I don't know where you (OP) lives, but where I'm at (CA) I'm lucky enough to get all of my health and beauty aids (HBA) at either CVS, Walgreens, or Rite-Aid (in that order) for free (or even get paid to take them!). I have not paid for any HBA for over about over 8 years or so. I have a family of 4 (DH, me, DD8, DD8). The drugstores have some really great deals on HBA's almost all of the time, and lots of deals on dish and laundry detergents, air fresheners, snacks, sodas, makeup, diapers (woo hoo at Walgreens last week!), milk, bread, and more. Being able to cut these expenses out of my grocery runs has really helped me cut down on my grocery expenses.
But there is a big secret that people who get such great deals don't necessarily mention (because we all take it for granted, not that we're trying to keep it to ourselves ) to getting all these great deals: You need MULTIPLE coupons! I thought I did good by never paying full price for my Sunday paper delivery (for my coupons). However, when I got into couponing, I needed more coupons to "sustain" my family's stockpile, i.e., in order to buy 3 or 4 shampoos (for free) rather than just one (for free) because I only had one coupon. Today, I receive about 7-10 coupon inserts per week from friends and family. So, even if you don't have a CVS or Walgreens near you, for example, you should still find some decent deals with the coupons at whatever stores you do have from time to time. It's with the mulitple coupons that you will be able to stockpile enough toothpaste, shampoos, etc. until the next sale. There are multiple places on the internet to help you organize your coupons and find the sales in your area to use your coupons.
Good luck! and happy couponing!