Armed, Organized and Ready!!!

Okay, I know I have talked about coupons all week long, but I was just so thrilled over my victory this week with them.  I have spent the better part of the week getting organized and buying my supplies to get organized.  It was kind of expensive for me to get organized....I always seem to gravitate to the more expensive things in the store.   I got a lime green binder...it has lots of little nooks and crannies for things...I loved that about it (that might be why the binder was $10...YIKES!!)

I put things into categories according to how I shop and we eat.  Like cereal and snacks are a category.  The reason for this is because we eat a lot of dry cereal (we look like over grown toddlers with our Fruit Loops LOL) and we eat cereal as a snack at night.  Very rarely do we eat it for breakfast.  I also made a tab for restaurant coupons and store rewards, such as register rewards at Walgreens and Care Bucks at CVS.  I am forever losing these.  I am also thinking about making a category for receipts...that way I can take advantage of rebates.  I am not sure about this yet as my binder has several pockets that these could go into. 

Anywho, I am now armed, organized and ready to take on the grocery stores, drug stores and whoever else takes coupons.  I even printed off every stores coupon policy and put it in my binder...oh yeah, I am ready for you.

My lime green binder

My tabs....I am getting organized

Look how nice and neat those coupons are

Bargains Everywhere!!

Yesterday was my great day of bargain hunting.  I started off at the Whispering Pines Thrift store, where I spent a cool $6.  I got Mark 2 Ralph Lauren shirts (they look brand new), a brand new ice cream scoop, New Mary Kay Cleanser, 2 new bottles of Clinque Clarifying lotion, toddler shoes, a cookbook, 2 mysteries and a box of cards.  The Mary Kay Cleanser, Clinque lotion and toddler shoes are all on Ebay. 

Toddler Shoes...for a quarter

Clinque Clairfying Lotion...20 cents

                                            Mary Kay Cleanser....$1

Then it was off to Walgreens where I had some coupons from their flier and some that I printed off the internet this morning.  My challenge this month was not to go grocery shopping, and so far I haven't been in the grocery store, so technically I think that I am still okay. 

These are the items I got at Walgreens.  Somehow, I got the reuse bag free...not sure why though.   Every thing was free after coupons and register rewards except one roll of tape.  My final bill was $1.06.  Plus I got $3 in register rewards.  I even got me some more tabs to organize my coupons in this load.  I am pretty much stocked up on packaging tape now....I have 10 rolls. LOL

After leaving Walgreens, I decided to stop in at Belk's....so glad I did.  They went to 80% off today in Southern Pines.  I had blouses ringing up $1.98 and skirts for $4.98.  I spent a total of  $31.72 and saved $354.65.  I got 5 blouses and 2 skirts.  I would show you a picture, but they have already been packed.  My Pender County friends, you will see these clothes at church the next several Sundays.  LOL  I was so excited as the cashier rang my items up...she kept shouting, "oh my, that was only $1.98."  She was kind of more excited than me at some point.

All in all, not a bad day in my shopping word and I didn't break my challenge and go grocery shopping.   Can't wait to see how much my finds will make me on Ebay...will let you know.

Trying it Again!!!

Coupons!!! I know they work, Amanda is living proof they work. I mean how else can you get $160 worth of items for less than a quarter. Even this past week I bought 5 bottles of dish detergent, 1 bottle of washing detergent and 1 bottle of fabric softener for $3.75 after coupons. These items would have normally cost me $17.35 without the coupons. So you see, I know using coupons work to save money. I just don't keep this strategy of saving money very long. Anywho, now for my big news. I am buying a binder and sheet pockets (or whatever the heck they are called. I know them when I see them) and start organizing my coupons. I ran into a couple of chicks (Angie & Kelly, I thought chicks made us sound cool) from my church at CVS this week. She had her binder out all organized and looked ready to attack those bargains. So I decided to quit stalling and get organized to save some money. I have a whole month since I am not going to the grocery store the whole month of September. I doubt I will keep that challenge (I will let you know when I break down). So wish me luck as I save tons of money on groceries and other items.