The filing system shown above a great system to use if you’re only using The Grocery Game.  I definitely like the convenience of the system.  The big problem is, I’m missing out on saving money on unadvertised specials, close-outs, and triple coupon sales.  I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been in a store and seen an unadvertised special or close-out item.  I know I have a coupon for the item, but since the coupons are not clipped, I have to search through all the inserts and hope to find what I need.

Finally I have switched to a new coupon organizing system!

I am now using the coupon organizer inserts from Smart Spending Resources.  The coupon organizer inserts fit into a regular 3-ring binder which sits on your grocery cart allowing you to flip through the binder and find the coupons you need.  A few things I like about this system from Smart Spending Resources:

1)  The coupons can be easily viewed.
2) The tabs are neat and professionally printed.
3) You can easily find coupons you need for unadvertised specials, close-outs, and triple coupon deals.
4) The system is neat and keeps loose coupons under control.
5) The system is expandable. More pages can easily be added to each section as needed.

A few tips for those who are interested in this system:
1) Be sure to buy an oversized 3-ring binder. I bought a regular binder and I mine is slipping around on the cart. I plan to pick up a larger binder the next time I go to the store. It will make couponing so much easier.
2) I would recommend purchases extra insert pages.
3) You might want to consider buying a zipper pencil pouch for your binder. I purchased one and will use it to put coupons I know that I will be using or to store my pen and calculator.

As always, I try to provide an honest product review, so I will tell you that this system is a lot more time consuming than my previous method.  I feel that the savings will be worth my time though.  As I’ve told you all before . . . Time is Money but Money is Time.

Have you tried the binder organizing system?

top image (c) Karen Weideman, bottom image (c) Smart Spending Resources

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

There are two types of buying.  The first type of buying is need buying.  This is when you buy the things that you need at that moment.  Of course, need buying causes you to pay full price for items.  How many times have you gone to the store to buy something that you needed for a recipe and were disgusted with the price?  Or upset with yourself because that item was just on sale last week?  I know that I’ve done this many times. 

Stockpiling is the preferred method of buying.  It saves money because it allows you to buy foods at rock bottom prices that you’ll eventually need.  The lowest prices on items can usually be found by combining a sale with a coupon. 

Stay tuned for more posts on stockpiling tips.  Do you stockpile groceries when they are at their lowest prices?

image (c) Karen Weideman

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

I have been a Clark Howard fan for quite a while, so I was very excited about this opportunity.  Unfortunately, the radio stations here do not air his shows each day, so I am not able to post his tips as frequently as I would like.  

Yep, that’s Clark and me.     Two others and I spoke about saving money with couponing, meal planning, and stockpiling.  The other two speakers of the event were Faye Prosser from Smart Spending Resources and Dan Griffin from SavvyDollar.org. 

(I wonder if they could see my head over the podium. lol) 

I spoke about saving money with menu planning and stockpiling.  You’ll find many of these tips here at Thrifty Mommy, but I’ll be reviewing some with you in the next few weeks.

Welcome new readers and a special thanks to Coastal Federal Credit Union for putting on this free event for the public.

images (c) Karen Weideman

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Some store ads say they will double coupons up to $2 and some ads say they double only up to $1.  You might want to check the ad in your area so there won’t be any unwanted surprises.  You can also view the ad at kmart.com.  Remember to type in your zip code.

Some helpful Kmart couponing tips:

• The coupon credit from doubling cannot exceed the price of the item.
• No overage will be given for coupons that exceed the price of the item.
• Only 1 coupon can be used for each item.
• You may purchase up to four of the same item using double coupons.
• Limit 75 coupons per customer per day.
• Kmart does not accept internet or printable coupons.  I’m guessing you can use the printables from their site though.
• The double coupon sale does not include Lands’ End or Sears merchandise or prior purchases.
• If you return an item, the coupon savings may be deducted from the refund.

Good luck everyone and let me know how you did.

image from kmart

Post from: Thrifty Mommy