If you are reading this, then congratulations! You are one step closer to saving your family money on groceries and household items. It's a great feeling knowing that you don't have to pay full price for pretty much anything. However, great couponing skills take time to master, and don't be discouraged if you don't do so well your first couple times out. That's the name of the game, and as with any skill, the more you practice, the better you will get.
So, here are what I believe are some of the most important things someone should know before they start the couponing journey.
#1 Get Familiar with the Language
In case you have ever been on a coupon matchup site, I'm sure you have seen abbreviations and words used and had NO idea what they meant. What the heck is a blinkie? What does DND mean? Here is a list of the most commonly used coupon lingo and what they mean. Once you get familiar with them, visiting the matchup sites will seem a little less frightening.
manufacturer's coupon: this coupon is distributed by the company that makes the product. You can use this coupon at any store that accepts manufacturer's coupons. They will have a bar code, expiration date, and a description of which item you can use with the coupon, such as size of the product and number of them you need to buy in order to use the coupon.
store coupon: these are specific to a particular store such as Publix, Walgreens, CVS, etc. Some stores will accept what they call 'Competitor coupons' but please refer to that store's customer service as to which stores they will accept.
blinkie: these coupons come from mounted coupon dispensers with blinking red lights on the shelves at the store. They are manufacturer's coupons, so you don't have to use them at the store you found them at.
peelie: these are manufacturer's coupons found on a peel-off coupon on the product. Again, since these coupons are manufacturer's coupons, you do not have to use them at the store that you found them.
DND: This means 'Do Not Double'. Some stores will double the value of the coupon, such as a 50 cent coupon will double to take one dollar off the price. Some manufacturers don't want stores to do that, do they will have Do Not Double written on the coupon, usually at the top by the expiration date.
DND5: this is a Do Not Double coupon that has a bar code beginning with the number 5. If this is the case, stores that double coupons will usually double these. The regular Do Not Double coupons have a special bar code that won't let them double, so these are great if your store doubles coupons.
BOGO: this usually means buy one get one free. Sometimes you will see BOGO 50% off, then it is buy one get one 50% off.
$1/2: this is a pretty standard format for when coupon sites are writing matchups. This explains that this coupon will take one dollar off when you buy two products. So, if there is a $1/1, this means they will take one dollar off of one product.
SS Insert: this is the abbreviation for the Smart Source coupon insert found in the Sunday paper. Sometimes it is written as a date, such as 5/12 SS, which refers to the date that insert was in the paper. These dates are printed on the spine of the insert.
RP Insert: this is the abbreviation for the Red Plum coupon insert in the Sunday paper. It is also usually written with a date before it referring to when it was in the paper. These dates are printed along the spine of the insert.
P&G Insert: this refers to the Proctor and Gamble insert. These are distributed once a month in the Sunday paper. There are coupons specific to the Proctor and Gamble company, such as Gillette, Palmolive, Tide, Gain, Pantene, etc.
matchup: this means a coupon is matched with an item.
Ok, so now that we've covered some lingo, it's time to begin finding out where to get these coupons and what is allowed and what isn't. This can get tricky, and this is where a lot of new couponers get overwhelmed and quit because it's a lot to take in all at once.
#2 Find Your Coupons
There are more places than just the Sunday paper to get coupons. Here are a few sites that distribute coupons:
Coupons.com
RedPlum
SmartSource
Coupon Network
These sites are just a few that have printable coupons. These usually have an add-on that you will need to download to run their coupon printer software. Pay attention to the prompt boxes, sometimes they will ask to install an additional toolbar or change your search engine. You can say no to these and still install the coupon software. They will let you print two of each coupon per computer. Word of advice is to only print the ones you need to save paper and ink. Sometimes a coupon will match a later sale, but once you print it, you have it and it may expire before the sale.
Here are some matchup sites that pair the current sales with available coupons. The people who run these sites have already done the work for you, and provide links to the printable coupons as well as providing you with the date of the insert a particular coupon can be found that matches.
#3 Create a Master Coupon Source List
There are several blog sites that do all the searching for you and post a list of everything on sale for the week as well as all available coupons for that item. How awesome is that? You get to save money while other people do the hard stuff! I use a few sites to see what's on sale at each store that is in my area. Some of these sites offer a shopping list feature, which is great, just click each item you want to purchase and print and it will automatically print out your shopping list. With this all being so easily accessible, why more people aren't using them is beyond me.
