1. Determine which stores are in your area to shop at.
Here in SW Florida, the main grocery stores are Publix, Sweetbay and Winn-Dixie. I have a couponing friend in upstate New York who swears by PriceChopper. There are SuperTarget & Super WalMart stores almost everywhere. The thing to remember with coupon shopping is that the stores that have the lowest overall prices don’t usually have the best “loss leader” sales. They rely on their everyday low prices to entice shoppers.
The opposite is true of the stores with higher prices. They rely on their sales to entice shoppers, knowing that the vast majority will end up buying plenty of non-sale items as well.
Part of the trick to using coupons effectively is to beat the system by a.) stockpiling and b.) shopping at multiple stores.
2. Pick a coupon shopping website to help you make your list.
There are some amazing coupon resources available on the Internet, and you will save yourself a lot of time and frustration by using them.
Here are my recommended coupon match up sites:
True Couponing - I use and love this site. It matches up just about every store in the area with coupons and flyer's. They can even give you ideas of what to buy and what coupons to use to save the most on your trip.
Southern Savers–great match ups for Southern grocery stores
One Deal at a Time--Really great Kroger & Randall’s lists (based out of Texas)
Surviving the Stores–huge selection; based out of Texas
Coupon Connections–great match ups for the Pacific Northwest
Living Rich with Coupons–Focuses on the Northeastern United States; awesome Shoprite match up
Cuckoo for Coupon Deals–huge selection; really great Kmart match up
Happy Homemaker Cindy–based out of Michigan; great Meijer match up
Nor Cal Coupon Gal-Northern California
Southern Cali Saver-Southern California
Penny Pinchin’-- Mom-Midwest
These are only a few of the many, many coupon match up blogs available. If you are looking for a particular store, just do a google search for “[your store] coupon matchups” and you should be able to find something. Once you figure out which of these websites matches the stores in your area, bookmark it and then spend some time exploring the site to see where everything is.
3. Find this week’s post for your stores.
Once you’ve decided on your site, click on this week’s ad for the store you would like to shop at.
Read through it completely. Make some mental notes: Check the final price after coupons. Are there any items that look like a great deal? Are there any items that you or your family want/or need? Which items require coupons from newspaper inserts? Which ones match up with printable coupons? Are there links to those printable coupons? Repeat this exercise for one more store in your area. Which store has better deals this week? Which store has more items you would want to purchase?
4. Make your list.
Based on the exercise you just did, pick ONE of your two stores to make a list from. For the sake of this exercise, pick NO MORE than 3 items. Remember, this is the non- overwhelming baby-steps method of learning how to use coupons!
At some point you will easily head to the grocery store with a list of 30 items and 50 coupons in your hand. But for now, let’s take it slow. Trust me, you will thank me when you get to the checkout line!
If you are using a site with a printable list option (all the ones listed above have this) simply click on the 3 items that you choose and then print your list. If you are writing out your list by hand, be sure to include the exact brand and size of the item, the sale price, and the coupon you will be using.
Finally, choose items that fit ALL of the following criteria: After coupons, it is more than a 60% savings off the regular price? (For example, if Hamburger Helper is normally $1.99 a box, and they are on sale for Buy 1, Get 1 Free, that will make them 50% off. That’s not good enough. However, if there is also a $1 off 2 boxes coupon available, your final price will be $0.50 a box, a savings of 75%. That is good enough to make the list!)
5. The coupon required for the savings is a printable coupon that is still available.
(To find out if the printable coupon is still available just click the link and try to print. If you get a message that says “no more prints available” or “you have already printed this coupon the max amount of times,” there are no prints left.)
6. The item is something you or your family would use.
(It doesn’t have to be something you always buy, just something that you might like to try or something that you think your family might like if they tried it. Part of the fun of coupon shopping is that you get to expand your horizons and try new things!)
7. Gather your coupons.
Using the links provided on the site you are using, print as many coupons as allowed. (Usually 2 per computer.) If the coupon happens to be a PDF file (rare, but it does happen occasionally), it is helpful to save the coupon on your computer rather than print immediately to use again at a future date.
