It's been 5 weeks out of my 3 month commitment to coupon for cancer. My objective - whatever I save below our grocery budget by couponing, I donate to our team fundraiser for LLS Light the Night. Overall, I am happy with my mostly consistant savings, minus 1 bad week. So here are the totals so far:
Week 1 - $22.66
Week 2 - $0
Week 3 - $5.36
Week 4 - $7.60
Week 5 - $7.22
Total - $42.84
If you'd like to find out more about the casue, make a donation, or join our team to walk, please visit the team website at http://pages.lightthenight.org/ncfl/Orlando12/Life2Live4.
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Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Monday, July 23, 2012
Coupon for Cancer - Week 3
If you haven't read my previous posts, I have decided to use my couponing skills to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Light the Night Fundraiser. Because my family has been effected by the desease, this cause is close to my heart. So after learning of the event a couple of years ago, I decided to form a team this year. And as one of my fundraising contributions to our team, I am donating the money I save by couponing, over a three month period, to the cause.
Coupon for Cancer - Week 2 was a total bust. I went way over my budget, so I didn't even post about it. But fortunately, I was back on the wagon last week. I saved nearly $100 on my grocery bill! Now that my very helpful neices and nephews are back home, we are back to our regular food budget of $75/week. And speaking of this, I would love to get that to $50/week, but I am still trying to learn if this is even possible when you eat organic and non-processed food. I know there are great deals out there, but I am not motivated to drive all over town with a 1 year old to get them. So sticking with one trip a week to Target and Publix is it for me!
With my week 1 savings of $22.66 below my grocery budget, and this weeks savings of $5.36 below budget, my total donation after week 3 is up to $28.02! It doesn't seem like much, but after 3 months, hopefully I will add up!
I'm also excited to say that my idea to Coupon for Cancer has given me an awesome opportunity to spread the word about the Light the Night fundraising event. Not only do I tell the cashiers about it when they comment on all the coupons I am using, but the other day while I was at Target, a lady in line behind me said "Good for you saving all this money." When I told her what I was doing with the savings, I found out that someone close to her had passed on from a blood cancer. It just amazes me all the people effected, and the ways God is opening doors for me to tell people how they are able to get involved and make a difference for others suffering with the disease. Day after day I hear another story of someone, both young and old, effected by a type of blood cancer.
So in the meantime, if you haven't already, you can sign up to join our team, make a donation, or get involved in many other ways at my website http://pages.lightthenight.org/ncfl/Orlando12/ASchlottman
Coupon for Cancer - Week 2 was a total bust. I went way over my budget, so I didn't even post about it. But fortunately, I was back on the wagon last week. I saved nearly $100 on my grocery bill! Now that my very helpful neices and nephews are back home, we are back to our regular food budget of $75/week. And speaking of this, I would love to get that to $50/week, but I am still trying to learn if this is even possible when you eat organic and non-processed food. I know there are great deals out there, but I am not motivated to drive all over town with a 1 year old to get them. So sticking with one trip a week to Target and Publix is it for me!
With my week 1 savings of $22.66 below my grocery budget, and this weeks savings of $5.36 below budget, my total donation after week 3 is up to $28.02! It doesn't seem like much, but after 3 months, hopefully I will add up!
I'm also excited to say that my idea to Coupon for Cancer has given me an awesome opportunity to spread the word about the Light the Night fundraising event. Not only do I tell the cashiers about it when they comment on all the coupons I am using, but the other day while I was at Target, a lady in line behind me said "Good for you saving all this money." When I told her what I was doing with the savings, I found out that someone close to her had passed on from a blood cancer. It just amazes me all the people effected, and the ways God is opening doors for me to tell people how they are able to get involved and make a difference for others suffering with the disease. Day after day I hear another story of someone, both young and old, effected by a type of blood cancer.
So in the meantime, if you haven't already, you can sign up to join our team, make a donation, or get involved in many other ways at my website http://pages.lightthenight.org/ncfl/Orlando12/ASchlottman
Friday, July 6, 2012
Coupon for Cancer - Week 1
I am in the process of building a team for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Light the Night Walk on October 17th, in honor of my father in law, who has suffered with Lymphoma for over 10 years. In order to begin fundraising for our team, I have committed to Coupon for Cancer. For the next 12 weeks, I have set a budget, and however much below my budget I come in by using coupons, I will donate that amount to our team.
