Here are ten practical ways to make couponing work with small children. Not all these suggestions will work for every family, but I am hoping they will at least get your imagination going!
Bundle your errands. Katy at The Non Consumer Advocate talks a lot about this. Instead of making a special shopping trip, just add a deal stop to the beginning or end of your regularly scheduled errands. If you’re organized it will only add about 15 minutes to your trip.
Stop by the store while your spouse is in the car with the kids. The thing I hate about doing deals with kids is all the in and out of the car. If you’re rollin’ with the family, have your spouse stay in the car with the kids and you run in to do a deal. I can usually complete my transaction in the time it takes my husband to fill up the gas tank.
Make a family trip out of it. If you’re planning to do multiple transactions at one store, have the family chill in the deli/concessions area while you do your deals. My husband sits with the kids in the Fred Meyer food court thingy while I fill the cart then we take turns doing transactions. This is ideal for Catalina trips where you need to roll the cats from one transaction to another.
Errand share with a friend. One morning a week, watch your friend’s kids while she shops and then trade. You can probably do 4-5 deal transactions each without kids and without paying for a babysitter plus your kids will have a blast!
Pay a friend to babysit from your stockpile. Some of you don’t yet have couponing friends. How about “paying” a friend 6 boxes of cereal to watch your kids while you do two hours worth of deals? She doesn’t have to pay $30 to buy 6 boxes of full-priced cereal and you’re only out about $4 plus about 15 minutes of time. It’s a win-win!
Shop while your kids are the happiest. If you must shop with your kids, do it while they are the most perky and obedient. For most kids, this is first thing in the morning. Plan your trip the night before, change everyone’s diapers immediately, hand them a non-sticky breakfast, and get in the car. You can bang out 2-3 stops and still catch the end of Sesame Street.
Take one night a week and shop while your kids are in bed and your husband is watching the Blazers (or the Ducks or the Beavers or UFC). Just make sure he doesn’t feel like you bail the moment the kid’s lights go out. Limit your deals to one night a week and make him feel special the other six. The man wants to hang with you. Ya know what I’m sayin’?
Give your spouse a deal to do en route to work. I often hand my husband a Ziploc with one transaction’s worth of coupons and he will stop by the grocery store while he’s driving for work. The baggie will contain a very clear list of what to buy (sometimes with that portion of the weekly ad attached so he knows what to look for), the coupons and doubles to use, and the exact cash needed to complete the transaction. I have never asked him to do a Walgreens or Rite Aid transaction as there are too many variables. He never asks me to do a special order at Home Depot, so I won’t ask him to do something that requires couponing expertise. But anyone can do a simple grocery store transaction.
Do a McDonald’s deal. This is one of my favorites. Meet a couponing girlfriend at a centrally located PlayLand McDonald’s (like the one next to Albertsons in Happy Valley, Oregon). One of you watches the kids while the other shops at the closest grocery store. Be back in 30 minutes and switch. You can get tons accomplished in a short period of time, all for the price of a $1 sundae. You can also do this at a park during the warmer months.
Consider hiring a babysitter for a few hours every week. I consider it money well spent when I am able to shop kid-free on Thursday mornings. I can do tons of deals in three hours and I enjoy the experience so much more without my darling children! I have three girls from a homeschooling family down the street who rotate through our house. I pay them between $5 and $10 an hour, depending on which girl is here.
Make sure you also check out how I make deal shopping work.
New to couponing? Check out the Ultimate Guide to Couponing here.
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I took my toddler and younger all the time to the grocery store, she actually learned to read while I shopped with her, she is smart as a whip and knows prices on everything, she never pays full price for anything and can easily afford to but she is frugal like her Mom and Dad are..she is an only child and I made sure she knew how to take care of herself and how to live, she is wonderful, she never caused any trouble in any grocery store and was in my opinion gorgeous I took her snacks with us in a teeny tiny Tupperware container, she was wonderful…
I have no option but to take my toddlers (3 and 1) with me every time I go. I coupon just king soopers and rite aid (with a target deal once in awhile). I make the trip into a learning and fun game. They get to count and put the items in the cart. Find colors in the store. Point out letters. Now, I am working on reading the price with my oldest. Right now, with the cold, when we go to the grocery store, I let them walk up and down the aisles. I love mega events because I challenge them to find the specially marked tags! They get so excited plus I find more unadvertised deals. I let them hand over a few coupons to the cashier (they feel so important). My 3 year old can pretty much check us out at rite aid by himself (pretty crazy, but he only knows a couponing mom).
