Getting Started
Years ago before I started couponing I went to Walmart once a week, I bought generic food and was sure that I was getting the best deals. I was on the internet when I saw a site on using coupons. I couldn’t believe how much money the people were claiming to save. I decided to start couponing.
I used to spend $120 a week on groceries. Now I try to spend $40 at the most. This feeds 3 people and 2 dogs. $80 dollars of savings a week equals $4000 a year! We use that money to travel more. I love feeling like I am contributing to my family.
One of the easiest ways to start saving money is at the drug stores. Every week they have items you can get for free or very cheap. If you don’t have a lot of time, but want to make a big impact on your budget drugstores are the place to start.New to drugstore shopping? You can check out my How to Coupon at CVS here. I also have a how to coupon at Walgreens. Every Saturday I do the best deals of the week for CVS and Walgreens.
Another great way to save money without a lot of time is to check out my Free Stuff. Almost everyday there are free things that you can get. Sometimes they are just small samples, sometimes they are larger. I have received everything from a free case(12 jars) of Biscoff to free razors. I love checking my mail everyday for freebies!
Anymore some of the best coupons are on the internet, so if you don’t get the paper that’s okay. I post the best internet coupons everyday. It’s so easy to just print from my website and stop spending all your time cutting coupons from the Sunday paper. You can go here to print a coupons.com or hopster coupons, or if there is a certain coupon you are looking for check out my coupon database.
You can subscribe to my deals here. Once a day I send out an email with all the new deals and coupons that day. Just spending 10 minutes a day reading through this and print the new coupons can save you big. Spending 2 hours a week can save you thousands of dollars a year!
Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest to see the best deals.
More Ways to Save
There are even more ways to save on top of coupons. You can sign up for Ibotta, SavingStar, Checkout 51 and Shopmium to save even more money at the store. These offers can be used on top of coupons! I like to save all of my deposit money from them until November, then I can use it for Christmas shopping.
Coupon Binder
- There are many different ways to keep a coupon binder. I have done it a lot of different ways. When I started out I had a small accordion style that I used. Within a couple months I realized this would not work.
- So then I moved on to a huge folder with baseball card inserts. I put tabs on the outside to keep them in sections. This worked really well. Although I had to haul a huge folder with me to each store, I always had my coupons with me if a new deal popped up. I used this for about a year. I finally stopped using this method when I realized I was spending WAY more time clipping then I was couponing.
- I have finally moved to a new method. I keep my coupons sorted by the week that they come. They are kept in a large accordion style binder. I keep my printable coupons in the front divider. Before I go to the store I clip the ones I think I will use and put them in a small accordion organizer that fits in my purse. I also keep all of my store coupons in the small organizer. I may miss out on deals now and then, but it is worth it to me to save a lot of time clipping coupons I will never use.
- You just have to try different methods. Here are my 2 binders that I use now.
How many Newspapers?
It is nice to have multiple newspaper inserts. I always recommend 1 insert for every family member plus 1 more. We have 3 people in our family and I get three inserts each week, if it is going to be a good coupon week I will buy more. However just because you think you need 5 inserts doesn’t mean you need to get 5 papers. Lots of people don’t use their coupon inserts. I get a insert from my mom and sister each week, so I only need to purchase 1 insert. Ask your neighbors or friends if they use theirs. Also the Dollar Tree sells the Sunday paper for only $1. This is cheaper for me than what the delivery service is in our area. Another idea for how to get cheap inserts is use your ECB or RR for papers at CVS or Walgreens. There are lots of ways to inexpensively get your coupons you need. I think some of the best coupons are internet coupons anymore, I always post the best coupons everyday, so check back regularly.
Printables
What is a good price to pay for items? You can check out the best prices, plus have a printable list to put with your coupons. I have a stock up price list here you can print. As you start to stockpile items it is important to keep track of the expiration dates of foods. I like to make my weekly meal plan based on what will be expiring soon. You can print a food expiration calendar here.
Coupon Lingo
Part of my initial challenge in getting into couponing online was learning the lingo. Just in case your not a seasoned veteran here are some of the most common abbreviations, acronyms, and time saving terms you will see.
| What you see | What it means | |
|---|---|---|
| B1G1 | Buy One Get One | |
| ECB | Extra Care Bucks. The rewards program used by CVS. | |
| NLA | No Longer Available | |
| OYNO | On Your Next Offer | |
| WYB | When You Buy | |
| Mperks | Meijer Digital Coupons | |
| RR | Register Rewards | |
| SS | SmartSource Coupon Insert | |
| RP | Red Plum Coupon Insert | |
| P&G | Procter& Gamble Coupon Insert | |
| Catalina | Coupons that print from a separate machine when your coupons print | |
| MIR | Mail in Rebate | |
| Stacking | When you stack a Manufacturers Coupon and a store coupon |