This Wife's Savings

I l.o.v.e. thrift stores!

Thrift stores are my main way of buying clothes.


You can get so many name-brand clothing for such a cheap price. Many of the clothes are in excellent shape. But you do need to keep your eyes open for imperfections, such as holes, tears, stains, buttons missing, zippers broken, etc.

Check with your thrift store to see when they pick up from the "ritzy" part of the neighborhood. Then go shopping there 2-3 days later. {ex. They pick up on Tuesday, Unload & Price on Wednesday, and Put out on Thursday, go shopping on Thursday.}

Also many thrift stores offer a day when they mark certain items down by 10, 30 and even 50%.

Don't be afraid to ask these question to save your self even more money!

Some thift stores are now offering New clothing also!

I am always adding posts showing my Thrift Store finds, to view them click HERE or on "Thrift Store" under my labels.

Posted by Daphne at 2:06 PM 0 comments  

Labels: Saving Money

Always check your store for a clearance/sales rack or area.

You can also go to your favorite store's websites and sign up for their email alerts which will tell you when they are going to have a sale.

Sometimes they may even email you coupons or e-coupons.

All their full-price clothing will go on sale every few weeks or so. So just keep a look out and you may be able to get your favorites for the sale price!

Posted by Daphne at 1:57 PM 0 comments  

Labels: Saving Money

And I don't mean going to Sam's Club either. {Which, isn't bad, but I'm not into having to pay a membership fee just to be able to shop there. But that's another post...}

When you're using your coupons, and/or using your loyalty card, and/or using price match, you're getting a good price, right? Right.

Stock up when the items are on sale. And you will not have to pay full price on it later. You can just get it from your stockpile. Even if it seems like a lot out of pocket to begin with, it's really just paying a percentage overall.

Just don't forget that you will be continuously replenishing your stockpile. There's always a sale on something. And you don't want to run out and have to pay full price.

Posted by Daphne at 11:35 PM 0 comments  

Labels: Saving Money

Using Walmart's price match is as easy as it sounds. The main thing I use price match for is Milk. Milk can range anywhere from $2.99 to $5 a gallon at any given store.

Milk at my Walmart this week was $4.20. In the Walgreen ad, I saw that their milk was on sale for $3.79.

So, when I checked out, I just showed the ad to my cashier before she rang up the milk, and I got 2 gallons for $3.79 each.

Walmart will match any competitors price, within a 50 mile radius. [Some people have said 60 miles, but I was told by an employee at my Walmart it is 50 miles for our store.]

The only deals they DO NOT match is the Buy One Get One Free deals.

So, this Sunday when you're getting your coupons out of the paper, don't forget to pull out all your locals grocery store ads and look them over. [and pharmacy ads, etc.]

Posted by Daphne at 11:08 PM 0 comments  

Labels: Saving Money

I'm not as familiar with loyalty cards as I'd like to be. The only store that I currently use a loyalty card with is Winn Dixie. And I'm learning more about CVS-ing before I start there. I do know that these stores have some pretty great deals, that you can only get if you have and use their store card.

What I've learned recently about CVS & Walgreens (Walgreens does NOT have a store card, the specials are for everyone!) is the best time to use your coupons is in conjunction with their deals. Especially their Buy One Get One Free deals.

For example, CVS is having a sale on Covergirl. Buy any Covergirl product, Get one free.

[If you're signed up at Covergirl's website, they will periodically email you coupons that you can usually print two of. ]

Here's where the fun begins. Say the Covergirl products are $7.99 each, but you get one free, so together they are $7.99. And you happen to have 2 coupons for $4 each. You can use 2 coupons on these deals! So you can get both for free.

This is just an example. Your coupons could be for $3 each and you spend $2 out of pocket. Which is still a great deal.

And it's not always on make-up.

[If I'm not wrong, I believe on the BOGO deals, you can also use any coupon for the same product that says BOGO and get 3 for the price of 1. That also could be only certain stores or cities, not sure yet.]

Even when you do not have coupons, you can score some really great buys!

But you can't get them if you do not sign up for the store's loyalty card.

Posted by Daphne at 10:51 PM 0 comments  

Labels: Saving Money

Getting Freebies, or Free Samples is one way to save money on groceries.

