I always used coupons but I did not get my start couponing like a boss right away.
I own my daycare and have a family of four. It costs a lot to feed all those mouths every day. So, I was the mom who would get up on a Sunday morning, walk out and get the newspaper off the ground, head back in to grab a big cup of tea, and start clipping.
I would fumble through the advertisements, see what was on sale, and try to plan my shopping trip. Any coupons I would cut would go into an envelope. I would then clean up my mess and throw anything leftover away.
On that same Sunday, I would head out to the store. I would grab a cart and start filling it with things on my list. One by one, the cart would fill with things my family needed to make it through another week.
Once I got everything on my list, I would head to the checkout area. I would place all the items neatly on the belt and then grab my coupons.
But, to my surprise, they were not in my purse. In the rush of being an unorganized mom, I had left that envelope on the counter at home.
What do I do? Do I return all this and head home to get the coupons?
The answer was no. I hope for the best, enjoy the savings from items on sale and wait until next weekend to try this all over again.
Learn To Coupon And Save Money
Then in 2011, I was introduced to a woman looking for childcare. She was a friend of a current family that I worked for.
When I heard her name, I was excited to meet her, obviously for the childcare opportunity but also because she was “extreme couponing.”
I had seen the shows on tv, but couldn’t figure out how anyone could do it. But, I was about to meet someone who might be able to help.
I met with her and began watching her child the following week. At the time, she taught classes around the area on how to use extreme coupons. I took a class, and I was hooked. I wanted to run to the store that night and buy items, get them free, and save money.
From then on, I didn’t shop without coupons. It was like a game.
How much could I save? What items could I get for free? Are there things I could donate? It was so fun.
And because it is fun, and based on one of our biggest household expenses, I decided I wanted to share what I had learned.
Hacks To Start Couponing Like A Boss
Now that I have been into couponing all these years, I have learned something. But when I started, some basics interested me and pointed me in the right direction. Simple things that will save you money and time.
Buy More Than One Newspaper
When you buy more than one newspaper, you spend more money, but you also get more coupons.
You can subscribe to your local newspaper for multiple papers to be delivered, or you can buy them at the store. For a family of four, I usually have 6 – 8 newspapers.
This way, I can buy more than one item when it is on sale, adding to my stockpile.
Start Stockpiling Your Deals
Stockpiling is preparing your family for the future. Stores usually run sale cycles every 6 – 8 weeks. So, if an item is on sale that week, it won’t be for another month.
If your family needs this on a weekly or monthly basis, you should try to plan ahead. If something is very cheap or free, you might buy more to take advantage of the price at that time.
If dish soap ends up being $.29 each after the coupon, then buy four or six. Put one in your kitchen and the others in your stockpile. When you run out, you won’t have to go to the store to buy it at a regular price of $1.99.
This is where you will begin to appreciate your stockpile.
Organize Your Coupons
One of the biggest things I can recommend is staying organized. Everyone is different and has different ways of couponing.
Some people organize their inserts in a file and pull them when needed to clip a coupon. Others cut every coupon out at once and then keep the coupons in a binder or large envelope. Try both ways and see what works for you.
Begin To Coupon Like A Pro
Take Advantage Of Sales
Stores want you to come in and spend hundreds of dollars. They pull you in by putting “Loss Leaders” on the front page of their flyers each week.
These items are discounted so much that the store will take a loss when you buy them. It is the belief that when you enter that store to grab discounted grapes, you won’t stop there.
You will run around and grab another $75.00 worth of items and make up for the loss they took on the grapes. You feel like you are getting a great deal, but they made more money off of you.
If you stick to the list and only buy the loss leaders, you will save money on the item and be ahead of the game.
If you can combine those sales with a coupon, you are guaranteed to get a great deal!
Utilize Coupon Websites To Save Time
Don’t do all the work on your own: Many websites scan the flyers and sort out where to find coupons and the best time to use them.
Many of these websites, like The Krazy Coupon Lady, will have the information up to one week in advance so that you can plan. Laundry detergent is going on sale next week. Is there a coupon in the upcoming Sunday paper?
Then I know I should buy more newspapers than usual.
Don’t Waste Money On Food
Pay attention to expiration dates. If you buy eight boxes of cereal for your family, but your family doesn’t eat that much cereal, it will go bad.
Expired food is a waste of time and money. You spend time preparing for your shopping trip, heading to the store, buying the item, and then putting it away when you get home.
Even if you spend little or nothing on the cereal, you still spend money on the newspaper to get the coupon. So, now you are out of the item, time, and money.
Extreme Couponing For Beginners
Use Couponing To Donate Food and Toiletries
Once you begin couponing, you will see that there are many things you can get for free. Most of the time, these things are taxable and can be used around your house.
Toothpaste, toothbrushes, cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, toilet paper, and paper towels are just a few.
If you can get extras for little or no cost, donate. There is always a local food pantry or place that takes donations. These are the things that get overlooked often. Pass on your good deal to someone who needs it. You can read about the benefits of a food pantry here.
Start Small When Couponing For The First Time
When I shop, I go to multiple stores, depending on the deal, for items I need for my stockpile. However, when I first started out, I began using coupons at one store and only made small transactions.
That way I could easily know what to expect, how much I would spend, and more importantly how much I would save.
Enjoy The Couponing Game
As I said at the beginning of this, it is like a game. If you are stressed, it makes you upset or angry; stop, look things over, and start again.
It can be overwhelming.
Look over how you are keeping your coupons. Are you organized? Are you setting aside enough time to prepare for your trip? Make changes. Have fun.
Designate a specific time on Sunday to clip your coupons. If Sundays aren’t good, pick another day. Is the store too busy when you shop? Pick a better time.
Store peak times are weekends and dinner time. If you can go shopping at 11:00 a.m. on a Tuesday, you will thank me.
These are just some simple tips to start couponing like a boss. It takes time and patience. But once you learn the basics and start using them week after week, you will begin to see the money you are saving.
It will be so rewarding! And it will only push you to want more.
Kimberly Butler is a mom and business owner in Queensbury. She has owned a childcare program for twenty years. She loves to save money, find bargains, and search for sales. And, of course……use coupons. Aside from her day job, she writes a weekly column for The Post-Star and teaches a coupon class there. She collects Pyrex, mason jars, and vintage items in her free time. She lives with her husband, Bill, her two children, Samantha and Aaron, and her 13-year-old black lab, Duke.
Kat
I have a major issue with Coupons. I love to use them, but I had to stop wasting my time. My walmart and Kroger stores will not key in the coupon codes like they used to and 95% of my coupons will not scan. The stores have changed their policies to if it doesn’t scan they will not accept it. I got sick of trying and sick of arguing with the stores. So now I only use coupons in stores like Kroger, Walgreens, Dollar General that have them electronically. It really stinks because I could save a lot with paper coupons. sometimes more than the electronic ones.