We all know I want to Career Transition like a few of you fellow bloggers (here and here). To do so will mean cutting back on extras and tracking expenses wisely while getting a new dig off the ground. It had me thinking… can I transition sooner if I become a coupon queen? Can becoming a coupon queen allow me to find a lower paying, non-long-commuting-job-sooner? Tis the thought is nice.
Check out this link about a ‘Coupon Queen’ (sorry, the link did not have video emmeding rights to post on this site – have to direct you away from MF). I am envious of this lady’s talent with coupons.
She spends about 1 hour clipping/printing coupons and buys $239 worth of groceries, but usually pays no more than $4 out of her pocket. That’s a huge savings for about 5 hours of work a week.
Save approximately $1000 a month for 20 hours a month of work. Not a bad idea. What do you think? What is your experience with coupon shopping?
I am curious to know if you have to shop a multitude of stores to score the best deal or can you win by shopping at one local grocery store.
I can usually save $30 when I coupon shop. But to save a $1000 has a great ring to it and could lead to spending more time with my family & self interests (like getting my own business going!).
To help you get started in becoming a Coupon Queen, please check out The Grocery Game and The Coupon Mom for tons of free printable coupons.
To pull off that kind of Coupon Queenery, you do indeed need to work deals at multiple stores, have room to stockpile, learn about and maintain price books & personal price thresholds, memorize the assorted rules for each store, and be pretty on-the-ball about expiration dates (on in-store rewards like Walgreens Register Rewards or assorted supermarket catalinas). While you can get the clipping and filing part down to 1 hour a week, the actual shopping takes longer (less long if you’re really good at mental arithmetic), plus all that driving around. And some stores/staff give couponers a hard time, and then you have a choice between spending half an hour to sort it out or ditching the deal. It’s not all doom and gloom, and I certainly don’t want to put you off – but if it was easy, everyone would do it and the deals wouldn’t be as great. Experience makes it all a lot more efficient and internet coupon/sale discussion sites do a great job of putting scenarios together for you, but it’s very, very time-consuming in the beginning and you will make mistakes (read: spend more than intended). In other words, it depends on where you are with couponing now…
And you were just the person I was hoping to respond to this post. 🙂
I kind of figured as much, but am glad to have it validated. While anything new takes time and can mount to beginner mistakes… I think even if I do not get to quit my job it may be worth taking time to ‘coupon queen’ for my one local grocery store. If I can save another $20 – $30 on top of what I save now… I’d be content.
My tip: plan your menu around the store’s ads. I have bought some really yummy CPK pizzas for $1 a pop. Now, if I could do that everytime I shop I’d be a happy camper.
Thank you for your input! It’s exactly what I was looking for.
It’s also hard to save that much when you eat healthy and buy fresh fruits and veggie and such. Most of the savings are on prepackaged junk/snack food.
I didn’t think about that one. You are right. I do buy mucho fruit and veggies since I am still maintaining a High-Raw food diet. I guess my only savings in that department comes from buying produce in tune with the sales ads. And sometimes the farmer’s market can be a good buy.
Of course, that is hitting the multiple store issue.
Well, the rest of the fam is not eating quite like me (yet). They still eat all that crumby packaged food stuff.
Great point!
One rule for raw fruits and veggies is to always go by the season. If you only buy the fruits or the veggies that are on sale, you’re usually buying what is in season. This has two major benefits: 1) You pay less for your good foods and 2) the foods you get are always more fresh.
My friend has a theory that he is allowed to eat whatever fruits or veggies are on sale (ie in season) – unlimitedly – because that is how we evolved as humans. So our bodies were designed to go through phases of what is fresh and available at that time. It also keeps you more mineral and vitamin-ly balanced since through out the course of the year you’ll be eating all of the different fruits and veggies rather than just buying what is your favorite – no matter the price. Of course, this does mean A LOT of wintery greens, which is definitely not high on my want list. 😉
That is an interesting theory that makes a lot of sense. I love ingenious ideas such as this one. =D
Have you tried Kale chips? Might help with those winter greens. 🙂
Yeah to veggies and their goodness!
Although, sometimes when I wonder in the produce aisle I see the less familiar produce I think about all the time it took to grow & harvest, but will probably go to waste. 🙁
Money Mate Kate has it exactly right. I tried this when I didn’t work and stayed home with my two younger kids…even bought several Sunday papers, etc. I found the stores to be a bit discouraging, as many didn’t double coupons or accept online coupons.
Wasn’t it Vons or Ralphs that used to double. Then they took it away? I was doing really good with that one.
Luckily, I haven’t been questioned on the online coupons yet. Hmmm… it might prove to be interesting to try a day-with-the-coupon outing and see what the outcome results.
Tip if you shop at Ralphs: get up early in the morning, clip the sunday coupons and shop at Ralphs. Many of Ralph grocery sales ads go with the outcoming Sunday ad. My friend does marvelous on her shoping excursions. Reynolds Aluminium Foil for 0.19 cents. Serious save!
The other thing is that she probably gets 5 copies of the newspaper to have that many coupons. I save a little with coupons, but I’m never going pay $4 for $100 worth of food.
It would be nice though, wouldn’t it? 🙂
You are probably right. She probably has the time to be part of one of those couponing groups. If I add one more thing to my daily agenda I’m gonna explode! lol. I might try it as an experiment though. Be interesting to see the outcome. thanx for stopping by!