If you have a Walgreen’s in the area, they have great in-store specials with their coupons (on lots of BASIC needs) and at http://www.walgreens.com you can get additional coupons. They also have a Super Saver magazine each month and lots of times you can get stuff for free after rebates, and you can combine a lot of national-brand coupons with their in-store coupons so sometimes they pay YOU to cart stuff out the door.
Also, request the FREE samples of this and that every few weeks from http://www.walmart.com (Click on “In Stores Now” and the drop-down menu will show you “Free Samples.”) I do that all year long and use them as Christmas Stocking Stuffers for Husband and our (20-something) sons. Walgreen’s is good for that too; lots of Buy One Get One Free deals on stocking-stuffer items; gum, chocolate bars, snacks, toothbrushes, floss, nail clippers, garden seeds, shampoo, etc. (Our kids get a stocking and then something useful like a gift card for food or gasoline. It works for us.)
My Mom gives me Walgreen’s gift cards at various times throughout the year (Christmas, Birthday, etc.) because she loves my stories about how I used the card, stocked up on TP or laundry soap and they gave me money back, LOL!
When we were at our poorest, I fed Husband, three teen boys and a (worthless, at best) brother in law for under $200 a month. And no one ever left the table hungry. It can be done with a little planning and common sense. We hunted, fished, had a huge garden and never turned down an offer of “free anything.” :)
I’m having fun with the free samples. Thank you!
For about 6 months we used tiny hotel soaps and shampoos given to us my my MIL. Saved us a bundle! :-)