Couponing 101
How to get started. (Thanks to Karrie at fistfulofcoupons for her help.)
1. Start getting coupons. You can get coupons from many different places.
The Sunday Newspaper Inserts. There are 3 different inserts. (You won't get them all every time.) They are SmartSource (SS), RedPlum (RP) and Procter &Gamble (P&G).
Internet printable coupons. You can go to several sites and print off coupons for free. There are lots of sites out there, check out my coupons link on my homepage.
Blinkies are those little blinking machines in stores that spit out coupons.
Tearpads are little coupons in a tearpad. You can find these on displays in grocery stores, drug stores and even gas stations.
Peelies are little peel-able coupons on products.
Catalinas are coupons print on a receipt-like piece of paper at the register. Sometimes they are for products and sometimes they are $ off any in-store purchase.
Start collecting all you can.
How to get organized.
Buy a simple accordion style folder to store coupons in. I found after a couple weeks I could not stand going to the store searching for coupons in one of these. Flipping through them searching with kids was a NIGHTMARE!
I prefer a binder. I purchased a 1 1/2 inch binder, baseball card holder sheets and some dividers. For me this works great. I organize them by category and can flip through them quickly.
I use to save my inserts after cutting them until the coupons expire, but honestly I have been decluttering lately and I just could not take that clutter anymore. So I now cut anything I will use and toss the rest. But in the past I thought I would not use something and then it went on sale and was just about free. This would be a product I use maybe just a different brand. But you must remember there will be another sale. Don't worry if you miss one.
Finding the sales
That is what I am here for. Of course you will find that I can't find every sale, and that is why it is good to look at other blog sites too. I have lots of buttons on my home page with lots of sites I too visit.
Okay, I said before that I thought I knew how to coupon, cut and use them. But I was finding that it was still cheaper to buy a generic brand. What I have learned is you hold onto that coupon until you find a sale. You will save so much money by finding the sale then using the coupon. It is amazing how much cheaper it is.
1. Start getting coupons. You can get coupons from many different places.
The Sunday Newspaper Inserts. There are 3 different inserts. (You won't get them all every time.) They are SmartSource (SS), RedPlum (RP) and Procter &Gamble (P&G).
Internet printable coupons. You can go to several sites and print off coupons for free. There are lots of sites out there, check out my coupons link on my homepage.
Blinkies are those little blinking machines in stores that spit out coupons.
Tearpads are little coupons in a tearpad. You can find these on displays in grocery stores, drug stores and even gas stations.
Peelies are little peel-able coupons on products.
Catalinas are coupons print on a receipt-like piece of paper at the register. Sometimes they are for products and sometimes they are $ off any in-store purchase.
Start collecting all you can.
How to get organized.
Buy a simple accordion style folder to store coupons in. I found after a couple weeks I could not stand going to the store searching for coupons in one of these. Flipping through them searching with kids was a NIGHTMARE!
I prefer a binder. I purchased a 1 1/2 inch binder, baseball card holder sheets and some dividers. For me this works great. I organize them by category and can flip through them quickly.
I use to save my inserts after cutting them until the coupons expire, but honestly I have been decluttering lately and I just could not take that clutter anymore. So I now cut anything I will use and toss the rest. But in the past I thought I would not use something and then it went on sale and was just about free. This would be a product I use maybe just a different brand. But you must remember there will be another sale. Don't worry if you miss one.
Finding the sales
That is what I am here for. Of course you will find that I can't find every sale, and that is why it is good to look at other blog sites too. I have lots of buttons on my home page with lots of sites I too visit.
Okay, I said before that I thought I knew how to coupon, cut and use them. But I was finding that it was still cheaper to buy a generic brand. What I have learned is you hold onto that coupon until you find a sale. You will save so much money by finding the sale then using the coupon. It is amazing how much cheaper it is.
