Good morning to those of you who caught me on Sunday’s WTHR Weekend Sunrise! This morning we talked about one of the number one questions {or at least variety of questions} that people ask me. Can you REALLY save with coupons? The short answer is yes. However, here are some of my favorite tips to help keep couponing a sucessfully reality.
1) Don’t be Extreme. I know it’s all the rage. But if you’re going to succeed with coupons moderation is the key. As with many things in life, using coupons is a marathon rather than a sprint. So you need to be wise with your time and don’t be sucked in by reality tv – which is rarely real. There will be weeks when you forget to buy a paper, weeks when you inadvertently let a coupon expire, and weeks when you score big. Just keep at it if you want to see savings over the long haul. I typically save anywhere from $10-$45 a week with coupons, depending on sales, my time, and what life is like in a given week. I spend a maximum of 1.5 per week, usually while I’m watching some sort of guilty pleasure TV show.
2) Find an Organization Strategy That Looks for You. No matter how skilled you are at clipping coupons, you won’t save a dime unless you learn to organize your coupons in a manner that fits your lifestyle. Some people use boxes, some use card files, some use binders {my personal choice}. I typically take my binder with me everywhere I go just in case I need a coupon that I can’t find. You might choose an envelope or even a stacking method. The point is to find something that works for you and stick with it.
3) Think Outside the Coupon Box. There are a number of “clipless” coupons available now. Places like Collier, Meijer mPerks, Target Mobile Coupons, Shopkick, and more allow you to save simply by having a mobile phone or an internet connection.
4) Buy Your Weekend Paper at the Dollar Tree. The Sunday Paper is probably the best known source of coupons. Maximize your savings by buying the Weekend Edition of the Star at Dollar Stores. It’s typically available all week long, not just on the weekend, too. Be sure to check a resource like Sunday Coupon Preview to know what exactly coupons are in the paper, double check that the coupons are actually there {they’re often stolen or left out}, and buy ~ 1 paper/member of your household. It’s also a good idea to buy an even number of papers for B1G1 or Shampoo/Conditioner coupons.
5) Stack ‘Em Up! Some stores, like Meijer, Target, Walgreens, Kroger, and CVS allow you to “stack” coupons. This means that when you have a manufacturer’s coupon you can “stack” it with a like store coupon to maximize your savings. Just be sure you read the fine print and know your store’s policies.
For a HUGE list of places that you can print online, you can always check out the coupons tab at the top of the Queen of Free site. Just remember to set your printer to draft or grayscale {make sure the bar code is clear} and use recycled paper.
If you have questions about coupons today, be sure to hit me up on Twitter or Facebook and I’ll try to answer you within 24 hours {a girl has to nap on Sundays and watch the Colts’ game, you know. }.
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[…] Locally, the Daily Journal does still carry the Red Plum. If you missed it, check out the WTHR Weekend Sunrise Post where I shared some Couponing tips that are sure to give you […]