Saving Money is Fun! :)

When I started blogging, I planned to stay away from sharing recipes and shopping tips because there are numerous blogs designed with those specific subjects in mind. BUT I have already shared some of my favorite recipes, and now realize some of my readers may not be "savvy" to the amount of money that can be saved with coupons and store deals. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that I ever survived WITHOUT clipping coupons and watching store circulars!
First off, let me say that the Sunday paper is worth it's money in coupons even if you don't read the rest of it! And, if you want to save a little on the paper, I have found that I can buy the Sunday preview paper at the Dollar Tree on Sat. and still get most of the coupon inserts :) Also, read up on all the blogs about saving money. Some of my favorites are http://wildforwags.com/ which deals with Walgreens, http://passionatepennypincher.com/blog/ which has lots of shopping tips, and http://savewithashley.blogspot.com/ which has local deals. And there are MANY more websites too!
In my area, we have Kroger for groceries, and if I watch the ads and use coupons, I can usually save 50-75% off my order (during Mega Events, I even get things for FREE!).
I also enjoy shopping at Walgreens over CVS because I usually find more items that I actually use that can earn "Jingle Cash". For example, this Wed. is "Friends and Family Day" at Walgreens. With my coupons and "Jingle Cash" I will buy my hubby a Gillette ProGlide razor, some Dayquil & Nyquil for the winter months, 2 lg. bags of Hershey's Kisses, and an 82 ct package of Huggies wipes for $3, plus an extra 15% off with their coupon! Not bad, right?
Wherever you shop, look for deals online. Kroger will put coupons directly on your shopping card and then you also earn $.10 off of gas per gallon at Shell stations for every $100 you spend each month. Sometimes I wonder how these stores make money, but then I realize many people don't use coupons and deals and pay FULL PRICE! (Don't be one of those people!) Shop smart and it will become quite enjoyable!