Welcome back to 31 Days of Decorating on a Shoestring Budget! I'm so happy to have you join me on this series that will help me set a blogging world record of consecutive days blogged (not really). But I'm setting my own record... 4 days in a row might even be my new record. Wow, I've really outdone myself. ;)
Day 4: Use Coupons (and e-coupons!)
I don't know about you but I would never make it on that show "Extreme Couponers". I'm lucky to remember to take my coupons to the store, that is if I even get them cut out of the inserts. I do try but often find that the coupons aren't for things I use or need. Or, I buy things that I don't need because I have a coupon that's going to expire. Not a good money saving tactic.
I know you coupon ladies out there are thinking that I'm doing it all wrong and that I can make coupons work for me if I would just do it right. I know, I know... I try and do manage to use a few. I've just found that you can't be a lazy couponer, you have to stay on top of them or it will take you 2 hours to cut out all those suckers from the last months worth of newspaper inserts. I tried at the beginning of the year to get on top of it (see my efforts here) I fell off the bandwagon, it's just not me... I'm a lazy couponer. I clip my few and I'm done.
BUT, there are some coupons that I never forget about. The decorative/crafty/sewing store coupons. (much more fun than cutting out toilet cleaner coupons for .30 cents off if you buy 3... what a deal).
Hopefully, most of you have some of these stores nearby so you can take advantage of their sales and coupons.
Joann Fabric runs coupons online that you can print and take to the store. Most you can use on online orders too. They are good about running their fabric 50% often. They also sometimes offer coupons in their flyers in the store. Almost every time I buy something there they give me a coupon for next time too. The will accept their coupons if you pull them up on your cell phone as well. They have an app on i-tunes that I have downloaded on my phone but I couldn't find it online, only found Joann for Ipad which doesn't really help you if you forget to clip your coupon. ;)
Hancock Fabric also has coupons online for you to print and take in the store. Most you can use on online orders. They are good about running their fabric 50%, they do not offer e-coupons for cell phones at this time.
Taking advantage of Joann Fabric's 50% off coupons Mr. Chic and I were able to save lots of moola when making our Pottery Barn knock of upholstered headboard. See how we did it here.
I had to make more than one trip to be able to use the 50% off coupons but it was totally worth it! We got the foam, fabric, and batting all for 50% off. Each time I bought something they gave me another coupon to use for the next thing. It worked out great! See, I am not a lazy decorative store couponer, just the other boring stuff like toilet cleaner.
Michaels runs a 40% off one non-sale item just about every single week. Sometimes they run a 50% if you come the day specified. They have a pretty slick I-phone and Android app (see here) which allows you to get your coupons on your cell phone every week. This is perfect for a lazy couponer like me!
Hobby Lobby also runs a 40% off one non-sale item just about every single week. They accept e-coupons on your cell phone in case you forget to bring yours (guilty!). Their app is pretty sweet too. You can find it here. I didn't find anything for android but could've missed it?? Not sure.
These are the crafty/decor store coupons that I take advantage of most often mostly because I live near them. I realize they may not be everywhere. If you have some more coupon friendly decor/craft/sewing stores please share them in the comments.
You can see the rest of my 31 Day Series of Decorating on a Shoestring Budget below:
PS: I am not paid to link to any of the above sites, just trying to help you find coupons you'll actually use!
Day 4: Use Coupons (and e-coupons!)
I don't know about you but I would never make it on that show "Extreme Couponers". I'm lucky to remember to take my coupons to the store, that is if I even get them cut out of the inserts. I do try but often find that the coupons aren't for things I use or need. Or, I buy things that I don't need because I have a coupon that's going to expire. Not a good money saving tactic.
I know you coupon ladies out there are thinking that I'm doing it all wrong and that I can make coupons work for me if I would just do it right. I know, I know... I try and do manage to use a few. I've just found that you can't be a lazy couponer, you have to stay on top of them or it will take you 2 hours to cut out all those suckers from the last months worth of newspaper inserts. I tried at the beginning of the year to get on top of it (see my efforts here) I fell off the bandwagon, it's just not me... I'm a lazy couponer. I clip my few and I'm done.
