Couponing

My sister in law asked if I'd do a blog on how I coupon. Since I love couponing and I also love trying to explain how great couponing really is I will do it. Hopefully I can explain in it a way that doesn't make it sound too complicated or time consuming. It does take time though. I'll try using bullet points to help this to not be too confusing. I've never really been the best at explaining things in easy to understand ways. But I'll do my best...

• First getting coupons. I signed up for the Sunday paper through couponmom.com which gave me a pretty good discount. I also get the coupons from my mom's Sunday coupon inserts unless she gives them away to someone else first... I also try to collect coupons from the coupon dispensers that are in the grocery stores. Coupons can also printed from various websites. coupons.com, my points.com, bettycrocker.com are a few of them. There are also three websites that allow you to download coupons onto store club cards. They don't work for all stores. You'd have to check our the websites to find out if they have stores that will work in your area. The websites are: cellfire.com (this one asks for cell phone number and says it will text you, but you can use you home phone number if you're like me and don't want to give out you cell phone or don't have unlimited texting. I don't think they text you unless you ask them to.) pgesaver.com, and shortcuts.com. You can also get coupons by signing up for different websites and for free samples. I've gotten a lot of gerber and pampers and huggies coupons this way.
• Once you start getting coupons then you can look at all the sale fliers for the grocery stores around you and figure out what sale items you can match a coupon with and you can get a really great deal. It's good to know how much you usually pay for things so that you know when you're getting a good deal. When items are really cheap it's good to stock up. That way you're less likely to run out of an item before you need it. Manufactured coupons can be combined with a store coupon in most places (maybe all... I've never had a place not do it). Some stores don't except internet coupons, but I think most do. Rite Aid usually doesn't. Some stores double coupons. This means that if a coupon is worth $1.00 after being doubled it will be worth $2.00. In my area coupon doubling doesn't happen very often. Only once actually. But some stores do it all the time I think. California seems to be popular for this. There's a blog that has links to other blogs that will match coupons and sales for different stores. I used this a lot when I was starting to help me find the best deals. Now I still usually read some of the blogs, but not as closely as I did before. The site is http://www.becentsable.net/2008/08/becentsables-original-grocery-gathering.html
• Before couponing I never really shopped at drug stores. But I have since learned they have some really good deals on things. I've gotten free shampoo and foil and after a rebate wipes. Drug stores usually have rebates that they offer for certain things (at least Rite Aid and Walgreens do. I don't know about the rest.) These can help get really good deals. For example, I bought two packages of huggies diapers and 2 things of baby soap and will get $14.00 back in rebates and that will bring the cost for them to less than $5.00. You can get the rebate booklets in the stores. Walgreens also has coupons in their rebate booklet.
• Organization is very important. I use a picture album to keep my coupons in. That I can sort them by categories and see them easily. I also have envelopes for each of the stores I go to and I put the coupons I plan to use for my shopping into in the envelopes. That makes sure the coupons for different stores don't get lost. I also make a list for everything I'm buying.
  
• A question I often get about couponing is about name brand products. People say they don't buy those because they're more expensive but that's what the coupons are for. It's true that the coupons are for name brand stuff. But name brand stuff is also the stuff that goes on sale a lot. I'm not very brand picky. I like my waffles to be eggo, but other than that I generally don't care too much. I buy my waffles at Sam's Club since they will always be cheaper there. We used to buy Malt O meal cereal because it was cheaper than the box kind. But now that I coupon I don't really pay more than $1.50 for a box and that's way cheaper than the malt o meal. So really couponing is better for those that aren't brand picky because you can get whatever is the cheapest and still be happy.

That's all I can think of for now.... If you have any questions let me know. I'm always happy to discuss couponing... Since couponing I think we have more food in our house then we did before and I spend less per month on groceries than I did before. So if you try it out. Good luck and have fun!