If you are interested in couponing....I am posting a series of posts over at Month by Month related to saving with coupon deals.
Coupons and Savings
- Thread starter Gingerbug
- Start date
I'm great at cutting them out, not so much using them!
I use to do it a lot in my younger years and get lots of free stuff. I just don't like taking the time to research all that now. But I do use store and restaurant coupons when I remember them.
I use to do it a lot in my younger years and get lots of free stuff. I just don't like taking the time to research all that now. But I do use store and restaurant coupons when I remember them.
I cut them out be never use them. But after watching a few episodes of extreme couponing I'm starting to think I should use some. I read your blog and it's great!
I won't go extreme but I might do a little. What you save is what you save!
I won't go extreme but I might do a little. What you save is what you save!
I am a serious, but not extreme couponer. I HATE the extreme coupon show. They make a big production out of greedy shelf clearers taking all the deals and leaving none for other couponers or shoppers...all the while they do not follow the rules and limits of the stores or the coupons. One of the ladies on the show commited fraud by intentionally buying the wrong products using high dollar coupons. That show makes good, normal couponers look bad and crazy. 
I also like to see what people can do. I never used them and then I did and now I cut them out but rarely use them.
nice! i'll have to check out your blog. i save 25-40% on most trips by matching coupons to sales.
Ginger I don't know if you saw my comment on FB but thought I'd share with others here. We have finally got arouud to checking out another way to save money. Angelfood ministeries. When we were at my son's he showed me all the stuff they got through there. I picked up a big box of food today for $35 the box had a retail value of $60. And the have all kinds of boxes in price ranges to fit everyone's budget. This along with couponing might really lower the budgets
http://www.angelfoodministries.com/
http://www.angelfoodministries.com/
We've used Angel Food in the past. It really is wonderful. It helped us a lot with groceries and helped me to try new recipes. Plus, they give you recipes when you pick up the food in the little handouts. We encourged my in-laws to try it as well. I love that they have added the allergen sensitive foods. One of my little ones has food allergies. It's great even if you don't use it all the time.
We use to have an Angel Food pick up about 20 miles from us. Now it's over in the Twin Cities. It would be interesting to see what gluten free food they'd put in one for us.
thanks ginger will have to look into it. I do ok but can improve so much w/ my coupons. our church does Angle food but I always forget. I think I'll go check out their web sight now to see when the next order it. They have so many different options.
I have been into the coupon thing since last October.
First secret to my continued sanity - I don't clip!
I file each booklet - intact - in a binder. First I write the date on the booklet somewhere it is easy to see, then all booklets from that weekend paper go into the same clear plastic page protector in my binder.
This works in one of two ways: You can take advantage of coupon websites that list sales at a store for the week plus the coupons that match up to from recent booklets.
They will commonly list a coupon from a Red Plum booklet as RP 5/22 which translates to a q from your Red Plum booklet that came in the paper on 5/22/11.
This works great if the person posting the entry online got the same exact coupons in their booklet as you did. But the coupons vary a bit by region. So this is what I do.
And yes, I am a coupon nerd. lol
Each week I take about a 1/2 hr and enter every coupon I got in the most recent paper in an Excel spreadsheet. I list what product it is for, how many I have to buy, the amount I get off and when it expires. I also note which booklet it came in and the date of the booklet.
Each piece of info goes in its own column so I can sort as needed.
Then when perusing the weekly sales ads, I can search my spreadsheet for any matching coupons. If I find one I want to use, I just pull out that booklet from my binder and only clip the q I want. Much better than having all those slippery pieces of paper to deal with. At least for me!
Off to browse Gingerbugs blog! Always looking for new tips/tricks! and ALWAYS happy to talk coupons!!! If anyone wants to know I can also share some other tips - ways I handle q's I get via random tearpads, packaging, etc. and the q's I print off the internet.
I mainly shop at Meijer and can share alot about their programs and deals. I'm starting to get into Target a bit too. Both of these stores have store coupon deals you can combine with the regular manufacture q's that are out there. Combing all that with a sale and you can get great prices.
CVS and Walgreens are also tempting because of their in store programs that basically give you credit on another purchase at their store. Have gotten some good deals with them too.
First secret to my continued sanity - I don't clip!
I file each booklet - intact - in a binder. First I write the date on the booklet somewhere it is easy to see, then all booklets from that weekend paper go into the same clear plastic page protector in my binder.
