ARTICLES
Stockpiling:Is It Worth It?
Swiffer Dust Cloth Savings Tip
Free Money Using Swagbucks
How Much Is Too Much?
10 Tips To Maximize Your Coupon Savings
How to Get Free Samples
15 Ways To Save $50.00 This Month!
Maximizing Your Optimum Points!
STOCKPILING:IS IT WORTH IT? (Sept. 6/2011)
Most unnecessary expense on grocery purchases derive from that last minute "run out to the store for that one thing I need" without a plan. If you can have those items in your house already when you run out, and have only paid a fraction of the cost, it eliminates that purchase that would have to be made no matter what the cost.
Stockpiling doesn't mean buying and keeping everything you can find! It is important to be discriminatory when it comes to items being selected to be in your stockpile. Only purchase multiples of items on sale for your stockpile if your family will use this item. Also, take into consideration expiry dates.
The best stockpiles have a limited variety of items, but high depth in those selections. Things like toilet paper, paper towels, diapers, etc., are great examples of things to stock up on if you have the chance. They will never go bad, and you know for a fact they will be used.
Before beginning a stockpile, have a plan. Write down a list of the items that you would like in it, as well as how long you would like it to last. Meaning, if you had to live off your stockpile, would you like to have 2 months worth of product? 6 months? A year? Make sure the legnth of time not only makes sense for the family you're supporting, but for the space you have available to store it in. We don't want an episode of Hoarders on our hands where you've got soup cans in your closet because they were on sale!
A freezer is also very handy in creating a successful stockpile. Many fruits, veg, and meats can be frozen for later consumption, which is perfect for stocking up on items so you don't need to purchase them when they are "out of season", usually ending up close to twice the price!
My stockpile has allowed me to shop in my basement instead of the grocery store, and lower my family's weekly grocery bill to $20-$30/week! So I am a full supporter of stockpiling, as long as its done with a plan, and within reason:)
SAVE ON SWIFFER DUST CLOTHS (Sept 10/2011)
Did you know that Swiffer Dust Cloths are machine washable?! If you throw them in the washer on a light cycle and dryer as usual, they are perfectly reuseable again and again!
The prongs will need a little maneuvering to get the cloth back on the duster as the shape changes a little in the dryer, but totallt worth the $$ you save! And even when they get to the point when you cant get it back on the handle, great to use as a duster by hand!
Want to earn Swagbucks faster so you can CASH IN?! Here's some tricks I've found work best!
1. NEVER type a web address into the top bar when going to a website, type it into the search bar at Swagbucks! Make this a habit so you're always searching to earn!
2.Enter a search for a site you visit on a regular basis, like maybe Save Big, Live Better! When the search results come up, make this your Home Page (you can set this up in your internet options, click the CONTACT button if you need help doing this). Then, everytime you click the home button, it counts as you doing a search and you have ANOTHER chance to earn Swagbucks! And since you will be entering all the sites you visit and searches through here, you'll click the home button to bring you to the search window to do your search, so you're doing TWO searches every time!
3.The daily polls are an extra little thing I've been doing. They literally take less than 10 seconds, its one question, and you automatically get 1 Swagbuck every time! Every little bit helps!
4.You can earn Swagbucks by watching videos too. So sometimes I will open an extra window when I'm on the computer and let the videos play in the backround while I do what I have to, occasionally clicking back over to start the next one. You earn Swagbucks for about every 10 videos that play. And they are only about 1 minute long (movie trailers, ads, etc).
Lots of ways to get the points, but even if you ONLY use the search method, you can earn points in NO TIME!
I earned $60 in gift cards FREE to use for christmas shopping in my first 2 months! Not too shabby for doing what I was already doing I think!
If you'd like to have a look or sign up and give it a try (its free, you have NOTHING to lose!)
Visit Swagbucks.com to sign up for FREE!
HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH? (Sept. 17/2011)
So you've checked out the weekly matchups page, pulled the coupons you have, and are excited about the great deals you've found. So how much do you get? There's two things to keep top of mind when you get to this point.
Number one, what is your stockpile goal? In other words, if you had to live off your stockpile, how long would you like it to last? One month? Three months? If you find an amazing deal, you should look at stocking up enough to fulfill this timeline you've chosen in advance.
Number two, stores typically put things on sale in cycles of 6-8 weeks. Therefor, if you find a truly amazing deal, I would recommend picking up what you would consume in a 8 week period. This will avoid you having to go and pay full price for this item later, and you will not have to purchase any until the next time it goes on sale:)
Never stock up on things JUST CAUSE YOU CAN! If you do find a once in a lifetime deal, be realistic about your need for the item. If it isn't something you need, feel free to take advantage of the savings and donate the items to a local shelter. Otherwise, get what you need to support yourself and your family, and leave the rest so another person can support theirs:)
Check out:Stockpiling:Is It Worth It for more info!
