MatrixEscapee: Yes thanks - we eat a lot of eggs!

Packy: It's true, couponing *is* time consuming. I used to clip and file only the coupons I thought I might use, but now that I'm attending a monthly swap I clip them ALL from the inserts. If I don't have time to do anything more than clip, I quickly sort the "keepers" into the categories that I have in my binder and stuff this semi-ordered stack into a regular envelope which I tuck into the front of the binder until I can find time to put them into the little pockets. I've learned which traffic lights are long enough to do a little filing, and anytime I know I'll be in a waiting room for awhile, I'll haul the binder in with me to file while I wait. Hopefully you'll soon find an acceptable method that works for you. :-)

Thanks, Faye!!

Thanks for the egg coupon, I still have a rain check where HT eggs were $0.97....

I think that would be manageable, Faye. I have EVERY. SINGLE. COUPON in my binder that's still in date. I still have a stack from Sunday (which I NEVER not file) sitting on my table. I just can't stand the thoughts of putting them in the binder right now. I do feel like I'm wasting vasts amount of time sort coupons I may never (most likely) never use. I think this may be what I'll do.

There is a coupon on Facebook for .55/2 one-dozen eggs (any brand!)

https://www.facebook.com/IncredibleEdibleEgg?ref=ts&fref=ts

megan2424 - we discussed this on the blog back in September here:

http://www.wral.com/5onyourside/smartshopper/blogpost/11598296/

Hopefully that will help you get your budget in line. Although I increased my budget in September to $80 per week for food (family of 4 and dog) and $10 for non-food (2 tween/teenage girls with lots of hair care products), I am staying within $80/week for food and non-food so that is my working budget now. A number of other people shared their budgets as well so make sure you read all the comments at the link above. Hope that helps! :-)

Packy - I do a hybrid coupon filing system. I cut out the coupons I know we will use, those I will probably use and those I know I can get a good deal on for items I'll donate. Then I file the rest of the inserts by date in folders. If I need to go back for a coupon I didn;t expect to use because of a great deal, I can find it. But, I always have my best coupons with me in my binder when I am in the store for unadvertised deals, which I find all the time. I do not cut out and file all the coupons and never would. That would be so time consuming and a waste of time. If you watch even one TV show per week, you can get most of your cutting and filing done then. If you keep up with it each week, it is not as overwhelming as waiting a couple weeks between filing coupons. Remember, the more coupons you bring into the store with you, the more unadvertised deals you can take advantage of - but you have to be able to find them when you are in the store.

quemaster: I buy a lot of stuff online too for cheaper prices. But sometimes if I'm in the middle of a craft project and need something right now I'd like to be able to see who in a 10 mile radius has the cheaper one so I'm not wasting gas. Luckily I was in Cary and they are across the stree from each other. It would be good for grocery stuff too...

quemaster, I've begun shopping at Goodwills and have fallen totally, deeply in love. I've ALWAYS been embarassed about even talking into a thrift store but now I couldn't care less. I have found THE BEST DEALS EVER at Goodwill...even though some of their items are high priced.

So I'm wondering if I shouldn't do an almost hybrid system. File inserts I probably won't use and clip/file in binder for ones I'd mostly likely use. I know everyone has their own system but I have GOT to save some time somewhere.

prisskat I shop online before I buy things. That way I can check prices both on line and in stores (via their websites). I too have had mixed results with barcode scanners. Your idea is a good one and one I'd think would be hugely beneficial.

Coupons, binders, files...it IS time consuming. I started couponing with my wife as part of a change in my life. I had free time since my child was out of high school and changed jobs so income was changed and decided I needed to be more resourceful. At the same time I started hitting thrift stores (my sister is the queen of thrift store shopping and had been working on me for ages) and doing less of mindless things (TV) and more of good things (reading) and cooking. I took on more household chores, too to support my wife. We rely on Faye's posts mostly for the good deals but are open to those and take the binder when shopping in case. However, we don't cut all coupons because we know we are NOT buying cat food, etc. If we might buy it we clip it/print it. Seriously, how many coupons do you actually use from a normal paper? Not as many as you think!

what is a good app for anroid phone that uses the barcode technology for LOcal areas. I have just gotten a new phone and tried several apps but it never will show me local stuff only online items. Like yesterday I was a AC moore wanted to compare an item to Michaels it wouldn't so I bought it. Went over to MIchaels and it was $8 less (of course I returend it and got the cheaper one). This was one app I was excited about.. what do you use?

dkg0502 Use a cooler! I mix the brine solution to get the salt disolved. This means warm water and then I let it cool. I put the water in a cooler, add turkey and then add ice. It brines well, doesn't take up room and is out of the way. When I remove the turkey we just wash the cooler well and we are done!

