COupon Queens....

[luvmyfam444]

where do you get your coupons?

And how on earth do you organize them (and remember what you have?)

I only use the coupons that are glued to the products I buy & even then I forget those 1/2 the time!

I'm thinking of trying to use them more often - but I'm not sold on the idea yet - so I'm just looking for your info...

 

[gulf breeze]

http://hip2save.com/ check out this place for some good tips. She also post some really good sales. I get my coupons from the Sun. paper and from coupons.com . There are more links on the left hand side of the first link. I make my grocery list then I see if I have any coupons that I can use. I also use Comp. ads at my Wal-Mart.

 

[Cinder-Belle]

I just use the Sunday paper and a few store websites, like Kroger.

Other posters will have lots of sites.

I got an organizer from Target Dollar section that is a little bigger than a legal size envelope. I do not like those little ones, at all.

I took a Sharpie and labeled each section for my needs. Like a Baby section.

I just clip and print once a week. I clean out old coupons. All on Sunday afternoon.

When I do my list, I put brand names and stars, if I have a coupon.

I saved $26.00 dollars, tonight. I am a novice compared to some people.

If you have and can shop Kroger, they will send you really good coupons for the stuff you use most. Just be sure to register on their site and use your Savings card. They also have coupons that spit out at the checkout that are related to your purchases.

Publix will send you a $5 dollar off sometimes, too.

I shop Walmart alot for savings on many items. Like their baking stuff is low right now.

It does take some work, but I like it.

Hope that helps.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I get my coupons from valu-pak, the Sun. paper, BJs, and I get these little local booklets from time to time with coupons. I use a coupon holder that is made out of parachute type material and is the size of a long envelope. I need a new one. It's expandable, but I had too many coupons in it and it expanded too much.

I'll probably get two. I had a tip from a Budget DISer that I think will work well for me. She uses one holder for grocery and one for drug stores. I might make my second category drug stores and restaurants.

I saved $15 dollars using coupons today. I was pretty happy about that.

 

[midwestdee]

I get mine in the Sunday paper, www.delish.com (on MSN), & sites like startsampling.com also, most companies if you register, have coupons frequently. I don't like the coolsavings site - it is (to me) - mostly a scam site - just my opinion. A couple of my coworkers and I swap. We cut out what we use out of the Sunday coupons and bring it in for the next person. I go in spurts with them. I carry a coupon organizer, I divide into categories, shampoo, misc., frozen, toothpaste, etc... Even if you only get into the habit of looking for coupons for the items you are totally brand loyal to it can make a big difference. Items will almost certainly go on sale while you have a coupon for it. I do my clipping and organizing while I'm watching TV - easy to multi task.

 

[MinnieForMe]

The Sunday paper (collect them from your neighbors if they don't coupon).

There are a ton of sites. One I've used is smartsource.com and coupons.com.

I will pretty much check any company website if I know I'm going to buy a product especially medicine or toothpaste. There is almost always coupons for these products. Don't be afraid to email a company and ask for samples and/or coupons. I've gotten some fantastic coupons this way!

The best thing to do is check Slickdeals or Hot Coupon World for the store you shop most. Each week you should find a list of items on sale and a corresponding list of coupons (where they are located/online/in the paper etc.). This is about the easiest way to get started.

I'm still torn as to which method of storage I like best. I've tried cut free couponing which is simply to label each week in a folder and only cut the coupons when they match what I need. I really do prefer carrying a coupon organizer with me with every coupon organized by category. This way when I'm in the clearanced section and I see a product, I then check for a coupon and usually walk away with the item for free.

I have weeks when I do very well (recently 5 bags of groceries using catalinas and coupons) for .43 cents and then I get coupon burnout and spend $150+. The trick really is to stockpile the items you use when they are at their lowest price.

Good luck!

 

[Mathfailure]

I just cut out the ones in the paper.

However, my use of them went up when I started to use a plastic check holder from walmart.

I separate in (very) general catagories, but the key for me is I place the holder in the van with my cloth bags. If I am going in a store, I am in the vehicle as it is the only one I drive. So no more stopping by a store while I am out, and realizing I could have used a coupon but it was at home.

One walk to and from the car Sunday afternoon and I am all organized!

