June 19, 2013

Home Coupon Organization

September 2, 2011

Coupons - Organization Is The Key!Before you begin.

Couponing does take some time. The amount of time it takes, though, can be minimized if you have the best organizing system. Sometimes creating the best system for you will take a bit of trial and error. Once you design and utilize a functional system, stick to it.

Find an area in your home that can be used for your couponing. You will need a lot of space to store a filing system, clip coupons and organize your shopping trips. A corner of your office, garage, basement or area in your dinning should provide amble space. You should find an area that is comfortable for you with as few distractions as possible. If you want to incorporate the whole family into the process an area in the family room would work well.

You will need to set up a system to keep all of your coupons organized. If you’re already a thrifty couponer then you already have a good idea of what your needs are. If you’re still not sure if couponing is right for you, you should start small with a recipe box so you can test the waters before you jump in with both feet.
When you find your recipe box is to small to handle the amounts of coupons you clip, then you will know it is time to move onto an expanding folder or portable binder.

Expanding folders or a file system can be used to store your clipped coupons. If you are computer savvy you could set up a file system on your computer that will keep track of your various coupons and locations. Your files and folders should be organized. Your style of organization will depend on how your search for specific coupons will fit your style. Do you want to file for brand types or general categories such as dairy, canned, meats, produce ect…? Think about the system you will find easy to navigate at a moment’s notice.

Now that you have a good idea what you will need to get your coupon area set up in your home, your a next tool is a nice 3 ring zippered binder to store your coupons for the grocery store trip. A 3 ring binder is portable and can be carried with you where ever you go. The bigger the binder the more coupons it will hold. You will want to make sure you are getting one that is well designed and durable so it will hold up during your organization process and the shopping trips. A 3 ring binder fits nicely in the shopping cart and when organized correctly can be easily navigated. You may also consider purchasing extra packets of the clear double sided coupon sleeve pages just so you never run out. You can purchase them at Amazon in 3, 6 or 9 pockets per page.

The binder itself should be organized clearly and efficiently. You don’t want to be caught unable to find a specific coupon that you know you have ‘somewhere’ during the shopping process. You may want to consider purchasing tabbed dividers and coordinating them with color coded shopping lists to make navigation easy. The colored tabbed dividers will help you keep the coupons together in specialized sections. When you come upon a daily or in-store special that wasn’t advertised you will be able to flip directly to the section and find a suitable coupon.

Your binder should also have room to carry a pen, calculator and notepad. If your binder doesn’t include a zippered pocket to store these items you can purchase one online or at your local department store. If you have kids you will know how handy these can be.

Once you have a system in place the rest will fall in place. Remember, this is the time of trial and error and you can re-organize and perfect as you go.

Filed Under: Extreme Couponing Tagged With:

A New Breed of Shoppers

September 2, 2011

There is a new breed of shoppers emerging from the current recession. They are dedicated to an exciting and effective way to save extreme amounts of money. Their motto? Never pay retail again. They are called Extreme Couponers. Extreme Couponers move beyond the norm of the occasional coupon clipper and zero in on massive amounts of coupons, and savings. Coupons are their arsenal and they use it to fight inflation and the best of them can shave up to 90% or more from their monthly shopping bills.

Extreme Couponers are on the hunt for in-store savings, newspapers, circulars and magazines with the specials and coupons they contain. They are on the hunt for printable online coupons, coupon codes, promotional discounts, daily deals and promo codes. For the extreme couponer, leaving home without their coupons is like leaving your wallet at home. Using coupons is putting money in their pockets and they wouldn’t be caught dead without them.

The new recession has hit a lot of families hard. With the increase of food and staple prices more and more conscientious shoppers are turning toward clipping and using coupons to take the bite out of the food bill.

Every year more than 3.3 billion coupons from newspapers and online resources are redeemed. With the Internet making coupon clipping just a click away, this is not just a fad that will be going away soon. It is fast becoming a way of life for hundreds of Americans in this recession buster economy.

Even though shoppers have been using coupons for decades to reduce their shopping bills, this new wave of housewives and super savers have stepped it up a notch and have brought a whole new way of shopping to the table. They are literally snipping and clipping their way to savings.

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Extreme Couponing What It Is And How It Works

September 2, 2011

Granted, many thrifty shoppers use coupons. Most rejoice in $20 – $40 savings off their monthly bills. But, until the debut of a one hour show December 29, 2010 and the beginning of the series premiere on April 6, 2011 not to many people really knew the extent of the money they could save by using coupons… to the Extreme!

