Ms. Fashionista On A Dime

OH MY! Call me slow, but I just discovered the true joy of thrift/second hand shopping!

Mallory was in need of clothes. Big time. A friend of mine directed me to a place called "Once Upon A Child" in Twin Falls, ID.

The idea, bring in your gently used clothes and they will buy them off of you. Cash or store credit. They in turn sale those clothes for WAY cheap!

I know there are places like this all over the place. I remember Kid to Kid being a big one in Utah. Some stores a super picky about the clothes they will sale and others not as much. However, you are BOUND to come up with some serious finds for a very small amount.

Wanna see a few things I picked up?

(you will have to pardon the VERY poor quality of the pics below. RV lighting...not really ideal!)

I did splurge a bit on the boots...although I ended up taking them back. The boots were $25 at Target. Within a couple of days the covering was peeling like crazy! Maybe, for Mal, we will look elsewhere for shoes.

The sweater above is Gymboree. Never been used. I bought it for $4.50.

The skirt, the same. Gymboree, never used. Also $4.50.

HOW GREAT IS THAT?!

So cute, I couldn't stand it! :)

She liked it too!

Check out that "High Fashion" shot! Well, that or "Please stop taking pictures Mom!"

This cute little dress was in nearly new condition and I stole it for $3! LOVE THAT!

I LOVE this sweater on this little stinker!

Look how long that is!

Sweater: $3.50

Turtleneck underneath: $1.50

We also snagged this great sweater. I am not sure if it has ever been worn by anyone else, but I absolutely loved it on Mal. Warm and cozy! And only $4!

I picked up 4 church shirts for Jake. Not one of them over $4. I also snagged him a John Deere shirt, just to remind him of our WAY TOO MUCH FUN night out before school started this year!

Needless to say, I am converted! Between shopping the second hand stores for the perfect item and Old Navy's clearance racks, where I just picked up the cutest shirt for Mally for just $2.47, I can do a whole lot more shopping for kids clothes for a WHOLE lot less! Plus there is something so satisfying about saving a whole load of money, isn't there?!

Do you have a favorite thrift/second hand store in your area?

DO SHARE!

GO HERE to post the store name and the area! That way the other readers that live in your area can find the deals too! :)

STEP #4: The Anatomy of A Coupon and Coupon Clipping.

Did you make your menu from Step #3?  Oh please, Oh please do! It is such an important step! Your success will be SO much better if you have a plan!

Alright, as strange as it may be that this would require an entire step all to itself....well, IT DOES! There is a lot to remember, easy, but important....very important!

First, make your life easier! Go out and get one of these.....

You will love me for that one day! I promise!

Now, here is how I do it.....

With your Red Plum, Smart Source or Other Coupon Insert from your news paper, go through each booklet and tear out the pages you want to keep. There are many people that keep all coupons, but I want you to remember this important detail about saving money....DON'T GO BROKE SAVING IT! Meaning, if you buy a lot of something, just because with the coupons it was a killer deal, even though you are not sure anyone in your family will even use it, you are still spending money to save money....DON'T DO THAT!

I can tell you that because I have learned from experience! I clipped everything and anything that looked like a coupon. Then I saved it in my handy dandy coupon folder, which you will learn ALL about in the next step, and threw it out when it expired because it really wasn't something I was interested in spending money on! Know your MENU GROCERY LIST that you learned in Step #3. Keep a grocery list on hand for snacks, breakfast or lunch and stick to it! You will be all good!

On the coupon there are some things that are essential to know.

First...Is is a Store Coupon or a Manufacturer Coupon? Store coupons are generally store specific...some stores will accept competitors coupons. Ask your local store Customer Service for a copy of their Coupon Guidlines or visit their website for a printable copy, if they have one there. The description of and instructions on how to use the different types of coupons will be coming up in a later step.

Second....The Expiration Date. IT IS A MUST that you do not clip through this date. It must be there in it's entirety. Save yourself a headache and be so careful not to cut this box off of the coupon!

Third....The coupon will have an item description. Be careful to pay close attention to this description. If you try to apply the coupon to an item that it does not work with, it will only cause you a big headache.

Fourth....Ah, the disclaimers and lovely stipulation for use, AKA FINE PRINT! They are mostly the same across the board. Read them a few times and you will have a good idea of what is contained there. Know what the offer is and if there is a question you can direct the cashier to the fine print!

Fifth...."DO NOT DOUBLE" you are not going to want to cut this part off. Although it is tempting when you have a stack of "Doublers" from Albertsons or a good Double Coupon day at your local market. This coupon cannot be doubled. Don't even think about it!

and Sixth....BARCODE. MUY IMPORTANTE: Do Not Cut or Tear Through This!

This part of the coupon is essential to the use of the coupon.

NOW, take your booklet of coupons and tear out each page. Toss the ones you are not interested in, or be kind and ask a fellow couponer if they are interested in your extras. Line up all of the pages that you are going to keep. Now, do this to the next booklet. Stack the coupons that are the same on top of the previous line and so forth.

