OK, first thing’s first: My friend Dezi and my friend Lori have both been a big part in my inspiration for doing this whole coupon stuff. Along with their examples and great website referrals, and also along with the grocery guru (as seen on Good Things Utah–he came to our RS a while back), I have come up with a system that is working pretty well for me. It takes a little practice and getting used to…and NO KIDS when I take a trip to the store. Tried that 3 times with the coupons/price match and it was NOT fun. So stressful trying to get the right items and all that. Without kids has definitely been better! A couple people have asked for a little help in the right direction, and here is what I have to share so far. I’m sure I could optimize everything a little better, but for now, this is what has worked for me.
First of all, I knew that I had to be organized. But after an hour of clipping coupons my first Sunday, and then not even having them filed how I had imagined, I realized that for me, that just wasn’t going to work. So I looked online for some tips on organizing coupons. For me, I didn’t want to have them all clipped just to go searching for that certain coupon in the snacks folder, or the certain coupon in hygiene. I wasn’t loving that idea. I liked that they were clipped and ready to go, but it seemed like between clipping them, filing them, and then finding them again were going to be too much of a time commitment.
When the Grocery Guru came and spoke to my ward, he mentioned that all you have to do is write the date on front of the coupon packet, 3-hole punch it, and stick it in your binder. I didn’t really want to do that for some reason, but I have now, and it has proved to be a HUGE time saver because of this: Dezi told me about this website called Pinching Your Pennies, it tells you the best deals in Utah, THEN it tells you what insert in the paper it was and the date! If I had clipped my coupons out, then I’d have to go searching for that one coupon. This way, I know exactly where to look, and it’s really fast. By the way, you could go to pinchingyourpennies.com and get a lot of great tips on starting out, but that link above is directly to the lists of stores and sales and matching them up with coupons.
Pinching Your Pennies didn’t have everything though, and so from Lori, I was directed to Money Saving Mom. There are SO many useful things on that website as well. One of the best tips she gave was to choose 2 stores to stick with. I’ve found this tip very helpful. If I look for all the best deals at all the stores, and feel like I have to go somewhere to get this free or that almost free, it really starts to make my mind go nuts. I can’t stand all that info with all the other things in life! So, every week, I choose 2 stores to go to. Usually one of them is Macey’s or Albertson’s, then Walmart, where I price match with the ones I didn’t go to. Another tip from the Grocery Guru was to take sticky notes, or do them ahead of time, that names the price of the item and the store it’s on sale at. I have really loved doing that…I don’t have to stand there and tell the cashier everything, and they have seemed to really enjoy that I’ve planned ahead. I still take the ads, just in case, but as long as I have them, they’ve never questioned a price match. Someday, I’d love to make use of Walgreens–I know they have great deals that I’ve gotten before, like pretty much free stuff, but for now, I have to stick with this until I get faster!
But I cannot emphasize enough that I have to just skim past so many good deals, because it isn’t convenient for me and just stresses me out. If I just stick to two stores each week for now, I’m happy. Money Saving Mom takes a pic of her weekly shopping trip, and I thought I’d do the same just this once.
So, here is my trip this week. It all came to $31.78:
Binder: Target for $10
Sticky notes for price match, marker to mark date on front of coupon packets, scissors for clipping coupons, calculator:
I got these zippered pockets to help me organize. I use the bags for specific stores I’m going to, so I’d take this bag with the coupons I’m going to be using at Walmart, or Macey’s, or whatever. I also do clip the coupons I know I will use regardless of if they match up with a sale. I just check the dates every so often to make sure they aren’t expiring and use them before they do if they never matched up with a sale. So I keep those in one of these zippered pockets as well:
Keep the ads in this folder:
I divide the coupon packets up in months:
Here’s the front of the coupon packet with the date:
Shopping list in the back–I still make a normal shopping list, and make sure to put the coupon items or price match items on this list so that I don’t have to go back through the store to find that stuff:
Here’s where I keep the price-match sticky notes, in the back. Also, you can see this list for Albertson’s. I just copy the cell from the table on the Pinching Your Pennies list (from link above), and then I save time so I don’t have to write it all down and can also make sure I am getting the right item:
The binder does have a little filing place with 4 pockets. I keep the eating out coupons, auto, internet, and fun coupons here.
And that, my friends, is what is helping us save mucho dinero each month! Hopefully that will help those who asked!PS: WHY do some of my paragraphs have breaks and some do not? It totally drives me NUTS that it does that to me…all the time! Does anyone know why? It will not fix, no matter how many lines of blank I put there!
Cool! So how much did you end up saving on that shopping trip?
I’ll have to give it a try, but I think I’m coupon impaired. I’ve tried several times to use coupons and for some reason or another I just can’t keep with it. I might need some one-on-one tutoring if this doesn’t work.
Oh my gosh, i’m so glad you did this post, i want to start this soo bad its not even funny, you have no idea the high i get when i know i’m getting a deal…Thanks so much for your tips, i love how much of a go getter you are, its wonderful, you inspire me…Love you!
okay, now you are inspiring me with couponing! I don’t know why, but I really struggled when I tried just saving the inserts whole and cutting out the ones I needed before shopping. But seeing your awesome binder (great pics by the way!) makes me want to try again. I have been really happy with my coupon organizer except for the fact that I don’t feel like I can take it out of the house with me. I have never tried price matching at Wal-Mart. For some reason it intimidates me, but I think I am ready to try it. Walgreens is stopping their rebate plan, so I don’t think the deals will be as hot there. Anyway…. I am so proud of you! You have caught on really fast. It has taken me months and months, but it’s a fun challenge. Do you read Nichole Bray’s blog houseofhind.blogspot.com? She is really into couponing too.
Ok I am done commenting!
That’s awesome Christie! I’m reminded that I said you could have our Sunday papers… I’m just not the best about walking them down there. If you want them, monday mornings they’re here waiting!
Moneysavingmom is my homepage!! I check that website pretty much every time I get online! I just started the whole coupon game in March and our pantry is overflowing with stuff like it never has before! I love it!
Sweet! Thanks for the good tips!I do some of that, but I should do more with my organization, or lack there of, of my coupons. BTW, I always check my paragraphs through the “Show preview” at the top of your post screen. I have the same thing happen to me and I don’t know why, except maybe it has to do with the pictures and everytime you push enter to write text. I don’t know, but if you preview before you post it, you can make the changes in spacing necessary. Whew!