We are in a recession, it is official and to cope, everybody is tightening his or her collective belts. Cutting expenses we have control over. One popular theme is Cutting One’s Grocery Bill, a nice thought, but we have been inundated with various services that charge a service fee to teach site users How to Save. But if the goal is to save money, why pay money? Especially when there is a better alternative for FREE!

Pinching Your Pennies offers the same AND more of what a fee service does. Let’s do a side-by-side comparison, shall we:

Pay site A wants you to play its game. But be careful as there are many restrictions on how, when and where to shop for your grocery deals.

PROS:
1. Colored coded system tells you when an item is over 75% off retail price, and you should stock up.
2. FREE Forums for members to share & exchange ideas, but deal details are Mushy-hush hush
Site A says the game secret is to tell you when an item is at its lowest price and when to use a coupon with it. This should only be once for the life of the coupon or every 12 weeks.
3. Site A claims to include unadvertised sale deals to save you money.
4. Introductory offer is $1 for four weeks.

CONS:
1. Expensive subscription service! After your $1 introductory period, your reserved credit card number that you left when you registered will be charged the normal rate. This runs about $1.25 PER store. So if you want the deal info for more stores, you pay for it. Easily one could be spending over $30 month for information that is FREE on Pinching Your Pennies.com and we don’t want your credit card number, neither. Oh, then there is the issue of canceling one’s subscription- difficult to get a full refund.
2. Limited number of days your shopping list is available. Typically, one can only upload your shopping list the last 3 days of any weekly sale. The reason being that all coupons and deals can be included, including the most recent Sunday’s coupons. Well, what about the other 4 days of shopping? What if there are 72-hour sales? You miss those! However, Pinching Your Pennies.com has respective shopping lists ready the 1st day of the grocery sale and will update the list with the most recent coupon inserts, usually Sunday night.
3. The claim that a coupon is used once, and then retired is FALSE. There is a annotated *** on each grocery shopping list claiming that a coupon has been used, but the game, er Site A is using it again as each week there are new subscribers. So a single coupon could be repeated for weeks. Now you know better!
4. Site A also claims to include unadvertised sale items, not always true. During my 4-week trial period, I only found one unadvertised sale item. Pinching Your Pennies includes ALL deals, as there are over 50,000 members who find deals, too. They post and share! You do know ALL the sales.
5. Limited grocery store selections in some states. Site A doesn’t have a game plan for every grocery or drug store. So if you shop at Store B, but there is no list, sorry.
Pinching Your Pennies included most if not all stores in your area, check it out.

So what does Pinching Your Pennies have to offer, exactly?

So what all does Pinching Your Pennies offer for FREE:

1. Weekly Grocery Shopping Lists to your local markets
2. Weekly Shopping Lists to National Chain Stores
3. Weekly Shopping Lists to the best Food Storage deals (UT only, currently)
4. Unadvertised Specials
5. Individual Threads in the Community Forums for members to share deals and offer help, encouragement and support to one another
6. A Grocery Coupon List that tells you which Sunday a coupon is issued
7. Recipes and more Recipes
8. A Freebie Forum
9. A Price book to know when an item is low enough to stockpile
10. Food Storage Help, from step by step info to how to get 72 hr kits made
11. Best Items to buy each week lists in Food Storage, National Chain Stores and Utah (for now)
12. Ethical Coupon Usage and Proper Redemption Taught
13. How to lower my household spending while increasing my food storage
14. Coupon Trading Forums & Trains
15. The best online deals and secret finds on the net

Pinching Your Pennies is a FREE money saving website. There are many pay services out there, too, but offer an inferior product. The pay sites do not have passionate administrators and volunteers who donate hundreds of hours each month to help out you and me save money. Pinching Your Pennies will continue to be FREE as we are all trying to save money, together.

Ever wished you could contact a fellow PYPer even when they weren’t on PYP? Read on to find out how you can . . .

