I know I’ve done this a million times — I’ve ripped out coupons and tore off the expiration date which rendered the coupon totally useless. Continue reading “5 Important & Quick Tips About Clipping Coupons”
The Tightwad Tutor–Lesson #10: Save 20% Or More By Grocery Shopping Without Your Kids
It’s tough to make this a short post, but it’s worth a quick note. Shop without kids, no matter what age (babies distract, too). Continue reading “The Tightwad Tutor–Lesson #10: Save 20% or More By Grocery Shopping Without Your Kids”
The Daily Tightwad Tutor–Lesson #7: Stash Your Dollar Bills
This is sort of a new thing I’m doing, but it is classic idea for many frugal people. Whenever I see a dollar bill (in my husband’s wallet, in mine, etc.), I grab and stash it in an envelope in a drawer (that no one but myself knows about…critical point so no one else dips into it…). It’s a simple, quick way to save some petty cash. It’s kind of a surprise to find out how much you have even after a month! That’s what happened to us–I grabbed our envelope as we headed out to an amusement park. We had plenty of cash for the day and I didn’t have to go to the ATM.
BTW, I know some people do this with $5 bills. I wish, I wish, but I’m happy to do it with dollar bills!
~Marilyn, TFF
Take your own bags to the store. (I am bad at remembering to do this, but now that I’m doing the math….)
Continue reading “The Daily Tightwad Tutor–Lesson #5: Save at Least $50 Using Your Own Grocery Bags”
Once summer hits, my family turns to boating. That means bringing a large ice chest full of food and drinks on board. For years, we’ve made ice plus bought ice to the tune of $2 bucks a bag at times (depending where we get it–if we are desperate, we head to the marina or a convenience store — ridiculous, but if we planned ahead, it’s cheaper at the grocery store). The ice we make in our freezer is never enough to fill the chest, that’s why we have to buy more. Continue reading “Frugal or Crazy: Save Water & Money by Recycling Ice”
Here we go again…people who use coupons criticized.
A Dear Abby article in the papers today shines a critical light on couponers once again. In brief, the letter, from a grocery store associate, says that coupons are a necessary evil, and coupons left on shelves for others shoppers to use pose a hazard because they clog up drains in dairy shelves, potentially cause shoppers to fall, and are generally a nuisance all the way around. And of course the writer points out the abuse, fraud, and the amount of work coupons pose for store workers.
I am just stunned. How can a basic act like couponing, which our grandmothers used to do, get everyone so riled up? Do couponers constantly complain about how grocery stores treat us? Should I discuss how many people I know who tell me that they absolutely hate shopping at any grocery store because the workers are rude, the produce is awful, the marketing is ridiculous (ie: the famous “Manager’s Special”), and the prices are outrageous? Is there any wonder WHY so many people now have to coupon to be able to fill a fridge and pantry?
Listen, I’m the first one to say that the TLC show, Extreme Couponing, has ruined it for many of us. The show portrays crazy couponers, not run-of-the-mill couponers like myself. So now, it seems like there are two camps: us (couponers) and them (grocery stores and people who hate couponers). This rift is ridiculous because we are all in this together: trying to save money on our grocery bills so we can feed our families.
Can’t we all just get along?
~Marilyn, TFF
Two Frugal Fairfielders 