Gakline's Challenge

[gakline]

PLAN: First off, I'm taking a different approach to this challenge. I'm going to make money using the newspaper. Technically I will have to spend to make money. I'm going to take use my newspaper subscription to make money in my pocket. I'm going to get a subscription for Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday paper. I will still charge myself the full amount, but I will set aside the difference between "full price" and "coupon price" into a designated envelope. This will be my earnings. A lot of people only get the Sunday paper and miss out on the other good stuff. I will also include any of the coupon books that come in the regular mail free.

DEFINITION: Save = Earn. For purpose of clarity for my challenge.

NOTE: I'm also going to include any money that I save someone else. This has to be for my benefit as well. This will also include last weekend (and possibly the weekend before if I find the receipts)

Starting: $20
Ending: $98

Report:-$12 goes to my newspaper subscription for 8 weeks (started last weekend).
+$40 Friday's paper: JCPenny had a coupon for $10 off of a $50 purchase. We used it four times.
+20 Last Sunday's paper had Chucky Cheese coupons. My bf entertained his goddaughter, family and me.
+20 Coupon book. We were heading out to meet up with friends for brunch and I happed to be checking old mail, and I saw coupon for the exact restaurant that we were heading to. Buy 3 get 1 free. My bf's boss picked up the tab ($130+ Thank you very much again.) and we gave him our coupon.

[gakline]

Re: Gakline's Challenge

Ok, quick revision. The spending is something that I would normally do. I'm not going out of my way to spend $50 to save $10.

[catlover15]

Re: Gakline's Challenge

I never thought of doing that. Good idea.

[gakline]

Re: Gakline's Challenge

Starting: $98
Ending: $210.97

Report: Well I finally got around to finding that receipt. I had gone to Jo-Ann Fabrics with a nice 40% off coupon. Well they also had a sale going on that I wouldn't have known about if it hadn't been for the paper. I do not go there regularly. I have been wanting to purchase some new pots and make my plants look prettier They were having an awesome sale. Well I walked out paying just under $50 and saved $81.97 $8 of that was from my coupon. Then I went to Michael's with another 40% off coupon. I've been dabbling in making jewelry lately and I wanted some supplies. I bought some pearls a few months ago for $2 a strand and have made my own earrings and necklaces. I picked up some clasps and some beads for under $5. I saved $4.60 and $1.60 was from the coupon. They were having a 50% sale of beads, so I made sure to buy that brand. ( I really should have bought a few more Sunday papers at $2.25 apiece and saved $4.75 per paper. Not including any other coupons. Maybe next week.)

Then yesterday, we went to Old Navy with a friends and family coupon in hand. I picked up some nice dress clothes and sweaters. Saved $26.40 Not directly from the newspaper, but from a free coupon.

[gakline]

Re: Gakline's Challenge

Starting: $210.97
Ending: $244.83

Report: I normally never go out to lunch unless it's a special occassion or outstanding deal. Well I went out yesterday. The place was a bit far and I would not normally go there but I met up with a friend. I had a $2 coupon. Something happened and the woman ended up giving me that and also another $1.39 (my drink) I have no idea why, but I wasn't going to question.

Other shopping notes. I opened a store credit card to save 15%. I know, I know, but here's why. I use to have the card about 3 years ago and I closed it. Well I was out shopping with family and we had a large enough purchase to make it worth it, so I volunteered to open it (instead of my aunt). We saved $30.47. Then I just got more coupons in the mail from them for 20% off and then I have some spend $30 get $15 off. Thank goodness they have work clothes.

[gakline]

Re: Gakline's Challenge

Starting: $244.83
Ending: $265.08

Report: I just sold a cd on Amazon. I bought it new about 2 months ago and I really didn't like it, so I decided to sell it while the prices were still high. Well it sold in a day! So that gives me +8.67 I think I lost about $2 but it's worth it now than for $4 in a few months.

Now we're about to go out to lunch (I know twice this week) But I have two coupons for buy one get one. That's another $11.58 for four of us.

[gakline]

Re: Gakline's Challenge

Starting: $265.08
Ending: $275.08

Report: I was flipping through my newspaper ads last night I saw a great one. I found a coupon for Target, bring any new prescription (or transfer) and get a $10 Target gift card. I found this just in time for my doctor's appointment this morning. Well lucky me, they sent it over and I had my coupon. That $10 alone almost paid for an entire Sunday subscription.

[gakline]

Re: Gakline's Challenge

Starting: $275.08
Ending: 280.21

Report: I'm really not a shop-o-holic, but I needed a dress for a wedding tomorrow. I found an awesome deal for $14.90! I even got 10% taken off for some straps that were falling off. Easy enough to fix. Then I quickly glanced in Yesterday's paper and saved another 20% off of a nice pair of earrings.
+1.49 Dress
+3.64 Earrings

[gakline]

Re: Gakline's Challenge

Starting: $280.21
Ending: 287.66

Report: We went out to eat with a buy 1 get 1. +$7.45

[gakline]

Re: Gakline's Challenge

Starting: $287.66
Ending: $311.21

Report: I did some grocery shopping on Monday and saved a ton with coupons from the paper and a few instore. I had a bunch of buy one get 1 for products I actually needed. I saved $23.55. I'm sure the total was much higher since I wasn't actually paying taxes on the $23. But I don't feel like calculating that out.

[gakline]

Re: Gakline's Challenge

Starting: $311.21
Ending: $313.46

Report: It's been slow lately. I've been clipping my coupons from the paper, but right now I have everything I need...with the exception of food. I however did drop off some dry cleaning. I had a coupon that saved me $0.25 per item. Doesn't sound like much but it saved me $2.25. Better than nothing.

[cicy33]

Re: Gakline's Challenge

Are you including the money saved in the account with the 20? or just keeping the numbers on paper?

[gakline]

Re: Gakline's Challenge

Are you including the money saved in the account with the 20? or just keeping the numbers on paper?

I'm putting the money that I saved into an envelop. I know I'm missing out on the interest but it's the easiest right now, and a great visual reminder to see what I've saved.

[Bluezy]

Re: Gakline's Challenge

Strong work! I adore those sales on dresses that can be mended.

[cicy33]

Re: Gakline's Challenge

That is great! I am not having the luck I had hoped but you are doing so well!