COUPONING 101

If you are new to couponing or haven’t even started, I’m going to try to help you along the way!

A few things to remember as you get started…

First, Rome wasn’t built-in a day, and neither will your stockpile or coupon binder be. It takes time. Time and effort. Give yourself a break before you even start and set one small goal to meet this week. Once you do that, then set another, and so on.

Secondly, everyone has their own way of doing things and as long as you try to conform your life to someone else’s you most certainly will be unsuccessful. Learn the basics of couponing and then apply those fundamentals to your situation.

Finally, have fun with it! Couponing can be very tiresome and oftentimes tedious. When you feel discouraged or burnt out, try to find some inspiration. I like to watch couponing videos on YouTube to get me fired up again. Burnout happens to us all. What’s important is that you anticipate it and have a plan to deal with it when it happens.

If you’re ready to get started couponing, then the first thing you want to do is Get Educated…

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Get Educated

There are a lot of resources on the web. Too many to sort through actually. That’s one of the biggest problems newbies face, where to get your education. How do you know the source you’ve found is the best source? Truth be known, it’s all about trial and error, and about referrals. You’ll want to …

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Get Plugged In

Now that you’ve located Bloggers, Facebookers, Tweeters, YouTubers, etc. to follow, you’ll want to be sure and start communicating with them. Ask questions, comment on their posts, participate in their giveaways and discussions. The more you become involved, the more you will learn and the more couponers you’ll befriend. You’ll also want to make a …

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Coupon Accessories

There are some really important tools of the trade that you’ll want to buy (preferably on sale!) before you dive into coupon clipping. 1. A good pair of scissors. I recommend large fabric scissors. They cut smoothly and have long blades and comfortable handles. 2. A paper cutter. Don’t buy a flimsy bendable one. Invest …

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Collecting Coupons

“Where do I get coupons?” This is a very common question, so don’t be afraid to ask. There are some sure-fire ways to obtain coupons. Here’s my list: 1. The local newspaper Your local paper may have coupons inside. If you live in a rural area, you probably will not receive as many as your …

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Organizing Coupons

Until you master this step, you will feel disorganized, unsettled, and unsure of what you have, and you will probably feel like you aren’t succeeding at couponing. Getting coupons is easy, but organizing and maintaining organization can be daunting. Even if you order your coupons cut and sorted, you will still need a method to …

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Using Coupons

This is my method for couponing. It’s not everyone’s method, but it works for me. You should try it, see if you like it and if it works for you. Adjust it as needed until you get the right fit for your lifestyle. I also want to point out that at no time should you …

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Finding Deals

For me, I start deal hunting with the inserts in my Sunday paper. Because I’m a Savvy Shopper for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, I usually get the inserts Monday or Tuesday the week before they are published. So, I start deal finding then. I realize, most people won’t be able to access inserts online until Thursday …

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Shopping The Clearance Section

Be mindful that wherever you chose to shop, there is probably a clearance section. I strongly recommend making a list of the items that are on sale that week, matching coupons to the sales, and shopping accordingly. However, there are times, such as a clearance sale, or an emergency when you may need to buy …

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Shopping Your List

By this point, you should already have a list of sale items you have matched with coupons. I suggest separating your list by store, and then by store layout (i.e. the route you normally take through the store). As you shop, be sure to keep an eye out for brightly marked clearance stickers, coupon tearpads …

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It’s Register Time!

When you are done shopping your list, there’s only one thing left to do… Hit The Registers! This can be the most daunting part of couponing. I’ll be perfectly honest, I have experienced epic failures in the checkout lane. I don’t know why, but someone told all the cashiers at all the stores I shop …

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Unloading Your Cart & Checking Out

I prefer to send my frozen and refrigerated items down the conveyer belt first. They end up in the cart first and in the car last, so when I get home to unload they are the first things out and into the fridge. After refrigerated items, I send items by category so like items stay …

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Multiple Transactions

If you thought couponing was tricky before now, I’m about to introduce you to the couponing mind meld… multiple transactions. If you aren’t a couponer or an experienced couponer, then you probably won’t see the value in doing multiple transactions, but there are rules and regulations that have been set by manufacturers and stores that …