I get a bunch of emails from people asking if I use my couponing “skills” to save money at places other than the grocery store…the answer: ABSOLUTELY!!
I started couponing as a challenge. As I was unloading my bags from a $250+ grocery trip I saw a report on the news about a gal who spent next to nothing for her groceries! That was the last day I ever spent near that much money at the grocery store!! I will admit that it took me a bit longer to learn how to translate super savings to other areas of my life.
While at the mall I would look for sales and maybe even use a coupon if I had one. Now I plan my mall trips the same way I plan my grocery trips–I have a plan and a budget! I research and find as many coupons before I leave the house to ensure that I get the best deal. Of course it is a bit different as there is no price list for clothing but I have found that I can estimate pretty darn good!! I have also brought the stockpile principle in to play with my clothing purchases–I buy ahead! You can get an incredible deals on off-season clothing.
When most people shop they are looking for clothing to wear immediately. Most people blow past the deeply clearance merchandise because those items are not what work for the upcoming season. They don’t think about buying a jacket or a sweater when bathing suit season is in full swing! Who buys flip flops in December?? I do– because I can get them for 90% savings! Those Valentine’s day shirts that will be useless to most tomorrow will be a a great buy for me as I will stick them in the drawer and pull them out in a year!!
Buying ahead for the boys is pretty easy –they are growing at a pretty consistent rate. So I can usually estimate what they will need the following year. I am also lucky as my boys are very close in age and can almost wear the same things! So if I make an error in judgement usually one of the two will be able to wear it 🙂 If I totally goof and find that I have an item that will not fit either boy I just put it in my donation box and have something that will go to someone who needs it!!
Couponing has helped me really understand the value of things. A couple of years ago I might have cringed a bit thinking that I was putting the boys in “last years” clothes. Now I cringe at the fact that I placed that much value on what others would think!! I am a mother, wife, team mom, class mom, chef, taxi, housekeeper, blogger, (and a million more things) living in metro Atlanta. There is no need for me or my family to wear the latest clothing hot off the Paris runway!! It is not appropriate for our lifestyle 🙂 Because I save so much much by making smart purchases– if there is something I see that I just love, I am able to buy it without a bunch of guilt!!
I am going to be shopping this week as it is about time for me to shop a bit as I haven’t done much since Christmas. Here is how I plan on saving a little money:
Gap is rumored to be putting the entire store at 40% off on Monday only (45% if you have a Gap Card) If this is true I will be there to score some great clearance deals. Their clothes are very well made and bring a nice return when I put them in consignment sales
The Children’s Place has a 15% coupon (click pic for coupon). They also have a huge sale and always have tons of clearance stuff!
JCPenney. I will first shop through Ebates and get $10 worth of merchandise shipped to store. I will use the code ten4you to save $10 off that $10 purchase meaning I will pay about $5 for my items. When I got to the mall I will pick up my online order then I will use THIS $10 off $25 to score a deal on anything I find in the store!!
I will head to Bath & Body Works and use these coupons if I see something I really want! Get a FREE Anti-Bacterial Soap (up to a $5 value) with any purchase of $10 or more & Get a FREE signature body care item item (up to a $12 value) with any purchase of $10 or more & Get a FREE Signature Collection Travel Size Item with ANY purchase (up to a $5 value)!
That is just the beginning. I have tons of other coupons as well. I even have coupons so that I can get the boys a nearly FREE lunch at Chick-Fil-A. It will take me about an hour to gather all of my coupons and make sure that I have tracked down all the possible deals so I will have everything I need with me so that if I see a deal I can snag it!! I’d love to hear any tips that you all may have on how you save money at places other than the grocery store!!
I do all the other deals and sales over on I Heart Saving Money. I know a lot of you would like me to do all the deals on one site…but I think it is easier to keep it separate! After all the Publix deals would be lost since my other site is usually slam full of many deals every day. There is a quick link on the top right of both sites where you can swap between the sites very easily!!