This is part two of a three-part series on how to use PYP’s multiple methods for allowing members to communicate with each other outside of the forums. Whether you’re new to PYP or a long-time veteran, some of these features might surprise you. This section focuses on how to use PYP’s instant messaging profile option , a means by which you can use popular IM programs (Yahoo, AIM, MSN, and ICQ) to contact other PYPers who have enabled this option, even when they’re not on PYP.

1. You’ll notice that certain users have between one and four icons beneath their profile information. These icons signify the IM programs for which they’ve entered their names so that others can contact them. As you can see, I’ve enlarged the area beneath my name to show that both the AIM and Yahoo icons appear. This means that I’ve entered contact information for these two instant messaging programs. To contact me you must have one of these programs installed on your computer, and you should simply click the icon for the program you want to use.

2. A window will open and offer you the option of either sending the person a message or adding them to your buddy list.

Whichever one you select, a third window will open and ask you to launch your chat program. From this point on, you are no longer being directed by PYP and are instead being guided by your IM program. Simply follow the steps your chat program indicates, and you’ll be able to contact the person listed if they’re online under one of their hanles.

Now, if you’d like to add your own instant messaging information so that others can contact you off PYP, here’s how to do it.

1. While logged in to PYP click on the User CP link on the far left-hand side of the upper navigation bar.

2. Click on the “Edit Options” link on the left-hand side navigation bar.

3. On the new page that opens, scroll down until you see a section for inputing your usernames. Once there, simply type in your handles for whatever messaging systems you choose. Continue scrolling down an press “submit.”

Other Posts in the PYP Communication Features Series:

How to Send and Receive Private Messages
How to Use the PYP Chat Room

This is part one of a three-part series on how to use PYP’s multiple methods for allowing members to communicate with each other outside of the forums. Whether you’re new to PYP or a long-time veteran, some of these features might surprise you. This section focuses on how to use PYP’s Private Message system, a means by which you can send private messages to other people on PYP.

1. While logged on to PYP, click on the “Private Messages” link in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. This will take you to your private message window.

2. Click on “Send New Message” on the left-hand sidebar.

3. Enter the name of the person to whom you wish to send a message. You can send this message to more than one person by entering multiple usernames with a semicolon in between. Enter the subject and body of your message below.

4. Finally, click on the “Submit Message” button, located just below the body of the message. A popup window will appear and ask you whether you want delivery confirmation on your message. Delivery confirmation will allow you to view whether or not the recipient has read your message. Choose the appropriate option, and your message will be sent.

5. When you receive a reply, a pop-up window will appear when you log in, informing you that you have a new message. Additionally, the “Private Message” section in the upper right-hand corner of your screen will appear in bold, telling you that you have an unread message. Simply click on it to see the message.

I hope this helped; stay tuned for the future sections, which will discuss how to use the chat screen and the instant message icons to access people via AIM, MSN, and Yahoo.

Other Posts in the PYP Communication Features Series

How to Use the PYP Chat Room
How to Use Off-PYP Instant Messaging

Ha ha! That’s me giggling with glee at all the awesome PYP classes that I’m discovering here in Idaho.

And since I’ve been watching political news all morning, you’ll pardon me if I get patriotic for just one moment.

Across all aisles, though all the different economic ideas and platforms that are tugging at America right now, the one thing I think we can all agree upon is that now is a time for all Americans to pull together to try to help each other out, to share whatever knowledge, expertise, experience or skills we have that can help to strengthen each other, to help each of us walk taller, stronger, prouder. And you can call me sentimental and a fool, but I think PYP does that to a great and large extent. I think the pooling of knowledge and individual support of each other that we have here is the type of thing that is going to see America through this crisis.

So I want to give a huge and hearty shoutout to all those individuals who use their time and organizational skills (oh, that I were like them), to coordinate events and activities that allow others to learn how to stretch their dollars and, by extension, strengthen their ability to survive these financial times. You do us all proud.

There, the sap is over. Read on for information.

GranolaGal just shared the scoop on a PYP meet, coupon exchange, and intro to couponing party held in Rigby, ID each Tuesday.

