Hi All! I've been looking around the site for a while and I must say... You guys are NUTS! But in a great way! I would love to be able to save that kind of money. BUT... I've got some issues:

1. I've got a 3yr old and 2yr old that can't go to more than one store and a husband that works too late for me to go out on my own.

2. I have NO storage in my house to stockpile. If I bought 10 cases of Tide I would have no where to put them.

I think when the kids are older and I have a bigger house, I would be able to REALLY get into this. So here's my question:

Is it worth it to use coupons on a smaller scale? For instance, if I get one sunday paper and just cut out the coupons for the things I use regularly and use them, would I save any real money? Or would it be a waste of time?

Also, am scared of standing in line with 20 coupons while both of my kids are LOSING it in the checkout line! I have NEVER in my life used a coupon - do you have to do them one at a time as they scan the item or can I just hand over the whole pile at once? PS- I ususally shop at wal-mart.

First of all, welcome aboard!! Glad you came out of "lurkdom." Secondly, you don't have to stockpile in order to use coupons successfully. Just matching up the weekly coupons with the weekly sales will save you a tidy sum.

Just hand over your whole stack of q's after the cashier is finished scanning all of your items. If you get a cashier that knows what they're doing, it only takes a few minutes longer.

We're all here to help you along the way. I can't give advice on the little ones, since my children are grown, but there are folks here who take as many as 6 children with them to the store, so maybe they can guide you!!

Thanks Kayline for the quick response! I would love to hear from some of the mothers of young *toddler size* kids - How do you manage to go to different stores to shop the sales? I've got two toddlers and taking them into a store is much like trying to grocery shop while guiding two energetic ponies.

Glad to see you here!


My Grandma has used coupons on a small scale (1 or 2 papers each week) her entire adult life and does good with just buying what she needs, etc.

You figure even if your paper cost $x and you save $y ... As long as you save more than your paper cost, you're doing good on a small scale!

You save the most $$$ by waiting until you find a sale to go along with those coupons. If you stick around long enough here at WUC, you'll learn a lot "overnight"

Welcome to WUC. You will love it here and the people here are always willing to help.

I can't help much with the children because my only daughter is grown. I can tell you that I started using coupons a long time ago. I only bought one or two papers and used what I could. It did save me money. Then I learned to go to grocers that doubled coupons so I could save even more. Now, I do keep a supply of things at home and my coupon collection is huge. I love it when I go to the grocery store and my bill gets cut in half or more just by using coupons.

I learned more since I joined here than I ever imagined. Read the boards and ask questions. You will be a pro in no time.

Again, welcome!

Mom to a wonderful daughter , Daisy, Spencer, Tigger, and Snowflake.

Welcome to WUC!

I have 2 boys ages 4 & 6. I definitely know where you are coming from. Here's my suggestions ~ try to go shopping during off times when the store is not too busy, have your shopping list & coupons ready before you get there, and sometimes (not always) bribery works (be good and you'll get a treat afterwards). Mostly ~ learn to become deaf to the kids & blind to other customers when the kids are fussing and do what you came to do then go home.

Good luck! I'm sure you'll learn lots of good shopping tips & tricks here. The people are very helpful and friendly.

I am so glad you are here and you will learn so much here! I have a 5 and 2 year old and it can be done. It definitely takes determination, but just keep your eye on the prize! I always have my list ready and my coupons to match my list ready. That way I am in and out as fast as I can be. If you only shop Walmart, then just take your sales papers with you and price match. They wont price match the buy one get one free, and of course store brand things. Good luck and if you have any questions at all, we are all here to help you along!!!

My kids are 8, 6 and 1. I usually do my shopping either A) during the day with just the baby B) at night by myself or C) drag the entire family along. It's not impossible.

Welcome!
Yes it is so worth you using coupons just in general. You can see your dollars stretching even farther!!! or saving even more in the bank!

Here are a few suggestions for coupon with small children!

First of all don't be afraid.... more and more people are using coupons so most do understand and most people do have kids so they understand too!! If they don't pooy on them... you have a right to shop just as much as they do!!!!

Make a list according to your store lay-out with coupons you are using in an envelop or clipped to your list. This make it quicker and easier for you to make sure you get what you need the first time down that isle!

