As part of My Total Money Makeover Journey, I am only using cash for in-store purchases. The bundle I purchased came with the Deluxe Executive Envelope System and I have to say that is probably the second best tool included. The first is the Financial Peace Planner that helped me figure out a budget that is realistic, has everything we need to pay, and every penny is accounted for so no more wondering how much money I have left. Every week when we get paid, I pull out the correct amounts (my bank teller loves how I tell her exactly how many of each bill I need) and put each budgeted amount into its own envelope. Each envelope has its own little register so I know exactly how much I have left for that category and can easily track my spending. [Read more...]
My Total Money Makeover Journey: Using Cash
My Total Money Makeover Journey: Introduction
I debated whether to publish this post. Normally I share great deals, coupons, freebies, and lately I’ve been sharing more tips you can implement into your life to help make permanent changes. But, I’ve been feeling a little hypocritical lately and need to share a bit about myself and the struggles we face – as well as how we are working to overcome this issues. Over the next few months, I will be sharing information about the system I’m using, my personal experience and opinions, as well as encouragement to help you live a greener life! [Read more...]
Free Printable: Cash Budgeting Envelope Templates
Head over to Today’s Money for a FREE template and some great tips on saving money.
I’m going to print this on pastel paper & laminate them for long-term use (love my laminator). Whenever I use cash instead of my debit card, I notice I’m more aware of my spending. I love these envelopes because everything is separated out by category & it even has a little register to keep of what/where I spent!
My Coupon Organzation Journey
I am a very unorganized person by nature, so when I started couponing I knew I needed a great way to keep track of my coupons. Like many people, I started by keeping them in a pocket in my purse. Of course, I had no idea what all I had and most of them expired before I could use them. Then, I switched to envelopes labeled by category. While this was free (I had plenty of envelopes on hand), I still couldn’t see what coupons I had or when they expired easily. Each shopping trip had to be completely planned out and those coupons pulled. I didn’t want to go through an envelope full of coupons, in the store, just to see if I had anything for an unadvertised sale item.
I knew I wanted to be able to see all my coupons, so a binder system would work best for me. I purchased one that came with preprinted categories and a shopping list. After a few weeks, I threw out the preprinted categories. There weren’t enough categories for non-food items and the food items were grouped wrong for my main store. The shopping list was a great idea, but there were wasn’t enough space for me to write anything everything I needed to get.
Now, I use a Case-It Dual 100 binder. On the left, I have 16 category dividers (color-coded and personalized for my needs). The right has a pencil case, my store dividers, shopping lists, price book, and menu planning. Each store divider is a 2 pocket divider and holds the coupon policy, shopping list, and weekly ad for the store. Behind it is a 3 pocket coupon page that holds my store coupons & rainchecks, the coupons I will use in that trip, and the top pocket contains the coupons that match the products I have already put in my cart.
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| Left Ring of My Binder 16 Tabs for my categories |
Right Ring of My Binder Store Dividers, Shopping List, Price Book |
Since I order 10 copies of each insert every week, I have a LOT of coupons to cut out. Instead of cutting out each insert, I cut two (many deals require a Buy One Get One for special pricing) and file the rest in an accordion file, according to date & insert type. If I run across a great deal while in the store & know I have a coupon that matches at home, I’ll grab the 2 that I have in my binder and come back later. This way, my binder isn’t quite so thick and when using a coupon database, I can easily double-check to make sure my insert contained a coupon.
I offer 2 coupon binder packages for those that would to use my current system.
Wal-Mart Coupon Policy
I highly recommend you print the PDF form of both of Walmart’s policies (Coupon & Ad Match) and carry them with you. Both have been updated recently & cashier’s don’t always understand the new policies well.
Walmart Coupon Policy
We gladly accept the following types of coupons*
- Print-at-home internet coupons
- Must be legible
- Must have “Manufacturer Coupon” printed on them
- Must have a valid remit address for the manufacturer
- Must have a valid expiration date
- Must have a scannable bar code
- Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons with a specified price
- Are acceptable in black and white or color
- May not be duplicated
- Manufacturers’ coupons
- For dollar/cents off
- For free items (except those printed off the Internet)
- Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons
- Must have “Manufacturer Coupon” printed on them
- Must have a valid remit address for the manufacturer
- Must have a valid expiration date
- Must have a scannable bar code
- May not be duplicated
- Competitors’ coupons
- A specific item for a specified price, for example, $2.99
- Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons for items with a specified price
- Have a valid expiration date
- Are acceptable in black and white
- Soft drink container caps
- Checkout coupons (“Catalinas”)
- Printed at our competitors’ registers for dollar/cents off on a specific item
- Must have “Manufacturer Coupon” with specific item requirements printed on them
- Must have a valid remit address for the manufacturer
- Must have a valid expiration date
- Must have a scannable bar code
- Are acceptable in black and white
- May not be duplicated
We DO NOT accept the following coupons:
- Checkout coupons
- Dollars/cents off the entire basket purchase
- Percentage off the entire basket purchase
- Print-at-home Internet coupons that require no purchase
- Competitors’ coupons
- Dollars/cents off at a specific retailer
- Percentage off
- Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons without a specified price
- Double- or triple-value coupons
*The following are guidelines and limitations:
- We only accepts coupons for merchandise that we sell.
