The 12 steps to couponing

Let's review the steps

1. The rules you must obey
A. Always use coupons with a sale
B. It's okay to let coupons expire
C. Don't hit every deal
2. Gather info (read blogs!!)
3. Gather coupons (paper, online, packages, in store, mail, magazines, etc..etc..)
4. Organize your coupons (find a system that works for you)
5. Plan your trip (list and coupon to use)
6. Shop (be vigilant, observant, and polite)
7. Home (look it over, plan your meals)
8. Balance your stockpile (become a storer not a hoarder!)
9. Use rebates
10. Share (what your learned, deals you find with others)
11. Make it a habit (fit your new way of shopping into your schedule)
12. Limit (learn what deals to hit or miss and stay on budget)

I hoped these steps have helped you become a better shopper and couponer. Please take a minute to review them. Don't give up and don't get frustrated. Start slow and simple, you will get it! Remember couponing is like a part time job (10-20 hours/week for me, including blog time). I saved $60 today at the grocery store and it took me about 1 hour to plan. $60 an hour is a pretty nice part time job if you ask me.

Step #12: Setting limits

This is the last step in my "12 steps to couponing" program. So consider yourself graduated! Next week we will have a review.

The first time you save more than you spend, get a freebies, or even get paid to take something home, is exhilerating! You will be wanting to hit every store in town to cash in on the great deals. My recommendation however, is DON'T! Several $25-50 trips at several stores will still blow your budget no matter how many "great deals" you are getting. Your time and energy is also important so spend it wisely. Set a limit for yourself and stick to it. You will have less burnout and learn the couponing system faster. This is hard to do and I am still working on it.

Step #11: Making it a habit

People always say to me, "Coupons take up too much time and I never save that much." This statement is true if you haphazardly coupon now and then, but if you are couponing a lot, it becomes a habit. A habit that changes your way of thinking about shopping. Now, rather than get what I need right now, I buy what we use(with coupons) when it goes on sale. That way I am ahead of the game when I go to make my favorite recipes. Case in point, Albertsons today, spent $59.06 for 64 items or just 92 cents an item! I saved $111.83, wow!

Some of this stuff is for this week and Thanksgiving, but a lot of it isn't. Cranberry sauce, canned fruit and veggies (kids stacked them for the pic :)...), Rhodes rolls, stuffing, butter, and Miracle Whip were just on good sales and stuff we use for our meals, so I stocked up. Also the turkey was only $2.68 for an almost 12 pound turkey. Our Albertsons ran out of the 16-22 lbs turkeys that were part of the buy $25 worth of groceries get a Village Market Turkey for 23 cents per pound. They substituted smaller turkeys, which was fine by me, because this was just for my family of five for a special dinner. I went with my Kindergarten daughter, so I also ended up with straw, Cheese-its and Lunchables (and said "no" to probably 100 other things) that weren't at the best price ever, but fun for my kiddies. All in all a great shopping trip. Couponing has become a habit for me and that way I am able to save and still buy the things I want and need.

When you take a little time each day (1/2 hour of less to review blogs for me) and a little time to plan trips (about 1 hour for Albertsons trip and 15-30 minutes for Rite Aid for me) you can save 50% or more. Which if you think about it is a pretty good habit to have. It is also a habit that gets easier with time. Don't give up, I can't believe all that I have learned in a year and am still learning.

Step #10: share

Now you have learned how to coupon, what should you do now? Share with others. There are several ways to share. Tell your friends and neighbors about a hot promo, share your purchases with others, and share your expertise. I wish someone who knew had told me about Rite Aid like 5 years ago. I also wish someone had explain catalinas to me. Let others know, no one should have to pay retail :)

So in the spirit of sharing...Spend $25 on Proctor and Gamble products get a free cookware set via mail. Here is the rebate form and the PYP forum discussing it is here. You only have until Saturday to make your purchases. Don't run out to buy stuff just to get this, but if you need stuff anyway (like Pampers diapers) it's an extra bonus. (Thanks Ami)

Some freebies: Go over to being girl for a generous sampling of Tampax/Always products. Plus get a coupon for a free pack of Always Infinity. I got this last week.

Go to beechnut, fill out the form and get a free cereal coupon and free 2 jars of baby food coupon via mail. I just got mine today.

