Couponing 101
60Times are tough, I know. So many people are without jobs now a days. People still need to eat though, right? If we didnt have to eat we would all be rich! But there is a way, a 'technique' I like to call it. There is a way to bring your grocery bill almost down to nothing. Cutting your weekly grocery bill in half! I dont spend nearly as much as I used to on groceries and my cupboards have never been fuller! I had to add more shelves in my pantry and buy extra cabinets to store all of my FREE groceries.
I explain couponing to friends and family and I get the usual excuses as to why they do not. 'I dont have time' or 'i dont know where to get coupons' or 'im not that organized' or even 'I dont get it'.... Well Im here to say that it IS easy, it is possible and it is fun to be a couponer. With my 'couponing 101' your gonna be on your way saving hundreds of dollars a month on your groceries and having a plentiful supply of food and household items.
Also tons of websites for particular brands have coupons online you can print.
Thanks Chellebelle for taking the time to inform us non-coupon users how it is done. :-)
thanks ursularose! I hope it helps! Its actually fun to see how much I save from week to week!
Couponing Tip #9:
If a store offers buy one get one free... you can use TWO coupons even though your only actually purchasing one item. Let me give you an example:
Lets say bread costs $2.00 per loaf. You have a coupon for $1.00 off one loaf of bread. BUT you have TWO of those coupons (because you buy several newspapers a week, right?). So you get to use Two $1.00 off coupons because you are taking two loaves of bread out of the store.
~Each loaf is $2.00 BUT
~Buy one get one free
~you get to use two $1.00 coupons
So you are getting TWO loaves of bread for FREEEEE!!!
chellebelle1998 Hub Author 16 months ago
COUPONING TIP #1:
Buy Sunday papers. Buy the cheapest sunday papers. It actually doesnt have to be a 'sunday' paper. In my area there is a weekender paper. It has the same coupons but is only $1.25 per paper instead of $2.00 for the regular sunday ones. I buy only four a week. Each newspaper could have several coupon packets in them. IMPORTANT: scan through each paper before you purchase it. There are coupon snatchers out there and you dont want to be buying a paper that has been tampered with. :)
Couponing Tip #2
Make sure to have a copy of store flyers in your area. Even get flyers to stores you dont frequently shop. Youll be surprised to find special savings in those stores that you can use to your advantage with your coupons. I get some flyers mailed to my house and others come in the newspapers that you will buy. Hint: Drug stores offer great deals on food and beauty supplies also. Not just grocery stores.
Couponing Tip #3
Your gonna need one of those plastic file folder things to store and organize your coupons in. It doesnt need to be a special 'coupon' organizer, walmart sells the folders fairly cheap in the stationary aisle. Label your file folder by categories such as: dairy, frozen, pet, hbc, canned goods, etc.
Couponing Tip #4
Clip all the coupons your heart desires. Its better to have more than enough than not. Clip a coupon even if you dont usually but that particular brand. Think about it this way.. if it were FREE, would you try it?? Of course you would. :) Clip your coupons, organize them into your folder by category then your ready for the next step.
I personally buy the weekender paper on saturday. I have a show I like to watch on Saturday nights. I watch that show while I clip my coupons. While enjoying a nice cup of tea in bed. Its soothing, its relaxing, I dont feel overwhelmed and sometimes my kids will help me.
Couponing Tip #5
The next thing your gonna want to set up are some envelopes. I have regular white envelopes (that fit in my coupon file folder). Label each one with the stores you intend to visit. This way, while you look through the flyers and pull out coupons from your folder, you know which store you will be using them at. Also when you get to each specific store, you only have to pull out that folder and you know what items you are looking for.
Couponing Tip #6
Know what stores offer special discounts. You may have to sign up for their special rewards cards (which are always free). Also know what stores double coupons or let you use more than one coupon per item. Here are the stores I shop at (maybe some of these are in your area) and the special deals they offer:
CVS: has a special rewards card to earn what they call 'extra bucks'. 'Extra bucks' lets you use coupons on items and then in return you get CVS money to spend in the future. Which means you will then get items for FREE!
Rite Aid: Does the same thing as CVS but they call their extra savings 'wellness rewards'.
Shaws: You need to sign up for a savings card there too. They double coupons! Any coupon under $1.00 they will double (unless coupon says 'no doubling'). Which means, if an item sells for $1.00 and you have a 50 cent coupon for that item, it will be free! Shaws will match your 50 cent coupon.
Hannaford: there are no savings cards at hannaford that you need to get the sale prices. Everyone who shops there gets all the sale prices. They do have something new on their website that I love though. It is called 'my hannaford'. All you have to do is sign up online, they send you stickers for your keys, or debit card. During your order the cashier scans your card. At the end of your order you will get extra coupons from thier coupon machine for product that you can buy in the future.
Walmart: Of course we know walmarts motto: Everyday low prices. which is true for the most part. I will get items at walmart with coupons if I cant seen to find any spectacular savings at any of the other stores I shop at.
Couponing Tip #7
While your at stores find out where their clearance sections are. If you can find an item that is on clearance AND you have a coupon for it, it will most likely be free. Example: Rite aid and CVS continually mark down their makeup. Loreal, Covergirl, and Revlon a lot of times have stickers on them saying 50% or 75% off. Coupons in my area always have coupons for those products. Usually $1 or $2 off makeup. If its on clearance for 75% off AND I have a $2 coupon, it will be FREE! Free covergirl mascara, lip gloss, eyeliner, eyeshadow! Ive got enough to last me a year! haha
Every store has a clearance section. Go check it out!
Couponing Tip #8
Coupons usually have an expiration date. Typically the manufacturer gives you a month to use it. If it gives you a month, sit on that coupon until you get the best deal possible. Dont use a coupon just because you have it. There are several coupons I throw out because they expired. A sale never came, no need to buy the item, no need to spend the extra money. Wait until the item would be practically free if you use the coupon.
Good Luck to you all! I hope my tips help you! Feel free to post any questions you have for me. I will be sure to post items that I have purchased, with the price that I actually had to pay. You will be amazed. With a little time, effort, organization, and determination, you will be able to save soooo much money!