Reflections from a novice couponer

Almost a year ago I became interested in couponing.  Ron and I agreed that I needed to cut some hours at work, which meant a reduced income.  As a result I was looking for ways to save on our expenses, and couponing seemed like a good idea.  With about a year under my belt, I thought it might be helpful to share my experience for anyone who's interested in giving it a try.  Here are some reflections from my year of couponing.

1. Get advice from a pro.  

My kind friend,Carmen, agreed to sit down with me to explain the basics.  Carmen is to couponing as a black belt is to karate.  She's good!  It was very helpful to hear how couponing works and get some tips from her before attempting to use coupons on my own.  If you don't know anyone personally, there are a number of great websites that offer basic information about couponing.  The two I have used the most are Southern Savers and Moola Saving Mom.

2. Be prepared and organized.

I'm not going to lie.  The first several times I attempted to use coupons were very stressful.  I was sweating, my heart was racing, and I was generally a hot mess.  This was partly to blame on having a toddler with me, but I can't totally blame Noah.  I wasn't as prepared as I could have been, and it made for a stressful experience.  I would suggest researching deals in advance, knowing what you want to buy, and only bringing in those coupons.  I've had far too many experiences of fumbling through a stack of coupons and it ain't pretty.  The websites I mentioned above will literally go store by store telling you the deals and coupons needed.  They do all the research for you, but you have to organize your coupons.

3. Know all the places to find coupons.  

Everyone thinks of the newspaper for coupons, but there are many great websites and store reward programs that provide great coupons.  I use coupons.com to print off so many great coupons.  I also get emails from stores that include coupons.  

4. Know what kind of couponer you want to be.

I think this is an important point because it seems like many are scared away from couponing with images of "Extreme Couponing" running through their heads.  You know your schedule and capacity; use coupons as much as you are able.  There are people who will go to five different grocery stores and three different drug stores to get all the best deals.  I'm not that person.  I typically shop at four stores: Walmart, Sams/Costco, Harris Teeter, and CVS.  I may be missing some deals by limiting my stores, but I'm ok with that.  I have a limited amount of time and energy to coupon, and I believe I've found a good balance.  It will look different for each person.

5. Know "good prices" for items.

Now that I have some coupon experience under my belt, I'm embarrassed to admit that in the past I would go to a store for whatever I needed and buy it at whatever the price.  If I needed deodorant and was close to a CVS, I would run in and get my Dove deodorant at whatever price was listed.  If it was on sale, great.  If not, I would still buy it having no clue whether I was getting a good deal or not.  The reality is that there are basic average prices for every item and when you learn those price points, you begin to realize whether you are getting a good deal or not.  There are plenty of times when a sale price is not really a sale at all and when using a coupon at a certain store means that it is still more expensive than the normal price at another store (usually Walmart, Sams, Costco, etc.).  I started compiling a list on my phone of best deals, so that I can compare prices and know if I'm really saving money or not.  Let me repeat that just because an item is on sale or because you use a coupon, it doesn't mean you are getting the best deal.

6. Stock up.

I know, I know.  You don't want to become THAT PERSON who has hoards of soap bars and cereal boxes.  You don't have to be, I promise.  What I mean by stock up is that you want to get ahead of the sale.  You want to have enough of all of your basic items that you can always purchase more at the lowest cost.  If you have a buffer of toiletries and food items, then you have the flexibility to wait several weeks for a specific coupon and/or certain sale to purchase more.  You will spend more if you are completely out of an item and you don't have a coupon or sale for it.  So don't hoard, but do stock up.

7. Just because it's cheap (or even free), doesn't mean you have to buy it.

I'm sure some will disagree with me on this point, but I've come to believe that purchasing what you don't need or may not like is not helpful.  Coupons are really tempting in this way.  You get a good coupon for a food you've never tried, and it's really easy to justify purchasing it.  You may end up not liking it and then wasting it.  I basically use coupons for about 20 different items (cereal, deodorant, toothpaste, pasta, pasta sauce, etc.).  I know that I can get these "staple" items really cheap or even free by using coupons.  There are a million items you can try simply because you have a coupon; I wouldn't recommend it.

8. Have realistic expectations.

You're not always going to use coupons and save 90% on your grocery bill.  People post their crazy savings on Facebook, but typically those are "one in ten trips" kind of savings.  For instance, when Harris Teeter has "Super Doubles," you can get some really good deals (like, they will pay you to buy items).  But this is not normal.  It will take some time to get into a rhythm with using coupons, but typically I save between 30 - 50 percent on my groceries.  That is good news to me and my family's budget.  