And Tomorrow and Wednesday is a MACY'S ONE DAY SALE and it is advertised as the biggest one day sale of the year! Best of all there is a coupon for $10 off a $25 purchase. Almost everything is included, even the clearance rack. The coupon is good from store opening until 1 PM each day. Go to macys.com and click on the stores link, enter your zip code, and then check out the catalog for your area. Mine was over 60 pages! I am thinking Christmas dresses and coats for my kids. Oh, how I heart Macys!

Step # 9: Rebates

I love earning rebates, especially high value ones and those at Rite Aid. Rite Aid rebates are all done online, so it makes it easy. Read here for more info Most other rebates however, have to be done through the mail. It is a good idea to do these as soon as you get home from the store. That way it is fresh on your mind and you have the receipt and UPC codes in front of you. Most rebates require the original receipt. If you have two products that have mail in rebates, ask the cashier to print out a duplicate receipt for you. If you are doing a mail in rebate from a product bought at Rite Aid, make sure you enter you info in the computer before you send off the receipt. It is also a good idea to make copies, keep a contact number/email, and keep a record when you sent it off, in case you have a problem. Most of these totals are before coupons, so it you combine them with sales, promos, and coupons, they become money makers!

Some rebates to look out for right now:

SC Johnson Buy 3 products get $5 back.
Real Simple Buy $15 worth of participating products get $5 back
Johnsons Rubber Ducky water tester with $7 product purchase
Try me free peelie offer on Gerber Yogurt Blend
Pampers diaper clutch, free with Pampers Big Box purchase at Albertsons(catalina rebate form will print)

Any other you are working on? I will post any new rebates I find.

Step #8: Balancing the Stockpile

If you have been doing this awhile you have seen those videos/pictures with huge stockpiles that make most KMarts jealous. Which brings up the whole ethical issue with me, how much is too much? (On my soapbox now...)

Several wise men in my church and our FEMA program have stated that we need a "years supply" of food and personal items. That is my guideline. I try to have what I think we could and would use within a year. More than that is extravagant and wasteful for me. I mean are 87 toothbrushes really going to come in handy if there is a catastrophe? Would it be more helpful to have say 25 cans of tuna? Am I really going to eat 10 cans of vegetables before they expire(yes), but 100 probably not. Is this instant food healthy or just cheap and convenient, would it make more sense to buy fresh ingredients and make a casserole? Once you really get started into couponing, the deals are aplenty. What separates a good couponer from an excellent one (in my opinion) is learning when to say when. This has been a huge challenge for me, but I am getting better. I think I have found my own personal balance.

So here is my stockpile, I don't think it is huge, but manageable. I also recently had my "cupboard month", which I will talk about later. Basically we mostly make meals out of the cupboard to try and use up some food so it doesn't expire.

My kitchen pantry. The soup is from case lots sale last winter. The bottom boxes are tuna that my husband caught and had canned. I also have baking supplies on the other side, but it is mostly in bulk and not that exciting. Most everything else was bought here and there in reasonable quantities.
My bathroom stockpile. I am good with shampoo/conditioner/lotion/etc... we have a large supply. A lot of this I bought when I first started, before I realized how quick cheap shampoo multiplies. :)

Diapers. These are mostly in the next two sizes up, but I am mostly stocked up on these too. I think after I earn my free coupon from Rite Aid, I am good for about a year. By the way, these were all bought a pack at a time.

One of my favorite quotes is "Happiness is a place between too little and too much" (Finnish proverb). This is how I try to live my life, but also how I try to coupon. You know those "hoarding" shows, look in the background and you will see lots of full "deal" bags and coupons waiting to be clipped on the counter. Sad, but true most of these so called hoarders are "excellent" deal finders, but not so much "excellent coupon balancers." Okay, sorry for the tirade just sharing what I think. I hope it will give you some inspiration to find your balance: :)

Want to read more the coupon project has a great post on this subject.

Step #7: Home

You made it out of the store and hopefully had a good cashier and good experience. Now what do you do? First, preferable when you are loaded in the car, look over your receipt. Make sure everything looks right and that your coupons and promos came off right. Also make sure you got your catalina promos, if you were trying for them, if not you need to go into the store and have customer service take a look. Treat your catalinas and receipts (if you are doing rebates) like money, because that is really what they are.

