Eight days into the month and our bills are paid (except one) through August.

There’s a certain amount of responsibility we must consider regarding our purchases when living on our own. Especially since we’re a one income household (until I hear back from some recruiters, keep your fingers crossed!) and because of this we’ve got to be smart about what we spend. Although we each have our share of splurge worthy items (for me – sephora trips, for him – camera accessories), we’ve managed to not only stay afloat without assistance, but we’ve saved five figures worth (with decimal) for our wedding budget!

I’ve always been a conscious shopper — looking for deals and such. But remembering back a few years ago, there were so many things I could have done differently to save even more. I’ve made out ok, but there’s always room for improvement.

So fast forward to 2010 and I’m a savings-savvy, bargain-hunting, price comparing, coupon-clipping frugalista! Seriously, it pays off and you’ll see what 50¢ here 75¢ there  adds up to. And if you don’t mind the spam box of occasional junk mail (but also bears great discounts/coupons), sign up online for the stores you frequent and/ or register for free store loyalty discount cards. Not sure how these work, but there have been plenty of times that I’ve made out like a bandit just by swiping these loyalty cards. There are also sites devoted to great deals where you can grab a promo code (for online purchases, of course) or print out store coupons. There are even sites where other coupon lovers swap out one deal for another! The possibility of saving a buck or two is endless, you’ve just got to do your homework. :)

Here’s an article with a concise list of the sites I use to wrangle my coupons:

http://www.wisebread.com/the-best-places-to-get-coupons-online

Happy shopping!

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