- Coupons must be presented at the time of purchase.
- Only one coupon per item.
- Item purchased must be identical to the coupon (size, quantity, brand, flavor, color, etc).
- There is no limit on the number of coupons per transaction.
- Coupons must have an expiration date and be redeemed prior to expiration.
- If coupon value exceeds the price of the item, the excess may be given to the customer as cash or applied toward the basket purchase.
- WIC or SNAP items purchased in a WIC or SNAP transaction are ineligible for cash back or application to the basket purchase.
- Great Value, Marketside, Equate, Parents Choice, and World Table coupons have no cash value and are ineligible for cash back or application to the basket purchase.
- The system will prompt for supervisor verification for:
- 40 coupons per transaction.
- A coupon of $20 or greater on one item
- $50 or more in coupons in one transaction
Printable Coupons
What are Printable Coupons?
Printable coupons are, to put it simply, coupons you can print off the internet. You can find both store and manufacturer coupons online, and most printable coupons can be printed twice from one computer. In order to reprint, you can either hit the back button or start the process from the beginning.
What do I need to print coupons?
Some sites require you download special coupon software in order to print the bar codes correctly. This usually only takes a couple minutes and will only have to be done once per computer per software download. I recommend you only download from trusted websites and make sure your virus software is up-to-date and running before you download anything.
How do I use Printable Coupons?
You can use printable coupons just like any other coupon, as long as the store accepts printable coupons. To find out if your store/s accepts them, simply visit their website and read their coupon policy or check with the local store.
Many printable coupons say “do not double or triple”. Many stores will still double these on double coupon days. I prefer to count on them not doubling and be pleasantly surprised if they do. According to Marcy at http://www.stretchingabuckblog.com, “A trick that I like to use is to look at the bar code on my coupons to see if the first number (on the far left) is a 5 or a 9. Coupons with bar codes starting with 5 should double even if they state otherwise. Coupons with bar codes starting with 9 will not double.”
Wal-Mart Ad Match Policy
I highly recommend you print the PDF form of both of Walmart’s policies (Coupon & Ad Match) and carry them with you. Both have been updated recently & cashier’s don’t always understand the new policies well. Although it says you do not need to have the competitor’s ad with you, I would have it just in case.
Wal-Mart’s Ad Match Guarantee
“We’re committed to providing low prices every day. On everything. So if you find a lower advertised price on an identical product, tell us and we’ll match it. Right at the register.
We gladly match the price in the following types of ads:*
- Buy one, get one free ads with a specified price
- Example: Buy one for $2.49, get one free (BOGO)
- Competitors’ ads that feature a specific item for a specified price at a specific retailer
- Example: $2.99
- Preferred shopping card advertised prices for specific item
- that are in a printed ad and require a competitor’s shopping card for the discount to apply
- For fresh produce and meat items
- when the price is offered in the same unit type (lb. for lb.; each for each)
*The following are guidelines and limitations:
- We will match any local competitor’s advertised price.
- We do not require customers to have the ad with them to honor a competitor’s ad.
- Items purchased must be identical to the ad (size, quantity, brand, flavor, color, etc.)
We DO NOT match the price in the following types of competitor ads:
- Items that require a separate purchase to get the ad price
- example: “Buy [item A] to get [item B] for $C”
- Items with no actual price that require a purchase to get free product
- example: “Buy both [items A & B] to get [item C] for free”
- Items that require a purchase to get a competitors’ gift card
- example: “Buy [item A] to get a $B gift card
- Buy one, get one free (BOGO) ads with no actual price given
- Going out of business or closeout prices
- Percentage off
- example: “All mascara, 40% off”
- Competitors’ private label price promotions
We do not honor:
- Ads when the actual price for items cannot be determined.
- Internet pricing
- Misprinted ad prices of other retailers
- Competitor ads from outside of the store’s local trade territory
2011 Sunday Coupon Insert Schedule
- General Mills (GM)
- Proctor & Gamble (P&G)
- RedPlum (RP)
- SmartSource (SS)
- 01/02/2011 – (2) SmartSource, (2) RedPlum and (1) General Mills inserts.
