While I love the show “Extreme Couponing.” I cannot imagine spending the equivalent of a full time job on getting coupons, not to mention not needing enough canned goods for two years. I was asking a co-worker about this one day, and she confessed she is a closet couponer. So, I got the scoop of how to start using coupons from her:
LA: How long have you been couponing?
LK: I have been seriously couponing for about one year. I always knew it would save me money, but I didn’t really get into the big savings until I took the time to get organized and discovered the amazing online resources.
LA: What is one thing you didn’t expect to see when you started?
LK: I knew that couponing could save me a few dollars here and there, but I certainly did not anticipate the positive influence a little time and organization has had on my bank account. I love seeing 60% savings on my weekly grocery receipts, and have actually had several friends and family members ask me to help them get started with couponing.
LA: What was the easiest and hardest thing about starting to coupon?
LK: Getting into couponing can be very intimating. You need to remember that those people you see on shows like Extreme Couponing usually spend 40+ hours per week clipping coupons and traveling from store to store to get weekly deals. Just because you choose to clip coupons and save money, doesn’t mean you have to start by diving off the deep end into extreme couponing.
It’s easy to get caught up in the exhilaration of getting a great deal, but couponing can quickly become overwhelming if you try to get every deal out there. Start small and stick with basics. If you are just getting started, try choosing just one category in the grocery store to begin with (yogurt, cereal, snacks for examples). Then start clipping the coupons in the Sunday paper for that category of items. Save your coupons until the item you need is on sale at a local grocery store, and then use them to purchase the item while it is on sale to boost your savings. When you get comfortable with one category, add another one until you are saving all over the grocery store.
LA: People love lists. What are the top three things every person should know when they start to coupon?
LK: 1. Organization is Key
Going to the grocery store or pharmacy is hectic enough, especially if you have kids, so adding a stack of unorganized coupons on top of that is enough to drive anyone insane! Find a way to organize your coupons that works for you. I clip all my coupons on Sunday night, and file them into my coupon portfolio (I actually have two) according to categories that mimic how I travel through the grocery store. I have seen people use binders full of baseball card holders to organize their coupons, but I found this too bulky, and I like to always have my coupons with me. You never know when you will stumble on a sale!
2. Don’t Do Extra Work
When I first started out, I was combing through three of four grocery circulars a week trying to match sales to my coupons. Little did I know that there are tons of sites that do this for you, and save you the time of matching local deals with your coupons. Now I just clip all the coupons in my local paper, and wait for the “coupon ladies” as I call them, to tell me when to go out and use them. On most you can sort by category if you are looking for a particular product, or by store if you already know where you will be shopping.
A few of my favorite coupons-sale match-up sites are:
for the Mommas
The Krazy Coupon Lady
AddictedToSavings.com
3. Know Your Store’s Coupon Policy
I was amazed to learn that at my local grocery store, I can log into my frequent shopper account online, and add electronic store coupons right to my saving card. These coupons can be used on top of my clipped Sunday coupons! This same store also doubles all coupons under $1. I get items for next to nothing when I can get a store coupon, stack on a Sunday coupon and the item is on sale. There are several pharmacy’s in my area who also allow coupon “stacking” where you can use a manufacturer’s coupon along with a store coupon.
It is also important to know your store’s policy on internet printed coupons. Many stores will accept these, making sites like coupons.com, where you can print free online coupons, extra valuable to you.
4. Shop the Clearance Bins
Did you know that almost every store has a clearance section? They are usually not advertised and hidden towards the back, so just ask a store employee to point you in the right direction. Stores will mark down items that may need to be used quickly because they have an expiration date, but a lot of times they will mark down perfectly good products because they need the shelf room.
Recently at Target, I found four boxes of Finish Powerball dish washing Tabs for 75 percent off their retail price. They were the exact same product that was on the regular shelf, but the store ran out of room, which meant big savings for me!
You don’t need to get crazy with the coupons. Starting small and getting organized can lead to savings that add up.