Extreme couponing is a system that combines the shopping list, the sales, store rewards and of course coupons. Extreme Couponing enthusiasts say “It’s like putting money in my pocket”, or, “I’m getting paid to carry the groceries out of the store.”

Extreme Couponing is an extreme shopping experience designed to save the family money. Extreme couponing is basically composed of using coupons as cash. Literally. The process is a complicated but highly effective system that begins with the coupon collection. It is then followed by printing, clipping, storing, planning and finally by the efficient distribution of the coupons. It’s the efficient distribution part of the whole process that reaps the rewards for the extreme shopper. $600 worth of groceries for $6.78 is nothing short of amazing.

Finding the massive amounts of coupons needed to save the most on their shopping bill may not seem like a complicated process. But, these coupon hunters have been known to go to the extreme to get those coupons. These methods may seem a little ‘out of control’ or even ‘over the top’ to many.

Here are some ways extreme couponers use to gather coupons:

*Buy 6-10 Sunday papers (or more)
*Dumpster Diving – for thrown away papers of course.
*Collecting papers from the driveways of foreclosed or abandoned properties
*Buying coupons – $60 worth of coupons can equal $100′s in savings
*Printing online coupons from several computers. (Some online coupon venders limit the amount of coupons printed per computer)
*Purchasing day old papers back from the distributers

These methods may seem a little ‘extreme’ but they results in BIG savings for the dedicated shopper.

Once the coupons are collected then the process of clipping begins. Imagine clipping thousands upon thousands of coupons! The next step is the sorting and filing process. The better the filing system the quicker and more efficient the whole technique works. Next is the ‘where to shop’ process. This process is when ‘calculated planning’ pays off and is composed of many factors. This step includes planning the shopping strategy around the shopping list, finding and comparing the sales, the in-store discounts, double or triple coupons, store reward cards, store policies, and of course the available coupons.

The process of matching the discount and sales items to the coupons is the major focus and key to a positive shopping out come. Saving up to 90% or more on your grocery bill takes time, organization and planning.

Filed Under: Extreme Couponing Tagged With:

Finding, Clipping and The Value of Double Coupons

September 2, 2011

Planning the system is the first step.

It will take time to perfect the system that works best for you. Extreme Couponing takes time and you will have to schedule the time around your other activities. To begin with you will need to understand that there is a method to the madness of extreme couponing. It is a system that combines the shopping list, the sales, store rewards and of course coupons.

Finding and clipping coupons can in itself be a rewarding hobby. After all it is going to save your family money on your day to day items that you buy. You will only need to clip the coupons for items that you shop for monthly. Food, beauty, laundry detergents and softeners, household goods and cleaners ect… you can find coupons on practically any product made.

Finding coupons is not that difficult if you know where to look. Newspapers, especially the Sunday paper offers a rich selection as manufactures fall all over each other to offer specials. On Sundays the major grocery stores in your area advertise their ‘in store’ specials too. You will need this information also when planning your shopping trip. Magazines like Good Housekeeping also offer a selection of good coupons.

A nice surprise when buying Sunday papers for coupons is that men don’t like the inserts. Look below the pile of Sunday papers and you may be delighted to find a big pile of coupon inserts just laying there begging to be taken home with you.

Clipping coupons does not mean you have to clip every coupon for every item offered. Unless of course, you swap coupons with neighbors or friends. Swapping coupons is quickly becoming the ‘in thing’ online with sites like http://www.couponless.com/ for coupon lovers.

Find stores in your area that double coupons. Here is a handy reference to find stores in your state: http://couponing.about.com/od/groceryzone/a/doublecoupons.htm

Stores that double coupons are the cream of the crop and make it worth the time and effort it takes to organize your shopping system. Here is an example of the savings you can earn with double coupons. The store offers an in-store special for a box of mac n cheese at $1.00. That is a 49 cent savings off the regular price. You have a coupon for .55 cents on that product. By doubling the coupon you are actually earning .10 cents per every box you purchase! Say you have clipped 10 coupons for the mac n cheese. 10 boxes at +.10 cents per box = $1.00 in your pocket.

Start slow and build up as you go.

Until you get a system in place it is best to take it slow. Your system will begin to take shape as you go. When you try to start full throttle you may find yourself spending to much on things you may not need or use. Stay focused and don’t get overwhelmed. Extreme couponing will take time and can be overwhelming if you’re not organized or focused.