So week 1 is going much better than I had thought. This week starts out with my family of 3, along with my 4 neices and nephews, who will be visiting. Adjusting for 4 teenagers eating through my pantry, I gave myself a budget of $150, which is double what it would normally be. I included everything from food, to paper products, and health and beauty products. The only thing I didn't include were pet supplies and baby wipes. My total came out to $127.34, leaving us with a week 1 donation of $22.66! Our teams first donation!
If you are interested in joining our team to walk with us, you can do so on our website http://pages.lightthenight.org/ncfl/Orlando12/Life2Live4. It costs nothing but your time. You can also make a donation at the same webpage. Hopefully more savings next week! God bless!
So week 1 is going much better than I had thought. This week starts out with my family of 3, along with my 4 neices and nephews, who will be visiting. Adjusting for 4 teenagers eating through my pantry, I gave myself a budget of $150, which is double what it would normally be. I included everything from food, to paper products, and health and beauty products. The only thing I didn't include were pet supplies and baby wipes. My total came out to $127.34, leaving us with a week 1 donation of $22.66! Our teams first donation!
If you are interested in joining our team to walk with us, you can do so on our website http://pages.lightthenight.org/ncfl/Orlando12/Life2Live4. It costs nothing but your time. You can also make a donation at the same webpage. Hopefully more savings next week! God bless!
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
Coupon for Cancer
I've been racking my brain to come up with ways to fundraise for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Light the Night Walk. It's easy enough to just donate your money, but to get more involved with the cause, I have decided to Coupon for Cancer. The steps I'm taking are as follows:
1. Set a Budget
For my family, I am setting a budget of $25 per person per week. Our average grocery bill is around $75 a week, which adds up quickly now that we are trying to eat organic and unprocessed foods. Especially since produce looks so good this time of the year! I could blow our budget on produce alone I think! I say per person, because I will have 4 extra teenagers staying with me for 2 weeks while I'm doing this, so I have to be realistic. Our normal budget for 2 1/2 eaters will be blown out of the water!
Not only do I figure that this is a great way to keep our focus on this cause each week as I plan and prepare our list and shopping, but I have really been wanting to learn to coupon more effectively for healthy foods. So this may motivate me to learn more creative ways to save on organic and whole foods for my family. I am horrible at blogging, but my hopes are to keep people updated with where I am in this, and perhaps even get some of my fellow couponers on board to Coupon for Cancer as well!
To join our team and walk with us, or to learn more, visit my Light the Night Webpage at http://pages.lightthenight.org/ncfl/Orlando12/ASchlottman
1. Set a Budget
For my family, I am setting a budget of $25 per person per week. Our average grocery bill is around $75 a week, which adds up quickly now that we are trying to eat organic and unprocessed foods. Especially since produce looks so good this time of the year! I could blow our budget on produce alone I think! I say per person, because I will have 4 extra teenagers staying with me for 2 weeks while I'm doing this, so I have to be realistic. Our normal budget for 2 1/2 eaters will be blown out of the water!
2. Save with Coupons
With our budget set, however much I save below our weekly budget by couponing after 3 months, will be donated to our team fundraising for Light the Night.
To join our team and walk with us, or to learn more, visit my Light the Night Webpage at http://pages.lightthenight.org/ncfl/Orlando12/ASchlottman
Thursday, February 23, 2012
Light the Night
I am forming a team for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Light The Night Walk, and I hope you will join me.
Light The Night Walk is LLS’s annual walk and fundraising event –and the nation’s night to pay tribute and bring hope to people battling cancer. Teams of friends and families or co-workers raise funds for cancer research and to provide services in their communities. Walkers carry illuminated balloons-white for survivors, red for supporters and gold for those who have lost a loved one to blood cancer.
As you may know, my father-in-law is diagnosed with Lymphoma. Although we have been very blessed to have had the time with him that we’ve gotten, I hope that there are still many years to add to our memories, and for my daughter to grow up having a relationship with her grandfather. What might be a small effort on our part, when added together can make a huge impact in the lives of others.
Light The Night Walk has options for just about anyone who wants to support the cause and help make a difference for those battling cancer. There are many ways to participate in this event.
- Make a donation to a walker or team
- Join our team or walk as an individual
- Company, Local Business or Individual Sponsers
- Donations for Fundraiser Events
- A gift of time - volunteer your time to the planning and logistics for this event
For more information or to donate online, visit http://pages.lightthenight.org/ncfl/Orlando12/Life2Live4
Here are some facts about the upcoming Walk:
When: Thursday, October 18th, 7:00 p.m.
