The Basics
I get asked all the time about couponing. Many people have no idea how to get started. Well, I'm here to help! First I'm going to go over a few points about couponing so everyone knows what to expect & what not to expect.
What NOT to expect
There are many misconceptions about couponing. That's why I decided to put this segment in first. Let's clear up the misconceptions first so we can go into this with a clear understanding on what is real and what is not real...in other words...what you see on TV is NOT reality! Shocking...I know!
1. You will NOT save 90%! A certain TV show has taken couponing and completely distorted it. You all know what show I'm talking about. While it may be entertaining to watch, it simply isn't true. There are times you will be able to get things for free. There are times that you will work a deal at a drugstore or grocery store and see massive savings. This will happen. But it will NOT happen every time you go shopping. In fact, it usually only happens every now & then. It's great when it does, but don't expect to walk into your local grocery store with a handful of coupons every week and walk out with a cart full of your most loved items.
2. You will NOT get special treatment! Again, a certain TV show has shown us something that simply does not happen. You cannot walk into a store with 50 of the same coupon and be allowed to redeem them all at one time. Some stores have no limitations when it comes to how many coupons you can redeem but most do. For example, an episode of that show featured a local store near me. The person redeemed over 100 of the same coupon. However, the stores coupon policy clearly states only "8 like coupons" per day! The rules are clearly being bent for the sake of their store being featured on national TV. You, as an average customer, will not get special treatment. You will have to follow the rules of their coupon policy. (More on policies later)
3. Shelf Clearing is NOT cool! Many of us have seen the "mustard lady" on the TV show. She bought around 60 bottles of mustard because they were free...clearing the entire shelf in the process. In fact, the show has featured quiet a few "shelf clearers". To couponers, such as myself, this is considered rude. As a rule, I never clear a shelf. Even if I go home with a few coupons left over that could have gotten me free items...I still do not clear a shelf. After all, I can always go back another day after the shelves are restocked or ask for a rain check. Clearing shelves is inconsiderate of other shoppers. Plain, easy & simple. Besides who in world needs 60 bottles of mustard??? Unless you plan to make a nice donation to your local food bank or shelter(which she did not state) there's no need for that type of excess.
What You Can Expect
Hopefully I was able to clear up any confusion that TV has placed in your head about couponing. Let's move on to what you can expect. Not all of these things will happen over night. Couponing & stockpiling does take time and effort.
1. You can save up to 70%! It is very possible to save up to 70% on your groceries and household items. This number is hard to achieve constantly. I average a savings of 60%-70% monthly. I keep track of all my shopping trips on an Excel spreadsheet so that I know exactly how much I'm saving. By matching coupons with store sales you will be able to achieve a great amount of savings! And I'll show you how :)
2. You will have invest to time & effort into Couponing! The savings isn't going to fall into your lap. You will have to put in a few hours of work weekly. You will have to gather, clip and sort coupons. You will also have to look through store ads to see what's on sale. There are many valuable websites that post store match ups weekly. These are your biggest resource!
3. Brand Loyalty... This was a hard one for me when I first started out. I was convinced that I could never move away from the brands I knew & trusted. However the simple fact is not all your favorite brands are not going to put out coupons. For example, I was convinced that I could never move away from Charmin bath tissue. It's expensive but I liked it and used it all me life. How could I give it up? Well, after I began couponing I became aware that
Charmin coupons weren't all that great and even matched with a sale the price was still high. So I tried a different, much cheaper brand, and I loved it. In fact, I've found many brands that I like it just as much over the past 9 months. Trying new or different brands is something you have to try to be open to. However I do understand that are things you simply cannot change. For example, my son & I have very sensitive skin. We can only use
Dove soap. I know what happens if I use different soap...and it's not pretty! I still only buy
Dove and I will continue to do so. Same with laundry detergent...we have to be very careful. So do your best to be open minded about brands but by all means don't risk allergic reactions!
