The Art of Coupons

With rising food costs, it seems almost impossible to feed a family on a limited budget. However, there are many people who have mastered the art of couponing and save a lot of money on groceries each month. With some advanced planning, organization, and creative storage you, too, can avoid paying full price at the register.

To maximize your savings, a good collection of coupons is essential. Try to get extra newspaper inserts from family and friends, buy an extra paper (or two), take them from recycling bins, or even order them online from a clipping service. The more coupons you gather, the more you will save. Next, find an organizational system that works for you. Many beginners start with a basic coupon organizer. With multiple sets, you will probably need something larger, such as a file folder, briefcase, or three-ring binder with baseball card holders. You can organize alphabetically or by type of coupon.

We all know a little planning can go a long way. Most people believe the best way to save money on groceries is simply to make a list and stick to it. The avid couponer takes it a bit further. Begin by looking through the weekly sales circulars for stores in your area. Include drug stores and stores you may not normally frequent because of their seemingly higher prices. Quite often these stores will have better sales than other stores because they have a higher profit margin. Most stores will have "loss leaders" advertised. These are items that are marked down to the store's cost or below for the sole purpose of getting customers in the door. Make a list of the loss leaders for the week and check to see if there are any coupons available for the same items. Often, by combining sales with coupons, particularly if you have a store that doubles coupons, you will be able to get these items for free or for only pennies.

Once you have successfully gathered and organized your coupons and made a list of the loss leaders you wish to purchase, make out your grocery list. Try to use items you have on hand and sales items to plan menus for your family for the week, then stockpile the free or nearly free items. You may even wish to shop at a discount store for your needs, and then only purchase the loss leaders from the other stores for your stockpile.

Many people believe that they do not have space to stockplie. They envision basements full of canned goods, nonperishable items, and feminine products. The truth is, most sales cycles repeat themselves every twelve weeks, so you only need to buy enough for this time frame. Besides kitchen cabintes, existing pantry space, and under beds, consider cleaning out a linen closet. Most beds only need 2 sets of sheets (one on the bed and one spare set). Put the second set between the mattress and boxspring of each bed and you will create more storage space. Think of other things that you store that can be decluttered or moved to a more efficient space. By stockpiling items at low prices, you ensure that you will not have to pay full price the next time you need that item. As an added bonus, once you have a well-rounded stockpile, there will be fewer things you need each week, allowing you to focus only on perishable items and items you plan to stockpile.

With a little extra effort, it is possible to save money on groceries. Set a little time aside each week and prepare to save some money!