Where: Lake Eola
Your help will make a difference. Walk as if your life depends on it, or walk because someone else’s life does. Thank you for your support.
Friday, January 20, 2012
Organized Chaos
About a year ago, as I was adjusting to being a stay at home mommy, I wanted to start a blog. Mainly just to have something to do, but little did I know how quickly my days would be full of chasing around a toddler. Now, I barely have time to turn on the computer and check my email, let alone blog. But I guess you could say I've been motivated lately. Mainly to get organized. And I feel like blogging is a good way to try to keep myself accountable for staying on top of things. I've been looking at all types of websites for help. Flylady.net for cleaning and organizing tips, pinterest.com for diy projects and decorating ideas...but I am pretty convinced that with all this internet browsing, I am just adding to my list of things I want to do. So my ultimate purpose is to go through my house, room by room, and organize, clean, decorate, etc. All the things I've put off for weeks, months, and years. It'll be a combination approach to all of the above. And ugh...all the stuff we have accumulated and kept! Can I get rid of my wedding shower cards yet? I thought it was sentimental, but looking through my office cabinets, I have wedding cards, baby shower cards, heck, any card that's every been meaningful is probably in there. What do people do with all these things?!! I feel like the task of just going through even one room is overwhelming. You know those bins that say "keep", "donate", or "throw away" that they make for this? I feel like I need additional storage just for the bins I could fill. So yardsale shoppers be posted...hopefully we will be ready for the spring yardsale. Spring cleaning is beginning early at our house! Now, how do I even start this to-do list? :-)
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Learning to Coupon
Some of you have been asking me about what I’ve learned or how I’ve learned to coupon lately. I’m definitely still learning, but I’ll share with you what I know so far.
First of all, be realistic. I know that Extreme Couponing on TLC’s network seems to be bringing a lot of interest to couponing. But I don’t think you should expect to spend $15 on $500. This just isn’t realistic at all. The people on this show are buying things like 40 bottles of soda. I have yet to see anyone REALISTICALLY saving that much money, while being able to provide items for healthy meals and snacks for themselves or their family. On average, I have begun to save 35% of my grocery bill, and I am convinced that I can get it to 50% as I continue to learn to look and find deals while using my coupons. So here’s what’s helped me out so far:
Know the stores coupon policy
It’ll help you out greatly to know your local grocery stores coupon policy. If you are embarrassed to ask in person when you are there, call on the phone and ask. Publix is the major grocery store here in Central Florida, and they just came out with their official coupon policy (http://www.southernsavers.com/2011/05/new-publix-offcial-coupon-policiy/).
Publix Accepts:
· Manufacturer’s coupons (limit one per item).
· Publix coupons (originals only-no copies).
· Valid Internet coupons.
· Coupons from nearby competitors identified by each Publix store. (Competitor names are posted at each Publix store.)
· We will accept a manufacturer’s coupon and either a Publix or a competitor coupon on the same item.
· We will accept coupons from competing pharmacies for prescriptions only.
Coupon Acceptance Limitations/Exceptions:
· We will not accept percent-off-items or percent-off-total-order coupons.
· We will only accept coupons for identical merchandise we sell.
· Dollars-off-total-order coupons will be limited to one Publix and one competitor coupon per order. The order total must be equal to or greater than the total purchase requirements indicated on the coupon(s) presented.
· Acceptance is subject to any restrictions on the coupon.
· We reserve the right to limit quantities.
· Manager approval is needed for individual coupons above $5.00.
· For a buy-one-get-one free (B1G1) offer, each item is considered a separate sale. (Means you can use a coupon on each item).
Build a Couponing System
There are different systems to use, depending on what’s easiest for you. The quickest system seems to be the couponmom.com system. It involves only cutting the coupons you need before your shopping trip. I like to clip my coupons and file them so that I can have them at the store with me, in case there is something I need last minute, or a deal I didn’t know about. But do what works for you depending on how much time you want to spend. And don’t expect to save 50% of your grocery bill instantly. It takes time to collect coupons over a few months, and build up a good collection to pull from. Also consider sharing coupons with a friend or neighbor. I generally buy 1 paper, and try to get a second set of coupons from a friend. That way if an item is buy one get one free, I can use two coupons to maximize my savings.
