Couponing 101

Blame it on TLC's Extreme Couponing show, blame it on the downturn in the economy, but in recent months grocery stores have seen an increase in coupon usage. Are you ready to jump on the bandwagon? Stores have tightened their couponing rules, but there are still plenty of savings to be had! Join us for our recurring blog series "Couponing 101" and learn all the necessary basics on how to save easily with coupons.

Lesson One: The 5 W's of Couponing

Where:   Say goodbye to store loyalty, one-stop shops, and warehouse stores like Costco or Sam's club. Phil Lembert, editor of supermarketguru.com says "Buying everything at one store for convenience wastes money." Your greatest savings can be found by examining your local stores' weekly circulars and mapping out your shopping trip based on sales. This may take more time, but will save up to 50% in the long run. 

What: 89% of store coupons are still found in your good ole Sunday paper, so make sure you have a current newspaper subscription. Try and collect extra copies of coupon inserts from kind neighbors, family members, and friends. You can also check out your local recycling center and see if they have any old Sunday papers you can pick up for free. 

When: The greatest savings can be found by combining a manufacturer's coupon with a store's sale. And, if you're lucky, your local store might double manufacturer's coupons, depending on where you live. Just ask your store manager for details. 

Why: You work hard for your money, so help your money work for you! By matching coupons to store sales you can save up to 100% on every day items such as: hair products, oral care, cereal, condiments, etc., and when you're able to buy these things for free you have more money to spend on items that don't typically offer coupons, such as milk and produce. 

How:  It's important to track your local store sales and match your coupons to these sales, but don't do all the work yourself. There are great free couponing websites all over the country that will tell you exactly where to go and what coupons to use. Do a google search for "Coupon Blog in fill in your area" and you are sure to come up with a helpful site.