Coupon ing does not work for me....
I save money by doing the following:
carefully plan a weeks worth of meals.
eat left overs.
avoid restaurants except a Friday pizza (we both work full-time so we do splurge here)
shop from a list and stick strictly to it. Impulse shopping is where the $$$$ is lost.
avoid processed foods ALMOST completely. They don't fill you up or keep you full for long, they make you unhealthy and cost alot
pack lunch every day (spend 20 minutes packing 6 days worth of lunch salads.
There are recipes for cleaners on the Internet. A few rags and some 5%vinegar (rest is water) will clean almost anything.
i create a wish list on Amazon. I don't allow myself to buy anything unless it has remained on the list for a month. By then, I usually don't want or need it.
Try to be creative to make what I already have work
i also wear hand me downs. Some of my best clothes were free for me.
your best bet is to buy 4-8 weeks worth of an item if it is on sale. That is the length of time before it will go on sale again.
walmart also price matches, research how to make that work.
Save elsewhere. Write down what you spend and where each month and figure out where you want to cut money from. Have FUN with it. Every time you save $, put it in a jar to buy quilt fabric or something else important.
Do not get overwhelmed. Try to make one change per day or week.
I live in NJ, one of the most expensive states in the country (cost of living is so high here) so I feel your pain. Each day, try not to spend. It will become habit