When you get home, lay everything out in an ascetically pleasing arrangement and take pictures for your blog/brag/to impress your husband (I am kidding about that one, but sometimes it is fun!) You should take the chance to impress your husband though before he gets tired of hearing about your great deals...:)

Seriously, look over your purchases and be sure you got everything. Make sure you didn't leave a bag in the store or wandered around your trunk. Now, put everything away, but think about it. Will we eat it soon, or should I freeze it. You might want to arrange your shelves items by expiration dates, so you eat the oldest products first. Put produce in a spot where you will snack on it before it goes bad. Also plan your meals around what products need to be consumed first. (That cheap salad kit isn't a great deal if it goes slimy before you eat it.) Basically, just use common sense, but you don't want all your hard work to go to waste because of food waste.

Next week, we are going to talk about stockpiling and balance, just a few more steps to go.

Step #6: Actually Shopping

We finally get to the step that most Americans start at, shopping in the store. One thing first though, before I get in the store, I organize my coupons by aisles (my list is also organized this way). That way I spend even less time in the store, which ironically is a benefit of couponing. Here are some things to watch for when you are shopping.
*Bring your ad (or get one from customer service). This becomes helpful in finding the exact product, double checking prices, or finding a replacement.
*Make sure you have the right product for your coupon and especially your promo. It is very easy to get the wrong size or even brand. Now days, store brands are marketed to look a lot like name brands so be careful. I once missed out on a $12 catalina because I had one store brand box of granola bars mixed in which my name brand ones. Looks for the sale tags and promo tags hanging by the product.
*Check end displays and front displays. They often shelf the promo/sale products in addition to their usual place in the store. After you have checked all of these places and still can't find the item you want, be sure and ask for a rain check.
*However, if you are trying to earn a promo catalina or have to hit a certain amount, get a replacement item for the one that is out of stock. Always have a backup plan, especially if you are in a busy store or it is a popular item. Usually stores order extras for these large promotion sales, but they frequently run out too. Another thing to consider is being considerate of others who might be trying to get the deal...don't be a shelf clearer.
*Look for unadvertised deals in clearance section. You might find some bargains. Be careful though, you don't have to get everything just because it is on sale.
*Try to shop alone and when the store is less busy, to lower your frustration levels and allow you to concentrate, especially when you are doing complicated deals. I know this isn't always feasible, so try to keep kids occupied with free samples (from the bakery), or free stickers/balloons that a lot of stores offer. This is a challenge for me, my kids seem to have a meltdown by the time we reach the checkout counter, which is really when you want to pay attention.
*When you are ready to check out, double check your items, making sure they are the right ones. Also double check your coupons and get the ones ready you are going to use. Look for a "coupon friendly" cashier, or one you have a good relationship with, it really makes a difference (more on that later).
*Hand over coupons and reward cards. I usually put mine on the belt right at the first, so they know what to expect. Some cashiers like to scan as they item is scanned, so it is better if they have them all upfront.
*Be pleasant and knowledgeable. If a coupon doesn't work or "beeps" it is up to the cashier whether to push it through or not. Sometimes you have to decide if it is worth arguing over 75 cents, usually for me it is not. However, if your catalina you are going for doesn't work, you need to speak up. It is usually very easy to fix and a couple minutes is always worth $10 or so.
*Don't let a bad experience ruin it for you. Even if it didn't go smoothly or you had a grumpy/rude cashier, you still saved some, which is what you wanted to do.

Next is what to do when you get home...we are not done yet.

Step #5 Planning your shopping trip

I know it sounds boring and time consuming, which it can be, but this is why you plan your trip.
Spent $94.01, saved $182.84!!!

There is no way, even if I had the best coupon binder ever, I could have done this without planning my trip first. Now it took me about two hours to get it all together and organized, but two hours is definitely worth $185 of my time!