 

[LoriNSC]

I get mine mostly from sunday paper & coupons.com, smartsource.com.
I'm a big couponer. Tonight I went to Publix & got 4 bottles of Tylenol (50 ct on sale this wk for 3.99 & I used a Publix Q for $3 off tylenol & $1 mfg. Q per bottle) & 2 boxes of brownie mix for $3.70. The Tylenol was FREE & brownie mix B1G1 w/ no Q. I had to show DH & MIL my receipt to prove it.
Check out forums at weusecoupons.com & afullcup.com. They post grocery store sales & coupon matchups. It's amazing how much you can save.

I use a coupon organizer box I treated myself to from ebay w/ labeled tabs. Some people use a 3 ring binder w/ dividers & baseball card inserts. (That's just too time consuming for me.)

You need to try couponing. It's addictive but a great hobby. I love the thrill of seeking good deals. Good luck!

 

[Derby4me]

I am newish to couponing but am hooked. Did my shopping 2 days ago and saved about $50 (only 57%...usually I'm around 67%) I order 4 copies of the Sunday paper...I know extreme but it REALLY works out. I stock up when I find amazing deals.

To organize my coupons, I use a binder with baseball card holders. I have a page of breakfast items, baby items...you get the idea. The file folder didn't work for me as I could never remember which coupons I had. This way I just flip through my pages and can see what I have. I'm a stay at home Mom so for me, a penny saved is a penny earned. Also, I would suggest shopping at a store that doubles $1 coupons...that's really what saves me. Good luck!

 

[wmharley]

database of coupon blogs..

http://www2.tbo.com/static/news-special-reports-data-bay/tbo-special-reports-coupon-bloggers/

 

[luvmyfam444]

Thanks for the tips! I have cousins that are pretty big into it - but they have stores we dont' have here

My shopping is exclusive to WM. THe only other stores we have are WinnDixie & Publix I never go to them

I pretty much buy storebrand only 'cause its so much cheaper. I'm a HUGE skeptic still - LOL I need to see it myself firsthand - ya know?

My skepticism comes when the 50cents off two of a name brand item when 1 of the off brand is cheaper - that's where I have the problem - I know its not always that way - but I want to check all the prices. Publix takes all the coupons of everyone but their prices are way higher than WM....

YEARS ago like 15 yrs ago I collected coupons but the newspaper had so few things on coupon and most that was there was stuff I didn't buy at all so I quit messing with it. I used to price match everything betweeon stores as well -now I only catch the milk for the most part.

 

[LovesTimone]

I'm a publix shopper, I watch there ads they break on Thursday, I check out their buy 1 get 1 and then check my coupons to add to the savings I have been shopping with them so long that about the time I start to run out of something its back on buy 1 get 1. I also go to the manufactures site if I don't have a coupon on hand most times they have one. I also sign up for new trial size items, when they arrive they usually have a coupon with the item. laundry products are great for this. I have gotten coupons also when I have called or emailed a question to a manufactures web site.
Sundays paper is the best, Where I work we just started a coupon clippers club, nothing formal. we just put in coupons that we don't want and look to see if there is something that we need. We have and old recipe box that someone brought.
I do carry my coupon organizer with me all the time.

 

[Sgt Mickey]

I get them just from the sunday paper. I cut them all and throw them in a baggie. I sort them before I shop and put the ones I need in a diffrent baggy and make a list.

 

[Resseda]

I clip coupons from the Sunday paper, and I usually end up with my mom's coupons as well. I also joined a coupon swap on here, which is cool becuase I frequently receive coupons that I never, ever see here. We also have BJ's memberships, so I clip those coupons too.

For storage, I have a small size index card box with colored dividers. I am currently using a pack and a half of divider, labeled to be more useful (cats, breakfast, meat, BJ's). It's big enough to hold what I need, small enough that I (generally) don't forget it, and after I leave the store, I drop it in one of the shopping bags on my way out of the store.

What I have found is that I buy the vast bulk my general boxed and canned stuff at Walmart-pasta, hamburger helper, canned fruit, cereal. I have certain other stuff I buy at Wegmans-bakery items, milk, cheese. I have just become accustomed to the prices and sales, so I know what to buy where. I do very occasionally stop at Aldi's (can't beat their chips), but I don't tend to buy much there because with sales and coupons, I can do just as well elsewhere without the extra stop.

I think the thing is, once you can have a big shopping trip and save 20% or 30%, the "hassle" of cuttin gthe coupons on a Sunday melts away with that extra cash in your pocket

Ress

 

[Irin997]

I have just started getting the hang of coupon clipping and watching for sales. It takes a lot of time and preparation, but I have found that over the past month I've been working on it, it has been totally worth it. Plus, funny enough, saving that much money and seeing how much I can get for so little gives me a rush...

