The Key to Coupon Success – Stockpiling

by | Jun 17, 2010

single mom couponingWhen I first started clipping coupons I was baffled at how the women doing it could save so much money. I learned it was a matter keeping coupons for as long as possible which meant collecting coupon inserts each week.

Another clue to the coupon craze is to stockpile items when they go on sale at rock bottom prices. But how can I stockpile items when I only have one coupon? Ahhhhh…that’s one of the tricks or methods to the madness. The simple fact is you need many coupons for one item.

So instead of getting one paper get two or three. If that’s not possible you can ask family member or co-workers for their coupons if they don’t use them. The more coupons you have the better.

With this technique fresh in my mind I set out to buy three coupons the first week of my coupon clipping life. I was so happy to be able to get three sets of inserts.  This particular week there would be three inserts. Two from one company and one from another. I was so excited!

What I didn’t realize was the newspapers I got was a double edition. It contained the early edition and the late edition. Both had coupons in them so I had not three inserts but six! I had to laugh at myself and felt quite greedy, but I decided to look at it as a blessing.

I will have plenty of coupons to use for stockpiling items like soap, lotion, razors, canned goods, cereal, cleaning supplies, paper towels, toilet paper, etc. These items typically cost a lot when they aren’t on sale but by stockpiling you’ll have plenty for months to come or until the next sale. By then you will have more coupons.

Stockpiling helps reduce your weekly or monthly grocery bill because you are only purchasing perishable items like milk, eggs, fresh fruit and vegetables. It takes time to stockpile. I am concentrating on a few items at a time to start. I am learning there is no hurry.

Chronicle of a Coupon Newbie Single Mom

by | Jun 16, 2010

single mom couponingI am a coupon newbie. I’ve used them before here and there, but never as a primary means of saving money on my grocery bill. The first time I started I saved about 25-30%. It was very earth shattering to me but I know that continuing the challenge will yield better results.

In the beginning it seems overwhelming. I spent hours scouring sales papers and clipping coupons. It was not entirely fun but I kept at it. A trick I learned was to collect coupon inserts for many weeks. This is so you can use coupons from the distant past, but haven’t expired, for products that are on sale today.

The coupon craze is serious. There are entire websites and forums as well as book that explain how to cut grocery cost by using coupons.

Most of the people who use coupons are married and stay at home moms. They seem to have more time to devote to the process. When I looked at all the work involved and the limited time I have I was discouraged.

The reason I decided to move forward was because I have financial goals I want to reach. I can reach them faster if I cut expenses in different areas. The reality is my kids are growing and eating more, especially my son. He is always hungry and I have to buy more food. Unfortunately the more I have to buy the more money I’ll have to spend.

I will not deprive my children of food so I must take advantage of the new knowledge I have. I will make using coupons work. So even though I feel coupon clipping is a time consuming task, I will work it in my schedule.

I can clip coupons while I watch television. I can get the kids to help clip and organize them. I can pay my daughter a few dollars from the savings. I’ve determined that coupons can be the single mom’s best friend, especially as the years go by and the kids grow and demand more food. In the grand scheme, coupon clipping is a necessary part of life these days and to help grow my bank account.

Saving Money – The Coupon Challenge

by | Jun 15, 2010

single mom couponingThis weekend I went shopping with coupons. If you’ve seen some of the videos on the site you know that using coupon is a great way to cut your grocery bill. If you haven’t seen the videos, I encourage you to take a peek. There are many people who have asked me how they can save money, especially in this tight economy.

The price of food has risen so it’s even more important to find ways to spend less. Using coupons has been around for a long time, but when food was cheaper it didn’t seem to matter that much.

Now with the rise in prices most middle and lower class Americans are using them. Even people who use food stamps can and are using them. It’s a way to make the dollars stretch. Coupons are the new forms of money. Coupons are money.

What most people don’t realize is that the grocery stores still get the same amount of money they charge for food. The manufacturers pay the stores for the coupons they collect. So they aren’t losing anything which means you don’t have to feel guilty.

So how can coupons cut your grocery bill down to almost nothing? It doesn’t seem possible but it is plausible to cut 50-75% off your grocery bill. It requires using a combination of techniques including pre-planning, stockpiling, and shopping the sales.

One of the key ways to get the most out of using coupons is to wait. Why wait? Because at the time the coupon comes out the product is usually cost the regular or elevated price. When you wait to closer to the expiration date the product is likely to go on sale. This is the trick to saving a large amount of money on food whenever you shop.

I’ve taken up the coupon challenge, I’ve explained the basics, and now I encourage you to take up the challenge as well to see how much you can save too!