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Extreme Couponing The Pros and Cons

September 2, 2011

When it comes to extreme couponing the obvious benefits are the savings. Where the occasional coupon user may save anywhere from $20 – $40 on the average weekly shopping bill, the extreme couponers is seeing immense savings of up to 90% or more. If done correctly it’s like putting cash back into your pocket every time you shop.

Any effort put into extreme couponing will result in large savings for you and your family. Even if you don’t quite get it right the first time, you will still see your efforts pay off by way of the savings. But beware; once you realize how much money you can potentially save, you may be hooked for life. Extreme Couponers want to stretch the family dollar to the extreme.

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of extreme couponing:

The Pros:

Of course the pros begin with the amount of money you can save. In this economy any amount of money saved in itself is a victory. Even if you don’t save 90% the first time you’ve saved some. Right?

Free stuff. When done correctly by combining the right combination of sales and coupons, many of the foods and household items you buy regularly can be couponed for free. For example a tube of toothpaste is on sale for $2.00. You have 6 $2.50 off coupon. By purchasing 6 boxes of toothpaste you will in fact get those 6 tubes of toothpaste free and earned $3.00 in profits!

You get your family involved. Because Extreme couponing can be so time consuming you can turn it into a family affair.
Get your kids involved. Spend time working together. By working together as a team you will be learning values as a family. Heck, get the neighbor kids involved too. They may learn something.

When you get your family involved you are also teaching your family lessons they will carry into their adult lives. Lessons such as how to develop strategies and systems, grow organization skills, work ethics, dedication, saving strategies ect…

Help Charities. Many extreme couponing families donate parts of their stockpiles to charities. There are a ton of food banks, homeless shelters and rehab centers that need your help. There is no better joy than giving and helping others.

Stock up. Take advantage of the deals. When was the last time a large family had enough food or toilet paper? When finding the right combination of coupons and store specials you can stock up on the necessities that your family needs. What better feeling than taking advantage of the huge savings and having a few months worth of cereal or toilet paper on the shelf? There is nothing wrong with preparing for the future. That’s money spent now that you won’t be spending later.

The Cons:

Time Consuming. Yes, saving boatloads of cash can be time consuming. It takes a lot of effort to collect coupons, clip and sort, and of course planning the shopping strategy. And, not to mention the shopping trip. It could be difficult on families that have young children to tote along.

Store Policies: Many stores do not offer double coupons. Triple savings on your coupons may have become a thing of the past. Stores may not be willing to accept an unlimited number of coupons on a single product either. This is why it is very important to do some store policy research before you shop.

Sales Tax: While there is no sales tax on food or necessary items the store may tax coupons. Ridicules but it happens.

Working Togther as a family. Each family member will need to find the time to work together or set up some sort of schedule.

Stockpiling – Every family may not have the space to stockpile. Stockpiling, with the premier of the “Extreme
Couponing” series, stockpiling seems to be turning into a bad word. Many see stockpiling as ‘hoarding’ Hording is the obsession with keeping things of no value because they offer value to the hoarder. They feel connected to the ‘things’. Well, any normal person can see the value in stockpiling food, toilet paper, laundry detergent, ect…. These things are necessary for everyday living and they do have value.

Note: With stockpiling you will need to learn the ‘first in first out’ method of storage. Know the shelf life of each perishable item, like peanut butter.

Today, many families are on a budget. They feel cash strapped and just don’t have the extra money to spend. But, everyone has to eat. A little effort can go a long way. More and more shoppers are seeing the value in using coupons. Coupons save you money, which is obvious. For a family of four even saving $20 off the weekly food bill can be rewarding. Smart shoppers are zeroing in on the deals, buying less and balancing budgets. There are benefits to taking the time to look for the best buys and clip coupons.

Maybe extreme couponing may not seem right for you. You would never empty the shelves or hold up the line at the grocery store. But with a little extra planning you too can save a little hard earned cash on your shopping bills.

Filed Under: Extreme Couponing Tagged With:

Coupon and Shopping Strategy

September 2, 2011

Are you prepared?

Is your list ready? You know each (sale) price of each product you will be purchasing. Your coupons are ready. You know how many of each item you will be purchasing. It’s all on your master list. Learn as you go. It’s all about strategy. Learn what works for you and what doesn’t. Make your changes before your next shopping trip.

