Frugal Living...the beginning of the Couponomy!

In today's economy money can be a rare commodity. Many families have tightened their spending budgets in order to compensate for an insufficient source of funds. Believe me, I know. Money has always been tight in my family even before the economic downturn. I watch the news and see specials on how to live frugally and most of the tips I already know because I have been doing that money saving activity for years. Not to say there is nothing new to learn, there is always something new to learn...that is what makes life so great! The easiest way that I have found to save money consistently is not in a scam or even stealing...it is working the sales and deals while grocery shopping and using the much feared and hated coupons!

Now I know coupons have a bad reputation, but I am speaking as a consumer who has saved thousands of dollars by spending a few hours a week planning my shopping trips. Granted I get a bit carried away and for most this method of shopping is not a viable option...what I am saying is that just doing a little bit each week can really go a long way! Another term that people tend to feel uneasy over is stockpiling. Now personally, I woud love to construct an entire shelving storage section in my kitchen dedicated to all my stockpile needs complete with separate freezers for perishable storage, but I realize I am maniac over grocery deals and most shoppers are not. The problem with couponing in general is that many do not have the time to invest. That old saying that time is money is true even in the coupon world. Spending a few hours a week working the deals and you could save much needed money quickly and easily.

Instead of droning on and on about why sales are great and how to make the best bang for your buck (I am saving that for a later hub!) I decided to go with a step by step grocery trip with yours truly. So hang on coupon novices...I am taking you for a ride on the coupon express!

My shopping trip to Jewel-Osco (chain grocery store)...saved $58.92, spent $65.35, walked out with everything pictured!

Not impressed yet? I encourage you to take a look at your receipts this week and see how much bang you got for your grocery buck. Compare what $65 buys you and the photograph above. I chose this deal not only because I just returned from the store, but because this type of deal was super easy to get...I only used 8 coupons...and though that may seem like a lot, believe me when I say I have used far more coupons in one transaction in the past. Case in point, my boyfriend went to CVS the other day and returned home with 5 items, he paid $20. I came home with 63 items and paid $65. I even purchased a few of the same items to show that it is not the products themselves throwing off the cost.

The best deal I found this week was on refreshments. The deal for Dr. Pepper (our favorite soda) was four 12-packs for $10. Jewel sweetened the deal by offering a $10 coupon for your next shopping trip when you spend $20 on participating brands which included my already sweet Dr. Pepper deal. They limited the customer to eight 12-packs which worked great because eight 12-packs was $20 exactly. So not only did I get a good in store deal, but I earned an extra $10 for my next trip (good on ANYHTING...even if you only spend $10.01) just for buying a product I will certainly consume in bulk. The other beverage deal was on Powerade (another family favorite). It consisted of spending $10 on qualifying products and receiving an instant savings of $3. The Powerades were on sale for $1 each, I bought ten and was eligible for the $3 instant savings making three of those Powerades FREE! The best part about this deal is that there is no limit! I would have bought more, but I was working another deal I had going for the entire transaction...as you will see soon!

The next leg of my journey was to utilize another section of the spend $10 get $3 in instant savings deal. This deal was so great because again not only did it have no limits for how much instant savings you could receive, but you could mix and match the deals too! Domino sugar was on sale for $2.50 for a 4lb bag. I remembered a great coupon I had stashed for a savings off $2 on any sugar when you purchase ten packets of unsweetened Kool-Aid. The Kool-Aid itself was also on sale for $0.17 each. I bought twenty packets of Kool-Aid in a variety of flavors and two 4lb bags of Domino sugar. I then went to the frozen treats section to grab two boxes of Whole Fruit Bars at $2.50 each. I coupled those with my two $1 off one any flavor any size Whole Fruit Bar coupons and racked up $10 for the instant $3 savings.

The third and final savings leg of my trip was on fruit snacks. Jewel had a deal where one box of Betty Crocker fruit snacks was $1.99. They sweetened the deal by marking them down to only $0.99 just for purchasing four boxes. I believe the limit was four for this deal as well. I grabbed four boxes and coupled this already good deal with two coupons I had to save $0.50 on two boxes of Betty Crocker fruit snacks. I wound up spending $3 on four boxes of fruit snacks...you can pay that for 1 box if you buy without coupons on a non-sale day! See where I am going with this?

