Taking It To The Next Level!

When I was a kid we would play a game sitting around the dinner table or in a restaurant called "taking it to the next level." It was a trivia type game and someone would ask a question like "How many parishes are in Louisisana?" Someone would answer, "64", then someone would replay, "Ok take it to the next level, name 30 of the parishes." I remember this exact conversation when I was probably about 12 with my dad and I'm pretty sure he named all 64 parishes!

All that to say, I am taking it to the next level, with coupons! Today I went to Southern Savers coupon class with my friends Katie & Chris (Chris is the one who got me into coupons in the first place and this is the couple who makes GREAT cakes! Check out there blog and anticipate Mary Stewart's birthday cakes (yes cakes is plural) in about 2 weeks!!).
Wow!!! As some of you know I have been couponing for a few months and have loved it for a few different reasons:

1. I no longer have to shop at Walmart. I really really dislike Walmart but always felt I was in bondage to Walmart because they had the "lowest" prices. Oh how I was disillusioned.
2. I get to shop a Publix. Publix is the mecca of grocery stores and they live up to their slogan, "Where Shopping is a Pleasure."
3. My pantry is stocked!!!
4. There is nothing like the high you get from watching your total decrease at check out!

If you are new to couponing or are thinking about getting started, visit the Southern Savers website for video tutorials and a wealth of information.
Here are some things I walked away with today.........
1. Walmart isn't cheaper. It is cheaper to take advantage of buy 1 get 1 free deals with coupons than going to Walmart; however Walmart will price match (this was sweet affirmation to my ears).
2. I will continue to stick to Publix and CVS for most of my shopping, taking advantage of Kroger during there mega sales events, but at the end of the day Publix is the better bet. If you have a shopper card, have it scanned at the very end, after giving the cashier your coupons.
3. At times I would get confused using coupons with B1G1 deals, but you can use 2 coupons on these sales and you can stack store coupons and manufacturers coupons.
4. In the Sunday paper sometimes the grocery stores will issue coupons, but how do you really know if they are a store or manufacturer coupon? The bar codes. If the bar code on the coupon starts with a 9 or 5 it is a manufacturer coupon so you can stack it with a store one!
5. Also ask for a duplicate receipt so that you will have extras for rebates.
6. Some great features of the Southern Savers website I didn't know:
* Coupon database: you can type in a product you need to buy but don't have a coupon for & the database will tell you where to find one if there is one to be found.
* The items they list each week under the specific grocery store, isn't the list of everything on sale that week, but the items that are lowest price they will be in the 6 week sale cycle.

Today during class they reaffirmed that you need to pick 1 or 2 grocery stores and probably 1 drug store to focus on. When it comes to drug stores I totally recommend CVS.

So what is my personal application? How will I take it to the next level?
Well I want to do a better job of mapping out the meals I fix each week based on whats on sale with my coupons & what I have in my pantry. I want to stock up each week on the items that are at the rock bottom low price and then the essentials (milk, eggs, bread, etc).
I want to become more hardcore when it comes to CVS and the extra care bucks. I am going to try to only buy the items that come with the ECB's that I need.

Remember it takes about 6 weeks for you to get into the coupon cycle and for you to start making a difference in your budget. It is like a game, and can be addicting, but don't be scared to take it to the next level!



** Baton Rouge couponers: Winn Dixie won't accept competitors but will let you stack store & competitor coupons. When they offer the B1G1, you do have to buy both items, but be sure to use 2 coupons. Louisiana Winn Dixie won't double coupons.