Do Coupons Really Save You Money?

In the US, there are countless stories of how people drastically cut their grocery bills by using coupons.  Unfortunately, in Canada, we can't get the same results with couponing.  But we still can benefit from using coupons.

The other day, I went shopping and combined some coupons with sales.  I came home with this stash:

Had I bought all these items, at the sale price without coupons and my Checkout51 App on my phone, this would have cost me $17.50.  Again, keep in mind, that is the sale price of most of these items, so if I bought them at regular price it would have been more.  

My Total:

$6.00!!!!!!!

Both of the deodorants and two of the air fresheners were completely Free with my coupons.  All the other items were extremely discounted with coupons.

I did pay $9.00 upfront, but get three back from the cashback rebate program, Checkout51.  To use Checkout51 all you do is upload your receipt and check off the offers you want to take advantage of.  Once you get to $20 you can cash out and they will send you a cheque in the mail.  I got my first check two weeks ago. ;)

When I posted this picture on my Facebook and played a game called "Guess how much I paid for this?"  one of my friends asked me if I regularly bought these items.  That is a very good question.  My answer is YES.  

If you want to save money, do NOT use coupons on things you wouldn't normally buy!  That is NOT saving you money.  The picture above are all products either I or my husband use on a regular basis.

Using your coupons in combination with the weekly sales and mobile cashback apps will dramatically increase your savings.

It takes time to get into the "coupon" groove. At first it can seem really time consuming. I have been couponing for awhile now, but only in the past 6 months or so have I really learned how to get the most out of my coupons.  It still does take time, but not as much as it did in the beginning.  And for me, that time is worth it because it helps with our tight budget.

For many, a big concern is that a lot of coupons are for processed food.  While that is true, I am seeing more and more coupons for health products which even include produce.  I often use coupons for items such as milk, coffee, toothpaste, bread, laundry detergent,  etc.  So while you may see common coupons for things you may not want to buy for your family like pizza pockets, there are many coupons out there that can be used for staples that your family stocks up on.

What about for those of you, who are like me, don't like to be "THAT SHOPPER."  You know, the crazy, couponing, price-matching, money saving lady.  Well, I always try to shop at slower times, and often I will make a joke to the cashier that "I'm sorry, but i am the crazy lady with the coupons."  They usually laugh and then the cashier isn't giving me that annoyed look. ;)  But actually, if you are organized, most cashiers don't mind.

And on the other hand, we shouldn't feel bad about wanting to save money for our families.

I share some of my favorite coupon sites and cashback apps in THIS POST.

Do you use coupons?  Have they helped you save money on your grocery bill?

Peace & Love. :)