How to Start Extreme Couponing
By Guest Blogger Shelly of Coupon Teacher
I know many of you have probably heard of the TLC show called, “Extreme Couponing”. On the show, many people are being extreme to save money at the grocery store. By extreme, I mean spending tons of valuable time to save money with coupons. Of course, we all know that reality T.V. is anything but real. Because of the show, I am working hard to educate people about the reality of using coupons.
I love to save money, and I have been couponing seriously for almost 5 years now. However, I would not consider myself to be extreme. I work hard to save my time and money using coupons, so that I can use my time and money on the things I want to do in life.
Today I am going to share my top five non-extreme tips to get you started saving money using coupons…
1. Buy a Sunday paper to find valuable coupons. Most coupons come from the Sunday paper. There are three main types of coupon inserts: SmartSource (SS) , Red Plum (RP), and Proctor & Gamble (PG). The larger circulation newspapers usually have more coupons!
2. Check the sale ads for items you buy regularly. If you find an item you buy regularly on sale, you may want to buy an extra one or two to stock up. (Even better if the item is on sale and you have a coupon!)
3. Organize your coupons. Many people use a check file or recipe box to keep their coupons. No time to clip your coupons? I keep the whole coupon insert intact until there are coupons that I need from it! Then I file the ones I don’t use in a small check file.
4. Know your store’s coupon policy. Some stores double and even triple coupons. Some do not. Some stores limit how many coupons you use, and some don’t care how many coupons you have. Other stores even offer special store coupons that can be used with coupons from the Sunday paper for double savings!
5. Be on the lookout. Coupons are everywhere nowadays. You can find them on the package you are buying at the store, at the checkout counter, or even on companies’ Facebook pages! Keep your eyes peeled, and you just may find a coupon for a product you will use.
Bonus Tip: I often hear people say that coupons are only for junk food or items they don’t buy. That is definitely a myth. Right now, there are tons of coupons out there for organic and healthier foods. I even have a coupon for organic salad in my coupon caddy right now!
To wrap it up, I encourage you to use coupons for items you need and watch the weekly sales. If you do the few basic steps outlined above, you should save around 30% at the grocery store! Just think of what 30% of your monthly grocery budget would buy you!
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