Saving Money with Coupons or Not

Usually, I purchase a Sunday newspaper at WM for $1.85, including tax. However, some weeks there are no coupons I am sure I will use. If I buy the newspaper these weeks, I feel like I have wasted money. Well, I have. But, I don't buy if there are no coupons I will use or if there are no coupons.

For the last year or so I have gone HERE.  At this site I can see exactly how many inserts there will be in the paper, which inserts, and which coupons are available when I purchase a paper. I have an email in my inbox, so I don't even have to look for the site or wonder if the inserts are listed yet.

Last week, I saved a trip to WM and $1.85. If I don't make it to WM, I can go to the newspaper office and buy a paper for $2. The newspaper office is three blocks from me and has spots to park right on the street. It is probably easier for me to go the newspaper and buy a paper than it is for most people.

This week will be good with four inserts. One coupon is for $2 off Garnier. I will probably buy at least two papers. I will always buy hair color.

Do you have a tip with a good place to find coupons or deals at drug or grocery stores? Do you check online to see what inserts or coupons are available each week?

I Am Cold! October Goal Met?

Written Sunday, but it is still cold!

My will is sinking. It was almost freezing here last night, I think. However, the heater is not in place yet, nor are the combustible moved. J has been going to help me "next time" she comes over. However, today it was a bit warmer and the temperatures will rise to 78 by Saturday.

Her host has offered to help me, so I may take him up on that. He is trying not to turn on his heat, either. I wonder how that works for the homeless people he has helped and housed. ???

I should have opened a window today to let in a little warm air. It is 4:30 pm and almost too late. I actually got lots done late, late last night, so I did not feel bad about sleeping late today. I am throwing things away slowly as I can often only get one or two small things from the cluttered porch into the trash.

A person gave me the whole Sunday newspaper, so I got the ads and coupons out. And, I have thrown away the excess. It is not a local paper, so most of it is of no interest. So, $2 saved again...yay me! Plus, I will not have to go to WM or newspaper office to get a paper this week. The newspaper is just about three blocks from me and not out of the way at all.

If I can last one more day, this will be the first October in almost 30 years that I have not been very ill and needed multiple antibiotics. Is it possible I have beaten this curse with the correct mix of allergy meds? And, a little luck? And, keeping my fingers crossed?

More trouble:

After her episode last week, I talked to her host. She could not even help him at his business on Saturday, so someone had to take her home. I went by there, and no, she could not help me either. So, it is cold in the house. Saturday afternoon, she be bopped here and smilingly gave me "$10 she owed me." I immediately told her it was $15. She ignored me as she ran to car, saying she and bf were going out to eat. You have no where to go on Tuesday and you can afford to go out to eat? You owe me money and you can go out to eat? grrrr

I noticed all the little things she did not do and decided giving her a list and WATCHING HER is my only recourse to getting things done. I gave her hot chocolate and she took it outside to smoke. I rinsed my cup and easily washed it the next day. I had to retrieve her cup off the porch and soak and scrub it to get it clean. !!!!

A friend came by. He has had a knee replacement. He said he would pay her to help him. When he came in, he thought I had bought a new car. He wants her to wash his, also white, as it sits under a tree like mine. He said she could stay with him. I have no idea what he has in mind, but she is better off with him than her bf.

This friend and his bil will come by to help me. Hopefully, they will and will behave.

It is 5:15, so the goblins will be out soon. Tomorrow, candy will be on sale!

Oh, J and bf rented a room by the week down near the junior college. He will drive 15 miles to work each day, and then have to drive back. They cannot make it. They rented it last night and stayed there....ewww...without sheets? This evening, they move.

Your turn
Are you trying to avoid turning on the heat? What day is your goal to use heat?

Not Much Here

I slept two hours last night, and then just lay here. Since I was going to the doctor and had to wash my hair, I could not rest well last night. I know that sounds silly to some.

Finally, I sat up and cut coupons. There are some really good ones in this paper. Four sets of coupons yielded about $50 for things I absolutely use each week or month. That was 12 inserts and I only paid for one paper. I have another paper but have not cut those yet. So, I suppose that would be about $60 from the June 4 paper that was less than $2.

Being up so early had one advantage today as I got to see much of the coverage of the shooting aftermath in Virginia. It made me cry. The world has gone mad.

My doctor's appointment was at 11 am. At 11:30, I was on the way out the door. That does not happen often or ever. And, the office was less than ten minutes from my door.

It is almost 5 pm, and I am going to put this away and just let sleep take me away.

Your turn
What is on your mind?

Online Store Circulars and Coupon Information

 

Saving money? Let me introduce you to three online resources to increase your coupon savings and your efficiency. Maybe you have tried some of these resources.

1)
I found a feature in my online local newspaper  that interests me. I usually buy the Sunday paper from my hometown and from Birmingham. Our Walmart will "price match" all ads in about a 60-mile radius, even if I am not able to get my hands on a newspaper or choose not to purchase a newspaper. If there are no coupons in the paper, all the newspapers are sold, or I cannot get out, I can use this feature and still have access to ads and deals I might want to check out. Maybe you can find this feature in your local paper.

Refer to ad picture.I clicked on the small icon for CVS and got an ad. A viewer can turn the pages. Plus, the ad for each product can be enlarged to easily read. Blogger insists the picture be at the head of this post, not where I wanted it!

2) There are sites that inform readers which insert (P&G, Smart Source, Red Plum and others) are in the Sunday papers. Google "coupon inserts 2014" to get other sites that list coupon inserts. I chose this site at random. There are other features also--"How to save money without coupons."

Here is a sample of the format for coupon inserts:
January 5 — (2) Redplum, (2) Smart Source
12 — Redplum & Smart Source
19 — Smart Source
26 — (2) Redplum & Smart Source & Procter and Gamble

Yes, I did get four coupon inserts in the Birmingham News last Sunday. I use this feature before I go purchase a paper to know which inserts should be in the paper! Okay, some days I forget. That makes for a real hassle, going through multiple papers to determine the most common number of newspaper inserts for each insert..

3) Plus, there is one site with "Sunday coupon previews" that even lists the coupons  in the inserts and tells when the coupon expires. That was a "wow" moment for me. You cannot order coupons or print from this site. Here is a sample from the site with a partial list from Red Plum.


Sunday Coupon Preview
Regional coupon inserts & value differences are to be expected!
(x) before coupon = multiple of same coupon
ETS = excludes trial sizes

Emergen-C $1.50/1 vitamin supplement drink mix 10ct+ (2/28)
Gain $.50/1 detergent or fabric enhancer (2/28) ETS
Gain $1/2 detergents or fabric enhancer (2/28) ETS
Garnier $2/1 moisturizer (3/8)

If you can use any of these three sources, you can spend less time on the coupon search!  There are many sites that have the coupon information like the last two examples. Just google for other similar site. The first resource will possibly be in your copy of your local online newspaper. Or, look for ads on a site of a nearby city.

Have fun!

Your turn
Do you ever use any of these sites--local, insert sites, or coupon lists--to help you make decisions and save money? What sites do you use?

Saving on Price of Coupons in Paper

As I came into the grocery store tonight, a young man asked me if I wanted to register for a $100 grocery gift card. Free food? Of course I did? I filled out the ticket stub. He asked me what was my favorite part of the newspaper. Coupons!

Then, he started his sales pitch. I listened. There were various options for subscribing to the Birmingham News. All of the deals came with a gift card. Of course, I am always interested in lowering the cost of anything. Today, I did.