Here’s the solid info:

General location: Rigby
Time: Tuesdays from 10-11 am. GranolaGal warns that they usually run over, but they try to keep it to that.
Who’s invited: Sounds like this shindig is for all types: newbies, dads, grandmas, mommies, and even kids. (The expectation is that if folks bring their kids, they’ll keep them reasonably well-behaved and help clean up afterwards.)
It’s a good idea to bring: Any coupons you want to trade and your printed PYP shopping list. If you don’t know how to print this yet, GranolaGal invites you to come anyway. You’ll learn there.
Events: Coupon trading, coupon talk for the oldies, coupon education and explanation for the newbies, and computer PYP walk-throughs. They also sometimes do group-shops, though there’s no hand holding, just a group of folks having a good time shopping together.
Location and more info: Please call Dawn at 208-745-7845 for the address or with any additional questions.

Here’s wishing I lived in Rigby! Sounds like they’ve got a good thing going.

We are in the 4th week of January and how are your New Year’s resolutions progressing? Do you need some encouragement to restart that weight management/healthy living resolution? How about saving some money while doing it, too?

Here’s a few ideas to keep you going, do over or lengthen that stride to getting healthy in 2009!

4. Need a new scale? Online deal finder, Jodi, found this killer deal-

South Beach Living Italian Dressing with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 16-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 6)

Menu This!

A quick guide to monthly menu making

After several months of failed attempts at making a weekly menu, I decided to try a monthly menu…eight years later I am still going strong. After reading a book or two and chatting with lots of friends, I refined the process to what my DH calls “the science of the holy calendar”….no kidding!

I used to try to plan around the weeks grocery ads, but when they didn’t come on Tuesday’s I got behind, and never ended up getting it done. Now, I am at a point with my food storage that I have everything on hand for the months menu. For example, if we are having chicken, broccoli and rice and fresh broccoli isn’t on sale that week I keep frozen bags in the freezer. I am constantly stocking up as the sales come so that I always have the staples on hand. I still shop at least once a week on a great sale and to get produce but now I am not waiting for the ads or making a quick trip to the store for something for dinner all the time. As an added bonus, I have found that we eat healthier, have more variety in our meals, and I rotate my food storage.

If weekly menu planning isn’t working for you for whatever reason, give this a shot and stick with it for a 2-3 months. The first month will take you the most time because it may be a whole new concept for you. Month two should get better, and by month three, you will have the “science” down. It is unusual if it takes me more than 15 minutes and it saves me hours for the month not worrying about what is for dinner.

In our house, our “after-school” schedule is the driving force behind what we eat. I long ago learned that I can’t function with a social calendar, sports calendar, and a menu..it is too many papers to keep track of. With this thought in mind, I decided that it had to be an “all or nothing” approach. So, hang on tight, grab a blank calendar, and away we go!

Step 1: Choose your calendar

*Make sure that you have enough space to fill everything in.

*There are lots of sites online that offer free printable calendars, you can make fancy ones on the computer, or use the free one from the bank.

*This year I am using one that my DS made at school… the boxes are a little small, but how could I not use it? 

Step 2: Gather your fine point sharpies…the more colors the better

*I tried one month to do it all on the computer but the boxes kept getting bigger and bigger, and it took me so much more time that I figured handwriting worked best for me.

Step 3: Write down everyone’s events throughout the month

*Try to give each person their own marker color..it will be easier to keep track of them all.

*Don’t forget events like cub scouts, piano lessons, sports practices, days you drive carpool that fall on the same day each month.

*Don’t forget special nights out, birthday’s and holiday’s that you need to plan ahead for.

*Don’t be afraid to abbreviate things so you fit it all in! (oh, and write small! )

Step 4 (if you don’t have school-aged kids, skip to #5): Pull out the school lunch menu

*If your little ones eat lunch every day, it is always good to see what they are having for the month so that you don’t plan the same thing and get the “I already ate that today” moan.

*If your little one only takes lunch a few days a month, write yourself a note on the calendar so you don’t forget.

Step 5: Plan the menu (be excited, this is the best part!)

*Write in meals for your busiest days first. These could be fast crock-pots, something from your freezer meal stash…whatever your family will eat, and you can prepare fast.

