*Go here to read more about my “Get To Know Your Local Bloggers” series*
This weeks first local blogger to be featured is Rachel from Reality Couponing In Rochester!
Blog address – www.RealityCouponingInRochester.blogspot.com
My Quick Review: If you are like me and love to see shopping trips then you will love Reality Couponing In Rochester! Rachel always posts her Tops & Wegmans deals and breaks down the price of each item and how she got it so that you can too! For example the top photo is a Wegmans trip she did today paying just $11.27 and in the photo below (also Wegmans) she paid just $2.00! She just started a new series, 12 Days Of Frugal Stockpile Meals which I am excited to follow! Rachel has much more to offer but I will let you hear about it in her own words…..
Let’s start off easy with questions that I know most people would like to know -
What is your name? Rachel
Where are you located? Suburbs of Rochester
Do you work outside of the home? I’ve been a SAHM for the past 9 years.
Do you have any children and/or pets? I have 3 kids: a boy (11) and 2 girls (7 and 4).
What are some of your favorite things to do when you aren’t blogging? I love to read, watch movies, spend time with my family, and shop (with coupons, of course!).
How about some blogging questions, shall we? -
Why did you start your blog? Once I started hard-core couponing earlier this year, a lot of my friends and family members would ask me where I shopped, what I bought, and where I found the coupons to get so many good deals. After repeating myself so many times, my husband suggested I blog about it.
What is your favorite part about blogging? I love helping other people save money on their groceries!
Which stores do you do your own coupon match-ups for? I regularly share my match-ups for Tops and Wegmans. I will also do them for Rite-Aid and CVS ocassionally, but I haven’t done much drug store shopping lately thanks to major stockpiling earlier this year. And if I get some good deals at Target, I’ll share those finds as well.
Approximately how many times do you post a week? I try to post at least 5 days per week. although the key word is “try.” 
Do you have any special features on your blog? I recently featured a frugal tip (making your own laundry soap) and think I’ll explore expanding this area more in the future.
What do you think is your “specialty” when it comes to your blog content? I hope to get across to readers that while you may watch the Extreme Couponing show on TV and see shoppers buying $1000 worth of food for $2, it isn’t realistic and you shouldn’t expect to have similar results. With just a little bit of effort and planning, though, you can realistically save a good chunk of change on your shopping at local stores like Tops and Wegmans.
I am curious to hear about your spending and saving habits!
Do you use coupons on every shopping trip? Pretty much. I almost never buy anything at Tops without coupons, and I buy most things at Wegmans with coupons. Anything I need but can’t get cheaply at Wegmans or Tops I will buy at Aldi’s without coupons.
What is your favorite item to find a coupon for? There are very few items we are brand loyal to in our house, but if I can find coupons for my husband’s toothpaste and shampoo of choice, I’m all over it! I also love finding meat and produce coupons.
What is your best deal that you ever got? Hmm, that’s a hard one! I love the challenge of seeing a sale and searching for a coupon that will make the item free. Several months ago I stocked up on Cascadian Farms frozen organic veggies that were on clearance and free after coupons. I’ve also gotten coupons that made Muir Glen organic tomato products for free.
Do you have a set grocery budget each month? Not really (although I usually try to stay under $75 per week for a family of 5 hungry people), but I think I may set a weekly or monthly budget for 2012.
On average how much do you save on your grocery bill? I generally save in the 50% – 60% range.
What is your favorite store to shop at for deals? While it’s not my favorite place to spend time shopping, I find I get the best deals at Tops.
If you could pass on one tip to people trying to save money, what would it be? Don’t think you have to save 95% of your grocery bill to be successful: if you bought an item you use and you spent less than you normally would, did well!
Do you have a favorite frugal recipe? I’ve taken free/cheap pasta and mixed it with cheap Philly cooking creme (with or without cooked chicken and with veggies on hand). My family loved it! Another frugal recipe I love (although not edible!) is for making laundry detergent.
What is the most frugal thing that you do? Probably making my own detergent.
What are some of your favorite money saving websites aside from your own? Hillbilly Housewife is a huge favorite of mine! I also really enjoy the “Crafts + DIY” section of The Frugal Girls.
GIVEAWAY:
1. Choose to either “like” Reality Couponing In Rochester via Facebook or follow PUBLICLY via Google Friend Connect.
2. Leave a comment on one of her blog posts saying something similar to “Mom’s Coupon Affair sent me”
3. Leave a comment on THIS post letting me know that you did everything required to enter.
The Giveaway will last until Thursday, December 8th @ 11:59 PM EST. The winner of this coupon giveaway will receive an envelope of coupons. The amount of coupons that will be won depends on the amount of people that enter the giveaway. I will start each envelope off with 15 coupons and one coupon will be added for every person that enters!
**Keep an eye out this Thursday for our next local blogger, Deals Is The Deal**
Previous local blogger interviews: WNY Deals And To-Do’s, Crazy About Savin
I have never seen this blog before!! I liked her on Facebook and left a comment … I am excited to have another blog to follow! And she posts lots of pictures!! Around my house we call them “stockpile porn” !!
LOL!!!!!
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I love how you do this Amanda. Since you have been doing the get to know your local bloggers and that list you put up on your site a couple weeks ago, I have been saving more money than ever! Each one posts different deals that they come across. I AM LOVING THIS!!
That is AWESOME, Amy! I am so glad that it is helping! If I didn’t have to use most of my internet time working on my own blog then I would be stalking all of the local blogs every day. Hahaha! I try to visit each one at least once a week. I really enjoy all of our local blogs and love that even though we all have the same stores, we each have a little something different to offer or post a deal that the others may have missed or not had the time to post about. I hope that everyone else is having the same experience as you!
I was a little nervous that I would lose readers once I started listing all of the local bloggers because some are much more thorough or have longer deal write-ups and are more consistent etc. etc. etc. but I had to remind myself that my whole purpose in blogging in the first place is to help others save as much money as possible and understand couponing and deals and what better way then to direct them towards other bloggers that know just as much if not more about the local deals (as well as national) than I do?!?!?! Surprisingly my unique views have almost tripled! yay!
Thanks, Amanda! I am really looking forward to learning about so many more local bloggers!
Hi! I actually was directed to your site from the Reality Couponing in Rochester site! I love it and have been a fan since the summer! I was very excited to be directed to another local blog! It is nice to see coupon matchups to my local grocery stores! You had listed some coupons deals that I did not see on other sites. I love the coupon giveaways, too! I like the Reality site and left a comment on one of her posts. Thanks.
Hi Tricia,
Thanks so much for stopping by! I am glad that you found some new deals here and appreciate you taking the time to comment!
Love the series on stockpile dinners!