Couponing in SLOW MOTION Buying to Earn Money

As a couponer, I am often asked if I end up buying stuff that I do not need.

The answer is often, Yes.  Because you can make money buying stuff.

And then if you don’t want the stuff, you can give it away.

But you still made money for the food you do need.

I will explain.  I will try to go in slow motion since sometimes, when excited, couponers talk too fast and lose the listener.

Last night, we needed desperately, WIPES. And pretty soon there will be a need for Tampons. ( I know–TMI–I’m just keepin’ it real.)  Those two items were really all that was on our list for imminent need.  I could have popped out to the store and purchased both items and with coupons gotten them for maybe $6-8 dollars.  But I decided to wait till this AM.  Here’s why.

This morning, our grocery store, Harris Teeter, that I love and want to marry someday, is running SUPER DOUBLES. This means all coupons up to $1.98 will double.  And my store is awesome so it even doubles the ones that say DO NOT DOUBLE.

They are also running some great INSTANT SAVINGS and CATALINA PROMOTIONS.

Instant Savings means that if you buy a certain number of certain items, a certain amount of money will come off your total.

Catalina Promotions mean that if you buy a certain number of certain items, that manufacturer will reward you with a coupon that prints out at the end of your transaction and says something like “THANK YOU FOR BUYING HAMBURGER HELPER. ENJOY $3 off your next shopping trip at HARRIS TEETER.”

So . . . .  I’ll try to make this simple. (It did take me an hour to plan this . . . .)

I had to buy 20 items to get $6 off my order. I picked items that I had good doubling coupons and that rewarded me with a catalina.  Here’s what I bought.

These items cost me $3.23 after my doubled coupons and instant savings.  As my cashier was ringing me up, she said, “See, I never eat any of this stuff.”  I didn’t respond because actually in this case, we DO eat all of this stuff, but I waited.  Because at the end of my order, after I paid $3.23, three coupons spit out of the printer.

I got a $3 off my next order for buying 8 boxes of veggies–though I got 9 since my coupons were multiples of 3.

Then I got $3 off my next order for buying 6 qualifying Pillsbury products.  Now you may not use these, but you can give them away at this price.  I think the pizza crusts are very convenient.

And then I got yet another $3 off my next order for buying 5 Hamburger Helpers–though again, I got 6 because of multiples and to satisfy the 20 items.  Now many foodies will turn up their noses at HH, so I give you leave to donate them to a food pantry, BUT my kids love them AND they made me money.

So with my $9 in coupons for my next order and my other coupons that I knew would double, I bought THIS for . . . $8.01. . . .

That’s right, 2 boxes tampons, 320 wipes–already ripped into b/c they were NEEDED, a half pork loin, Kool-Aid Fizz, 2 Wholly Guacs, 2 boxes Ziplocs, 2 tubs margarine (I gave one to my mom before photo), a Lunchable, wing sauce, and a dozen eggs.

FOR $8.

So, for the cost of $11.23, I got ALL OF THIS.

By this point, I had to throw in a snide reference to the clerk who I think realized at this point that I wasn’t just some loser mom who bought a bunch of junk for her kids (tho I was), but rather I was a professional buyer, workin’ my trade. 🙂

So, even if you want to argue that I didn’t NEED some of the stuff, I would challenge you that without the REWARD for buying it, I couldn’t have saved as much on the second transaction.

Since HT only doubles 20 coupons a day, you better believe I’ll be going back every day to do this deal until my coupons run out.

IF YOU’RE STILL SKEPTICAL, THINK OF IT THIS WAY . . .

Even if you just went in with NO coupons and you bought 20 boxes of these veggies at .99 cents each, you would get $6 in INSTANT SAVINGS and get a $3 CATALINA off your next order.  So that is 20 boxes of veggies for $11. The coupons for these are easily printable online, so $11 for 20 boxes of veggies is the MOST you would pay–without even trying . . . .

Does anyone use frozen veggies in the winter?  Anyone? Anyone?

E-mail me if you have questions . . .

Oh, and I forgot to mention that I SAVED $90 off the value of these items . . .