I have enough bowls. Unfortunately, I still want more bowls - almost bordering on an obsession.
And, everywhere I look, there are new bowls with beautiful designs.
Thought I'd share some of my favorite finds...and if someone wants to add them to their Christmas list...I've been extra good this year.
Just saying...
. And, let me tell you, nothing went to waste. At the end of the meal, if there was a tablespoon of this or that, it dared not go into the garbage. It was saved for someones lunch the next day. Even if you only have a few tablespoons of beans or corn leftover, you can put them in the freezer for the next time you make soup. The key is planning. I cringe every time I find something at the back of the refrigerator that was forgotten. And, I can see my Grandma shaking her head at me as if saying 'look at all that wasted food'. 
Does couponing have a dark side? I say, yes, it can. I almost titled this post 'How to Save Hundreds of Dollars by Gaining Pounds!' Until last year, I lived in the normal coupon world. I used coupons for products I would have normally purchased anyway and sometimes for a new product I wanted to try. I usually saved around $10 on each grocery trip. I had heard of 'extreme couponers' and knew there was a 'secret' to getting free stuff or hundreds of dollars in groceries for pennies. I finally did a little research online and figured out how it all works by combining sales, store coupons, manufacturer coupons, etc. On my first try, I saved tons of money.
What do you think I paid for these products? The total before coupons was $37.20 (including sales tax). Total after? Only $14.84! Plus, I received an $8 coupon for my next purchase which brings the net down to $6.84. The eye drops alone cost more than that! And, the Reynolds Wrap is a 75 sq. ft. roll! Here’s a breakdown of each product and the original cost.
After watching extreme couponing shows and visiting various websites, I decided to give it a try. I’ve always used coupons, but never could figure out how these extreme couponers were able to buy so much for so little. The secret? Combining store coupons with manufacturer’s coupons. I purchased all of these items at Walgreen's. I combined Walgreen's store coupons with manufacturers coupons. The easiest example of this is the AXE Body Spray.
Walgreen's had AXE products on sale. You could buy one and get one at 50% off. I had a manufacturer’s coupon that was buy one, get one free up to $5.99. The two products I chose were $5.79 each. But, with the Walgreen’s sale, one was 50% off, so it only cost $2.90. Then, I received an additional $5.79 off with my manufacturer’s coupon. The net cost for both products was $2.90. I’m not sure what this product retails for at some of the super discount stores, but I’m willing to bet it’s more than $2.90.
Maybe I was naive, but I had no idea that you could combine these coupons. The first time I tried it, I was sure the clerk would laugh at me. Combining coupons, I picked up Stayfree sanitary napkins (28 count) for .49 cents! In that same shopping trip, I received a $5 Walgreen's coupon for my next purchase and two coupons for additional ‘free’ products to try that were worth $7.99 each. It was like they gave me $21!
Since then, it’s become a game to see how much I can save while stocking up on products that I use on a regular basis. I want you to be able to do this too. Once you try, you’ll see it really doesn’t take that much extra time. And, just think of the fun you can have figuring out how to spend your savings. So, here are a few tips.
Walgreen's:
I’ve tried the same strategy at Kroger with groceries. But, that’s a blog post for another day. I hope you find this helpful and start saving soon! Let me know how you do.