While in that isle play little "spy" games with the kiddies... Like: "can you see something green?" how about something yummy?" "is your favorite snack in this isle?" or ask them to help you get a non breakable item off the shelf?" You can do "lots" of teaching in a grocery store. Something your 3 year old would like is before you even go tell him or her you are going but need their help with a story you are going to write on the way back. Ask them to find 5 items in the store to write a story about. Pick a theme... "square objects" give them each a notebook and pencil... they can draw the item or "write" what they want to incorporate into the story!
Write a story about what they saw in the grocery store that day.... Start a journal/notebook of these stories... the kids will love reading through them and a great teaching tool. Underline the "key objects" make little notes on the back with the date... You kids will love looking back on this one day! Mine do!!!

Take snacks in baggies for the kids.

Go during their happy time... not nap or meal time.

Ask a neighbor or friend to swap shopping days... you will watch hers so she can shop and visa versa?

I do agree with this one shop during non-busy times.

hope that help offer some useful tips!

Married to my best friend for 16 years and together we have 3 beautiful daughter.

ScaredofCoupons,

I do not know if my Personal Story will help you any, but let me tell you.

My Life Before Coupons was a lavash one, I had a beautiful 2200 Square Feet home and owned 3 Cellular phone stores in Grand Rapids, MI area. Through wasteful shopping and other factors I lost all Three Cellular Phone stores. And a house that was used on a personal Guarantee with 2 stores. Myself, Melissa, and my 2 children Elijah and Isaiah were forced to move into an 805 Sq Ft apartment. It was extremely tight. Melissa went to work. My ego was crushed, here I am a father of 2 who took pride in providing for the family and businesses that allowed Melissa to stay at home with our 2 children so that we could raise them the way we wanted to, now could not afford that luxury she had to work. I then became a truck driver over the road, The company I started with kept me away from my family for up to 45 days at a time. I was crushed, I told Melissa that after my contract with CRST as they put me through a school I would find something local. Over 20k in debt still on the Cellular Stores and away from my family, It was hard. Melissa then again got laid off. We had to figure things out fast. We then realized about coupons and matching them up. Melissa Got obsessed with it (bless her for doing so) I then switched to a company that got me home every weekend and sometimes during the week as well, Its still not as good as being home everyday but it was better than being gone 45 days. We set a goal of $60 a week for groceries for the family (remind you 4 in the familt)

We were in your situation we didnt have alot of space we moved our 2200 feet home into an 805 sq ft apartment, Both our boys shared a bedroom now and we sacrificed our dining room to be a pantry and started the bad habit of eating in the living room.

eventually we got alot of our debts taken care of because we would save money from the shopping smart with matching sales with coupons, we just recently moved out of our 805 sq ft apartment into a 1500 sq feet Townhome.

We learned a few things through this. At first we believed we were to good for coupons, out of need we learned that we were so wrong, and coupons are like free money, I wouldnt have turned down money if it were free why turn down coupons.

I learned that 2200 sq ft was to big for our home and when we were in a position to get out of the 805sq ft apartment we went with a better size for us and more manageble payment. Keeping it easier to manage.

now, toddlers.

Through the beginning of starting with coupons Melissa essentially a single parent as I was gone for up to 45 days at a time. had this struggle as well.

Starting out she missed alot of savings because the destraction of Isaiah as Elijah was in school most the time that she would go shopping. These are a couple things that she has done with success.

Melissa does not like to clean very much, I do not either. However, she has a friend that does like to clean. Melissa would watch her friends little girls while she went shopping and She would clean our house as a trading payment. When She would clean our house, her little girls would play with Isaiah while Melissa went Shopping.
No cost for daycare to find a trading partner like such.

When Melissa Shopped with Isaiah she found that even a small etch a sketch or handheld style game would keep him busy through most the trip. Our Meijer offers free cookies to the kids while shopping, As Isaiah would get restless towards the end of the trip, she would get the cookie before he got "bad" and offer it to him for being a good boy. eventually he learned as soon as we got to meijer he had to have a cookie but at the same time he was in a routine of shopping that he wasnt as terrible to shop with at this point for her.

Also when going to the store. Make it a sprint not a marathon. If you already have your coupons organized and your list ready and stick to that. You will be in and out. If you start deviating from your list your going to buy stuff not on your list not on sale and start not saving.

As you start getting used to matching up the sales with the coupons and start sving money you will automatically get creative on saving the money you will find places to put things and will begin shopping for items to shop for them instead of shopping out of need.

I know this post was long Im sorry for rambling I hope I helped a little bit, And Welcome to We Use Coupons.