTE]

Thanks!

[Deleted User] · November 2011

I read this as CCO for the longest time, sorry!

I'm not "extreme" by any means, but I have a "game plan". and it works for me. I can try to explain it to you, but you might feel like your head will explode. but I PROMISE it's not as complicated as it sounds, you just have to find your groove.

also, the people that do extreme couponing, tend to buy products that are processed. H and I try to eat as fresh and clean as possible, in a way that accomodates our lifestyle. so I cut tons of coupons (just in case I need them, you know? stuff comes up!), but it's almost 99.999999% of the time for processed stuff or candy/sweets/etc. so I supplement by couponing in other ways.

I use coupons mainly for:
baking goods (sugar, flour, honey, chocolate chips, etc.)
sometimes for cake mixes and icing, to keep on hand in case I need to make something in a snap
sometimes meat like turkey sausage, deli meat (although I prefer to buy deli meat from the actual deli, sometimes we have to compromise)
cheese, dairy products
paper products
canned stuff (chicken broth, canned vegs and fruits, etc.)
frozen vegs

and then I have other ways to supplement our list so the grocery bill doesn't kill us.

ravenray · November 2011

Coco will you share with all of us? I want to do this when we get married. Scratch that I will HAVE to do this when we are married lol

jaycee7389 · November 2011

Pefect! FI and I are trying to eat better as well. I'm sure my head will explode, but I need to cut down these grocery bills. Thank you!!

[Deleted User] · November 2011

the long version?

jaycee7389 · November 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_extreme-couponer?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:136Discussion:77f180dd-2bdf-484b-a58d-d4f2ff8e91e7Post:47690109-3414-4d26-9d77-53a8aef8cfb6">Re: *COCO* / Extreme Couponer?</a>:
[QUOTE]the long version?
Posted by CocoBellaF[/QUOTE]

Up to you. I can handle it if you feel like typing it out haha.

ravenray · November 2011

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_not-engaged-yet_extreme-couponer?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:136Discussion:77f180dd-2bdf-484b-a58d-d4f2ff8e91e7Post:47690109-3414-4d26-9d77-53a8aef8cfb6">Re: *COCO* / Extreme Couponer?</a>:
[QUOTE]the long version?
Posted by CocoBellaF[/QUOTE]

You must have posted right before me. So you don't have to if you don't want to/don't have time.

[Deleted User] · November 2011

okay. this will be an extremely long post, so I'm sorry in advance.

the first thing I do is stock up on basics, especially when they are on sale... and especially when they are on sale AND I have a coupon.

example: this week at wal-mart, chicken broth was on sale for 50 cents. normally it's over a dollar. and I had a coupon for buy 5, get 50 cents off. so I bought 5 chicken broths for $2.00. normally it would have been 3xs that much.

3 months ago, I bought 5 lbs of hamburger meat for $5. I cut it up into 1-lb sections and we've been using that. it's lasted us a long time.

this past summer, Ragu pasta sauce was on sale for like 50 cents. so, I bought a few jars with coupons, making it almost (not quite) free. Ragu sucks by itself, IMO, so when I cook it, I make it "mine". I sautee chopped onion and garlic and red pepper flakes, add the sauce, add some white cooking wine, add some herbs, add some mushrooms (we eat tons of mushrooms, cheap and filling!) and sometimes meatballs or hamburger meat and let it simmer for at least an hour. sometimes I add grated parmesan. it turns out fantastic. I promise.

I try to always make sure that I'm stocked up on basics. rice, pasta, tomato sauce, tomato paste, broth, frozen veggies, chicken nuggets (for my H), milk, eggs, flour, sugar, etc. it sucks running out of something when you're trying to cook.

I use a lot of beans. if I'm making goulash, I'll double the beans and half the meat. H doesn't ever notice. instead of buying chicken breasts all the time, I'll buy a whole chicken on sale, or thighs and legs.

when I make my list, I look at all the major ads and see what's on sale. at Wal-Mart and Target, they'll price match ads. so if Aldi (I don't know if y'all have it, but they have CHEAP produce) has apples on sale for 50 cents a pound, I'll price match it at Wal-Mart.

I meal plan every week, like a half a week to a week in advance. I write down everything I need for that week. I shop for those things. since I know what we're going to eat, I don't buy things we don't need just because I'm at the store and OHMYGODWENEEDFOODBUYBUYBUY!! I buy what we need, and then fruit for us to snack on.

and I always make sure that I have a few things on hand in case I need to cook but I don't have much time. we almost always have a frozen pizza in the freezer, nuggets, one of those meals in a bag (like PF Changs or something, I get on sale or with a coupon), and some frozen veggie options (like red potatoes with green beans and red bell pepper).

