How I do it……Figuring out how couponing can work for you….

As I post different shopping trip successes, a lot of people ask me “How do you do it?”

Couponing is not an easy pastime, but with every penny being so critical, it’s a job of necessity for me and my family. I call it a job because it takes time and effort to save the kind of money I do on my household goods bill.

Every household has different needs, dietary constraints, and other scenarios. There is not a one-stop shop, or singular way that works for everyone. This is what works for me and my family. It takes learning and doing to find out what works for you.

1. Coupon blogs are your friend, but not every deal is in one place.

There are several coupon blogs that I follow daily. For me, daily is the key because like you, there are many people out there that want deals too. If you don’t jump on a sale, there may be another shelf-clearing coupon maven that will beat you to it. Also, understand that many blog writers are regional and stores vary from place to place. Publix has become my primary grocery store, but it does not exist everywhere. You may go to Kroger, Safeway, Stop and Shop, Wegman’s, etc. Here is my list of blogs I follow, and most of them apply to the southeast region:

I’ve found that the easiest way to aggregate and follow these blogs is Google Reader. Most blogs have an RSS feed you can subscribe too and it can be read all in one place. Facebook use to be a good way to do this as well, but as News Feed filters have changed over time, now articles may be missed because of selective filtering for these folks. I encourage you to look them up, follow them on Facebook and subscribe. All of the bloggers do such on a full time basis as their livelihood. They put an amazing amount of time and effort into the information they provide. Please help and support any that work for you.

Here’s a screenshot of my Google Reader coupon folder:

2. Know your stores coupon policy. There are some stores that limit the usage of internet coupons and the like. There are also many times when a cashier may not accept a valid coupon because they are unaware of a policy. You should always have a printed version of the coupon policy with you so you can defuse any potential frustrating situations. This is really important at stores where you may do price matching or bring competitor coupons. My Publix accepts Target and Winn-Dixie coupons but yours may not.

Here is a list of coupon policies at some major stores:

3. You don’t have to slave over the Sunday paper…..but boy does it sure help.

There’s been many discussions about the Sunday paper. Many couponers, extreme or otherwise, debate this topic as the cost of the Sunday paper rises. In any case, I’ve always been able to save more than what my Sunday paper costs. I usually buy 5 Sunday newspapers and it costs me $10.70. My Dollar Tree use to carry the paper, so I could get 5 papers for $5.35 but the local newspaper increased the price and no longer sell it at the Dollar Store. Your stores may carry it, so that is something to consider.

By far, you will get more value out of internet and competitor coupons/price matching than the Sunday paper. Here are some internet coupon links (These are not my affiliate links, we will discuss this more later):

4. If you like a particular brand or product, check their website, Facebook and other social media outlets.

If you know your shopping trip is going to include a particular item, always check the manufacturer’s website. Almost all companies have some sort of membership to their website where you can directly print exclusive coupons and deals. They pop-up on Facebook frequently as well. Coca-Cola and Kellogg’s also have programs to redeem product codes to get coupons for free or seriously reduced prices.

5. Set a budget and stick to it.

This is probably one of the most important things for me when couponing. It’s very easy for me to get carried away with getting a good deal, ending up with stuff I don’t need, and spending more than I really should have. Not every discounted item is going to apply to you. If you don’t wear make-up, you don’t need to go out and clear the shelf at CVS of the foundation because it’s $1.

6. Being willing to substitute brands.

The Skippy Peanut Butter you normally buy may not be cost effective this week (gasp!), you will have to go with Peter Pan. These types of compromises will help keep your grocery costs low while getting the food you need. Hopefully on your next trip you can find what you normally buy but being flexible here is key.

7. Make a list, check it twice.

If you shop like I do, there are many times items magically appear in the cart that weren’t part of my shopping plan. Before heading out to the store, know ahead of time exactly what your going to buy and stick to the plan. That way there are no surprises at checkout. Where you thought you should have spent $50, could quickly turn into $150 if items are added that you weren’t planning on buying.

Lastly, if you find a deal on a blog, share your success or challenges with the community. This sharing of information is what brings the deals home for everyone.

Above, I mentioned affiliate links. Many of the bloggers who post these deals use affiliate marketing to fund their websites and homes. If you find a deal with them, be sure to follow their posted links so they can generate that income they worked so hard for!

Good luck and happy couponing!

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