Call of Coupons: Shell Shock

Shell shock or battle fatigue, is a formerly used military term that was used to categorize a range of behaviors resulting from the stress of battle which decrease a soldier's fighting efficiency. The most common symptoms are fatigue, indecision, disconnection from one's surroundings, and inability to prioritize.

Does any of this sound like something you've dealt with? I know that for me the first couple of times I tried to get in on the coupon thing I was completely discouraged. From cranky cashiers to miscalculated transactions I was ready to give up from the get go. This was my first experience of coupon shell shock. Sometimes you can beat yourself up over what feels like a failed shopping trip. Whether it be going over budget or finding that the items that you were going to get are all sold out, it can just make your whole day feel like a flop and that isn't fun, or fulfilling at all.

The other problem with the "Call of Coupons" is that it can be a little addicting (kind of like the call of duty game!). The more you focus all your energy on clipping coupons, searching for the best scenerio, and making sure you hit all the sales it can take over your life and become an obsession. I found my mind wandering in church or in conversations...
"so if I buy the lipstick and use a $2 off, plus $3 ECB's, minus a $2 off $10 and add a couple fillers, blah- blah- blah!" I knew my priorities were out of whack! I had to step back and really revaluate why I was doing this and how much of my time and brain power I want to invest in it. That was my second run in with coupon shell shock.

Here are some ways to prevent both of these situations from happening and keep the "call of coupons" as a fun way to save money and help your family and others by supplying basic household items.

First of all don't beat yourself up if you don't get the outcome that you originally intended. This happens, we need to keep things in perspective it is a shopping trip not a life or death situation. Also, if you are going through shell shock as a beginner like I was give it time. You will catch on. Crystal from Money Saving Mom says to stick with CVS shopping for 3 months before giving up. It just takes time to find your rhythm and how to make it work for you. Don't start out too fast just keep it simple and gradually work your way towards more complicated transactions.

Secondly, make sure you are not running yourself ragged. This is supposed to be something that is a blessing to you and your family if it isn't then you can quit. If your kids are worn out from always going, going, going from one store to the next and you are finding less time for friends and family then you know something is wrong. You don't feel like your life is in balance. Remind yourself why you are doing this and give yourself permission to miss a sale or not buy the newspaper that week. So many people say that they are buying all of these surplus items so that they can donate them to a battered women's shelter which is great, but believe me the women's shelter will be fine if you aren't able to get 12 bottles of Herbel Essence. Give yourself a break.

We can all make idols out of anything that we focus the majority of our thoughts and energy on. Avoid Shell Shock by keeping coupons as a beneficial activity and not something that steers your emotions, your thoughts, and your life.

Call of Coupons: The Battle Field

This week in the Call of Coupon’s we’ve talked about gathering coupons and how to find out where the deals are. So, what about actually USING the coupons. That is the most important part! To begin here are my top 5 places to get the most out of my Q’s.

1. CVS- If you don’t already know my feelings about CVS check out one of my very first blogs, The Messy Mom: Money Saving Mom.

2. Target- Target has store coupon’s that you can stack with manufacturer’s coupon, they allow overage, AND they also have certain deals were you can earn cash back in the form of a gift card. I like Target anyway so there you have it.

3. Walgreen’s- They have a system very similar to CVS only instead of Extra Buck’s you earn Register Rewards.

4. H.E.B.- This is my local grocer and although they may not score highest on having the best sales, they have won my heart through convenience, consistency, and great selection of organic products.

5. Wal-mart- Why the bottom of the list? Well, Wallie World has been known to treat some of us coupon user like criminals and I don’t appreciate it. Some Wal-Mart’s won’t even accept printable coupons. One time they wouldn’t let me use a coupon on a 4 lb bag of cat food because they said it was considered trial size !?? Yet in the end they do tend to dominate in low price and I manage to find myself sucked back into this giant cyclone of commercialism.

