Coupons Not Just for Saving Pennies

Using coupons can save you hundred of dollars per month, depending on how many you use and whether your store doubles coupons. You can save money on items that you already buy. Many people say that they don't use coupons because the items they buy never have coupons. While that may be true in rare cases, but there are coupons for just about anything you can think of. Some coupons are just in the paper more or less often than others. Example there are cereal coupons that come around every few weeks like $1/2 Kellogg's cereal or $1/3 Post cereals, the rare one is Capn Crunch coupons they are usually only seen once maybe twice a year.

If you combine sale prices and coupons can easily save anywhere between 40%- 90% . Sometimes you can end up getting everything free. Very often my total before coupons will around $30 and after coupons it's under $9 . Several months ago I had an order start at $82 and went down to $32 after coupons another at $132 and after coupons it was $36. I shop mostly in stores that double coupons. They have occasionally tripled coupons.

Another reason many people don't use coupons is that they look at the face value of the coupon thinking $1off one box of cereal big deal. Well it's not a big deal if you are buy the cereal at the regular price which is probably between $4-$5. The way to maximize the coupon savings is to buy the item when it's one sale and use the coupon. Wait until the cereal in on sale at $2 and use the $1 coupon making the cereal $1 a box.
I have heard many say they don't have time to clip coupons. I find the easiest way for me to clip is while I'm watching TV.

There has also been countless times when people behind me in line have commented on the savings I received with coupons , and said they needed to start using theirs but they forget to bring the coupons whenever they clip them. What I try to do is keep my coupon organizer in my purse at all times so I don't have to worry about forgetting them. Others keep their larger coupon box in the car in case there are any unadvertised sales in the store.

What is a double coupon?

Double coupons are when you use a manufacturer's coupon and the store doubles the value of the coupon. For example .75 off apple juice coupon would double making it's savings $1.50. Not every store doubles coupons and those that do have their own rules. Some only double coupons up to .99 (meaning any coupon .99 and under) other stores double up to .50 and still others double up $1.

Living in the land of no doubles?

Not everyone lives in an area that doubles coupons. In my area they have only doubled for about five years. You can still save money using coupons and combine them with sales. Also Sav A lot stores have everyday low prices and some brand named items that you can use coupons on like Banquet chicken, Breyer's ice cream, Post cereal,and ball park hot dogs.

Where can I get extra coupons?

When there is a great coupon in the Sunday paper it pays to sometimes buy an extra paper . Another good source is friends and family most people know people who don't use coupons and would give you theirs. There are also online couponing services where you pay a handling fee per coupon and pick out the ones you want and get them in the mail in a few days. Some of the services take longer than others to get the coupons, and they often have minimal order requirements. For example your coupon total must be $5 to place an order. There is a range in the handling fee depending on the site and the value of the coupon itself. Some coupons are .01,.03,.05, .10, .15,or .20 each.

Check out the magazines you subscribe to for coupons ,especially women's, family or health magazines. They often have a few coupons in every issue. Manufacturers often send coupons to people who use their products. If you contact them by phone on their comment line which is usually listed on the item purchased. When you let them know how you feel about the item, they often ask if you would like to be on their mailing list for coupons.

Websites for different brands have mailing lists via email and will occasionally send you a coupon that you can print and use in the some grocery stores. Not all grocery,department or drug stores accept Internet printed coupons. It's a good idea to call ahead and make sure your store will take the printed coupons.

Should I join a warehouse club?

I have found that generally if you use coupons you can usually get groceries cheaper in a regular grocery store than in a warehouse.

Stockpiling food on toiletries what's that about?

When items that I use often go on sale I buy enough of those items so I don't have to buy them at all until they go on sale again. For example toilet tissue, there were $2/1 4 pack coupon in the paper and the tissue was priced at $2.99 . I have eight coupons and got each four pack for only .99 . I already had other brands of tissue for previous sales but I bought more because 1) it 's sometime that you can always use and 2) You don't have to worry about it spoiling so you can store it forever.

Toiletries are always great to stockpile . Items like deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes can come in handy when you have unexpected family or friends staying over and they forgot to bring those items.
Drug stores and grocery stores that double have deals on toothpaste and toothbrushes where you can usually get them free or for under .50.

There are some items you may not want to stockpile, like milk , bread or eggs. It depends on how often you go through those items.

The best thing about stockpiling it not having run out to the store and buy another when you used the last out of that package. It's good to keep a inventory list of what items you have so you know when you are running low on something.

Also when you add more items to your stockpile put the new items in the back so you use the oldest items first.
If you don't have a lot of room you store stockpiled items in closest , under the bed or in the garage.