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I have a love/hate relationship with coupons. In theory I love them, in reality, we don't get along. I am not organized enough to use them properly and I refuse to run around to ten different stores to get the best price. Mostly, I buy whatever is on sale at whatever grocery store I am at and call it good. This also works because I don't actually plan meals in advance - unless you consider deciding at the grocery store on the way home "in advance", which it is technically, but...
This haphazard system works well for me, so why, you might ask, am I trying to use coupons? Simple. It's my stupid 100 goals of 100 things each thing. One was to use 100 coupons. Which is also problematic as I do not get a paper, and don't want to install "special printing software" (aka tracking software) on my computer. So getting coupons is tricky. Don't worry, I'm not stealing them out of neighbor's papers or anything, I'm not that committed to the goal. And Target is helping me by giving me coupons each visit, so yay!
Anyway, I did get this Sunday's coupon insert, and decided to test-run a few out. They break down into three categories. Things I use but didn't need at the moment, things I typically use a different brand of, and things I really didn't need to buy.
First, things I buy but didn't actually need at the moment:
Batteries - $1.00 off $7.99
Shave gel - $1.00 off $5.59 (it was a buy 2 coupon)
Fiber One bars - $0.50 off $5.88 (another buy 2)
Halo clementines - $0.50 & $1.00 off $7.99 (manufacturer and Target coupons)
Second, things I typically buy different brands of:
Liquid soap - $1.00 off $2.49 and $0.35 off $1.47 (generic may have been a hair cheaper)
Deodorant - $2.00 off $2.99 (I don't really care, brand-wise)
Excedrin migraine - $2.00 off $3.64 (makes it about genetic price)
Razor - $4.00 off $7.99 (definitely worth it since it came with 2 extra cartridges)
Yogurt - $1.00 off $4.67 (for 5, other brands are cheaper)
Thirdly, what makes it all not worth it, those things I didn't need:
Snack mixes - $1.00 off $6.10 (for 2)
Sara Lee snack cakes - $1.00 off $2.69
Honey Grahams - $0.75 off $4.98 (also for 2)
Overall, a "savings" of $16.60, though I spent $11.02 more than I might have. Not that we won't eat the snacks, or that I haven't bought them before (except the Sara Lee, which I haven't bought before), but... Would I have bought them that trip? I certainly wouldn't have bought 2 of them! Still, good to have snacks at work, it is cheaper than the vending machine! We'll see how this goes...
This haphazard system works well for me, so why, you might ask, am I trying to use coupons? Simple. It's my stupid 100 goals of 100 things each thing. One was to use 100 coupons. Which is also problematic as I do not get a paper, and don't want to install "special printing software" (aka tracking software) on my computer. So getting coupons is tricky. Don't worry, I'm not stealing them out of neighbor's papers or anything, I'm not that committed to the goal. And Target is helping me by giving me coupons each visit, so yay!
Anyway, I did get this Sunday's coupon insert, and decided to test-run a few out. They break down into three categories. Things I use but didn't need at the moment, things I typically use a different brand of, and things I really didn't need to buy.
First, things I buy but didn't actually need at the moment:
Batteries - $1.00 off $7.99
Shave gel - $1.00 off $5.59 (it was a buy 2 coupon)
Fiber One bars - $0.50 off $5.88 (another buy 2)
Halo clementines - $0.50 & $1.00 off $7.99 (manufacturer and Target coupons)
Second, things I typically buy different brands of:
Liquid soap - $1.00 off $2.49 and $0.35 off $1.47 (generic may have been a hair cheaper)
Deodorant - $2.00 off $2.99 (I don't really care, brand-wise)
Excedrin migraine - $2.00 off $3.64 (makes it about genetic price)
Razor - $4.00 off $7.99 (definitely worth it since it came with 2 extra cartridges)
Yogurt - $1.00 off $4.67 (for 5, other brands are cheaper)
Thirdly, what makes it all not worth it, those things I didn't need:
Snack mixes - $1.00 off $6.10 (for 2)
Sara Lee snack cakes - $1.00 off $2.69
Honey Grahams - $0.75 off $4.98 (also for 2)
Overall, a "savings" of $16.60, though I spent $11.02 more than I might have. Not that we won't eat the snacks, or that I haven't bought them before (except the Sara Lee, which I haven't bought before), but... Would I have bought them that trip? I certainly wouldn't have bought 2 of them! Still, good to have snacks at work, it is cheaper than the vending machine! We'll see how this goes...