Finally I rounded off my trip with various other odds and ends needed for the house this week. I even bought a few items at FULL PRICE! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I simply looked for the best price of those non coupon items. Now Jewel does this awesome thing where they mail store coupons to your house. Often these coupons are where I can save the most money when paired with my coupon deals. The ones I used this trip were for $7 off the purchase of $75 or more and $0.99 of a dozen eggs. Lucky for me Jewel brand eggs are only $0.99...that makes them FREE. I took some time before going shopping to plan a trip of at least $75 in order to utilize this awesome store coupon. My total after insant savings, but before my coupons came to $80.53. Not too shabby huh? After ringing only eight coupons my new total was a mere $65.35. My total savings this trip were $58.92. That is almost half off!And as a special super bonus a phone survey printed with my receipt for $2 off my next visit just for a few minutes of my time. I now have $12 credit for my next trip. Please make the goal sign because I just SCORED!

I know deals and coupons can be annoying, but I cannot emphasize enough how much they really give you fast results for your wallet. This was a quick trip with only a small amount of time invested in the deal. I have certainly weaved better deals. The fact of the matter is ANYONE can get these types of deals...not just coupon fanatics. I implore you to give that grocery ad another glance thise week. Just see what types of deals you can find...they are out there just waiting for you. Take advantage and save real money today.

The couponomy is growing...join today!

My insane deal at CVS this week...the ingenious plan and execution...

I was determined to spend next to nothing this week at CVS on not only FREE items, but items I need for my house just to see if I could. Of course I had to stagger my visits to work this out in just the right way, but you would not believe the deals I spun started with the Reward Bucks I earned last week from the FREE deals.

First trip: I walked into CVS with three Reward Bucks totaling $12.40. Three minutes later I walked out with 2 Caliber 1 subject notebooks 80 sheets each... 3 Paper Mate Grip pens 8 ct packages... 2 Caliber school glue 5 oz and 2 Caliber 12" plastic rulers...I only wound up using 2 of my Reward Bucks because by a crazy coincidence 2 of the Reward Bucks I had totaled my amount to the penny! A sign from the coupon gods I have no doubt. After redeeming two of my three Reward Bucks I owed CVS NOTHING! I also earned another $11.69 in Reward Bucks.

Second trip: I walked into CVS with five Reward Bucks totaling $11.69...Now I must warn you...I made a critical error in this trip which threw off my entire game plan...luckily I am clever and improvised nicely! Seven minutes later I walked out with 1 gallon Dean's milk...1 Tylenol 8 hour 24 count...1 Tylenol arthritis 20 count...1 32oz Powerade...Whenever Liv goes with me anywhere I get distracted watching her...this phenomenon happened again during the checkout process. I forgot to give the lady 2 coupons I had for the Tylenols, but she had redeemed my last Reward Buck and my total was only at $0.14...Of course I asked if there was something she could do...she quickly replied NO. Not too horrible I know, but enough to anger my inner coupon maniac. So I paid the $0.14 for these items and received another $7 in Reward Bucks. I only wound up using 4 of my 5 Reward Bucks too.

Third trip: I walked into CVS with my three Reward Bucks totaling $8.98...two minutes later I walked out with...1 Tylenol 8 Hour 24 count and 1 32 oz Powerade...I paid $0.17 and walked out with $3 in Reward Bucks. So far my total cost is up to $0.31...and I still had one remaining Reward Buck of the three I walked in with.

Fourth and FINAL Trip: I walked into CVS with two Reward Bucks totaling $9...I walked out ten minutes later (thanks to the long line at checkout) with...2 12" DiGiorno Pizzas...1 Pack of Orbitz Bubblemint...1 32 oz Powerade...I paid $0.44, but sadly earned no more Reward Bucks. That brings my grand total for everything purchased to...$0.75!

*Worth mentioning are 2 pairs of scissors I would have received for FREE only neither of the two stores I went to carried the 5" ones that were free...BOO!

In summation, I think my experiment went well. I was able to score not only the free items CVS offers, but everyday items I use were FREE too! I certainly love to combine the deals to make that one super ultra mega deal...similar to this tale of glorious couponing! Go forth and spread the word my coupon friends...I have seen Coupon Heaven...and it is beautiful!