Currently I have a terribly sorted plastic coupon holder from Target that I basically need to reorganize by category, but I need new file labels. As I have starting to get into the CVS thing, I had to pull all of my drugstore items out and I have created a temporary organizer out of an envelope with paper category inserts. I will probably buy a second one just for drugstore items especially since I now have so many coupons for each category. I started just cutting everything in the hopes that CVS will have a great sale!

As a PP said, the best thing to do it pair a coupon with a sale...BOGO is the best. Yesterday I went to the store and they had bacon on BOGO, plus I had $.55 off which was doubled. So I got 2 lbs of bacon (which was split into 4 servings for DD8 and I) for $3.90. That's a deal and a half. The best I can ever do at BJ's, unless they have a coupon, is $3.33 a pack and this was $1.95 a pack.

Same with cereal. Honey Nut Cherrios were on sale 2 for $5 so I purchased 1 box and paired it with a $1 off coupon purchasing it for $1.50. Now I'm not nearly as good as some people that can buy 10 bags of groceries for $1 but I'm on my way.

It is totally addicting and can be fun. I just have to make time to prepare my list versus what I have in coupons. I try to buy what I need but in a way that I re-organize my week's menu around what is on sale. Purchase only produce that is on sale that week and work your menu around that. Same goes for stockpiling items. I may not necessarily need cheese, but when it goes on sale 2/$4 or $5 plus I happen to have a coupon, I will buy it and stick it in the freezer.

Sorry so long....but like I said, this has become my new addiction!

 

[LoriNSC]

Yep-I used to think Publix was too expensive but now that I've learned how to pair my mfg. Q's, store Q's & their sales- it's my favorite store.
We also have a Bloom that has triple coupon days-that's really awesome.
I can't stand to go to a store to buy something now w/o a coupon. Everytime we leave the house now my DD4 says "you got your coupons?"

I just quit a good paying job to return to school in Jan. to become a nurse so couponing is very important to my household. My pantry, cabinets, fridge/freezer & my garage freezer are overflowing with all my good deals. (No joke-right now I have about 100 rolls or more of toilet paper that I got dirt cheap.)

I suggest reading up on the coupon forums & give it a try.

 

[mamo-4-wdw]

I get my coupons from the sunday paper and from friends and neighbors. I also purchase them from thecouponmaster.com(it takes about 4 days to get the coupons after i order them) After I got a little better at it I joined a coupon train.

I use thegrocerygame.com and refundcents.com to help me know when to use the coupons to save the most money
.
I have saved so much money over the last year and it has been a godsend since i was laid-off in Feb.

I think it is fun to give the cashier colored peices of paper and they take actual money off of my purchase. My DS27 and DS19 like it because they can try new things and know they will always have plenty to eat,lots of shampoo, and free razors!

I only spend about an hour on sunday clipping coupons and I always look for coupon despensers in isle of the grocery store.
I use a binder filled with baseball card holders(I got these at target by the collectable cards).
I have it organized by the isle of my favorite grocery store. I just went in one day as I went down the isle I would write down what I saw. like fresh fruit, deli, spaghetti sauce, canned veggies) Then I used cut up 3x5 cards to write down everything and place it in the binder.I think it makes it easier when I am shopping.

 

[wmharley]

I'm a publix shopper, I watch there ads they break on Thursday, I check out their buy 1 get 1 and then check my coupons to add to the savings I have been shopping with them so long that about the time I start to run out of something its back on buy 1 get 1. I also go to the manufactures site if I don't have a coupon on hand most times they have one. I also sign up for new trial size items, when they arrive they usually have a coupon with the item. laundry products are great for this. I have gotten coupons also when I have called or emailed a question to a manufactures web site.
Sundays paper is the best, Where I work we just started a coupon clippers club, nothing formal. we just put in coupons that we don't want and look to see if there is something that we need. We have and old recipe box that someone brought.
I do carry my coupon organizer with me all the time.

yup BOGO is great at Publix... I also look to see what store has BlueBell ice cream.. I usually don't buy any ice cream unless its for $3.99 blue bell.

Yep-I used to think Publix was too expensive but now that I've learned how to pair my mfg. Q's, store Q's & their sales- it's my favorite store.
We also have a Bloom that has triple coupon days-that's really awesome.
I can't stand to go to a store to buy something now w/o a coupon. Everytime we leave the house now my DD4 says "you got your coupons?"