10 TIPS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR COUPON SAVINGS! (Oct. 26/2011)
If you only pick one rule to follow, this is it! Please, DO NOT use a coupon on its own! A coupon on its own will provide you with a minimal amount of savings. The key is to hold onto your coupon until the item goes on sale, then use the coupon in conjunction with the sale price. This way you are saving twice, and this will sometimes result in even getting the product for free:)
Save Big, Live Better! takes the guess work out of this process by posting the weekly matchups every week to the most popular stores FOR you! Here you will find the sales in that weeks flyer, which coupons to use to increase those savings, and even WHERE the coupon came from/can be found!
Especially when getting started, this is important to remember. Take your time! Don't jump on every sale JUST because its on sale! If you end up buying things you maybe wouldn't have without the coupons, or you dont need, you will end up spending MORE than you probably would have to begin with!
Planning is important here in knowing if this item is at its lowest price it will reach, how many you should buy for your stockpile, and if you even need it at all!
When you first explore the world of couponing, it can be tempting to get everything you come across because really, EVERYTHING is a great deal compared to what you were spending before! But make sure you always have a plan and pace yourself so you dont end up missing out on the savings you could be enjoying:)
Eventually this is where the saving will really take place. Have you ever really sat down and looked at how many "last minute" purchases you've made for dinner? Or how many times you've eaten out/take out because you hadn't had time to go grocery shopping and were too tired to do it today? If you have a stockpile, you eliminate not only the cost of eating out, but those last minute purchases that have you missing out on savings by paying full price.
I have had a fully functioning stockpile in place for moths now, and I absolutely LOVE it!! If you check out my Spending Challenge for the month of October, you will see that because of my stockpile I was able to supply my family with groceries for the entire month (including diapers, but not formula) for $80!! Never would I even have thought before couponing that I could even spend only $80 in a week on groceries...but here we are lasting a MONTH!
There are a number of things to keep in mind when starting your stockpile, check out the Stockpiling:Is it worth it? article for more info. Just remember, again, to take your time. Your stockpile wont appear overnight, and you dont want it to. Because in the end, you want to know that not only is your family fully provided for, but you did it for a fraction of the cost of what would've come out of your pocket otherwise;)
When you see a tear pad, or spot a coupon in a newspaper or magazine, DONT TURN IT DOWN!! There are a number of reasons for this.
First, later on that $0.25 coupon that doesn't seem like much could result in awesome savings if the right sale comes along!
Second, it may not be a product your family uses, but if the coupon could give you overage later to use on things you do need, you dont want to pass that up! (items you dont need but will provide you with overage can always be donated to a local charity!)
Third, it puts you in the position to trade! On forums like the Save Big, Live Better! Trade Forum you could not only help someone out who may be looking for that coupon, but they may have ones you would use that they are willing to trade! And it never hurts to help out a fellow couponer! What goes around comes around...its coupon karma;)
An overage is what happens when you use a coupon that is worth more than the product costs. And, for those of you new to couponing, yes, this does happen!
This is key in covering the costs of items that rarely have coupons available for them like milk, fruits and vegetables. Right now in Ontario, the only stores that will provide you overage when you have a coupon valued higher than the item price are Walmart, Zellers, and Giant Tiger.
Giant Tiger and Zellers allow you the overage to use toward the rest of your purchase, but if you end up with a negative balance when all is said and done, they will not give you that remainder in cash.
Walmart, however, will give you any remainder you have left on a gift card to use at a later date. So maybe you have an opportunity for overage but dont need anything right away, go to Walmart so you can get it on a gift card and use it when you do need those non-coupon items!
Remember, if there's ever an item you are purchasing specifically for the overage that you will not use, dont let it go to waste. Donate it to your local charity:)
Hearing about other couponer's great finds is the best way to scope out the best deals! Not all sales a store has are going to be listed in the flyer, and you certainly wont have time to visit EVERYWHERE to see what you're missing!
Be sure to check out the Bragging Rights page! It's just like it sounds too! Check out all the great shops people are DYING to brag about! That way if that find appeals to you, you can go out and do it too!
The easiest way to get ALL your saving info though is to "LIKE" Save Big, Live Better on Facebook to get real time updates as deals are posted!
If you have any great finds, click the CONTACT button on the left side of your screen so I can share it with others looking to save!