I wanted to start this hub with a disclaimer of sorts...I realize it might seem strange weaving these coupon deals every week and I am certainly the target of a lot of scrutiny for my frugality, but the thing about me is...I have nothing but time right now and am bored merely sitting at home. I want to be out there with everyone else...out where the action is...only problem is I lack sufficient funding for my spending itch and am therefore forced to find alternative ways of making my money and making that money count. One of my readers took a jab at me saying, "instead of spending hours planning this. go make some money. then spend it." Well Mr. hahaha (and that is his chosen name to respond to my hub...proof of that is here) I jab back and say...What do you care what I do with my time and money? I like staying at home and raising my child and not working a job I hate 40+ hours a week away from my family. I say spend less and you can afford to make less. And I do not need to go and make money, I am already doing that by creating these deals in the first place! Boosh!

And now onto my savings...All this for $0.77!

CVS was doing yet another round of FREE school supplies so I made sure to get all I could. Of course I waited until the last day of the sale so I missed out on four items, but I am still happy with my results. I only used two different coupons and one was a coupon I received from the coupon generator at my CVS. This coupon was for a FREE any flavor 3L Gold Emblem soft drink (score!) which is why I always scan my CVS card at the coupon machine each time I enter CVS because you never know what will print out! The other coupon I used was for $0.55 off one any Mentos gum from the Sunday inserts a few weeks back. The deal this week for candy was spend $15 and receive $5 in Reward Bucks! I purchased fifteen Mentos 15 count Gum at $1 each and used fifteen $0.55/1 any Mentos Gum coupons bringing my total to $6.75 for the 15 packs of gum. I then received a $5 Reward Buck for the original purchase of $15 bringing my total for the gum after the Reward Buck to only $1.75! That is almost the price of one pack of Mentos gum at regular price! WooHoo! Fortunately we love gum in our house so this bargain will not go unappreciated.

My total before coupons was $23.49. After my slew of Mentos coupons and my free 3L coupons my total was $13.75. I used my Reward Bucks from my last visit for more school supplies and my total was -$0.26. The insane Illinois/Chicago taxes brought my total from negative to $0.77...OUCH! Bet you're glad you don't live in Chi-Town, huh? So I scanned my card and walked out spending only $0.77 out of pocket and saving $43.47. I also made another $10.94 in Reward Bucks. Double Boosh! I now have $26.79 total in Reward Bucks and am headed back to CVS to score more Mentos gum! Wish me luck!

This week CVS had an awesome deal on candy. I must admit...I am a huge fan of candy, so naturally I had to take advantage of this deal. I was looking through my stockpile of coupons when I noticed I still had an insane amount of the $0.55/1 Mentos Gum. I had planned to save these coupons for a sale at Jewel-Osco when I stumbled across the CVS ad early. I took one look at pages two and three and my plans had drastically changed. The candy deal was buy $15 worth of participating candy (2 pages worth so there was a large selection) and receive $5 in Reward Bucks. I know it doesn't sound great...but anytime candy is on sale I take advantage. The Mentos gum itself was also on sale for $1 each. The new plan was to buy 15 packs of Mentos gum to reach the $15 threshold and use 15 $0.55 off one Mentos gum coupons. This AMAZING deal takes my out of pocket cost down to only $6.75...after the $5 Reward Buck however, the new price drops to only $1.75! For 15 packs of gum! There was a limit of 5 Reward Bucks available per houselhold. Unfortunately, I was only able to do this twice. So here is my awesome Mentos deal from CVS this week. 30 packs of gum for only $3.50. Yippee!!

First and foremost, I am a huge fan of couponing...if you read my stuff at all you certainly know this. The thing about couponing is I save LOTS of money...it is that simple for me. I mean really, how can I pass that up? Recently I weaved an awesome CVS deal where I purchase $92 worth of stuff for a mere $16.85. This is that story...enjoy.

My first trip consisted of facial cleansing products. CVS had a sale where you buy $15 worth of participating products and receive $5 back in Reward Bucks. I purchased 1 Clean & Clear Blackhead Eraser at $19.99 and 1 Clean & Clear Blackhead Eraser Refill pack for $6.99. I did not really need to buy the refill, but I figured, why not? Might as well have some back up. I used a $5/1 coupon for the actual eraser and $1/1 for the refills. I coupled these manufacturer coupons with a $4/$20 CVS coupon for facial products found in the ReadyFill book. I then unloaded various other Reward Bucks I had earned from previous shopping trips. This brought my total down to $10.55 out of pocket expense (OOP) and another $5 in Reward Bucks.

