Coupon Saving Update...

So I did not get around to posting my couponing update last month, up I have managed to get October's up plus my overall total since I started couponing back in April. Remember my budget is $300.00 per two weeks. So since April the amount I am allowed to spend is $4500.00.

So here are the totals:
Monthly Totals (October 09)
Total before savings $812.01
Coupon total $188.23
Advertised savings $225.42
Total out of pocket $398.36
Spent of total 49.10%


Totals (Since April)
Total before savings $7,245.90
Coupon total $1,753.13
Advertised savings $1,372.38
Total out of pocket $3,807.07
Spent of total 52.40%

So as you can tell I am inside my allowed budget by $692.93. So your next question, what have we done with that money. Well, we do what we want with it. Eat out, save it, buy Christmas gifts, pay for Red Rooster, etc. Just whatever we feel like doing with the money. As I said in another post, I am inside my budget which is fabulous, but the greatest part of us is that I used to actually spend the total before savings. We are even eating even better than we were. I love to try new recipes which usually requires none staples, therefore, increasing your cost. Well, before couponing we would eat two maybe three new meals in a two week period. This two weeks, twelve meals.

Pork chop with apples
Beef and sausage stew
Chicken and red bean tostadas
Slow cooker Ratatouille
Beef Fajita stir-fry
Chicken marsala
Shrimp scampi
Oven fried chili chicken
Mini penne zucchini and sausage pasta
Gaucho Chimichurri steak
Tenderloin with black bean salsa
Shrimp Po-boys

Yes, you see steak, shrimp, pork tenderloin (center cut), and pork chops, not just the standard ground beef and chicken. Couponing is so worth all the work and effort. By the way, I have 24 bottles of laundry soap, lots of toilet paper, more shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, tampons,and shaving cream to last a year along with 20 + boxes of cereal. And I have given lots of stuff away.

My children love this couponing thing too, becuase they get more of the snacks that they love. Kid-O is even beginning to figure out you can get things for free. I gave her my coupon for a free bath and body item no purchase required. Couponing is trickling over into everything else. Example, I went to Children's Place, bought two pairs of blue jean (2/$28) and a bath robe for Kid-O for Christmas ($24.50). I used my 20% coupon on the total, then gave the cashier my $20 off $40 purchase and got all three items for $23.00. Can you say fabulous?