Prepare Before You Go
Spend a little bit of time while preparing your grocery list to see where the best deals are. Remember to check for printable coupons online as well, and don’t forget to check for competitor coupons if your store takes them (http://www.southernsavers.com/printables/).
Make a list! I wouldn’t recommend ever going grocery shopping without a list. And keep it on your refrigerator all week, so that you can add items throughout the week as soon as you realize you need them. Try to stick to your list as much as possible to eliminate unnecessary spending.
Meal Planning is by far the biggest savings you will get! When planning your meals and grocery list, first look in your pantry and kitchen to see what you have left to use before you go grocery shopping. Then look at the stores weekly add. What meals can you make out of it? I use this as a time to try out new recipes. Most recipe websites like allrecipes.com or foodnetwork.com will allow you to simply type in an ingredient, and search out recipes that way. Every family is different, but 4 meals a week is more than enough for my family to get through the week, between leftovers and occasionally eating out. Don’t forget to plan for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks! This will eliminate impulse buys or overbuying and allowing vegetables or lunch meat to go bad and get wasted. And time wise, it’s so much easier for me to choose what we have to eat for dinner when I have a list of 4 meals on the side of my refrigerator.
You CAN save on healthy items!
One of the biggest difficulties that people have when learning to coupon is that it’s hard to find coupons for healthy food. I said the same thing. They are little more rare, but still there if you seek them out. (http://www.couponing101.com/2010/06/teach-a-woman-how-to-fish-for-nutritious-deals.html). Also, don’t rule out shopping at a produce store. At many, you can get items for less than half the cost as the grocery store. But be careful – this is not always true. The one I find very affordable is Clemons Produce in Orlando. They aren’t organic, but you’d be shocked how far $20 will go at this place! But even if you aren’t able t o find deals on the healthier items you like, save where you can. There are plenty of deals on things like paper towels, cleaning products, razors, body wash, etc. Then stick with the brands you like on the items that you have a preference on.
Make Some Money Back
This probably won’t be one of your huge forms of savings, but one of the exciting experiences I had this week, was that I not only got some things for free, but I actually made some money back on my coupons. Granted, it was $1.50 I made back to put towards other items, but it’s a start. I found on couponmom.com, where it lists items by percentage saved. This includes items listed that are FREE with coupons. So I found that I had 4 coupons for free items. I went to the store, had a $3.00 coupon for body wash, and the item was on sale for $2.54! I don’t expect to save $50 this way, but now that I know to look for these deals, it helps.
And if a coupon comes out the week after you just purchased a product (this always seems to happen to me), take the coupon back to customer service with your receipt, and ask for a refund! Even if it’s just $3.00 in refunds, you are already going to the store, you might as well get the money back that you can. Or if you are shopping, and the store is out of a sale item, ask for a rain check so you can still get the item for the sale price.
So best of luck to the rest of you who are starting this venture of learning to coupon. Don’t expect to save a lot of money instantly, but take some time to check out some websites, build a good stockpile of coupons to pull from, and find the system that works best for you. As you learn, you’ll see your savings go up more and more.
http://www.southernsavers.com
http://www.couponmom.com
http://www.couponing101.com
First of all, be realistic. I know that Extreme Couponing on TLC’s network seems to be bringing a lot of interest to couponing. But I don’t think you should expect to spend $15 on $500. This just isn’t realistic at all. The people on this show are buying things like 40 bottles of soda. I have yet to see anyone REALISTICALLY saving that much money, while being able to provide items for healthy meals and snacks for themselves or their family. On average, I have begun to save 35% of my grocery bill, and I am convinced that I can get it to 50% as I continue to learn to look and find deals while using my coupons. So here’s what’s helped me out so far:
Know the stores coupon policy
It’ll help you out greatly to know your local grocery stores coupon policy. If you are embarrassed to ask in person when you are there, call on the phone and ask. Publix is the major grocery store here in Central Florida, and they just came out with their official coupon policy (http://www.southernsavers.com/2011/05/new-publix-offcial-coupon-policiy/).
Publix Accepts:
· Manufacturer’s coupons (limit one per item).
· Publix coupons (originals only-no copies).
· Valid Internet coupons.
· Coupons from nearby competitors identified by each Publix store. (Competitor names are posted at each Publix store.)
· We will accept a manufacturer’s coupon and either a Publix or a competitor coupon on the same item.
· We will accept coupons from competing pharmacies for prescriptions only.
