Couponing

I started couponing at the end of last year and figured I'd give it a few months to see if (1) it actually is saving me money and (2) it is worth the time (and if I got better at it and thus it became less time-consuming). (For the record, "couponing" doesn't just mean using coupons shopping how you would normally shop - it means planning your purchases purposefully, using high-dollar coupons when things are on sale and taking advantage of rebate or other programs at drugs stores to get free or they-pay-me-to-take-it items.) I've come to the conclusion that, for our specific family, it is very much worth it for household and personal care items (like shampoo, paper towels, etc.) and not usually very profitable for food (based on percent of total food budget) but helps some. I'm sure we could have an incredibly low food bill if only we weren't so picky about what we eat - no artificial stuff, no preservatives, no high fructose corn syrup, as much whole grain as possible, as little canned food as possible, certain things (especially certain produce) organic only, not too much processed food, and we're trying hard for more fruits and vegetables. Don't get me wrong - we have definitely lowered our food bill by using coupons, menu planning and paying attention to which stores have the lowest prices for things we normally buy, but we aren't even close to $40/week for a family of 5 like I've read about from others (in my same city, in fact).

But the personal care/household items is definitely great. This month all of our household and personal care items came to a grand total of $17.44. (By the way, if you don't factor in the expensive all-natural, biodegradable, handmade etc. laundry detergent, it would be a net gain of $3.16.) This is what I got:

• 3 shaving creams; 2 packs of gum; 3 rolls paper towels; 2 vitamin waters; 1 toothbrush; 4 hair gels (specific type Chad uses); 1 all-natural chapstick; 1 pack hair ties; 1 men's hair color (no, we do not use this - I will donate it); 1 body wash; 1 pack asprin (ditto for donating); 2 types of eyedrops (will donate 1); 1 pack dishwasher detergent; 2 pregnancy tests; 1 reusable grocery bag, 1 package disposable diapers (all of the above came to -$2.74, meaning I made $2.74 by buying them)
• 2 mascaras, 2 tinted moisturizers, 3 eyeshadows (all physician's formula brand "organic" makeup items) (-$4.41, again meaning I made money on these)
• 1 all-natural toddler's toothpaste ($3.99)
• specialty handmade laundry detergent, most of it specifically for cloth diapers, enough for 112 loads ($20.60)

Now it is certainly worth mentioning that although it appears that I got a lot of stuff for free, in the grand scheme of things it isn't really free because it takes time. Thankfully the time I spend is significantly diminished by being organized, planning meticulously, having a Rite Aid and 2 Walgreens stores within 2 miles of my house, being experienced (I spend maybe half the amount of time now that I did in January), and perhaps most of all, reading these two blogs:
www.frugallivingnw.com
www.beingfrugalisfabulous.com

(There are lots of great money-saving blogs out there, but these just happen to be the ones in my Google reader.) So for our family, the verdict is yes, couponing is helpful enough to justify the time, at least for the moment while I have the time to spend and we're not super picky about our shampoo (at least, for the adults - the kids' stuff, well, that's another post altogether).