The next step would be to become aware of the store policies regarding coupon use. Do they accept competitor coupons? Do they limit the number of coupons you can use? Do they allow you to use a store coupons and a manufacturers coupon on the same product? It can be disappointing to put the work into organizing your coupons only to find out it won’t ring up right. I am always aware when checking out to stay on top of what deals I am aiming for, and if it doesn’t ring up right, I will stop the process to see why. It could be I bought the wrong size or the wrong quantity and the clerk will usually work with me to try to make it right. Its just easier for me to deal with it right then than to go home and have to look over my receipt to try and figure out why it didn’t work. I generally use self check, if available, because I want to make sure my coupons work and I don't want a huge line getting irritated behind me. I also try not to go at a peak shopping time. I will alert the clerk on duty that I am trying to work a promo/coupon and may need help. If I am patient and prepared they generally are happy to help.
First you need to get the Sunday paper. It has two major inserts each week. Vlassis
When the grocery flyers come out on Tuesday, I look them over to see what is on sale that week. I look up those products at thecouponmom.com in their coupon database to see if any coupons have been issued for these products. If you do not have online access it would make more sense for you to clip your coupons and file by store layout category. I generally go for the big promos. For instance, last week Albertsons was having a Quaker promo. This week, it is a General Mills promo, etc.
I belong to several user groups online with like minded savers who will post messages about what is on sale. The groups I belong to are thecouponmom.com, thegrocerygame.com*, refundcents.com*, afullcup.com and slickdeals.net, freecycle.org, and WA good deals alert. The message boards help me to be aware of promos and coupon deals going on that I might not be aware of. Most of the websites are national, so not all content will apply to my state, but I glean what I can from others . Thegrocerygame.com and refundcents are paid sites, the others are free.
Be on the lookout at the store for additional savings. Be alert of "blinkies" in front of products (a blinking coupon generator) or specially marked packages. One week Oscar Meyer deli fresh sandwiches were on sale for $1 and in front of the product was a blinkie with coupons for $1 off making them free. If the product on sale is sold out ask for a raincheck. A raincheck can work to your advantage. It will give you more time to gather more of the coupons for the sale item. Also, don’t forget to gather your ‘catalina’ tapes. A Catalina is a machine at checkout that will spit out additional coupons for future use. For instance, they recently had a promo if you bought 4 boxes of cereal you got a free milk. If you didn’t buy a milk in that transaction, the Catalina machine would spit out a coupon for a future visit for a free milk. One more tip on catalinas, if they spit out during the transaction, they can sometimes be used on that transaction. Just because it says on a future visit doesn’t always mean you can’t use it on your current transaction.
I usually shop at Albertsons because they accept up to 8 other store coupons. So if Fred Meyer or Safeway has a high value coupon I want to use, I use it at Albertsons when I go do my charity shopping. It saves me trips to different stores.
Forget brand loyalty. If you have a high value coupon for a product that you have not tried before, buy it anyway. Someone can use it even if it ends up not being a product you would not normally buy. I have tried dozens of different toothpastes, shampoos, deoderants, etc. Some were disappointing while others I would buy again without a coupon.
Stock up! Don't wait until you need a product to buy it. Stock up when prices are rock bottom. If toothpaste is on sale for $1 and you have a 75 cent coupon, buy it even if you don't need it. When you do need it, it will be $2.50/tube. You will start to notice trends in sale items. Just about every type of product will be on sale within an 8 week period. When I first started doing this I felt like I had to buy 10 boxes of cereal because they were on sale and combined with a coupon were only $1. Only to discover, that if I waited, the sale would come around again. That’s where the price list comes in handy. I start to get a list of what I have paid for items and will check if it’s really worth stocking up or not
Some examples:
Last week: Albertsons had a Quaker promo. The items were on sale for $1.50/each. If you bought 10 items, they would instantly take off $5. That made the items $1.00 each. I looked to see which Quaker coupons I had and found 10 coupons for $1.00 off. That made all the items free. I also had a try me free coupon for a lemonade and picked that up also. My total for $55 worth of groceries was 0.11 cents!! The week before we spent $27 and saved $155! Not all weeks will have sales that combine with high dollar coupons. This week for example, on the General Mills promo we got $214 worth of groceries for $69. Still a significant savings of $145, and a lot of food for donation.
Once you've gotten the hang of couponing, you may want to explore refunding. Its another fun way to save or get free items. Every week Walgreens and Rite Aid have free after rebate items. I check the ads and pick up those items. Once I get the rebate money back, I use it to keep buying rebate items and the chain continues each week. I haven't paid for many toiletries in a long time. Manufacturers will often issue try me free, or rebates on new products they are promoting. You may have to wait a month or more for your rebate, but you would have spent the money anyway and now the rebate goes right back in to your grocery budget. I always try to combine a coupon with a free after rebate item. You still get the full rebate amount back, but its less out of pocket to begin with.
Keep it honest, know your stores policy on coupons and have fun! If you're gonna have a hobby, why not make it one that blesses others.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”. Margaret Mead