If you have more than one computer, use it to print additional copies of your coupons. Once you have printed (then trimmed) all the coupons for the 3 items on your list, determine how many of each item you will be able to buy. Remember, if an item is on sale for Buy 1, Get 1 Free, you will be able to use 2 coupons, one for the paid item and one for the free item. On your list, note how many of each item you will buy based on how many coupons you have.
8. Go shopping!
Isn’t this exciting? Your first trip to the store. Be sure to buy ONLY what is on your list. (Make a separate trip for other items–the goal is to focus and learn without getting overwhelmed or distracted.)
Before you get to the checkout, double check your coupons to make sure the quantities are correct. When you get to the checkout line, be sure to tell the cashier that you have several coupons, and ask whether he/she would prefer them ahead of time or with the items.
Be friendly and courteous and confident, and pay close attention to the coupons as they are scanned to make sure that none get skipped or forgotten (easier to do when you are only purchasing a few items.) I promise any apprehension you may feel will disappear the moment you see your receipt!
And that’s it for this week. Just to review: Decide which stores are available in your area, go to a coupon match up site to help you make your list, then review the weekly ad posts for your top 2 stores. Pick one store and choose no more than 3 items to put on your list, based on the criteria above.
Once you’ve gathered your coupons, head to the store for your first extreme couponing adventure. Once again, it might not seem like much, and after your first trip to the store, you might be eager to grab some more bargains. If so feel free to repeat the list-making process for another store (or even the same store), but be sure to keep your list down to only a few items.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Friday, January 18, 2013
Couponing Guide
Another way I have learned to save money is couponing. No, I don't spend hours and hours a day searching the interent and printing ton of coupons. No, I don't have some crazy spreadsheet and store layouts. I am just an average mom who needs to save money on my grocery budget. These are a few ideas I thought I'd pass along to you to try and help you save too!
1. Establish your coupon sources.
There are 2 main sources of coupons: newspaper inserts and printable coupons. (There are also a few secondary sources of coupons, such as free coupon booklets (often found at the front of grocery stores or in the mail), store flyers, “peelies,” (coupons stuck to the product you are buying), and coupons that come inside a product.) It used to be that most coupons came from the Sunday paper, but that is no longer the case. It's estimated that these days at least 80% of the coupons people use each week are now printable coupons. However, the Sunday paper is also an important source of coupons. This week you should find out which of your local paper’s has the best coupon inserts. The easiest way to do this, if there is more than one option in your area, is buy one of each and then compare. For example, in my area, there are 3 different papers for me to choose from. Of those 3, two get all the coupon inserts each week and one doesn’t. Thus, I only buy the papers that include all the coupons. For printable coupons, the main sources are Coupons.com, Coupon Network, Red Plum, and Smart Source. There are also coupons available quite often on company websites and Facebook pages. You will generally only print coupons when you need them. Most printable coupons have a limit of 2 per computer, so it helps to have more than one computer.
2. Start a subscription to the Sunday paper.
(Or figure out where you will get your paper from each week.) It may seem weird at first, but to save a lot of money with coupons you will probably want to get multiple copies of the same paper. I never get less than 4 in a given week, and sometimes I even get 6 or more if there is a coupon I really like. Try asking friends, family, neighbors, or local businesses for their unused inserts. Some areas even have free local papers that include coupon inserts. BE SURE to subscribe to or buy the local paper that has the best coupons. Not all Sunday papers are equal!!
3. Consider buying a cheap B&W laser printer.
You will be printing a LOT of coupons, so I can’t recommend this option strongly enough. An inexpensive laser printer can literally save you hundreds of dollars over the course of a year.
4. Get organized.
Your system need not be elaborate; on the contrary, the simpler it is, the easier it will be to maintain. (And trust me, it will need regular maintenance!) Ultimately you need to figure out what works for you when it comes to organizing your coupons, but there are a two main options, each with its own pros and cons:
The filing system is probably the easiest to set and requires the least amount of time and effort to maintain. However, it will take you longer to plan your shopping trips each week, and you will always have to plan your trip before going to the store.
The filing system is two-fold. For my weekly newspaper inserts, I use a portable file box with hanging folders. Each folder is labeled with the date, and then each Sunday I just plop the whole stack of inserts in the folder. It’s easy-peasy and requires no clipping. (I also have a folder labeled “to sort,” which is handy for keeping track of coupons I’ve printed or clipped but then not used but haven’t yet had time to put away.)