Call before you go! Call the store you will be shopping at. Double check the store policy on coupons. Some national chains limit the amount of coupons per item that you could use. Make sure you can use the manufactures coupons along with any in-store coupons that may be offered. Inquire about the stores double coupon policy. How much will they double up to? Is there a limit to how many coupons per cart they will double? These questions are important for planning your shopping strategy. It makes sense to call and check before each and every trip in case your store policy changes.

You have spent countless hours finding, clipping and storing coupons. You’ve spent more hours compiling your battle plan. You’ve made your list, you know where to shop and you know the layout of the store. You know the price of each item. You know the in-store specials. You know how many of each item you will be purchasing. Your binder is full of coupons with the ‘ready to shop’ coupons stored in the front of your binder. You are mentally prepared to do coupon battle in the grocery aisles.

Start by making plenty of room in your cart for your binder (your brain). Shop aisle by aisle and carefully check to make sure the items are priced correctly according to the sale price. Check your list. You are going to buy how many? Your item is regularly 1.49; it is on sale for .99. The store takes double coupons and you have 10 $0.50 cent coupons. In essence you are getting these 10 items free. Stock up when a sale happens.

Combine your coupons with sale or lowest priced items. The right combination will result in more savings for you. Size matters. If your coupon does not specify size get the smallest. The biggest savings are in the smallest packages.

Store cards. Many stores are using store ‘loyalty’ cards as a way to keep current shoppers and earn new shoppers. Store cards are a great way to receive instant savings on your purchase. For example: A large purchase of $600 worth of items can be reduced 10 – 20% which would end up being $480 instead of $600 and before coupons!

Store Cycles. Stores generally go through a ‘sale cycle’ when certain items like Cereal or canned food are at a rock bottom price. Know when these cycles are. They tend to run in 2-3 month cycles.

Filed Under: Extreme Couponing Tagged With:

Binder Organization and The Shopping List

September 2, 2011

Saving up to 90% or more on your grocery bill takes time, organization and planning. Your arsenal is the tools you choose. Coupons, an organized filing system and your handy binder are the strongest part of you weapon stockpile. You need to think like a warrior. Act like a warrior and triumph like a warrior.

Pick your shopping battle ground.

Get your newspapers out. Scour the stores that offer you the most value for your coupons and have the best sales according to the items you purchase. If you live in a highly populated area you will be able to plan for the best values due to the larger store chains and in store specials. Look for stores which: offer the lowest prices and the best sales, BOGO specials (Buy One Get One Free!), store reward discounts. Shop wisely and get the biggest bang for your bucks!

Preparing your list:

Your first time may be confusing or frustrating if you are not prepared! You have spent countless hours finding, clipping and storing coupons. You are mentally prepared to do coupon battle in the grocery aisle.

You need to make a list. If you are like most busy people you will write things down when you run out of them. If you plan your meals, the items that you need will be on your list. Once you have your list prepared, you will need to prepare your list! One of the best ways to prepare your list for the battle ground is to have a well organized computer print out. If you are computer savvy you can design your own list using excel or word doc. If you are not computer savvy perhaps your friend is? Or if you have children one of them are sure to know their way around the computer. There are also apps and online programs available for you to download and print lists as well as software you can purchase.

There are 2 ways you can outline your list. By food group or according to the layout of the store. Either way will work depending on your shopping style. The more organized your list the quicker you can navigate through out the aisle and fill your cart.

Store Layout Style: If you shop at the same place always compile your list using the store layout style. If you start your shopping with the canned food section that’s where your list should start.

Food Group: This is the most general way people design lists. Since stores are categorized according to food group, produce, canned, meat this list type is easy to follow.

This is where a well organized binder comes into use.

Everyone will develop a different style depending on how organized you plan to be and what works best for you. Here is one style that could be used for your first shopping trip. Your binder should have the front sectioned filled and ready before you leave your house.
The coupons for items on your list and that you plan to use should be in the center of a clear 3 pocket page. When you are placing the item in your cart, pull the coupon(s) and place them in the top pocket and mark it off your list. When you are ready to check out you will have your coupons all ready for the cashier.

The rest of the coupons should be visibly handy in the colored tabbed section of your binder. If you come across an unadvertised store special you will have those coupons available.

If this is your first shopping trip don’t get frustrated. Many consider Extreme Couponing to be an art that you will need to perfect and practice. A first time trip well planned and executed should gain you at least 20-60% savings on your total grocery bill. Start slow and ease your way in. Practice make perfect.

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