I use snacks when needed. My kids have no idea about the free cookie. But, I have been known to singing songs and skipping through the store to get them laughing. Also, going when the store is less crowded is very helpful. Having my 2 kids walking and me pushing a cart in a crowded store would be disaster. Also, don’t be afraid to ditch a deal when things aren’t working.
All in all, I hope in the long run my kids learn the value of a dollar, living on a budget, and have fun while you do it.
When my 2 girls were small, we’d dress them up on Sat morning, and I’d take them from store to store. One would sit in the cart seat and the other down below. From time to time I’d suddenly push the cart down the aisle at breakneck speed. We’d hit the bakery at some of the stores for free cookies. Was probably about a 2-hour trip.
I love your tip about sending your husband on a shopping trip and putting the coupons IN a ziploc bag! I often ask my hubby to do a small, easy transaction since he works right next to the only store in our town. I can’t tell you how many times he’s come home without giving them every coupon (even if it’s only 2 haha) or forgetting the doubler. Bless his heart for doing it for me though! Thanks for sharing these!
I make a scavenger hunt list for my kids to find in the store. My 7 year old can read, so her list is words to look for. My 4 year old gets pictures pulled from the internet to mark off. I try to make them part of the shopping list so that they feel they are being helpful. Put them on a clipboard, and give them a crayon or pen to mark them off with and you’re good to go. (I don’t use pencils because the lead always breaks and tears usually follow)
If I have absolutely no other option than to take my crabby 2-year-old, I have a great trick that works: his own shopping cart. We bring his little plastic, red and yellow cart from home, and I let him put some things in it that we’re getting (3 for mommy, 1 for you), and he’s thrilled to be my “helper boy.”
iPod is my lifesaver. I put a bunch of free kid games on it.
My LO is 4 and loves the iPod. I try to limit play to shopping to keep it special and fun.
Also I bribe her with the free cookie in the bakery section of the store.
Or when the cans need returned I let her get a small toy with the return money though only if she is good while mommy shops first.
Though I always try to shop kid free if possible 🙂
I am really just starting to get some sort of routine down after about 4 months of couponing. I have an 18 month old daughter and figuring out how to do my shopping trips and stay sane was not an easy task…
Right now…we do a couple of things that really make a huge difference in whether or not our shopping experience is a pleasent one or a disaster. One thing we do is head out first thing after nap. She is refreshed and awake so no sleepy breakdowns. It is also snack time so we take along a baggie of grapes, string cheese or some snack that she can eat on her own without making a huge mess…and always a sippy cup! I also try to take along a small book or something for her to do when sitting in the cart. If it will fit in my bag it can go along…
On days when she is feeling restless because it has been raining alot here in WA our shopping trips actually give her a little time out of the house and some interaction with
other people which she loves! On her restless days…I will take the cart and list and
daddy will take the little one. I go down the list and look for items that will be easy for them to carry and that aren’t complicated items that have alot of coupon restrictions. I
give them an item to get and they go on the hunt. She loves bringing back the item,
carrying it by herself , running up and showing me what she got. I always make a big deal and tell her what a good job she did. She loves it! This has made our trips quicker and more enjoyable for us all.
We also split up our trips. We head to Walgreens and Riteaid on Sunday afternoons and grocery shopping on Wednesdays. It keeps the trips from being to long and she is getting used to the schedule.
As far as having time for clipping…my husband and daughter usually go get the paper on Sunday mornings while I make breakfast. We eat breakfast and then I clip while they clean up and then have some playtime. I usually make my lists in the evening after the are both asleep.
We are getting a routine down but with the little ones as you all very well know I am sure you can never plan for everything…lol We have definitely had to be very flexible!
My daughter, almost 4, insisted on shopping with me Monday. UGH. She liiterally run up several asiles at walgreens screaming, “I don’t want to be in the cart” because I had warned her about wandering away. Grandma can watch but I hate to abuse that so maybe trade offs with a local friend is an option. we are both new couponers. Thanks!
