Clipping coupons

[YellowRoseTex]

If coupons are used wisely you really can save alot of money. I sometimes buy an extra Sunday paper when the coupons come out. The money I save is worth the extra $1.50, if, it's what I call, a good coupon day. :D

For example, a few weeks ago, I bought two papers which contained a coupon for $1.50 off the new All Concentrated Detergent. My grocery store had it on sale for $3.99, so I only paid $2.49 each for the detergent. I had an extra coupon because I bought the extra paper so I was able to buy two. I already saved on the one detergent what I paid for the paper.

I know I read that some people only spend $10 for a $100 worth of groceries, but I'm not that good. ;) I do think it is really my time and effort to do the clipping. I mainly stock up on the dry goods, such as toilet paper, dish soap, etc when it's on sale and I have a coupon. Only stuff that I use and that won't go bad.

[Kathy]

I like to clip coupons. My biggest mess up is that I forget them at home and then they expire....I need to organize this!

[YellowRoseTex]

Kathy,
I made myself a coupon organizer. I found that the ones you buy premade are very small and the categories are very limited. I bought a 4x6 index card box, bought the numbered alphabetical dividers to put inside the box (just turned them around so I could label them). Every Sunday I sit down with the paper and start clipping, than file. The box goes to the store with me. Once a month I go through the box and throw out all the expired coupons.

I have about 25 different categories, if you keep it too short the sections get too full and it's difficult to sort thru when you're at the store. Some suggestions for categories: Aspirin, baggies/foil, condiments, paper goods, shampoo, etc.

If I notice a particular section filling up with different coupons, than I may make a new section and split it out. For example: at one time I had all the paper goods, such as napkins,toilet paper, paper plates, kleenex and papertowels all in one section. Well, that section was getting really full and I found it cumbersome to see what I had when I was at the store, so I broke it down into 2 seperate sections; "paper goods" for toilet paper and paper plates, and "napkins" for napkins, papertowels and kleenex.

Hope the hints help. It has worked for me and I look forward to getting my Sunday paper and clipping.

[Sib2of11]

I work in a supermarket, so I see firsthand the savings that can be obtained by clipping coupons. I've never seen really huge savings, but some of my customers save 20% - 25% of their total bill.

Where I work, we DOUBLE COUPONS up to 99 cents every day, so if you have a 75 cents off coupon, that translates into a $1.50 savings.

Here are a few hints....

Clip only coupons you know you will use. For example - if you use Bounty paper towels and like them, don't buy Viva paper towels simply because you have a coupon.

Sometimes even with a coupon, the Store brand is less expensive, and in most cases just as good as the name brand (where I work, our Store-brand pasta is made by Prince). So if I were to use a cents-off coupon for Prince pasta, I'd probably not save as much as if I bought the Store brand with no coupon.

Don't bother with the coupons that require you to buy 5 cans of a product to save 25 cents. It just isn't worth it unless it's something you use all the time.

Check the size requirements of the product listed on the coupon. Sometimes it's cheaper to buy two of the smaller products at regular price with no coupon than to buy the large one that the coupon requires.

My biggest mess up is that I forget them at home and then they expire....

Check with your Customer Service Dept. Where I work, if a customer forgets to bring the coupons, they can bring their coupons with their cash register receipt to the Service Desk within a few days and we will reimburse them.

[Ms Big Butt]

If you want to match up the weekly ads with the coupons, go to www.couponmom.com and choose the drop down: Grocery Deals by State. Now you can easily match the coupons to the stuff already on sale this week for extra savings :)

I LOVE saving the $$ using that website. :bliss:

[crunchies0313]

I also love to clip coupons. But I always clip things I don't really need but maybe want! Or I don't use them before their expiration date! I don't have a set date to grocery shop...we just go. I am not always prepared with coupons!

[sagespot]

Clip only coupons you know you will use. For example - if you use Bounty paper towels and like them, don't buy Viva paper towels simply because you have a coupon.

This would be my best advice as well. Coupons should save you money on things you already use, or at the very least, offer you a REALLY good deal on a new product you're willing to try once.

I'm a pretty dedicated "brand" shopper. :o :shop: When I find something that works well for a decent price, I'll stick with it as long as they sell it - but I will try something new if I feel a product I'm currently using just isnt doing the job it should. In that situation, I always look for a really good coupon or sale (live several $$s off.)

Sage

[Mori]

I love coupons & getting the best deals on everything I shop for. :shop: I get a lot of good coupons online from Save.ca! :yahooo:

[Kim308pl]

I go through stages, I cut coupons, file them and then forget them. So I stop, then I start again, on and on this goes. Most of the things we buy never have coupons and well for some reason, I hate to use just 2 or 3 coupons at the store.LOL

Kim

[Sib2of11]

Most of the things we buy never have coupons and well for some reason, I hate to use just 2 or 3 coupons at the store.LOL


I work as a cashier in a supermarket and people use one or two coupons all the time. It's not often that I get someone shopping with a fistfull of coupons. If you use only 2 - 3 a week, you're like the majority of shoppers.