15 Comments
awesome and informational post…thank you, Michelle!!
LOL…my sister used to laugh at me when my son was a baby/todler. She would said that I would have clothes for my son for college by the time he was eight. I would find those out of season sales and got some of his clothes for under a dollar, some even 10 cents. Even if you were like me and didn’t judge the growth spurts correctly, at those prices they are great for younger cousins, or donations to shelters or other organizations. You may gamble, but it is such a tiny amount of money, and if you are right in the sizes, you have save a ton!!!!!
We are fortunate to have a good bit of storage space, so anytime I find boys’ clothes (I have three!) at 75% off, I buy ahead and store the clothes. I know that if one doesn’t wear it, another will! I hardly ever have to go out shopping for specific items–I just shop from my upstairs closet! There have only been a very few items which no one wore, and those I pass on to a friend or put on consignment!
This is the way I shop as well. I love JCP’s clearance sales, and when you combine them with coupon, and maybe even a small gift card, you can really get a lot for very little. I have three boys age 7,3 and 6 months, and I do the same thing about shopping a season ahead.
alright, Im trying to do the JCPenny thing and no matter what I put in my car it says they don’t qualify for the ten4you… I’ve tried clearance and non clearance all over 10.00… 🙁
I’ve shopped all my life for the end-of-season clearance sales for clothes (my Mom used to drag my sister and I around twice a year to the Moonlight Madness sales at Whites in Augusta, GA – now Dillards). However, with two little ones in tow (ages 3 and 1), I find that a save a lot more time getting everything I need for the next season all in one day at the mega consignment sales like the one next week at the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds (Kidsignments.com).
I admire how you have figured out the various stores and sites that have deep discounts and coupons, but I don’t see how you can search and gather it all for your shopping trip in just one hour – AMAZING! It’s still taking me 2-3 hours just to get the grocery list and coupons together.
I LOVE the children’s place! Due to their clearance sales and Qs, I have given up on consignment, Goodwill, etc. It’s just not worth the time for me to do those other things when I can get $1.99/pc. NEW clothes at TCP. Thanks for the tips on BBB. I’m really beginning to love that place.
oooooooh…40% off at the GAP tomorrow! How confident are you on that “rumor” and do you know if it is online too? Thanks for all you do!
I actually just wrote a article on plus size cloth shopping on a budget on my site. I love the childrens place and the gap.I will have to definitly check out that rumor I hope its online as well. Would love to rack up some deals for my daughter.
Almost every clothing store now has coupons online – I even found a q for $75 off at EyeSavers and my daughter will need new glasses in April. I ALWAYS search for a coupon before going out to shop now~
The B&BW Q for buy any item and get a travel one free is a good deal–I know they have travel hand sanitizers for $1.50, and then you can get a travel body spray or lotion for free. Yay, because I am almost out!
I also just did the JCP deal, and got a cute throw pillow for $6.49 total–then I will probably go and get new bath towels as well with the 10/25 (our old ones are so ratty!) Thanks for the tips!!!
I just got back from GAP yes. They are having 40% off everything including clearance. They didn’t have much for my daughter who is 2T/3T Or my son who is 4T/5T, But they seemed to have a lot of size XS-L girls items at kids GAP.
I went to Gap Kids and while they did have the 40 percent off, there wasn’t much clearance left. I just have a hard time paying $10 for a shirt (after the 40 percent off) that I know he’s only going to wear a year. I did buy him a bunch of stuff at Penny’s. They had shirts/shorts for $4 each and shoes/sandals for $9 each. Sweet! I stocked up big time.
I would just LOVE it if I could follow I Heart Saving Money on facebook like I follow I Heart Publix. Would that ever be a possibility? (pretty please with a lowfat cherry on top…)
Hello, Michelle!
One of the ways I save on office supplies, like ink (I run out of it very quickly printing all those coupons) is by shopping at Staples and using their ink recycling program – they give you $3 for each ink cartridge you recycle. At the end of the month they send you a check good for pretty much anything at the store.