Coupon Analysis

In the past few weeks, I've been doing my best to shop using coupons and watch the sales to get the best deals that I can. I actually enjoy perusing the sale flyers to see what's on sale and how I can make the sales work for me.

But I started to wonder if I was really saving money. So I decided to take a detailed look at my receipts from the past week.

Groceries:
Total before savings: $83.78
Total after savings: $61.81
Total Savings: $21.97

Not bad, right? And while it looks like a lot of money for one person for a week, that involved a lot of stocking up. I won't need to buy Lean Cuisines for lunch or Coke Zero for the rest of the month, among other things. But the question is, did I buy anything that I normally wouldn't buy?

The answer is, unfortunately, yes. I picked up some pudding snacks and some single serve apple sauce because I had coupons. I did exactly what the manufacturers wanted me to do. So how much did this cost me? $9.38 before coupons, and then I used $3 in coupons. So $6.38 of things I wouldn't normally buy.

Not too bad, all in all. And the extras I bought are things that will go into my lunch and replace other afternoon snack foods. But that's still something that I need to watch out for when I'm clipping coupons

I also hit up CVS this week. It was a much more expensive trip than normal, because I needed to replace a few things. I also don't play the CVS game like some - I do my best not to buy something I don't normally buy just to get the ECBs.

CVS:
Total before savings: $71.03
Total after savings: $40.87
Total Savings: $30.16
ECBs back: $3.00

Not bad. AND! I didn't buy anything I wouldn't normally buy, nor did I buy anything not on my list. Plus I managed to get enough deodorant to last the rest of the year. It seemed a little silly to buy four sticks of deodorant, but it's my preferred brand, and at $1.99 off, plus a "Spend $10, get $3 ECBs" plus a $1 coupon, it was worth it.

Because of all the stocking up I did this past week, I expect to not have to spend much over the next few weeks on groceries and items from CVS. Watching the savings add up can be a bit addicting. I just have to continue to be careful to only buy things I need - otherwise the coupons aren't worth it at all.

Also, I'm still buying a newspaper every week rather than subscribing. I would be saving about half the price of the paper if I subscribed, but I'm waiting to see whether or not I can actually keep up with the couponing. I used to subscribe to a paper before I moved to the D.C. area and it ended up piling up on my kitchen table because I lost interest in couponing, and the subscription cost became a waste. I don't want that to happen again.

Ebates.com

I discovered Ebates.com in January of this year and have made a few purchases here and there, picking up things that I planned to buy. Not only do they have coupon codes, but they offer cash back on purchases made when you click through their site. The percentage varies, but it adds up. During the first quarter of 2008, I received over $15 in cash back and another $10 for referrals. I was scheduled to receive my first "Big Fat Check" in the form of a PayPal deposit on May 15th (unfortunately, there is a delay between the end of the quarter and the check's deposit). By 4:00 that afternoon, I had received a notification that I now had an additional $26.02 in my PayPal account. Ebates came through!

So if you haven't already, check it out! I know I'll continue starting my online shopping through their portal. I realize I'm starting to sound like an advertisement, but seriously, it was exciting to suddenly discover that I had an extra $26, especially after saving on the purchases to begin with.

Have a great Friday, and a safe holiday weekend to all those celebrating Memorial Day.

Taking time to save money

I admit that I'm not the smartest shopper when it comes to groceries and other household items. Sure, if I happen to catch a sale, I might stock up slightly. But note the words: "happen to catch." That's right, I very rarely look for sales. It's just not something I do. But it's something I need to start doing.

For the first time in a long time, I clipped coupons last weekend. I made a point to go to the store, pick up a paper (for $1.50 - but I plan to subscribe in the upcoming weeks), clip the coupons, and then, because I'm a bit obsessive, I started a spreadsheet with the coupon data. The theory there is that I can watch for expiring coupons, and I can have all my coupons listed on one page rather than just stuck in my coupon organizer. Having already done the major grocery shop for the week, I decided to look at the CVS circular to see what was on sale and if anything matched up with my coupons.

Lo and behold, I found a number of deals! Items already on sale that I also had coupons for! Items that I use all the time with ECBs offered this week! I'm trying to do my best and only buy things that I would normally buy - because otherwise, am I really saving any money at all? I realize that's not always the way to play the drugstore game, but I think that's how I'm going to play my version for now. Realizing how productive this trip was, I decided that I also needed to start looking at the grocery store circular every week.

I tend to do my shopping early in the morning on Saturdays or Sundays, and my store's circular goes online on Fridays. Perfect! I can browse through the circular, figure out what's on sale that I use and compare that to my coupon list. This should also help my plan to have more of a stock of food around the house, in case of emergencies (and let's be honest, also in case of "too lazy to go to the store").

I'm not sure why I haven't done this before. It didn't take long to go through the paper on Sunday morning, and I did it while catching up on some tv. I know some people spend hours planning their shopping, but for me, that just doesn't make sense. I shop at one particular grocery store (plus Whole Foods on occasion) and I go to CVS. That's what's within walking distance for me - anything else requires getting in my car, and that's when it becomes too much of a hassle in my mind. So I just need to block out a little bit of time every week for couponing. Shouldn't be hard at all.

Yet another money saving plan to implement when I get home from vacation.

Getting sucked in

I think I've been on a tight budget a bit too long. I'm finding myself wanting to buy things that I've already decided aren't things I need, at least not at this point. Thankfully, my budget will loosen up a bit after this month (too many weddings and family vacations crammed together), but I still don't plan to be spending just because I feel like it.

