Thursday, April 1, 2010

The truth is revealed... coupon clipping questions answered.

Thyhand asked a bunch of questions in yesterday's monthly food purchase photo update... so I thought I'd answer them in a new post today... just in case you had some of the same questions.

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1) How do you keep everything organized once it's home and in your house?
Cabinet space in our kitchen is limited to 2 large cupboards with food... everything else goes in the "food storage" room... or the "mini mart" as the handsome husband likes to call it. However my free shampoo/ toiletries collection was getting rather large so I had to move the "dry goods" to another closet. I fully expect to be on the show Hoarders by the end of the summer.


2) How do you determine how much of a back supply you will keep for yourself? For example, if you already have a year's supply of laundry detergent, do you stop keeping detergent and just donate the rest?

I DO have a years supply of laundry detergent, so... obviously I can stop collecting free detergent for myself. But I'm working on a years supply for Leopard Girl & Little Miss Lawyer Pants for their Christmas Pallets. When I'm done with their year supply I will be donating the rest to a Woman's shelter.

3) Can you tell I am trying to figure out the workings of your thrifty, thrifty mind?:-)

A penny saved is a penny earned. Not using a coupon is like throwing away money.

.72 cents PLUS 1 Free gallon of milk... Keep what you'll eat... donate the rest!

4) When your garden becomes more demanding, will you be able to back off on the deal-hunting or will you shift things into over-drive?

I don't know what I will do during growing season. I will probably have enough free crapola on hand that I can take it easy during the summer months... but I have no idea... I've only been on coupon crack for 2 months and I'm still figuring it all out.

5) On average, how many hours per day would you say that you spend coupon-hunting/clipping and shopping for all your deals?

Right now... 1-2 hours... but each day it gets less and less. THAT MAY SEEM LIKE A LOT... (and maybe it is) but I'd rather spend 1 -2 hours a day looking/ clipping/ shopping for free food than sitting on my bum watching mindless reality tv or shopping at the mall or getting my nails done or doing something else equally lame. Here's an example... yesterday we went to Albertson's and bought $83 worth of food for $1.30. Would you rather get up, go to work, pay taxes and earn $83 or would you rather take 15 minutes and clip a few coupons and pay only $1.30 for $83 worth of food? Hmmmm

6) This is not a question, but someone should hire you as their personal shopper.

I don't think it would be fun doing this for someone else... I'm weird that way...

Yesterday's Freebies

7) You should win some kind of award (also not a question) or teach some kind of coupon class or start a coupon clipping blog or something to get the word out on your coupon-using-self.

I have offered to teach a few people (friends) about the whole coupon clipping game... but the funny things is...no one seems to have the time... to save money...

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There is ONE QUESTION I was waiting for someone to ask... but no one did...

Did you forget the name of your blog?

No, I have not. When I started this little blog of mine a year ago the goal was to "jump off the processed food chain." And I was doing a pretty good job of it if you ask me... until about 2 months ago... when I discovered THE POWER OF A COUPON...

Where does that leave me?

I have no idea.

But the Farmer's Market opens soon...
and I will be working in the garden for a few hours each day once again...
and I'm just as curious as you ... to see where that leads...
But I do know one thing for sure...
Once you start to use coupons... why would you stop?
Those little pieces of paper = free money
And oddly enough... it's not about the free money... it's about not wasting it.

Why would you pay $3.49 for a bag of Sun Chips...
when you can get them for .19 cents a bag?



4 comments:

  1. Mavis, Thank you for answering all of my questions and more!! I am excited to see what you will do next- whatever it will be, I know it will be fun. Do you know that your enthusiasm literally seeps out of my computer? I have to mop it up every day:-).

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  2. All I can say is you have a lot of energy. ... and I can see Jennifer's point about supply and demand ... companies producing crap. Just today I went to Walmart and my brain overloaded just trying to focus on only whole food products.

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  3. I have always been a coupon clipper, but am just now getting really "into it." I would love to know how to get free laundry soap since I've never been able to do that. I've been able to get free Colgate and minor things like that, but never the soap. You are truly an inspiration to me. Think I'll go clip some more coupons :)

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  4. Thyhand... You are funny... I'm having fun... and that's what counts right?

    JJ... I looked up your big word... Discernment: All moral conduct may be summed up in the rule: avoid evil and do good.

    Hmmm... are you saying all my free food is evil? I am giggling with delight... if that is the worst thing I do(procure free crap) I'd say that's not too bad. :) However, I do understand where you are coming from... point taken... I will chew on it for awhile :)

    Mrs. Mac... You are VERY BRAVE... I have only been in a Walmart like twice in the last 5 years... it's scary in there... I hope someone did not try and run you over with their Rascal Scooter.

    Boxermommy... I was able to pick up my free (smaller) All Brand detergents when I spotted them in the clearance section at my grocery store. They were marked down to $2 and I had some $1 off coupons that I doubled. The Purex was on sale at another store for $1.79 a bottle... but if you bought 2 you received a coupon for $4 off your next order... which made them free...check out the website hip2save.com it's a great place to start :)

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I LOVE comments BUT if you know who we are...due to the fact that we are currently enrolled in the international witness relocation program because of a moon shining incident in Dingle, Ireland involving 3 Mutton, a pair of red shoes and a road flare .... please do not reveal our personal information.... You know.... like names, places, or our favorite brand of toilet paper :) Hey, thanks!