Friday, January 14, 2011

I Did It!


I've been obsessively reading coupon blogs and newspapers and grocery websites.  I am determined to become a crazy couponer.  It has fascinated me for years but I finally have the fire to figure it all out.  It's not a quick process to learn.  I imagine it's easier if you are lucky enough to live in a city catered to by those websites telling you what to buy and when based on coupons and sales.  I wouldn't know.  But it turns out there are some awesome bloggers out there.  Of course.  Bloggers rock my pink socks!

I never in a million years thought I would really figure out how to buy my groceries for free.  But yesterday, I did it.  Big binder in hand.  In Rite-Aid for the second time in my life (the first being last week).  Kelloggs cereals are buy one, get one free.  Which is a good deal by itself.  They sell for about $4.75/each.  But I had a few coupons for $1/2.  Taking my total for two boxes from about $10 down to under $4.  Or less than $2/box.  That's an even better deal.  BUT...thanks to reading blogs....I knew to look for the boxes that were labeled "Try Me Free."  I knew that I could buy that box, mail in for my rebate, and get a check for $4.49 back from Kelloggs.  So in a few weeks when that check arrives, I will have made about $0.35 on each box of cereal.  That's right...they PAID me to buy cereal.  A PROFIT.  I did this transaction twice, buying a total of four boxes.  So I saved nearly $20 and profited a buck and change!

Now I am not running to the bank with my quarters.  But that sure beats paying $5/box of cereal.  It's not that I am opposed to paying for things.  But realizing that I can pay a whole heck of a lot less for things makes me realize just how much money I have thrown away for no good reason.  I have seen the light, my friends!  In just two little weeks I have learned to buy toothpaste and cereal for free.  This is going to be a very lesson-filled year...I can feel it.  Bring it on, 2011.  I'm so ready!

The funny thing is that I gave all four boxes to my father because I am gf and can't eat them.  Even funnier was the lengthy (in case you've not yet noticed, all of my stories are loooong) explanation to dear old daddy-o regarding why I was buying cereal I cannot eat.  As always, he was amused.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

That's fantastic! Just a little advice...keep track of of your rebates. It's easy to lose track of them when you submit many in a month. Here's a link to a printable rebate tracker: http://www.thriftyfun.com/downloads/Rebates_List.pdf