Well, as you can see in the tally on the sidebar, I'm happy to report that since March our bill has been consistently LOWER than $400! In addition to stockpiling, using coupons (more than 1!) in conjunction with store sales and promotions, shopping weekly, and taking advantage of drugstore sales (see Ways to Save), here's a few other things I've learned.
- It pays to NOT be brand-loyal. For example, my husband and son will try different razors, as long as they aren't the cheapest disposables. And hey, with coupons, we often get better quality, name brand things than before coupons!
- You CAN have too much toothpaste and deodorant. It's OK to let these deals pass, even if they're free.
- The Internet coupons are getting better and better. Since our local paper doesn't get a lot of the major coupons, I find I'm using these more and more. I check the deal blogs (see sidebar) at least every other day for coupons to print that coordinate with deals.
- I didn't realize how much health and beauty were eating into the budget, especially as my children got older. Using coupons and drugstores for these items has played a big part in keeping our bill lower. Which is good news to people who think that coupons wouldn't work for them, based on what they eat only.
- It's not only the thrill of the "deal," there's also a great satisfaction that comes from being able to provide for our family, even in lean times, through stockpiling (and I haven't got nearly as much as I've seen/read about on the 'net!), and getting food at the lowest prices. I feel a little bit more in control.
- I LOVED being able to provide not one, but two bags of toiletries and snack/lunch foods from our stockpile when our church ran a food pantry in June. Now THAT was a thrill!
-Jami
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