Even with all the leg work I try to do for you, its useless if you're unorganized. Imagine checking the weekly matchups and seeing an amazing deal that HAS to come home with you, then having to dig through a pile of coupons wondering if you have the one you need. I can tell you that would frustrate me so much I'd probably give up on it altogether!
Two main things are coming to mind in the realm of organization:
1-Organize your coupons! There is no right or wrong way of doing this, just whatever makes sense to you so you can find them when you need them. (For tips on organizing your coupons, see the Organizing Your Coupon Binder section of our Getting Started page!)
2-Set aside a certain time that works for you where you can check the matchups (generally new flyers begin Fridays, so the matchups are posted Thursday nights), pull your coupons, and have time to make your "plan of attack" based on which stores have what sales. This is easiest to do all in one shot to save lots of confusion, and multiple trips to the store.
**Deals and coupons are posted at all times of the day, so I recommend checking the blog (Home page) at least once daily if possible. The most effective and easiest way to stay up to date is to "LIKE" Save Big, Live Better! on Facebook. This way you will receive real time updates as deals are posted, so you'll never miss out!
Couponing, just like any other method of try to save money, takes a certain level of dicipline. I operate by a "no coupon, no sale" policy on MOST items, meaning if I dont have a coupon for that sale item, that sale item is not coming home with me!!
We all have our slips, but generally speaking, try and restrict your shopping to the BEST deals if you really want to maximize your savings.
Obviously items that dont typically have coupons are excluded from this like vegetables and fruit. But items like cleaning products and toiletries are a NO GO without an AMAZING deal!
I'm not going to lie to you and say its easy, but you'll be glad you scaled back those purchases when you see your account balance at the end of the month;)
This is the whole purpose for your stockpile! We all see on Extreme Couponing on TLC these immaculate and organized stockpiles the shoppers are oh-so proud of, and while you may want to have that visual to show off your savings, keep in mind the main goals here:
1-Provide for your family
2-Save money!
Planning your meals is a very important step to take when trying to save money as it helps you limit the last minute trips to the grocery store or eating out. Planning your meals around your stockpile ensures that not only will all the products be used before they expire, but that whatever it is you will be having for dinner, you know you already have all the ingredients right at home!
There's a fantastic article on Menu Planning from your Stockpile at ECC right now that is definitely worth a read
Why do all this research if you're just going to go to the store and wing it right?! lol
Having a plan is really the final step before actually going to the store and picking up the items you are purchasing (or hopefully getting for free?!).
As stated in the tip on organization, planning a time to plan is key. Set aside that same time each week like you would for your fave tv show, and sit down to review the weekly matchups, see what you will be purchasing, pull your coupons, and write out a list.
Since the idea of building your stockpile is to get things at rock bottom prices, the main habit to break (since we ALL do it!) is make your list based on the weekly matchups and coupons you have, NOT based on what you think you need.
This is easier said than done at first, but once you have gotten a decent stockpile together, this will be a piece of cake!
I hope these tips were helpful in helping you make sense of saving money couponing. If you have any questions or feedback for me, please click the CONTACT button on the left side of your screen and send me a message, I'd love to hear from you!
HOW TO GET FREE SAMPLES (Oct. 30/2011)
There's a number of ways to order/recieve free samples in the mail (which takes the sting away from opening the bills after!)
1.P&G Brandsampler-You can access this program through the main Brandsaver.ca website. It is active about once every 1-2 months. Not only does this sample program provide you with samples of your favorite brands, but they are typically accompanied by high value coupons! You can order 1 sampler package per household, per active program. They usually come within 2-3 weeks of ordering.
2.Samplesource.ca-This is a newly available program I haven't been lucky enough to take advantage of yet as it "sold out" so quickly its first round, but from what I understand the samples are PHENOMENAL. As in some actually full sized products for trying! Hoping to get in on this one next round (new samples available April 2012)
3.Contact your fave companies-A little feedback can go a long way! Don't ever hesitate to contact your favorite brands and tell them what you think. Not all companies will send out samples/coupons, but it never hurts to ask! Typically they will want to support continued customer loyalty and will provide you with higher value coupons at the very least:)
4.Take advantage of promo offers now to benefit later-There are many offers that you can take advantage of that will put you in a company's database of loyal customers for when they have a free offer. Obviously dont go out of your way to sign up for offers that are just no good for you, be selective. But do act quickly on offers that make sense for you and your preferences as promos are always limited and you dont want to miss out! For example, if you are a fan of Kraft products, they had an amazing offer which got you $50 in product samples (full size!) and high value coupons, which will also have you getting notified of other fantastic offers/coupons in the future.
