✤Cheapskates Meet & Greet✤

I’d like to kick off a brand new segment tonight on Chattanooga Cheapskate: A weekly interview with different members of our local couponing community.  I think these “Meet & Greets” will be a good way to inspire one another by sharing our stories, our savings successes, and anything we’ve learned along the way.  Tonight, I’m happy to introduce you to Abbie- let’s all give her a warm Cheapskate Welcome!!

Q. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and/or your family?  Also, where do you live?

A. My name is Abbie and I am a 29 year old mother of 2 girls, Bella and Brynlee.  Bella will be 3 in August and Brynlee is almost 8 months.  I’ve been married to my amazing husband Clint, for going on 6 years.  I work 2 days a week as a ultrasonographer in an outpatient imaging facility.  Other than that, I stay at home with my sweet girls.  I do design and create boutique clothing and gifts for babies and toddlers as something fun to do on the side for extra income.  We live in Chattanooga.

Q. How long have you been couponing?

A. I’ve been couponing for about 6 weeks.
Q. Tell us about one of your most successful savings stories!

A. My most successful shopping trip would have to be a few weeks ago when K-Mart ran their semiannual “double coupons up to $2″ sale.  There was one trip (because I believe I went 5 time that week trying to build my stockpile) that sticks outwhere I ended up with a buggy of about 15 items and my total OOP was -$3.00.  Everything was free!

I know the KMart sale only happens a couple times a year, so I would have to say my normal weekly trip to Publix and Bi-Lo last night would have to be my most successful trip yet.  I will include the pics of all the purchases, but I saved 80% at Publix and 73% at Bi-Lo.  Between the two, I had $35 OOP on a $160 bill.  Nothing was generic!  That’s the exciting thing about couponing is that you don’t have to settle with generics to save money!  You get to try all of the most famous brands for what seems like pennies.

I too, rush out and take advantage of many crazy drug store deals that pop up on the blogs.  Just recently, I was able to take advantage of the CVS glass wipes deal that got me $20 in ECB’s for only $4 OOP and also I ended up with 2 of the FREE Tiki umbrellas fom Rite Aid last week.  Free stuff is so much fun.

Q. What led you into the crazy world of “extreme couponing”?

A. I’ve always been a very thrifty person anyway.  I’ve never paid full price for anything and have always been one to search for the “good deal.”  I’ve been cutting coupons here and there since my husband and I got married.  However, I would get very frustrated because I would lose them, forget about them, or take them into the store just to learn that the generic brand was still cheaper.  I would then quit.  I couldn’t tell you how many times over the last 6 years that I’ve started and stopped.  About 6 weeks ago, some friends of mine were talking about their new couponing adventures on Facebook.  I, once again, decided to pick it back up.  This time, however, I decided to do a little research.  I knew there had to be something else I was missing.  Boy was I right!  I remember spending an entire Saturday on the computer just browsing site after site soaking up as much info as I could.  I bought 2 Sunday papers that week and began printing coupons like a mad-momma.  I don’t think I have ever been so excited about going grocery shopping that week as I was then.  I had learned about starting my stockpile, and knew it wasn’t going to happen overnight.  My normal grocery budget before couponing was around $125 a week.  I decided to spend $50 extra for the first couple of months building my stockpile.  On my first trip out, my goal was to save more than I spent.  I succeeded!  I save 59% on my first trip.  Over the last 6 weeks, I have learned so much.  I still learn something new everyday!  My husband laughed at me at first over my new addiction, but now he is blown away at the results.  I am so thankful for this and know God blesses those  who are good stewards of their money.  Not only am I saving my family a fortune in our food/home item budget, I’ve found a new hobby that I love!

Q. Okay, just one more…if you had any little piece of advice for other couponers, what would it be?

A. My advice for anyone just getting started is to jump in feet first and don’t look back.  Keep researching and looking up new information.  There are SO many bloggers out there who practically do all of the work for you.  All you have to do is do your homework at home by having as many coupons as you can get your hands on.  Remember, there is no such thing as a bad coupon.  Even if you know you won’t ever use the product, if it’s a good enough coupon HOLD ONTO IT.  The product could hit rock bottom prices and with your coupons could cause an overage on you bill that deducts money from something else!  Try to spend just about 30 minutes a day staying as organized as possible with your coupons.  What I learned is to have at least one coupon for every member of your family for a particular product.  Sales rotate every 4-6 weeks, so stock up to get you through until the sale runs again.  Do your pre-shopping at home, so you know everything that is on sale and include all of the coupons to match.   Good Luck!

• The first pic is my total trip for the week at KMart.  I believe it was around $20 OOP for all 5 trips.  The average saving that week was around 75%.  I wish they doubled like that everyday!

• The 2nd trip was my trip last night to Publix and Bi-lo.  The total for both trips OOP was $35.80 on a regular $158.20 bill.  It was 80% saving at Publix and 73% at Bi-Lo.  Both trips combined was an average savings of 77%.