Coupon Acceptance Limitations/Exceptions:
· We will not accept percent-off-items or percent-off-total-order coupons.
· We will only accept coupons for identical merchandise we sell.
· Dollars-off-total-order coupons will be limited to one Publix and one competitor coupon per order. The order total must be equal to or greater than the total purchase requirements indicated on the coupon(s) presented.
· Acceptance is subject to any restrictions on the coupon.
· We reserve the right to limit quantities.
· Manager approval is needed for individual coupons above $5.00.
· For a buy-one-get-one free (B1G1) offer, each item is considered a separate sale. (Means you can use a coupon on each item).
Build a Couponing System
There are different systems to use, depending on what’s easiest for you. The quickest system seems to be the couponmom.com system. It involves only cutting the coupons you need before your shopping trip. I like to clip my coupons and file them so that I can have them at the store with me, in case there is something I need last minute, or a deal I didn’t know about. But do what works for you depending on how much time you want to spend. And don’t expect to save 50% of your grocery bill instantly. It takes time to collect coupons over a few months, and build up a good collection to pull from. Also consider sharing coupons with a friend or neighbor. I generally buy 1 paper, and try to get a second set of coupons from a friend. That way if an item is buy one get one free, I can use two coupons to maximize my savings.
Prepare Before You Go
Spend a little bit of time while preparing your grocery list to see where the best deals are. Remember to check for printable coupons online as well, and don’t forget to check for competitor coupons if your store takes them (http://www.southernsavers.com/printables/).
Make a list! I wouldn’t recommend ever going grocery shopping without a list. And keep it on your refrigerator all week, so that you can add items throughout the week as soon as you realize you need them. Try to stick to your list as much as possible to eliminate unnecessary spending.
Meal Planning is by far the biggest savings you will get! When planning your meals and grocery list, first look in your pantry and kitchen to see what you have left to use before you go grocery shopping. Then look at the stores weekly add. What meals can you make out of it? I use this as a time to try out new recipes. Most recipe websites like allrecipes.com or foodnetwork.com will allow you to simply type in an ingredient, and search out recipes that way. Every family is different, but 4 meals a week is more than enough for my family to get through the week, between leftovers and occasionally eating out. Don’t forget to plan for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks! This will eliminate impulse buys or overbuying and allowing vegetables or lunch meat to go bad and get wasted. And time wise, it’s so much easier for me to choose what we have to eat for dinner when I have a list of 4 meals on the side of my refrigerator.
You CAN save on healthy items!
One of the biggest difficulties that people have when learning to coupon is that it’s hard to find coupons for healthy food. I said the same thing. They are little more rare, but still there if you seek them out. (http://www.couponing101.com/2010/06/teach-a-woman-how-to-fish-for-nutritious-deals.html). Also, don’t rule out shopping at a produce store. At many, you can get items for less than half the cost as the grocery store. But be careful – this is not always true. The one I find very affordable is Clemons Produce in Orlando. They aren’t organic, but you’d be shocked how far $20 will go at this place! But even if you aren’t able t o find deals on the healthier items you like, save where you can. There are plenty of deals on things like paper towels, cleaning products, razors, body wash, etc. Then stick with the brands you like on the items that you have a preference on.
Make Some Money Back
This probably won’t be one of your huge forms of savings, but one of the exciting experiences I had this week, was that I not only got some things for free, but I actually made some money back on my coupons. Granted, it was $1.50 I made back to put towards other items, but it’s a start. I found on couponmom.com, where it lists items by percentage saved. This includes items listed that are FREE with coupons. So I found that I had 4 coupons for free items. I went to the store, had a $3.00 coupon for body wash, and the item was on sale for $2.54! I don’t expect to save $50 this way, but now that I know to look for these deals, it helps.
And if a coupon comes out the week after you just purchased a product (this always seems to happen to me), take the coupon back to customer service with your receipt, and ask for a refund! Even if it’s just $3.00 in refunds, you are already going to the store, you might as well get the money back that you can. Or if you are shopping, and the store is out of a sale item, ask for a rain check so you can still get the item for the sale price.
So best of luck to the rest of you who are starting this venture of learning to coupon. Don’t expect to save a lot of money instantly, but take some time to check out some websites, build a good stockpile of coupons to pull from, and find the system that works best for you. As you learn, you’ll see your savings go up more and more.
http://www.southernsavers.com
http://www.couponmom.com
http://www.couponing101.com
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