If you've never tried a product, but don't want to waste money buying it just to find out you don't like it, it's great to get a free sample. This is one way it helps save money.

Another way? If it's a product you already buy and use, getting that free sample is one less thing you have to buy.

Also, a lot of companies put in coupons with their free samples. Even more money saved!

Some of the best freebies (for me) to get are: tampons/liners, cereal, deodorant and subscriptions to magazines.

Posted by Daphne at 4:20 PM 0 comments  

Labels: Saving Money

Probably the biggest way to save the most money on groceries is using and utilizing coupons.

You can get coupons in the Sunday paper, online, and sometimes by contacting the product manufacturer and asking for them.

This site will tell you what coupons will be in the Sunday paper, so you can decide how many papers you want to buy. [Also, by clicking on the 2008 Coupon Schedule, you can see which weeks there will be No Coupons.]

If there's a lot of coupons that are really good for my family, I buy 2-3 papers. If the coupons are just good, I usually just buy one paper. You have to remember that you're paying $1.50 per paper, so don't buy more than you need.

Some good sites for printing coupons online are: Boodle, SmartSource, CouponBug, and CouponsInc.

Now that you have your coupons, put them to good use. Sometimes you have to sit on them until a good sale comes along. Other coupons can be used right away. Like the $3.00 Planters coupons that's been circulating lately.

I never buy a product just because I have a coupon. If it's a product that I'm not going to use, I don't buy it, unless the coupon makes it totally free, then I will give the product a try. Some people even give the free products to charity.

I normally save $15-20 dollars per week, at least.

You do need to know your store's coupon policy, in case any cashier fights you on a coupon. Especially printed coupons. It hasn't happen to me yet, but it has to a lot of my blogging buddies. You can usually find your store's coupon policy by going to their website. Print it and keep it with your coupons.

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As for rebates, which usually make the product free, I am very picky on the ones I choose to use. If it's not a product I've been wanting to try, or that I normally buy, I will not use them or buy the product. It's money out of my pocket now, even though I will eventually get it back.

If the product is going to go to waste, it's not worth the time.

Also, if you can find a good coupon for a product that you are buying to send in a rebate for, you can essentially make money off of the product.

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Some stores double coupons, up to a certain amount. Find out when your store does and use this to your advantage!!


Daphne

Posted by Daphne at 5:02 PM 0 comments  

Labels: Saving Money

The first cardinal rule of saving money at the grocery store is: Stick to your List. It can be possible!!

The best way to do this, is to shop alone. Believe me, I know that's hard. I hardly ever get to shop alone, but if it's possible, do it!

They say if you stay near the perimeter of the store, you will buy less junk. Stay in the fresh foods and you'll be less tempted. I never get to do this either.

But my trick is, Know Your Aisles. Get down the aisle, get what you need and get out. Especially if shopping with children. The stores place their products that are targeted towards kids on the bottom shelf.

Another tip about shelving is that stores often place their more expensive versions of a product At Eye Level. So look at the above and below shelves too!!


Daphne

Posted by Daphne at 5:00 PM 0 comments  

Labels: Saving Money

I. Groceries & Household Needs
----a. Stick to the List
----b. Coupons and Rebates
----c. Freebies & Samples
----d. Using a Loyalty Card
----e. Using Wal Mart's Price Match
----f. Taste vs. Price
----g. Buying in Quantity

II. Clothing
----a. Sales
----b. Thrift Stores
----c. Yard Sales
----d. Trader's Helpers, eg. Craigslist, Ebay or local publishings
----e. Hand-me-downs
----f. Buying ahead of time

III. Utilities
----a. Electricity
----b. Water
----c. Natural Gas
----d. Trash
----e. Telephone, Cell Phone & Internet
----f. Satellite

IV. Misc.
----a. Automobile
----b. DIY
--------1. Home repair/remodel
--------2. Lawn Maintenance
--------3. Washing vehicles
--------4. Taking Photos of Your children
----c. Wait Game; aka. Researching
----d. Taking Care of what you have
----e. Knowing what you Have
----f. Borrowing
----g. Running Errands
----h. Online buying
----i. When Gift Buying
----j. Doctor visits


**May be Updated**
Daphne

Posted by Daphne at 4:53 PM 0 comments  

Labels: Saving Money