Keep in mind that if you see pricing for an item on their site, the pricing at your store may vary because stores have different pricing for different parts of the country. So remember that when you are making your list and calculating your totals. I know that the pricing on I Heart Publix isn't accurate for me, since that website is based out of the Atlanta, GA area. Unfortunately, for the exceptionally organized people out there, unless you actually look at the ad for your particular store for accurate pricing, there isn't going to be an exact match all the time for the already done for you websites.
So, here is the "master list" of sites to scour each week for sales. I suggest you bookmark them in your browser for quick access later.
I Heart Publix: this website is exclusively for Publix, and is run by a woman based around Atlanta, GA. Prices are different in Florida, sometimes lower, sometimes higher. She posts the ad that starts each Thursday on Monday to give all of us some time to look the ad over and collect coupons in advance.
Southern Savers: This site has sale ads with coupon matchups for CVS, Walgreens, Publix, Winn-Dixie, and pretty much any store you can shop at in the southern United States. Pricing doesn't always match exactly, but if you're looking to get a close estimate, this site works better for Florida. She also publishes matchups each week for the different stores, as well as other people commenting with their finds and matchups. It's a great resource for a lot of stores in one place.
Wild For Wags: this is a matchup site for Walgreens shoppers. It has a great how-to section for new Walgreens shoppers which helps straighten out their Balance Rewards and Register Rewards programs to help you maximize savings. Walgreens has a fairly in-depth coupon policy that can be difficult to follow if you're not careful or are brand new to couponing. With their tutorial and help it will make shopping there a little easier. I found Walgreens confusing when I first started couponing, and I suggest you wait until you're comfortable couponing at easier stores such as Publix or Target before you tackle a store like this. But hey, if you are up to a challenge right away, more power to you!
I Heart CVS: This is for CVS shoppers. It also has a great beginners section to help with their Extra Care Bucks shopping. I do not suggest starting with this store if you are brand new to couponing, since this takes extra work and can be easily confusing. However, if you are brave and see a deal you can't pass up before you get comfortable with couponing, have at it! It is always helpful to print a copy of their coupon policy before you leave your house to make sure you have the most recent copy and can refer to it if you have any questions.
Totally Target: this is for Target. They post matchups for their weekly ad with available coupons. They also have a great FAQ section and forum for many questions that beginners have, and the site is easy to navigate.
I Heart the Mart: for those of us brave enough to coupon at Wal-Mart, this blog run by a guy- yes, a MAN- posts all the latest and greatest deals to the store we all can't live without. He posts lists each week for items under $1, as well as other great deals throughout the week since Wal-Mart doesn't have a structured sale ad cycle.
Sunday Coupon Preview: this site is one of the more helpful ones if you want to plan ahead, especially for CVS and Walgreens! This site gives you the breakdown of which inserts will be in your paper on Sundays, as well as a breakdown of which coupons are IN those inserts. Please note that sometimes the values are different because different parts of the country get different amounts. Sometimes, a coupon isn't in my insert at all, so just make sure you make note of that when you're planning.
If you go through my likes and follows on Facebook, you can see that I follow quiet a bit of coupon-related sites. I do this because not all of them network together, and sometimes one site will have a deal or link that others won't and I am able to cash in on the deals. If you don't feel comfortable following all of those coupon sites, I will try my best to link the best deals on here, but I am only one person :)
So, in addition to the actual coupon websites, these blogs are VERY helpful to me and thousands of other fellow couponers. There really isn't a secret weapon to couponing, it's all about resources.
#4 Multiples
Usually, the best deals are found when an item is buy one get one free. Some stores (please check your store's coupon policy) will accept both a store coupon and manufacturer coupon for each item, including the free one. Since that item is free, it reduces the amount you pay for the one you are paying for. This means you would need a total of 4 coupons for that deal set. Two store coupons for the two items, and two manufacturer coupons. In order to have the coupons you need, you will have to print multiple coupons or purchase multiple papers on Sunday to get the deals you want.
I was taught that you buy one newspaper for each person in your family you want to coupon for. If you want to stock up one week after noticing a great coupon in the preview, by all means, buy as many as you want, but to make the most economical decisions, I've found one per family member works well.
When you are first starting to coupon, I find it best to only purchase two papers for a few weeks to build your stock of coupons as well as not have so many to hang on to in case you decide couponing isn't for you. Hang in there, I promise it gets easier!
