Today is Day 4 of The {21} Purge and Rhonna's motivation is to "have an attitude of gratitude because when we do it gives us HOPE". AND to help us remember this, Rhonna has a special gift for all of us 21'ers to keep us inspired. How sweet is that ;)
So here is an update on my progress for Day 3: first I purged all of the expired coupons that remained in my coupon caddy...or my coupon basket ;)
For those of you who are unaware...don't toss those outdated coupons...because you can send them to support our troops. Families on overseas military bases rarely get a paper, so they can't clip coupons. Luckily, the commissaries will accept coupons up to six months after they expire. The most desirable coupons are for household items such as diapers, toiletries, and laundry soap. Find out how to donate your coupons at couponmom.com/military. When we were in the military and living stateside, our commissaries also accepted expired coupons so perhaps you know of a base in your state as well that will accept them. Big thanks to my blogging friend Donnie for the reminder!
In this caddy, I also keep a tab labeled "To Share" and I try to give/mail coupons to my family and friends that I know they like or will use before they expire...it's the thought that counts...right ;}
So then when I need to go grocery shopping, I simply pull up my favorite store on-line...remember I blogged about it here before...
So I simply check out the sales for this week and I check my coupon caddy to see if I have any coupons that match the sales items. If I do, then I simply click on the pictures and add it to my Current Shopping List.
At this point I can add my own NOTE to each grocery item...see the (Add Note) on the screen. Then look at the note that I added to the Martha White Muffin Mix: $.55 cents on2/coupon...which means that I have a coupon for $.55 cents on two packages of this item. So I'm really saving because the sale is already buy one, get one free, and Harris Teeter doubles all coupons so I'm actually being PAID to take these mixes! I don't know about you...but this ALWAYS makes me do the happy dance ;)
So once I have checked out all the weekly sales items against my coupons, I then add any additional items to my list that I might be out of. Then I put all of my coupons that I am going to use into my coupon organizer that I carry to the store...
Doesn't everyone have one of these dollar-bin, expandable files? Well if you don't...you should because they are easy to label and compact to carry. This week, my store is have a SUPER DOUBLE COUPON sale where they are doubling all coupons up to $1.98...usually they only double up to $.99/cents...with a limit of 20 coupons per visit. SO..in the "Designated/Soon To Expire" section I have placed all of the coupons that are over for this special. WHICH MEANS that I will make two trips into the store where I will go and get the big ticket/coupon items first and hand my 20 coupons to the store clerk...then I will go out to my car and put those items in my trunk...and then I will return to the store and complete the rest of my shopping. Believe me...it's worth the extra trip...because otherwise NONE of coupons will be doubled after the first 20 that the clerk scans...if I do all of my shopping at once! So if you hand the clerk 30 or so coupons...only the first 20 are doubled...you are losing money my friend...make the extra trip to you car while you are out and about instead of wasting gas and coming on another day ;)
So now my coupon caddy and purse organizer are all ready for my trip to the store and my kitchen counter looks neat and tidy once more...seeing this really makes me smile ;)
Now to maintain it...I'm going back to my mantra of...Handle It Once! Which means...cut the coupons from the fliers as they come in the weekly mail immediately, over the dump can that sits right by this counter and file the coupons accordingly. AND...really this is very do-able and takes less than 10 mintues tops, once a week!
So what's up next for The {21} Purge Day 4...shoes...
CAUSE...these shoes were made for walkin'...
AND that's just what they'll do!
Cause ONE of these days...these shoes...
ARE gonna walk all over you ;)
Thanks to Nancy Sinatra...and me...You now have that song in your head ;)
Since I didn't win the HomeGoods gift-card to spruce up my Mom Cave from Centsational Girl's 'Mom Cave' Link Party, I've decided not let that stop me from clearing out all the stuff that got stuffed up in our attic when we moved here last April. Most of the "stuff" is clothes and shoes...WHICH I don't even wear 90 percent of them...the shoes that is...so I'm PURGING them. I don't DARE try to count how many shoes I have...but each box holds a minimum of 10 pairs (look close...some of the cubbies have two pair tucked in them ;) and there are five boxes here...PLUS two bins on top full of summer sandals and and THEN you have to add in the brown metal shoe rack that I didn't take a picture of...YOU CAN DO THE MATH...ahhh!
Think this will take more than one day...so for now I'm starting with the FALL/WINTER shoes and PURGING the ones that I know that I will never wear...GOOD BYE all you PLATFORM PUMPS...DH has another name for them...but I can't mention it here ;) Thank goodness my daughter-in-law, Ashley is interested in some of them...otherwise it's off to Good Will. Stay tuned for all the details tomorrow!
Please share with me...how may shoes do you have and how many of them do you actually wear?
I know I'm a bit behind on your blog...since I had a few minutes to myself I was playing catch up...I have tried and tried to purge my shoes but I just can't seem to do it...I think it's an attachment issue..LOL!!!
So here is what I have:
Heels - 102
Flip Flops - 33
Boots - 13
Sneakers - 9
Oh dear! That is crazy but I do have them all organized ;-)
~Denyse~
Posted by: Denyse | January 09, 2011 at 09:55 PM
Girl, you are totally my hero! First of all, the coupon thing...I had no idea you could donate them, what an awesome concept!!!
And please, shoes? I have WAY too many shoes with no home! Time to purge!
Posted by: Leah Peck | November 09, 2010 at 10:53 AM
Good job on the coupon purge. I need to pick up another dollar bin expandable file like you have for my coupons. I agree, Harris Teeter is awesome on their coupon deals and I miss it. The store here only doubles up to a dollar, so if the coupon is 75 cents they only give you 25 cents more off...lame!
I can't wait to see how you organize all your shoes. I can honesty say that I have less than 10 pairs of shoes and I only wear 2-3 pairs ever...maybe I'll do a mini purge!
Posted by: Cortney Lyon | November 09, 2010 at 09:38 AM
That's a great way to do the grocery list. You know I don't do coupons much but I love the way you showed how to navigate Harris Teeter's website. That's where I shop back home but when in Florida it used to be Publix but lately I've been shopping at Sweetbay. I have to look to see if they have a site. I like the smaller store with easier to navigate aisles. You are really making some people happy with all the great deals they are going to get at Goodwill, especially the platform pumps...lol....Keep sorting, hahaha
Posted by: Donnie | November 09, 2010 at 07:00 AM