Welcome to Brilliant Bargains!!

Traci and I are just beginning on our exciting journey to helps other save money! The website is up and running, thanks to Michelle over at Shabby Creations! She did a wonderful job and her patience with a perfectionist like me is to be commended! I am getting close to completing both of our money-savings manuals. They have been a labor of love but well worth the effort since I am confident that the info inside of each book will help many folks to cut their grocery bills in half and in this crazy economy, who could pass that up! Our manuals will be on sale online and will be available to those who take our courses in person.

The Brawley Family (Matt, Benz, Melanie & Boston)

The first book is entitled "Coupons to Cash: Creative Ways to Cut Your Costs." With over 150 pages, this manual covers the basics of finding, clipping, organizing and redeeming coupons as well as specific details for over 10 grocery and drug stores in our area and how to save and even make money on the things you buy! We'll cover topics like stockpiling your stuff, rebates/samples/freebies, donating a monthly box of food to charity (that you got for free with coupons!) and soooooo much more!

Our second book is not directly related to the first, so you can skip over the first if you'd like and cruise right into the savings on this must have read! "Discovering Dramatic Deals in Clark County" is a home grown manual, with ways to save for everyone, from kids to families to senior citizens. We include tips and tricks on the cheapest ways to eat out, find local entertainment, shop big box retail stores, finding quality used clothing and furniture, traveling on the cheap and using your credit card to make money for you! And this gem is the only place you'll find our top 10 picks for local Happy Hours and the famous "50 cheap but amazing things to see and do in Clark County, WA" list!

We will be hosting classes in January to explain in detail how to get paid to buy your groceries, how to receive checks in the mail for buying everyday toiletries and household items and a million other money-saving techniques in between. Keep your eyes peeled for the Vancouver Parks & Rec Winter catalog and the Clark College Community Education pamphlet, both coming to your mailbox before the holidays. Be sure to sign up early, since spots will be limited and we anticipate there to be a HUGE demand for these classes! And there will even be some awesome door prizes and games, so it'll be well worth your while!

The Ludlows (Traci, Luke, Jake & Regan)

Come along and let us help you find some Brilliant Bargains!
Happy savings from our homes to yours!

Albertson's paid me to shop for my groceries yesterday!

For all you folks that are newbie couponers, I decided to break down a recent trip to Albertsons. I purchased 34 items and used $98.50 in coupons. My total at the register after all of my coupons was $1.42!! I also received this $5 Catalina coupon for my next Albertsons purchase. So if you figure it in, I got paid $3.58 to take all of this stuff home!!! Check out my receipts and picture for more info.

My goal when shopping is always to keep my savings higher than the amount I spent and I'm usually able to hit right around 70% or higher in savings! Here's how this trip broke down for those that like numbers:

$106.74 (amt. of savings) + $1.42 (amt. paid)= $108.16 so.....

$106.74/$108.16= 99% savings!!!! (a new record)