Kroger’s and many other stores double and triple coupons, I didn’t list any of them because they are not in my area, but it is definitely something to look into.

Once you have decided where you are going with your coupons you need a strategy. Decide ahead of time which coupons your using, how you are going to spend them, and how much you intend to pay out of pocket. This does require some math. This is my weakness so I always bring a calculator with me when I go to the store.

The next thing you need to know is what order to give your coupons. If you have a $/$$ ($5 off purchase of $20 for example) you want to give that first. Then you hand over your manufacturer coupons, then store credit, and lastly your cash if you owe any. I have walked into a store, picked out my purchases, handed all of my coupons over and walked out without paying a dime. I feel weird doing it, but it is pretty cool when it all works out that way. There are times I get frustrated because things were sold out or I miscalculated, but they are outweighed by the times I am blown away with how much I saved. Remember the key to winning battles on the fields is the extent of your strategic planning off the fields.

Froogie Boogie: Low Budget Q Organizer

This week I am talking about all things Coupon. If you are just joining us you can always catch up by starting with Monday's post The Call of Coupons.

Once you have accumulated a good stock pile of coupons you have to come up with some kind of organization or you will end up not only loosing coupons but quite possibly loosing your mind! As a loyal Froogie I am always trying to do it myself, so although you can spend up to $40 on a coupon organizer I opted for a more economical route. I am aware that my coupon system is not all that great, but I will leave the disclaimers for the video. I do hope however that by using items that I already had I can inspire others to be their own domestic MacGuyver. Take a look...



The camo shirt was my attempt to dress the part of the call of duty theme.

For more frugal tips check out Frugal Fridays at
biblicalwomanhoodonline.com

Call of Coupons: Gathering Ammunition

Sometimes it takes time before you have enough coupons to really excel at the call of coupons. I get the majority of my coupons from dumpster diving.

With that said let me redirect your mental image.
Wikepedia defines dumpster diving as "the practice of sifting through commercial or residential trash to find items that have been discarded by their owners, but which may be useful to the Dumpster diver".
This is not exactly what I do. My dumpster is a recyling bin called the paper retriever and I do not actually get in at all because the bins very clearly say not to.

The Paper Retriever is a fund raiser recycling program, often found in school or church parking lots, where people can drop off their unwanted paper. This means that the chances of finding the Sunday paper and the coupons that go with it are great. So how do you sift through all the other paper, and how do you do it with out getting in? The answer is the Gopher.

You can get these handy dany tools at Walgreen's and other convenience stores for $9.99. Before my friend shared this secret with me I was using an umbrella stroller to reach for the burried treasure, the gopher has increased my findings by at least 80%.

I have done some research about dumpster diving and as I already mentioned there is a Wikepedia article on the topic that you may want to check out . The laws vary from State to State, but for the most part if someone is throwing something out on the side of the road, or in a dumpster it is fair game to snatch up. In the case of the paper retriever you are taking paper from a fund raiser so you may want to give some paper back. I have plenty of paper to recycle so I end up giving more than I am taking. Everybody wins when I go dumpster diving.

Now, some people might be thinking "WOW! That is so sad, I hope I never have to stoop to that level" I should mention that this is not something I HAVE to do. It is something I enjoy doing. It is a challenge. Sometimes on Saturdays one of my friends comes with me and she doesn't even do coupons, she just likes to help me spot them, we have a blast. Some people like fishing and hunting, some people like searching for coupons. It's a hobby, like playing Call of Duty. Ah, see we've come full circle with this thing.

To find a paper retriever near you go to paperretiever.com

Why I Love: Listerene Smart Rinse

One thing I LOVE about using coupons is that I get to treat myself to products that I probably would not have tried otherwise and it doesn't cost me a thing. I always wanted to try the Schick intuition razor, but it was never a priority until I got 2 for free. I have also been able to get ALL kinds of make up, nutrition products, snacks, drinks, you name it. Some products I love, others not so much, but at least I didn't have to waste any of my money trying them.

