START A ROUTINE
Most of what we do in our lives is done out of routine. Whether it is brushing our teeth, watching TV or even driving to work, we do most of our everyday activities without giving them much thought. In fact, I have often driven to work without consciously knowing how I got there that day. To be a successful couponer, couponing will need to take its place in your life to that same extent you will do it without having to give it 100% of your conscious attention. That is not to say you have to work at it on a daily basis but, rather, it has to become such a part of your life that you do it automatically. Integrating printable coupons into your daily routine so that it becomes part of your daily activities.
Most of what we do in our lives is done out of routine. Whether it is brushing our teeth, watching TV or even driving to work, we do most of our everyday activities without giving them much thought. In fact, I have often driven to work without consciously knowing how I got there that day. To be a successful couponer, couponing will need to take its place in your life to that same extent you will do it without having to give it 100% of your conscious attention. That is not to say you have to work at it on a daily basis but, rather, it has to become such a part of your life that you do it automatically. Integrating printable coupons into your daily routine so that it becomes part of your daily activities.
STAY ORGANIZED
Couponing is simple when you stay organized. Not only that but you will find that you save more money when you are organized. The purpose of being organized is to allow you identify what coupons you have so that you can take maximum advantage of them. You need to set up a system for adding new coupons, removing old coupons and storing your coupons. There are many ways to do this but the key is to set up a system you will actually use.
To set up a system you will need to:
Couponing is simple when you stay organized. Not only that but you will find that you save more money when you are organized. The purpose of being organized is to allow you identify what coupons you have so that you can take maximum advantage of them. You need to set up a system for adding new coupons, removing old coupons and storing your coupons. There are many ways to do this but the key is to set up a system you will actually use.
To set up a system you will need to:
- Decide what storage system you will use. Several options for storage are accordion files, coupon boxes, notebook binders and envelopes.
- Decide whether you will cut out your coupons as you obtain them or cut the coupons only as you need them.
- Decide how you are going to file away your coupons. You can sort by product category (cereal, cleaning supplies, etc); you can sort by store aisle (this method works best if you shop mostly at one store); you can sort by the coupon's issue date or by its expiration date.
- Set routine for removing the old expired coupons.
COMBINE COUPONS WITH SALES
Anybody can use a coupon at the store. A true couponer will make the most out of a coupon deal by combining the coupon with a sale price. Using your coupons when the product is already on sale results in total maximum savings. To take advantage of this, you must learn your stores sales cycle by finding a website devoted to the store that you shop at . A printable coupon site where they track this for you. There are many sites devoted to specific stores that will tell you when a product is on sale, if there is a coupon or coupons for that product and if the combination of the sale and the coupon(s) make the price low enough you should stock up.
MAKE USE OF ONLINE COUPON SITES.
There are hundreds, quite possibly even thousands, of websites that will help you become a better couponer. Check out as many of them that you can. If you only pick up one bit of information from each one, you will become a better couponer. Some sites are better at relaying information than other sites. Some sites have better information. Find several you really like and check to them often. If these sites have RSS feeds to subscribe I suggest that you do that as well.
There are many sites that take all the guess work out of using your coupons to their fullest advantage. These sites review the advertised (and sometimes the unadvertised) sales prices at specific stores and tell you if there are store or manufacturer's coupons that can be used on those products.
FREE online printable coupon sites.
There are several sites on the internet where you can print out free grocery coupons. almost every printable coupon site limits you to printing two coupons per product per computer. As it is clearly easier to print the same coupon from multiple sites than it is to use multiple computers to print the coupons, we suggest that you bookmark as many free printable coupon sites as you can find for those times when you need multiple coupons to add product to your stockpile. If the site is free to use, you should bookmark it and check back with it frequently.
STOCKPILE.
As discussed above, the best way to save money using your coupons is to combine a coupon (or coupons) with a current sale price. When you find an item on sale at its lowest price you will want to buy as many of that product as you need to last you until the product hits its lowest price again (usually once every 12 weeks for most stores). There is little in the world of couponing that is more encouraging than looking at the groceries you have stockpiled knowing you bought the product at 80% to 100% off. YES! you can sometimes get items for free by combining SALE prices with coupon deals.
PLAN MENUS AROUND SALES
If you plan your menus around the items that are on sale, you will see a greater reduction in your current food budget than if you plan a menu and then look for coupons or sales. More savings equals greater satisfaction which in turn equals a greater likelihood that couponing will move from a routine chore to way of life.
Anybody can use a coupon at the store. A true couponer will make the most out of a coupon deal by combining the coupon with a sale price. Using your coupons when the product is already on sale results in total maximum savings. To take advantage of this, you must learn your stores sales cycle by finding a website devoted to the store that you shop at . A printable coupon site where they track this for you. There are many sites devoted to specific stores that will tell you when a product is on sale, if there is a coupon or coupons for that product and if the combination of the sale and the coupon(s) make the price low enough you should stock up.
MAKE USE OF ONLINE COUPON SITES.
There are hundreds, quite possibly even thousands, of websites that will help you become a better couponer. Check out as many of them that you can. If you only pick up one bit of information from each one, you will become a better couponer. Some sites are better at relaying information than other sites. Some sites have better information. Find several you really like and check to them often. If these sites have RSS feeds to subscribe I suggest that you do that as well.
There are many sites that take all the guess work out of using your coupons to their fullest advantage. These sites review the advertised (and sometimes the unadvertised) sales prices at specific stores and tell you if there are store or manufacturer's coupons that can be used on those products.
FREE online printable coupon sites.
There are several sites on the internet where you can print out free grocery coupons. almost every printable coupon site limits you to printing two coupons per product per computer. As it is clearly easier to print the same coupon from multiple sites than it is to use multiple computers to print the coupons, we suggest that you bookmark as many free printable coupon sites as you can find for those times when you need multiple coupons to add product to your stockpile. If the site is free to use, you should bookmark it and check back with it frequently.
STOCKPILE.
As discussed above, the best way to save money using your coupons is to combine a coupon (or coupons) with a current sale price. When you find an item on sale at its lowest price you will want to buy as many of that product as you need to last you until the product hits its lowest price again (usually once every 12 weeks for most stores). There is little in the world of couponing that is more encouraging than looking at the groceries you have stockpiled knowing you bought the product at 80% to 100% off. YES! you can sometimes get items for free by combining SALE prices with coupon deals.
PLAN MENUS AROUND SALES
If you plan your menus around the items that are on sale, you will see a greater reduction in your current food budget than if you plan a menu and then look for coupons or sales. More savings equals greater satisfaction which in turn equals a greater likelihood that couponing will move from a routine chore to way of life.
DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED!
Be patient... Becoming a successful couponer takes time. Don't let the unrealistic expectations get you discouraged. Within a month or so, you should be seeing your grocery bills cut by at least 25% to 50%. After you have established your routine, and begun building your grocery coupon stockpile, you should easily see savings of 60% to 70%.
Be patient... Becoming a successful couponer takes time. Don't let the unrealistic expectations get you discouraged. Within a month or so, you should be seeing your grocery bills cut by at least 25% to 50%. After you have established your routine, and begun building your grocery coupon stockpile, you should easily see savings of 60% to 70%.