Coupon Mania
This post is for all those who knew about my crazy coupons . . . I had a friend (Hi Alex) in Hohenfels who would bring Jenny and I coupons . . . I don't mean just a few . . . I mean like 5 and 6 PX bags full of them. So we are talking thousands. This all started during the Kosovo deployment (November 2002-July 2003). Jenny and I were bored and had no real life, right? It became a huge deal and game for us. Who could save the most money during this deployment? Before I tell you how much I saved let me tell you what we would do.
We would sort the coupons all week and compare what was on sale at the PX and Commissary that week. You could often get items for free or or almost free. The Commissary had this deal on certain coupons that you could use multiple coupons for one item. For example, if a can of soup that cost $1.50 you could use 3 fifty cent coupons and the item was FREE! So this is where it gets funny. We would get all those coupons out that could "buy" free items. On Sunday after church, we had a date! We met at the glorious Vilseck Food Court and then set sail to save, save, save! Let me give you a little idea of what I had in my house when I packed out in January . . . this is a shorter list and is no lie!
34 mens Old Spice deodorant (Sean wore this brand) it only cost me 1 cent each!
15 cans Edge Shaving gel . . . cost about 10 cents per can
20 cans of Chicken Broth . . . cost FREE
10 cans Rotel tomatoes . . . cost FREE
15 cans Clorox Wipes . . . cost about twenty-five cents
18 lipstick . . . regular price $5 each but cost less than $1 each
10 packs of AA batteries . . . cost 99 cents minus the $1 coupon . . . one penny . . . since they don't take pennies they were FREE! I love getting one over on AAFES!
Several times I would see my co workers and they would laugh at me, but when I told them how much my bill was they could not believe it! We would even stand in line looking into other people's baskets and pull coupons for them to use . . . so we were a little obsessed but we had so much fun! When I left Germany, most of the items were donated to an orphanage in the Czech Republic. I truly loved helping these kids and a big thanks to the Kirlin Family for taking the items for me. I know they will think the items are odd but will be happy to have them.
This 6 month deployment turned into a 9 month deployment . . . and I saved over $1000 . . . I still have the receipts to prove it somewhere! By the way, I used the last can of chicken broth last night for dinner. Anyone want expired coupons? Let me know . . . happy to help!
I sure miss my coupon friend!
We would sort the coupons all week and compare what was on sale at the PX and Commissary that week. You could often get items for free or or almost free. The Commissary had this deal on certain coupons that you could use multiple coupons for one item. For example, if a can of soup that cost $1.50 you could use 3 fifty cent coupons and the item was FREE! So this is where it gets funny. We would get all those coupons out that could "buy" free items. On Sunday after church, we had a date! We met at the glorious Vilseck Food Court and then set sail to save, save, save! Let me give you a little idea of what I had in my house when I packed out in January . . . this is a shorter list and is no lie!
34 mens Old Spice deodorant (Sean wore this brand) it only cost me 1 cent each!
15 cans Edge Shaving gel . . . cost about 10 cents per can
20 cans of Chicken Broth . . . cost FREE
10 cans Rotel tomatoes . . . cost FREE
15 cans Clorox Wipes . . . cost about twenty-five cents
18 lipstick . . . regular price $5 each but cost less than $1 each
10 packs of AA batteries . . . cost 99 cents minus the $1 coupon . . . one penny . . . since they don't take pennies they were FREE! I love getting one over on AAFES!
Several times I would see my co workers and they would laugh at me, but when I told them how much my bill was they could not believe it! We would even stand in line looking into other people's baskets and pull coupons for them to use . . . so we were a little obsessed but we had so much fun! When I left Germany, most of the items were donated to an orphanage in the Czech Republic. I truly loved helping these kids and a big thanks to the Kirlin Family for taking the items for me. I know they will think the items are odd but will be happy to have them.
This 6 month deployment turned into a 9 month deployment . . . and I saved over $1000 . . . I still have the receipts to prove it somewhere! By the way, I used the last can of chicken broth last night for dinner. Anyone want expired coupons? Let me know . . . happy to help!
I sure miss my coupon friend!
posted by Heidi at 10/14/2005 08:41:00 AM
5 Comments:
Heidi,
I can't let Jason this because he'll start wondering why I didn't save any money during his tour in Iraq but rather spent almost all of it. I have lots of nice Italian furniture to show for it, as well as, many trips and wonderful dinners with the girls. Thanks for sharing. I am really enjoying this window into your thoughts & memories.
Love, T
Heidi,
I too am a coupon junkie. My mom send me them all the time. Just the other day I was laughed at for buying 3 Softsoap body soaps because we have about 7 at home anywaym but I said there is a 2.00 coupon for each so it is 69 cents! I had to buy them! I'll probably be donating some when we leave too! Oh well, I felt great when I saved 16.00 at the commissary. Glad to know I'm not the only one. If only they still let you use multiple coupons...that would be great!
I am all about some coupons! :) So much so, that CaliValleyGirl remembered a conversation that we had about coupons, and asked her mom to save them for me!!
ACS has a special program over here in Germany, where total strangers send in their expired coupons to the finance department. Can you imagine how excited I was the day I learned about that? :)
And I now have a couple of PX bags full of coupons sitting here.... It is just no fun to sort them and buy stuff when you dont have anyone around who "understands" the big deal about the HUGE savings!
Alex
This post made me laugh! When we lived in Tulsa and Sarah was a pre-schooler, my neighbor/best friend and I would cut coupons, pick up coupons for each other in stores, and then shop to see how much we could save. I loved the diaper coupons! I could get a whole huge box of diapers for free, and I had two little guys in diapers. What a deal! Now I don't coupon shop much anymore, but it doesn't stop me from at least looking to see how much the coupons are!
tryingtogrok's mom
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