Thanks for the replies. I'm still torn bc I LOVE my binder in the store even though I normally make lists and buy ONLY those items. I've not gotten the hang of it yet to NOT consult with Faye first. lol

and as far as sorting while I'm doing other things, I'm honestly not that good of a multi-tasker. And I seldom watch tv and when I do...the LAST thing I want to do is sort coupons. :(

I hate to put the money in a new coupon system but something's gotta give. I'm putting way too much time into it.

.25 lb NC sweet potatoes - Compare Foods

I am liking my binder also. It is really convenient at the store. I have been making a list of things that for sure I want on an envelope and pulling those coupons ahead of time. That way I only have to go into the binder for what I find extra in the store.

I keep another envelope at home for things I won't use but that someone else might. I keep hoping to get to a coupon swap but most of them in my area are during the day when I work. Then I have another envelope where the expired ones go so I can send them onto the military families.

PACKY, once I got my stockpile started, I clip fewer coupons. With the accordion, I take too long in the grocery store etc. With the binder, I have everything within reach. I sort my binder by the aisles in the grocery store. I keep my binder in the kitchen, when I am cooking and in the den, while I watch tv. As I cut coupons, I sort them in a box with each aisle labeled. Once a week, I pull out the expired coupons and replace them with the ones that I have sorted. I sometimes, lump all like items in one baseball card slot (stick them straight in without folding), like cereal, snackbars, milk, yogurt etc. This saves me "alot" of stuffing time.

I just looked at Sunday's AD for CVS and WOW looks like they are making up for the lackluster Black Friday AD with a week of deals!

Hey All, I am revisiting the budget. I'm curious, what do you budget for groceries per person per day in your family. Does this include cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, toilet paper, etc. or is it just for food items? Thank you in advance!!

Packy...I don't clip all coupons...esp. the Proctor Gamble ones. But, I do clip coupons I think I might use and put them in my binder.

In all honesty...when I used the accordian and sorted by date I missed out on a lot of deals and it was time consuming to go through all those inserts.

I think couponing in general is just kind of time consuming.

I have been reading about brining a turkey but most people recommend putting the turkey and brine solution in a 5 gallon bucket and then putting it in the refrigerator. My refrigerator isn't big enough to do that...how does everyone else handle this? I saw there are brining bags... maybe that is an option. We are a family of 3 so I don't see us needing a huge turkey...Help!

I'll have the Food Lion deals posted when I return from taking my daughter to her ortho appointment. Have a good lunch, everyone! :-)

Packy, if you binder all the coupons you'll go crazy!"

That's exactly what's happening!!! Grrr... my daughter even cuts and helps sort them and it's still 4+ hours every Sunday. I don't have the time for that much...course I don't know who really does! :)

Packy, if you binder all the coupons you'll go crazy! We binder the ones we print and the ones we suspect we COULD use if it was on sale or we regularly use it. The others we file by date of paper. Then we do our shopping lists and if we need to retrieve a coupon from the file we do that. We use a small index card box we picked up for pennies at good will with dividers for this. YES, we do cut them since we sometimes go to coupon swaps and they need to be cut for that, too.

Clinton, go to retailmenot.com and put in toys r us and it'll give any available coupon codes as well as printables

sarahconnor, that's exactly what I'm thinking about doing...I also just ran across another blog that described how to file the inserts in a binder...not a file box. I really like that one! Thanks so much for your input!!!

My HT had super doubles the week before last. They doubled coupons up to $2. to $4.

Food Lion has frozen Butterball turkey .99 per pound this week and butterball.com/savings offers 5 $1 coupons with mail in form.

Anyone use Shopkick?

I went to Target the other day and I wasn't awarded my points. Who would contact to see about getting credit for my visit?

I really don't like the new app.

Packy, I was doing the binder method for all my coupons and gave up because of time. Now I use my binder for internet, mailer, blinkie, tear pad and other loose coupons. I use an accordian file for all the rest. I date each section with the Sunday that they were in the paper and just drop in all the inserts. Then I use this and other blogs when I go shopping to see what date they are in and clip then before I go to the store. Saves me enormous amounts of time. The only drawback is not having all my coupons with me when I see those clearance items that I hadn't planned on. But, I really think it's worth missing a few items for all the time I save! HTH!

I've been doing the binder method for around a couple of months now and it's become very time consuming. I'm seriously contemplating on using the binder method because of it. Does anyone do this?

This mornings Food Lion email had a coupon for $2 off a $10 meat purchase. I think I will be using this on a purchase of a ham.

Thanks Faye!

There is a $1 coupon off ocean spray cranberries on their facebook. https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/oceanspray?fref=ts

mikke - HT has not done a coupon event in December in the last 3 years according to my deals lists since 2009. They have done one every November and January for the last 3 years.

HT did Super Doubles on January 6, 2010 and then January 9, 2011 so we will probably have an HT event in early January.

Try retailmenot.com for toys r us coupons. They have several online ones.

I know...its early. But for anyone who tracks these things, has HT historically done a coupon event in December?

anyone know of a toys r us coupon code for % or money off online order? I HATE going to their store since whatever I'm looking for is usually out of stock.

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