Basics of couponing

Sensible savings -Basics on Coupons and why you should use them!

We talk about deals all the time. All we try is to get a great product for as low as possible and if we do,we all do a happy dance…I am pretty sure very one heard about coupons(Would be a surprise if your answer was No!)…So when it comes to coupons we all are not really familiar the way we should be. We all have an opinion that it’s a complicated process, we don’t have time etc…

What I have learned is that we are Lazy! We already have so much in our hands that we don’t want to add on one more worry to our plate. Right?! Well, Wrong! Think about this every time you are making a purchase of an item 90% of the time you can end up getting the product for free or almost free or very less! Let's take an example of a Tooth Paste.I have Posted tons of Posts regarding Top toothpaste Brands for Free at CVS…Regularly these would cost $5-$6 bucks.The Money you are saving from these coupons, you could use it to buy some other product or even give away to some charity( I love this idea!).

Just a few simple basics to learn to understand this Coupon Process. I don’t want to do any Extreme couponing here and I am not here to save every Penny .

To get started

First and foremost you have to understand that the coupons you get are Manufacture coupons. Most of the stores accept these and the stores get back the amount by the manufacturer. So never assume that its store money!

Some Don’t's:

• Do not overwhelm yourself. Start Slow. Start with one coupon. Take Baby Steps.
• Don't Just clip a Coupon if you are not going to use it. Always ask yourself  if you need this coupon.

Some Dos:

• Pick one or two stores; A stores which you visit regularly. Learn as much as you can about the store(s).
• Join the store’s savings card/loyalty program.
• Make sure to Print the Coupon. Whenever they become available or when you are ready for shopping. You generally have 30 days to use the coupon. There will likely be a sale or deal coming up where you can use the coupon.
• Just try to use the coupon with the product you want to buy. Just to get started and to know the process. After the first attempt you will see that you are more comfortable(There is always a first time! For anything as a matter of fact.)Make sure to check if there are any other deals or coupons are available. You can stack most of the coupons. Ask for help. Most of the time the Store cashier's would be willing to help.
• Check for Stores weekly deals(Signing up for their emails is the best way to be updated).

Below are the two stores which I go often and You can check out my Postings about these stores for more information.

• Saving at CVS
• Saving at Target ---Post coming soon!

Where can you find coupons?

Sunday newspaper You’ll often find coupon inserts In Sunday newspapers  –

• Red Plum inserts (RP)
• SmartSource inserts (SS)
• Proctor & Gamble inserts (PG)
• Occasionally bonus inserts depending on your area of the country

                  Abbreviations:

GM = General Mills

PG = Procter & Gamble

RP = Red Plum

SS = SmartSource

They Will look something like the below.

• Internet/Printable coupons  There are TONS of printable coupons available online! Here are Some of the sites where I take the printouts.my favorite coupon sites: Coupons.com

• Store Weekly Ads Often stores will have coupons available right in their weekly ads. Don't throw these! I am myself surprised that I would ever say this because I would just dump these right out of my mailbox. Once I started learning about couponing I was surprised to know that they have a great deal of information. Just keep the stores you visit more often. Go through the deals and then you can put them away. As an example, I often check CVS and Sprouts. Rest I quickly scan and put them away.

• In Store Coupon Savings  The  coupons that print at the counter/checkout are called Catalina

Organizing:

There are several different ways to keep your coupons organized so you can easily find them. Many people use a binder method. Organize how it works best for you.

Decoding the Posts related to Deals with Coupons:

Here is an example:

Use $2/1 Huggies Diapers found in  2/14 SS expires 3/15

It means it can be found in the February 14th Smart Source Insert. $2/1 means you can deduct $2 off one Huggies diapers pack. Off 3 and some areas will have gotten a .50 cents off 2. The x followed by the date is when the coupon expires. But finding the best way to organize is a process – and you may go through several different ways before you figure out what method works best for you.