My second trip in was for a variety of hair products. I usually take advantage of the John Frieda deal CVS has where you spend $15 and you receive $5 back in Reward Bucks. I have stopped for a while since I had a good stockpile going and because the coupons went down a whole $1. Previous manufacturer coupons have been for $2/1 John Frieda product, but recently have only been for $1/1. Usually John Frieda products are on sale for $5, meaning you purchase 3 for $15, get $5 back and use $6 worth of coupons...bringing your cost down to under $2 a product. As I was leaving for my first CVS trip I encountered the mailman. To my surprise and delight he had CVS brand coupons for me for John Frieda! A little known secret to certain stores like CVS is that you can use 2 coupons for 1 product if one is a CVS coupon and one is a manufacturer coupon. I decided to go for the John Frieda deal and used (3) $1/1 manufacturer coupons, (1) $3/2 CVS coupon, and (1) $1/1 CVS coupon. Coupled with the $5 I earned in Reward Bucks, 3 John Frieda products cost me only $3! Less than $1 an item!

I also took advantage of their Aussie product sale...Spend $2.99 and receive $2 in Reward Bucks. !he limit was 3 so I purchased 3. I coupled this deal with the $2/2 Aussie products coupon making all 3 Aussie products only $1!

My CVS also has a coupon generator that I hit up each time I walk in the store...one of the coupons I received in the past was for a FREE 2oz Viologie product, which I also redeemed this trip. As an extra bonus I used a $5/$25 coupon I received from CVS.com. After redeeming another few Reward Bucks plus the $5 one from my last trip my OOP was only $4.49 and I earned another $11 in Reward Bucks.

My third and final trip was to stock up my freezer with DiGiorno pizzas for a great price. The sale was for 2/$10 which is the best price I have found for these awesome pizzas. I purchased 4, used (4) $1/1 DiGiorno Pizza coupons and used another $4/$20 CVS coupon. I also threw on my extra $11 in Reward Bucks bringing my total for 4 pizzas down to only $1.36 OOP!

And now you know how I was able to get $92 worth of groceries for only $16.85! Did I mention I love CVS?

So here's the deal...I had heard about Kohl's Cash long ago, but was uninterested in at shopping at department stores. For those of you who don't know me...I shop at thrift stores for clothing. I RARELY buy any clothing item new. I stumbled upon 2 $5 Kohl's Cash certificates and decided to see how good of a deal I could really get.

I started with this purchase...2 outfits for only $1.53

I decided to try again and went back to Kohl's with 3 $5 certificates and left with 3 shirts for only $0.88 total!

So just to recap...5 BRAND NEW outfits, with tags, for my sweet baby girl for only $2.41!

Under normal circumstances...no sales...no coupons...these same 5 items would have cost me $61!!! And yet I paid $2.41...hmmmm...

Hello and welcome to another edition of My Super Kohl's Deal. I previously wrote a hub on my amazing Kohl's deal where I purchased $61 worth of kid's clothing (because I have a wee one, not because there is no other way to get this type of deal) for only $2.41. If you have not already, feel free to read that hub here. Regardless of whether or not you have read my first hub, you certainly do not need any preface to appreciate these types of super savings. As you have no doubt read in the title, I purchased everything pictured above for a mere $4.61. Sure this takes some pre-planning, but with sales like this, a few minutes of mental preparation is a small price to pay.

I am a huge fan of Kohl's Cash. These are $5 coupons good on anything in the store (with few minor exceptions). The best part about Kohl's Cash is that there is no minimum purchase required...i.e. you can spend $5 and use the $5 coupon. I know because I have done it! I love receipts where I owe $0.00. I actually have a few...they are like trophies to me. How sad is that? I made three Kohl's trips total and used six Kohl's Cash coupons. These are available through Kohl's of course, on ebay, and where I get mine on coupon trading sites. There are a few really good coupon sites out there, but I do not want to name any names since those sites do not allow anyone else to name drop on them. One website I can name where trading and buying on a special scale is the norm and one where I have had very few problems with is Kizoodle.com.

My first trip to Kohl's I walked out with two shirts for my baby girl for only $1.75. My total savings from this trip alone was $22.41.

My second Kohl's trip I walked out with two long sleeve onesies for $0.00! Kohl's had a one day sale and these adorable outfits were only $5 each! The $5 Kohl's cash I had canceled out the taxes as well so both receipts read save $10.00, spent $0.00.

