Ok, you bought a Sunday paper (or 3), but what is next? Well, the important part of couponing is organization. If you do not know what coupons you have, then you will not be able to use them.
1. Start by clipping the coupons for products that you purchase on regular or semi-regular basis. These coupons are the important coupons that should be organized by type. Many people use the accordion files that you can get almost anywhere (even the dollar tree). I personally scan the coupons that I have into my iPhone. I use the app called "My Coupons." It is a great way to always know what coupons you have and when they expire. I put the coupons that I would be likely to use randomly in my wallet or planner so I have them when I need them and the rest are organized separately.
2. Next, take out any restaurant coupons and put them into a folder or envelope that you will be able to find the next time you decide to go out for dinner. I like to keep restaurant coupons and similar coupons around in case I decide to go out to dinner. There are also a lot of great websites (local and non-local) that have deals that you can get straight from your phone.
3. Organize the coupons you are not planning to use by the week they were released. Before this, I usually allow people to look through them to see if there are any coupons that they need. The rest of the coupons are filed by week so that if a website references a specific week when explaining a coupon deal, I will know where to look.
4. Do not buy everything that is free unless you plan to donate any excess! All this will do is stress you out and makes you greedy. Couponing should only be done to help you with your finances, not to take over your life. Watch a few episodes of extreme couponing and you will understand.
5. Do not necessarily buy the paper every week. Remember that there are many websites that give lists of the coupons that will be available in each Sunday's paper. If you preview these websites, you will know if and how many papers you will need to buy.
6. Check out websites that show off deals. KrazyCouponLady and CouponMom are two websites that I like to visit these websites and see the new deals that they have discovered. CouponMom has a great resource where each store has it's own deal board. It is very convenient.
7. Always shop where they double coupons, give gas points, money back, etc. Eventually, you will realize that shopping at one store is the best way to benefit from these deals. For example, some stores will give you store coupons that can be used on top of the manufacturer's coupons. Look for these deals. In addition, many grocery stores have gas rewards with a certain amount of points or money spent. If you add up all your savings and stick to one or two locations, there is a better chance for you to reap larger benefits. (Also, looking at so many fliers won't waste all your free time!)
8. Remember that many coupons.com exists. You can print out 2-3 copies of each coupon per computer. In addition, many manufacturer's websites send out coupons via email or by answering surveys on their receipts. Do not miss out on the opportunity to save money through these easy tasks!
Saving money does not take as much time as some of the shows would lead you on to believe. My next article will be about what items you can skip buying and replace with cheaper reusable alternatives. Sometimes being thrifty means not being afraid to replace some old habits.
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