Saving Money Conclusion

Here's what I do....

• I rarely purchase things that are not on sale! My grocery bill would probably be double what it is if I didn't do this! Of course, there are many items that do not go on sale, but for the things that do--why pay more? 
• I try to be wise about using my coupons. If I am not going to use the item or it is not something we regularly purchase, I will pass the coupon onto someone else. The goal here is to save money; so if I am buying things just because I have a coupon, in the end, I am going to be spending more! If I have a high value coupon that will make something free or nearly free with a coupon, I will buy it to use as a gift or to donate.
• I price match at No Frills or Walmart. This allows me to make fewer trips out, but still lets me catch all the sales that I am looking for (and I'm saving gas by making only one stop!). Bring the flyer that you are matching from to the cashier when you are checking out; they must have the flyer to complete the transaction for you.
• For gifts, I will shop ahead! This past year, I was finished almost all of my Christmas shopping before October. During the year, I buy things I know the recipient(s) will love, so I don't have a large chuck of money going out in December and so that maybe I can catch the items on sale! I also use points or gift cards to puchase gifts. 
• I keep track of our spending. Not only does it help me see where we might be spending too much, but it's a neat thing to look back on in the future.
• I don't keep anything I'm not happy with. This is a big one! If you have bought something and once you get home you aren't happy with it or simply don't want it, return it! Anything you are not going to enjoy or use is a waste of money. Even if you can only get store credit, at least you don't have a pair of pants sitting in your closet that will never be worn. 

Some phrases you may come across while "couponing:"

•  “Stacking”—Using two or more coupons on a single items. Coupons must have different UPC codes. There are no stores in Ontario that allow you to stack coupons.
• “One per purchase”—this means that you can use one coupon for each item you have purchased. If you are buying three pizzas, that’s three coupons.
• “One per transaction”—No matter how many of the item you are buying, you can only use one coupon for the order.

• “SCOP” or “Scanning Code of Practice”-- The SCOP is a voluntary code that most stores in Canada participate in. If a product under $10 scans at more than the price on the shelf, this item is free for you. If it is over $10, then $10 is subtracted from the item's price. This occurs for the first of each incorrect item, and the rest are adjusted to be the correct price. You usually have to point this out to the cashier, so watch the prices as they are rung in.