*Write in meals that you can cook extra of for another day or to freeze. For example: We love a certain chicken marinade and when I make it I do a double match. After it is grilled we eat enough for one meal, and I save the rest for our favorite California grilled chicken sandwiches with avocado and honey mustard for the next night.

*Write in family favorites and traditional meals next. If it is against your religion to have anything but pizza on Friday night, write it in!

*Try new recipes. I love to try something new so I put these on my least busy days to make sure I can pay more attention to what I am doing. On my calendar in little print, I list the cookbook and page number where I can find the recipe, or if it is a single sheet I paper clip it to the back of my calendar so I know right where it is.

*Don’t worry about writing in the side dishes unless you are trying something new. You can fill this in based on what you have in the fridge or what is on sale that week.

*Remember your food storage items and rotation schedules.

*Browse the “What’s for dinner section” on PYP for a variety of different meal ideas.

Step 6: Fill in a few extra ideas

*On the extra blank box at the end of the calendar, write in a few meal ideas for those days when nothing on the menu sounds good. It happens to all of us!

Step 7: Make a grocery list

If there are any meals on your list that require something that you don’t have on hand, write it on your master grocery list so you don’t forget it.

Step 8: Put it on the fridge

*Grab yourself a big magnet clip and slap it on.

*As the month goes on and you get little reminder notes or more details about an event, attach them to the back of the menu with the clip so you always know where to find them.

Step 9: Don’t throw it away (it would be tragic!)

*Use this menu for next month for quick ideas and to know when you last had tacos for dinner.

I hope that you found a least one thing that will help simplify your life and save you money! Happy planning!

I’m so excited that couponing is beginning to spread and blossom in Idaho! We even have some couponing classes cropping up, and from what I’ve heard, they are excellent classes indeed!

Last Wednesday, Mom24Boys taught a couponing class to twenty-three ladies in her home. (Bow and praise: we’re unworthy.) The night’s events included debunking popular couponing myths, a coupon version of The Price is Right, and a giveaway of 107 dollars worth of groceries. And that was just the fun stuff; the educational aspect of the night included a flyer on beginning couponing, a cost comparison chart between brand names with coupons and Wal-Mart generic brands, and an online session for getting to know PYP.

The night was a huge success, so much so that Mom24Boys is teaching another session next Wednesday. If you’d like to attend or you have a buddy who could use some couponing guidance during these tough economic times, here’s the info:

Place: Contact Mom24Boys for address
Phone: 523-4179
Time: Wed 1/28 at 7 pm

For questions or more information, contact Mom24Boys at the phone number above or via PM.

Do newspaper coupons scare you? Does the thought of all that clipping and filing seem like it’s just not for you?

There’s good news for folks who aren’t big fans of newspaper coupons: you can save lots of money without them. Here are three ways to start saving without using newspaper coupons.

1. Check out the Free After Rebate items at Walgreens and Rite-Aid. Each week, our website posts these stores’ specials, and many times there are items–including free items–that require no coupons at all. Just buy them, fill out the online rebate form, and you’ve already entered the world of grocery savings. You can also check out the free after rebate items by visiting the stores’ own websites to view their rebate offers.

2. Start comparison shopping for your produce and meat items. Even most couponers don’t use coupons on these items, so it’s quickly to get up to speed here. Start browsing PYP’s weekly shopping lists for stores in your state to spot great deals on various types of meat and produce. No coupons required. Just browse and shop.

3. Use printable coupons. Coupons are going digital, and many couponers no longer even get newspaper subscriptions. PYP’s shopping lists include hyperlinks to all the online coupons you’ll need for many of the items on our shopping list, and all you have to do is print, clip and save.

In the current economy, many people are interested in saving money on their groceries, but are intimidated by the expense of getting multiple Sunday papers and the sheer volume of paper that is actually involved. Never fear; these three methods involve no newspapers whatsoever, and will have you up and running toward the savings in no time.