For your first few coupon trips, try to plan a list of 3-4 items on sale that are buy one get one free for the easiest savings. As you get the hang of it, and it may be right away, increase your list each time but don't go overboard and try to do a huge trip if you're not 100% down for a long checkout and shopping time. Don't worry, you can make additional trips to the store for the rest of the things you need, but try to do your coupons only in one trip so you feel better about what you're saving and see how easy it is!
#5 Organize
This perhaps should be higher on the list because it is VERY important when it comes to couponing. When you start couponing, you will notice that you buy the papers and then have all these inserts. What do you do with all of them? There are two main ways I have seen to organize, and whichever one works for you, you should use. There's isn't a right or wrong way to organize coupons, but if they are organized it makes it easier to find the ones you need quickly.
The binder method: many couponers use this method to organize their coupons. This requires the purchase of a large zippered binder and baseball card pages found at the local office supplies store. Once you purchase your papers with inserts, you clip every coupon from each insert and organize them into the baseball card pages. Some people use tabbed dividers for sections of the store, such as grocery, frozen, cleaning supplies, personal hygiene, beverages, dairy, boxed items, canned foods, etc. This is perhaps the most organized and meticulous way to maintain your coupons. Usually, once a month, you go through your binder and purge (recycle or donate ) your expired coupons. You can easily carry all of your coupons with you to the store, and leave ones on the shelf that you know you will not be using. I find this is thoughtful since non-couponers may find them and get excited :) The number of pages in your binder will vary from person to person, so there is no sure way of knowing exactly how many pages you will need.
The uncut insert method: With this method, your coupons are only cut as needed from the insert they came in. You organize your inserts by date, and however you find works for you is great. A suggestion is file folders with corresponding dates with the inserts from that week in a folder. You can store the folders in a file cabinet or in an empty milk crate or on a shelf on your desk.You can recycle the pages you don't use, like advertisements for checks or other products you have to order, to thin down the insert some. I use this method because I found the binder method took up so much of my time to maintain, and I fell behind so much since I couldn't clip all the coupons each Sunday. There is a downside, and that is this method is not portable at all. If you are at a store and see a product on sale or clearance that you know you have a coupon for, you can't just flip to the page and grab it. After you go through the inserts and clip the coupons you need for your sale, you can either put them in an envelope or a plastic coupon organizer (like an expanding file folder the size of an envelope) so you have just the coupons you will use on this trip. This saves from having to tote the heavy binder, and will save you time if you don't have the time to clip coupons each week.
#6 Know the Sale Cycles
A sale cycle is the time between when an item goes on sale to the time it will be on sale again. This "cycle" is usually about 6-8 weeks. When you coupon, it is extremely important to know when the item is on sale and when it will be on sale again, and purchase enough of it to last you through that period when it is not on sale. For example, if you family eats three boxes of a particular cereal each week, and it is on sale now, you should purchase 3 boxes for each week it will not be on sale so you pay the least amount now and don't have to come back and pay full price. If your cereal is usually $3.99 and is on sale for $1.99, right now you are saving $2 a box just by buying it on sale. But wait! You have coupons! You have a coupon that saves you $1 for each box. So, the math will look like this:
3 boxes of cereal each week x 6 week sale cycle(how long you are buying for when it is not on sale) = 18 boxes of cereal
18 boxes of cereal x sale price of $1.99 = $35.82 (this is the price if you didn't have coupons)
sale price of $35.82 - 18 coupons for $1 off 1 box= $35.82- $18.00= $17.82
That's $17.82 for 18 boxes of cereal!! or 99 cents a box!
That saved you $197.64 from the original price if you were to buy three boxes of cereal each week for 6 weeks at $3.99 a box. ($3.99 per box x 3 boxes per week x 6 weeks)
And that's just on ONE item!
This is how many couponers get their "stockpile", which is enough product to last their family until that item goes on sale again. Some couponers take the stockpile a bit further, and get enough to last to the next "rock bottom" price of an item.
There are certain times of the year that items will be at their lowest price of the entire year. Each month has specific items that will be at their lowest price or "rock bottom price", which the time when many couponers take to the extreme, and buy enough to last through the year if the item can be stored that long.
Keep in mind that you will not make a gigantic stockpile overnight, nor do you necessarily need one. How big a couponer's stockpile is remains their personal choice, and there is no right or wrong size.
On the matchup sites, each of them will have some kind of symbol or indicator as to what is a good stock-up price. It would be wise to follow their advice and stock up on what you will use and need for that item.
