Couponing Basics

Now that the site has been up and running for some time now, I thought it would be nice to get some basic/general couponing information on here to help you out.  There will probably be several posts, so let's consider this Part I.

Getting Started - Coupon Basics

Are you wondering, “Is it really worth it? Can I really save money by using Coupons? Isn’t the store brand cheaper than using a coupon on a brand? I’ve tried coupons before and they just don’t seem to make that much difference…”

There is more to couponing than cutting out a couple of coupons you think you might use! If this is your current way of doing things you may save a small amount, only to become discouraged!

In order to maximize savings at couponing, you must keep/cut the coupons from the inserts (and anywhere else you find them) and hold on to them until those items go on sale! If you do this you can get items for 50% off and more… even FREE!!

The general consensus seems to be that product prices will fluctuate on cycles that are about 6-8 weeks long. During that cycle a product will hit its lowest price and that is when you want to buy enough of that item to get you through to the next cycle. When a product is at it’s lowest price in that cycle (you’ll know it will be in the advertised flyers and you will soon learn what that price is) you will use coupons in addition to the low price to increase your savings even more on that item!

For an example… if your family uses 3 bags of frozen vegetables a week, at regular price that is about $1.50 a bag or wait for low price with a coupon and get them FREE, or close.

3 bags @ $1.50= $4.50/week x 6 week cycle = $27

3 bags @ $0.00-.67= $2.00 x 6 week cycle= $12.00 (at the highest)

A savings of $15.00

That’s one product and you have saved $15. Now think of the other 200 products that the average family buys a month. Even if you didn’t have coupons for all of your items, if you wait until the product is on sale to purchase it you are still saving.

Want some more tips to save even more? (from Southernsavers.com)

1. Cut ALL coupons or Save all inserts from the Sunday paper. If you save them entire insert to cut as needed make sure you mark the date on insert so that you can find it when you see a coupon can be used.

**If you are already thinking why do I need them all just wait until you see a Blood Glucose meter go on sale at CVS for $20 and giving back 15 ECB and you didn’t cut the -$20 off coupon that would have made it free and them just hand you ECB for spending nothing**

2. Start to shop buying only the things that are on sale and using your coupons then. Also when an item is on sale you STOCKPILE. Some sites recommend 12 weeks worth because that is the common time it takes for an item to come back on sale. That’s great if you have the space, if not get enough that if you shop at two different stores you can hold off until it goes on sale at the other store. Once you have a good stockpile you will only be shopping for sale items and never having to pay non sale prices. Also once you pay an amazing price for something like .90 cents for cereal you will not want to have to pay the regular price ever again.

3. Make a menu for the week based on what is on sale that week at the store. An example being don’t plan fish when no one has it on sale and you are paying top dollar.

4. If you know that you are going on a trip or having a special event in the future start a separate stockpile early for those items so that you are not paying top dollar just because you are on vacation for your groceries. Paying $3 for 5 12pks of Coke at CVS a month before a trip is much better than paying 4.50 a 12pk once you get to the beach!!

5. Give up what brand loyalties you are able. There is nothing wrong with be bought for a price if it is a good coupon and makes the Old Elpaso beans .10 cents but you have always bought a different brand. If you want to pay the full price for the other can go for it, but I’ll use my coupon. If Herbal Essences shampoo is .20 cents a bottle it can’t hurt to give it a try.

6. No house brands are not the best deal. National brand items bought on sale with coupons become incredibly cheaper than house brand items. That was a hard lesson to learn after years of automatically grabbing the house brand item. If you can buy house brand butter for 2.49 or get Land o Lakes butter for .80… thats not hard math. Remember a store wants you to buy their house brand because they keep all the money, they will try to make it seem like a deal but your interests are not what they have at heart.

7. Shopping at Costco and Sams will become a thing of the past mostly. I get dairy items there that do not have coupons often or are rarely on sale. Most of the time though buying the 4 boxes of cereal for $10 at Sams never compares to getting 4 boxes for 2.50 (the average price of cereal when bought correctly is .70-.90 cents). Personal Care items that could be a good deal can’t even touch being FREE at CVS.

For more in-depth tips read Southern Saver’s Extreme Couponer 101 Column posts.