I always wondered how those mail-in rebate deals worked! Good to know it's not that difficult to do. I have always wondered why NO GROCERY STORES here offer double coupon deals??!?! I got used to that in Tucson when I was in college- every little bit of savings helped.

The place I save the most with coupons is at RiteAid. It is usually for things like shampoo, conditioner, razors, shaving cream, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc. It really works when you couple it with their rebate program. They have a book of rebates next to the stack of ads when you enter the store. You sign up for an account online and after shopping you enter the store #, reg #, and the shopping #(found at the top of your receipt) and at the end of the month they send you a check.

Dear coupon fans, please check the WSB Coupons page (tab under the header) - we've added a few new ones, including a few bucks off Thanksgiving-to-go at PCC. More to come. Meantime, love the frugality tips. I miss the days of double coupons - when I was a starving 20something in my first apartment, across from an Albertson's in Davis, CA, I remember paying almost nothing for groceries when big coupons came around!

I don't find coupons to be that helpful unless they are some amount off the total purchase over an amount I'm likely to be spending anyway. For this reason, I love Chinook Book's PCC and Bartell's coupons, and have been using the QFC Grand Opening $5 off coupons that have been coming in the weekly fliers. I'm also a long-time PCC member, so I get 5% off on the 15th of the month and a coupon for 10% off any trip during the month (this month's newsletter has 2 10% off coupons!). (And for those who say PCC is too expensive, it's true you can easily spend a fortune there, but using other Chinook Book coupons, sales and member benefits, plus buying bulk whenever possible, you can do well there.)

I also use the Pantry Principle: maintain a well stocked pantry, keep track of what you're running low on and watch for sales. Then you never *have* to run out to get staples at full price. Earlier this week I picked up enough groceries at QFC to feed our household of 5 for the rest of the month using meal plans based on what we already have on hand and what was on sale there. Using the QFC card, the $5 coupon and buying almost nothing that wasn't on sale, I paid $36 for $90 worth of groceries. Shopping this way I usually save about 50% of the total, but rarely do I use brand-specific coupons.

i keep a coupon file.. and only use those that are for products i actually buy...

i don't plan my shopping trip around my coupons.. i just try to use them when i shop.

tonight we had a $10 coupon off at Dukes plus a $20 Dukes giftcard that we got from Westfield when we bought our new phones... we splurged and had an appetizer and chowder with our meal:)

i confess though that i have never been able to be one of those super coupon shoppers who plans the entire grocery trip around their coupons...

i don't even manage to save my coupons for sale prices most of the time:(

I hate dealing with coupons. Since we are more willing to spend money on quality food, it doesn't matter so much.
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What I have found VERY helpful is to sign up for the newsletters of our favorite vendors and make great use of their sales notices.
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Also, for any online purchase I check http://www.retailmenot.com for potential discounts.

EmmyJane, I'm kind of with you about the coupons. I find that most of them are not for products I use (packaged foods, name brands, etc.). I can save more money by NOT buying the products that coupons are made for! Cooking fresh foods and buying store brand paper products, etc. saves a lot more money than coupons in my experience.

I browse through the weekly sale papers for the grocery stores and make a list of everything that's on sale that we eat or use, then buy those items and build my weekly menu around that. When I do run across a coupon for an item that I normally buy, I hold onto it until the item is also on sale and then use it.

Still, food is one of our biggest expenditures. We don't buy a lot of furniture, clothing, or misc. goods - just what we need. We don't go to movies, bars, or clubs. We eat out occasionally but that's about it.

We also have a mortgage we can afford, a reasonable car payment, and do not use credit cards.

The hubby and I stopped eating out all the time. I used to have Starbucks every morning, go grab lunch somewhere downtown, etc. Now we make our own coffee and bring our lunches.

We also keep a budget now and record all expeditures against it.

Ok, I know this is a STUPID question, but can someone tell me how to save some real money by using coupons? I cut the ones out of the mailers, I print the ones online, then I go to the store and usually only one or two actually is good for something I bought.

I try not to use the car on weekends. Gas bills are less; less frivolous spending.

I stopped buying stupid sh$t.

:)

yes, but it isn't easy even living a fairly frugal lifestyle..

cars paid for... no big trips or dinners out... shopping sales and outlets.. even for food... etc.
We do eat well.. but do so as inexpensively as we can... we use coupons.

And hubby makes good money. Not easy times.

I lead a pretty frugal lifestyle (buy a car every 10 + years, don't take fancy or frequent vacations, etc...) so I can build a nice rainy day fund in case something awful happens. I willingly shop the sale rack at the Gap instead of buying $200 jeans at Nordstrom and use coupons at the store so I can have peace of mind. I've always been this way so it's not a huge sacrifice. Wasn't there a thread about this a while back?

Or are you..