If you are new to the world of couponing, it may be very overwhelming. After all, there is so much advice out there it can be difficult to compile it all into one place. But the good news is, you don’t have to! Below, we have taken the guesswork and the legwork out of the equation and assembled ten tips every coupon newbie should know.
The fact is, while there are hundreds of practical tips out there, these ten are really all you need to get you started. Once you have these mastered, you will find not only how easily you are saving money, but not overwhelming yourself in the process.
Saving money via couponing is fun, but not any fun if you are getting stressed out and overwhelmed in the process. So give these ten tips a peek and see if they can help you get more organized and efficient in your quest to be a master couponer!
Ten Tips Every Coupon Newbie Should Know:
1. Recruit your friends.
You will be surprised how many people will donate their unused ads and inserts to you! Ask friends, family, and co workers to save inserts for you and help you out. By doing this you can easily get more coupons and inserts each week without needing to buy additional papers.
2. Be a list maker.
Make a list of items you use on a regular basis to keep on hand when you start price matching and ad browsing. Look for these items when you search for coupons and deal matchups. Don’t clip coupons for items you don’t typically use. Note: if you buy something that you don’t normally use, you’re spending money instead of saving it!
3. The internet is your friend.
You can literally get lost for hours looking for information. With these sites, the work is done for you. Many sites will scout out the sales and coupon matchups for you, showing you exactly where to go, what to get and or how much. Let these sites help you, that is why they are there.
4. Save great coupons for sales.
Find a great coupon? Can you hold on to it until you find a great sale? Just because something is not on sale this week, doesn’t mean it won’t be on sale two weeks from now! Hold off a week or two to see if an item will go on sale before using a coupon on it. Then, you really save!
5. Start with two stores (or less!)
Don’t try to shop at every store in your neighborhood. Start small with one or two until you get the hang of it. Then you can add more to the mix when you get cozy You don’t want to waste gas or time following every sale you come across. Start first with a few stores.
6. Behold the power of printable coupons.
There are many places online where you can find FREE coupons and print them right from home. Manufacturer websites, store websites, etc. The nice thing is you can usually print two per computer as well and get even more instant savings! Find EVERY coupon that is out RIGHT HERE!
7. Get on “the lists.”
Get on the list! Visit the websites of your favorite companies so you can sign up with for extra incentives, e-coupons, and offers sent right to your email. You can register online with companies such as Procter and Gamble, Kraft and more. Each one of these companies will send you emails with offer information, as well as provide coupons on their websites!
8. Invest in a 1 inch binder.
Why not keep a binder to stay organized? It does not have to be huge, bulky, or fancy. A one inch binder is perfect because it is a smaller and slimmer size and easy to manage and tote around, keep in your car, etc. Give it a try!
9. Gather your loyalty cards.
Many stores have their own shopper rewards cards, which enable you to get additional savings. Sign up at any stores you shop at and get your free loyalty card. The key is to match up store sales with coupons and really save.
10. Weekly ads should be your weekly reading!
Never toss those Sunday ads. They are key reading to finding the hot sales of the week. Hang on to these during the week so you can make informed choices and plan your shopping trips muc easier and quicker.
As you can see, these tips are fairly easy to follow and require very little sacrifice! Try one, then two, then all of them and see how they can help you on your quest to be a pro couponer! There is no need to get overwhelmed in information, as these tips or the basics for getting started and strengthening your skills. So good luck, and save lots!
Just trying to learn!