I couldn’t believe it! Coupons savings truly add up!

As a family we saved $168 in January 2011 on coupons!  In one year that adds up to $2016!  If you want to have a starter emergency fund there it is!  That was amazing to me.  Yes I have clipped coupons for years.  Yes, I go on websites and find coupons if I know I am going to a particular store.  Yes, we get the weekly newspaper, I clip the coupons and we do read the paper.  This has been a part of my life for a while now, but I never knew how much it made a difference until now.The last week of December I decided to add up all of the savings I capitalize on throughout the year 2011.  I wanted to see what it could really amount to.  And so far I am stunned!  Sometimes we believe that the little bit of money saved with coupons doesn’t make a difference.  But it does add up!  Last week I saved 62% at the grocery store!  The original bill was $55 and I paid only $21!

My friends make fun of me because I always have a coupon, discount, or certificate.  But this helped me get out of $100,000 in debt and is keeping me from going back.  Paying attention to these small details is one approach to managing your money well.

Here are some of the things I’ve learned in the last few weeks:

• You are crazy if you don’t sign up for the club card deals at your local grocery store or pharmacy.  I am not including the club card savings in my coupon total but it always adds up to more savings at the checkout.  You can also load coupons on your store card online so you don’t need to cut them out!
• Have deals sent to you via www.groupon.com (nationwide), www.livingsocial.com or www.enamor.com (PHX residents), etc.  These sites feature a deal of the day.  I recently purchased a $20 amazon certificate for $10!  I didn’t need to look for it because the message came right to my email inbox.
• Some stores take competitor coupons like Fry’s.  Right now I can take in my Fresh and Easy coupons along with my normal ones and save big!

Get involved!

If you are looking for ways to increase your income or decrease your outgo think about coupons.  I just want you to do something different.  Try it on for a month.  Add up your savings for 30 days and then determine if it is worth it.  If you choose to accept this challenge, go to my facebook fan page and become a fan.  Each quarter I will randomly choose one of my fans who is sharing coupon ideas, asking questions, or simply commenting on the site.  They will receive a gift card for their favorite grocery store.  Start saving now!