Coupons

Happy Friday everyone! I know I  haven't posted in a while, so I thought I would do some catch up.
First things first, spring break kicked my butt. My sleep schedule got completely screwed up due to Trevor working night shifts, I can never get to sleep at a good time those nights. The first week back to school was brutal. I am still getting over the no sleep thing and am slowing working my way to healthier sleep patterns. (Trevor's next shifts will be nights o.o) But with all of those sleepless nights, I was able to work on my coupons.

 Yes, you read correctly, coupons. I am not very organized with most things, but couponing is the exception. I make only 1-2 big trips to the commissary a month, because lets face it, going to the store with two boys is no fun.  How do I manage that? Well it took me a while to get a routine down, but now that I have one, its easy.

Step one Get organized.

This part is important. As I said before, shopping with two little boys is not easy, especially if you are touting a stack of coupons and trying to see what is what. For a long time I carried them in an envelope and paper clip, that wasn't efficient. Then I got a great tip from my sister-in-law Keena: use a binder with baseball card holders. This is the single most time saving tip I have received.  Each coupon gets its own slot. I organize mine by month of expiration and then by food/nonfood item. This makes it easy to find the coupon fast.

Step two: Make a menu.
I usually make up a menu of what I will be cooking each night for the next two weeks/month. This is the hardest part for me. I hate trying to think ahead and decide what we will eat. I have been known to cook some of the same things all the time, but I try to mix it up a little.

Step three: Make the list.
This step is easier. Look at the menu and see what ingredients will be needed. Also look around the pantry and stalk up on your staples (milk, eggs, bread, etc.)When I make my list, I put a star by the items that I have a coupon for, that way I know when to check it for any special instructions for use.

Step four: Clip those coupons!
Start clipping. I get my coupons from our local newspaper. I know that there are places online that you can subscribe to and they will send you coupons based on what products you use, but I don't have THAT much time to commit to it, but I've heard they are great if you have time. The thing you have to know about clipping is if you are being brand specific, you will lose out on some good deals. Bottom line, be flexible.

Step five: Go shopping!
Before I started couponing, this seemed like the most intimidating part. I didn't want to be looked at like the crazy coupon lady. It was slow going at first, but I finally got into the swing of things. Tip: As I find the coupons/food items on my list, I take them out of their protective slot and put them in the binder pocket, this way I don't have to hunt for them when I'm in the check out line.

Savings
I started clipping coupons because I wanted to save money. The most I have saved in a trip was around $35 (for a two week menu trip). I have an average savings of about $20-$25. We get the paper for $7.50 a month, and there are usually 1-2 bundles of adds in each paper.

I am by no means a pro, but I am glad to be saving money for our family.

 Tonight is the long awaited date night! We are going to see The Hunger Games Movie!:) Next week I will be making the official R2D2 cake for Dain's party, so keep a look out for a post on that.



Have a good friday!

--Ashley