Homeschoolers love bargains--great tips for saving big money during the holidays on groceries

November 10, 1:06 AMPhoenix Homeschooling ExaminerHolly Craw

Previous Next

4 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Phoenix Homeschooling Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Retail value: $181.31. Out of pocket: $26.66.
Net gain after rebate and store script: +$11.81
Holly Craw

The holidays are filled with gala events, family activities, lots of food, travel, gift giving . . .and usually more spending than the budget can afford.  January brings the credit card bill, which can put a quick damper on all the good cheer and festive merry making from the past months.

How can we keep from being overtaken with distress and indebtedness, and still afford to enter in to the holiday spirit?

One great thing I have rediscovered is the value of couponing.  When my girls were young, I carted my shoebox of coupons to the stores after diligently studying the ads for all the best deals.  In those days, even with a coupon at face value, the store brands were still generally cheaper, so I relieved myself of the burden and time of being an avid couponer.

Enter the computer, double coupons (and even triple, quadruple and more!), stores that accept competitor's ads and bargains, and some women with a desire to help lots of folks save huge amounts of money, and you have a phenomenom called Coupon Sense.  It is now so much easier to save money--even on the name brands--and to get wonderful things for free that you may never have considered.

Here's how Coupon Sense works:

• Attend a free workshop to learn a host of tricks and tips for maximizing your savings
• Sign up with Coupon Sense so you have free access to a personal consultant who will answer questions and email you great deals, and have free access to the Coupon Sense website where you will find all the store ads and deals
      (The first month is only $4, but email me, and I will tell you how to get your first month FREE!)
• Subscribe to the Sunday paper--usually three copies gives the most bang for the buck--unless you have friends who will give you the coupon section. (Through Coupon Sense exclusively, you can get three Sundays, plus one Wednesday and one Saturday for only $2.25 per week)
• Set up your coupon filing system (your consultant will give you lots of ideas, and there are many more on the forum section of the website)
• Make your shopping list online (type in the product desired, and you will see a list of all the stores with that item on sale, plus all the available coupons that can be used with it.)
• Clip your coupons, print your shopping list, and be ready to be amazed at the checkout with the low total for all your goodies!

I have been officially doing Coupon Sense for three weeks, and my cumulative savings level is two thirds of the product value.  On some individual shopping trips, I have often saved 75-95%.  This is possible with these tricks:

• Buy only when an item is on sale, and you have a coupon for it.
• Whenever possible, visit the stores that will double or quadruple the coupon.
• "Stack" savings by using the store coupon from their ad with a manufacturer's coupon
• Watch for rebates or store incentives that can bring your total even lower.

Here is a single example that is going on right now on which you can make money.

CVS Parmacy:  Blood glucose meter--retail:  $59.00, on sale for $9.95.  Once purchased, you get a note on your receipt that you have $9.95 in Extra Bucks (CVS script that you can use on the next purchase toward almost anything in the store.)

Walgreens:  a different blood glucose meter--retail $79.99, on sale for $14.99, free with coupon for $14.99, plus $5.00 Register Rewards (Walgreens script) for your next visit.  PLUS, there is a rebate in the box for the purchase price--Net gain of $19.99!  (If you don't need one, consider donating it to someone who does.)

What is the best that I have done so far? I had a CVS bonanza, pictured above.  Everything was on sale, plus I had coupons for all but the water (that was Buy 1 Get 1 Free), $14.99 in Mail-in Rebate, $9.00 in CVS Extra Bucks which will be doubled next time, $8.00 in incentives directly from CVS, plus extra coupons to use next time (worth $4.00) that I received for scanning my CVS card. 

Retail value: $181.31. Out of pocket: $26.66. Net gain after rebate and store script: +$11.81.
(This was even better than my consultant did at Fry's this week!)

Couponing is a huge business for retailers, but only about 5% of the ones available are used.  You would be amazed at all the things you can get for free once you start looking.

Find out more:
Coupon Sense website  (If you sign up, use this code in the field that asks who referred you:  1719844
     You can find an instructor who will be happy to give a free demonstration of the program for you and
      your friends.

Please leave a note below to let me know what you think of saving money on your everyday essentials!

More info on Home Education:

Holly Craw Home Education Services

Holly Craw Home Education Services Facebook Page Become a Fan!

If you would like to receive homeschooling updates as I post them, please subscribe using the RSS feed feature. You will receive one email when new articles are posted with the headlines. I would love to hear your comments, suggestions or questions in the comment portion below, or email me.

Read more articles by this author.

Follow me on Twitter.