I use CouponSense for my groceries, and I save about 3-400 dollars a month over what I used to spend (yes, I actually keep a spreadsheet log of all the money I spend and have done so for four years). It's so satisfying to go to the grocery store, have my bill come up to $265, and then after coupons and discounts, I walk out having spent only $135! That includes organic produce, wine, diapers, and all of my groceries for the week! There are all sorts of coupon programs around the U.S., and this is the one I use in AZ.
To help me and my family during this tough economy, I get really creative. I've started making homemade pizza, rather than ordering it once a week. Instead of going out to dinner, I am cooking more. For Christmas, we made my son a tire swing (tire from Discount Tire and rope from the garage). It was the hugest hit! My kids are young enough, and I can buy used toys without them knowing the difference. I also buy their clothes at Kid To Kid, so they can get some designer stuff that actually lasts awhile. Instead of going somewhere on the weekend that costs a left leg for the whole family, we just went out to the desert this weekend and played in the mud, chased birds, and laughed at the dog digging for ground squirrels. It was so much fun! My 2-year-old gave her daddy a heart-felt "Thank you Daddy" as we were pulling away.
