If you do...do you have any suggestions for me on getting started?
I have been reading a lot about couponing and I have a chosen a place to start....JUST DO IT! But, I know am missing somethings...so please tell me how you got started. This is how I got started...and continue to get started:
I struggled to get started, but I finally did it!. My view of coupons has changed. I used to think it was too much of a hassle to cut and clip and keep track of and then use coupons, but when I SEE the savings, it is SO worth it. (so far)
Last Monday was my first official coupon clipping day.
I bought a Sunday paper at Family Dollar for, you guessed it, a dollar. I only clipped coupons of stuff that my family will use. I know there are many who clip EVERYTHING, remember I'm still learning....maybe I will....one day.
Today was my first official coupon shopping day. I'll just tell you about one of the three places I went.
Walgreens (I have NEVER shopped at Walgreens before...am I weird?):
I bought 26 items and the bill came out to $87.50 without coupons. WITH coupons it was $53.59! I saved $33.91! I know it's still a big bill but, I'm measuring progress, I USED COUPONS!!!! AND I'm still learning how to "use" coupons and shop to my monitary advantage. So, I'm sure I committed some couponing blunders...but you gotta start somewhere!
Tonight while I was swaggin' I found a great little helper to get me started on the road to being, what CouponMom.com calls a Stategic Shopper. It's only eight pages, well worth the read, and it is very helpful in how to "Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half." I'm going to get busy making a little Price Book! I'm glad they didn't suggest keeping all the prices stored in your head...I have a terrible memory.
Anyway, send any suggestions on how to save my way....or just send me encouragement.
Get Saving!
12 comments:
I wish I could give you pointers. I'm still in the 'I should start' stage.
i use pinchingyourpennies.com
however, i find that all the "good deals" are normally things i wouldn't buy. they seem to be like cereal and pre-packaged foods, which i almost never use.... you hardly ever find really good deals in the meat and produce section!
anywho, PYP is good, there are lots of online tips as well on that site.
also look for a co-op in your area to buy your produce, meats and whole grains from.
walgreens, is great, just watch out and make sure you're actually buying things that you would be buying even if you didn't have a coupon, i just know from personal experience that this is where it can be so tempting, i keep telling myself "but it's such a good deal! and i will use it eventually..."
even medicines, soaps, shampoos, etc have expiration dates... i bought like 5 things of oil of olay once because it was dirt cheap, i killed off the first one and the others i had to throw out because they smelled rancid... EXPIRED!!
okay this is too long! good luck!
This is a really great website for coupons/saving. I think the easiest way is to sign up for her updates and you can receive them by email. http://www.beingfrugalisfabulous.com/
Have fun!
I think we should go shopping together and share tips. I've always enjoyed couponing to some degree, but I'm hitting it more hardcore again. Wanna go shopping together?
Have you not seen my blog? utahdealdiva.com! Your friend Emily needs to come too! There are some great deals to be had- in the produce & meat section too! This last week you could have gotten free apples at Target, last week, $20 of free meat at Albertsons! Coupons are awesome!
One tricky thing for me when I first started using coupons... I found myself clipping coupons and buying things I didn't ever normally use. I ended up with a bunch of stuff I didn't need, but got because I had a coupon. So - maybe watch for coupons to things you normally buy. I'm still working on it. It's hard to pass up that $1 off Cover Girl every week, but honestly, how much mascara do I need?
I'm a PYP fan as well. Multiple copies of the paper is worth it as well. I haven't couponed in a while for lots of reasons and my pantry has gotten bare!
I used to have over 80 boxes of cereal at all times, and I never paid more than 1.25 for a brand name cereal. And, a lot of times I was paying .50 or .75. I don't think those deals are quite as easy to come by, but....
PYP matches coupons to deals, so even when you don't use a particular coupon that week, you save it and use it when the deals are the best.
You don't have to cut either, you can just save them in files by dates and pull them out and cut only what you need each week.
By the way, toothepaste may have an expiration, but we got through that stuff pretty quick. I used to have 25-30 tubes of the stuff, plus free toothbrushes, 20ish deodorants, 10-15 bottles of shampoo. Loved the deals. Use PYP!!!
So here's a tip -- you said that some people clip everything, and that you were just starting so you clipped just the things you regularly buy/need. If you start clipping and using everything, then you cancel our your savings. If you buy something you don't normally buy (let's say, oh, air freshener or something like that) just because you have a coupon for it, then you're really not saving more. You're spending more. Does that make sense? I've done it myself. "Oh, why don't I buy this glade plug-in because I have a coupon for it?" I don't need or truly want a glade plug-in. But I buy it with a half off coupon and spend $2 more than I normally would have. So stick with your original -- just cutting and using the coupons for stuff your family regularly uses or wants. Good luck with your coupon clipping! :D
Sadly, I have to agree with amy and arthur... I'm the in "I should start" stage. But since there's only one grocery story in this dang little town...
I've also heard about the "pinching your pennies" site. And when/if you're in Utah, the Savvyshopper is good. Riteaid and Walgreen have good rebate programs too. Combine those with coupons and it could be fun! I get discouraged with coupons cuz it seems like they're always just for junk food.
I'm just giving my "go Becky!" comment, cause I don't have time yet to be really good like you!
I have heard that the secret is using the coupons on top of a sale price or a double coupon day. Otherwise the coupon deal isn't that great on the name brand items as opposed to the off brands. Keep me updated on how it goes though.
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