My third and final trip to Kohl's I left with two more onesies for only $1.43 each. I saved $25.40 on both outfits! Did I mention...I love Kohl's?

This adventure in Kohl's shopping was most excellent. I purchased six outfits for my baby girl for under $5! Total retail price for all six outfits without sales or coupons would have come to $72! And I paid less than $5...insane.

I received a lot of comments (not necessarily here) about my last hub on the amazing deal I spun at CVS one short week ago. Most were thumbs up and kudos, but one really stuck out in my mind. A fellow hubber pointed out that because I went into CVS with Reward Bucks from previous sales I did not technically spend only $0.75. I attempted to go back to figure out the origin of these Reward Bucks, but since I tend to go from sale to sale, there was no way for me to trace back their lineage. I vowed this week to create a similar deal armed with only my know-how in response to this observation. So without any further adieu...I give you...my CVS deal this week. All this for only $6.93!...$3 of which were taxes! Damn you Chicago!

I walked into CVS armed only with my traveling arsenal of coupons...no Reward Bucks...fifteen minutes later I walked out with...

1 - 32 oz powerade

1 - gallon of Dean's milk

2 - packages of Paper Mate Pens, 10 count each

2 - 150 ct. sheets of 3 hole punched, lined filler paper

2 - packages of No. 2 Pencils, 24 count each

2 - 1" Vinyl 3-ring binders

2 - 80 ct. sheet memo pads

1 - 22 count generic brand Pantyliner

2 - Speed Stick Pro Deodorant

1 - Johnson and Johnson First Aid Kit 170 items

1 - Garnier Fructis Anti-Frizz Serum sleek & shine 5.1 oz

1 - King Size Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

1 - 24ct Orbitz gum

I paired the Reward Buck Deals this week with 3 coupons from my arsenal...

1 FREE 32 oz Powerade

1 $5 any Garnier Fructis product

1 CVS coupon for $10 off the purchase of $50 or more (from in store coupon generator)

...and as a BONUS I received a $1.50 off 1 Speed Stick from the coupon generator when I walked in. Mega Bonus...the Speed Stick was $2.99 with a Reward Buck of $2 making the out of pocket cost only $0.99. The coupon was for $1.50 meaning I made $0.51 after Reward Bucks! This trip I spent $35.76 out of pocket and received $28.83 in Reward Bucks. Worth mentioning is the full price I paid for the candy...because well, you have to have candy...coupons or no! The candy alone cost $2.88 and the taxes were $3. Add those together and that encompasses $5.88 of the $6.93.

So just to recap...walked out of CVS with a gallon of milk, 32 oz Powerade, 20 pens, 300 sheets of paper, 48 pencils, 2 binders, 160 memo sheets, 22 pantiliners, 2 deodorants, 170 piece first aid kit, 5.1 oz of anti-frizz serum, 4 peanut butter cups, and 24 pieces of gum for under $7. Whew! Not quite as good as $0.75, but not too shabby either. I now have $28.83 to spend on my next visit...muah hahahahahahha! On a much more serious note, I think CVS hates me...

I enjoy couponing...I am not going to lie to you. Something about getting items at a largely reduced rate or for free is just so appealing to me. I overheard one checker talking to a fellow checker about my bargain buying ways and was of the mindset that if she did not need the item right at that moment in time there was no reason to "buy" it, even if it was free. Clearly, I disagree. I was thinking about how rare stores offering FREE items is and if that comes at the cost of stockpiling, that is worth it to me...but then again I am a stay at home mom with little money and lots of free time. To me it is odd that so many people seem to dislike couponers...both employees and shoppers alike. It seems like we are looked down upon for wanting to spend less on items that are necessary to run our homes effectively. This I do not understand. In my opinion, prices are WAY TOO HIGH for household items, food included. Anyone who is willing to pay $8+ for store bought shampoo is throwing their money away! $8 is I dare say an outrageous price for generic hair cleaning products and that is just one example. If society wishes for us to keep our hygiene at an acceptable rate they should probably lower the prices of the products that allow us to do so. I will tell you from personal experience that when it comes to washing my hair or feeding my family, I choose food...I can smell to high heaven and not feel one ounce of remorse. I hate to sound repetitive, but if prices were fair for products we would not need coupons in the first place; just something to think about...and I digress to the title topic at hand; DOUBLE COUPONS!