BUT, there are some coupons that I never forget about. The decorative/crafty/sewing store coupons. (much more fun than cutting out toilet cleaner coupons for .30 cents off if you buy 3... what a deal).
Hopefully, most of you have some of these stores nearby so you can take advantage of their sales and coupons.
Joann Fabric runs coupons online that you can print and take to the store. Most you can use on online orders too. They are good about running their fabric 50% often. They also sometimes offer coupons in their flyers in the store. Almost every time I buy something there they give me a coupon for next time too. The will accept their coupons if you pull them up on your cell phone as well. They have an app on i-tunes that I have downloaded on my phone but I couldn't find it online, only found Joann for Ipad which doesn't really help you if you forget to clip your coupon. ;)
Hancock Fabric also has coupons online for you to print and take in the store. Most you can use on online orders. They are good about running their fabric 50%, they do not offer e-coupons for cell phones at this time.
Taking advantage of Joann Fabric's 50% off coupons Mr. Chic and I were able to save lots of moola when making our Pottery Barn knock of upholstered headboard. See how we did it here.
I had to make more than one trip to be able to use the 50% off coupons but it was totally worth it! We got the foam, fabric, and batting all for 50% off. Each time I bought something they gave me another coupon to use for the next thing. It worked out great! See, I am not a lazy decorative store couponer, just the other boring stuff like toilet cleaner.
Michaels runs a 40% off one non-sale item just about every single week. Sometimes they run a 50% if you come the day specified. They have a pretty slick I-phone and Android app (see here) which allows you to get your coupons on your cell phone every week. This is perfect for a lazy couponer like me!
Hobby Lobby also runs a 40% off one non-sale item just about every single week. They accept e-coupons on your cell phone in case you forget to bring yours (guilty!). Their app is pretty sweet too. You can find it here. I didn't find anything for android but could've missed it?? Not sure.
These are the crafty/decor store coupons that I take advantage of most often mostly because I live near them. I realize they may not be everywhere. If you have some more coupon friendly decor/craft/sewing stores please share them in the comments.
You can see the rest of my 31 Day Series of Decorating on a Shoestring Budget below:
PS: I am not paid to link to any of the above sites, just trying to help you find coupons you'll actually use!
Thanks for posting about coupons...
ReplyDeleteI use them at Hobby Lobby ALL the time :-)
when , on that rare occasion I can't find something , I leave my coupon on the shelf so someone else can take advantage of the savings :-)
Most of these places will accept competitors coupons as well...so if you only have a Joanns coupon, but need something at Michaels...use the Joanns coupon!
ReplyDeleteGreat tips! Thank you, Kate!
ReplyDeleteI too am guilty of not cutting out coupons from the papers inserts. Spending so much for so little off just isn't worth it to me.
ReplyDeleteI used to give coupons to daughter but she informed me she didn't want them anymore. The only ones I give her now are ones for feminine paper products since she has 2 girls.
One of the first things I do is look for the Michaels ad for the coupons and also the Hobby Lobby. I recieve Jo-Ann's in the mail. Of course alot of the time I forget to take coupons with me. Jo-Ann's has a stand outside the entrance to store with coupons. We live about 20 miles from the town where the craft stores are so I try to hit all 3 when we do go to town, (we being hubs and myself, two older people). We only get the Sunday paper so I can see ads for the week and of course even read the paper.
Was glad to read I'm not only one that doesn't use coupons that are good for next to nothing. Good for you getting your headboard alot less than you would have had to without those great 50% off babies. Looks great and your wallpaper is really pretty.
Your Tips are very useful and it will remain useful for those who are
ReplyDeleteinterested to decorate home. Nature have decorated earth with trees , mountains and rivers it means decoration is a natural phenomena . Good work Keep it up we like such pages