With the explosion in popularity of printable coupons, you’ve no doubt seen the signs in the checkout lane and heard the conversations reminding folks that photocopied coupons are illegal. You may have wondered, however, how cashiers, consumers, and even coupon manufacturers can tell whether coupons are legitimate or photocopied. After all, don’t legitimately printed coupons and photocopied coupons look exactly alike? As a matter of fact, yes, they do. In fact, photocopied coupons look a little too much like legitimately printed coupons.

Here are two legitimately printed coupons. Both were printed on the same day, on the same computer, within seconds of each other. Notice, however, that each coupon has a different identification number (the one I circled in green) which not only identifies the coupon as being unique from other coupons, but also traces it back to the computer from which it was printed.

So this is how you spot legitimately printed coupons: they may all look the same, but each one will bear a unique identification number. If you see several coupons that all bear the same serial number, they were photocopied.

Currently Amazon.com has a bunch of different toy promotions running and many of them are stackable. Here is one sample order…

2 – Star Wars Clone Wars Force Action Lightsaber Anakin $19.99
1 – Monopoly Clone Wars $19.99
2 – Rubik’s Cube Brain Teaser Puzzle with Helpful Hints $5.99
1 – Playskool Magic Tambourine $9.99
1 – Martian Matter Alien Maker Playset – Spaceship $16.99
1 – Mr. Potato Head $5.99

Items: $104.92
Shipping & Handling: $0.00
$10 off -$10.00 *$10 off $50 qualifying toys promo*
Free Game -$19.99 *Buy 2, Get 1 Free select Hasbro games*
Free Toy – $9.99 *Spend $50 select free toy — Tambourine*
Free Toy – $16.99 *Spend $75 select free toy — Martian Matter*
Free Toy – $5.99 *Free Mr. Potato Head wyb select items*
Promotion Applied -$19.99 *Buy 1, Get 1 Free Lightsabers*

Total Before Tax: $21.99

– $15 Cookie Magazine Mail-in Rebate Amazon Toy Promotion

= $6.99 after rebate!

For more information on these promotions check out this thread on PinchingYourPennies.com.

The New Couponer: You’re just beginning to explore couponing, perhaps encouraged by the rising grocery prices and tough economic developments. You may have a friend or neighbor who always seems to be saving a ton of money at the grocery store, and she or he referred you to PYP. You might be feeling a little overwhelmed (don’t worry, we all did!), but you’re excited at the prospect of slashing your grocery bill.

Why You Love PYP: You love the clearly formatted shopping lists, which help you make sense of the many different store promotions that you may not even have known existed, and which may still seem a little confusing. You love the PYP community, which is full of people who are willing and eager to answer your “newbie” questions. You may also like the video tutorials on this blog. Because you may not have been collecting coupons very long, you might enjoy the trading forum where you can trade coupons you do have for those you don’t.

While you’re learning to save on your groceries, you also enjoy the Screaming Deals Online forum, which will also help you to save on categories like gifts, clothes, toys, and books.

Last but not least, enjoy the PYP community! The action, support, and advice here is endless.

What You Bring to PYP: Because PYP is such an active community, we discuss almost everything, so chances are that whatever you’re good at, someone on here would benefit from your experience. We also love your excitement. And of course, eveyone on PYP is always ready to make a new friend. Welcome!

The Organic/Raw Foods Couponer: Most of your family’s diet is comprised of raw foods, and you shop differently from many other couponers. Because you don’t buy a lot of canned or pre-packaged foods, it’s hard for you to stockpile. Instead, you save money by being familiar with several different sources for raw foods, fresh produce, grains, and meats and keeping an eye out for deals wherever and whenever you can find them. You shop by combining several different resources, including local growers, your own garden, farmers’ markets, co-ops, neighbors and family’s gardens, and, particularly during the winter, supermarkets that carry organic or high-quality foods. Although you don’t stockpile a lot of foods, you might still stockpile health and beauty aids and other toiletries.

