Top 10 Tips for Beginning Couponers

With the debut of TLC's "Extreme Couponing," millions of Americans were exposed to a handful of pro couponers, each whose hobby - though time-consuming - added up to thousands of dollars in savings.

With the struggling economy, many are interested in following suit and taking up this pasttime, due to the potential for extreme savings, like those on TV. But where to start? If you've never couponed before, you can easily get overwhelmed, disorganized, and quit couponing before you've ever achieved a 'great deal.'

The following are the top ten tips for beginning couponers, and how to get your new hobby off to a great start:

1. Make a list of the items you must have and routinely use - Look for these items when you search for coupons and deal matchups. Many beginning couponers start to collect every coupon for every item, even for things they don't use. Keep in mind, if you buy something (even for a really good deal) that you don't normally use, you're spending money instead of saving it.

2. Save every coupon you find (of the items you use) - Just because something is not on sale this week, doesn't mean it won't be on sale two weeks from now.

3. Find a support group online - There are many helpful couponing forums online, that are essential for the beginning couponer. There, you'll find top tips for getting the most out of your money, as well as the chance to learn from expert couponers. Many sites will even scout out the sale and coupon matchups for you, showing you exactly where to go, what to get and or how much. Check out www.forthemommas.com, www.afullcup.com, and others, to see which you like the best.

4. Start with one or two supermarkets and drugstores (and look for ones that double) - Stores rarely triple coupon anymore, but you can find a list of stores online that double coupons (usually up to a limited amount). As a beginning couponer, don't try to shop at every store in your neighborhood; start small with one or two (until you learn the ropes).

5. Register online with storesand brand name companies - Nearly every store has their own website, which you can sign up with for extra incentives, e-coupons, and offers sent right to your email. You can also register online with companies such as Procter and Gamble, Kellogg's, General Mills, Kraft and more. Each one of these companies will send you emails with offer information, as well as provide coupons on their websites

6. Sign up for rewards cards with your stores - Many stores have their own shopper rewards cards, which enable you to get additional savings. With a Wellness card from RiteAid, for example, you can earn UP rewards, or money back, after specific purchases. The key of extreme couponing is to match up store sales, with coupons, with these reward cards and store incentives.

7. Ask family, friends and acquaintances to save inserts - A majority of Americans throw out their newspaper inserts and weekly ads, because they don't want to bother with the time and effort put into couponing. Ask around, and you'll be surprised how many people will donate their unused ads and inserts.

8. Organize in a binder - One of the top tips for beginning couponers is to get organized. Every expert knows, you will get bogged down with coupons once you start saving them, and if you don't have a system of organization in place, you will get overwhelmed by all the hundreds of slips of paper. Professionals keep binders, organized into sections (like a grocery store) - frozen foods, refrigerated, beverages, baking, laundry, cleaning, etc.

9. Use printable coupon websites - There are many places online where you can find coupons and print them for free: www.coupons.com, www.smartsource.com, www.redplum.com, www.couponnetwork.com, to name a few.

10. Study weekly ads - Don't throw out those inserts, they provide a lot of information. Reading a store ad from cover to cover will tell a beginning couponer on what days the store's weekly sales take place (they all vary), what their coupon policy is, which items will provide rewards, and more. Usually a store's best deals will be featured on the first page of their ad.

Learning these top ten tips will absolutely help you out in your endeavor as a beginning couponer. Most importantly, keep organized, find an online forum for support, and don't give up! If you keep at it, and learn the ropes, you too may become an "extreme couponer!"