- 01/09/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 01/16/2011 – (1) Proctor & Gamble insert.
- 01/23/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 01/30/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 02/06/2011 – (1) SmartSource Insert.
- 02/13/2011 – There are no inserts scheduled due to Valentine’s Day.
- 02/20/2011 – (1) SmartSource, (1) General Mills and (1) Proctor & Gamble Inserts.
- 02/27/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 03/06/2011 – (1) SmartSource, (1) RedPlum and (1) Proctor & Gamble Inserts.
- 03/13/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 03/20/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 03/27/2011 – (2) SmartSource, (1) RedPlum (2) Smart Source, Red Plum and Proctor & Gamble
- 04/03/2011 – There are no inserts scheduled due to Easter.
- 04/10/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 04/17/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 04/24/2011 – There are no inserts scheduled due to Easter holiday.
- 05/01/2011 – (1) SmartSource, (1) Redplum and (1) Proctor & Gamble inserts.
- 05/08/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 05/15/2011 – (2) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 05/22/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 05/29/2011 – There are no inserts scheduled due to Memorial Day
- 06/05/2011 – (1) SmartSource, (1) Redplum and (1) Proctor & Gamble inserts.
- 06/12/2011 – (1) SmartSource Insert.
- 06/19/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 06/26/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 07/03/2011 – There are no inserts scheduled due to Independence Day.
- 07/10/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 07/17/2011 – (1) SmartSource Insert.
- 07/24/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 07/31/2011 – (1) SmartSource, (1) RedPlum and (1) Proctor & Gamble inserts.
- 08/07/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 08/14/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 08/21/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 08/28/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum and (1) Proctor & Gamble inserts.
- 09/04/2011 – There are no inserts scheduled due to Labor Day.
- 09/11/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (2) Redplum inserts.
- 09/18/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 09/25/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 10/02/2011 – (1) SmartSource, (1) RedPlum and (1) Proctor & Gamble inserts.
- 10/09/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 10/16/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 10/23/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 10/30/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 11/06/2011 – (1) SmartSource, (1) RedPlum and (1) Proctor & Gamble inserts.
- 11/13/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 11/20/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 11/27/2011 – There are no inserts scheduled due to Thanksgiving.
- 12/04/2011 – (1) SmartSource, (1) RedPlum and (1) Proctor & Gamble inserts.
- 12/11/2011 – (1) SmartSource and (1) RedPlum inserts.
- 12/18/2011 – There are no inserts scheduled due to Christmas.
- 12/25/2011 – (1) Proctor & Gamble Insert
Stacking Coupons
What is Coupon Stacking?
Every coupon is either a store coupon or a manufacturer’s coupon. Most stores will let you “stack” coupons, by using 1 store coupon and 1 manufacturer’s coupon for the same item. For example, let’s say Walgreens had a coupon for $0.50 off 1 Colgate toothpaste. You can print a manufacturer’s coupon for that same Colgate toothpaste and use both. Stack them with a sale & you can end up with a free product.
You cannot use more than 1 manufacturer coupon or more than 1 store coupon on 1 item. If you are buying more than 1 product, you can use 1 coupon for each item.
To get the best savings, try to stack a store coupon with a manufacturer coupon during a sale 
Netflix & GameFly
Like most people, I enjoy watching a good movie (and even a bad one occasionally). I use to rent a pay-per-view twice a month (@ $3.99, that’s $103.74/year). I would also stop to grab a movie from Redbox a couple times a month. Of course, I would forget to take it back for a few days and if I wanted to to return a kids’ one, my 5-year-old would hide it until I gave up and we owned it (1 rental for 5 days, 12 times a year =$64.20). So I was spending $167.94 for limited rentals. Now, I have an unlimited Netflix account for $9.99/month, plus I can have 1 DVD out at a time (great for kids movies not available instantly) with no late fees.
For games, we use GameFly instead of purchasing games for the Wii and DS. If we find one we really like, we will buy it (pre-owned) from GameStop. The queue is rotated between the boys & me, so everyone can have something they want out. We can have 2 out at a time for $24/month. Note: This is only cost effective if you regularly exchange them.
Best part: If you start your subscription through Swagbucks, you will earn 900 SB (click TapJoy tab under Special Offers) for Netflix and 900 SB (click TrialPay tab under Special Offers) for GameFly. Not only can you save a ton of money on your entertainment expenses, you can also earn up to 1800 in SB (or $20 in Amazon GC).
