How We Save Money - and have lived to tell about it {Part 1}

I've been getting a lot of questions regarding how Robert and I get by on what we do, and how we run our household. So, I thought I'd post something quick about it. Then, after praying and thinking more on this idea, I decided I should maybe do a week-long series (parts 1 through 7) on this, so it's not one huge long blog post.

To begin part one, I'll start with a very brief introduction on the reasons behind why my husband and I do what we do, and explain exactly how I was led to do this series.


I've worked since I was legally old enough to do so. I worked my way through college, and lived on my own. It's all I've ever known - self-reliance and independence. Losing my job last October was a huge blow to my self-confidence, and our financial stability (or so we thought!) All we had known was a two-income lifestyle. Basically, we learned through reliance on God, and faith in Him, that He would provide for and supply all our needs. We have been (and are still able) to make ends meet. We don't have an over-abundance, but we have just enough. It became a necessity to change our lifestyle, and we did. Immediately. We've been blessed throughout this process in many, many ways! (I hope to expound on just a couple of them throughout this series). Trust me; we've also been humbled. But more on the details later.

After several friends encouraged me by telling me they are encouraged by me, and always feel motivated when they talk to me (you know who you are), I tried to deny it. I wasn't trying to be a martyr; I was just in disbelief that I could inspire even my friends like that! Eventually, I started seeing that this is where the Lord is calling me: To learn, to inspire and to encourage. Please let me humbly state that I do not wish to say my ways are the best or only ways to do things; instead, I just want to let this be something for people to read and maybe take to heart.

So here we go! Part 1 of my 7-part series "How We Save Money - and have lived to tell about it."

When we were first married, I learned that Robert likes to read comics of all kinds. Even those in the paper. So, in an effort to make the most of our paychecks (remember, I was working full-time when we got married), and please my hubby, I did some research on subscribing to the Sunday paper. We found that it wasn't much more to subscribe for the whole weekend, so we did that. Robert was happy with his funnies, and I was happy cutting a few coupons.

Tip #1- Invest: in a Sunday paper. We did away with Friday & Saturday, because we weren't really reading them, even though it was a fantastic deal. The Herald (which contains coupons and sale fliers on Sundays) costs us $21 for 3 months of Sunday morning delivery. That breaks down to $7/ month. I guarantee that our grocery savings is always at least $175/ month. Therefore, that investment pays off in about 1/4 of our shopping cost. We also purchase one extra one, so that the manufacturer's coupons (and some store-specific coupons) can be utilized more than once. Also, friends who cut coupons for items we use give them to us. (Ever heard of a coupon co-op and swap?)

After I lost my job (fast-forward to 7 months into our marriage), I started planning our meals according to the sales fliers we were getting weekly in the Sunday paper. We sometimes use the sales fliers we get on Tuesdays in the mail as well, but the Sunday paper is where the best deals are at (for us).

Tip #2: Meal Planning. We plan our meals according to the sale fliers and coupons we have on hand. If there's a sale at Fred Meyer for Pasta Roni $0.79 each (limit 10), and we have a coupon for $1.00 of 10, That means we're getting at least one free. We use that coupon right away on that sale. I immediately plan for that to be a side dish for whatever we plan to eat that week. If Tyson Chicken is on sale for $5.99/ bag, and we have a coupon for $1.00 off a bag of it, we use that right away. We then plan for roasted or brined chicken with Pasta Roni for a side dish, and homemade applesauce for dessert. The leftovers can be used for lunch, or a chicken tortilla soup, or whatever else we can imagine up. We still eat like kings on $30-$35/ week for our food budget. Trust me; it's do-able. Even if it seems to be a daunting task.

I spend hours preparing for grocery shopping trips throughout the month. I do this in the comfort of my own home. I started doing something I call coupon cataloging about a year ago, and I'm even more involved in it now. Please, don't assume I'm one of the nuts on the "Extreme Couponing" shows. I do not steal other peoples' papers or circulars to get the ads they've ignored. And I don't spend every waking minute coupon cutting, cataloging and/or meal planning. But I learned a valuable lesson when I first embarked on this endeavor: 2 hours in planning at home saves me a stressful, drawn-out trip to the stores, and saves me hassle, time and money.






Tip #3: Coupon Cataloging. I cut coupons. I then organize them in my physical catalog by expiration date.



All the months are together, in order by days 1-31 of expiration on each coupon.





 They are divided into sections in each month, paper-clipped together. My sections are as follows: Non-Perishables, Dairy, Produce, Refrigerated, Frozen, Cleaning Supplies, and Toiletries. I don't put a physical label on the divisions, because seeing the first coupon on top will tell me what section it is.




Once that's done (and it's an on-going task; I'm always recycling expired coupons and adding new ones),



I type a categorized list of the coupons, arranged by the same sections the coupons themselves are organized by. I print one list per month of expiration, and tuck it into the physical catalog at the front of the month for which it coincides. As I use the coupons I have, I check it off my cataloged list. I know exactly what I have, when it expires, what the coupon specifies, and where it is - all at a glance! Coupons I'm planning to use are clipped together in the very front section of my organizer. That way, I don't have to check them or anything while I'm shopping; they're already there and ready for me to hand the cashier. Also, this cuts down on impulse-purchasing.

That leads me to shopping lists. I create those lists for each store prior to actually visiting the store. I am willing to pay a little $ for the ink and paper I use to print my categorized lists (organized by layout of the store's areas) to not be confused by my sometimes sloppy penmanship when I get to the stores. (I print on the "Fast Draft" option, and I use the back of my lists again).

Tip #4: Creating Shopping Lists in Advance. This typically happens Sunday evenings or very early Monday morning. As I mentioned previously, I use my coupon catalog, the sales flier and my best planning and coordinating skills to plan our menu for the week. Generally, nothing is purchased without coupons and/ or sales. Produce is an exception, but barely. If broccoli and carrots are on sale, that is the vegetables we eat that week. I'll probably be creative about it, and make broccoli-cheddar soup, and dice the carrots in a salad or something, too. But creating those nice, neat lists means I never spend longer than 35 minutes in a grocery store; regardless of how much I'm purchasing.

Lastly, I don't make a trip to any store without consulting with my hubby on what he'd like to eat, or a luxury purchase that we may have a coupon for.

Tip #5: Teamwork. We each look over the sales fliers and coupons before we recycle the remnants of what's already been cut up. For instance, I got a deal on Hillshire Farms Sausages - 2 for $6 on sale + $1 off two coupon + $1 off two store coupon = 2 for $4 - and I had no idea my hubby liked them so much! He was so appreciative that I thought of him when I cut those coupons. That prompted us to start letting the other person look over the ads after they've already been gone through - just in case. When I was sick for a week, Robert had to do the shopping. I had 100% confidence in him, and it was very easy for him, as the list was all made, he was armed with the coupon catalog and organizer, and he did a fantastic job!

Well, that's it for Part 1 of this series. Stay tuned for more!