Want more info? Visit our Getting Started page to see the section Getting Things For FREE!
15 Ways To Save $50.00 This Month!-Nov. 6/2011
Combining a few of these easy to follow tips (the ones that will work best for you) will save you $50.00 or MORE this month ALONE!
By making this slight adjustment you can reduce your heating bill by hundreds of dollars a year! Another way to take advantage of this without having to make the physical adjustment is to use programmable thermostats. You can set these to adjust the temperature down during the day (while you're at work and hydro is the most expensive!) and adjust it back up before you get home!
Hydro One considers 7pm-7am "OFF PEAK" time, meaning this is when it costs you the least. We like to put a load of laundry in at 7pm, then we just pop it into the dryer before we go to bed and its ready when we wake up in the morning:)
Well, this is kind of a given on this site! Using coupons on groceries can literally save you thousands of dollars a year, more if you REALLY put some energy into it:) The bonus of this too, its probably the easiest to do! Treat coupons like money, when you find them, grab them and keep them with you, because you can use it to pay for things you need later!
Want to learn how to coupon? Visit the Getting Started page:)
If this is one of your saving vices...STOP IT!! This is a very unnecessary addition to your monthly budget to could save you a ton if you look at it on a monthly/yearly basis. If you're REALLY dying to have that friend/family gathering, have people over and make it a pot luck dinner and you can all cook something to share:) This is a nice comprimise, and everyone can have alot of fun doing it!
If you're already cooking a pot of pasta, or baking chicken, just put in an extra serving or two for the next day, or even to be frozen! We always cook an extra chicken breast at night to be cut up in salads the next day, and its nice to have a homemade meal ready to go!
I know there are many Tim Hortons addicts out there, so even cutting this down to once a week will make a huge difference! Think of this...
Coffee=$2.00 (depending on the size, I just sort of estimated!)
5 times a week=$10
4 weeks a month=$40
Instant coffee from the store=$5
Even if you cut out drive thru coffee for one month you would have saved $35.00! Think about THAT next time you're contemplating that $2.00 caffiene fix in the morning!
This is especially important if you live farther away from your destination. Planning out a route, and planning to run all your errands on ONE day can save you a ton in gas! And lets face it, with gas prices right now, anything you can save is a MIRACLE!!
Take the savings off your mind completely and have your bank automatically withdraw a certain amount each week and place it in a savings account. (maybe even that $10 you would've spent on Timmies?!)
Take that coffee money and have it automatically deposited into your savings, and you would have almost $500.00 waiting for you at the end of a year!
You can find much more than book at your local library, so take advantage of it! They also carry items like cds and dvds you can borrow for FREE, just like the books! Just make sure to get these items back on time so you dont end up spending that money you saved on late fees:)
I know, sounds weird, but my mirrors have never been cleaner! Seriously, try it! Dont use it to wipe the casing, cause the ink might mark it, just the glass. This will save you lots on paper towels which can cost as moch as $1.50 A ROLL!!
Having a plan will assist greatly in tips 4 & 5 as you will have no need to eat out as a last resort, and can make sure you have enough of what you need ahead of time to make those extra servings for lunch the next day!
Vinegar is a fantastic cleaning product, and actually works as a disinfectant as well. Dilute about 1/4 cup into 2-3 cups of water and go to it! (add a drop or 2 of dish soap if you like for harder to clean spots or to improve the smell:))
Every bit of news you need access to is available on the internet! Use the web to save you that subscription cost every month!
This will help you keep track of where your money is going each month (you might be surprised!). Not only that, but its a little more difficult to part with your money when you can physically see it leaving your wallet! You might find yourself naturally cutting back in areas you never thought you could!
This is a big one for any "shopaholics" out there! When you see that "must have" item in the store, wait on it. Impulse buying is the main reason people end up low on cash when they dont know why! It adds up! Go home and sleep on it. If you wake up in the morning and are still thinking about this must have item and how you need it and were dreaming about it in your house, or in your closet, go ahead! Don't worry about missing out on items if you don't buy now as most stores do have a 24-48hr hold policy, just make sure that if you decide not to get it you give the store a call to let them know they can sell it to someone else (just as a courtesy!).
First, if hearing about the Shoppers Optimum program is new to you, I would start by checking out the details on the "Loyalty Programs" page, in the Getting Started section!
Overview:
Basically, the Optimum program is a points system. Collect your points and redeem them for $ off your future purchases. You automatically earn 10 Optimum points for every dollar spent in store (except on non-SDM gift cards, tobacco and lottery products, etc).
