[mjfenton3]

I am fairly new to couponing and feel that I am spending WAY too much time on computer and with ads looking for deals... I love the saving and the shopping, but I guess I am feeling guilty because the kids are home. Do you limit your time spent on AFC each day? How can I manage my time and still get great deals???

[scrollic]

I usually cruise AFC when the kids are asleep or I have 5 mins to myself. I love getting such great deals here.

[marbear]

For me the new wears off and you will hopefully self regulate. I am kind of like a chipmunk and I get on a mission every few months and stockpile stockpile stockpile...then I rest. I don't like to feel like I have to go to the store every week to get every deal. I did in the beginning.

[graciousmom]

I find that I'm checking out AFC in the mornings before dd wakes up when I'm already online checking email, etc. Something to do while I drink my coffee and eat breakfast.

Sunday mornings are my main time for sorting out coupons, looking through ads and checking here to see what others are getting good deals on. I will usually make my shopping list and then plan out where I will need to shop that week based on the deals and q's I have. Sunday mornings are our lazy morning where dd is allowed to watch tv all morning if she wants and dh sleeps in so I usually don't have to feel bad about taking 2/3 hours to myself.

[applerama]

I spend wayy to much time .
Cept we really don't have a lot to do, it's not like we have extra money floating around to go out to movies or something (though we did go to a movie free the other night, that was nice!) So mostly we just sit at home and watch TV, and I cruise about online and mostly just end up here or on facebook

[tootsie roll]

Originally Posted by marbear

For me the new wears off and you will hopefully self regulate. I am kind of like a chipmunk and I get on a mission every few months and stockpile stockpile stockpile...then I rest. I don't like to feel like I have to go to the store every week to get every deal. I did in the beginning.

I totally agree with marbear here. I was hooked on getting the best deals when I first started, and I spent a lot of time here. But, I had a newborn, and she actually took naps, so I had the time. Now, I have a 13 month-old who doesn't sleep much, and I spend a lot of time chasing after her

You will start to notice that there will be coupons and sales coming out for the same products every so often. If I miss a deal, it is no biggie, because odds are that the next deal is just around the corner.

[angel wings]

I spend allot of time on the computer. I have no children at home. When DH gets home I am off the puter for the night. When it is time to clean or make bed, I will not get on the computer till house work is done. Because once I get started I don't like to get off. So you have to train yourself and prioratize (sp) yourself!!

[Shanda]

at first it seemed to take me quite awhile but once I started figuring it all out I can spend like 2 hours a week total and be set

[dealjunkie]

FAARRRR too much!! Ds goes back to school in a few weeks, and I feel so guilty that all I do is sit on puter or mess with coupons, etc (or shop ). And poor dd, she is 17 mnths old is getting neglected--- ......I hope the newness wears off for me! I'm even dreaming about deals and coupons You are not alone OP

[triscut]

It is very time consuming for me. I usually am on AFC at least 1 hour a day (but I do that after kids are in bed) - but Sundays it takes me practically all morning to get organized.

[mandarn]

I am truly obsessed. I was working full time as a nurse and now that I am almost 37 weeks pregnant (will be Mon), I have too much free time. I find myself spending hours every day. I think I need professional help.

[KeizerMom]

I'm still learning, so I rather consider this period of time my 'crash course' in coupon'ing.

I've revised my coupon organization a number of times, once I have a method that works for me I know it'll make a big difference. RAOK'ing coupons I don't NEED is something I'm also doing now and it removes clutter which wastes time.

I'd say I spend several hours, throughout the day, right now. But I can, since I stay up late and the kids aren't up at sunrise during the summer.

The actual shopping experience is where I know I'm wasting the most time right now, it takes ages for me to do, but I'm getting a bit faster every time.

If I spend 20 hours a week at first to learn all the ins and outs and can get that down to maybe 5 hours during 'the big shopping week' a month and just an hour or two on the other weeks, and maintain, say, 30% savings overall? I'll be happy.

[mokimedic]

I spend way too much time here. I am hoping like some of the others that the newness wears off soon.

The problem is AFC is SO ADDICTVE.

[joshmamabear]

those who have been couponing for a while knows we spend a lot of time in the beginning.

for me, since I learned that deals come and go and coupons are the same way,

I don't feel pressured to chase all the deals when they hit. if I have time, then I do them but if its more stressful than fun to do them, I let it go.

once you learn the basics of putting deals together, its always easy to go back to it later.

[Lynda1811]

I agree with other posters, that the newness will wear off, and soon you will realize that you don't have to get every good deal each week. I haven't shopped in two weeks. But, I'm still on here daily checking the threads.

I have a 45 min to 1 hour drive to walmart or regular target, so I limit my shopping, and trips.

Soon you will figure out what time you have to spend on AFC, I totally agree that it is addicting. But, soon you will find out what works best for you.

I like to check AFC in the morning over my coffee, then in the afternoon, and then again in the evening when the kids go to bed. I'm a night owl already so will stay up and chat tell 1 or 2 in the morning.

Lynda

[stefani1]

I''m still somewhat new (only a few months) and I've already learned how to NOT be on here ALL the time. Although I'm on here more than I should be. I try now to limit it a bit. I have a 14 month old and I'll come on here when he naps or is asleep. Sometimes I'll be on here when he's playing with something alone, but I'm on here less and less when he's awake. I started trying to do ALL the deals at ALL the stores and it was too overwhelming and time consuming, so I just decided to stick to CVS at first and the supermarket for the food. It's working out better for me and I don't worry about all the other deals out there. I've now started to venture off to Rite Aid a bit, but only for easy free stuff. I have a notebook on my desk and when I see something really great I write it down from start to finish with the Q's and dates and all and I don't have to go looking for it again. My only thing I haven't gotten down pat yet is the actual coupons. I have hundreds of them if not thousands and I need to organize them better. I wish I would have started this earlier, but oh well. The binder isn't working for me or the accordian organizer so I have to try something else. I also only bring the coupons that I'm doing my deal with when I shop and if I see another great deal I will jot it down and go back another time. I can't be crazy with missing a deal as NOTHING is so important to stress over especially if I don't NEED it!!!

Good luck to you as you are not alone in all of this!!!