Clipping 101

The biggest question I get is "I see that you do all of this couponing, and that you save a lot of money, but how do you start?"

I started out just like you - curious, but a little overwhelmed and intimidated. There were so many coupon websites and stores and deals - how would I ever know which was the best?

What worked out best for me was going back to the old tried and true method - Sunday paper and grocery flyers. Every Sunday, I am up early and I get the paper. The paper is best if you get a deal on a subscription, but I am buying it at my local gas station until I see a deal worth taking. Right there is Lesson 1 - a deal isn't a deal unless it's worth taking. It's the Costco method of thinking - I know I can get a great deal on 6 gallons of pickle juice, but if I don't really need it, is it a deal? Nope.

Anywho, back to the paper. I pull out the ads and coupons I check each week. I go for Shopko, Walgreens, Walmart, Target, Best Buy and the coupon sections. Sometimes there is a grocery ad, which I also pull out.

I first comb the coupons. I clip anything that I think we might use. I used to only clip coupons that I was sure we would use, but then I lost out on a LOT of great deals. I admit - I generally let price lead me. A lot of the time, these coupons determine what I buy. If I get a coupon for Capri Sun, then we drink Capri Sun for a few days. If I get a deal on Tuna Helper, that tells me what will be for dinner.

After I have pulled out the coupons, I sort them. I have an old-fashioned coupon organizer. It is sorted into sections: Grocery, Personal Care, Household, Pet, Store-Specific, Restaurant, and I keep important receipt in the back. It fits into my purse, so it goes everywhere I go. Lesson 2: Take your coupons everywhere. You never know when you will need to stop for something and you might have a coupon for it. Oh, BTW: said coupon organizer was $1 at Target in the Dollar Spot, and I even got my fave colour - pink. That just makes clipping fun.

I start in on the ads. Target and Walgreens usually get my attention first, since they tend to match their sales to what coupons have been out recently. If I think I spot a good deal, I grab the coupon file, verify everything is what I think it is, then I pull the coupon out, set it aside, and dog-ear that page of the flyer. Once I have a few coupons, they either get clipped together or go in a special pocket of my purse. Now, just because you see a coupon matches an advertised price, that does not make it a great deal. For instance, Shopko runs a LOT of their ad to coincide with coupons. Shopko is more expensive than Target or Walmart, 9 out of 10 times. I tend not to shop there much, because even their "sale" price is usually more than the other's regular price. That list of about 50 items you always seem to need - toilet paper, dish soap, maybe diapers, detergent, butter, shaving gel, etc; eventually you will learn who usually has the better deal. If you don't have the best memory, make a spreadsheet of prices. The dedication and time will definitely pay off in the long run - we will go over that more at a later date.

After I am done with the paper, I head out. I am a morning person, so I am usually out shopping by 9 on a Sunday. I grab my reusable bags (better for the earth, and most places give you .05 savings just for using it!), and off I go. I shop with my list - I do not browse or wander. Lesson 3: Those who wander are not lost.... but they tend to spend more money than needed. Shopping from a list saves money!

Now, you clipped coupons, but there was nothing great in the paper for that .50 off toilet paper coupon this week, right? DO NOT TOSS IT. Some places will hope you use the coupon during week 1 of a campaign, and then put the item on sale later on, or sometimes, just before it expires. Be patient with your coupons. The only time you toss a coupon is after it has expired.

While we are talking about coupons, share them! If there is a great diaper coupon, and you don't have little ones in diapers, give it to someone you know who does use those diapers. Or just clip it and leave it near the diaper section of the store for a random act of kindness. It costs you nothing, and helps another person who is also just trying to save money.

That's all I've got for today! Happy Clipping!