Couponing 101

I have a new obsession/hobby/job. Okay, so it isn’t a job (but it is).

I tried to start couponing shortly after we moved here. I just was feeling like I was spending so much at the grocery store, and I wanted to try to lower that amount and put a little more back into the monthly budget. My sister-in-law pointed me in the direction of some free couponing sites that MATCH UP the store sales with newspaper coupons to give you the best savings. One of them even had a free and short intro on how-to coupon. I did okay, but I felt like I was spending more money. I would go and spend money on what I “needed” and then I would spend extra stocking up on sales. I saw maybe a $25-50 difference on my bill of what I needed but then I was still going on other trips to the stores just for couponing. So, I gave up. I didn’t feel like it was really worth it.

So fast forward to this summer. I saw a couponing class advertised at church and I decided to go and see if I could learn how to REALLY make it work for me. I’ve now been couponing for 2 months and I have dropped my monthly bill from about $700/month to $400. AND at the same time (without spending extra cash above my monthly) I have a year’s supply of various items such as toothpaste ($2), tampons ($8 – sorry guy readers, had to mention it), deodorant (umm, free, well, except for the 1.43 in tax), and other various cleaning supplies. (The amount next to the items are how much I paid for the ENTIRE year supply.)

So how do I do it?

Well, I’ve decided to try and do a weekly post on couponing and give maybe a few deals I found, and a few tips I’ve learned b/c I think everyone should do it! I was talking to someone the other day who had been wanting to start couponing and keeps putting it off b/c it sounds “too hard”, but like I told her, each week she puts it off she’s throwing out money she could be saving.

So to start my tip(s) for today are to #1: Find yourself a couponing site that will match your local stores sales to newspaper coupons. Some are free and some cost. I use http://www.SavingsAngel.com. It does cost, but I have found that “you get what you pay for” when it comes to these sites. While there are still errors, or cost differences based on local prices, but they list more coupons, more sales, and more links to online coupons. They cover more areas than just Florida. Check out their site to see what they have. They cover all the national chains and then have many local stores from TX, AL, LA, GA, CA…etc. If you’re interested in joining use this link - http://savingsangel.com/amember/go.php?r=32985&i=l8. Having a site you use will save you a lot of research.

#2: Buy (or acquire, but don’t steal) lots of newspapers a week. I get 6. This way when something is really on sale you can stock up. i.e. Today I got 10 deodorants for free. Right Guard Total Defense was on sale at CVS buy 1 get 1 free. AND I had 6 coupons that were buy 1 get 1 free. Which when you put the sale and the coupon together you don’t pay anything, except for tax. So b/c I had 6 coupons I could get all 10 of the deodorants that were left at the CVS I went to. (I would have got 12, but they were all out, lots of people were going for that deal.) So, the moral of the story is. 2 free deodorants are nice (what I would have got with 1 newspaper coupon) but 10 are better, and will last much longer so now by the time I “need” more deodorant I’ll have found more on sale or free already and will never pay full price for it.

So, like I said, I’m going to do this weekly so if you have questions put them in the comments and I’ll try to answer. I’m still new and learning but seriously, you can do this too. Next week I’ll post a break down of how long it actually takes me.