How to Start Saving - This is for you Kami Q!

The following is for my friend Kami who insists I share with her my mad skills. Actually I just cheat and use all the information that other people post for me and spend their time finding. My sidebar has a list of some of the sites I use.

Seriously, the coupon thing is so much better when explained by others.

So these are the sites I got to multiple times daily to get the best tips.
www.moneysavingmom.com
www.hip2save.blogspot.com
www.heyitsfree.net

You need to start by getting all the coupons you can. Don't throw them away when they come in the mail! Print them off your computer
www.coupons.com has a ton, just go and hit print all. Make sure you hit the back arrow and print them twice. Seriously, you'll regret it if you don't. Sometimes it will say the page cannot be displayed, but just hit refresh.
There may be some you don't think you'll use, but get it anyway, because you never know and you could end up getting that item free and then donating it to someone. (The only ones I don't get are for coffee or pet food.) I have like 36 little bars of soap for kids that I got for free and now I'm giving them out to everyone I know with kids. (too bad you don't live here!)

The moneysavingmom link has instructions for CVS and it explains how to use the ECB program. (Check her sidebar on the right I think) Then each week (usually on Sat or Sun) she posts all the deals and how to get them. Sometimes you can just print the coupon off your computer and sometimes you actually have to use the coupon from the paper or mailings. (I don't subscribe to the paper, but I go to the dollar store on Monday's and get around 4 copies of the Sunday paper. That's the best place for coupons.)
I haven't quite mastered grocery shopping yet (I heard about a lady who got $100 of groceries for a quarter) but CVS is easy and a good place to start because of the ECB program. Don't get too carried away. I have a goal to not spend more than $10/week. You have to start somewhere so usually getting the items that are "Free after ECBs" is a good place. Even if you wouldn't have normally purchased this item, get it because you'll start to build up your ECB's that you can use on items you do need. If you have a coupon for any of those items, you just made money! See how easy it is?

2 months ago, I had absolutely nothing stored as far as soap, toothpaste, deodorant, etc. I've spent less than $10/week and now I have a year's supply of toothpaste (I'll probably end up giving a bunch away, you can almost always get that for free or really cheap) I've got at least 6 months of dish soap, 6 months of laundry detergent, a years supply of shampoo and conditioner, at least 6 months of body wash, etc. I've also been able to try items that I normally wouldn't be able to afford like Loreal face cleaner or Glade Lasting Impressions ($10 for air freshener is insane). I got both those items for free (only paid taxes). I've spent around $100 out of pocket at CVS this year and I've saved over $500. (of course some of those items are sale items and whatnot, but regardless - that is a ton of savings!) So $10 a week for 10 weeks so far and I've exceded my goals to have a little stockpile of household necesities. Now I can just continue contributing to my stockpile and I won't end up paying full price for something when it runs out.