Okay, so now that you've read through this, you are ready to get started. Remember, start small and ask questions on anything that you're not sure about. The staff at each store should be knowledgeable to help, and always have a copy of a store's coupon policy just in case of any confusion at checkout.
So, here are what I believe are some of the most important things someone should know before they start the couponing journey.
#1 Get Familiar with the Language
In case you have ever been on a coupon matchup site, I'm sure you have seen abbreviations and words used and had NO idea what they meant. What the heck is a blinkie? What does DND mean? Here is a list of the most commonly used coupon lingo and what they mean. Once you get familiar with them, visiting the matchup sites will seem a little less frightening.
manufacturer's coupon: this coupon is distributed by the company that makes the product. You can use this coupon at any store that accepts manufacturer's coupons. They will have a bar code, expiration date, and a description of which item you can use with the coupon, such as size of the product and number of them you need to buy in order to use the coupon.
store coupon: these are specific to a particular store such as Publix, Walgreens, CVS, etc. Some stores will accept what they call 'Competitor coupons' but please refer to that store's customer service as to which stores they will accept.
blinkie: these coupons come from mounted coupon dispensers with blinking red lights on the shelves at the store. They are manufacturer's coupons, so you don't have to use them at the store you found them at.
peelie: these are manufacturer's coupons found on a peel-off coupon on the product. Again, since these coupons are manufacturer's coupons, you do not have to use them at the store that you found them.
DND: This means 'Do Not Double'. Some stores will double the value of the coupon, such as a 50 cent coupon will double to take one dollar off the price. Some manufacturers don't want stores to do that, do they will have Do Not Double written on the coupon, usually at the top by the expiration date.
DND5: this is a Do Not Double coupon that has a bar code beginning with the number 5. If this is the case, stores that double coupons will usually double these. The regular Do Not Double coupons have a special bar code that won't let them double, so these are great if your store doubles coupons.
BOGO: this usually means buy one get one free. Sometimes you will see BOGO 50% off, then it is buy one get one 50% off.
$1/2: this is a pretty standard format for when coupon sites are writing matchups. This explains that this coupon will take one dollar off when you buy two products. So, if there is a $1/1, this means they will take one dollar off of one product.
SS Insert: this is the abbreviation for the Smart Source coupon insert found in the Sunday paper. Sometimes it is written as a date, such as 5/12 SS, which refers to the date that insert was in the paper. These dates are printed on the spine of the insert.
RP Insert: this is the abbreviation for the Red Plum coupon insert in the Sunday paper. It is also usually written with a date before it referring to when it was in the paper. These dates are printed along the spine of the insert.
P&G Insert: this refers to the Proctor and Gamble insert. These are distributed once a month in the Sunday paper. There are coupons specific to the Proctor and Gamble company, such as Gillette, Palmolive, Tide, Gain, Pantene, etc.
matchup: this means a coupon is matched with an item.
Ok, so now that we've covered some lingo, it's time to begin finding out where to get these coupons and what is allowed and what isn't. This can get tricky, and this is where a lot of new couponers get overwhelmed and quit because it's a lot to take in all at once.
#2 Find Your Coupons
There are more places than just the Sunday paper to get coupons. Here are a few sites that distribute coupons:
Coupons.com
RedPlum
SmartSource
Coupon Network
These sites are just a few that have printable coupons. These usually have an add-on that you will need to download to run their coupon printer software. Pay attention to the prompt boxes, sometimes they will ask to install an additional toolbar or change your search engine. You can say no to these and still install the coupon software. They will let you print two of each coupon per computer. Word of advice is to only print the ones you need to save paper and ink. Sometimes a coupon will match a later sale, but once you print it, you have it and it may expire before the sale.
Here are some matchup sites that pair the current sales with available coupons. The people who run these sites have already done the work for you, and provide links to the printable coupons as well as providing you with the date of the insert a particular coupon can be found that matches.
#3 Create a Master Coupon Source List
There are several blog sites that do all the searching for you and post a list of everything on sale for the week as well as all available coupons for that item. How awesome is that? You get to save money while other people do the hard stuff! I use a few sites to see what's on sale at each store that is in my area. Some of these sites offer a shopping list feature, which is great, just click each item you want to purchase and print and it will automatically print out your shopping list. With this all being so easily accessible, why more people aren't using them is beyond me.
Keep in mind that if you see pricing for an item on their site, the pricing at your store may vary because stores have different pricing for different parts of the country. So remember that when you are making your list and calculating your totals. I know that the pricing on I Heart Publix isn't accurate for me, since that website is based out of the Atlanta, GA area. Unfortunately, for the exceptionally organized people out there, unless you actually look at the ad for your particular store for accurate pricing, there isn't going to be an exact match all the time for the already done for you websites.
