Tips and Tricks: Using Overage to Buy Things You Need

Profit of $6.02

Through couponing like this, over the past year I've ended up getting lots of things I already use for not only free but I've made money on them. When people ask me how I live on a $50 week grocery budget one of the key ways is through overage. Allow me to explain:

Way back when Walgreens "paid" me $1.50 here to take something very embarrassing off their hands. Then they "paid" me $8.61 here. Although I *really* wanted to hand an unsuspecting woman some Preparation H at her baby shower, I decided a nursing home would benefit more and donated it. I made money by buying it, we needed paper so I bought some and then double bonus: I donated it.

Here's where I made $7.03 by buying Robitussin. We needed it so it was great, I made money which was fab and then I was able to spend the overage on something else we needed.

I sometimes get asked, "Why do you buy it if you won't use it?" Well, if it's free here's why I do it:

1. It's free and even though you don't need it, I bet you can find a good home for it.
2. You make money on it so you can use that overage for something else.
3. Sometimes we may not need such a big quantity of something but if it's going to make me money, I love doing it. I just make sure I'm not a shelf clearer.
   

Example
Today I did the Glade deal at Target. I bought:
5 x Glade holiday tins @ $2.50
5 x Glade refills @ $2.50
Total: $25.00
I used 5 x BOGO for $12.50 off and 5 x $1.50 (in tins) for $7.50 off for total of $5 out of pocket.
Received $10 in gift cards.
Will apply for this rebate to get back $15.
Final Reckoning: Overage of $20. What did I buy? Why diapers!!

How about you? Do overage deals get you excited or leave you overwhelmed? Leave a comment and let us know!