Simple Coupon Hacks for First Time Couponers
If you have always wondered about couponing there is no better time than now to get started. It’s an easy way to cut your grocery budget even if you only use them on occasion – every little bit helps! If you already coupon use this as maybe a refresher course like, “oh yea, I stopped doing that and should start doing that again.” Or if you have never really couponed, start by reading these tips and start implementing them on your next visit to the grocery store.
To start, I recommend having a 3 ring binder and a new pack of sheet protectors that you can purchase at any office supply store. Grab your next available Sunday paper, to get all of the latest batch of local coupons and a pair of scissors. I have a pencil pouch in the front of my binder that holds a pen, highlighter and my scissors. That way they are always readily available and I don’t have to go on the hunt for them.
So coupons in the newspaper are bunches in leaflet flyers by three publishers: Red Plum, SmartSource and Proctor & Gamble (P&G). Some weekends will have all three, plus extra smaller sets and then others will have just one. Holiday weekends, don’t count on any coupons being in the Sunday paper, so if you are just buying one for the coupons you can skip those weekends.
Now some people get really into couponing and can really walk away with some serious grocery stashes that can last months (some probably years). While that’s not for everyone, it is possible to save a good amount of money each visit if you are willing to invest a little time. So let’s start with the leaflets from the current Sunday paper and assume that all three publishers were available. Take each set and first write the date on the front of each set. Next, slip each set into its own sheet protector. You don’t even need to go through them, cut coupons or even worry about what your grocery list is even looking like. You will do this every week when you get the Sunday paper. Now if you are OCD like me, you will place them in the same order by publisher (I choose alphabetical…P&G, RP and then SS) and then by date (with the oldest being on the bottom). Now this is supposed to be no stress couponing so organize whatever works best for you. And if family and friends give you extra leaflets then put the like ones in the same sheet protector sleeve. Keep it simple!
Figure out when your grocery store cycles their ads and sales. I have found where I live its Wednesday and Thursday depending on which store I am going to shop (sometimes I shop both). That’s the day you will do your coupon shopping planning. My favorite website to use for this is CouponMom.com. There are many out there that can help you with your couponing but what you are looking for is a website that will tell you what is on sale at your selected store and WHERE to find the associated coupon to get the deal you want. That’s the “golden ticket” to this process.
Once at the desired website, I select the state and store I want to shop for my groceries. I typically scan the sale item list and check items that I am going to use. There is no point in buying something just because it is cheap, that’s simply a waste of money. Look for those things that are normally in your pantry or is something you actually want to try because it’s new. Now not everything listed will have an associated coupon but if it’s on the list then it is on sale and you will still be saving money. I select all of the items I am interested in purchasing and then click on “Add Selected Deals to My List” and wait for the screen to refresh with only those items I chose.
Now that you have a more finished list of items you want, it’s time to get to work. Somewhere on each line item you will see a code if there is an associated coupon. Let’s assume that we come across an item we want and see 11-05 RP. That tells you that in the Red Plum leaflet on November 5th you will find the coupon that makes that sale item an even bigger savings. You will pull out your notebook and go to that leaflet, thumb through it and clip out THAT coupon. It’s really that simple. Shove the rest back in the sheet protector sleeve and move on to the next item. Now if you are just beginning you won’t have a stockpile of organized leaflets to go through but you have to start somewhere right? Do notice though that some items have a link to online coupons where you can obtain the needed coupon to make the deal. This is helpful if you missed a paper or live in an area that does not have a big enough paper for coupon inserts.
Once you have clipped out all the coupons needed you can print out the list or email it to yourself so that you can see it on your smartphone. Take both with you on your next shopping spree and watch the savings add up. Here’s an amateur tip to keep the people behind you from having a cow when they notice you have coupons. You’ve likely been one in the past. Before the cashier starts scanning your items, give them your stack of coupons so it does not become an issue at the end. If there is something requiring to write the amount on the coupon (by the cashier), place that item on the conveyor last so that it’s also last on the receipt which makes it easier for the cashier to lookup and write in the saved amount needed.
Additionally, get familiar with the sales cycles so that you know the best times of the year to get the best savings on products:
January: Diet products (shakes, bars, pills), medicine (think flu season), Super Bowl Party items and Quaker products.
February: Chocolate and candy for Valentine’s as well as canned foods.
March: Frozen foods are the staples all month long and for celebration you’ll find Easter products as well as corn beef close to St. Patrick’s Day.
April: Easter type foods and Easter candy clearance.
May: Post puts their cereals on sale and then you have Cinco de Mayo foods and camping foods with the weather getting warmer.
June: Continuation of camping foods along with almost all dairy products because it’s also National Dairy Month.
July: BBQ foods because of the 4th will be aplenty and school supply sales will start to emerge.
August: School supplies and snack items will be on sale along with most Kraft food items.
September: Campbell’s foods are on sale and more school supplies and snacks.
October: Halloween candy will be available (because who can’t resist giving out treats) and Quaker will have another sale (although not as big).
November: Halloween clearance right before all of the holiday dinner and baking items will be more readily available with good sales.
December: Holiday sales will continue up until the New Year.
So there is no need to go crazy with coupon clipping or chasing down the store flyers to save a little money. Just spend a little time planning with the help of some online websites and make it so much easier to use coupons to your biggest advantage. You will be a pro in no time and learn to keep your sanity while leaving a little extra money in the bank the next time you go grocery shopping.
