Get To Know Your Local Bloggers – Coupons For Your Family

*Go here to read more about my “Get To Know Your Local Bloggers” series*

This weeks next blogger to be featured is Denise from Coupons For Your Family!

Blog address – www.CouponsForYourFamily.com

My Quick Review: Denise has been blogging for a couple of years now so she knows her stuff!  If you are looking for thorough deal write-ups then you will surely want to check out Coupons For Your Family.  Denise, doesn’t miss a thing!  Not only will you find match-ups for the drugstores, Tops & Wegmans but you will also find Dollar General coupon match-ups that she does herself.  Although this is more about Denise rather than her blog, I feel it needs to be said: Denise is Superwoman!  That is my opinion but I am pretty sure it is a fact as well!  Denise is the mother of  teenage boys who are all in sports.  As if that isn’t enough work, she also has a full time job outside of the home AND she somehow still manages to run the blog and do most of her own write-ups.  It just boggles my mind.  I have trouble keeping up with being a stay at home mom of 2!  :)  Now that you know a little bit about Denise, why not check out what she has to say about herself and her blog….

What is your name? Denise

Where are you located? Orchard Park, NY

Do you work outside of the home? Yes, full time

Do you have any children and/or pets? Yes–2 sons, 2 step sons and 2 Black Labs (females of course–I am out numbered by male creatures!!)

What are some of your favorite things to do when you aren’t blogging? I love to read and spend time with my family

How about some blogging questions, shall we? -

Why did you start your blog?
Our boys started the teenage years and literally I was going to the store every other day. Time & money are limited so I started to coupon more heavily and I could only find a few blogs covering Tops which is where I shop. Once I started doing the match ups for myself, many friends and family wanted to know how I could save so much at Tops and so Coupons For Your Family was born. Over the last 2 years the blog has turned more to a business and I am hoping someday to be able to just blog for a living.  I would then be able to post a ton more deals than I am now. Just the thought makes me excited to be able to find even more deals and share!!

What is your favorite part about blogging?
Sharing the deals I am able to find with others that need to save and do not have the time to do the match-ups

Which stores do you do your own coupon match-ups for?
Tops, Wegmans, Dollar General, and I do a weekly Drugstore Freebies list with free items at CVS, Rite Aid & Walgreens

Approximately how many times do you post a week?
Everyday. I like to try and have a minimum of 5 but sometimes I become sleep deprived and can only do a couple:)

Do you have any special features on your blog?
I try not to post the same things all the other blogs are. There also is a yellow “add to favorites” star in each post that you can click on and it will save the post on your own special favorites page. This is cookie driven so as long as you do not clear your cookies on your computer you can keep posts you want to refer back to at a later time! We also use a check off printable lists for our match-ups

What do you think is your “specialty” when it comes to your blog content?
Definitely the match-ups. The 3 main stores I cover Tops Wegmans and Dollar General are still not widely posted. I also do full mathcups whenever possible not just the highlights. We also have other awesome bloggers we trade store lists with to bring our readers the most content.

I am curious to hear about your spending and saving habits!
I only shop with preplanned list printed from site and envelopes with my coupons and small coupon book. If I am doing separate transactions they are paper clipped together or in separate envelopes. If its a large trip I make our boys go with me and they pair in 2′s with lists and coupons. Then we all meet back at the register. Its chaotic but fun! I feel guilty if I do not save at least 50-60%

Do you use coupons on every shopping trip?
The only time I do not is when only need milk and produce and that is usually a stop on the way home from work.

What is your favorite item to find a coupon for?
Diet Pepsi

What is your best deal that you ever got?
Full retail value of $67 in Power Bars  for $7

Do you have a set grocery budget each month?
I do not but that will be on the agenda for next year.

On average how much do you save on your grocery bill?
50-60%

What is your favorite store to shop at for deals?
Tops

If you could pass on one tip to people trying to save money, what would it be?
Use coupons even if only a few. A Coupon is like cash. If you feel you do not have time to cut, then put the Sunday Coupon inserts in a manilla folder every week by date and follow blogs covering the store you shop at. Print their list and cut your coupons before you go to the store. The extra 1/2 hour to an hour can save you tons of money!

Do you have a favorite frugal recipe?
Venison Stew is the least expensive meal I can make other than pasta. The men and boys of the house hunt so always have freezer of venison. Mixed with frozen vegetables I get for free and some potatoes and seasonings (beef bouillon, gravy master, salt and pepper, garlic)along with loaf of bread, a large pot of stew only costs approx $3-$5 for a family of 6

What is the most frugal thing that you do?
There are a few so I can’t narrow it down! 1)We have fresh garden every summer and we can all vegetables and make our own sauce for spaghetti. 2)We also heat our house by a woodburner, only turn on heat to make sure furnace works or for when we will be out of town. 3) I reuse the envelopes that come with the bills so I do not have to buy many envelopes 4) We buy meat in bulk–chicken from Zaycon first time this year, 1/2 a pig for pork chops bacon ham etc and then of course we have the venison that is partly made into Italian Sausage and Hot Dogs

What are some of your favorite money saving websites aside from your own?
I find something I like on every deal blog out there so it is hard to choose and unfortunately I have little time to read them. If I had to choose my favorites would be Hip2Save, Money Saving Mom, Coupons Deals & More, Saving Well Spending Less.

GIVEAWAY:
1. “Like” Coupons For Your Family On Facebook
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 in step 1 & 2 to enter.

The Giveaway will last until Monday, January 9th @ 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 on Monday for our next local blogger, Coupon Clippin Daddy!!**

Previous local blogger interviews: WNY Deals And To-Do’s, Crazy About Savin, Reality Couponing In Rochester, Deals Is The Deal, Mindfully Frugal Mom, Our REAL Deal, Frugal Makes Cents, Tricias Frugal Finds, Simply Family Savings, The Frugal Buffalonian, Money Saving Lisa