2009 Savings to date...

Here are my savings totals so far for the year!

Remember I did start 1/5/09...
(& I was away for a weeks vacation!)

February 8-14...

Here are the details from the week...

CVS
oop $1.61
saved $16.99

Kroger
oop $25.44
saved $34.81

Meijer
oop $20.11 (actual receipt $26.11, paid $6 from rebate fund)
saved $46.78
rebate $7

Walgreen's
oop $0 (actual receipt $8.28, paid with rebate fund)
saved $8.20
rebate $8.99

*My rebate $ comes from rebates I've previously done. I carry it with me and don't include it in my weekly budget allowance unless I run out of money in the rebate fund. I also don't include that in the savings for the week. I count rebate savings separately.

Weekly totals..
oop $47.16 ($12.84 under budget)
Saved $98.48

I have my own weekly budget of $60
I will begin carrying over any credits
or debits to the next week.

Next weeks budget becomes $72.84

____________________

Grand totals for the year....

Out of pocket
$311.01

Money saved
$1,111.45

rebates
$40.99

If you've just started learning to watch for sales, stockpile and use coupons, you will probably not see this kind of savings right off & that's ok... it's normal.

It takes some time to learn where the deals are and when to "play" a coupon. Sometimes I hold a "high value" coupon and hope for a special sale. After you've been using coupons for awhile, you will notice a pattern to the sales which will give you an extra edge at getting those great buys.

Also... when you are first starting, you will have to supply your regular needs, as you won't have a stockpile to pull from for everything yet. These kinds of savings come when you don't "need" for much of anything but milk, eggs, bread and fresh produce and use the majority of your grocery $ to keep your stockpile in good shape. Don't make your family "suffer" for things they need, keep them happy and slowly begin your stockpile. Keep with it, and you too can see this kind of a result!