Things I have (re)learned recently...

1.) Running 6 miles after injuring yourself is not a good idea.
(Steven assured me it would have not been considered quitting - his exact words, "when Tom Brady left a game with a torn ACL, do you think everyone said, 'oh he's a quitter'?")
2.) You can put dogs outside when they are annoying you
(apparently you aren't supposed to do that with babies)
3.) Things just work out in His time and not ours
(I continually learn this one)
4.) It takes time to learn new things
5.) I love spring, but hate the wind
6.) I need to learn to say "no"
7.) Weeds and grass in flower beds seem to be never ending
8.) I lack in patience
(hence my struggle with #4)
9.) I don't know where the time goes
10.) Sometimes I don't know when to stop talking

Ok maybe these are more like self-discoveries.

Money Saving Journey

Two weekends ago I went to a half day workshop with the "Money Saving Queen" in Tulsa. She is an icon here in Tulsa and her website has become a great resource for me. I have always been an occasional couponer. I would take a coupon or two to the store and if I needed the item then I would save .50 or $1. Well since this workshop I have been pumped up and determined to save!

I have always been amazed at how much money we spend and there are only 2 of us! So I have started cutting coupons and googling deals every weekend. My first go at it I saved about 10-12 % which I thought was pretty good. Steven offered me an incentive as well - the first month I save 50% I get to pick out a pair of shoes (that doesn't even come from my clothing budget!).

So this Sunday I went to Target and had a coupon for almost every item I bought or I bought something that was one sale. My best purchase was 3 types of Cheerios - I had a manufacturers coupon for $1.50 off of the purchase of 3 General Mills cereals, .55 manufacturers coupon off of Honey Nut Cheerios, a Target coupon for $1 off 2 Cheerios cereals and then 2 of the boxes I bought were on sale. So score - 3 boxes of Cheerios for very little money!

So this week I saved....... 33%! I was so pumped and couldn't wait to get home to tell Steven. The main helpful tips I have learned are - to combine store and manufacturers coupons on items that are on sale or at their rock bottom price (keeping track of when prices fall at your favorite stores). Also realizing that this will take time, but it will be worth it!

Below are my notes from the workshop. The Money Saving Queen's website is Tulsa-specific but her methods work everywhere. I know there are some other similar blogs to hers. I also follow Money Saving Mom from Kansas City. Happy couponing friends!

www.moneysavingqueen.com*  - Couponing Workshop

*(abbreviated msq.com below)

Terms and 1^st Steps

·         sign up for newsletter

·         manufacturers coupon (newspaper)

·         store coupons (supertarget.com)

·         peelies (on the product)

·         blinkies (coupons at store)

·         Catalina (come out from register)

·         tear pads (on store shelf)

·         printable coupons (on Internet) print in black and draft mode

·         Coupons.com

·         Msq.com

·         Redplum.com

·         Smartsource.com

·         fake coupons (no free products off Internet, misspellings, PDF - forwards)

·         knowing your coupon - 1 coupon per purchase (per item)

·         1 coupon per transaction

·         Check out Homeland - double coupons

How to find coupons for stuff you actually use -

1.       Ask friends and family members to save coupons for you - swap

2.       Newspapers - Oklahoman or Stillwater paper have best Sunday papers; TW is not a part of Dallas market

3.       Regional coupons - buy them online (eBay)

4.       Thecouponclippers.com - order coupons

5.       Coupondede.com - order coupons

6.       Manufacturers website - sign up for newsletters (use another email) - sign up family members

7.       Call company directly for stuff you buy regularly - ask how you can save and ask when you can call back)

8.       Email company praise

9.       All You Magazine - high $ coupons - couponers mag - buy it at Wal Mart (can use anywhere) - trade tips and recipes - buy subscription at amazon.com

10.   Look at store for coupons

11.   Coupon swap parties – with friends and family

12.   Recycle binds - Mon or Tues for Sunday paper

13.   Facebook - like companies on facebook and get coupons - some are time sensitive

14.   Twitter - will let you know about deals

Organizing your coupons (important step)

·         coupon binder

·         Use baseball card holders (kmart or vintage stock)

·         Put pouch with scissors and calculator

·         Make tabs for stores and items

·         envelope with grocery list with coupons you use for that trip

·         expired coupons send to military base on Msq.com

What to do if your coupons are denied -

1.       Ask for a manager

2.       Put your stuff back and go somewhere else

3.       Don't throw a fit or they will change their policy for everyone

4.       Find the best cashiers

5.       Call corporate store customer service - take names

6.       Look for the young kid cashier (less questions b/c they don’t want to be there)

Stacking Savings

1.       Keep track of prices with price log

a.       8 - 12 sale cycles

b.      write down prices ever week

c.       figure out sale fluctuations - figure out rock bottom price

d.      then you use your coupon with rock bottom price

e.      wait it out

f.        stock up! (No hoarding)

g.       toiletries are easy to stock up on

h.      lifestyle change

2.       Shop around coupons and ads

i.         match ups (coupons + sales) - on Msq.com for each store

3.       Shop around your stock pile

j.        use what you have!

