Extreme Couponing

So, a few weeks ago I watched the show, Extreme Couponing on Netflix. It was crazy the things that they bought, money that was saved and just how big their stockpiles were. While it was very interesting to watch, it also made me kinda skeptical, because usually when something seems too good to to be true, it usually is! After watching the first season, I deciding I wanted to see if this whole couponing thing was really worth it or not. In the show they talk about how some of these people spend like 30-40 hrs a week couponing! Now that's just crazy to me!! It was like a full time job. I was logical and knew I wouldn't be able to right off have a $0 shopping trip and that I wasn't going to spend 30+ hours doing it, but I wanted to try to save some money every week.
 I started off by buying 2 weekend papers so I could get the coupons out of them. I also did some research on the internet and found a few websites where I could print off coupons. I also went to the local recycling center and found more coupon inserts that were in the newspaper recycling bins. I wasn't sure where to start so I just tried to get as many coupons as possible. Now I don't believe in buying things that my family won't use. I don't have a cat, so if I can get cat food for FREE, I'm not going to just because its free.
 This is what I have found in the 2 weeks that I have started couponing:
1) You have to be flexible on brands and buy what you have a coupon for, which may not be the brand your use to.
2) It really doesn't take 30+ hours to coupon and save your family money
3) You want to match up coupons with ads from the store to get your best deal.
                     * A 30 cents off coupon may not seem like a good deal, but if the store has an item on sale for $1.00 that week and you save 50 cents with an in store coupon and 30 cents with a manufacturing coupon, you just got your item for 20 cents!!!!!!

   You can use an instore coupon with a coupon that you printed or cut from a newspaper together. Each store has different policies so your best bet is to request each stores coupon policy to know exactly what you can do. In Mountain Home I have found Walmart and Walgreens to be the best places to coupon. Occasionally I find some name brands at the Dollar Tree and then I get REALLY good deals on the item. Walgreens is probably the best overall and my favorite place to coupon now that they have their new rewards card program! It's FREE to sign up and well worth the savings for having the card. Certain things that you buy, it get points for and those points add up quick and you can get dollar amounts off your next purchase. They have a weekly add and let you know when you get points for buying an item and if there is a coupon in the paper that week for the item. They do Buy 1 Get 1 promotions all of the time, which means you can use more coupons and get a better deal.
  I have found a great website that has tons of printable coupons and is updated daily and they tell you if they come across a great deal and where the item is at and what coupon makes it so great! They also list tons of FREE items that you can get with certain coupons! I've been able to get things FREE, just by the item being $1 and I have a $1 off coupon! It really is so exciting to go in a store and leave getting an item or items for FREE!!! Now, let me warn you that couponing can  be REALLY addicting!!!! I've only been doing it for 2 weeks now and I already have changed the way I buy groceries and now plan my meals around what the sales in the store are and what coupons I have for that week. I having already told my husband many times I cant buy something because I don't have a coupon for it. While, No I havent' been able to get a $0 grocery bill, I have been able to save at least $20 in my grocery bill the last 2 weeks on coupons. Also, the items I do buy tend to be multiples so I can stock up and don't have to pay full price when I do need that item again. The whole goal is to buy things that you usually need when its at a right price, so that when you do need it, you aren't paying full price. I may not need dish soap right now, but I got a super deal on it last week and when I do run out in a couple of weeks, I already have that item!!! I will try to keep updating on my coupon finds and helpful hints as I go along. It should be that the big of stockpile that I do have the less money I have to spend on groceries each week and can eventually just buy what I need to replenish it.
Here are just a few of the great deals that I've gotten in the last 2 weeks:

 Here I got dish soap, hand soap, bar soap, tissues, soft scrub cleaner, toilet paper, air freshener, toothpaste, shampoo, mouthwash, toilet bowl cleaner and muiltivitamins on that were great deals my first week!

                               Here is a few of the food deals that I got with my coupons and sale ads!
I've only done that for 2 weeks so I haven't got everything down yet, but I have learned a whole alot in that short amount of time. If you have any questions or want to get started on your own couponing, just let me know and I will help set you up for saving money success!