So I’m sitting at home watching Top Gear with my husband, and updating my Facebook status with my latest coupon kill at the grocery store. Then Jon suggests I blog. What a novel idea.
If there is anything I feel I can do via blogging about coupons, it’s to encourage you to not give up if you feel discouraged or overwhelmed.
I began couponing with the attitude that there are no coupons out there for things that I actually need. Then I thought I would buy the Sunday paper, cut out e v e r y s i n g l e c o u p o n inside, and take them ALL to the grocery store and try to match the sales with the coupons I had. That made for long Sunday afternoons with a pair of scissors, very long and frustrating trips to the grocery store , and all with only a 10-20% return in savings. Not worth my time.
And then Jenny from Southern Savers enlightened me. I had heard about Southern Savers, and had even been on the website a few times. I just didn’t understand how to use it. Then I went to a coupon seminar. Yes, I am 25 years old and I went to a seminar on coupons. BUT it was like a veil had been lifted, and the Sunday paper was no longer a $2 expense, it became a new source of income. Saying that, it takes some time to feel successful and see a really great return.
I started collecting the coupon inserts from Sunday’s paper in a large accordion file. I didn’t cut out a single coupon. Then, on Tuesday at noon, I go to SouthernSavers.com and look at the Publix weekly ad. (You read right, I typically only go to ONE store) The website takes all the work out because each sale item is matched with all the coupons in the universe that can apply. So all I have to do is see what I need from the sale list and either print or cut out the corresponding coupons. At first, I didn’t have all the coupons to get all the deals, but now that I’ve been collecting inserts for a few weeks, I don’t miss out on much. I buy 2-3 of the items that are on sale, and then one item from a “needs list” (items that are not on sale). So I go to the grocery store with only the coupons I know I am going to use. SO much easier!!
Some key points to getting a good deal:
- You can use one store coupon and one manufacturers coupon on one item.
- Buy multiple Sunday papers. Multiple papers means multiple coupons, which means you can stock up on the sale items. (PS “stocking up” usually means 2-3 of one item. Don’t think you need a second pantry here).
- B1G1 sales are the BEST for couponing. The item usually ends up being pretty close to free after coupons. PS you do not have to buy 2 items, but I recommend you buy multiple if its s good deal
- Look at the front of the store (Publix) to grab their coupon booklets. It also doesn’t hurt to ask customer service if they have any additional coupon booklets that aren’t on the sales floor.
- Keep in mind that items go on their best sale about once every 6 weeks, so buy enough to last. (If it’s listed on SouthernSavers, it’s at its best deal)
- EVERYTHING you buy, with the exception of some produce, can (and probably does) have a coupon!
- For your “needs list” of items that are not currently on their best sale, check out SouthernSaver’s coupon database. It can be accessed from the home page, and you can find out if there is a coupon out there for the things you need.
- Keep a smaller accordion file for the coupons you are taking on your trip.
- If the store is out of the item on sale, get a rain check!! Even if the coupon expires, you will usually be able to use it with the rain check when the item comes back in.
Now that I’ve done this for a few weeks, I am beginning to learn what to expect to pay for certain items. AND I generally expect to save at least 45% on my grocery bill. However, lately that number has been closer to 60%. This new adventure is fitting very well into my Financial Peace University experience.
SO
DON’T give up!! It’s rough in the beginning, but its worth it, and you’ll never spend as much on food AGAIN!!! 
