Every week, I collect our receipts and analyze how much we saved. Most of the time, it's with coupons and coupon codes, but sometimes it's from things like using reusable bags at Stop and Shop. It might only be 20 cents here or 50 cents there, but trust me, it adds up. Don't believe me? Here's an example of what we saved in April, 2012.
| Store | Description | Amount |
| Adidas | AAA Coupon Book | $ 20.00 |
| Bed Bath and Beyond | Coupon | $ 1.40 |
| Bed Bath and Beyond | Returned Item Store Credit | $ 11.04 |
| Burger King | AAA Coupon Book | $ 4.19 |
| Christmas Tree Shop | Coupon | $ 5.20 |
| Crate and Barrel | Coupon | $ 6.62 |
| Crate and Barrel | Coupon | $ 10.37 |
| CVS | Coupon | $ 1.50 |
| Edible Arrangements | Coupon Code | $ 5.90 |
| Eversave | Save Rewards | $ 6.00 |
| Gap Outlet | AAA Coupon Book | $ 23.84 |
| Kendra and Anthony's | Restaurant.com | $ 10.00 |
| Kohl's | Coupon | $ 8.60 |
| Loft Outlet | AAA Coupon Book | $ 13.49 |
| Macaroni Grille | My Coke Rewards | $ 30.00 |
| Market Basket | Coupons | $ 12.60 |
| Old Navy | Stuff and Save | $ 25.76 |
| Overstock.com | Coupon Code | $ 10.36 |
| Target | Coupons | $ 1.00 |
| TJ Maxx | Coke Rewards Gift Card | $ 8.00 |
| Total | $ 215.87 |
You're probably saying, "Wow, those Cohen's did a lot of shopping in April!" Well, yes, we did, but that's not a typical month for us. We took a trip to the Kittery Outlets to do some spring wardrobe updating. I can't even remember the last time the hubs and I went clothes shopping, so it was long overdue. And while we did spend a lot that weekend, we saved even more. The first thing we always do when we head to the outlets is go straight to the customer service center and show them our AAA card. This will earn you a huge coupon book with almost every store in it. As you can see, we used a bunch that weekend.
As for online purchases, I have a two-part process any time I buy something via the Internet. First, I am a member of MyPoints. By using their site as a gateway to whatever site it is you want to purchase from (most retail sites are affiliated), you can earn points which are redeemable for gift cards. Then, before I check out, I ALWAYS search for coupon codes online. RetailMeNot is my favorite site for coupon codes, and I generally I find a code to use about 99% of the time.
I am also a member of My Coke Rewards, an online system where you can redeem points found on Coca Cola products. In the past, I've used these points for magazine subscriptions, but this time we were able to redeem our points for a gift card to the Mac Grille and used it for a free dinner out.
When we moved into our house, both Crate and Barrel and Bed, Bath and Beyond sent us a coupon for 20% off our entire purchase. We were able to combine those coupons with gift cards we received for our wedding shower and purchased most of the remaining items on our registries. It felt great to tick off almost everything on our registries (you know how I love lists!).
So there you have it. In April, 2012, we were able to save $215.87 just by being resourceful. How have other months shaped up? January was our next highest at $134.88, followed by March at $85.05 and then February at 74.75. In 2011, we saved a grand total of $2,126.94. And in 2009 and 2010, when we were first starting out, we saved $2,424.40. Not too shabby.
We also track how much "additional income" we earn by completing surveys, selling things on eBay, Yard Sales, and various winnings. But that's a post for another day.
Be well,
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