Mar 31 2009
How I Calculate My Savings
Some people are probably wondering how exactly I calculate my savings so I’d like to share. Lots of people calculate things differently and there’s nothing wrong with that. I’d just like you to know how I come up with my number.
1. The difference in regular price and sale price? Yes, I consider this a savings. Why? I used to purchase things and not use coupons…I was young and naive. 
Also there is the rare occasion we run out of something and can’t do without it so I have to pay full price. Therefor yes, sale price is calculated into my savings.
2. Coupons? I always calculate in coupons! That’s my main source of savings!
3. Giftcards? Yes these are savings if I did not purchase the giftcard. Why? It is no money out of my pocket, so I have saved!
4. Store savings, like Register Rewards or Extra Care Bucks? Yes and No. These definitely count towards my savings, but only the 2nd time around! Here’s the catch: These rewards are given when you purchase something. They are actual coupons that print out for you. I do not count these in my savings unless I actually use them.
IE - I buy $10 worth of items for $7 and get $5 ECB back. I do not consider the $5 a savings until I redeem them. So my savings would only be $3 instead of $8. The way I figure it, I spent $7 OOP instead of $2 so I didn’t save anything yet. Plus if I counted the $5 now, I wouldn’t be able to count them again when I did actually use them.
The stores put these in their ad as if you were saving immediately, but that’s not the case. They say “It’s like paying…” when you’re still paying full price, but you get $ back to spend later.
5. Rebates? No. I do not count this in my savings since I still had to spend the $ OOP. However I am saving all of my rebates to see what I can stash in a year. I just haven’t decided what I’m going to do with that chunk of change yet…Christmas, a WII? So many options…Right now I only have $29.98, but that was just for January - March. (And I don’t count my rebate until I have the check in hand.) Oh I do not count the Walgreens rebates either since I get those back on a Wags GC (not a rebate check). They only count when I buy things with that GC.
One other thing: The YTD savings you see to the right is only for grocery, department and drugstores. I have not calculated in my other savings such as gifts, dining out, etc. I do keep track of these and near the end of the year I will do a post on all of those bonus savings.
I hope this gives everyone a little better understanding of how I calculate things. Hopefully it will help someone to keep track of their savings a little better as well!