The latest draw is Netflix. I've never been a Netflix subscriber. I do like movies though, and I especially like watching movies at home. For the most part, I tend to wait until a movie is available on DVD before seeing it, unless it's something I really want to see or a friend suggests we make an evening of it. I think this year, I've seen Under the Same Moon and The Other Boelyn Girl. That's it. (And I highly recommend Under the Same Moon - excellent movie.) I'll probably go see the upcoming X-Files movie in the theaters, just because that seems to be the sort of movie that would be best on a big screen, plus I was an XF fan for so many years that it seems appropriate.

So I seem like the type of person who Netflix would be great for. I love the idea of being able to create a queue. I love the idea that I don't have to go anywhere to get my movies. I don't love the idea of spending $20 a month for this service. While I like movies, do I actually rent them all that often? No. Maybe twice a month, and as of late, I've been using Redbox and getting them free. InsideRedbox has a list of free rental codes that you can use at Redbox locations. Even if you don't use a code, a rental is only $1 a day. Yes, the selection is limited. But it's $1 a day, or even free! You can't beat that.

I have a fairly sizeable collection of movies and tv on dvd at home, some of which I haven't watched in years. I'm embarassed to admit I even own dvds I've never watched, things that were gifts or picked up on sale. Rather than go the Netflix route, I think I'm going to make it a point to watch every single dvd I own - both tv and movies. Once I do that, then I can consider a Netflix subscription. Or maybe suggest it as a Christmas gift.

It's easy to hear about great products and think "Oh, that's perfect for me!" because you hear the good points and how other people use the product and don't think about how it's going to work for you. I just need to continue to think through my purchases. I think we could all save a lot of money if we just slept on it. 24 hours later, would you still think it was a good idea?

Couponing

When I lived in St. Louis, I was obsessive about coupon clipping. Mainly because I subscribed to the Sunday paper. But I quickly realized that while I was using the paper for coupons, I was never actually reading the paper, so it started to feel like a waste. The papers would start to pile up because I spent my Sundays preparing for class the next day, and then throughout the summer, studying for the bar exam.

Well, my student days are thankfully over, but when I moved to Washington, D.C., I didn't bother to subscribe to the Sunday paper. I figured I wouldn't end up reading it, and the environmentalist in me struggled with the idea of having all that extra paper (even though I recycle, of course). It seemed like a cost that I didn't really need.

But I wasn't thinking about the coupons. (I also wasn't thinking about the money I would save by always using the comics to wrap presents.) Given the rising food prices, I think this is an idea I should revisit.

I often struggle with whether or not coupons are really worth it. I've always believed that you should only use a coupon on something you would buy anyway - don't think of it as a "deal" on something new. Unfortunately, it seems like most coupons out there are for new products hitting the shelves. Of course, there's nothing wrong with trying new products, especially if it's a type of food you consume regularly. For example, if you eat a granola bar for lunch every day and the paper has a coupon for a new kind of granola bar, it doesn't hurt to check it out - provided that with the coupon, the new granola bar is cheaper than your old standard.

(This is probably a given, but be sure to watch your base price. How much is in that package? What are you paying per base unit? I'm lucky enough to shop at a store that lists the unit price on the shelf tags so I can determine which item is the best buy, but if you don't, be sure to do the math in your head or carry a calculator. Trust me, it's worth it.)

The other thing is that I'm always trying to eat healthier, and it seems like so often, coupons are for processed foods. I'm not going to find a coupon for apples or other produce. But even though I do try to be healthy, I admit that I'm still stuck on a number of processed foods, and there are coupons on things I use, such as various canned soups and vegetables, and occasionally rice and other grains as well. Besides, I need things like detergent and toothpaste too, and there are often coupons for those products.

You can also print coupons online, though I have sporadic luck with those. Sometimes it's products I use, but most of the time, it's nothing I want. Conveniently, I don't have to print those. The big sites are SmartSource and CoolSavings.

The CouponMom is a highly touted resource for coupon usage. The site has a database of coupons from the Sunday paper (you do still have to buy a paper) to help you figure out what's on sale and when you'll get the best deal combining coupons with a sale.

A number of bloggers have been talking about The Grocery Game. This is a subscription based site ($1 for a 4 week trial, then $5 a month). Every week, you get a list of the lowest priced products at your supermarket matched with coupons and specials. Of course, to do this, you need to stock up on the coupons, as frequently, the coupons in this Sunday's circular will be best used in a few weeks to match up with sales. I haven't tried this yet, but I think that I will sign up after I return from vacation. A summer experiment of sorts.

I also read a lot about the Drugstore Game on various blogs. This is played at CVS or Walgreens, though I admit, I only pay attention to the CVS discussions, as that's what's nearest to me. The theory is that by combining coupons and products with ECBs (Extra Care Bucks - basically coupons for $X off your next purchase, no matter what it is), you can save hundreds of dollars. This oftentimes means buying products you wouldn't normally buy, just to get the ECBs. I see the point - an example would be if I buy this shampoo with this coupon, I spend $2.00, but I get $3.00 in ECBs. So I technically got a dollar for the purchase. It's just hard for me to make that expenditure, especially if it's something I don't normally buy. I'll have to look into it further though, especially since I work within walking distance of a CVS - I could play on my lunch break!

Don't forget coupon codes for online shopping! I've mentioned Ebates here before - it's where I start when I'm shopping online. Not only do you get cash back, but they often have some great coupon codes as well. And of course, before you submit an order, do a quick Google search for StoreName Coupons. Who knows what you might find!

Want more info? Check out these links:
The Zen and Art of Coupon Clipping
Coupon Tips and Tricks That Can Cut Your Grocery Bill By 80% (some great ideas here!)