Deals of the Week

Does couponing really pay off? It depends. I think if you make it your obsession and spend every waking moment clipping, shopping, and hording, it has taken over your life and should be something you tone down or cut out. But having a moderate view of couponing REALLY DOES pay off! I've been mocked and teased for being a couponer by some, and have had people question if it really saves you money after you buy a paper and go to various stores, etc. but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I have saved hundreds of dollars through couponing! (And if you respect Dave Ramsey; he said his wife saved $700 last year just by using coupons!)

Diapers is a great example! The cheapest generics in our town are around $7 with tax. Thanks to shopping Walgreens diaper deals this month, we have gotten around 12 packages for $2 or $3 a piece! (and some of you with the extra coupons have gotten this many for FREE!) This package of LUVS was only $3 with my $5 off coupon that came in the mail. It took me about 30 seconds or less to fill out my address on the LUVS site that MoneySavingMom linked to and they sent the coupon within a week. Was it worth that 30 seconds to save $5? Absolutely! Is it worth reading MoneySavingMom for 5 minutes each day and printing off the coupons that apply to my area now and then? Absolutely! You only have to read the many posts under this thread to figure out how God has blessed us through couponing. I definitely don't do all the deals out there and have limited stores, and very limited coupons in our local paper, but it's still worth it to make this a part of my life. We have been able to bless lots of missionaries and friends with the excess (medicine, shampoo, toothpaste, etc.)

School supplies are on sale! I love stocking up! I use the glue (22 cents at Wal-Mart) for scrapbooking and crafts and the tape for wrapping gifts (3 for $1 at Walgreens.) I always like to have a stash of new crayons (22 cents at WM) for our travel bag, gifts for Ali's toddler friends' birthdays, or Operation Christmas Child boxes.

Freebies! With an internet coupon, the BIC pens were around 30 cents a package and the Kotex were free with a coupon from the paper (Wal-Mart). We didn't need Lamisil, but since it was $9 at Walgreens and I had $9 in coupons for it, I got it and plan to use it as a stocking stuffer for my dad or brothers for Christmas. The highlighters should have been free with overage, but I'm not sure if the cashier got all my coupons straight on that deal so I may have paid a little for them. The markers and gel pens are free-after-rebate at Walgreens this month! The sippy cup was only $1 after being on clearance and an easysaver coupon and it will either be a nice baby gift or something Justus can use eventually.

Since my mom is a teacher and my dad is notorious for losing pens, I plan to save some of these things for Christmas stocking stuffers!

I got other things we needed to stock the pantry, and odds and ends I needed for my hospital bag or for around the house too. Shopping this week was BEYOND stressful! I guess my new rule of thumb should be that I only make the trip (30 miles) if my mom or hubby can watch the kids because it is seriously exhausting, especially in the heat and with a huge belly! Even if you try to do it in 2 hours it almost always takes 4!!!



In spite of the long delays in the check-out and the mix-up with some of my coupons not working (the Walgreen's register's fault), it was worth all the stress to get the good deals on things we really needed. I'm always amazed at how much I get from Walgreens for so little money. At one point the cashier was refusing to take both a store coupon and a manufacter's coupon and she said, "We can't just give you something for free!" I inwardly chuckled at that thought since I've gotten COUNTLESS things from there free, but I merely said, "Okay," politely and her manager came back a few minutes later and said they COULD do both coupons!

I'm hopeful that I won't have to shop in that town for a full month or two now that I'm stocked up on some essentials. Those of you with CVS or Walgreens right around the corner, you are blessed!