4. You WILL run into issues! It happens to everyone! It can't be avoided. One day you'll be checking out and hear the dreaded beep! The register not accepting your coupon. First of all, don't get panicked. Like I said, it happens to everyone who uses coupons. Lots of times it's the bar code on an IP(Internet Printable) coupon. These tend to have issues sometimes. The cashier may ask where you got the coupon. Be honest. They are only looking out for the store and doing their best to insure the coupon is real before they push it through. There are times that when a manufacturer's coupon(the ones you clip from newspaper inserts) will beep. Most cashiers I've dealt with will push these through without question.
The other issues you can run into during checkout is with the stores policy. It's always a good idea to become familiar with your stores coupon policy and to carry a copy along with you. Why do you need a copy? Well there are times when the cashier will question if you are right. Maybe they are a new employee and don't know the policy well. If you know the policy and know you are not doing anything wrong, you can pull your copy out and go over it with the cashier and/or store manager.
Remember, when something goes wrong stay calm and work through it with the cashier. If you get into a situation where the cashier is being rude, request to speak to the manager on duty. In my experience the managers are usually very helpful and want you retain you as a customer.
How Extreme Couponing Really Works
What exactly is Extreme Couponing? Well it's not as seen on TV. Let's face it...you can't live on 60 bottle of mustard or 120 candy bars! Extreme couponing is the process of matching coupons with store sales to get items your family uses at rock bottom prices. And when a good deal comes along you don't buy just 1 or 2, you buy a lot! Extreme couponing requires you to build a stockpile of items you use often. We'll cover more on stockpiling in the next section.
Extreme couponing is a cumulative process and will not happen overnight. Remember this! It took me a good 6 months to start seeing massive savings at the grocery store. Was I saving before that? I sure was! I was getting great deals from the start. However I had no stockpile and had to work on building one. This process takes time & patience. If you stick with it, you will reap the rewards.
So how do you know if you're getting a great deal or not? This one can be tricky. With prices going up all the time, it's hard to keep a price book up to date. A price book is a list of items you buy. You can build this yourself as you go. If you know the shelf price, price of an item without a sale & coupon, then you can determine if the sale + coupon price is a stock up price. Here's an example of a current deal that is at rock bottom, stock up pricing:
Heinz Ketchup 23-26oz $2
25¢/1 or 50¢/1 from 5/20 SS
Final Price: As low as $1
What does this all mean? Let's go through this step by step. If you use couponing websites to look at match ups for you local store, this is likely what you will see.
Heinz Ketchup 23-26oz $2--This is what's on sale according to the store ad.
25¢/1 or 50¢/1 from 5/20 SS--This refers to the available coupons that can be used for this item. 25¢/1= $0.25 off 1 item. 5/20 SS refers to the Smart Source insert dated 5/20. This helps you find the coupon especially if you use the clip less method of organizing(more on that later).
Final Price-- This is the price you will pay for ketchup after the sale & coupon. Why does it say "as low as"? Different areas around the country receive different coupons. They are both be for Heinz Ketchup but one is 25¢ off and the other is 50¢ off. This will obviously effect the final price. This example is for a store that doubles coupons. So if you have the 25¢/1 coupon, your final price would be $1.50. Still a good price but not a stock up price.
How do I know if it's a stock up price? Basically if you are saving 65%-70% or more off the regular price, it's a pretty good deal. There are websites that use various ways to let you know if you are getting a great deal. The regular price for our example is $3.29. A 70% savings would be 99¢...so we are really really close. In fact, close enough to buy a nice supply. Ketchup has a shelf life of about 1 year. So if this deal was at your local store you could buy a 1 year supply and not have to worry about it going bad before you use it.
Are you with me so far?
Stockpiling
Stockpiling...there's a word that's gotten a really bad rep! Let's set the record straight right now...stockpiling
is NOT hoarding! Oh my gosh! The cat is out of the bag! Hoarding is
when you collect more than you can reasonably use or need. What we are going to talk about is stockpiling.
First
you must understand the "why". Why should you build a stockpile?
Let's go over the different ways people tend to shop and I think it'll
all make sense in a few minutes.
Saving significant money with coupons happens only when you change
your whole way of thinking. Most people
simply make a list of what they need before going to the store, and then
buy what’s on the list, regardless of whether it is on sale.
Some shoppers may try to pick the cheapest brand, or even make an
impulse buy on a sale item, but the general process is the same.
