In this economy who doesn't want or need to reduce their spending. Couponing can save you at the store, save you time by reducing the visits to the grocery store therefore decreasing the money you spend on gas as well. Once you get a system that works for you it really doesn't take that much time.
I only buy Brand name products! Most all coupons are on brand name products. I only buy generics to save money! Why buy generic when you can get brand name items very cheap or FREE ?
It takes too much time! Couponing doesn't take much time. There are coupon databases available to check for a coupon. Set up a system to easily locate your coupons. Once you get a stockpile it will save you even more time, less trips to the store, less gas, less time. I am brand loyal! Me too -- to a certain extent, but if I can get free Joy, forget Dawn for a while. Plain and simple: It saves you money! The Wall Street Journal wrote an article about whether coupons are worth it or not.
Here are a few interesting highlights: Hourly rate of a coupon clipper: $86.40/hour. Money saved comes with an additional benefit. Unlike the money you earn at work, it is tax free. No payroll taxes. No federal or state income tax. If your marginal tax rate were, say, 20 percent, you would have to earn $108/hour before tax to take home $86.40. If your marginal tax rate were 30 percent, you'd have to earn $123/hour.
There are several ways of couponing! Just as the contents of our grocery carts vary, so will the way we all use coupons. Buying food and household items is personal and our ways of shopping are unique. Some are brand loyal while others buy whatever’s on sale. Some of us go shopping early Saturday morning while others favor Wednesdays at 10pm. In addition, couponing takes time. As I describe how I coupon, don’t feel that you need to do exactly what I do! Try it out and make some changes until you find your own way of couponing that best fits your personality and lifestyle.
Sunday newspaper inserts Red Plum Mailer (usually comes on Tuesday or Wednesday in the mail) Friends and coworkers that don't use them, Printables Online Home Mailers and Newsletters Tear pads Catalinas Peelies Blinkies ebay (yes, you can get coupons on ebay!)
Printables Online
There is usually a limit of 2 printable coupons per computer. You cannot make copies of those coupons. It is illegal and can be tracked back to the IP address of the computer was printed from. Make sure your printable coupon came from a reputable site. Be leery of a PDF printable coupon- make sure it is from a reputable site because there is no way to limit the number of prints of a PDF. PDF coupons are rare. Be leery of printable coupons that are for FREE items or too good to be true
Where to find printables: Coupons.com, Target.com, Redplum.com, Smartsource.com, Facebook, Manufacturers’ websites
Home mailers and newsletters: Sign up online at any brand's site for their newsletters and clubs. Many brand newsletters and clubs offers links to coupons and samples for their members and sometimes you will receive savings booklets in the mail. Try out: kraftfirsttaste.com. They have a free item each month.
Catalinas: Catalina coupon machines located at register, dispense long receipt-like coupons that may be used on a future purchase. Catalinas, refer to the coupons themselves which may be manufacturer or store coupons. Some Catalina coupons are advertised and some are generated based on consumer behavior.
To get the best deals on a regular basis, match the store ads to what you have in your coupon stash. If it already on sale and you use a coupon then it is a better deal. An example: Dawn is $1.29 regular price, but it is on sale for $1.00. You have a coupon for 50 cents off. So now the 1.29 Dawn cost you 50 cents, saving you 79 cents. Better yet, if there is coupon “doubling day”, this item is FREE!
Plan your meals each week around what’s on sale and in season. Families usually have about 20 meals they eat often- so keep those ingredients in mind when looking over the weekly ads.
Using the example above, would you rather have 1 free bottle of Dawn or 10 or even 20? The more coupons you have during this sale the more cheap or free bottles you can purchase! You won't need to buy any Dawn for a long time.
There are many ways to get a better deal when grocery shopping: coupons, buy one get one free deals, rebates, catalinas, store deals. Better yet, layer a combination of these. If Target has Wheat Thins on sale for $1.99, and you have two $1.00 coupons, they have already been knocked down to $.99 each. However, if you add in a Target coupon for $1 Wheat Thins, you suddenly have 2 free boxes of Wheat Thins.
Does your store price match? Target and Wal-Mart do. Does your store have a loyalty program with real benefits? Smith’s and Rite-Aid do. Does your store double coupons? Smith’s does some times. Maybe Ridley’s on Tuesdays? Does your store offer Catalinas? Smith’s, Ridley’s, and Target do. Does your store offer rebates? Rite-Aid does. Does your store have store coupons? Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Target regularly do. Grocery stores have them from time to time too.
Find a system of organization that works for you. There are many ways to organize coupons. Use a recipe box, coupon holder sold at most stores for a few $1, plain envelopes, or a binder with baseball card holders in it. And if you hate your system or outgrow it, don’t be afraid to try something new.
Clip all coupons for items that you regularly buy. Do not be brand specific! It’s important to understand, even though I might not usually buy a particular brand of item featured in a coupon, if the item is something I buy, then I cut the coupon. For instance, I normally don’t buy Yoplait YoPlus yogurt. However- my family loves yogurt, so I cut the coupon. I also cut all the other yogurt coupons as well! The reasoning behind this is that stores often have fantastic sales on brand name items. As a matter of fact, I’d say since I started couponing, I buy about 90% brand name items and about 10% store brand items- because combining a sale and a coupon makes the brand name item less expensive! Yoplait YoPlus yogurt is a great example. It’s normally priced at around $2-$2.50 for a package of 4. I regularly get it for $1, and several times I’ve gotten them for FREE!