So, here is the "master list" of sites to scour each week for sales. I suggest you bookmark them in your browser for quick access later.
I Heart Publix: this website is exclusively for Publix, and is run by a woman based around Atlanta, GA. Prices are different in Florida, sometimes lower, sometimes higher. She posts the ad that starts each Thursday on Monday to give all of us some time to look the ad over and collect coupons in advance.
Southern Savers: This site has sale ads with coupon matchups for CVS, Walgreens, Publix, Winn-Dixie, and pretty much any store you can shop at in the southern United States. Pricing doesn't always match exactly, but if you're looking to get a close estimate, this site works better for Florida. She also publishes matchups each week for the different stores, as well as other people commenting with their finds and matchups. It's a great resource for a lot of stores in one place.
Wild For Wags: this is a matchup site for Walgreens shoppers. It has a great how-to section for new Walgreens shoppers which helps straighten out their Balance Rewards and Register Rewards programs to help you maximize savings. Walgreens has a fairly in-depth coupon policy that can be difficult to follow if you're not careful or are brand new to couponing. With their tutorial and help it will make shopping there a little easier. I found Walgreens confusing when I first started couponing, and I suggest you wait until you're comfortable couponing at easier stores such as Publix or Target before you tackle a store like this. But hey, if you are up to a challenge right away, more power to you!
I Heart CVS: This is for CVS shoppers. It also has a great beginners section to help with their Extra Care Bucks shopping. I do not suggest starting with this store if you are brand new to couponing, since this takes extra work and can be easily confusing. However, if you are brave and see a deal you can't pass up before you get comfortable with couponing, have at it! It is always helpful to print a copy of their coupon policy before you leave your house to make sure you have the most recent copy and can refer to it if you have any questions.
Totally Target: this is for Target. They post matchups for their weekly ad with available coupons. They also have a great FAQ section and forum for many questions that beginners have, and the site is easy to navigate.
I Heart the Mart: for those of us brave enough to coupon at Wal-Mart, this blog run by a guy- yes, a MAN- posts all the latest and greatest deals to the store we all can't live without. He posts lists each week for items under $1, as well as other great deals throughout the week since Wal-Mart doesn't have a structured sale ad cycle.
Sunday Coupon Preview: this site is one of the more helpful ones if you want to plan ahead, especially for CVS and Walgreens! This site gives you the breakdown of which inserts will be in your paper on Sundays, as well as a breakdown of which coupons are IN those inserts. Please note that sometimes the values are different because different parts of the country get different amounts. Sometimes, a coupon isn't in my insert at all, so just make sure you make note of that when you're planning.
If you go through my likes and follows on Facebook, you can see that I follow quiet a bit of coupon-related sites. I do this because not all of them network together, and sometimes one site will have a deal or link that others won't and I am able to cash in on the deals. If you don't feel comfortable following all of those coupon sites, I will try my best to link the best deals on here, but I am only one person :)
So, in addition to the actual coupon websites, these blogs are VERY helpful to me and thousands of other fellow couponers. There really isn't a secret weapon to couponing, it's all about resources.
#4 Multiples
Usually, the best deals are found when an item is buy one get one free. Some stores (please check your store's coupon policy) will accept both a store coupon and manufacturer coupon for each item, including the free one. Since that item is free, it reduces the amount you pay for the one you are paying for. This means you would need a total of 4 coupons for that deal set. Two store coupons for the two items, and two manufacturer coupons. In order to have the coupons you need, you will have to print multiple coupons or purchase multiple papers on Sunday to get the deals you want.
I was taught that you buy one newspaper for each person in your family you want to coupon for. If you want to stock up one week after noticing a great coupon in the preview, by all means, buy as many as you want, but to make the most economical decisions, I've found one per family member works well.
When you are first starting to coupon, I find it best to only purchase two papers for a few weeks to build your stock of coupons as well as not have so many to hang on to in case you decide couponing isn't for you. Hang in there, I promise it gets easier!
For your first few coupon trips, try to plan a list of 3-4 items on sale that are buy one get one free for the easiest savings. As you get the hang of it, and it may be right away, increase your list each time but don't go overboard and try to do a huge trip if you're not 100% down for a long checkout and shopping time. Don't worry, you can make additional trips to the store for the rest of the things you need, but try to do your coupons only in one trip so you feel better about what you're saving and see how easy it is!
