We’ve all heard the phrase – “extreme couponing” – along with the stories about how learning to coupon can save hundreds to even thousands of dollars on grocery bills and other expenses, but how does it work?
This guide will walk you through the process of learning how to extreme coupon, and teach you how to start saving money today!
Why Coupon?
Getting a second job or having to resort to selling your prized possessions isn’t the only way to raise money quickly. A better way to keep your wallet full is to learn how to spend less of your income, which is where couponing comes in.
Coupons come in all shapes and sizes, for a range of products, and in a range of ways, but in the end, all of them are effective money-saving solutions that you should start taking advantage of immediately.
From printable coupons to manufacturer coupons, coupon clipping services, or receiving coupons by mail, this effective money saving tactic is one of the best ways to reduce your spending since it requires so little actual time and effort.
How to Start Couponing
While some reality shows have given couponing a bad name, coupon usage continues to be a hot trend, with sellers and buyers continuing to take advantage of their unique benefits.
Though couponing seems to be an intricate process, the reality is that it couldn’t be simpler, and while it may seem daunting at first glance, it’s really not all that complicated at all.
The good news is that starting is the hardest part of couponing. Most people who give up on couponing never really give it a solid effort, but this is one money-saving technique that really is worth your time.
Don’t give up if your first trip out only results in a few dollars saved, because you’ve got to remember that clipping a few coupons here and there for things already on your list isn’t what’s going to make a huge difference in your grocery bills – you’ve got to get more involved!
To save massive amounts of money with coupons, you’ll need to stop buying only the things you want or need each week, and start reaching for whatever’s on sale, buying as much as you think you could possibly use before it spoils, and focusing on purchasing only those items that do come with savings.
It may not be easy at first, but once you get the hang of it, you’re sure to start racking up hundreds to thousands of dollars in savings!
Where to Find Coupons
There are two major sources for coupons these days – first, the traditional newspaper, magazine or store saver weekly ads, and second, the more-modern printable online coupons.
For other sources of coupons, don’t ignore offers for free coupon booklets, either from retail locations or snail-mailed directly to your house, as well as manufacturers coupons, which can often be found online.
To download your coupons from the Internet, be sure to regularly check Coupons.com, Coupon Network, Red Plum and Smart Source – the most comprehensive coupon websites around.
For secondary sources, look to Coupon Bloggers like “Coupon Mom”, “Coupon Suzy” and “Coupon Lady”, all of whom regularly share excellent deals with their followers.
And finally, don’t forget Social Media! If you haven’t noticed it yet – coupons are often distributed by company Facebook pages, Twitter accounts, and other Social outlets.
Organize Your Coupons
This part of the process is likely to make or break your extreme couponing experience – if you can’t get organized, it’ll be tough to realize any serious gains.
Don’t worry though, as there are a few different methods that you can try to keep all of your coupons in one place, and organized in an efficient manner.
One of the most popular, though it seems old-timey, coupon organization methods is to utilize a simple file box. What you’ll need is a box with traditional file folders, dividers or tabs of some sort, where you can gather up your coupons and sort them by store, product, brand, or in whatever other way makes the most sense for you.
Gather all the coupons you can from your traditional sources, websites, bloggers and other outlets, then be sure to add them to your files. Come up with a labelling system that lets you quickly view each tab or file folder to find the expiration date, product, and source for the coupon, so that you can spot things at a glance and grab only what you need on any particular shopping outing.
Traditionally, most successful couponers organize their clippings and printable coupons by category, labeling their folders with topics like “Food”, “Household Items”, “Automotive”, etc., but trying some different organization systems is the only way to find the one that works best for you.
Organizing your coupons will only take a few minutes each week, and is one sure-fire way to make sure that you don’t misplace, forget about, or fail to take advantage of the money-saving opportunities at hand!
Start Using Coupons
Now that you’ve got your coupons organized, it’s time to start saving money.
The key to maximizing your value from coupons is using them at just the right time! Wait for those items to go on sale, then hit the store with your coupon and get whatever it is for a deep discount, doing this repeatedly, and limiting yourself as much as possible to purchasing items that are both on sale, and for which you’ve got a coupon.
It won’t work for everything, because some staples never get discounted, but the more that you can leverage this tactic, the more money you’ll find accumulating in your bank account each month.
Watch for promotions, sales, and discounts of all types, scouring your weekly store ads, leveraging online offers and manufacturers’ direct coupons to maximize the value of your efforts.
Get social and start leveraging message boards, forums, social media channels and the blogosphere to identify excellent opportunities in your area, and you’re sure to start saving some serious coin on each trip to the store.
Most importantly though – don’t give up, and don’t be afraid to try new things. Sure, you might think you don’t like that flavor of juice, or that brand of bread, but how could you know for sure until you give it a shot?
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