Extreme Couponing

This year is first time the school district I work for implemented furlough days. Counselors, like me, have to take 8 furlough days this year which means a few hundred dollars out of my monthly paycheck. 

So, to try and save some money, I'm trying to use coupons. I've used coupons before saving  a dollar here, a few cents there, but nothing like what you see on Exteme Couponing!

Thanks to Free Stuff Times and their "cheat sheet" for couponing, I felt like I had a head start to a successful  coupon shopping experience! Using a combination of manufacturer coupons and store coupons, it look about an hour to sort through and find the best deals pointed out by Free Stuff Times. I found that I have to save all coupons I come across, just in case I happen to coincide with store coupons that become available.  

After all my coupons had been sorted out in a cute  Coupon Organizer I found in the dollar section of Target,  I headed to one of my favorites stores, Target, to give extreme couponing a try! My husband and two kids insisted on coming along so I had them take their own cart and browse the store on their own while I concentrated on my coupons! 

Here are a few things I bought:

This shirt was originally $17.99, it was on clearance for $7.48 and I had a $3 coupon off Merona brand apparel so it came out to $4.48. 

These socks were on clearance for 1.25 each an I had a coupon for $3 off Exhilaration apparel, so it was FREE! 

This shirt was on clearance for $5.38 and I had a $3 off of Mossimo apparel so it was $2.38. 

These pens were $.97 and I had $1 coupon, so it was FREE!

Some of the other things I bought:
4-pack of Chobani yogurt for $.50
3 boxes of KELLOGG'S cereal for $1.35 each
2 Suave kids body wash for $.54 each
Market Pantry fruit snack Fruit Snacks for $.69

The cashier helping me rolled her eyes as soon as she saw my stack of coupons which was a bit discouraging. She also wouldn't take some of my coupons because she thought they were duplicate coupons even though I explained they were manufacturer coupons AND store coupons. I think about $6 of coupons didn't get credited to my bill. Boo! I guess I have to be more assertive next time! Not to mention there was a man behind me in line only had three items and he was growing more and more impatient as the cashier challenged too many of my coupons!

My first extreme couponing shopping trip was a learning experience! I plan to be better prepared next time!