If you are able to shave $2 0r $3 off your weekly shopping bill, it adds up to over $100 a year. ;)

[Kim308pl]

This is so true, I really need to start doing this again and then remembering to actally take those darn coupons to the store with me....lol

Thanks
Kim

[batgirl9923]

I LOVE coupons! What a deal - you can save money on items you buy all the time, or try something new just because you have a coupon.
I clip coupons for restaurants and also grocery store coupons. We average about $15.00 per week in savings at the grocery store alone - I love it!

[Beachgirl]

I am a dedicated, dyed in the wool coupon shopper.
I always use coupons and save an average of 50% on my groceries. I don't shop without them. Plus my grocery store does double coupons up to $1.oo and then anthing above that say $2 coupon will get you a $3 savings.

I have also made friends with my meat guy and go in very early sunday morning. If I find meat that was to be sold bysaturday I can get him to mark it down to half price. I look for meet that looks and smells good. Then I individually pack and freeze.

[violetrose]

I try to keep my coupons organized and go through them before every shopping trip. Our local grocery store now offers buy 1, get 1 free products and they allow you to just one at half price. Plus, they double coupons up to 50 cents, so that is a huge savings!
I average $5-10 a week in savings this way. I try not to cut coupons that I know I won't use unless it's a new product that I'd like to try. Sometimes I'm disappointed in the product, but at least I didn't spend a lot on it.

[triplej2676]

i am totally a coupon clipper. i, too, will buy an extra paper if it is a good coupon week! i put them all in an envelope and go thru them once a week, discarding those that i won't use and putting the ones that will expire soon in a pile. when i make my shopping list, i put a dot next to the things i have a coupon for. i then separate those coupons out before i go to the store so i know i have them. i love to use them for non-food items, like toothpaste, pull-ups, shampoo, etc. i am very brand-specific on some items and not so much on others. paper towels are paper towels 95% of the time. coupons will get me to try something new out 9 times out of 10 if the savings is significant.

[Mykhal Jaems]

I work in the meat dept of a grocery store. We pull and mark down meat that is dated to expire the next day. Some things go down to $.99 per pound. It is the only way I buy meat. There are a lot of customers who shop exclusively the marked down specials.

Also our we have a store card. The coupons that the machine spits out are often very good deals. I've even had coupons for $1.50 off my next shopping order. I don't have to buy a specific product! Also, they have many free coupons that way as well. Many times it's for Hot Pockets (great for lunch there!) or Propel drinks. If the customer doesnt want the coupons (you would be surprised how many don't!) the cashiers share them with those of us who they know will use them.

[Sib2of11]

I also work in a supermarket that marks down it's meat that has an expiration date the next day. If you plan on cooking it that night or freezing it, it's a great deal.

We also have the coupon printers that spit out coupons based on your purchases. Lots of customers leave them behind because they just don't like coupons, but we have to throw them away. If we ever used them for ourselves or gave them away, we'd be suspended or fired. :eek:

The bakery markdowns are great too, but you have to shop early to get the best buys.

Shopping with coupons and watching for in-store specials and markdowns can save you lots of $$. :)

[Ms Big Butt]

When I turn the calendar page over to the new month, I go thru & toss all my old coupons while watching tv...

I keep my grocery coupons in a kitchen drawer near the shopping list, and the dining out coupons are sorted into an alphabetical folder in the car. We rarely dine out without using a coupon of some sort, and I stock up on coupon items (that I would normally use) that are also on sale that week at the grocery store.

If you are saving a few dollars a trip, you can justify paying for some special ice cream or other treat :bliss:

[Emmy64]

My grocery tapes show a consistent 33% savings between the shelf price and the price I pay at the register. I use coupons only when the store has the item on special.

I print internet coupons and also buy them on EBay. I pay somewhere between $2.00 and $3.00 for about 15 coupons on non-perishable items and then I stockpile. I load up on meats when they are on sale. My freezer is always full, and I have enough paper products, Health & Beauty, canned goods, to last for 3 or 4 months. I also pay attention to those tapes that Catherine was talking about. I often get $3.50 off when I spend more than $35.00.

I have saved ove $600 this year following this plan at the grocery store and the my local chain drug store. The only items I pay full price for now are breads and product. I make it a point to use the self-serve aisle at the grocery store because I love hearing "13.00, savings 4.50" when the item goes through. :)

[occ_gurl]

I love seeing those $$$ come off the grocery or discount store tab with coupons. It's like someone handing me money for free and definitely worth the time in clipping and organizing.

I don't use that many - just for what I normally buy anyway or to try a new product.

It was a sad day when I accidentally left my coupon organizer in the shopping cart and drove off. I was so bummed! I had to find a new organizer and start all over.

[Mykhal Jaems]

I print internet coupons and also buy them on EBay. I pay somewhere between $2.00 and $3.00 for about 15 coupons on non-perishable items and then I stockpile.


I just checked out ebay coupons. Wow, never even considered it! Thanks for the heads up.

I told Dh about it and he said, "oh yeah I thought you knew." I guess I knew you could buy ANYTHING on ebay, just never thought about it.

Thanks! MJ