This works in one of two ways: You can take advantage of coupon websites that list sales at a store for the week plus the coupons that match up to from recent booklets.
They will commonly list a coupon from a Red Plum booklet as RP 5/22 which translates to a q from your Red Plum booklet that came in the paper on 5/22/11.
This works great if the person posting the entry online got the same exact coupons in their booklet as you did. But the coupons vary a bit by region. So this is what I do.
And yes, I am a coupon nerd. lol
Each week I take about a 1/2 hr and enter every coupon I got in the most recent paper in an Excel spreadsheet. I list what product it is for, how many I have to buy, the amount I get off and when it expires. I also note which booklet it came in and the date of the booklet.
Each piece of info goes in its own column so I can sort as needed.
Then when perusing the weekly sales ads, I can search my spreadsheet for any matching coupons. If I find one I want to use, I just pull out that booklet from my binder and only clip the q I want. Much better than having all those slippery pieces of paper to deal with. At least for me!
Off to browse Gingerbugs blog! Always looking for new tips/tricks!
and ALWAYS happy to talk coupons!!! If anyone wants to know I can also share some other tips - ways I handle q's I get via random tearpads, packaging, etc. and the q's I print off the internet.I mainly shop at Meijer and can share alot about their programs and deals. I'm starting to get into Target a bit too. Both of these stores have store coupon deals you can combine with the regular manufacture q's that are out there. Combing all that with a sale and you can get great prices.
CVS and Walgreens are also tempting because of their in store programs that basically give you credit on another purchase at their store. Have gotten some good deals with them too.
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Wow...you are organized! I have heard of the system where you just keep the inserts whole but I have been clipping. I guess it just depends if you want to do the work upfront or as you make your grocery list.
I'm waiting for my new coupon clutch I ordered and new pages. Right now I am using a zippered binder with plastic inserts but all of them are full!! So they are sort of in disarray right now...when i get the new pages this is the plan.
I have a-z divider pages....so I will fill alphabetically. I have been using categories but that is not working too well.....so alphabetically it is....
So chips, coffee, cereal....alll go behind C. I will use different pages so all coffee in one plastic insert, all cereals together etc
I feel like I have been doing great! I'm learning prices so I know a good deal etc. This week has been the best FOOD week although I have stocked up on deoderant, shampoo etc earlier. I gave myself two months to stock up before really looking at trying to save. My goal is saving about 20-25% off my total bill. It has only been about a month and I feel like I am already saving close to that.
One has to be willing to try different brands etc to really save. Also one has to be a little patient...watching for sales and mark downs etc. AND to really save you have to realize that sometimes a GOOD coupon will expire before a really GOOD deal comes around...that's ok...the coupon will come back around again in a few months!
I'm waiting for my new coupon clutch I ordered and new pages. Right now I am using a zippered binder with plastic inserts but all of them are full!! So they are sort of in disarray right now...when i get the new pages this is the plan.
I have a-z divider pages....so I will fill alphabetically. I have been using categories but that is not working too well.....so alphabetically it is....
So chips, coffee, cereal....alll go behind C. I will use different pages so all coffee in one plastic insert, all cereals together etc
I feel like I have been doing great! I'm learning prices so I know a good deal etc. This week has been the best FOOD week although I have stocked up on deoderant, shampoo etc earlier. I gave myself two months to stock up before really looking at trying to save. My goal is saving about 20-25% off my total bill. It has only been about a month and I feel like I am already saving close to that.
One has to be willing to try different brands etc to really save. Also one has to be a little patient...watching for sales and mark downs etc. AND to really save you have to realize that sometimes a GOOD coupon will expire before a really GOOD deal comes around...that's ok...the coupon will come back around again in a few months!
I have been heavily couponing for over 2 years now. I clip my coupons and file them away in a zippered binder. My zipper binder has file, extra pockets to store ads, notebook, pens, scissors, etc and a binder section where I place my coupons. I have them seperated into catagories and use the trading card pockets to store my coupons. I never go to the store with out it as it has come in very handy in the stores clearance sections. Last month in Walmarts clearance section I scored a few bottles of John Frieda and Fusium shampoo/conditioners for free after using coupons. On Sundays I usually just get 2 papers and then when I need extra coupons for an upcoming sale I order them from a coupon clipping service. Couponing has become a way of life for us and has helped us alot.
I need to remember to check the clearance section at Walmart...!!!!!! I do it at Wlagreens but never seem to have time to browse it in Walmart....thats a great idea!