If you have been couponing for awhile, you have probably noticed a trend like me…. all of my “stock-up prices” are slowly and steadily getting higher. (A “stock up price” is the price you are waiting for the items to reach before purchasing in multiple quantities. If you can wait until they are their lowest price and purchase then, it is the best way to build up a food storage/stockpile.)
With inflation, and that dreadful couponing show which shall remain nameless, it has changed the starting prices of foods to begin with. And, more and more manufacturers are putting out lower value coupons- or adding restrictions on how and what you can use them on.
So what do you do??? HANG IN THERE! I will tell you that I am definitely not going to stop couponing just because it has gotten tougher to find a good deal. But, I am going to be more picky on what I chose to buy and how many I purchase of that product. When the economy changes, or other factors change, you have to adapt to the changes. That is the only way to survive. And, until things level out.. which could be a year or longer, we all just have to do the best we can and save the most money that we can.
Our “stock up prices” will be higher than last year.. and definitely the year before that. But, we can still save A TON of money by using coupons! And, how do you know if you still are?? If with a great in-store sale and a coupon, you can get the name brand price for CHEAPER than the store brand, then you know you are still doing good. Please keep in mind that using coupons without the items “on-sale”, you normally won’t be able to get your items cheaper than the store brand. So, that secret combination is the key! (More on that with our upcoming Starting Fresh in 2012 with Couponing Series)
So in the end, I just want you guys to all stay positive. Let’s adapt together and work together to find the best deals and get the best prices we can on things. We will ride out the storm and continue to save money for our families!
rosanne
melea i know that you started writing down a list of good prices, but with everything going up and changing i thought that it may help the new couponers if you could put like ***** if its a really good deal and to stock up on it now. or * if you think its a bad deal. i know you already do a lot though so i don’t know if you’d be able to. thanks for all you do.
Staci
I agree there aren’t any stellar deals anywhere. Smith’s is one example. I thought I was in a slump of not paying close attention to weekly food ad deals. But I think there aren’t any HOT stock up deals. I go to Winco for produce and most other stuff Walmart. I haven’t received anything in my Smith’s gold envelope since the summer. Occasionally I go to Smith’s to check manager special meats.
Other Examples of a hard year are: Target had 70% off Christmas (versus 75% off). Black Friday wasn’t great for me (based on what I was looking for this year and the fact my order got cancelled at 2:30am after t I went to bed at 1am), Cyber Monday wasn’t offering great deals for what I wanted this year. But your online posts were great. I got the small American Girl dolls from Walmart and the Rockwell Watch. THANK YOU!
So, for me I have cut back on my wants and stuck to the healthy basics for our food budget. It’s a good thing–the cheap filler convenience items are out. I get more Greek yogurt, fruits, & veggies from Winco or Walmart. I use milk coupons, cheese coupons, used up a lot of my stockpile, using up my canning, bought Chicken from Zaycon foods, and using up our wild game meat.
I’ve been couponing since 2005 and things have defiantly changed!
It’s sad that grocery budget has gone up way too high in December but I think I’ll manage. It’s a new year right?
Good luck everyone. Keep your chins up! Thanks for a great site Melea!!
Jessie
I understand that some of the extreme couponer’s purchase a lot of the coupon items for “causes” but in the end, they are making it more difficult for others out there in need (for example, my family,) to find a way to save $. I truly wish they would look at the whole picture of the negative effects of purchasing mass amount of items with their coupon addictions.
Rebecca
On about saving money on food .Case lot just started at Smith . We do case lot sale. It saves alot of money we only have $100 dollars to use or less like $50.00 when case lot is on but we get the mosts needed items andmost used item. It still save us lots of money in the long run. Smith stared add Jan. 4 th threw Jan. 10 th. We sometimes hit it twice a year. I hope this helps!
Kari
Melea-
Do you have a list of stock up prices…ie. top price you’d pay for toilet paper? I am just starting couponing and just don’t know what a stock up price would be for my items…I never know if the price is a stock up price or just an okay deal. Just wondering if you had a list of the max you would pay for most items.
Christi
Melea~
Thanks for all you do! I used to get 5 copies of the paper and do full out couponing, but now I teach preschool 3 days a week and work for my husband’s business part time. With two small children added to my work commitments I just don’t have that extra 5 to 10 hours a week I used to have to coupon. Would there be any benefit to using a coupon cutting service…does it cost about as much as getting a newpaper subscription, or no?? I know nothing about them so I’m just looking for advice from anyone more experienced than I. Anything helps 😉 Thanks!
Joan
I wonder the same thing as Kari- do you know of a site anywhere with a general list of what the “great” prices are? I took a class last year and that lady said $1.00 or less per pound for produce and $2.00 or less per pound of meat. I don’t feel like even this is possible as I never see coupons for meat or produce. I do only buy what is on sale, however, and try to make my meals around those items…
Bobbi Kilbarger
I’m making a spreadsheet for our pricebook. I take the ads each week and fill in the lowest price for what we buy. I have a column for each month and an extra row that I keep the lowest price in. I even made it in Google Docs so I can access it on my phone. It’s a work in progress, but I think it’ll really help.
Becca Crookston
The site savvyshopperdeals.com gives three ranks for weekly deals. I use both this site and that site to figure out what and where I will be shopping.
Jennifer Hinds
I too have noticed a big difference in my budget. I used to shop at Albertson’s and ever since they left the Salt Lake Valley, I haven’t seen half of the savings that I used to get there. I have been thinking about not getting as many newspapers since everything has been higher and I don’t see the savings that I was used to. Where do you mostly do your shopping to get the most savings? I get so frustrated at checkout thinking that I had done a great job with coupons and savings and then they tell me the total and I about choke. I have tried “stacking” at Target and watch the amounts come off closely, but I always end up going to customer service to tell them that half the coupons didn’t come off of the receipt even though I watched them at the register. I am still trying, but feeling very frustrated that something that was working for me, doesn’t seem to be anymore. Thanks for your site and encouragement. I will keep trying to be positive.