I have recently learned that buying a sunday paper and using the occasional coupon on things that we buy at Wal-Mart and saving $10-20 every week or two is not really maximizing my savings. You can do that of course and you are saving money, however, you could be saving so much more! Couponing is a HUGE thing (and my new hobby), especially with the economy in its current state. Learning to effectively use coupons can save your family a TON of money!
First things first - You will need to build a stock of coupons to maximize your savings. This means acquiring coupons from multiple places. I would recommend starting with the Sunday paper. I would buy at least 2! If there are really good coupons on stuff you use you may want to get more - to determine that you can preview the inserts here.
Another place you can get coupons is All You magazine. This is sold exclusively at Wal-Mart or you can get a subscription. This magazine usually contains higher dollar coupons and is well worth the $.
Store ads (these are usually "store" coupons) & in the store (near or on the product).
Of course, we cannot forget the internet. There are so many places to get coupons online. You can go to the manufacturers websites directly. Many of the sites will have coupons on them. If they don't you can always use the contact us section and tell them how much you like a product or that you would like to try a product and you will often get samples and/or coupons. I just did this with Enfamil after they sent me samples of a formula we couldn't use (we use soy). Not only are they sending me coupons, but also a sample of the soy (hopefully 16oz like I got with the other) A few manufacturer sites I frequent are:
You should also check out sites specifically for coupons:
There are MANY more places to get coupons online, but these are a few of my favorites!
There are also places like Ebay & Craigslist where you can buy coupons (I mean pay someone for their time of cutting coupons for you since buying them is illegal). I personally have never bought them and doubt I ever would, but some people do, so it is an option if it interests you. Just be sure to weigh the cost and make sure you aren't getting expired coupons.
Don't forget your friends and family - do they get the paper and throw the coupons away? Ask them to keep them so you can have them. If they use the coupons, you could trade them ones you won't use for ones they won't use but you will.
Most important - Don't get frustrated or overwhelmed. Do what works for you and if you don't understand something - ASK! This is about doing your best to save your family money and every penny counts, so take it one coupon at a time and learn as you go.
To learn more - see my post on coupon lingo.
No comments:
Post a Comment