Now, stack about 3 or 4 of identical coupons at a time and run them through your slicer. Give yourself plenty of room around the outside of the coupon, so you don't remove any essentials. You are also going to want to make sure you have a sharp blade. As you cut the coupons stack them according to category (defined in the next step).

Do the same with the next booklet and proceed until all coupons are clipped!

With the internet printed coupons, most sites have a similar printing pattern. I will generally print a bunch, stack them, according to the site they were printed from, making sure the coupons line up and then slice and sort.

Easy- Peasy, right?! Well, now that we are FINALLY back on track you are going to get cooking through this and be in that store saving like you won't believe! THEN, oh THEN will you see what I mean by ADDICTION! There is nothing like walking out of a store having spent 3 cents on a $3 item! Oh, you just wait!

Next step.....ORGANIZING Your COUPONS! Oh, I get giddy just thinking about it! You are going to love this part!

STEP #3: Making a Menu

Don't skip this step! The only reason it isn't step number one is because you need to get your mind shifted to a new way of thinking about shopping and get your papers coming. THIS is the step that will make sure that you are spending your money wisely and buying the items that you REALLY need. Plus it will really help you organize the storage that you will be accumulating.

Here's the deal: Let's get started with your dinner menu. Sit down and write down some of your favorite family meals. I recommend doing 30 meals. This will cover all of your dinners for a month without repeats. If you would rather do 15 or 20, that is totally fine. Whatever you want to do.

Once you have completed your list, you want to make an ingredient list for each of the meals. Divide your items into a "Perishable" and "Non-Perishable" column. There are plenty of ways to get the Perishable items stored. This will be up to you. You can either buy these items, whether on sale or not, when they are needed, or you can learn the joys of freezing, canning, dehydrating, etc. Please don't let that make your head spin! It is easier than it seems and is entirely up to you! Take it a step at a time. Whatever works for you.

Now decide what kind of storage you want. Most sales and coupons are on a 3-4 month cycle. If you decide that you want to have a 4 month storage, multiply your ingredient list by 4. Right now I am building a year supply. I have to watch the expiration dates when buying. If I buy an item that has a shelf life of one year, great! If it only has a 3 month life, then I will only buy for 3 months at a time. Pretty easy, right?!

How about an easy example:

I have Lasagna on my menu. I plan for a year of storage, so I will multipy everything by 12. Some recipes on your list may have a lot of ingredients. Some things will have much less. Try to balance these things out. Making 30 meal menus with highly involved recipes will be overwhelming. If you have a particular recipe that you love to have once every few months, GREAT! Buy the items for it and throw it in where ever you would like. This is your baby! Make it the way it works for YOU!

Let's break a neak down......

For a 1 year supply I will need:
(12) Large bottles Prego Spagetti Sauce
(12) Pounds ground beef
(12) Boxes of Lasagna Noodles
(9) Pounds Shredded Cheddar Cheese
(9) Pounds Shredded Mozerella Cheese


I would likely make a loaf of bread or pick one up for a dollar at Albertsons. Depending on my time availability. I would also whip up a salad. Obviously, I would buy this fresh OR, depending on the time of year, head out to the garden! EVEN BETTER!

As you make your list it is going to look long and overwhelming. Don't let it intimidate you. As you shop the sales you will see that you can gather these items quickly and for a great price. I just bought my Spagetti Noodles, another favorite on our menu. I got it for about 35 cents a box! For just about $4 I have a year supply of spagetti noodles! 

Now that you have your ingredient list, you are going to want to keep that close to your coupon book, which you will learn about very soon. Watch the sales for the items on your list and save your coupons. When the item goes on sale, swoop in and snag it for a steal! EASY PEASY!

Now, I said before that items on sale seem to be on a 3-4 month cycle. When the item comes back on sale, check your inventory, then purchase to refill. Can you see that overtime your grocery bill will go down even further?! As you live off of your storage, you will begin to shop for fresh food items you need and refilling your storage! PERFECT!

So dinner is taken care of. For lunch and breakfast I generally make a list of favorites. Sandwiches, Spagetti O's, Soups, etc. Cereal, oatmeal, granola bars, etc. Snacks will be much the same. Make a list of all the things you would like to have on hand. Figure, as close as you can, how much you will need and start accumulating!

Again, Please don't let this step overwhelm you! Once you sit down and put some ideas together you will see how easy this can be. Get your family involved. Ask for favorites. If you have kids let them have a night or two a month that they choose and help prepare. Not only will you have a supply that feels comfortable, you will be organized and dinner will never be a mystery! You will always have just what you need on hand!

CLICK HERE TO MOVE ON TO STEP #4

STEP #2: Gathering Your Coupons

Ok, for those of you skeptical about coupons and the time it takes to use them, allow me to put the visual in your head of you LEGALLY printing money! You would do it right?! Coupons are much the same. Manufacturers print coupons because they want you to use their product. You take them to the store. Buy their product. The store sends in the coupons. The store in reimbursed.

Many people feel that the stores don't want you to use coupons because they are losing money. This is not true. They ABSOLUTELY want you to use them! SO USE THEM!

