這一篇寫的是我這些年來這美國生活的購物經驗, 在這星期, 我花了點時間詳細記錄每一步程序步驟, 怎麼跟那些零售店家鬥法, 用很少的現金, 只要購物時用點腦, 好好計算一下, 美國生活貴, 可是你一樣可以用有名的牌子, 過好日子, 犯不著加入一些有的沒的大賣場的會員, 繳一大筆年費會員, 到頭來, 買的東西一個還是一個買得比我這種沒有大賣場會員的消費者, 來得貴.
我不怕人家笑, 因為我家從小有我記憶以來, 家裡一直都會有乾糧存貨, 我家現在至少存了可以洗上五年的洗碗精, 總共花不到我十塊美金, 洗衣精, 如果我從此不買, 可以稱上三五年沒有問題, 更不用講衛生紙面紙, 這些東西沒有什麼保存期限的問題, 你看到價錢被殺到50 % off, 手上還有 coupon 的時候, 家裡有位置可以塞, 你為什麼不扛回家 ? 人家花一塊半買一瓶醬油, 網路上有買一送一的醬油的 coupon, 又不是沒有印表機, 為什麼不印 coupon, 然後用一塊半買兩瓶醬油回來 ? 然後還要抱怨沒錢過日子 ? 不是沒錢過日子, 而是不懂怎麼善加利用這些省錢之道.
這裡當然不是台灣, 在美國過日子, 入境隨俗, 如果在這裡過上十幾二十年, 還是嫌這個不好那個不行, 何必賴在這邊辛苦自己呢 ? 捲個包包單程機票回台灣就好.
接下了的這一大段是用英文寫的, 因為我方便也和我美國當地同事交換心得.
不管在那裡, 我們這些不是家財萬貫的人, 手上的錢都要看得很緊, 這些年所有的物價都在漲, 一個比一個快, 漲不快的, 就是工資薪水, 當然, 只要還有進帳就要謝天謝地感激祖宗保佑. 省錢是不分種族性別的.
如果你覺得自己住的地方比較小, 沒有空間存大量貨, 那倒是事實, 可是我接下來這一段, 應該也適用在小公寓住民, 因為這些東西都是用得到的, 但是不佔空間.
你要是晃來這裡, 也是住美國的, 大家參考, 歡迎交換經驗戰績.
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For this week ( Jan.7.2012 to Jan.14.2012 ), if you have Walgreens location near by, you should do the following to maximize your purchasing ROI ( Return on Investment ).
1. Print out the following coupons, two for each. It doesn’t matter whether it’s black-and-white or color, make sure it only prints one-side, then you cut it.
a. http://see.walmart.com/healthandwellness/#/2 , lower side at the left hand corner, print the 3-dollar-off coupon. Just install whatever they ask you to, it won’t have virus, you want to wait after one print is completed, then click the link and print the second one. Every PC is allowed to print out the same coupon TWICE from the same web site. This is Coupon-Printing Rule #1, and this coupon is managed by SmartSource.
b. http://www.coupons.com/ , this is the most popular Coupon Printing web site, you browse through the page, no need to key in your zip code, you can “clip” whatever coupon you are interested, but you must clip the following to make the Walgreens trip.
i. Carmex Moisture Plus, ( save 75 cents ).
ii. REACH on any REACH Floss Product, ( save $1. )
c. http://coupons2.smartsource.com/smartsource/index.jsp?Link=HSPNCF4GHK42U# , this is the general SmartSource coupon list, again, no need to key in your zip code, you can SELECT whatever you want ( yes, it got the Soy Sauce coupon ! ), but again, for Walgreens trip, you must print the following –
i. Save $1.00 off any ( two ) bags of HALLS cough drops ( 20 to 30 count ).
. After all the printing and cut are done, now take $ 10.00 cash, that should be enough, go to Walgreens, before your shopping, grab their most recent weekly ad, review all the pages, and spot the items that matches the coupons you have printed and cut.
3. You will have to keep the W-coupon on the weekly ad handy, ready to show the cashier when you check out, or if you want, find a corner and tear it out. Either way will work, but you must make sure it got scanned.
a. HALLS, 2/$2
b. Lip Balm, sale 99 cents, for Blistex / Carmex. ( it locates at the opposite page of HALLS coupon ).
c. No nonsense Essential Basics Knee Highs, sale 29 cents. ( locates at the very last page )
4. Now, after all the clipping and tearing done, here’s your FIRST check out you should do. Yes, we are going to have multiple. You can do it multiple times from the same store, check out and put thing back to your car, and come back in for the 2nd, or go to different location, whatever you want, just make sure you do separate check-out to avoid the Coupon Limit.
a. First Check out, you should pick ONE pack of Precision Pain Relief, use the coupon you printed from 1.a, your check out should only cost you $2.99. This should also give you back TWO coupons, one is $3.00 off Reward Cash, and another one is $2.00 off for another type of pain relief patch. You may not get the $2.00 off coupon, depend on your regional deal.
b. Second Check out, repeat, pick ONE pack of Precision Pain Relief, use the 2nd piece of coupon you printed from 1.a, then your cost should also only at $2.99. Again, when you check out, you should get two coupons as your first check-out.
c. Now, the 3rd trip, gather the $3.00 reward cash coupons from your first 2 check-out, you have total $6.00 of “shopping power”, you go
i. get 2 Colgate Total toothpaste, it’s 2 for $6, and,
ii. bring your W-coupon from 3.a, you go shop the exact same items, take TWO HALLS cough drop After you gather items from 4.c.i, and 4.c.ii, you handed over
1. TWO $3.00 reward cash coupons you got from first two check-outs, that will cover the Colgate cost.
2. Hand over the W-coupon for HALLS, and the $1.00 off coupon you printed out from C.i,
3. Your total cash cost, should be less than $1.10, and you should get another $4.00 Reward Cash.
d. The last check-out. You will use up your $4.00 Reward Cash from previous check-out,
i. Check the Carmex lip balm, you need be smart, check if your Walgreens have that Carmex Moisture Plus is Buy 1 Get 1 free, or it can apply the W-coupon for 99 cents. If it has the Buy 1 Get 1 Free, then you take two. ( I won’t stop you from getting 4 ), but if you are certain it’s costing 99 cents, then you can get only 3. So, regardless, I would only take 2, just to be safe.
ii. Go get the REACH TOTAL CARE floss 30 yds., which is $2.99, listed on the weekly ad at page 8, you want to make sure it’s exactly the same. ( if you want to tooth brush, then you need make sure you have the coupon printed at Coupons.com )
iii. Grab one or two packs of No nonsense Essential Basics Knee Highs sock,
iv. Check out –
1. Use the $4 dollar Reward Cash you got from the 3rd trip.
2. Use those two 75 cents off coupons for the lip balms ( with W-coupon if it applies ).
3. Use REACH Floss coupon you printed out from 1.b.ii,
4. Use the W-coupon for the socks,
5. Your total cash cost ( out of your pocket ) should not exceed $1.00, and you will get another $2.00 Reward Cash back, then you can buy whatever you want, or save it for later use but before the expiration date.
The goal is for less than 10-dollar cash, you should get
- 2 packs of Precision Pain Relief
- 2 packs of Colgate toothpaste
- 2 sets of Lip balm
- 2 bags of HALLS cough drop
- 1 pack of FLOSS
- 2 or 3 packs of socks.
- Still with another 2-dollar cash reward in your pocket for next use.
Total Fair Retail Value should be around $25.
Can you do it ? Can you do better than this ? I think so, as long as you are willing to save.
Certainly don't be shy to brag about it if you can save bunch by being intelligent.
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