Stock up on items your family uses a lot when you find a great deal. I find buying 2-4 of a certain item is a really good idea. Have some on hand, that way, when you need it, you won’t have to pay full price. This is especially applicable to toiletry items!
Once you learn to coupon your stockpile will start to build. You not only save money, but you will eventually find that you need to make less trips to the store because you have things you need on hand. This in turn saves you in time and gas. Now the new problem is where do you store all of these goodies? Sounds like a good problem to have....now doesn't it?
What's the secret to smart stockpiling? *Holding on to coupons until the item goes on sale. *Multiple coupons used for items that are on sale. *When an item is 70% off or more, this is a good time to stockpile. However, this is not universal. Don’t pay more than $0.50 for things like razors, deodorant, toothpaste, and body wash. Over time, you will learn what a good stockpile price is. You save a little buying one item at a time with a coupon. But if you have 10 coupons for $0.50 off Skippy Peanut Butter and it goes on sale for $1 at your local store that is doubling coupons, you get 10 jars for free. If it doesn't go on sale and you need it, use 1 coupon to get what you need. If the coupon expires before it goes on sale, what have you lost? Nothing. Throw them away--or better yet, forward them on to someone in the military, they can use expired coupons past the date of expiration.
Many people think that you can come out better at the register when you buy generic products instead of shopping with coupons, but many times you can score name brand items much cheaper or even FREE with coupons. You can even make a profit at times, when you combine sales and coupons with rebates or catalinas! When considering generic products keep these things in mind: Size Matters! Many times the generic may be cheaper and the box may appear equal in size to the brand product when in actuality the box may contain less product. Calculate the cost per ounce to see if you are getting the better deal. Quality Counts! Brand items usually have a higher quality product, will stand behind their products and easy to contact should any problems or concerns arise. Price Matters! Sure name brand is usually more costly than generic on the shelf, but when you calculate in coupons and rebates you can usually score some very cheap or FREE high quality name brand products. You don't find coupons or rebates for generic products. Just monitor the blogs and with a few minutes of time you can snag some really great deals without compromising on quality.
Most people agree that Costco is exactly the place to go for extreme savings. But if you can save 60% or more at the grocery store, why bother with Costco's measly 10-15% savings? Yet I still do go to Costco!
I used to be a regular at Costco. I used to buy my toilet paper and paper towels, cleaning supplies and laundry detergent, chicken, milk, diapers, wipes, peanut butter, cheese, soup and whatever else caught my eye that week. Now, I can’t bring myself to pay Costco prices on a lot of items. I say this with all the love in my heart- but it’s true. Except for the milk. The white milk is a great price (the chocolate is overpriced), but can’t justify the drive just to save some change on milk.
So the big question – What do I buy at Costco? I don't go to Costco to stock up. There are several items that I do purchase at Costco more regularly. These are items that our family goes through quickly and there don't seem to be enough great coupons that yield fantastic deals, in my opinion. Items I regularly buy at Costco: brown sugar powdered sugar cottage cheese string cheese OxyClean stain remover/ detergent booster dried mangoes (a family favorite) White vinegar (I use it in my laundry.) Kid’s clothing
If we're at Costco and need bread, milk, eggs or produce, I might purchase those items as well. You have to watch their produce prices carefully. They often aren’t always the best price out there, and you have to buy a lot of produce to get that price. You can’t purchase just 3 apples.
Here are a few items I hardly ever buy at Costco: diapers & wipes toiletries of any kind- toothpaste, deodorant, toilet paper, etc. meat- I like Costco meat, but it goes on sale for so much less at the grocery store! bakery goods snack foods- crackers, chips, granola bars, etc. cereal canned items- case lot sales are less expensive spices (try Winco’s bulk food section for a great deal)
The switch from Costco to the grocery store seems to be a difficult one for many. I don't mind it at all! At Costco, your choices are pretty limited. Not only that, but you can't use regular manufacturers coupons. As you continue using coupons week after week at the grocery store, you'll soon see how much more you can save at the grocery store, instead of stocking up at Costco! The bottom line is that Costco has good deals, but you have to “cherry pick”, the same as other stores.
Over time, you will be able to get a good feel for what a good price is on the items you like to purchase regularly. Here are some of the prices that I expect to pay for a handful of grocery items:
- Activia or Fiber One Yogurt (4pk.) $0.85
- Cereal NEVER more than a dollar, usually more like $.50/box
- Toothpaste FREE
- Peanut Butter $0.85
- Boxed Potatoes (I know, I know) FREE
- Razors (the $6-10 variety) FREE
- Shampoo / Conditioner Less than $1 to FREE
- Salad Dressing $0.50
- BBQ Sauce $0.25
- Granola Bars $0.50
- Instant Oatmeal Packages $0.25
- Sun Chips $1.00
- Sara Lee Bread $0.75
- Body Wash FREE
- Candy Bars FREE
- Diapers (Jumbo Pack) $3.00
- Pouch of Tuna FREE
- Large Frozen Pizza $1.50
- Band-Aids FREE
- Lotion FREE
Shop with a list. I spend double the amount if I just browse and pick items up, than when I shop with a list of items that I plan to purchase.