Extreme coupon shopping is completely different. The goal is to buy
as few “needed” items as possible, while mostly just stocking up on the
items that are on sale. The key is to stock up when items are at their
lowest price. Done cumulatively and consistently, week after week, you
will soon have a well-stocked and varied pantry of food to
choose from.
As
your stockpile grows, you will find that your list of “needed” items
goes down each week, resulting in lower and lower grocery bills each
week. But please don't expect your bill to ever be $0. You will always
need things like milk, cheese, eggs, fresh produce & meat. Items you
cannot stockpile due to their short shelf life.
Unlike
what you see on TV, you do not need to dedicate an entire room of you
house to your stockpile(or invade your kids' rooms for that matter).
You can use your pantry or set up a few shelving units in your
basement. Whatever works for you. You do need to have a good variety of items to choose from in your
stockpile, but it isn’t necessary to buy everything on the shelves every
time it goes on sale.
I came up with this list of qualities of a good stockpile:
1. Usefulness Can we use it? Will we use it? How much will we use? It only makes sense to stockpile items you & your family will use!
2. Pay Attention to Expiration Dates! Look
at the dates on the items you are going to purchase, then determine how
much your family will use. In other words, don't buy 3 years worth of
cereal if it expires in 1 year.
3. Be Organized There's
that word again...Organized! Organize your stockpile in a way that
works for you. If your stockpile is organized you will be able to
easily determine what you need and what you don't need. It will also
help you in cooking & meal planning.
4. Staple Pantry Goods It's
a
great idea to stock items for a wide variety of meals. I love to look
for the basics: pasta, rice, cereals, canned beans,
canned veggies, soups, tomato-based products, condiments, etc. Many of
these items are used in preparing everyday meals. If I keep my
stockpile of staple items up to my family needs, I never have to worry
about running out of pasta on spaghetti night.
5. Inspiring Your
stockpile should inspire you to want to cook and eat at home! You're
trying to save money, right? By stocking a variety of
foods, you should have an easy time grabbing snacks for the kids or
preparing dinner. "Shopping" your pantry may inspire you try new
recipes as well, which is always fun!
Now, does stockpiling sound like hoarding to you?
Getting Started
Now that we covered some basic information it's time to start the steps of couponing. In this section, we'll go over what you need to do to be successful at saving money!
Types of Coupons
Coupons are issued from a variety of sources. The following is a
list of the types of coupons that you will run into on a regular basis:
Manufacturer – these are the old fashioned coupons
that we grew up with. They are issued by manufacturers and often found in newspapers, mailings and inside packaging.
Store-
store coupons are issued by specific retailers in an effort to persuade
you to shop at their store. There are also e-coupons that stores issue
that can be directly loaded onto your store loyalty card.
$ off Your Total - these coupons are one of the
best. They take a specified dollar amount off of your total order at
the end of the transaction. These are almost always store coupons. Example: $5 off $25 purchase.
Competitor
– these are store coupons that are issued at one store and can be
redeemed at another store. Not all stores accept competitor coupons.
Check with your store.
Internet Printable – these coupons are downloaded
and printed from the Internet from a couponing website such as
coupons.com or from the manufacturer website itself. In order to print
these coupons you will have to download and install specific software to
your computer. In rare instances, companies will post a PDF version
of their coupon on their site. Most printable coupons allow you to
print them a limit of two times.
Blinkies – these are the coupons that you see
hanging from the shelf with the blinking red light. They are all over
most grocery stores. You can find them in the aisles, in the dairy
department and in frozen food.
Peelies- these
are the coupons that are placed on products at the point of sale that
you can peel off and use in that shopping trip. Be sure to read the
coupon before peeling it off. Some do state: Valid ONLY if removed by
cashier.
Hangtags- these coupons are usually on drinks,
detergents, medicines and anything else that has a bottleneck. They
called hang tags because they hang from the product.
Tearpads – These are exactly what they sound like.
They are the pads that sales and marketing reps from the various
companies place on or around the shelf of the specified product. You
are able to “tear” off the coupons and use them for that product or
others that pair nicely with it.
