Being an Intermediate Couponer

Okay, so something that a lot of people tease me about is how frugal I can be.  My friends like to call me "Mom"  because I have a special pocket in my purse for coupons and I have have an app that I am always whipping out when shopping.

So in today's post I'm going to tell you my "secrets"  to being an intermediate couponer.

First off, the special pocket. Audience: Oooooo. Now you all are probably wondering if this is some sort of Mary Poppins trick. Well no. I wish! But no...

Whenever I switch purses I always dedicate a pocket to all my coupons and discount cards. Anytime I pull something out of a magazine or trim off the ends of my receipts I tuck it right in that pocket.  Whether it's something I would or would not use. 
You never know, you might be shopping with friends and they end up purchasing something from a place you don't go to. You could be the hero of the day! (And maybe score a free lunch).

I know my mom loves it when I pull out coupons when she is shopping.

Some pointers for couponing:
*check your magazines for coupons
*check ends and backs of your receipts for coupons and surveys that lead to coupons
*clean out that special pocket of yours about once a month. You don't want to hang on to expired coupons
*if possible, try to immediately stash your bounce backs and super cash after shopping trips that you can use next month.  I've worked in retail and I've seen so many ladies toss those right into their shopping bags and forget.
*always sign up for reward programs. Starbucks always sends me free music and I earn points at Famous Footwear and Walgreens.
*if you must, do only ONE credit card at your favorite store and only if you can pay off your account right after the transaction in store. This way there's no debt, you can build credit and save more money by using your card. (Yes, the card that the cashier always tries to convince you to get).  Just be careful with these and choose wisely.

Another form of couponing I partake in is the good ole smart phone.  I have just a couple apps that I use.  One is for Meijer, my grocery store.  I usually try to check weekly with their coupons.  If I see any coupons on products I use, I virtually clip it.  This way whenever I go grocery shopping I can just give them my mPerks code and whatever I have clipped they apply towards my purchase.  Usually I never end up getting what I have clipped, but always remember

Just because you have the coupon DOES NOT mean you have to buy it or shop at that shore.

Most coupons these days are aimed to make you spend more then you intend.  So only use them when necessary.  Coupons are like the devil in disguise.

Besides the grocery store app I also use this popular one called RetailMeNot.  Now this is the app I suggest out of all of them when it comes to retail.  This app is widely accepted at most if not all of the stores they have coupons for.  Other apps are not accepted and I believe that's because RetailMeNot now actually coordinates with the companies unlike any other service/ app.  So if you have one of these apps make sure it's this one specifically. 

I like to pull this app up on my phone for those days when I'm at the mall with my girls.  I can usually save us about fifty dollars on a nice shopping trip. Just got to be on top of things.

So get out there and see how much you can save in the next month. Let me know what you guys do to save money and if any of my ideas worked for you. I'd love to hear feedback.

One Way to Stop Wasting Food

     Today I was watching my 3 year old sister.  For lunch she asked for a banana and only ate half, claiming that the other part was too mushy for her.  So I suggested I make her a smoothy. ( The little girl LOVES smoothies)  So I took her half a banana and used it with some other ingredients and created a very yummmmmy drink. 
     I used to do this during the summers when I babysat her.  She would eat bananas, strawberries and yogurts for breakfast and lunch.  She normally never finished everything so I would save the left over breakfast items for lunch time and what ever was left by lunch time would be thrown into the blender with some milk and such and then nothing would go to waste.  My mother loves the idea and I now use it all the time. 

Here's my favorite recipe:

• Partially frozen yogurt cup with fruit at the bottom
• 1/2 banana
• 2 tablespoons honey
• Some milk
• And malt mix until desired thickness

Frugal

Are you frugal??? 
     I find the word "frugal" so funny sounding, but it means so much to me.  Currently I have no job.... yes I know, it's sad that I'm a junior with no job.  But that's only because my family doesn't have the time to drive me around and I don't have the time between homework and clubs.  So with all this going on I am usually pretty broke except for the occasional birthday/ Christmas money I get during the year. 
    
     This fall I have been doing a lot of research for home made things and I've become A LOT more resourceful.  Just this weekend my mom was saying how frugal I am.  I now only buy from consignment shops, make homemade remedies, and come up with craft ideas for decor in my room.  There is so much you can do to save yourself money!!! It may be a lil' more time consuming, but trust me, it's all worth it.
   
     I'm going to post several things with videos I have found and it will be things that I HAVE tried and they work for me.  You guys and gals can experiment with them and join me on my frugal search.  If you have any of your own money saving ideas just jump in and let everyone know!  Can't wait to hear your ideas!