So I am still learning the best deals for double coupons and the value of stockpiling good coupons, but this week's Kmart trip was fairly successful if I do say so myself. My first trip went smoothly with only one major hiccup. I was able to score...2 Scotch 6x9 padded shipping envelopes for FREE! I used two of the $0.50/1 Scotch packaging supplies coupon and the envelopes themselves were only $0.97. I was not able to profit from this, but free works just fine for me! Another bargain was the 12oz box of Rice Krispies I scored for only $0.25! I used the $1/1 coupon from the promotional Kellogg's coupons found in select Kellogg's products. The cereal itself was $2.25 before the coupon. I also snagged some family favorites one Starbucks Double Shot 15oz can on sale for $2. I used a $0.50/1 coupon I found on a tearpad at my local store making the drink a mere $1. I also grabbed two Starbucks double shot 4-packs. I coupled these with the two $2/1 coupons I had bringing the price down to $5.49 each. Not a great deal, but not too shabby either. The only hiccup was when my second $2/1 Starbucks 4-pack did not double. So instead of saving $8 on the two 4 packs of Double Shots, I only saved $6. This sucks because as all you couponers know, I would not have purchased the product without the coupon. So I wound up paying an extra $2 from what I originally planned, but it still turned out to be a good trip. Everything pictured below was $10.68. Pretty good considering one 4 pack of Starbucks goes for $7.49! The coupon gods did smile on me because later in the day on my CVS run the checker messed up and credited me an extra $1.79...fairly close to $2...coincidence? I think not!

My second trip to Kmart was a success and had a bonus surpirse for me! I picked up three A.1. sauces for under a $1 each. They were $4.99 for each 10 oz bottle and I used three of the $2/1 coupons saving $4 on each bottle. The Del Monte Fruit Chillers were 3 for $8 and I used the $1/2 coupons making both packages only $3.33. As a bonus I received a $3 off $20 on my next food purchase at Kmart which makes me want to head back before the double coupon sale ends. All in all, not a bad double coupon trip. As I said before I still learning when it comes to double coupons, so any input you might have would be great! I would love to know which coupons you specifically use for which items...I know I can do better than this! so please leave me comments and help a double coupon novice out!

What is a Reward Buck?

CVS has a Reward Buck program that offers many products for FREE after the Reward Buck. But what does that mean? Essentially CVS is crazy and giving away products for FREE. I cannot tell you how many items I have received for FREE utilizing this program. Trust me it is a snap! Simply walk into your local CVS and find the specified Reward Buck item though I must warn you not all items are clearly labeled. It is always beneficial to bring in the ad, which they also have available on site, to reference in a pinch. Once the item is found, proceed to checkout where you pay upfront the price for the item. Once purchased a Reward Buck prints out with you receipt for the exact price you paid. This Reward Buck is a coupon for anything in the store with a few minor exceptions you use on your next trip.

That seems like a lot of work; why should I go to all that trouble?

Did I mention it is FREE? Sure it costs you another trip to CVS, but for those who have the time and inclination you can stock up on many useful items and products for FREE. I started out never shopping at CVS; I purchased all my household items at the grocery store at cost. Now I utilize CVS for its FREE item deals and awesome sales to help alleviate my monthly spending. When I began using Reward Bucks I figured out to only use them later sales. You have a little over 2 weeks to use your Reward Buck which gives you ample time to take advantage of other sales. You know the saying, "You have to spend money to make money?" Unfortunately that is true more often than not. I use my savings to generate even more savings! In other words, my money is making money! Another awesome aspect of the Reward Bucks program is that every season you are rewarded for your spending and receive a separate Reward Buck for your past purchases. I recently received one out of the blue. The moral of the story? CVS paid me to shop there. While FREE items might be uncommon ground, getting paid to receive FREE products is a win in any light.

Why don't more people do this?

You tell me I REFUSE to pay the high prices the stores sell their products for. I mean these are items we all need and use and we are paying through the nose for them! It's time to stop the insanity! Stop throwing your money away! Many people sell this advice I offer it to you FREE of charge. I would rather people take advantage of these deals and savings and let these companies know we are paying attention and using the tools they have given us. Financial breaks belong to everyone not just the super elite or destitute. We can all use a bailout! I am your savings advocates. Enjoy your discounts!