k.       donate and give back!

l.         cut out almost everything and put those in a pile that I wouldn't normally use

4.       Combine manufacturers coupons with store coupons

2.       (from different sources)

a.       Walgreens and CVS for toiletries - great deals

b.      don't fall for cheap looking - tricky

5.       Buying generic

c.       using coupons beats generic - if you shop smart

6.       Changing brands

d.      stay open-minded

7.       Change stores

e.      pick a store a week that has best deals - check out match ups

f.        it would be best to go to a few stores, but if you don't have time, pick one!

g.       March is frozen food month - rock bottom prices!

h.      Amazon.com (amazon mom sign up) - sign up for subscription and save (you can cancel it)

Store sales lingo

1.       10/$10 - you don't have to buy 10, just 1

2.       Buy 1 get 1 free - (could mean each item is half priced) - you can use manufacturers coupons on this

3.       Buy 1 get 1 free coupon - you can get a coupon on the one you are buying

4.       If you get transaction to 0, throw in some gum - it helps with cashiers who questions - it's legal, they just don't understand it

5.       Read fine print - don't just look at pictures

a.       buy trial size and pour in big container (think creatively)

Tips

·         Time and Organization

·         take baby steps

·         Coupons are not cash

·         In some stores you have to do multiple transactions

·         use self check out

·         you will not have a coupon for everything

·         store ads on feature a few items (stop by store and take all coupons in case there are more)

·         NationalSteak.com - dock sale by the case (in Owasso) - go in together with other families to split up packs

·         meat clearance (Wal Mart & SAMs - day of or before sale by date, 30-50% stock up on that day!) every 30 days

·         Target - will also offer mfg coupons & find store coupons (will put peelie sticker on item - white)

·         Mark down times - SAMs or Walmart: night or early morning - Target happens all day

Overages and rebates - how to make money at a store

·         will give you money back, or apply it towards your other purchases easier

·         trial sizes help with overages ($1 coupon and item is only .50)

·         coupons will not be added to tax - you have to pay tax

·         rebates are coming back (google grocery rebates) - you can use coupons and still get the rebate ($20 rebate min, retail price, but you can get it down to $5) - it takes time

Store policies

1.       Aldi - does not take coupons (.25 for cart, you get it back; bring your own bags) - great produce & meat ads - Target and Walmart do price matching

2.       CVS - extra care card - you earn ECV $ on your purchases and you can apply coupons to total and still earn them (overages) - check out forums on how to do this

3.       Food Pyramid - double coupons up to .50 -> $1

4.       Harps (Garnett and 31st) - one week double coupons up to $1; will double up to 3 like coupons - check out Msq.com on double week - people will post deals and then wait for them to restock

5.       Homeland - picky on coupons - only double 1 like coupons - up to $1

6.       Reasors - have store coupons at front of add and combine with mfgers coupons - best place for mgr specials, peelies, tear pads

7.       SAMs - no coupons - some convenience and you can save more other places if you use coupons

8.       Target - will price match - go thru checkout and price match over at customer service - take ads and receipt

9.       Walgreens - register rewards can be used like cash there - use coupons and don't spend anything and get rolling rewards

a.       most stores will give rain checks

10.   Walmart - will not accept printable free products; can use Catalina coupons- print their new policy and put it in your binder and take with you - starting to take Walgreens rewards; will take competitor ads for price matching - must be dollar amount not % ; will give you overage back in cash

11.   Warehouse Market - no Internet coupons

12.   Whole Foods - store coupons at front of store; can get good deals there; will take mfgers and Internet coupons

The why

I have been a blog reader for a while and started a blog once, but after one post, stopped. I have thought recently, I'll start blogging once we have kids... that will be an easy way for our family (who live far away) to keep up with our lives. I told my co-worker this week, I want to start a blog, but I don't have anything to say. After he reminded me that every day I have a story, I decide what the heck, let's do this!

I wanted a catchy title and I love alliteration. Steven and I have been training together for a half marathon in May - this is his 1st and my 2nd. So of course Running with the Runyans made perfect sense! A quick running story - Steven learned about partner running on one of our first long runs together. We had received over a foot of snow in the last week in Tulsa and it was melting and finally sunny. So we headed out to the trails to go for a 4 miler. There was more slosh and snow remaining than we realized and after about 1/4 of a mile my feet are sopping wet (in my new running shoes!) and I have almost fallen 3x. I look up from my concentration to see that Steven is just taking off and not looking back at all. Needless to say, after another 1/2 mile I just stopped and yelled "I'm done!" and waited for him to finally stop. That is the day he learned about running partner etiquette :) He is much better now... very polite.

Back to the why - I'm not sure how entertaining this will be, but ever since I got out of PR which was not long after college, I stopped writing and writing was always something I enjoyed. I journal, but never about random happenings.

I also hope that this blog will make me accountable to taking more pictures. I think we have 3 different types of cameras and we take them everywhere, but always fail to take pictures. It makes me sad when I want to update my facebook profile with a new pic.

So here I go on a new journey!