Why You Love PYP: Because eating raw and organic foods may be more expensive than eating more heavily processed foods, you have to be extra vigilant about your price shopping. You appreciate the fact that PYP has separate price points for organic foods, and you keep an eye out for those bargains on the weekly shopping lists. Because you may be spending generously in the food department, you can really benefit from PYP’s deals on non-consumable grocery items like toiletries and health and beauty aids. You also benefit from PYP’s strong local community, which helps you become familiar with growers, co-ops, produce stands, and farmers’ markets in your area. You enjoy sharing whole foods recipes with others on PYP, and you might frequent the gardening forum, where PYPers share their most time and cost effective tips for growing their own whole foods. Additionally, because your grocery budget may be higher than that of other households, you appreciate PYP’s Screaming Deals Online forum, which allows you to save significantly in other areas of your household budget like clothing, gifts, books, and travel.

What You Bring to PYP: As you become more experienced in combining frugality with fresh foods, you’re able to offer advice and tips to other frugalites who want to incorporate more raw foods in their diets. You know where, how, and when to buy certain fresh foods, and other PYPers appreciate the chance to learn from your experience. You may also be quite knowledgeable in the area of green and organic living, and other PYPers benefit from your ability and willingness to help them learn more about this important area.

The Busy Couponer: You’re carefully trying to balance the value of your dollars with the value of your minutes, and you may not have time to get every single deal. You’re looking for the greatest maximum return on your effort and money, and you’re selective about which deals you’ll pursue and which stores you’ll shop at, based on how much time you’re willing to invest. Maybe you’re a working parent with three little kids, or a SAHP who’s chauffeuring your prodigies to a variety of events, practices, and after-school activities. Either way, your time is worth at least as much as your money, and you need to get the maximum bang out of both.

Why You Love PYP: PYP’s detailed shopping lists let you cherry-pick which one or two stores have the deals that will be most worth your time and effort each week. The star ratings let you know easily what sales are good deals. You also enjoy the PYP discussion forums so that you can find out how well a deal is working or how much stock the store has left before you use your valuable time driving out there. You may enjoy PYP’s trading forums because they let you get the coupons you need with the least amount of effort, and you also like the convenience of the coupon subscriptions PYP has arranged.

Because you’re looking for convenient savings in all areas of your life, you also love the Screaming Deals Online forum, which helps you buy clothing and presents cheaply and efficiently from your computer.

What You Bring to PYP: You typically have a clear couponing focus, and you’ve developed good techniques and methods that help you meet that focus. You often have ideas that help streamline the couponing process, and other couponers benefit from learning about them. You also tend to see the “larger couponing picture,” and you’re a good example of how couponing fits into a balanced life of efficiency and frugality.

No matter what your couponing style, there’s a place for you on PYP!

The Avid Couponer: You love getting amazing discounts at the grocery store, and may even buy a few extra items just for the pleasure of giving things that you got for free to people who need them. You enjoy hitting multiple stores to get the best sales on everything, and you may get a rush from looking at the savings at the bottom of your receipt. Maybe you’re new to couponing and you’ve just discovered the thrill of grabbing an incredible bargain, or maybe you’re running your household on a very tight budget and you need to catch each individual sale in order to stretch your grocery dollars. Either way, you’re willing and ready to hit as many stores as you need to in order to score the best deals. You mail in rebates, you track your gift cards, and you may even be paying for Christmas with your savings and rebate earnings. You are a couponing machine. People call you a coupon queen and honestly, they’re right. Others may even ask you for advice on their own grocery shopping when they see (or hear stories about) your savings and your stockpile.

Why You Love PYP: PYP’s numerous shopping lists allow you to see the best deals all over town, which is great because you’re going to hit most of them. Also, because PYP’s lists are often posted early, you’re able to clip, print, stack, sort, or trade for the many many coupons you’re going to use and be ready for the sale on the first day. You enjoy the PYP couponing grapevine because you love catching a good unadvertised sale, which can often be found only through word-of-mouth. You also use PYP as a reference when your friends come and ask you for advice.

What You Bring to PYP: Excitement! You are enthusiastic, open, and generous with your energy. Veteran couponers love hearing your enthusiasm, and new couponers are encouraged by your savings and your guidance. You are the pulse pumping the blood through PYP. We love you!