Sew Crafty Angel: budgeting

Welcome back to another monthly segment from Natalie Loves Beauty! Today I wanted to share a step in my skin care routine I used to not give much thought to - toning. I never really understood why it was such an important part of a good facial regimen. Makeup removers are guilty of not always removing all impurities from the face, so a good toner gets the job done without stripping the skin. I have only tried a couple of toners in the past but they haven't left me very impressed. I have even tried using witch hazel for toning purposes, and although I really liked the results it provided, it is quite heavy scented (read more on my experience here) so I have been on the lookout for a natural alternative that is not so heavy on the nose. Insert the Beauty Without Cruelty Premium Aromatherapy Balancing Facial Toner - witch hazel has finally found its match!

Does anyone out there use coupons to save money besides me?

I love coupons.
With seven people living in our house I need to watch every penny. It pays to be a good steward of your money. So today I want to share some couponing basics.

The first thing you need is some coupons.

Great places to find them are:

The Sunday newspaper is a great source. I buy the newspaper with the largest circulation in order to get the best & most coupons. I will do a quick check through the paper before I check out and if it's packed full of coupons I will be more than one. My usual cost is $1.50 per newspaper which provides a wealth of dollars off products that I do use. I like my name brand products and this is just a cheaper way to buy them and I can try all the new things that come out and save money too.

Ask your friends and family to save their coupons for you if they are not going to use them. The majority of people love getting the newspaper but just toss out the "coupon junk" so they will probably be happy to save them for you. Seriously folks, this is money in your pocket.

Peruse the Internet. It's unbelievable how many coupons you can get online. Target is a big coupon chain just to name one. Check out the online stores in your area. I am an avid crafter and Joanns will accept up to 4 coupons per order. I haven't paid full price for anything in a craft store for years. Hobby Lobby always has a 40% off coupon each week. I purchase my cutting machines and binder, whatever large item I want at the time with these coupons. Why pay full price when half price is so much better. I shopped at Kohl's this weekend and between my percentage off coupon and Kohl's cash my $100+ purchase cost me $4.04. The manager came up and told the cashier "if she has any more coupons, you're going to be owing her money".

Watch for coupons dispensers in the store. There are many varieties of coupons that you can find in the store. Most of the grocery stores in my area have little coupon dispensers near items that have current coupons, just pull one off and save.

Get Yourself Organized to Save with Coupons

Envelopes. If this is a new venture for you just start by putting your cut coupons in an envelope. After a few weeks you will probably have to go to something larger to accommodate your stash.

Coupon Binder. This is the method I use. This works by clipping all of your coupons and file them in baseball card holders in a three-ring binder. This works great and you can carry your binder into the store with you so you have all your coupons handy while you shop. Coupons don't do you any good if you forget them on the kitchen table and then they expire before you can use them.

Know Your Store’s Coupon Policy

Loyalty Cards. If your store offers a loyalty card then make sure to get one. Some stores only give the sale prices to card-holders. Loyalty cards are free and I have one for every store I shop at, seriously. My key chain is packed with those little carry sizes. I get reward coupons all over town. This week a received a $20 card back from Office Depot and $35 from Kohls. That's $55 free stuff this week alone!

Double/Triple coupons. Doubling or tripling coupons is when the store will take your 50¢ coupon and double it to make it worth $1. This is done automatically at the register; you do not have to do anything to take part in this promotion. First, find out if your store doubles or triples coupons. If they do, find out the maximum double/triple value and how many they will double/triple.

Printable coupons. Find out if your store accepts internet printable coupons. Here are a few sites to get you started:
e-Coupons
Peelies: Coupons that are stuck to the actual product.

Competitor coupons. Some stores will accept competitors coupons.
Magazines: "All You" is a magazine sold exclusively at Walmart or via subscription and it almost always has great coupons in it.

Expired coupons. Kohl's will accept Kohl's cash for 2 weeks after it has expired.
Weekly Ads. Read the weekly store ads to see what is on sale and which stores have the best prices on the items you need. I get weekly ads through the mail but if this is not the case in your area you can usually view them on the store’s website.

Price Match. Some stores, like Walmart, will match the price of a competitor. Usually all you have to do is when you get to the cashier, tell them you want to do a price match for whatever the store that has the sale price, show them the ad of the competitor store and they will give you that price on your item. That's all there is to it.

Always, Always use a list when shopping. Lists remind you what you came for and keep you from buying items you don’t need.

10/$10 promotions. In my area the two major competitors alternate weeks for their 10/$10 sale. You normally don't have to buy 10 to get the sale price but I usually do so that I have a good supply while they are on sale. I have a section in our basement for supplies. Tissues, toilet paper, dish and laundry detergent, etc. You will always need these items and they won't expire, so stock up if you can get a great deal. This will save you money in the long run. Here again is where you List will come in handy so you will remember if you are totally out of something or if you have more than enough and really don't needs anymore at this time.

If the store has a fantastic coupon day, get there early. Shop & Save in my are has a Thursday coupon for $10 off your $50 order. If you have couponers in your area then it’s best to get to the store as early in the sale as you can! You can also still use any coupons you have!

Pay attention to the price screen at the checkout. Watch to make sure everything rings up at the correct price. Make sure all of your coupons get scanned. Coupons sometimes stick together so know which coupons you came with and pay attention.

Check your receipt BEFORE you the store. Look over your receipt to make sure everything rang up correctly and all of your coupons were scanned. If there is a problem take it to customer service immediately so they can fix it.

Build your stash slowly. Don’t buy 20 of everything as soon as you get started or you will blow your budget! A good stash takes time to acquire. Set aside a portion of your weekly grocery money for stockpiling and do what you can with what you have. Buy wisely, don't just buy to be buying. If you know you won't use it then don't buy it.