Back in June CVS had a deal for free Listerine Smart Rinse. There were some printable coupons out at the time, so not only was it free, but it was like I was getting paid to try it.

Even though this product is marketed towards kids my husband are hooked on it! The strawberry flavor is my favorite. It leaves my mouth feeling fresh and clean. It also attracts the food particles missed during brushing and loosens them as you swish. These particles are tinted so that when you spit you can see evidence of all the little food leftovers in the sink. It might be silly, but I actually get satisfaction out of seeing the colorful proof of a cleaner mouth every time I rinse. Since getting the free bottles, I have gone back and bought some more once we were out (yes it was on sale and yes I had a coupon.) It can be used by anyone ages 6 and up. So whether you have kids or you are just a big kid yourself, I would recommend the Listerine Smart Rinse.

Go to Listerinekids.com to get $1.00 off coupon.

I am not affiliated with any of the Listerine products and I am in no way compensated for these reviews.

Call of Coupons: Weapons of Warfare

This week I am comparing the popular war game "Call of Duty" to the war on high prices with a series I have titled "Call of Coupons". We have already discussed The Rules and Terms as well as Band of Sisters. Today I am going to talk about weapons. Call of Duty players use guns and bombs, but we use sales and coupons. Here is a list of some of the weapons you might find useful in the call of coupons.

1. News Paper- This is going to be your rifle! Newspaper coupons are pretty much neccessary if you want to advance to the next level. The "big city" Sunday paper is the one you want to obtain. Lots of stores offer a 2 pack for less. I spend $2.00 to get 2 copies of the Star Telegram (double the coupons) every Sunday. I used to think "why would I want to spend money on the paper when I am trying to save money". Having a valuable coupon is like cash in hand. If you could buy a $50 bill for $2.00 I am sure you would do it. This is the same thing, although don't get too carried away with that idea.

2. Printer- There are also printable coupons. You have to be careful with these because they can sometimes be fraudelent. However these can be extremely valuable. Stick with major websites like coupons.com which you will find a link to on my sidebar. You can also trust that any coupons downloaded from the official website of the product is legit.

3. Coupons that come in the mail- You can sign up for coupons and get them in the mail or some times they just come without asking. These are great too.

4. Coupons you get at the store- There are tear off coupons that are often located right near a product , coupons that you can peel off a product (these are called peelies), and coupons that print at the end of your receipt (these are known as CRT's) any of these are just as useful hang on to them.

5. Sales- One thing every serious coupon user knows, but the average consumer is unaware of, is that coupons are most valuable only when used on a sale item! If it is something that you need and were going to buy anyway, that is different, other than that never use a coupon unless it is paired up with being on sale. This is like your hand grenade, the results are explosive. Sometimes you can even "make money" on these deals. The simplest example I can think of is a recent powerade coupon. If you have a coupon for $1 off powerade and they are on sale for 75 cents you will have 25 cents in overage. Overage is anytime the value of the coupon and sale is over the amount of the item you are purchasing. Your overage can be applied to another product. Not all stores will do this, but either way you can at least get the product for free.

So those are your weapons soldier and when used properly they can really slash some prices.

I need proof reading advice

It is 12:30 am and I just barely squeezed my last daily blog in before the stroke of midnight! I have tried to be consistent about having my daily blog posted DAILY even if it is by a couple minutes. Anyhow, I know some of you know what it is like to proof read over and over and still miss typos. I hate it when I go back a couple days later and notice the "their" instead of "there" or some other silly thing! It is quite a phenomenon how you read what it is supposed to say when you are the one that wrote it.
Any tips on how to deal with this would be greatly appreciated.
I proof read the last post "call of coupons: band of sisters" probably 3 times and felt like I was finally done editing and was about to go to bed when it occurred to me that I wrote "here are my top 5 picks for coupon related sites" and I only had 4. So rather than come up with the 5th site I just changed to my top 4 picks. If it seems like a random number, that is why.