Saving Money

Okay so this weekend I went to coupon workshop at my son's new school and I have to say I am now hooked on extreme couponing. The workshop was held by two sisters, you should visit their blog TwoThirftySisters especially if you are CVS and Publix shopper like I am. It is mostly designed for the SAHM that can really spend time amidst the kiddos working on it but I am thinking I can at least give it go as a full time working mama. I just might not save as much due to time constraints.

I must say going in I was little skeptical that I could cut my bill down even more. I felt I was doing well  with my current plan.  I am primarily a big box shopper (Sam's Club) and I do small visits to Publix on Penny Coupon day. We average for a family of 4 about 400 a month on groceries. I've always been anxious to save more but since we are fairly healthy eaters I really couldn't see how. This workshop enlightened me that you can save and not just on snack foods.  The key is couponing on B1G1 items and at stores where they accept competitors coupons and double coupons. Many of you probably already had this figured out but for me it had always seemed like a wash until I put it to the test.

So this weekend tried my hand at it. I feel I did a pretty good job at my first shot. I bought 214 dollars worth of groceries and only paid 123 dollars out of pocket and in addition to that I made back 26 dollars in CVS extra care bucks (which is like free money at CVS).  So in total I got 214 dollars worth of groceries for 97 dollars. The key now will be perfecting even more and figuring out how to combine my Sam's Club shopping with my Publix and CVS shopping. I need to figure out which items are always a savings at Sam's with or without coupons and which are best to wait to purchase at Publix under B1G1 deals w coupons or at CVS when I can earn Extra Care Bucks back.  I hoping for the month of Feb I can get my bill down to 300 dollars for groceries. Wish me luck. Now if only could figure out how to get great deals on Fabric...