Coupon Game - WARNING: This is highly addictive

Now that I'm hooked I have a hard time paying full price for anything.

Here are the key points I've learned about saving lots of money using coupons...aka...my coupon game. I used to spend around $150 - $200 each week. Now I'm averaging under $50 buying the same things. It's amazing. My shoe budget has literally skyrocketed.

1. Don't use a coupon unless the item is on sale. You spend less money out of pocket and can afford to buy more, thus stockpiling.
2. Find out your store's coupon policy. Some stores will accept competitor coupons AND a manufacturer coupon for each item.
3. Stock up your pantry.
4. Buy the Sunday newspaper. There are always tons of coupons in the Sunday paper. Print additional coupons online.
5. Use big coupons for small items.
6. Let other people do some of the work for you.


Now, to go more in depth:

SAVE YOUR COUPONS UNTIL THE ITEM IS ON SALE

One of the most common misconceptions I previously had about coupons was to use them whenever I went to the grocery store. But to get the most bang from my coupon, I now save it until the item goes on sale!

For example: I'm a big cereal eater. The typical box of Kelloggs Special K Vanilla Almond (one of my favorites) runs about $3.99 a box. By waiting for Publix to put it in one of their Buy One Get One Free sales, I automatically save $3.99 when I buy two (my out of pocket expense is now $3.99 for two boxes). But if I use two coupons for $1 off each box while it's on sale, my out of pocket expense then drops to $1.99 for both boxes! Makes sense to save that coupon for when it really counts, doesn't it?

CHECK OUT YOUR STORE'S COUPON POLICY Just call the store and ask the store manager for this information.

Publix, for instance, accepts competitor coupons (Target, Walgreens, CVS, and RiteAid for my particular Publix). In addition, Publix will accept 1 store coupon (Publix or competitor) along with 1 manufacturer coupon per item.

For example: Kelloggs Special K cereal is BOGO (buy one get one free) sale for $3.99. If I have a Target coupon for $1 off 2 boxes of cereal and my two $1 off 1 box manufacturer coupons, then my out of pocket expense now drops from $1.99 from the previous example to $.99 for both boxes. WOW. That's only 50 cents per box when I was previously paying almost $4 a box!

STOCK UP YOUR PANTRY

Another important tip I have is to stock up your pantry with sale items whenever you can. The typical sales cycle I've found is roughly 6-8 weeks. That means that whatever is on sale today will go on sale again within another 6-8 weeks. If you can afford to buy extra and have the room to store it, it really pays to buy 6 weeks or so worth of items you can store.

Back to my cereal example. Special K regular price at $3.99 per box. I eat 1 box per week (to make the math simple, of course. I don't really eat a whole box each week. Usually.) If I buy one box each week over the next eight weeks, my out of pocket expense would be $31.92. But if I bought eight boxes while they're on sale using my Target coupons and manufacturer coupons (see previous example of $.99 for two boxes), I would pay $3.96 out of pocket (prior to taxes, of course). That's like paying for one box at regular price! Makes sense to stock up, huh?

WHERE TO GET YOUR COUPONS

1. From the Sunday paper. Trust me, it's worth the 2 bucks just for the coupon section. Last week the Mobile paper (much smaller than Omaha's) had over TWO HUNDRED dollars worth of coupons.

2. Online. My favorite sites are

http://www.redplum.com/
http://www.coupons.com/
http://www.smartsource.com/


LET OTHER PEOPLE DO SOME OF THE DIRTY WORK FOR YOU

Here are a couple of websites that match up the sales papers with coupons. This makes it very easy!

http://www.iheartsavingmoney.com/ This is a blog with everything from Old Navy coupons to grocery deals.

http://www.iheartsavingmoney.com/?cat=11 This is a link on the previous blog that is specific to WalMart deals - mainly grocery shopping. Like cooking a full Thanksgiving feast for only $20. Turkey included. She also has tabs for Walgreens (yes, she buys a lot of groceries and saves lots of money there) and Target.

http://www.savingwithamy.com/search/label/Walmart This is a link specific to Walmart.

http://easternshoremom.com/ This lady lives in Fairhope, AL and shows items specific to the Mobile and Eastern shore areas.

http://www.iheartsavingmoney.com/ This is specific to just Publix deals - which I LOVE!


ONE MORE TIP

One last tip that most people don't know - it's smarter to use a big coupon for a little item than big coupon for big item.

For example, I've never used Knox gelatin. In fact, I don't even know what Knox gelatin is for. BUT, there is currently a $4 off any Knox product coupon available online. I use that coupon and then buy the smallest box of gelatin possible for $1. Sounds like I'm wasting my coupon, right? WRONG! By using it on an item that costs less than the coupon, that overage is then applied to my total grocery bill. In other words, I'm getting $3 off all my groceries and a box of gelatin for free! Just be sure to read the print. Most of the time, the coupon states "8 ounce or larger," "excludes xxx size," etc.


SHOPPING MADE SIMPLE

First, I make my grocery list of MUST HAVES like milk, eggs, toilet paper, etc. Then I check out the sales ads - either online or from the mail flyers for anything that we typically would use and could stockpile - like laundry detergent. Next, I check for corresponding coupons I've clipped from the Sunday paper and online. Once I find a deal and coupons to go with them, I add those items to my grocery list. Then I head out with my list, an empty envelope, and my shopping folder!

My shopping folder is a small 3 ring binder (it actually used to be a recipe card holder). I bought some really cheap photo albums and ripped the covers off and put just the clear photo slots in my binder (after punching holes in the corner). Then I just slide my coupons in the photo slots as I get them and I have a tab for each grocery section: Dairy, Produce, Breads and Cereals, Boxed Goods, Canned Goods, Cleaners. That way I can just flip through my book as I go down each aisle in the grocery store and see what coupons I have and can use. As I add things to my grocery cart, I take the coupons out of the binder and put them into the empty envelope. That way checkout time is a breeze.

I hope you become as addictive as I am and start saving some money!