And now a post about saving money—because the groceries we save on mean more budget for paint and projects. Since I recently shared my 2011 goal to learn coupons and save more this year, here’s a practical update for anyone else trying to turn paper clippings into real savings.
I saved $53 at the grocery store! Coupons really do work.
I’m not an expert—I only started navigating the coupon world a few weeks ago—but here’s what I’ve learned in straightforward terms. I needed a simple, slow explanation, and that’s how I approached it.
Tip One: You save the most when your store matches coupons and when you combine a manufacturer’s coupon (from the paper or online) with store coupons or sales. For example, if your store marks organic milk down by $1 and you have a manufacturer’s coupon for 50 cents and the store matches that 50-cent coupon, a gallon of organic milk that’s normally $3 could drop to $1. Combining sale prices, store matches, and manufacturer coupons is where big savings happen.
Those savings add up, especially when you shop in bulk every 2–3 weeks. Fewer trips mean fewer impulse buys and better planning. Now for a few more practical tips for coupon newcomers.
Tip Two: Only use coupons for items you already buy or genuinely want to try. Buying things just because they’re cheap wastes money, time, and storage space. My rule: clip or print coupons only for foods our family eats or likely will eat. We prefer organic produce and dairy plus basics like pasta, bread, cereal, and granola. Coupons for those items can be harder to find, but they exist, and combining them with store loyalty programs can lead to significant savings.
Besides the Sunday paper (a great source of coupons and weekly sale flyers), here are a few types of online resources I check to find printable or store-loadable coupons: coupon aggregator sites that list weekly store deals, the store’s e-coupons page for loading offers directly to your loyalty card, and major printable coupon sites. I experimented with several sites to find the handful I use most often. You don’t need to follow every coupon blog—pick a few reliable sources and stick with them.
Resist getting overwhelmed. I get about 90% of my useful coupons from my top favorites, so there’s no need to bookmark dozens of sites. A little experimentation helps you find the best sources.
Over two weeks I clipped coupons for items we actually need and use, made a careful shopping list noting quantities to maximize savings, and loaded some coupons onto my store card before going in. We spent around $160 for two to three weeks of groceries for our family of three. We left with over nine reusable bags and 77 items, and we saved $53. Those savings covered organic items like baby yogurt, milk, eggs, produce, and pantry essentials like whole wheat bread, pasta, granola bars, and cereal—plus a few treats like dark chocolate and ice cream.
Here are some specific examples of how coupons combined with sales to yield big savings:
- Two organic yogurt 4-packs were priced at $2.69 each (total $5.38). The store had a 60-cent markdown on each and we had a manufacturer’s “buy one, get one free” coupon, which brought the total cost for both down to $2.09—a savings of $3.29.
- An 8 oz bag of grilled shrimp was $5.99, but the store had a $3-off promotion and we had a $1 manufacturer coupon, so the shrimp cost $1.99—a savings of $4.
- A box of granola bars listed at $2.49 was on sale and further reduced by a 50-cent e-coupon loaded to our loyalty card, bringing the final price to 49 cents for the box.
Not every item will be deeply discounted. Some savings will be 20 or 50 cents—those small amounts add up over time. The key is buying things you will use, not just items on sale.
More couponing basics I learned:
- “10 for $10” signs are marketing—buy what you need, not what the label suggests.
- Don’t assume the largest size is always the best value. Sometimes a $1 coupon on a $2 box yields a bigger percentage savings than using it on a larger, more expensive size. Check price per ounce when possible.
- Sales and coupons tend to be cyclical—many items reappear on sale every six weeks. If you have room to stock up on staples when they’re on sale, you can often wait for the sale to come back rather than buying a huge hoard.
Organization helps. I keep clipped coupons in a clear plastic sleeve between shopping trips. Before we go, I remove coupons we won’t use so the sleeve contains only the coupons I plan to “spend,” and I slip the shopping list inside so I know quantities and sizes. At checkout I hand over my loyalty card first for store-loaded discounts and then present my paper coupons. That simple routine has worked well so far.
So that’s my couponing update. Happy clipping—and if you’re a coupon pro, feel free to share tips. I’m still learning and always open to smarter strategies.
P.S. Not all kids’ toys are created equal. Check out the few Clara loves so much we never want to hide them away—unlike most of her other toys.