Several years ago, I made a list of all my families favorite recipes, (50 total). Then I broke that list down into five separate ingredients lists that I rotate and take to the store. The problem was I was still spending, a lot! Since I have couponed, I do it different. Each week, I look at what is one sale, what coupons I have, and what we need (produce, milk, juice, eggs, etc...). Then I go shopping. About once a month or so I take one of my big recipe list to the store, only now I have bought a lot of it at cheaper prices on different weeks. So now, I only have to get the fill in ingredients that are missing. My family still has their favorite meals and I still saved money. So here it is summarized:

1) First, look over the ads and blogs! Find out what is really a good deal!

2) Decide what you actually need or will use based on what is on sale.

3) Find (or print) matching coupons.

4) Make up some sort of list that works, organize it in a way that works for you, especially if you are trying to do complicated deals.

5) Bring your list and your coupons to the store!! (what to do in the store is next)

Step #4 Organizing your coupon stash

So now you have this huge stash of coupons, how do you find them when you need them? There are several methods to organizing your coupons. I am an organized person, but what works for me might not work for you. I will show you what I do, but if that is not your style, look on some other blogs and see what they do. It only needs to work for you. (I am not a huge binder person (yet), I just find I don't have the extra hand to deal with a toddler and maybe another kid or two and a 30 pound binder. )

I have a drawer in my house dedicated to coupons. This is also where I put ads, rebate info, gift cards etc.

I have a small binder that I put clipped coupons, catalinas, coupons I receive in the mail, coupons that I know I will use.

It is divided into tabs. The division I use are the next three months expiration, 5 stores categories (Albertsons, Fred Meyer, KMart, Walgreens, and Rite Aid) for store coupons, baby, and anything that expires in more than three months. I use this method because it is easy for me to see if there are any coupons I want to use before they expire. I have also seen alphabetical by brand and food categories or store areas (for example, health & beauty, frozen, snacks, dairy, etc...) These last two work better if you take your binder to the store, which I usually don't do.

I don't "clip" every coupon that comes in the paper. Instead I put them in a folder and then if I need one, it is much easier to find then hunting through my huge stack. I do clip any "high value" coupon that I might use, products I know we will use (such as diapers, juice), any "free coupons", or anything I might like to try, but for the most part they stay in the inserts. I used to clip what products I would usually buy and throw the insert away, but a lot of coupons I needed later I didn't have when I did this. Now I just save them all so if I need them I have them. I keep about 4 months worth in my folder. Every few weeks I go through the oldest inserts and clip the ones that aren't expired yet (which is not very many) and throw the rest away.

Example of "dating" my insert so I can find it quick.

When I go to the store, I take the coupons I need (sale matchups) and ones that might expire soon(to look for a possible sale). I also take a list and put it all in just a plain white envelope. I take time to plan out my trip, but this makes it so much smoother when you get to the store. Planning is the next step

Step #3 Gathering Coupons

Sorry this post is late, I had Monday and technology issues.

The third step is gathering coupons. There are many places and ways to get coupons.

*In the paper: The Sunday paper has inserts, but these can vary by the region or the paper you get. Experiment with several papers and find the one (or ones) that has the best ones for you. I buy three each week, my local paper (for the ads, but it doesn't have coupons), and the two papers from the bigger cities that have the coupon inserts. The inserts are called Smart Source (SS) and Red Plum (RP). About once a month there is a Proctor & Gamble (P&G) insert too. Sometimes other companies put out inserts, Kelloggs did one in September. The Sunday paper also has store coupons. Store coupons (put out by that specific store and can only be used at that store) can be stacked (used together) with manufacturers coupons.

*In the store: Look for "blinkies" and "tear pads" displays next to products. Sometimes companies put out whole booklets that are on displays (Kelloggs and Kraft did this in the last month). Also Fred Meyer and Walgreens have coupons booklets (store coupons) which can be stacked. Be respectful of other couponers though and don't wipe out the whole display :) Some stores may even have a coupon trade bin, where you put your coupons you don't want and get ones you do.

*On products: Look for "peelies" (those sticker like coupons on packages) on products and coupons inside boxes. The ones hidden in boxes are usually high values. I recently got $5 worth of Kelloggs coupons inside a cereal box.

