Coupon Secrets - Save Thousands of Dollars on Groceries Every Year

Do you ever wonder how all those "crazy coupon ladies" get things for so cheap - and even free? There is a method behind the madness and these ladies know all the good coupons secrets. Have you ever wondered how they can take a 35-cent coupon and get something for free? Here are the secrets to using coupons effectively.

First, you have to understand how each grocery store works. For example, do you know your store's double coupon policy? All grocery stores are different. Some have only specific days where they'll double coupons. Others will only double up to a certain price. If you understand how this works, you'll save a ton of money. For example, the grocery store I shop at doubles coupons up to and including 50 cents. So, I know if I have a coupon for 40 cents off, it's really for 80 cents. if I use it at that grocery store. You should also know if your grocery store accepts coupons printed off the internet.

Use electronic coupons. You can go to certain websites such as Cellfire and download coupons to your store savings card. These are called electronic coupons and they rock because you don't have to clip them from the paper. You can use these on top of paper coupons. So, if you have a paper coupon for $1 and an electronic coupon for $1, that's $2 of the item!

Use your coupons when the time is right. Don't use a coupon just because you have one. Just because you have a coupon, doesn't mean you're getting the item at a great price. Wait until the item goes on sale and then buy it. Just yesterday, a specific brand of deodorant went on sale 10 for $10. I know that in this store I only have to buy one and I can get if for $1. I also had a coupon for 50 cents off the same item, which the store doubled, so I ended up getting the stick of deodorant for free. That's awesome.

Get more than one copy of your Sunday paper. That's where the best coupons are. If you can use these coupons to get free and cheap groceries, why not invest the extra $1.50? When you see a great deal where you can get something free and/or cheap, hit the grocery store and stock up.

Keep track of what you buy for cheap. Many people who use coupons keep a "price book." This is where they log the cheapest they've ever bought a specific item for so they know they're getting a good deal when they buy it again.

Be flexible with where you shop. Check out what's on sale at every grocery store you live by every week and decide what you're going to get at each store before you go. Know which stores have the cheapest price on products you buy regularly like milk, eggs and bread. You should buy those items there.

You may think you don't have time to clip coupons and go to more than one grocery store, consider this: if you could save thousands of dollars every year by taking an hour or two every week to strategize, would you? I figure for every hour I spend cutting coupons and going to multiple stores, I am paying myself about $25 an hour. That's great! And I'm just doing it for my husband and I. Now, imagine if you have a couple of kids to feed. You would have more coupons and probably wind up paying yourself more than $25 an hour in savings.