Coupons for Beginners!

Ok, so pretty much I am a beginner at this couponing stuff. I started a few months ago thanks to my brother-in-law (yes, I do mean brother-in-law) who invited me to a savvy shopper class. For all those who live around here in Utah County, it is pretty easy to get information and tips on how to get started, and it seems like EVERYONE is couponing. But I have a friend who lives out of the area who asked me for some help in getting started, and I figure there may be more people out there wondering how to save money using coupons.

First off, let me explain why couponing isn't what you thought it was. Before I started couponing I would take one look at any coupon, see that it was only for $.30 (or $.50), and toss it because I figured it wasn't even worth my time or attention. Then I learned there is a strategy.

When you clip out a coupon you DO NOT take it to just any store and save $.30. Oh no! You clip your coupon, put it away in a safe place (like an organized binder), and watch the sales. Everything goes on sale sooner or later. When the product goes on a good sale, you take your coupon out and buy as many of that product as you can.

So lets say you have a coupon for hot dogs, $.50 off one package. You see that at "ShopRite" they are running a sale for hot dogs for $.69! That's awesome! AND you have 5 coupons for them! You can now buy 5 packages of hot dogs for $.19 each. (By the way, this is a true story. It happened to me just a month or so ago. Only I had a store that would double the value of my coupon which was actually $.50 off two packages. Doubled, it became worth $1 off two packages, making the hot dogs $.19 each.)

So where do you get these coupons? Everywhere. First off is the inserts in your Sunday paper. I can get a great deal where I live by getting 5 copies of the Sunday paper. (Five copies means five of every coupon.) You can also print coupons online at sites like coupons.com or redplum.com. Sometimes you will see coupons sticking out in the aisle where you are shopping. Take every coupon you can get your hands on! The rule of thumb is "would you would buy it if it was free? Then keep it!" You never know when something will go super cheap or free.

I would warn, however, against buying coupons from coupon cutting services or other places. This is a sketchy area. Also, do not jump into dumptsters to get coupons. These kinds of activities present legal and hygenic issues. There are also rules of consideration for other shoppers. Do not take more than your family can reasonably use before the expiration date. You are not saving money if you are being wasteful, and you are clearing the shelf of products other shoppers also need.

That being said, as you coupon, you will slowly build a stockpile of goods in your home. You will need room to store it. You should find that as you plan your meals you will have lots of the products you need already in your stockpile. When the scouts or postal workers come asking for donations, you will have plenty to give. Little by little, you will feel the security of knowing your family has something to eat when they get hungry. You will love what couponing can do for you!