Coupons Baby!

I LOVE coupons. Coupons are my best friend right now. Ever since I lost my job last March, coupons have become a huge necessity in my life. Now, with the possible end of my unemployment benefits looming on the horizon, they are becoming an even bigger necessity.

I didn't always use coupons. Oh, I looked at them sometimes in the paper and I saw a woman here or there using them. But I thought it was too much trouble. Too much effort. After all, you didn't really SAVE enough for them to be worth it, did you?

Oh, how wrong I was. If I had a dollar for everytime I told the girls not to get the coupons as we walked down the aisles of the grocery store, I would be a very rich woman.

I have a coupon binder which has all of my coupons (semi)neatly organized by category. I buy 2-4 papers a week (both the Asheville Citizen-times and Charlotte Observer.) And I plead with anyone and everyone to give me their coupons if they aren't going to use them.

My goal this year is to really keep track of exactly how much I am saving on groceries, household goods and personal care items. I mainly shop at Harris Teeter, Ingles, Walmart and CVS. Before coupons (B.C.) I was a die-hard Grocery Outlet shopper. I still go there, but, I honestly save more with coupons than I do buying things there.

Here's my totals for this week:

CVS (home of the Extra Care Card and Extra Care Bucks or ECBs) - 2 Trips
1st Trip - B.C. Total $50.09
Coupons/ECB 29.78
OOP $20.31
Savings of 59%

2nd Trip - B.C. Total $33.98
Coupons/ECB 17.62
OOP $16.36
Savings of 52%

Harris Teeter (home of the VIC card, Evic and the almighty land of Triple Coupons and Super Double Coupons)- 2 Trips for Super Double Coupons
1st Trip - B.C. Total $165.78
Coupons/VIC 104.04
OOP $61.74
Savings of 63%

2nd Trip - B.C. Total $70.62
Coupons/VIC 42.60
OOP $28.02
Savings of 60%

Total B.C. for all Trips $320.47
Total Coupons/Store Savinsg 194.04
Total OOP $126.43
Total Savings of 61%

Not bad if I do say so myself. I'm no expert, and I don't claim to be. There are women saving a whole lot more than I am. But, I am trying hard and my goal is to average 70-80% savings every time I go to the store. I plan to post my totals here and also any tips or deals I find.

Come on along for the ride!

Joi