I really got into coupons about a
year ago. I wanted a way to save money, live on a budget and do something that
really was fun at the same time. Over the year I have had some great, OK and
bad shopping trips. I want to share the things I have learned in hopes it can
help others along their coupon journey.
- Learn the coupon rules: So, everyone has heard of
Manufacturer coupons but there are also store coupons, loyalty programs,
credit card cash back and catalina coupons. There are so many ways to save
and find the best bargain but it is all for nothing if you don't know the
rules and what you can use. Each store has their own rules and can always
be found on their website. Typically, you can combine a sale with a manufacturer’s
coupon, a store coupon, a loyalty program (like Target Cartwheel) and a
credit card or store card promotion or discount. If you are able to
combine all of the above you have hit what I call the
"trifecta"!! Here is a quick reference to a few
stores that are available in Florida:
2.
Learn the sale cycle: Most
stores tend to put things on sale in cycles. You will find people
on- line saying that sales are in 6 week cycles. Using the 6
week rule is a good place to start. You can always adjust your estimate
over time when you observe a different cycle for the store(s) where you
shop. You will also find that sales are seasonal based on
availability and demand (the standard economic rules apply...a lot of
something means lower prices and a low demand also means lower
prices).
Good
guides for seasonal sales and low prices can be found all over the
Internet. One good guide can be found at "Living Rich with
Coupons":
3.
Pay attention to prices: Not
knowing what items cost is a real "wrecker" for saving money.
Just because something is marked as being on sale or you have a coupon for
the item doesn't mean it is a good deal. You need to know what
the regular price is for an items at a variety of stores in your
area. I can't tell you how many times I have seen things on sale or even
BOGO and the price is still higher than another store's regular price.
For example salad dressing, I have seen a brand of salad dressing for
$1.99 at one store and $4.00 at another. The higher priced
store will run a BOGO deal on the dressing making it seem like a good deal
while actually just making it a price match item. In this
example, I would not stock up on the item. I would wait for
the store who sells it at the lower price to put it on sale and then
match the sale with a coupon (or two).
4.
Be Prepared and Organized:
Having coupons that you can't find or not having all your coupons ready is a
deal killer. Keeping coupons organized is hard for me to do
consistently. My coupon books are a mess half the time because
I am in a hurry or disorganized at the start of a shopping trip. The
key to your success and a huge time saver is keeping your coupons organized and
having all needed coupons with you during you trip. Everyone
organizes and shops differently so you have to find something that works
for you.
I
have a couple of coupon books so I can keep things separated into more
manageable categories. I also tend to print more coupons than I
have on my weekly shopping list. I print more in case I find an
unadvertised deal or an item on clearance that can be stacked with a store
or manufacturers coupons. You might want to do the same thing or you
might want to just save money on the items you need that week. You
have to decide what works for you when it comes to your couponing
method. I personally think that there is a lot of benefit to having
a small stock pile of commonly used items. By having a stock pile, you
are not ever paying regular price for an item (see item 2 for sale
cycles).
5.
Get some help to find deals:
With the Internet being so accessible, you should use it to make saving
easier. There are tons of couponing sites on the Internet and some
will even tell you what coupons to match with store sales. My
favorite is "The Krazy Coupon Lady". On this site, you
will find deals for a variety of items and a variety or retailers matched with
coupons or other promotions. The Krazy Coupon Lady has
completed a lot of the thinking and planning that is done when planning a
shopping trip.
HAPPY COUPONING!!
The can:
