Extreme Couponing Tips

How's your Thursday?  Mine is A-okay!  I started my morning with a plyometric workout with Kyle.  Lots of jumping and pushups on the Bosu ball.  Then I had school and an awesome couponing trip to Publix.


It has been established that I am a big fan of couponing..possibly the Crazy Coupon Lady?


I have been couponing seriously for about 2 months.  I always used coupons, but I put more effort into it now.  Plus now I have a swwweeetttt pink coupon binder.  Since couponing for "reals" I have saved about $30-$40 a week.  I feel good about those savings.

I love you binder.

The hard thing with couponing is trying not to buy things you don't need.  I'm pretty good about that...but...I do have about 6 toothpastes :/  
Since Kyle and I eat so healthy it is harder to find coupons, but it is possible.  The best advice I have is to watch your store for scales and scour the internet for healthy coupons.

Since I have been couponing more intensely I am no more aware of the average prices at all the stores I shop at.  This helps me to know when to stock up on an item and when to avoid buying.


I also utilize coupon blogs.  They do all the hard work for me.  They show me where the best deals are, what coupons to use, and what sales are coming up.  
These are my favorite coupon sites:

• Totally Target
• I Heart Publix - she publishes Publix's upcoming Wed sales on Monday so you get a head's up on what deals are coming.
• Wild for Wags
• CouponMom - watch the tutorials

Today's Publix trip was a HUGE success for healthy finds!  I got  great deals on Kashi frozen entrees, Yoplait smoothie mix, egg whites, and coffee.  I also got decent savings on Gatorade protein drinks and brown rice.

I spent $48.12 and saved $56.75.  That's a total savings of 54%!  *fist pump*

All this for under 50 bucks!

Here's how one of my deals worked out for Kashi frozen meals:

• Kashi frozen meals regularly $3.79
• On sale at Publix for 4 for $10 or $2.50 (if it says 4 for $10 you do NOT have to get all 4 to get the savings.  This is a marketing tactic called anchoring.)
• 2 75 cents off coupons
• 1 Target coupon for $2 off 4 Kashi items
• Final cost per item- $1.62 - 58% savings

There's also a couponing question about whether or not you need to buy more than one Sunday paper.  They are only about $1.50 and if you think you will at least make that in coupons than go for it.  I like to have 2 papers for BOGO sales.  

At Publix I can use a coupon for both items on a BOGO.  Today I had 75 cent smoothie mix coupons.  Smoothie mix was BOGO and $3.19 each.  I got 2 bags of smoothie mix, regularly $6.38 for $1.69 or about 84 cents each.  That's some good savings!  Currently I only get one paper and rely on others to give me the additional coupons.  Sometimes I get them and sometimes I don't, so I am thinking up upping my paper stash to 2 as well.

To read my first how-to couponing blog- click here.  

I also want to give a shout out to some awesome couponers- Melissa, Alexis, and Johnna!  Good work ladies! And thanks to Kashi for the pita chip sample in the mail.  Did you get yours?

For tonight's dinner I made a yummy, kid-friendly dish.  In terms of healthy this meal is about a B.  I made French's fried onion baked chicken nuggets with a tomato basil salad and a spinach salad.

The chicken nuggets were out of this world!  I coated the raw chicken in mustard and egg whites.  Then in a mixture of crushed French's onions, fresh parsley, and fresh rosemary.  I baked them for 25 minutes at 375 degrees. 

I hope you can use these tips to coupon in the future.  If you have any questions about couponing, clean eating, or why our cats are so darn cute please don't hesitate to ask us!

What's your best money saving tip?

Love and savings, 

Carissa & Kyle