HOW TO BE CHEAP

It's no secret that I LOVE being cheap. Or to phrase it in a more politically-correct manner, I am frugal. Really frugal.

I haven't joined any sites that send you coupons & tons of spam (that sounded awful, Mindi). I don't clip every coupon from the Sunday paper & have giant binders full of random coupons. I know that's how some people do it, but that's too complicated for me.

Basically, here's how I do it:

Get a big file box. Some couponers use fancy hanging file boxes with rails & fancy handles. Mine is a simple cardboard file box from Wal-Mart that I got for $4.82 for 2 of them. Hey, we're trying to SAVE money, right? Then you get some files- plain manilla ones are all you need. Get yourself some coupons. The link below lists some great resources for paper & Internet printable coupons. Each week when you get the paper, simply stick the coupon inserts in a file, label the file with the date they came out, & stick the file in the box. That's it!

The coupon sites list coupons based on which insert they come from & which week you got it. You just go find that file & clip ONLY the coupons you want or need.

Here's a look at how it all works.

I like this method because I don't have to do any work unless I want to. I'm not clipping 1,000 coupons that I won't ever use, & I'm not packing a 6-inch thick binder into the grocery store & searching through plastic pages trying to find the right coupon.

Anyways, once you have some coupons, you can go to any of these links to get the matched-up deals:

1. Savvy Savings Tucson- local Tucson deals & grocery sales/matchups (check her sidebar for more great frugal sites from AZ & around the country)

2. Coupon Mom- really great website & coupon DATABASE. If you see something on sale & wonder if there's a coupon out there- type it in & find it!

3. Pinching Your Pennies- more coupon lists/matchups, complete with alerts to when the prices are good, better, or stock-up great

These sites tell you what the sale price is, where the coupon is, & how much the final price will be. I tell you what, it doesn't get any easier than that. Using coupons is great, but when you use them in conjunction with sales & clearance deals, the sky's the limit!

I also check these sites every day:

1. My Frugal Adventures- FANTASTIC site with web deals, grocery info & random freebies

2. Frugal Makes Cents- just good 'ol common sense frugal living

I am by no means an expert. I truly do consider myself a novice at this coupon stuff. But if even a beginner like myself can go to the store & consistently save 75-80%, then it truly is worth trying.

And here are some cool side effects of coupon shopping:

1. Since I actually PLAN my shopping trips based on my coupons, I can be in & out of the grocery store in mere minutes. Last week I went to Safeway, did 2 transactions & was out of the store in only 15 mins. And I bought over 40 items, some with coupons, some without. It was great to not be wandering the aisles, comparing prices & wondering which products to buy.

2. Box Tops & Campbell's labels! I RARELY bought name brand stuff before, so I never got these money-makers for my kids' school. Now I have envelopes of them lying around, just waiting for the next competition at Emma's school. This next time I'm going to empty my envelopes & get her class that pizza party!

A couple more tips:

1. Join the e-clubs of your favorite restaurants, activities, places to shop, & websites. They'll send out birthday deals, members-only specials, & sale alerts. This is a HUGE benefit if you want to go to Chuck E Cheese or to the bowling alley on short notice. Just check your e-mail, there will probably be a coupon there!

2. Check the mailers that you get in the mail & usually toss in the trash. In Tucson, the Southwest Saver (or something like that) frequently has Buy-One, Get One Free deals for local restaurants.

3. Don't be afraid to shop at Walgreens or CVS. I have NEVER shopped at these stores, but frequent them now. They have store coupons that you can pair with manufacturer coupons to get GREAT deals on stuff that you would normally have to brave Wal-Mart for.

I will not pretend to believe that the way I live works for everyone. I don't know a ton of people that can eat a whole dinner at a fancy restaurant & then calmly present a coupon to get it all for free to their shocked waiter. That's just weird for some folks. But I believe that my husband works VERY hard for the $$ that he provides us with. Being frugal is my way of making that $$ go farther & contributing to the bottom line of our family.

I hope that some of you decide to jump into the coupon life. It's quick, easy, & can really make a difference in your monthly budget. Let me know how you do!