This year because of the rough times we're having to stretch our budget more than in recent years. So one of the things we've decided to do is to start clipping coupons on items we would buy if they were a good deal. And while, we're still in the planning stages of the project, I'd say we are off to a reasonable start.

Every Sunday we buy the Dallas Paper with Double Coupons for $3. Elaine helps me cut out the coupons, and Melissa sorts them by aisle. We got some Coupon dividers at OfficeMax and I used some notecards to further divide the aisles into subsections. Our first trial excursion took 2 hours for us to complete, but since we divided the store into two and wife took half the store and I took half the store, that was 4 man hours for our 1st excursion.

Melissa took the health and beauty Aisle because she knows more about what to get on this section than I do. We only bought things that were on sale and were a good deal with coupons. If they were EveryDay prices or not on sale, we skipped those items.

Melissa got a Schick Fusion razor with a trimmer on it which retailed for $8, for free because the sale prices was $4 off and she had a $4 off coupon. She got a 6 toothbrushes for free. On my section, I got some quaker oatmeal for cheap. They had an in store sale for the variety pack 2 for $3.50. and I with coupons I paid under a $1 box. I also got Melissa some Progresso light soups for under $.50/ can (normally $1.50/can). I also got a bottle of Frank's Red Hot sauce for free, and some Sunkist tuna packages for $1 each and every 3rd one free (the free coupon at Kroger Discounted for $1.49 even though the sale price was $1). Got a whole slew of yogurts, including the immunity building ones for adults and kids yogurts for under $1 per 4 or 6pak. Even though I'm not into the South Beach diet, i Got some South beach granola bars, chocolate and peanut butter, for the same price as the Kroger brand ones. Got some more Pillsbury biscuits for about $0.60/can. Wife also got some toaster Strudel's for under $1/box with coupons.

So in all, we used probably 6 man hours in prep and shopping, $9 for 3 weeks of papers, and a bunch of research on the coupon mom website. We Spent $360.27 before Perks Cards, coupons, double coupons and what not. We saved $64.01 in mfg coupons, $12.04 in bonus coupons and $47.75 in in-store savings, for a grand total of $123.80. That's 35% of our bill. Not bad for our 1st time out and considering the time invested, it saved us about $20/hour. Well worth the time and I will keep refining the system. I'm thinking of making a database someone. Whatever I do, I will post again. I'm glad to be blogging again.

Tex