If you are like most starting out in the coupon world, you have come to a desperate revelation that you need to make your money go further. If you are the many coming into coupons after watching a well-known show, you are going to get frustrated really quick if you don’t obtain a realistic perspective soon. Ninety percent or more savings doesn’t happen every shopping trip, and building a reasonable stock pile doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time. Most everyone loves a newbie to couponing because we all love to share how much we saved and how to do it. Its just more fun to share the joy.
Helpful tips for Newbies
- Collect coupons: You can find coupons almost anywhere these days.
- NEWSPAPERS: Every Sunday (except major holidays), the newspaper is filled with coupons. Its always good to buy more than one. Depending on your family size, two to five newspapers are considered an acceptable amount. Not every newspaper has inserts with the same coupons. Some regions get better coupons. I am in the Wichita area, but I only buy the Kansas City Star as it generally as more coupons than the Wichita Eagle. You can pick the Kansas City Star at your local gas station.
- INTERNET: Most of your coupons on the Internet you will find on smartsource.com, redplum.com, and coupons.com. If you have a favorite brand, always check their company website for coupons and promotions. The new trend for companies giving out coupons is on Facebook, so it doesn’t hurt to like your favorite brands as they often post on their Walls about coupons coming out. I will always be keeping my eye out on great coupons to print, and I will post them on my blog and Facebook page, so be sure to “Like” me on Facebook to get the latest deals.
- FRIENDS/FAMILY: So many people throw away their coupons from the Sunday Newspaper. Don’t be afraid to ask if you can have their coupons. You can also trade coupons with friends or family.
- Stockpiling:
- Start small. There are sales cycles that run on a 3 to 4 month cycle. You really only need enough to get to the next cycle. Its not necessary to stock up for a year. Clearing the shelves is also seriously frowned upon in the couponing world.
- Focus: Its too easy to get overwhelmed by all the match-ups at every different stores, so I recommend just focusing on stocking up on one to three items a week. Don’t worry if you miss out on a deal. There will be another one.
- Coupon Use: For the long term benefit everyone, its important to use coupons correctly. Using Coupons is a privilege that companies give us to get a great deal on their products. Stores and manufacturers can take this away at anytime. Please use the coupon for product specified, and follow any stipulations given. If the coupon says you can only use “4 like” coupons in a shopping trip, then please do so. If the manufacturer sees the store did not follow this rule, they most likely will not reimburse the store. If the store finds large misuse of coupons, they will change their policies making it harder for everyone to coupon and enjoy great savings. Let’s make couponing enjoyable for everyone by following the guidelines set out by each coupon.
Coupon Dancer 