I make big batches of things, and then I freeze some of it. I freeze some in individual portions (for lunches) and then in a bigger portion, for dinners. last night, I brought out some frozen Pollo in Potacchio for dinner. I had some fresh broccoli and brussel sprouts that I roasted. I heated up the Pollo in Potacchio in a pan on the stove, added some tomato sauce and white wine and herbs, let it simmer while the veggies roasted. I do things like that on Thursdays because I teach soon after work, and I don't have time to cook and pick up the house in an hour.

we also budget. we take out a certain amount of cash every month. I divide it into weeks. then I divide it into groceries, eating out, and fun activities. we only use a debit card for things like gas for the car. so we really only eat out once a week. we save a lot of money that way. and honestly, I like to cook and I cook well. so practically every day, we both take leftovers for lunch. and we really don't drink pop. just tea, milk (one gallon for every 1.5-2 weeks), water, and juice. we eat a lot of eggs and beans. and vegetables.

oh! and if you have a Sunflower Market near you, go there for your meats and produce. super cheap prices, super great food. I LOVE IT. I drive 30 minutes once a week to do my shopping there. and if you bring your own bags, you get 10 cents off for each bag they use. so you can save money that way! Target does it too, only it's 5 cents a bag.

a lot of it is just thinking ahead, and for us, being willing to eat at home instead of out. thankfully, we eat just as good as restaurant food. H loves it, and sometimes if he has something extra tasty, his coworkers request that I make a batch so he can bring it to work for lunch. his favorite right now is meatballs in my pasta sauce served with jumbo noodles and roasted veggies (red potatoes, onions, brocooli). sign up for newsletters... every week, Homeland sends me their ad online so I can see what's on sale for the coming week.

and try the Great Value brands. sometimes, they are just as good. especially if you tweak it to add some extra flavor.

that's so long. I'm sorry. did it make sense at all?

here's my example for the week after Thanksgiving. we'll be out of town, so we'll have to do a big shop when we get back.

Monday: Skinnytaste enchilads, rice, beans, sauteed mushrooms and onions
Tuesday: Skinnytaste pork chops, salad, applesauce (our splurge meal for the week)
Wednesday: H's request: meatballs, roasted vegs, sauce, salad
Thursday: deep south shrimp and sausage with rice, roasted green beans
Friday: probably go out to eat
Saturday: lunch: Bobby's goulash; dinner: probably sandwiches and soup or something easy.

my shopping list:
fresh stuff:
1% milk
12 oz fresh green beans (on sale)
2 yellow onions
cilantro
bananas
apples and grapes for snack (on sale)
green onions
8 assorted apples for crockpot applesauce (we'll eat this for breakfast, snack, dessert all week)
mixed baby greens for salad
lemon
pomegranate
feta (check to see if we're out at home)
red potatoes
fresh broccoli (H's fav)
cucumber
bell peppers (red, green, yellow) (on sale)
ETA: mushrooms

meat:
4 thin 14oz bonless pork loin chops, center cuts (look for best prices online)
1 lb shrimp (on sale)

other:
3" cinnamon stick for applesauce
bread (coupon)
hair conditioner (coupon)
hair creme
toilet paper (coupon)
razors (coupon)
olive oil (coupon)
diced tomatoes
ETA: H's deodorant and shampoo

jaycee7389 · November 2011

Thank you!!! You gave me some really good ideas. I definitely need to start planning out meals before we go shopping, I always end up forgetting or overbuying things. We do have Aldi's, I really need to check it out. A woman in my night class yesterday was actually raving about it.

I'm a pretty good cook, I just need inspiration!

[Deleted User] · November 2011

I save recipes online anytime I see one I like. so when I need inspiration, I just go through them and pick! I LOVE SkinnyTaste. her stuff is ALWAYS tasty. I also like martha stewart and cookinglight. I tried something by BudgetBytes blog and it sucked.

I also subscribe to Everyday Food. it's a Martha Stewart small magazine, $5 a year, with tons of good recipes.

or I just make things up. H's favorite, the meatballs/roasted vegs/noodles with pasta sauce was made because that's all I had in the house. he loved it. so, okay! it's easy, cheap, and full of vegetables, so I'm happy and he's happy.

jaycee7389 · November 2011

I'll check them out! Thanks so so much!

ravenray · November 2011

Thank you Coco! That was so helpful! I am sending this post to myself so I have it for later

[Deleted User] · November 2011

you're welcome. I hope it helps! it works great for us.

CCO2012 · November 2011

I'm just chiming in to say the Aldi is great! I buy cereal, dairy and frozen veggies from here all the time. Its always super tasty and very cheap! I've done major shopping here before and never spent more than $25. (would have been more like $40 at any other store)

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