The binder method takes a little more time to set up and maintain each week, but planning and gathering your coupons for a shopping trip is much faster. Coupons are organized by category instead of date and it is portable, which means you can take all your coupons with you each time you go to the store.
I've heard of the Qubie Coupon Organization System, which includes the QubiePro Binder for all your grocery coupons, as well as two smaller binders for specialty store coupons and store cards & gift cards. It arrives ready-to-fill, with plenty of clear 9-pocket “baseball card” sheets and pre-divided into sections. I just use a zippered 3″ heavy duty binder, A-Z 3-ring binder dividers, and baseball card pages. I use the "brand" as a way of organization. Hienz Ketchup would be placed under H. Charmin Toliet Paper would be placed under C and so on.
1. Establish your coupon sources.
There are 2 main sources of coupons: newspaper inserts and printable coupons. (There are also a few secondary sources of coupons, such as free coupon booklets (often found at the front of grocery stores or in the mail), store flyers, “peelies,” (coupons stuck to the product you are buying), and coupons that come inside a product.) It used to be that most coupons came from the Sunday paper, but that is no longer the case. It's estimated that these days at least 80% of the coupons people use each week are now printable coupons. However, the Sunday paper is also an important source of coupons. This week you should find out which of your local paper’s has the best coupon inserts. The easiest way to do this, if there is more than one option in your area, is buy one of each and then compare. For example, in my area, there are 3 different papers for me to choose from. Of those 3, two get all the coupon inserts each week and one doesn’t. Thus, I only buy the papers that include all the coupons. For printable coupons, the main sources are Coupons.com, Coupon Network, Red Plum, and Smart Source. There are also coupons available quite often on company websites and Facebook pages. You will generally only print coupons when you need them. Most printable coupons have a limit of 2 per computer, so it helps to have more than one computer.
2. Start a subscription to the Sunday paper.
(Or figure out where you will get your paper from each week.) It may seem weird at first, but to save a lot of money with coupons you will probably want to get multiple copies of the same paper. I never get less than 4 in a given week, and sometimes I even get 6 or more if there is a coupon I really like. Try asking friends, family, neighbors, or local businesses for their unused inserts. Some areas even have free local papers that include coupon inserts. BE SURE to subscribe to or buy the local paper that has the best coupons. Not all Sunday papers are equal!!
3. Consider buying a cheap B&W laser printer.
You will be printing a LOT of coupons, so I can’t recommend this option strongly enough. An inexpensive laser printer can literally save you hundreds of dollars over the course of a year.
4. Get organized.
Your system need not be elaborate; on the contrary, the simpler it is, the easier it will be to maintain. (And trust me, it will need regular maintenance!) Ultimately you need to figure out what works for you when it comes to organizing your coupons, but there are a two main options, each with its own pros and cons:
The Filing Method:
The filing system is probably the easiest to set and requires the least amount of time and effort to maintain. However, it will take you longer to plan your shopping trips each week, and you will always have to plan your trip before going to the store.
The filing system is two-fold. For my weekly newspaper inserts, I use a portable file box with hanging folders. Each folder is labeled with the date, and then each Sunday I just plop the whole stack of inserts in the folder. It’s easy-peasy and requires no clipping. (I also have a folder labeled “to sort,” which is handy for keeping track of coupons I’ve printed or clipped but then not used but haven’t yet had time to put away.)
The Binder Method (the method I personally use)
The binder method takes a little more time to set up and maintain each week, but planning and gathering your coupons for a shopping trip is much faster. Coupons are organized by category instead of date and it is portable, which means you can take all your coupons with you each time you go to the store.
I've heard of the Qubie Coupon Organization System, which includes the QubiePro Binder for all your grocery coupons, as well as two smaller binders for specialty store coupons and store cards & gift cards. It arrives ready-to-fill, with plenty of clear 9-pocket “baseball card” sheets and pre-divided into sections. I just use a zippered 3″ heavy duty binder, A-Z 3-ring binder dividers, and baseball card pages. I use the "brand" as a way of organization. Hienz Ketchup would be placed under H. Charmin Toliet Paper would be placed under C and so on.
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