FAQ #1:When should I redeem my points?
Answer: SDM has two types of events that make for ideal times to redeem your points. First are "Spend Your Points" events. These are typically on a weekend, will always be advertised in your local flyer, and can sometimes be themed (ie get $80 off when you spend 40,000 points on Cosmetics). When you redeem your points during these events you will get a higher dollar value for your points than you would redeeming them any other day.
Second is the one that I am waiting for...MEGA Bonus Redemption Weekend! This happens once annually, usually in the first week of December, and if you can hold onto your points until then it's well worth the wait!
FAQ #2:What is MEGA Redemption?
Answer: SDM MEGA Redemption Event is a once annual event that takes place on a weekend where you will get the highest dollar value for your points compared to any other time of year! In 2011, the highest redemption level was 95,000 Optimum points, equalling $250 in FREE product! Compared to the typical $170 you would receive for this same amount of points, you receive an extra $80!
You can do up to 2 MEGA Redemptions per day, per account, during this event. So up to 4 redemptions on this weekend could potentially total $1000 in FREE product! (This is my goal for 2012!)
FAQ #3:What points level should I redeem at to get the biggest bang for my buck?
Answer: If you can wait until the highest redemption level, then 95,000 points is the best time to redeem! At this level you receive $170 during normal shopping days (equal to $1.79/1000 points), and up to $250 during events(equal to $2.63/1000 points)! This compared to the base level of $10 for 8000 Optimum points (equal to $1.25/1000 points) is very clearly the biggest bang for your buck!
Keep in mind though, if you hit a point when you need to redeem, dont hesitate! Using your points when you need them is the bonus of collecting, and even if its not a BONUS event, free is still FREE!
FAQ #3:I find SDM too expensive to make the points worth it, how can I still earn Optimum points without paying a TON?
Answer: I completely agree with this statement! You will find that most retailers that offer a points program tend to compensate for what they end up giving away with higher price points in store. The key is the same to saving at any store...plan you trip with coupons!
Make sure you check your flyer and the Weekly Matchups to find the best possible deals in order to maximize on those.
As coupons are considered legal tender, you will receive your points based on your PRE-COUPON total, so don't hesitate to get that total as low as possible!
Another great tip is to look out for Mail In Rebates and redeem them during 20x the points events! You will get the money you spend back from the company, and bank lots of points too!
Be sure to use the tips listed below as well to get thousands more points each trip!
FAQ #4:What can I do to get more points?
Answer: There are a few ways to earn points in addition to just shopping there!
#1--Buy a SDM gift card to use when paying for your purchase! You will earn 10 Optimum points per dollar spent on SDM gift cards, so if you know you plan to spend $50 that day, purchase a $50 gift card when you arrive at the store. This will earn you an extra 500 Optimum points before you've even shopped!
#2--Look for bonus points offers! These will be posted with the price tags on your store shelves, and printable offers can also be found under OTHER on the Coupons page. If you can combine a sale price, with a coupon AND a bonus offer, you can collect a HUGE amount of points for the least amount out of pocket!
#3--Shop on 20x the points days! These typically happen around once every 6 weeks, and these are days where you will receive 20x the BASE points for your purchase! I stress that this applies to base points only, bonus offers will not be multiplied, and neither will points for your SDM gift card purchase!
20x the points events will have a threshold that must be met in order to multiply your points (usually either $50 or $75 must be spent). But again, this is based on your PRE-COUPON TOTAL! So as long as your total BEFORE coupons have been entered is over the threshold, you can get the out of pocket expense down as low as you like with coupons, and will still be awarded the points.
#4--Royal Bank has released a Shoppers Optimum DEBIT card March 17, 2012 that will award you 1 Optimum point for every dollar you spend at other retailers, and an ADDITIONAL 10 Optimum points for every dollar spent at SDM locations (meaning 20 Optimum points per dollar!)!!
This is a great opportunity to earn extra points without having to apply for a credit card. You can earn up to 55,000 Optimum points when you sign up, and have unlimited debit transactions each month!
#5--As many of the printable bonus points offers (found on the Shoppers Optimum Offers page) are one per account, I would suggest opening a separate account for your spouse, or team up with a friend! This way if there is a really great bonus offer, you can each take advantage of it, and the points can be transferred to one card before you wish to redeem!
**Be cautious with points transfers as it will be flagged if you do too many and your account will be closed. A couple a year is OK though!
I hope this was helpful to those of you new to the program, or just looking for some tips! Please click the CONTACT button on the left if you still have questions so I can add them for you! Looking forward to us ALL having $1000 MEGA redemptions this year!