*On the internet: Internet coupons are free. You can usually print them twice. Coupons.com, redplum.com, smartsource.com are the best ones. They update once a month, but are set to only so many prints per coupon. So if you see something you need, print it before it is no longer available. (You can print them all, but you are probably not going to use them all, so it wastes paper and ink.) Also company websites are great sources for coupons. If you are looking to see if a coupon is available for a specific product, you can try coupontom.com. It tells you where to find the coupon. (These links are on my sidebar.) One word of caution, I would stay away from coolsavings.com, couponmom.com, etc...those sites just seem to fill your mailbox with spam and never produce usable coupons (at least for me they don't.)

*In the mailbox: You know I love mail! There are lots of coupon books and free samples (that often come with high values coupons) to sign up for. Again, I would stick with freebies4mom.com on that. I am on several companies mailing lists and I often get coupons that work great with promotions.

*In magazines: Lots of coupons are available in magazines. Keep your eyes open next time you are browsing. Also the All You magazine has lots of coupons in it. It is a tip mag made for moms. I actually like reading it, because it is realistic. The recipes are actually very easy with common ingredients and the fashion section is stuff you would wear and can actually afford to buy. You can get this mag at WalMart for under $2 and it easily has $100 of coupons in it every month. You can also get a cheap subscription to the mag on numerous sites.

So go gather some coupons, next we will talk about how to organize them.

Step #2 Gathering Information

Deals vary a lot depending on the your region, the store, even your cashier's mood...The drugs stores are pretty much the same nationwide. The superstores can vary greatly, especially KMart. Grocery store deals also vary by region. Also the coupons available in the Sunday paper and online vary by region. So how do you keep up on the deals in your area? I recommend reading blogs that post coupon matchup for deals in your specific area. The Grocery Gathering at becentsable.net has both local (grocery store) and national (drug and superstore) blogs that you can read. (Click on the weekly deals section to find the lists.) I recommend finding a few good ones for your favorite stores in your location. I will continue to post EXCELLENT Rite Aid Deals and grocery store deals for the Northwest.

Another blog to read, one of my favorites, is Freebies 4 Mom. This is the blog that actually got me started on my new shopping journey (more on that later). It provides the best (meaning trusted and screened) samples and offers from companies. Signing up for free samples is a great way to get high value coupons and get to try new products.

And last one great deal for you local readers, Fred Meyer has Fred Meyer Instant Oatmeal one sale for $1/box, with in ad coupon. You can pick up an ad at the customer service counter. There is a ten box limit. A great price if your kids like oatmeal like mine do.

Step #1: The three rules

If you are looking to learn how to buy coupons off ebay, dumpster dive, steal newspapers, obtain 8 newspaper subscriptions, price match at the register, or any other embarrassing, extreme, or unethical couponing techniques...you have come to the wrong site. If you are looking to save some money and learn how to be an empowered consumer, stay logged in. You will be a deal diva before you know it!

Why do I coupon? Three main reasons: 1) I like to save money and the rush of a good deal. 2) It helps me build my stockpile of food storage. and 3) It makes shopping a fun game!

So where/how do you start? I am going to go slow and explain as much as I can over several posts. I don't want to overwhelm or confuse anyone. Remember this should be fun. It will take time and a new way of thinking, but it is worth it. Also, don't get discouraged because it gets faster and easier the more you coupon.

So here are three things to remember as you start your new way of shopping.

#1) ALWAYS use a coupon with a sale and/or promotion and/or rebate! If you use a coupon on a regularly priced item, you are going to loose money. For instance, Dawn dishwasher soap, big bottle priced at $4.29, use $.75 coupon pay $3.54. Bargain brand dish soap is regularly priced at $3.29. However the next week, Dawn dish soap may be part of a promotion. Then it is sale priced at $3.79, use $.75 coupon pay $3.04 plus it qualifies you for extra savings on the promotion.

#2) It is OKAY to let a coupon expire. (This is harder than is sounds.) Just because you have a coupon, even a great one, does not mean you have to use it. Using every coupon will end up costing you money.

#3) You DON'T have to hit every deal in town. (Also harder than it sounds.) This will also end up costing you money. You don't need to drive all over town for the free toothpastes or cheap soup, those sales will pop up again and again. Choose one or two stores to shop at and learn their system and promotions. It will make it much easier for you.

I am not an expert, I just like to share what I have learned and am learning with you. Remember, I am working on these too and your own personal experiences are the best teacher. Good luck and happy shopping.