Couponing 101

Wow! I really did not expect to receive so many responses to my last post about my recent shopping trip. I am excited of course that a lot of you are interested in learning how to use coupons and save your hard earned money. I am not an expert "coupon lady" by any means, and all I know I learned from my wonderful sister-in-law, Haley. She was a great teacher and very patient with me while I was learning the ropes. Now, I will do my best to share with you how to use coupons to their full advantage.

First, I want you to know that I do put a lot of time and energy each week into figuring out what the best deals are going to be, but in the same breath, it really is so worth the effort. I get a huge pay off...no pun intended!

Before I get started, I want to tell you that there are groups out there that will do all the work for you for a fee. They will tell you what the best deals are and what coupons you need. All you have to do is buy and clip the coupons. If your time is limited that may just be the best (and most convenient) way for you to go. But for me, I am blessed to have the spare time to do the work for myself, and to be honest, I rather enjoy it!

With that said, the most important thing you must know is that in order to get the most "bang for your buck" you will need to use coupons in combination with good sales. Sometimes that means buying things that you may not need at that time, but will eventually use. And since you will use it there is no reason to pay full price for it later when you do need it.

The first thing I do is buy two Sunday papers that have coupon inserts. Why two papers you ask? Well, when I first started using coupons the store I shopped at would double 3 of the same coupon per transaction. Now, I only get 2 because the store I am able to shop at more often will only double 2 of the same coupon per order. Once you learn how to coupon you can decide how many papers to buy for your own needs.

If there is something that I want more than two of I either print coupons off free coupon print sites* or buy them from on-line "coupon clippers." What's a coupon clipper? They are people that buy large quantities of coupons and then sell them on-line. You are not actually paying for the coupon itself, but for the service of the coupon clippers clipping, sorting, and mailing them directly to you.
*I will post links to all these sites at the bottom of my page.*

After I have all my coupons, I clip them and sort them into a binder using the clear baseball card size page protectors. I sort them in alphabetical order by manufacturer into two categories; food and non-food items. If you decide to do this you can organize them in whatever way would be easier for you.Okay, now that I've covered the "where," I will go over the "how." First, I have a handful of "money-saving" blogs that I check and they are very helpful when it comes to finding deals that may not be advertised. (You can find links to these sites on the the second Blog List Roll to the left.) I also go through the ads of each store I like to shop at and match up sales to coupons that I have. Some stores have there own coupons that you can use along with the manufacturer coupons making your money saving deals even better. Also, some stores will double coupons anywhere from 50 cents doubled to $1.00 to a $2.00 coupon doubled to $4.00. You will need to check with the store(s) you plan to shop at.

As I normally would, I make a list of things we need for the week, and then I make a list of things that I will be able to get for cheap or free. Sometimes, if there is a really good sale on items we use often or I want to stock up on, I make sure to purchase or print extra coupons like I stated above.

Once I figure out which ones I am using for the week I put them into one of those small coupon organizers labeled by store. Then, when I am done shopping, I quickly go through the coupons I have in my organizer to see which ones I used and which ones I didn't and separate them that way when I get to the check out lane, the ones I need are all ready to go.Just remember, that just because you have a coupon does not mean that you have to use it. Even if you are getting it cheaper, you will not be saving money if the item is going to sit on your shelf and go to waste. At the same time if you are able to get an item free you can always donate it to someone in need.

So, that's about it in a nut shell. The more you do it, the easier it will be come and the more successful you will be.

There are many, many other coupons sources on line, but the following are those ones I use the most to print/purchase extra coupons:
Meijer store coupons (to be used with manufacturer coupons)
Target store coupons (to be used with manufacturer coupons)
Coupons.com (printable manufacturer coupons)
Coupons & Things by Dede (coupon-clipper)
Taylor Town Preview (weekly coupon insert list)

Also, be sure to check out the "money saving" blogs that are listed on the left side of my page. Happy Couponing and good luck! Can't wait to hear all about your frugal adventures!