Organize your list. I like to organize my shopping list according to the areas in the store. (All produce together, all personal care together, etc.). But I also list the sale price and any manufacturers coupons, store coupons, rebates, etc. so I know exactly what kind of a deal I’m getting and that I have all the necessary coupons to get it. Here is a sample of what a line on my grocery list would look like:
In time, you will develop your own “code” too.
Buy stuff your family eats. If it sounds gross to you, don’t get it, even if you have a great coupon for it. If you pay anything and end up throwing the item away, you’ve lost money! Additionally, the object of grocery shopping is to buy foods to make meals with, so avoid the temptation to buy all junk food and strive to find healthy items! I’ve seen people post pictures of fantastic shopping trips, but when you look closer, it contains very few items to make meals with. It is very difficult to make decent meals with Pringles, breakfast bars and M&M’s! Avoid the temptation to spend your money on purely unhealthy items! Minimize distractions. Don’t go grocery shopping while hungry and go by yourself. Give yourself the ability to focus on the task at hand. Be organized. I recommend taking a small tote with you to shop that contains your shopping list (with corresponding coupons in an envelope), a calculator, a pen and a bottle of water. I actually always bring ALL of my coupons with me to shop- I always seem to find a great deal on something that wasn’t on my list that I have a coupon for! Also, grab the store circular as you walk in just in case you need to double check something.
Pick the right time of day. If you go grocery shopping at 5:00 PM and hand the cashier a stack of coupons, be prepared to get crusty looks from everyone around you. This is a very busy time for the grocery store, and no one will be very patient with your couponing. I have found that early in the morning (before 10:00) and later at night (after 8:30), I have the best luck at the registers.
Profiling is okay. Once you’ve been couponing for a little while, you will know which cashiers will be more “strict” with your coupons. From time to time a coupon will beep, triggering a possible problem (wrong size, wrong quantity, didn’t purchase, etc.). Some cashiers will have you pull each item out of your bag that has a coupon beep, so they can double check that you got the right thing. This takes forever and your frozen stuff proceeds to thaw. I have had the best luck with younger male cashiers. They just okay everything.
- utahdealdiva.com
- thekrazycouponlady.com
- totallytarget.com
- savorthesavings.com
- moneysavingmom.com
- centsablemomma.com
Now that you have all this amazing knowledge, you’re ready to get started. Here are 10 easy steps to earning your place in the Coupon Nerd Hall of Fame.
1. Figure out how much you’re spending on groceries & toiletries right now.
2. Make a savings goal. You could start by decreasing your grocery allotment by $25 the first month. Once you’ve met that goal, try decreasing it an additional $25. Within 6 months, you can probably cut 40% off your original budget without trying too hard. Remember, your goal should be to not only get the necessities for your family, but to add to your food storage or “stockpile”!
3. Get the Sunday paper so that you can start collecting coupons. Some say you need 1 Sunday newspaper per person in your family to effectively coupon. I'm a fan of staying within your budget! If it's something you feel like you can do, then great! If not, try and find a neighbor who gets the paper but doesn't use coupons. I only get 1 paper, but typically end up with 3 sets of coupons. It helps to have 2 or more, but it’s certainly not necessary.
4. For the first few weeks, allow twice your normal time to shop so that you can take time to acknowledge prices. Some people keep a list. There are several price point lists online. In order to start recognizing a good deal, you need to pay more attention to current prices!
5. As you shop, collect coupons. They’re all over the store; you just need to keep your eyes open! Online coupons are helpful too. Watch the blogs for great coupons and deals.
6. Start using grocerysmarts.com. Let them take the guesswork out of figuring out if the sale price is good or not. Over time, you’ll begin to recognize a good sale.
7. As you collect coupons, organize them. Start with a basic, plastic accordion file coupon organizer. Once you get more into it, you can decide if you want to use a binder, envelopes, etc.
8. Start slowly. It’s very easy to jump into couponing and spend $100 MORE each month than you normally do! Resist the urge to go to the store 4 times a week! You may consider using cash to pay for your groceries for at least a few months. When the money’s gone- you’re done! I pass up sales all the time. If it’s on sale for a great price once, trust me- it WILL happen again!
9. Begin to get comfortable with more than one grocery store. It’s hard, I know! It’s very important though. When you are shopping for a car, you don’t just go to the cleanest dealership nearest to your house and buy your car there- you shop around! Why not for food and toothpaste?? Don’t be loyal to just one store!
10. Be patient when you start! You will not be able to cut your grocery bill in half the first month! I think making a goal of spending $40-$50 less the first month is great. As you continue to find great deals and build up a storage of items your family uses, you’ll find you won’t need to “fill in the gaps” nearly as much! You’re doing great though- being motivated to save money is half the battle! Once you learn the art of couponing you will NEVER want to pay full price again.
