saving money & spending money

Here are my receipts from today.  Safeway...I spent $134.89 but saved $122.75...that is 48%!  CVS I had to use my calculator but I spent $25.90 and I saved $19.16!  VERY COOL!

OK...so, I started this whole extreme couponing thing and it really is working!  REALLY!

tons of cereal!  Sophie said to stop buying...and I can't I tell you!  It's either free or very cheap.

I already have a stock pile of things I got super duper cheap.

laundry detergent & softener

I will not having a problem doing laundry for a long time!

that is a ton of ketchup and olive oil and various other things

Now I am looking around and saying ok...where do I put this stuff??

soups, fruit bowls, peanut butter, mac & cheese and other packaged food.

can you see the 8 bags of gum??  and I just brought home 10 bags of Gold Fish...Nash's staple!

My cupboard are packed and last month I looked my my bills....I actually saved $300 last month in using coupons and I have way more food in my house than I ever have!

I really panicked when I lost my biggest client last month and was wondering what I was going to do.  Get a real job????  No way....I would lose everything else plus have to pay for childcare.

Of course...you do have to spend money to save money...but not as much as you would think and look what you get!

And now....my linen closet......

starting from the right - I have Glade oil candles, tampons, shaving cream, body wash, shampoo & conditioner, deodorant, toothpaste & air freshener (Sophie still has farts of death from the cooties! 

Here is everything for kindergarten class.....kleenex (! have more that I didn't take a picture of),  40 glue sticks, 3 hand sanitizers, 2 first aid packs, 4 boxes of markers, 10 boxes of crayons.  Plus various sharpies and ink pens & white out for home use.

Normally I spend at least $40 just to get the basics for my sons class....this year it's kindergarten again, so I know exactly what she needs.  And with coupons & careful sales match ups......I have everything I need for less than 1/3 the price!

I also did well clothing shopping for the kids.  Neither really needed a whole bunch but what they did was expensive.  Jeans!  So, I went to Kohl's where they carry the jeans my kids wear...Levi's.  I caught them on sale and got $60 on Kohl's cash back.  The jeans Sophie likes...they only had 2 pair so I used the Kohl's cash to buy the other pair online...for free!  Oh...I am impressed!

Yes, it's work.....but not really!  It's using the computer to find the sites that help you.  I really like Coupon Mom   She makes it easy to match up the sales, find the coupon or even print them!  I also like Coupon Divas  They have great match ups too and both have videos that show you how to do it.

I have only been doing this for 5 weeks....and I am hooked!  And so is my family.  In this economy....this is a BIG helper and money saver!

tammy