As a nation of couponers we have heard about it. Maybe not about us, but we certainly all feel the burden of coupon fraud. But what exactly is coupon fraud? Many believe coupon fraud to be using excessive amounts of coupons. This is not only completely untrue, but it turns us avid couponers into evil grocery bandits bent on looting and plundering away the store's precious resources with our little pieces of paper. This my friends is ridiculous. The time has come to put the myth to rest...so put on your learning hats ladies and gentlemen...because you are about to be schooled.

The largest victims of coupon fraud are not the stores themselves, as so many incorrectly think and would seek to defend the honor of, but the customers of such stores. When manufacturer's retract all their coupons because one or two people decide to make counterfeits the only loser is us. I find it ludicrous to lash out out at all couponers for the mistakes of a few...after all, when people counterfeit money you don't take it out on everyone who hands you a Benjamin, do you? No, you are simply more careful about accepting those bills that come your way.

I don't want to go off on a rant, but I feel I need to mention the reason for coupons in the first place. Manufacturer's make products and overprice them on purpose! Coupons were invented to help the consumer save money on a product that was marked up way too high to begin with. When you walk into the store and buy something at face value, you are overpaying by almost 200% depending on where you are. For me, that is WAY TOO MUCH! Especially on everyday items I need for my family. You know that luxury we all need everyday in order to survive?...I call it food.

For those of you rushing to defend the store...don't. The largest problem of the coupon world is the lack of communication between the manufacturer's and stores which then confuses all the consumers. The varying sets of rules regarding coupons only makes the process that much harder. Most misuse of coupons is due to a lack of communication on the business end. Many customers are so afraid to misuse the coupon they fail to take advantage of the benefits...not to sound too conspiracy theory...but that is exactly what the manufacturer's want! They don't want you to take advantage of the tools they have given you to save money...they want you to pay full price...they want you to pay whatever price they feel like asking...case in point, GASOLINE! Why do you think they make coupons so impractical? And give them such a bad reputation? You are either the "crazy coupon lady" or a "thief" because you are unwilling or unable to pay the high prices for a gallon of milk and a loaf of bread.

Did you know for every coupon a store receives (and here I am referencing the big stores where coupons are used on a much larger scale...Target, CVS, Kmart, and chain grocery stores) they receive as compensation for accepting that coupon the face value of the coupon plus $0.08. That's right...stores actually make money for taking your coupons. Whenever I walk into a store with a stack of coupons I simply shrug and think...I am making you money while saving myself some...win...win. I guess there is no more need for concern that these stores are losing money on coupons. The simple truth is...the stores are FINE.

Other coupon fraud myths are pairing coupons with store sales. This is not fraud...this is called smart shopping. This is the reason I stockpile...I buy it in bulk with good sales and coupons and don't have to worry about it for months at a time. Free coupons are also not coupon fraud. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard this...from checkers no less! Using multiples of the same coupon varies from store to store and is not always frowned upon. Some stores have no problem with you buying thirty of the same item and using 30 manufacturer coupons, some do. This is another reason couponing is tough. You have to do your reasearch to not unintentionally commit fraud. I don't feel bad for the grocery lines either...not fraud but still worth a mention...I know how to shop, I do it all the time! The lines are always long and slow not because of couponers but because shopping for groceries is something everyone has to do. Grocery stores are the great equalizers of this country...especially in the city. Some of us shop little bits at a time, others buy in bulk. I would go to a warehouse store and buy in bulk there, but I don't feel the need to pay for a membership. That is simply another expense I cannot afford. Besides, I get such good deals at the grocery store, I figure, why bother with the warehouse store at all? I have just as much of a right to shop at the regular store as anyone else.

When it comes to the subject of actual coupon fraud, here are some prime examples: mass manufacturing a fraudulently made coupon and selling said coupons to unsuspecting customers, buying items with coupons and then returning those items for a full refund (which many places can actually track now), using two coupons for only one product (unless you're at Target and have a Target and manufacturer coupon, then it is okay), wrongly using a coupon to receive a discount on an item not listed on the coupon (such a s a wrong size or quantity), and/or altering a coupon.These are classic cases of coupon fraud.

So unless you are engaging in these sorts of criminal enterprises, chances are you are NOT committing coupon fraud. Again, please check your store's policies to ensure your coupon behavior is of the appropriate type. Do not let other customers or store employees make you feel bad for saving money. You are absolutely allowed to use coupons in a legal fashion and save some serious dough. Welcome my friends...to the couponomy!