I totally feel you Kim!! Plus my 3 yr old blows my budget wanting things I dont have a coupon for! 😀
I HEAR YA ON THAT! Two stuffed animals later (one was clearnence so not as bad) we headed home, me at my wits end and one or two coupon mistakes later. LOL
I have a very strict rule that almost immediately stopped the “I wants” from the kids. When they used to ask if they could get something I would ask them-
1. Is it on the list?
2. Is it on sale?
3. Do you have a coupon?
4. Did you bring your money?
If the answer was NO then they couldn’t get it. End of discussion. Don’t even try to negotiate with Mom it won’t work.
After a few times they figured it out and only ask if they can get stuff if they go shopping with Dad because he will always give in.
Pick a morning where your significant other and kids normally sleep in. Head out and do your shopping early before the crowds in the store and grab some donuts and coffee (with coupons of course) before you come back home, and then wake them up to enjoy the coffee and donuts with you.
Great post – thanks for sharing those ideas!
I will often take my sister (a homeschooled high schooler) around with me on a day she already babysat for me in the morning. She takes my 3 year old to the toy section while I scour the shelves of Target or run to the Safeway next door. And if it’s a quick deal, just sit in the car and play.
My bigger question is having the time to cut the coupons. What does every one do for that? I would love to carry all mine around, but I’m starting to just file by date and clip as needed since my kids are attention hogs. 🙂 And my little girl isn’t very good about sleeping in her crib, giving me time to coupon clip in the evening while watching whatever is on my TiVo.
I clip on sundays late at night.. luckily my 3 yr old does pass right out and I can go to bed by midnight and still get plenty of rest before 7am! I get frustrated though clipping ALL THOSE coupons (even ones im sure ill never use but i clip them anyways JUST IN CASE! lol) I think I might try just filing and clipping as needed when I plan the actual trip! save on all the clipping of the ones we dont really use..
I usually go with a friend. Otherwise, I go after my hubby and kiddo is in bed (which is usually by 9am) or I get up at 6am on Sunday, get my papers, hit up Starbucks, enjoy coffee and clip coupons, then get home by around 9 or 10. My husband has men’s accountability meetings Sunday mornings, so our little one watches a movie, they meet, and I coupon!
Great tips! Thanks so much for taking the time to write this post!
My kids are 5 and 3 and I give them each a coupon and they do a “scavenger hunt” to help me find what I am shopping for!
I agree, small trips & snacks work wonders. I also bribe my two with a park trip or special treat after the errands if they behave well.
I have packed a lunch for my son to eat in the cart while I happily grocery shop! Works like a charm!!!
Don’t forget…Fred Meyer has a FREE childcare play area for little ones! They would play, I could shop and have a cuppa coffee! I don’t recall all the details (age, length of time offered) but it was soooo worth it!
They have to be over 2. I am just counting the months until my youngest hits 2!
Age two until they’re in kindergarten. I counted the days until my kiddo was old enough … and then the little bugger wouldn’t go in! He’s almost four, and it’s still hit and miss if he’s in the mood to go in or not, so I go out to do most of my deals after his bath, when daddy can take over.
They have to be 2 and once they hit school age (5) they no longer take them.
Three girls & a baby boy all rolling around in the shopping cart… free cookies from the Fred Meyer bakery… they’re happy & I get a workout pushing them around:)
I wish we had a McD’s with a play ground!
I make couponing work with a small child with balance. I don’t drag her from store to store every day and I don’t take my binder. I go to do specific deals with those coupons in hand and that’s why it’s so frustrating when the shelves are cleared. (save some for us!) I only do “big” shopping one night a week and that’s all I can do. I miss a lot of deals and I just have to be ok with that.
Of course if the shelves weren’t always cleared, then I wouldn’t miss so many… just sayin’.
I agree Carla! I’m new at couponing and it is very frustrating getting to the store and the shelves are empty. At that point I’ve had to decide if it’s worth checking back for. If I can get a rain check I will, if not oh well. I have 3 boys under the age of 6 and as much as I love them I’m not gonna drag them out all the time.
I am very blessed though, my family enjoy the hoopla of going through Sunday papers and helping Mom prep the coupon binder and get ready for the week. My husband loves it!
thank you…i love these tips!