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 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.