#5 Organize
This perhaps should be higher on the list because it is VERY important when it comes to couponing. When you start couponing, you will notice that you buy the papers and then have all these inserts. What do you do with all of them? There are two main ways I have seen to organize, and whichever one works for you, you should use. There's isn't a right or wrong way to organize coupons, but if they are organized it makes it easier to find the ones you need quickly.
The binder method: many couponers use this method to organize their coupons. This requires the purchase of a large zippered binder and baseball card pages found at the local office supplies store. Once you purchase your papers with inserts, you clip every coupon from each insert and organize them into the baseball card pages. Some people use tabbed dividers for sections of the store, such as grocery, frozen, cleaning supplies, personal hygiene, beverages, dairy, boxed items, canned foods, etc. This is perhaps the most organized and meticulous way to maintain your coupons. Usually, once a month, you go through your binder and purge (recycle or donate ) your expired coupons. You can easily carry all of your coupons with you to the store, and leave ones on the shelf that you know you will not be using. I find this is thoughtful since non-couponers may find them and get excited :) The number of pages in your binder will vary from person to person, so there is no sure way of knowing exactly how many pages you will need.
The uncut insert method: With this method, your coupons are only cut as needed from the insert they came in. You organize your inserts by date, and however you find works for you is great. A suggestion is file folders with corresponding dates with the inserts from that week in a folder. You can store the folders in a file cabinet or in an empty milk crate or on a shelf on your desk.You can recycle the pages you don't use, like advertisements for checks or other products you have to order, to thin down the insert some. I use this method because I found the binder method took up so much of my time to maintain, and I fell behind so much since I couldn't clip all the coupons each Sunday. There is a downside, and that is this method is not portable at all. If you are at a store and see a product on sale or clearance that you know you have a coupon for, you can't just flip to the page and grab it. After you go through the inserts and clip the coupons you need for your sale, you can either put them in an envelope or a plastic coupon organizer (like an expanding file folder the size of an envelope) so you have just the coupons you will use on this trip. This saves from having to tote the heavy binder, and will save you time if you don't have the time to clip coupons each week.
#6 Know the Sale Cycles
A sale cycle is the time between when an item goes on sale to the time it will be on sale again. This "cycle" is usually about 6-8 weeks. When you coupon, it is extremely important to know when the item is on sale and when it will be on sale again, and purchase enough of it to last you through that period when it is not on sale. For example, if you family eats three boxes of a particular cereal each week, and it is on sale now, you should purchase 3 boxes for each week it will not be on sale so you pay the least amount now and don't have to come back and pay full price. If your cereal is usually $3.99 and is on sale for $1.99, right now you are saving $2 a box just by buying it on sale. But wait! You have coupons! You have a coupon that saves you $1 for each box. So, the math will look like this:
3 boxes of cereal each week x 6 week sale cycle(how long you are buying for when it is not on sale) = 18 boxes of cereal
18 boxes of cereal x sale price of $1.99 = $35.82 (this is the price if you didn't have coupons)
sale price of $35.82 - 18 coupons for $1 off 1 box= $35.82- $18.00= $17.82
That's $17.82 for 18 boxes of cereal!! or 99 cents a box!
That saved you $197.64 from the original price if you were to buy three boxes of cereal each week for 6 weeks at $3.99 a box. ($3.99 per box x 3 boxes per week x 6 weeks)
And that's just on ONE item!
This is how many couponers get their "stockpile", which is enough product to last their family until that item goes on sale again. Some couponers take the stockpile a bit further, and get enough to last to the next "rock bottom" price of an item.
There are certain times of the year that items will be at their lowest price of the entire year. Each month has specific items that will be at their lowest price or "rock bottom price", which the time when many couponers take to the extreme, and buy enough to last through the year if the item can be stored that long.
Keep in mind that you will not make a gigantic stockpile overnight, nor do you necessarily need one. How big a couponer's stockpile is remains their personal choice, and there is no right or wrong size.
On the matchup sites, each of them will have some kind of symbol or indicator as to what is a good stock-up price. It would be wise to follow their advice and stock up on what you will use and need for that item.
Okay, so now that you've read through this, you are ready to get started. Remember, start small and ask questions on anything that you're not sure about. The staff at each store should be knowledgeable to help, and always have a copy of a store's coupon policy just in case of any confusion at checkout.
No comments:
Post a Comment