Catalinas – these coupons are named after the
Catalina Marketing Corporation. They are the coupons that print out at
the point of sale and are handed to you with your receipt. These
coupons can be either store coupons or manufacturer coupons. Many times
they are discarded into the trash along with the receipt, never to be
seen again and redeemed.
Step 1: Obtaining Coupons
I get asked all the time where I get my coupons. I get a newspaper delivered at a discounted rate. Family members save inserts for me. I have several ways. Here's where you can find coupons:
Newspaper Inserts: This is my main source of savings
and I highly recommend either subscribing to the Sunday paper or
picking one of for only $1 at a local Dollar Tree or other type of
dollar store. Take advantage of promotions your local newspaper may be offering. Call them and see what kind of deal you can get. I secured a 1 year subscription of the Sunday paper for only $26...that's $0.50 a week!
Internet: You can get coupons directly from the manufacturer at sites like
Betty Crocker and
Everyday Eating (Nestle). You can also get coupons from stores you like to shop at like
Target. You can also grab a variety of coupons at reputable coupon sites like
Coupons.com or
Smart Source.
Magazines: Another favorites savings source of mine is
All You Magazine,
since it’s packed with over $30 in coupons every month. IN Good ‘Cents’
readers can get a highly discounted 2-year subscription by clicking the
link or stop by Walmart to pick up this month’s edition for $2.49.
Other magazines often have coupons inside as well, so watch, while you
skim through your favorites.
Loyalty Programs: Through loyalty programs, like
CVS’s Extra Care program or
Giant Eagle's Advantage Card program. E-coupons(coupons that can be loaded to your store card) are becoming increasingly popular.
Mail: I always sort through my junk mail and sign up
for samples. Often a useful coupon may be stuck in the middle of a pile
of junk mail and samples almost always come with a great coupon.
Store: Keep your eyes open while your shopping for
blinkies, tearpads, and peelies. Both are typically found in store
aisles. Some stores like CVS and Walgreens also ofter coupon booklets
in the store. Watch for the CVS Beauty Book and Walgreens Easy Saver
Guide for more coupons!
Manufacturer: Not only can you snag valuable coupons
by visiting the manufacturer’s site, but you can also call or e-mail
them. Manufacturers love compliments and often reward you with coupons
and/or samples. Or you can simply ask if they have any coupons available
and they’ll often mail them to you! Join manufacturer mailing lists to
get savings directly to your e-mail box.
Step 2: Organizing Your Coupons
Organization allows you to accomplish tasks effectively and
efficiently. Being organized saves time and money. To be successful in
couponing, it is important to get organized.
Knowing where each coupon is allows you to quickly find it and use
it. No more rummaging through your purse or home for that one coupon
you know you have, but cannot find. You then realize searching for it
takes too much time and you’re only saving a dollar. Here are several common methods used to organize coupons.
Envelope method
The envelope method is a great start to organizing coupons. It allows
you to try out the coupon world without spending money on supplies to
get organized. Simply label envelopes with the categories of your
coupons. Once you clip the coupons, just place the coupon into its
appropriate envelope. Or you could use a small coupon accordion file.
You can label each divided section and keep your coupons in it.
Clip less method
Another option is the clip less coupon system. You would organize your
coupon inserts based on the date. Instead of clipping the coupons you
want from the Sunday paper, you would file the whole inserts. When a
great deal is posted you would simply locate that insert and clip the
coupon. When deals are posted the coupon to be used will look like this: SS 5/27. This means you would find the coupon in the Smart Source insert date 5/27. The drawback to this method is you’re limited to
saving money based on what is posted. You cannot easily match coupon
deals to the unadvertised deals or clearance finds. I have personally never tried this method.
Binder method
My favorite organizational method is the binder method. It does take
some time to clip, organize, and file using this system; however, the
payoff is great. I use a 2-inch, three-ring binder. Dividers are used to categorize my coupons. When deciding what categories to use, take into consideration if you
want to have specific or broad categories. Having more specific category
sections will take longer to organize; however, you can locate the
coupon more quickly.
