The Checkout Chicks

by Melissa Miller - Melissa is a working mom with three children.  She owns and operates her own cleaning business www.freewebs.com/cleaningbymelissa

As a member of a mommy forum, I constantly saw fellow mommies post threads on how much money they were saving by using coupons, or not just how much they were saving how they were getting great things for FREE! I was a bit skeptical at first and sat on the fence about whether or not I should try it.

Then like a brick fell out of the sky and hit me I got a phone call from the local paper asking me if I would like a subscription for the Sunday paper only. I took that as a sign from a higher power someone was trying to tell me to SAVE more money. So I clipped my coupons for several weeks and stalked this site and AFullCup.com to figure out just how these moms were using there coupons to save the most.

I then sat down and started figuring out “deals” I would get out my sales ads match my coupons and figure out how to get more bang for my buck. I started off small - spending $50-$60 and saving about the same. I was happy to be saving that much, but I wanted to get free stuff! I wanted to pay pennies on the dollar for stuff so I started researching just how it is done. I found that it was a lot easier then I had expected!

I am still a Newbie at the coupon gig however I have started a pretty nice stockpile in just a few short weeks. My family of five will not need shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, razors, soap, or toilet paper for the next year - maybe longer. These are items I will not need to buy; I will only purchase them if they are free or are pennies on the dollar.

Here is a transaction I recently did at CVS to give you an idea of how easy it really can be:

I split my shopping into 2 transactions so in the first I could gain ECB’s because I did not have any to start with.

1st
2 Palmolive dish soap pd $2.98 received $2.00 ECB’s
1 Vaseline lotion pd $2.44 (after 1.25 off Q) received $2.00 ECB’s
1 Crest Pro Health Toothpaste pd $2.99 received $2.00 ECB’s
2 Glade Air Freshners pd $3.78 received $1.00 ECB’s
3 Boxes of GM cereal pd $9.00 (after $1.00 off Q) received $5.00 ECB’s

My total before taxes $21.19
I used CVS Q $3 off of $15 purchase so my total before taxes then was $18.19
I gained $12.00 in ECB’s

Then I took those ECB’s and did another transaction:

2 Herbal Essences Shampoo/Conditioner pd $2.76 (after$3.00 off 2 Q) received $2.00 ECB’s

2 Charmin Basic 12pk Toilet Paper pd $10.73 (after .25cent off Q)

Total before taxes $13.49
Paid using $12.00 in ECB’s
Paid $1.49 plus tax out of pocket
Gained $2.00 in ECB’s

I then went across the street to Walgreen’s where I took advantage of there IVC coupons and was able to also use manufacturer Q’s.

Walgreen’s

1 Glade Sense & Spray sale price $7.99 - $4.00 off IVC - $4.00 off Manu Q = FREE (they adjust the manufacturer Q down to $3.99 off)

1 Glade First Impressions sale price $7.00 -$4.00 off IVC - $.00 off Manu Q = FREE (again they adjust the manufacturer Q down to $3.99)

1 Dove Chocolate bar (as a filler) .89cents

I paid total out of pocket including tax
$1.69 for the Walgreen’s items

So for about $22.00 I received all of the above as well as
$2.00 in ECB’s
2 $3.00 off Glade Coupons that were in the boxes

So Total amount spent $22.00
Total amount Saved just a little over $50.00

I would say that was my best shopping day yet. I have a feeling pretty soon I will be just like the others I have read about that are able to go into a store spent $2-$3 out of pocket and save over $100.00.
I hope you have become inspired by my savings and decide to start couponing, but I will warn you once you start saving you will become addicted. Thank you Sharon for inspiring me I can proudly say “Hi I’m Melissa and I am addicted to couponing.”

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