I'm still very much a novice in the couponing world, but it has been interesting to get started and learn how it all works.  It does take time and energy, but it can save you and your family some serious money.  If you have any question or comments, I'd welcome you to add it to what I've shared.  Happy couponing to you!

Karen's Wedding

Last week I had the opportunity to fly to Memphis to be in one of my best friend's wedding.  Karen and I became friends our freshman year at Samford and quickly became very close.  We were roommates our junior and senior year, went to the same church all four years of college, and babysat for the same family.  She has been a great source of encouragement and wisdom (and FUN!) over the past 14 years (has it really been 14 years since our freshman year of college??).  

There were several reasons I was PUMPED to travel to Memphis for Karen's wedding:

1. While I ADORE being at home with Noah and count it the highest privilege and most rewarding use of my time and energy, the reality is that it can get pretty monotonous and mundane (in the most awesome way...ha!).  

2. The wedding weekend doubled as a girls reunion with some of my dearest friends from Samford and Birmingham.  This doesn't happen often, and it's always reason to celebrate.

3. Karen has navigated singleness in her twenties with such wisdom and grace.  She has been patient and not settled.  God has brought her an amazing spouse, and it brings me so much joy to celebrate their marriage.

Here's how the weekend unfolded:

I flew into Memphis on Thursday morning and was able to enjoy almost two full days alone with Karen.  We got mani/pedis, grabbed Starbucks, finished up some last minute wedding details, and generally just enjoyed a pretty low key couple of days before the wedding festivities.  While Karen was very laid back, there was evidence of "bride brain:"  after lunch on Friday, we went to the bathroom.  Karen pumped mouthwash into her hand thinking it was soap and was really confused when it didn't lather up.  Then she tried to get $50.00 cash back at Costco and somehow pushed 5 cents instead.  The cashier gave her a nickel and sent her on her way.  We had a great laugh, and it was just what we needed to keep our mood light.

On Friday night we had a bachelorette party for Karen with 12 friends.  Per Karen's request, we went to one of her favorite Mexican restaurants and then back to her friend, Sarah's house for a lingerie shower.  The only formal activity was a quiz for Karen about how well she knew Derek.  She did really well - who knew Derek's favorite animal is a flamingo? - but for every wrong answer she had to put a gobstopper in her mouth.  She got more right than wrong, but she definitely ended the activity having popped quite a few gobstoppers. :)

Saturday we were in full wedding mode with a bridesmaids luncheon and rehearsal dinner.  Several of Karen's relatives treated her lady friends to a delicious lunch at Seasons 52.  Perhaps one of the best parts of the lunch were the mini dessert towers that allowed us to sample about ten desserts in perfect individually portioned cups.  The picture below (top right) represents how many desserts I consumed in partnership with two friends.  For the dessert and many other reasons, the lunch was delightful.

The "rehearsal dinner" was really just a good ole' BBQ dinner with about 40 of Karen and Derek's closest friends and family.  It was informal and yummy and loads of fun.  After dinner about twenty of us went Lafayettes to enjoy live music.  It was Karen and Derek's last sha-bang before their wedding.

Sunday was WEDDING DAY!  The wedding and reception were both at Hillwood Manor which was the perfect venue for Karen.  The huge stone fireplace and wood covered walls made it feel like an elegant cabin living room.  It was special to spend the morning with Karen watching her transform into a radiant bride.  The wedding and reception were perfect.  The ceremony was a beautiful reflection of Karen and Derek's love for each other and Christ's love for the church.  The reception was a PAR-TAY complete with dancing, a photo booth, and yummy food.  We had a ball celebrating Mr. and Mrs. Derek Brown!  

Side note: The picture below (bottom left) is me with Steve and Gana Barrentine along with two of their 6 kiddos - twin boys, Ben and Rob.  Ben and Rob were about 6 months old when I started babysitting for their family.  Now they're 14 and taller than me.  DOOOOO WHAT??

I'm so grateful for God's timing.  If Karen's wedding came after Baby Gaskins #2's arrival, it would have been near impossible for me to travel to Memphis.  I may have been 6 months pregnant, but I was able to be present for Karen's special day.  Also with Ron just starting his new job, he couldn't take off any time to watch Noah.  My wonderful mother in law came for 5 whole days to help with Noah.  Thank you Linda!  It was a wonderful weekend!