The Saving Game

Well, I've thought of a few things I should have mentioned in my last post.
1) I hate to shop, but
2) I love to save money when I must go to the store.
3) I'm addicted to clipping coupons.

Case in point: After spending a couple hours scouring the web for coupons, printing coupons, clipping coupons, etc, I went to Kroger for my monthly grocery-shopping trip; and I saved over $40 in coupons, not to mention the in-store specials.

Lots of people tell me I shouldn't go to Kroger because they're too expensive, but I have found ways to save there like I could never save at Walmart. (Don't tell my manager I said that, please!) In order to get the most out of shopping at Kroger, you must have a Kroger Plus Card. It's easy to sign up for one at the customer service desk. One benefit: they will keep track of your frequent purchases and periodically send you coupons in the mail for those items.

Another benefit for having the Kroger Plus Card is the ability to use electronic coupons. The two websites I use are www.shortcuts.com and www.cellfire.com. There are no coupons to print, clip, or hang onto. Simply use your Plus Card as you check out, and the coupons are applied. When I first started using these, there was a glitch in the system that allowed saving from both sites for the same product. Kroger has fixed that now and will use the coupon from cellfire first if there are identical coupons from both sites saved on your card. You can, however, use an electronic coupon and a paper coupon for the same product.

Speaking of paper coupons, there are many, many sources to get coupons to clip. The newspaper is, of course, the first source most people think of, and it's a great one! All You magazine is another of my favorite sources for coupons. Each issue has several useful coupons along with articles on saving/making money, personal style, home decorating, recipes, etc. There are also many websites with printable coupons. The two I utilize most are www.coupons.com and www.smartsource.com.

When I got home from the store today, I analyzed my receipt and realized that, by using these methods, I had gotten a few products for FREE! For instance, Yoplait Fiber One Yogurt is $2.69, but only $2.00 with the Kroger Plus Card. I had an electronic coupon for $1 off, as well as a paper coupon for $1 off. My price = FREE! You just can't beat that!