Couponing: Saving a Dollar at a Time!

Coupons! Coupons! Coupons!  Many people are talking about coupons!  “Do you really save with coupons?” some people ask.  “I mainly buy from the produce section so coupons can’t really save money for me.” other people say.  The answers are “Yes!” and “If you say so!”  Everyone buys paper towels, cleaning supplies, and toiletries, right?

There are so many websites, blogs, and even television shows about couponing.  This isn’t just another blog about some lady saving hundreds of dollars a month on her shopping trips.  Hopefully, this blog teaches some helpful hints about how to start couponing and slowly save more money in the process!

I’ll go over how to get started, how to increase your savings as time progresses, and tricks of couponing.

So here we go!

• Start small!  You don’t want to go to the store with a handful of coupons only to learn that they don’t accept or double when you thought they would do both.  We’ll get to those details in a bit.
• Buy the Baltimore Sun on a Sunday.  Side note:  Some stores charge you tax in addition to the $2 charge for the paper.  The 7-11 at the corner of Ritchie Highway and Church Street in Brooklyn Park includes the 12 cents of tax in the $2 paper.  (If you are seeking for coupons to save you 35 cents on yogurt, 12 cents of tax on the purchase of the paper matters too, right?!)
• Do you ever see those free newspapers in your yard?  They usually are distributed on Wednesdays or Thursdays.  There are coupons in those papers!!  It’s like they are throwing money into your yard!
• Before you plan on going to the grocery store, go through the coupons in your Sunday (and Wednesday) paper.  Cut out the ones for items that you already buy at regular price.  Remember, we are starting small!

 When you are extremely comfortable with that part of the process, it’s time to step up your game some!

• Start paying attention to the store ads of the stores you usually buy from. 
• You can find most ads online or in the Wednesday Baltimore Sun.  (I use the Shoprite app for my Andriod phone to make my shopping list!)
• Maybe it’s time to buy a subscription to the Baltimore Sun?  I bought my subscription as a promotion.  $19 for 6 months of Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday papers.  AND I received a $10 gift card for Walgreens.  Score!
• Keep in mind:  When a newspaper is delivered to your home, the coupon inserts are delivered on Saturdays and not on Sundays like when you purchase at the store.  No idea why – just to confuse the new couponers? :o)
• Also, some newspaper delivery people stop giving you the free mid-week publication when you are paying for a paper.
• It’s important in this step to try to only use coupons for items that are on sale in the ad unless the coupon is expiring soon.  (Maximizing the savings!)
• So now when you are cutting your coupons, you probably are going to start accumulating extra that you don’t use every time you go shopping.  Make a pile and save them for the next shopping trip.
• Only cut coupons for items that you would normally purchase!  It’s not a deal if you never use the items!!
• Do not overwhelm yourself with all of this or you may want to give it up.

Do you feel like the coupons from the weekend papers and the free mid-week publication are not enough?

• You can print coupons from online!
• I find that www.couponmom.com is a great resource!
• I print the majority of my online coupons from her website.
• Take a walk around your neighborhood on a Friday.  See who leaves their free publication on their lawn from Wednesday or Thursday delivery.  If you’re not shy, simply ask your neighbor if she would mind if you pick up that paper upon delivery.  She should be thrilled!  “Less trash I have to pick up” is what she is thinking!  You are thinking “Free Money!"
• I also receive emails from www.fabuLESSlyfrugal.com – They break down some weekly sales from some stores in the mid-west but they also cover Target and the pharmacy stores – CVS, Walgreens, etc. 
• You can also print coupons from company’s Facebook pages after “liking” their page.

 Organization of coupons:

• Everyone has a method.  Baseball card holders or big three ring binders, etc.
• My method is simple.  I have about 7 larger envelopes.  Each envelope has a category:  Refrigerator Items, Freezer Items, Refrigerator Meats, Cereal, Canned Items, Pasta, and Household.
• When I cut my coupons, I put them into the appropriate category to help make my shopping list later.

 Preparing for the shopping trip!

• Make a shopping list from your store ad (or phone app!)
• Pull matching coupons from your envelopes and put them into a Ziploc bag.
• It’s also helpful to put them in order of how the store is organized.  A bit too much for you?  No worries! :o)
• Take an addition Ziploc bag to the store as well as all of your envelopes!
• You don’t want to get to the store and see something on sale and not have your coupons!
• As you are shopping, place all of your “used” coupons into your extra Ziploc bag.
• Print, read, and take to the store the Store’s Coupon Policy!  Why?  Not all cashiers are familiar with their store coupon policy.
• Make sure you purchase exactly what and how many is listed on the coupon.
• My sister uses a paper clip and index card shopping method – whatever you make work for yourself will be a great system!

JTB’s Tricks of Couponing:

I typically shop at Shoppers, Giant, and Shoprite.  Shoprite is by far the best for coupon shopping!

• Shopppers in Brooklyn Park – They will accept all internet coupons and newspaper coupons but will not double if the coupon says 'do not double'.  Otherwise, if it's a 75 cent coupon without the 'do not double' they will double it to 1.50 off of the item.  Any coupon under a dollar, will be doubled unless it says “do not double”.

• Giant (near Lowes) in Glen Burnie – They accept all newspaper coupons; however, they will only accept internet coupons if there are 3 bar codes on the coupon.  They will double even if it says 'do not double’.  They also double all coupons under a dollar.  So 75 cents becomes 1.50 off.  They also give points for gas savings at Shell stations.

• – They will double even if it says 'do not double' AND will take ALL internet coupons.  They also have coupons in their ad that are Shoprite coupons.  Every now and again, Shoprite offers TRIPLE coupons!  Again, all coupons under a dollar are tripled!  So for a 75 cent coupon, the discount is now $2.25 off!

• Always greet the cashier with a smile.  Let them know as you are placing your items on the belt that you have a handful of coupons.  When you’re first starting, don’t be shy to say “I’m new at this.”  As he/she is scanning the coupons, make sure you see a deduction for each beep of a scan.  Sometimes it beeps but does not decrease an amount.  Don’t be shy to question it.  At the end of the transaction, be sure to thank them for their time and their patience.  Also, apologize to the next person in line for the wait.  It will take an extra few minutes for the cashier to scan your coupons.  What a feeling as your total becomes lower and lower and lower!

An example of a simple shopping trip:  I sent my husband to Giant for buy one get one free packs of boneless/skinless chicken breasts.  So he bought two $8 packs and got two $8 packs for free. PLUS i had two 75 cent coupons.  So another 1.50 per paid package came off at the register!  Bottom line:  $32 worth of chicken for $13. *takes a bow* If my husband (the non-shopper) can do this, so can you!

Want to take another plunge into the world of couponing?  There’s a whole world of pharmacy and Target store ads to tackle when you’re ready!

I am by no means an “Extreme Couponer” but I have a simple method to help save at the register.  One time, I saved $130 and spent $150!  Basically, I purchased $280 of groceries for $150.  That’s saving!

Stay tuned for upcoming blogs on how much I save and how I made it happen!  Feel free to post questions below on how to start or become a better coupon shopper!