Baseball card holders are then used behind each of the dividers to
hold the coupons. Using the clear pockets of the baseball card holders
allows you to visualize the coupons. I often have to fold the coupon to
fit in the small pocket of the holders. I try to keep the title of the
coupon and expiration date visible if possible. I also have a divided
section for restaurants. I use clear page protectors or photo album
holders to store restaurant coupons.
I love this particular method because it allows me to get deals that
are unadvertised or clearance finds. I can see all the coupons I have at a glance. This method works great for me.
Step 3: Pick a Store...But Not Just Any Store
Finding a store that works for your shopping needs can take a bit or trail & error. The store you favored for many years may suddenly be a store you are no longer interested in after you begin couponing. It's OK, you will find a store that you feel comfortable couponing at. Most likely you will shop at multiple stores. This doesn't mean you have to run all around town to take advantage of every deal every week.
Here are a few things to consider:
1. Is your store coupon friendly? Some stores are more coupon friendly then other. I find my local Walmart to be very unfriendly when it comes to coupons. However, your Walmart may be different. It may take some trial & error to figure out which stores are coupon friendly.
2. Does your store double coupons? If they do...Great! Shopping at stores that double is going to maximize your savings. My local stores, Giant Eagle & Kuhn's, both double coupons up to 99¢. So if I walk in there with my 75¢/1 coupon, the register will deduct 75¢ for the coupon then 75¢ again for the store double! This can equal more free stuff! Some stores offer certain days that they double. Some may only double up to 50¢. Either way, try to use this to your advantage!
3. Do you like your store? There are certain stores that I despise shopping at. I don't go to them because my shopping experience is so frustrating. Pick a store you enjoy shopping at if possible. Your shopping trips most likely take a bit longer since you have a plan every time you go shopping.
I hope you find a store that you enjoy shopping at. I normally shop at 2 grocery store. I don't go to both every week. It all depends on the deal. If my 2 stores aren't featuring great produce deals, I go to Aldi. If you have an Aldi in your area, I highly suggest you check it out. Their produce is cheap and great quality most of the time. I also buy dry beans there.
Your First Shopping Trip
Your first trip to the store as a new extreme couponer can be daunting. But don't stress out too much, I'm here to help you through it.
First you need to get your hands on the store weekly sale ad. Mine comes by mail with Red Plum(RP) coupons every week. If yours doesn't get delivered to your home, you can always stop by the store and grab one.
After you have the ad, it's time to look through it. And I don't mean just mindlessly browsing it. Really look at the sales. Are they offering any special buys, such as $2 off your next order(OYNO) when you buy(WYB) 3 participating items? Do you have coupons for those items? Is the price per item after the catalina(OYNO $$) a stock up price? Wow that's a lot of stuff to think about.
This is were your best resource will be priceless to you. The internet. There are countless sites that offer lists of coupon match ups every week. You can Google your store's name plus the word "matchups"(i.e. Gaint Eagle matchups or Gaint Eagle coupon matchups) and probably get a pretty big list to choose from. Check out a few of them. If you are a Gaint Eagle shopper, I highly suggest taking a look at
LadySavings. Her matchups are great. She color codes the final price so you know if it's a good deal, great deal or stock up price. I use her matchups each week for my Giant Eagle shopping trips. I normally copy & paste the deals I'm interested into a Word document and print it out. That way I'm not skimming through the things I know I will not buy. I also go through the ad and put stars by anything else I'm interested in such as produce sale, BOGO free meat, lunch meat, etc.
Once you have a list of matchups that you are interested in, pick just 1 or 2 deals for your first shopping trip. If you have a list of other things you need, keep it separate for now. I recommend that you do small couponing trips for at least the first few weeks so you can get the hang of it and not be overwhelmed. Gather your coupons & your list. Double check that you have everything you'll need before leaving, perhaps a pen & calculator will come in handy. I always carry these along.
Off to the store you go! try not to be nervous. Have fun with it your first extreme couponing shopping trip!
So there you have it...all the basic information you need to know to start extreme couponing. I hope you found this informative. More so, I hope you had fun with it. For now, keep collecting those coupons and working with small trips. When you are comfortable, try adding a few more deals to your list.
In the following weeks I will be writing posts about CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens & Target. Until then...
Live Frugal. Live Happy.
