I spend more time on it than I need to, just because I enjoy the chatty friendly aspect of the couponing board that I've been going to. If I were just to go once a day, check the threads relevant to my stores, make notes and leave, I wouldn't spend more than 30 - 45 minutes a day between clipping coupons/organizing my binder/figuring out what I want to buy.
I spend more time on a couple of different boards than I probably should, but hey it gets lonely being a SAHM!
I'm HORRIBLE at math, so without calculator, my receipt adding up process would take forever, but it's not to bad now, maybe 10 minutes depending on how many receipts I have and if I'm a week behind or not!
One thing that I don't calculate in, is that we get the majority of our meat through Angel Food. What we do buy separate is usually bought at Sam's Club, so I have to estimate my savings. I shop the regular stores to stockpile good sales on HBA, dry goods and the convenience foods that I normally wouldn't buy otherwise.
The first rule of couponing is keep everything unless you absolutely know you wouldn't buy it... because you never know when a great sale will happen!
If a sale is amazing, I will buy coupons for it so that I can stockpile... I had a fairly long post about it in another topic so I'll just paste it here:
  |
Quote:
|
I buy to get multiples of coupons to stockpile items that are on sale for extremely cheap or free.
Example: I paid .10¢ a coupon for $1 off any Reynolds Aluminum Foil excluding 25 ft. - bought 20 of them. Walmart has boxes of Reynolds Foil Wrappers up by the registers - 20ct for $1.00, so free after coupon. 20 boxes for $2.00 is still a great deal after paying for the coupons.
This past week I bought 10 of the $2.00 of Gillette Quattro Razors that were on sale at CVS for $2.00... Free after coupon, and paid .20¢ per coupon. I got 10 razors for $2.00, which is far cheaper than I could ever buy refills for.
I didn't get a Kellogg's insert a couple of weeks ago in my local paper. I bought 5 Eggo Waffle coupons $1 off 2 for .10¢ each. Bought 10 boxes at Publix BOGO last week... $10.25 before coupons... $5.25 after coupons were deducted... add back the .50¢ that I paid for the coupon and they cost me $5.75... Bonus: the 10 boxes qualifiy for a $10 mail in rebate from Kellogg's.
When I first heard about coupon buying I thought it was nuts too, but I quickly changed my tune!
|
|
Another example where buying coupons can be smart is in the month of September, CVS is having a deal on Zantac... Buy one for $5.49, get $5.49 ECB back, making it free, limit 5 per card. I just ordered 10 coupons (5 for my card, 5 for DH's) for $2 off Zantac, which will end up profiting us $8 after the cost of coupons (.20¢ per coupon)
Also in the month of September, CVS is having a deal on Adidas Deodorant... Buy one get $3 ECB back limit 5... well there is a coupon in the current issue of All You magazine for a free Adidas Deodorant. The magazine costs $1.97. Free Deodorant (nothing out of pocket) + $3 ECB - $1.97 magazine cost = $1.03 profit per x10 = $10.30 profit between 2 cards.
Well this was more long winded than I intended! Sorry!