Can you believe August is over today? I honestly cannot it seems like this year has FLOWN by me! Be sure to check out the full list of August coupons and print any you want before they start disappearing!
Here are some of the tasks I am tackling in the next two days to help ensure a successful September:
1. Clean up & Clean out: I am cleaning out all the expired coupons from my coupon binder (I only use this for loose coupons) and pulled out my expired P&G inserts. I will send these over to a military family in Portugal. It costs the same to mail a package or envelope across the street as it does to send to Portugal! You can get the address to a military base HERE.
2. Get what you want: Coupons tend to reset or disappear the last day of the month and new ones come out the first few days of the next month. If you see any coupons on Coupons.com, CouponNetwork, Smart Source, Red Plum– get them now. We don’t know if they will be around September 1st.
3. Prepare TODAY: Check your ink levels, check your paper. NOTHING is worse than a wonderful new coupon appearing and you are out of ink….or have no paper. TONS of office supply stores (see some deals HERE) are running great deals on paper and other office supplies.
4. Do a quick inventory: Think like a grocery store. They look at what they have, estimate what they will need & order enough to keep their shelves full. As couponers we can do the same. Do you have 100 tubes of toothpaste but only 1 toothbrush in your stockpile? Make a note of that. Then actively look for good deals on those items that you need. I just did my health & beauty cabinet. I found over 60 shampoos but only 2 mouthwash- so guess what I am looking for a deal on?
5. Donate: Check the dates on all the items in your pantry. Something close to expiring? Donate it- don’t toss it! Check with your local food bank or shelter- some will take items past their “best by ” date!
6. Analyze: Again, think like a corporation. At the end of every month many companies look at their cash flow- how much comes in and how much goes out. Are you going over your budget week after week? Analyze why. Were you being realistic when you set it? Maybe you are spending far LESS than your budget (congrats on that!)- maybe you can cut that expense and put some $$ in savings! I keep a running total each week and keep myself accountable in my Tuesday Totals posts. Stay accountable- and keep a record. This will help you be honest about what you are spending.
Do you have any month end preparation tips?
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