I just quit a good paying job to return to school in Jan. to become a nurse so couponing is very important to my household. My pantry, cabinets, fridge/freezer & my garage freezer are overflowing with all my good deals. (No joke-right now I have about 100 rolls or more of toilet paper that I got dirt cheap.)

I suggest reading up on the coupon forums & give it a try.

I do that to my DW.. I get pissed when she doesn't use the coupons.. i'm the main WM shopper, and she does publix for the produce and the BOGOs. She annoyed me when she got the Breyer's ice cream that was BOGO.. I had some coupons for $1/1 off it and she never used it...

We hear folks saving $15 on coupons, etc, but we normally don't use every coupon out there. We have certain things we buy and brands and if the generic is cheaper, then I usually buy that instead of using a coupon if its more. The most i saved, directly with coupons and price matching, was $30 at Walmart.. This was when they accepted BOGO price matching. I matched Bluebell, gatorade, and so many things it was crazy...

I did get the Leapfrog Tag for $20 (normally $50) with copons and price matching so that was cool

 

[Goofy'slady]

I clip coupons from the Sunday paper, which is the only reason we got a subscription in the first place - it was 20 bucks for the entire year!

I also clip from manufactors websites themselves. This time of year when I'm in a waiting room of a Dr's office and with kids there's always an appointment, I can usually flip thru a magazine and find coupons for items - especially now with the holidays approaching. I like Woman's Day, Family Circle and such; they may not have a lot of them but they do offer a few and since I didn't put out the cash for the magazine in the first place it's a win-win for me. Be sure to ask the office receptionist if it's alright to clip them before taking.

I sign up for news letters of my favorite companies too like Purdue has a newsletter, Kraft foods, even personal items such as shampoo and hygenic products often have websites to products. Yes, I'm flooded with emails from these companies but it only takes a sec to delete the ones I'm not interested in and keep the ones I am. I also signed up to a website called vocalpoint.com it's wonderful. Many times I get emails to allert me to sign up of samples of new products that will allow you to try them out before they even hit the shelves of your local store and in addition to the samples you usually get many coupons to get a full size of the product for FREE or a great discount. I tried the new Secret deodarant ya know the clinical strenght for free plus when I was ready to make a purchase myself I got several two dollar off coupons which I waited til Target was having a sale on the product and then applied my 2 dollar off coupon which brought the price down to just pennies over 3 bucks. Pretty good considering the product sells for almost 7bucks.

I even sign up for resturant b-day clubs. Each time one of our b-days roll around we get a free meal coupon that doesn't usually expire for several weeks and since both of my girls b-days are in June we just wait til both coupons are received and then half of our family is free. Same thing happens again for us in the month of September because both my b-day and hubby's are in the same month.

I also have no problems calling company's I'm happy with and not so happy with and those I'm happy with usually offer me some kind of coupon to show their appreciation.

T.

 

[CherylA]

Thanks for the tips! I have cousins that are pretty big into it - but they have stores we dont' have here

My shopping is exclusive to WM. THe only other stores we have are WinnDixie & Publix I never go to them

I pretty much buy storebrand only 'cause its so much cheaper. I'm a HUGE skeptic still - LOL I need to see it myself firsthand - ya know?

My skepticism comes when the 50cents off two of a name brand item when 1 of the off brand is cheaper - that's where I have the problem - I know its not always that way - but I want to check all the prices. Publix takes all the coupons of everyone but their prices are way higher than WM....

YEARS ago like 15 yrs ago I collected coupons but the newspaper had so few things on coupon and most that was there was stuff I didn't buy at all so I quit messing with it. I used to price match everything betweeon stores as well -now I only catch the milk for the most part.

I'm much the same as you where I find store brand to usually be the least expensive. I have gone full blown with coupons, organizing by category, clipping every coupon but while it did save a lot of money it was too time consuming. Now I only clip coupons for things I normally buy and I only clip coupons for worthwhile amounts. If I know that Cascade Dishwasher detergent is $3 and Walmart brand is 2.25 I wouldn't clip a save .50 coupon for cascade but I would clip a $1 off 1 coupon for Cascade because I know it would make it cheaper than the Walmart brand. It requires more thought while clipping but less thought while shopping and making your list. It's also less coupons to go through and throw away the expired ones. If you really want to get into the couponing though you have to stray from WalMart. Stopping at Publix and WinnDixie for the front page ad items is really worth it. That's where you get items free or almost free with coupons (as previous posters have said).