Couponing

[reneaumommy]

I do not coupon but I think it is something I would enjoy if I could get the hang of it.

For those of you who find things for very cheap or free how do you do it? What are the best sites to print coupons from? Any great tips for a newbie?

[AfWife8405]

I would recommend thekrazycouponlady, you can find coupon/sale match ups and print coupons from their site.

Matching a coupon with a sale is how you can get things for cheap and/or free. Target, for example, has store coupons which when paired with a manufacturer's coupon during a sale can make an item very cheap or free.

[ittybittycoconuts]

There is most likely a coupon blog or facebook group for your area that does match ups. When you first start try printing and collecting coupons for items you would buy anyway(shampoo, soap, ketchup, brands you are loyal too) and practice matching them with sales and clearance, add more as you get better at it. Big huge coupon binders and stacks of coupons will be overwhelming at first.

Your not saving money if you have a house full or items you dont like or wont actually use so even though its tempting to get ALL the deals remember theres ALWAYS gonna be another deal. Dont be afraid to NOT use a coupon just because you printed it. If its for toothpaste example and you know you have 3 or 4 already it doesnt mean you have to use it if theres no good deals that comes up.

[Fishie Kisses]

Originally Posted by nikkicaligirl There is most likely a coupon blog or facebook group for your area that does match ups. When you first start try printing and collecting coupons for items you would buy anyway(shampoo, soap, ketchup, brands you are loyal too) and practice matching them with sales and clearance, add more as you get better at it. Big huge coupon binders and stacks of coupons will be overwhelming at first. Your not saving money if you have a house full or items you dont like or wont actually use so even though its tempting to get ALL the deals remember theres ALWAYS gonna be another deal. Dont be afraid to NOT use a coupon just because you printed it. If its for toothpaste example and you know you have 3 or 4 already it doesnt mean you have to use it if theres no good deals that comes up.

yes to all of this!! I wanted to jump in head first when I first started...total backfire. So I started again, only getting the stuff I would buy anyway. Then I started to get the hang of it. Stacking a manufacturer coupon with the store coupon is totally the best way to go...and if it's on sale on top of that it can be fantastic!!

[happysmileylady]

I coupon pretty heavily, and advocate couponing a lot.

First-only buy what you will need/use before it expires and what you can reasonably store. If you don't have room to store 6 months of toilet paper, even if it's free, don't buy it. If you NEVER eat pasta that isn't whole grain, don't buy white pasta, even if you can get it free. The ONLY exception to that is if you are buying it to donate it AND are dropping it off at your chosen donation site on your way home.

Second-start small. I started with your standard plastic little coupon holder that you get in the office supply section at walmart-those little plastic file folder things. And I started with one store, Meijer. I didn't even get CVS figured out until I started working there.

Third-realize that you won't catch every deal...and that's ok. Likewise, realize that you won't get the same deals as other people will. I can't get the same deals as even other people in my same city, because the stores close to them treat coupons differently than mine do. And traveling across Indy to get those deals isn't worth it to me. Sure I could get more free stuff, but at the cost of the gas to get there...doesn't make sense.


Some websites to check out:

moneysavingmom.com
printablecouponsanddeals.com
couponmom.com
organicdeals.com
coupons.com


Lots of tips, tricks, coupons and matchups on those sites.

Money Saving Mom is just a great thrifty and money saving blog in general. She doesn't actually do the matchups herself, that I can tell anyway, she really just has more of a database of matchups from all sorts of other websites. I have seen more stores there than anywhere else, that link to blogs that do those store matchups.

Printable Coupons and Deals is like a database of coupon printables. They have links to lots of manufacturer prints as well as other prints.

Coupon mom is another great large matchup site. There's also a forum where people share the deals they have done locally. I like it because there's a lot of folks who are in my area sharing deals they have found, on the forum. The matchups themselves are good, but I usually can find better elsewhere.

Organic deals is a blog for organic coupons and matchups. I don't use it because I don't find organic to be worth the difference in cost.

Coupons.com is of course a website to print lots of online printable coupons.

[Fishie Kisses]

Originally Posted by happysmileylady I coupon pretty heavily, and advocate couponing a lot. First-only buy what you will need/use before it expires and what you can reasonably store. If you don't have room to store 6 months of toilet paper, even if it's free, don't buy it. If you NEVER eat pasta that isn't whole grain, don't buy white pasta, even if you can get it free. The ONLY exception to that is if you are buying it to donate it AND are dropping it off at your chosen donation site on your way home. Second-start small. I started with your standard plastic little coupon holder that you get in the office supply section at walmart-those little plastic file folder things. And I started with one store, Meijer. I didn't even get CVS figured out until I started working there. Third-realize that you won't catch every deal...and that's ok. Likewise, realize that you won't get the same deals as other people will. I can't get the same deals as even other people in my same city, because the stores close to them treat coupons differently than mine do. And traveling across Indy to get those deals isn't worth it to me. Sure I could get more free stuff, but at the cost of the gas to get there...doesn't make sense. Some websites to check out: moneysavingmom.com printablecouponsanddeals.com couponmom.com organicdeals.com coupons.com Lots of tips, tricks, coupons and matchups on those sites. Money Saving Mom is just a great thrifty and money saving blog in general. She doesn't actually do the matchups herself, that I can tell anyway, she really just has more of a database of matchups from all sorts of other websites. I have seen more stores there than anywhere else, that link to blogs that do those store matchups. Printable Coupons and Deals is like a database of coupon printables. They have links to lots of manufacturer prints as well as other prints. Coupon mom is another great large matchup site. There's also a forum where people share the deals they have done locally. I like it because there's a lot of folks who are in my area sharing deals they have found, on the forum. The matchups themselves are good, but I usually can find better elsewhere. Organic deals is a blog for organic coupons and matchups. I don't use it because I don't find organic to be worth the difference in cost. Coupons.com is of course a website to print lots of online printable coupons.

this is all excellent advice!!