Recently I had the pleasure of meeting
Kaley Davies on Facebook as we share the same passion of using coupons and living life frugally!! I've even shared some of her great posts with our readers, so you may have seen reference to her site. She posts freebies, coupons, contests plus other ways to save and stretch your hard earned dollars!
I'm excited to share an interview that I had with Kaley:
1. How long have you been using coupons? Do you use coupons regularly when you shop?
I have always been a deal hunter of some sort but have been a committed couponer for about a year now...I was hooked right away! I use coupons every possible chance I can get.
2. Have you created a budget for grocery shopping?
Yes! But I find it is different for every family and for us it changes from week to week as we are a very active family and our budget change depends on our week.
3. Do you plan your grocery trips in advance?
Great question! Absolutely! I plan my shops throughout the week, dependent on the sales, what we have in stock and what we are doing that week. On my list I include what I am buying where, how much the item is priced at before AND AFTER coupons, how many I am buying,what and where I am price matching and I keep my list with the weekly flyers in my binder.
4. Are you keeping track of your accumulated savings from using coupons, mail in rebates, fpc's and freebies? If yes, how do you track your savings?
I just simply record them after each shop, as I receive FPC's and rebates, I love seeing what I have saved. I also record SDM redemptions and any other deal that has helped us save such as: bills lowered etc.
5. How often do you price match or ad match at a store competitor?
All the time, I love Walmart for price matching the best! This really helps save time AND gas costs...LOVE price matching! That was one of the first things I learned when starting out that saved me a ton!
6. Do you shop at multiple grocery stores to get the deals or do you stick with just one?
It depends on the week! I try to make my list the most economical and convenient and it also depends on the sales, I am lucky in the fact that I have most major stores within a 5 minute drive of my home.
7. Do you take advantage of programs like SCOP (Scanning Code of Practice) when there is a cash register error?
I do all the time! This is another excellent way to get items lowered or for FREE I find most stores are accommodating when you are knowledgeable about the SCOP program and rules. It is an excellent program to know and utilize and a great program for beginner's to understand.
8. Where do you find your best coupons?
Wow, the best hmmm I love them all...lol. For myself tearpads at Metro, SDM, and Sobey's , trains, trades, websites like
freebiesdealsandrewards.com,
www.kaleydavies.com and my favourite from the companies themselves you never know what you will get just by letting a company know you use and enjoy their product and requesting coupons...love that!
9. What advice would you give to a new coupon clipper?
I would say not to be overwhelmed at first, take it slow and be patient. We are all learning from each other at all times. And ask, ask away NO question is silly. Learn from others and share your experiences!
10. What tips can you share to reduce your grocery bill?
- Avoid eating out this one tip alone can save a family hundreds and even thousands a year including hot drink purchases, make them at home and put them in a travel mug.
- Try to make items from scratch for example pasta sauces, salsa, chutneys and jams to name a few the cost to make them homemade is far less than the store bought version. ( We also make sausages and jerky from scratch, which is a HUGE savings).
- Stay away from prepared or packaged foods when possible!
- Definitely shop the coupon and sale matches this can help you get FREE or close to FREE items yes even in Canada!
- Stock up or buy in bulk..if there is a great deal get to know the items your family goes through and uses regularly and figure out how much you will need to last you the appropriate time. Sales are typically on a 6 week cycle (dependant on the items) and get to know the cycles and what your family uses. Then stock up while the price is right!
- Cut down on the most expensive items for example : cut down on meats and make more vegetarian meals even one night a week change can help you SAVE!
- Make a list and budget and stick to it this sounds so simple but many find it hard to do so set this as a goal!
11. Do you make freezer meals?
We always make extra batches and freeze smaller portions for later it's a great way to save and a lot healthier too!
12. How do you stretch your budget when it comes to meat/protein in your menu plan?
Stock up on sales, cut back on meat based meals, make homemade items like sausage and jerky ( it's an amazing difference), buy in bulk to split with friends and freezing.
13. Do you purchase and/or grow bulk fruits and vegetables to freeze or for canning?
I do! I love preserving and actually give them away as gifts every Christmas to our family and friends. I also love freezing fruits for smoothies and veggies for soups, sauces etc. I also will buy fruits and veggies in bulk and chop them in baggies as starters I call them. Such as one baggie will have chopped onions ( that I bought in bulk at great prices ), peppers and carrots and then I will use them for soups, sauces etc.
14. How did you get into blogging about saving money?
I started a blog to share my passions with my friends and family , I have many interests and passions that can change often...lol and couponing became a passion so naturally I started to blog about it.
I hope you enjoyed learning about Kaley Davies. She's definitely on the right track to saving money, stretching her hard earned dollars and living a more frugal lifestyle. Check out the
Kaley Davis Facebook Community too and let her know that Freebies Deals And Rewards sent you! We welcome comments and questions for Kaley Davies or the gang at Freebies Deals And Rewards!
Thank you very much Kaley Davies for taking the time to share your money saving tips and tricks with our readers!
Happy saving money!
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