I will give time saving techniques in the future steps. Still, if you are not keen on the idea of coupons, don't be afraid that I will leave you high and dry. One of the experiments that I have done over the last few months included a shopping trip that consisted of TWO FULL CARTS of groceries at Albertsons. This has been  known to make a wallet cringe in horror. Not this time. Shopping JUST the sale, using not one single coupon, I spent $220 and saved over $170. Not to shabby! Savings are quite possible. Much MUCH greater with coupons, but still the process of just simply changing the way you shop will save you big bucks!

Now *THIS IS IMPORTANT* you are going to want to call your local newspaper and get your Sunday papers coming. In each paper there is generally a Smart Source and Red Plum coupon book. Sometimes there are more than that. Proctor and Gamble, General Mills, etc. will occasionally throw in an extra coupon book for their products. Albertson's, in some areas, puts their doubler coupons in their flyer.

Here is the secret: you want to be receiving at least 4 - 6 Sunday papers. The more coupons you have per item, the better! You have to do it! BE BRAVE!

A lot of papers will offer just Sunday papers. Some want to send you Thurs & Sun. Some will limit you to 5 Sunday papers. Honestly CALL THEM! There are deals for us crazy coupon people!

A great source for finding and subscribing to your local newspaper is HERE.

Don't be afraid to call your local paper. Tell them that you want 4-6 Sunday papers and ask what the cheapest deal is to get that done. I know Daily Herald in Utah will give you 5 Sunday papers and 1 Thursday paper each week for $16.40 per month. Just an example. Don't be afraid to tell them what you need and have them work out a price for you! Then pass that price along here in our forum!


Another great source for Coupons is right here on the internet!

Here are some links to  GREAT coupon printable sites:

COUPONS.COM

RED PLUM

SMART SOURCE

GROCERY SMARTS

Step #1: WELCOME TO THE.......

12 Step Program INTO Addiction

Here you will learn everything you need to know to get started into the crazy world of Couponing, Saving Loads of Money and even GETTING STUFF FOR FREE!

**WARNING: The following information is known to induce obsessive behaviors over saving money and getting "the best deal". This site and it's affiliates are not liable for any shaking, twitching or compulsive money saving behaviors and time spent counting the money you have saved. Follow these steps at your own risk!

Step #1:

First and foremost you MUST completely change the ways you shop.

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  No more planning a menu and shopping off the ingredient list thinking you are doing great because a few of the items on your list were actually ON SALE!
  
  
  
  
  
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  No more running into the store for a few items you need for a little something you would like to whip up for dinner. NO MORE! I mean it!
  
  
  
  
  
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  If you are, or have considered yourself a coupon clipper...no more clipping one here or one there and using it only to save a few cents.
  
  
  
  
  

Here's the deal: You are going to learn to shop the sales like nobody's business. You will shop strictly from the weekly ad. By doing just this, nevermind the coupons, you will be saving around 50% off your grocery bill! Sounds great right?! Well, what if I told you that by coupling sales and coupons you will save somewhere a lot closer to 80-90%! Not to mention in the process, that seemingly illusive or overwhelming food storage or stock pile of neccessities will grow alarmingly fast! AND without you feeling the pain of it in your wallet! There is nothing better than running out of an item, opening a cupboard and having 12 more to replace it! I LOVE IT!

Now a little side note for you. When I first started this whole process, I felt a bit overwhelmed. Sure I got 30 boxes of cereal for like $15 or so, 12 bottles of A1 for 25 cents each, etc. Only problem. Without the stock pile already in place, my family was blowing through cereal like crazy! I would spend my budget on sale items and not have anything to make meals for my family. It got a little frustrating, for all of us. A compromise was in order. We would do our best to use what we needed and buy a few things here or there to fill in, on sale or not. This would get us by until we really got going. I split the budget, leaving it a lot heavier on sale items. In no time, I mean like a month or two at most, I was able to shift it all over to sale items. Just make sure you give your self a little room to breath and adjust at first. Try to set a goal of when to be off the "fillers" and completely onto sale items. Ask your family to help. It won't take long. I promise!


Alright, a little motivation. In my first week I bought over $270 groceries. Wanna know how much came out of my pocket?! $39! THIRTY NINE! ($30 of it was from a gift card). A month ago on an amazing sale at Albertson's I bought:

• 90 Cans of Progresso Soup
• 90 Boxes of Cereal
• 40 Boxes of Fruit Snacks
• 40 Boxes of Nature Valley Granola Bars
• 60 Tubes of Pilsbury Crescent Rolls & Cinnamon Rolls (Freezable)
• 50 Packages Pilsbury Cookie Dough
• 20 Packages of Warm Delights (Ry LOVES these)
• 50 lbs of Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
• 12 lbs Baby Back Ribs
• and more

I spent about $270. I saved over $700! Motivated yet? Well then, LET'S GET GOING!

Get yourself GOOD AND MARINATED in this concept and tomorrow you will be ready to move on to Step #2! See ya then!

READY FOR STEP #2