So a friend of mine recently posted on her blog about her disdain for all things coupon related. I on the other hand LOVE coupons and all things related to them. I'm not saying they're for everyone, but for those that need to save the money and/or have the time, I think they can be done in a very minimal way so as not to consume hours of your precious time.
First on the list, Ebates. I love to shop online these days. Pretty much anyway that I can get great deals and not have to drag my two, soon to be three, children around a store is GREAT with me! I shop the off season sales to get awesome deals on stuff for the next season and I use as many online coupons as possible. One of these ways is to use a website called Ebates. All you do is sign up on the website and then use their link to navigate to the website from which you want to shop. It's that simple! Every few months they will send you a check for the money that you got back from your purchases. If you're die-hard, and I'm not, you can even follow when places double their percentages and make even more money. Last year, just by doing my regular shopping online I made over $50! I'd say that's worth the extra click, wouldn't you? If you want to sign up, just follow the link below and you'll get $5 when you make your first purchase through the site!
http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=QrHUEi12cvE7mDb7GOmKmw%3D%3D
Swagbucks are another on the top of my list. They are a search engine that rewards you with "swagbucks" or points for searching the internet. You just use their search engine and then you can redeem your points for prizes, the best of which are gift cards to places like Target, Amazon, and Starbucks. By the end of this year, I will have bought 1/2 of my boys Christmas presents with gift cards from Swagbucks! If you want a referral or more info, just let me know!
Last, but certainly not least, is my love of coupons! This is a topic that I could go on and on about, as could most avid couponers. I won't bore you with all the details, but since I am a stay at home mom, I felt like it was something I needed to at least try and now I will never go back. It took me a long time to find the perfect way for me to do it, and I think that is key. For my friend, Danielle, it meant not using any coupons but just shopping the sales (which according to Southern Savers is an average of 60% of your savings). For me, it means checking the adds for the 3 stores nearest me, deciding which list is the best (sometimes I do choose two stores), making my list, checking to be sure I'm buying things we need, being sure I'm under budget, and clipping my coupons. This process takes me about an hour, but I usually save 50% or more, so it totally makes up for it. I spend, on average, $45-$55 a week for our family of four. That includes food, cleaning supplies, laundry stuff, hygiene products, and pretty much everything but diapers. There are obviously a lot of other things that you have to figure out, like meal planning and how to decide what to buy, but for our family it works and works well. Just let me know if you want the nitty gritty sometime. : )
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