If you had told me 2 years ago that I would become a Queen of Coupons, I would have laughed at you, and thought you belonged in padded cell - for that matter even one year ago I would have told you you were ridiculous! Why? Because I was actually anti-coupons. As I am sure many of you out there might be.
I have to say, without the prior education or understanding, I still would agree with you. I just did not think it was remotely worth my time to snip and clip a coupon and save a whole buck on an item---ooooh, awwww- I saved a whole buck, and wasted 15 mins of my life that I would never get back.
A friend introduced me to coupons back in Oct. 2009, at first I was VERY skeptical. I was told I would be able to save up to 60% off my grocery bill. Ha, right! I thought. I just thought it was another one of those gimmicks, "Click here and save thousands!", when in fact you have to pay a lot of money and then end up not saving a darn thing. I couldn't believe that you would be able to trim 60% off your grocery bill.
She suggested I try out TheGroceryGame.com and so I thought if my friend was saving some money, and the first four weeks were free, I would go ahead and give it a shot in the dark. I still did not understand how a $1 coupon or less for that matter, or any amount, really, could possibly ever save 60% off my grocery bill. You may as well have told me unicorns existed and pigs grew wings, that's how much faith I had in this :)
So, I actually gave it a shot. I followed the directions and my first bill I saved around 40%, I was SHOCKED!!
My problem was that I just lacked in understanding of how to properly use coupons. What I didn't know was that I should apply my coupons to sale items. That was a HUGE light bulb that went off for me.
Today I spend time clipping and saving, and saving WAY more than 40% on my grocery bill. I am currently saving around 75-80% on my grocery bills, and many times even more than that. I stumbled along for awhile, I had the assistance of TheGroceryGame.com, but I knew there had to be a way to save even more than what I was already doing.
I soon stumbled upon other blog sites devoted to Couponing and eventually was able to grow my stock pile while shrinking my grocery bill, dramatically. I made quite a few mistakes and in some cases spent more than I should, and made some bad decisions along the beginning phases of my couponing experiences. That's why I have created this blog to help others along and avoid the same mistakes I made.
I am now here to tell you, as living proof, that coupons are worth your time. I promise! Our grocery bill was around $700 a month for my family of 5. Recently are household has grown to 7 (as we have family living with us). Even though our family size is larger, our grocery bill for 7 people and 2 dogs is now $300 month, and continuing to go down.
I am not here to lead you on, or give you some hocus pocus junk. I want to help encourage you and educate you in the world of coupons. I have to also admit not only does this save us money, big time, it is absolutely addicting! I love to shop, and now that I can shop and spend as little out of pocket as possible, it makes shopping that much better and exciting. This really has turned into a game for me, how much can I buy with as little out of pocket as possible.
My husband laughs at me now, and told me the other day, "You have changed!". He's right. I could have cared less about saving a buck here or there, but now I am saving hundreds, and every little buck adds up, and quickly.
So, join me on this journey. I am sure you will fall in love with saving and being able to even help others out, as you start using coupons more wisely and effectively. I am excited for you, and excited to share this experience with you!
On to the Meat of it all...
There are techniques and strategies to using coupons and to saving the big bucks. But I'm here to guide you through this process.
1. Coupons Heart Sales: Here's the eye opener, well it was for me anyways. Use your coupons on sale items! This will increase the sale of the item and help keep more money in your pocket.
2. Clip, Surf, Tear, & Peel: Coupons (Qs) can be found in a variety of locations. The two most common are Sunday's paper and online. But don't forget ther are several other sources such as magazines, blinkies (you've probably seen these in store ailes near the products. The spit out Qs when you pull one out), peelies (on the product themselves), store Qs, and tearpads. Be on the lookout for Qs whenever you are out and about.
2. Clip, Surf, Tear, & Peel: Coupons (Qs) can be found in a variety of locations. The two most common are Sunday's paper and online. But don't forget ther are several other sources such as magazines, blinkies (you've probably seen these in store ailes near the products. The spit out Qs when you pull one out), peelies (on the product themselves), store Qs, and tearpads. Be on the lookout for Qs whenever you are out and about.
3. Change in Habits: Using coupons does require a major change in your shopping habits. And no- not having to give up your favorite items. It's just requires you to have a new way of thinking and a new approach to shopping. At first your shopping list will consist of both need items and stockpile items. As the weeks and months progress and your need lists diminishes, then your stockpile list will increase, which will also increase your savings. In the beginning you'll save around 40-50% on your grocery bill, which is fantastic! In a few months your savings will continue to go up. Around months 2-4 you'll begin saving between 50-60% on average. Don't stress during these months. Again as your need lists goes down the pickier you can be with the items you shop for. Somewhere around 6-9 months you can easily have your grocery bill down by 75-95%.
Stockpile Shopping vs Need Shopping
- Stockpile Shopping is buying as many of the items at rock bottom prices as you will need to last you for at least two-four months worth. At first I would aime to buy at least enough to last you one to two months, again as your need lists goes down you can then afford to buy more of the stockpile items.
- Need Shopping is buying items on an as need basis (i.e. When you run out of cereal you run out and buy some more, regardless of price). Most of you are currently in that mode, even if you have already been trying your hand at coupons, it's what most of us have been taught to do, and what the manufactures and stores depend on to make money.
4. Organization is Key: This is the key to success with coupons. If you don't have them organized in some fashion, which I will talk about tips for organization momentarily, you'll lose coupons, or they'll expire on you before you have a chance to use them. I personally recommend investing in a Coupon Clutch. It is well designed and can assist you getting all your coupons organized. I also recommend a small coupon holder where you have store coupons you are getting ready to use on a shopping excursion.
5. Qs are Money Too: You need to change your outlook on Qs, you need to see them as money, dollar bills, and treat them as such. These are the lost treasure you have been looking for, seriously. This is free money, in essence, so don't turn your chin up at them. If someone handed you a dollar bill or two, you'd take it wouldn't you, I would. Free money, heck ya!
6. The Strategy: In order to turn your Q into a major saver, you want to use your Qs along with store sales, and store Qs:
Q + Store Q + Store Sale = Mega Savings
Q + Store Sale = Great Savings
Q + Store Q = OK/Good/Great Savings
Many stores offer their own personal Store Qs, Publix (down south) is one such store. Plus stores will either offer discounts/sales &/or double or triple coupons, which makes the savings that much better. When you are able to match a Q with a Store Q and a Store Sale, then you've hit the mother load. :)
