Many times when I share in my couponing classes that couponing saves me about $7,000 a year, I usually get the blank stare. Perhaps I’ve grown a second head, and I even wonder if they really believe me. However, I can say with confidence that this is a MILD estimate of what we actually save by my couponing.
A family friend helped me figure out a way to calculate what we save. She puts the amount saved (shown on each receipt) into a savings account. Over the last five years she has saved $30,000. This year she is taking her family on a cruise. I wish I could say that we put every dime into savings, but instead, we have placed ours towards debt reduction. In about two years, we have paid down about $20,000 in debt, and JUST paid of a loan last weekend.
This calculation also doesn’t include the amount saved from shopping trips outside of groceries and toiletries. We also use coupons for eating out, oil changes, clothing, etc. In fact, hubby just took the car to have it’s oil changed last weekend and paid $21 for the oil change, tire rotation, air filter change, and a few other odds and ends.
Another example would be my trip to JC Penneys this weekend. My son LOVES these certain shirts they carry, and I scored 12 shirts (6 for next season and 6 more for the season after that!) at $2 each. My total was $24 for 12 shirts!!! I also am not factoring in savings from shopping trips from daily deals. I scored the $20 Groupon for Old Navy this winter for $10. I paired that with my $10 CVS Gift Card deal, and spent nothing out of pocket on my trip to Old Navy a few weeks ago. I scored two or more scarves, a shirt, and a few other items.
These are just a few of the MANY examples of how we save money through couponing. Our family calls it our paper money, and we truly believe that it is just that- Paper money! We just have to cut it out ourselves or print it! LOL So, check back over the next several weeks, and we’ll be posting on how to REALLY slash your budget and save through using coupons from a financial perspective. There is a lot of math behind couponing, and we want to help you get the best deals!!!
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