Let's Do This!

I went shopping this last Saturday. I was so excited with the purchase I made...I've been telling everyone about it. I wanted to share it with the world. I thought to start a blog so that I can share all my happy shopping moments. Here's my first trip for the blog...

First Store: Smith's

24 Boxes of Hamburger/Chicken Helper
6 Bags of Ruffles
1 Package of Sour Cream
Total Paid: $4.11

Second Store: Walmart

4 Packs of Pampers Diapers
15 Cans of Baby Formula
2 Packs (3 pack) of Ivory Soap
Baby Teething Toy
Oscar Mayer (almost 2 lbs) of ham
Ace Bandage (store brand - not pictured, it got used up before I got the picture taken)
Total Paid: $12.88

Third Store: Target

Carefree Liners
2 packs of Crayons (24 pack)
1 pack of glue sticks (2 sticks)
1 pack of pens (10 pens)
Total Paid: $0.06...That's right! 6 cents!!!

That was OVER $180 retail price for only $17.05. That's a savings of 90%!

Now...I'm not an extreme couponer, even though it may seem like it just from this shopping trip. But  that's the reason I wanted to start this blog. There are plenty of blogs for the extremists, this is for the "I have way too much to do to spend 40+ hours couponing" person. I wanted to break down where the cheap prices came from so I don't discourage someone when they don't get this big of results their first time out.

To start, at Smith's I had transferred a prescription so I received $25 toward groceries. So without transferring a prescription it would have been near $30. Which would have been about a 50% savings (which is usually my goal).

On to Walmart, when I was pregnant with my cute little baby I signed up for every mailer I could. I receive several $5 coupons a month (which have a long expiration time) and I went and used them all at once. Then add that to Walmart's AMAZING coupon policy, I was able to turn around and get paid (YES PAID) 53 cents for each formula can that I got. I had saved enough to have $75 in just those coupons. So just from the formula I made $8, which went towards the rest of my purchase. I also had a Walmart gift card we got as a baby gift (with $9.14 on it).

I hope that together we can so our accomplishments in couponing and inspire each other to keep it up. As well as inspire timid couponers to get into it.