The Coupon Game 101

I have found that a lot of my readers are fairly new to "The Coupon Game," as I like to call it. So, I wanted to provide a little tutorial from the strategies and tips I've learned along the way.

Start collecting coupons!

1. Print coupons online HERE.
   
2. Clip coupons out of the newspaper inserts. Usually, you will find the SmartSource and RedPlum in every Sunday paper. On the 1st Sunday of each month, it will also include the P&G Brandsaver insert along with the SmartSource and RedPlum. This is the Sunday that I stock up on papers or get extra coupons from friends who don't use them. Some holiday weekends do not provide coupon inserts, so feel free to flip through your paper to make sure you get them before you purchase it. You don't want to waste money on a paper, when you won't get anything to save you money! (unless you like reading it, of course)
3. If you don't get the Sunday paper, but see a coupon listed on this site that you need, check out Manufacturers Coupons or The Coupon Clippers, and order only what you need! Skip the clipping and get your coupons for pennies on the dollar.
   
4. Many product websites offer promotional freebies and coupons, so if you're shopping for a particular brand, be sure to check their website while you're making up your weekly grocery list.

Organize your Coupons
This is key to keeping your sanity. There are a lot of different ways to organize coupons.

1. When you get your Sunday newspaper coupon insert, write the date on the front and file it away. This allows you to not have to cut every coupon each week. I'll let you know in my deal posts what date and insert (i.e. 8/2 SS) you should be able to find the coupon in.
   
2. Of course, there's the tried and true coupon accordion style file system with 5-8 sections in which you file by category.
3. And last is the binder system. Purchase a binder, baseball card inserts, and page dividers and organize your coupons in a visible way for easy flipping through and finding! You can check out my binder HERE.

Set a Goal!

1. I say this somewhat loosely as though I had initially set a goal of lowering our budget from $150-200/week in groceries, toiletries, & paper goods down to $80/week. That was quite a drastic change especially since I hadn't stockpiled anything up to that point. Inevitably, we went over the first week, but I still stayed under the $150 the first week.
2. Know that it is a gradual way of spending, and really a new mindset on the "needs" in your life. Be practical about your budget, but challenge yourself.
3. I admit that I have a bit of a competitive nature about myself. I love to play games and be challenged. Not only that, I know that by doing a little extra work in planning ahead, searching out coupons, and setting a goal is worthwhile to our family's financial goals.
   

Make A Plan (and follow through)

1. Plan out your grocery list BEFORE you head to the store.
2. You can make a more accurate list by referring to your store's weekly flier online or from your newspaper and check the sales, BOGO's, etc. before you make your list.
3. Stockpile items that you would normally use on a regular basis. For example, Poptarts are a staple in our house, so when Publix has their BOGO sale on them, I stock up for at least 4 week's worth until their next BOGO sale on them. This way, I'm saving money in the end on an item I would otherwise pay full price for.
4. Plan your meals for the week ahead of time based on the items already in your pantry and refrigerator. Maybe you stocked up on meat when you found a good price, making it possible for you not to have to purchase meat the following week. That certainly saves money.
5. Is the stockpiling concept making sense??
6. By no means would I encourage you to buy items that you will never use simply because they're on sale. Know when to say "No." Unless you can get the item for free and give it to someone in need of it, don't buy it!!

Other Tips & Learnings

1. When a sale is BOGO (Buy One Get One Free), you can use 1 coupon for each item, thus using 2 coupons - 1 for the Buy One & 1 for the Get One Free.
2. You can use a store coupon alongside a manufacturer coupon for a single item in most stores. Publix allows competitor coupons as well!!
3. Don't be afraid to ask your store's manager what their coupon policy is. If it can help you be a better steward of your money, it's worth taking the time to find out.