Im going to start off this awesome journey with how to get started with couponing with a quick intoduction in each category. I can go detail and make you go crosseyed reading all this. dont worrry, I will got more into detail in later posts. :)
The main trick is to get organized. I first started this with a cheap 3 ring binder and some photo holder sheets (it took me FOREVER to get a hold of some of the baseball card sheets!) I found in the scrapbook section at Walmart. I made tabs with constuction paper and clear tape. there are also some images through google where some people made their own customized sheets with a sewing machine and the plain, cheap, and so much easier to find sheet protectors. There is also the accordian book (as I like to call it) that holds the coupons. I perfer the notebook because you can see every coupon you have, but find what fits your groove. the accordian books are easy to make too with lots of online tutorials as well. (Im gonna tell you know I will teach you how to not fear a hot glue gun and to become savvy enough with the crafty world to save a pretty penny!) my notebook has now evolved to a zipper binder with lots of pockets and a abundance of those coveted baseball sheets!
there are two main scorces for coupons: online and newspaper. there are also blinkies (you know the little coupon dispenser that blinks in the aisle of a store? you know the one as a kid you loved to take to coupons out of just to see it spit out a new one?) and peelies (ones stuck on a package in some way) some magazines will have coupons in them too (Cosmopolitan has some sometimes and All You usually has a good bit of them, just for example) blinkies, peelies, and mag coupons are ones I call "bonus coupons" these are ones that are fun to find and really spice up your coupon life!
online coupons:
there are SOOO many sites you can get coupons from! the main four to print from are:
You do have to download a coupon printer program onto your computer for each site, and one of them reqires java. these are safe and are free! once you have the program dowloaded on the computer thats it! yay! Online coupon do have a print limit of 2 per computer, but you can print two from each computer on your home if you have more than one!
**IMPORTANT**
photocoping coupons is a felony! DO NOT photocopy coupons! your savings will turn into PRISON TIME!
Newspaper Coupons:
these are coupons that come in the sunday edition of your city newspaper. (For example: The Atlanta Journal Constitution, The Macon Telegraph, The Sacramento Bee, etc.) Also the inserts will vary by region. The sunday coupons that I get in the AJC is different than the ones I get in The Telegraph. Fortunatly, I can get the AJC in the city where I work and get The Telegraph where I live. I usually get three copies of each every sunday (AJC early edition when I get off work and the Telegraph when they stock the newspaper box at say 5:30ish AM) depending on the size of your family, you should get the number of newspapers to reflect that (like we are a family of two right now. so when that number increases, so will the number of newspapers I will get.) If you live in an area where you are able to get the newpaper delivered to your driveway, ask about having multiple suscriptions delivered. Also most newspapers allow for you to only get the Sunday paper instead of having to get it everyday. the price of a sunday paper can range from $1.50-$3 so make sure you have in your budget for newspapers. (trust me its totally worth it)
Store Coupons:
the final type of coupon is the store coupon. this is a coupon you can only use at said store. there are five kinds you can get. newspaper (normally publix, kroger and target), catalina (the little machine that spits out at the checkout. Like the Walgreens Regester rewards, for example), Internet (Target.com, DollarGeneral.com, Kroger.com, ect.), in store insert (publix has one at the enterance, Walgreens has a monthly book, ect.), and Receipt (CVS Extra Care bucks, the coupons on the back of Grocery store reciepts like Ingles or Kroger). Most of the store coupons for a specific item can be "stacked" with a manufacter coupon. ECB (CVS) or RR (Walgreens) can be used on the next purchace. For example, I will have all my items that will spit out a EBC or RR in the first transaction, then use the ECB or RR on a seperate transaction right after I get them (and all this on top of using coupons, because the spending specifications are for amount before coupons, not after!)
So are you excited yet? Ready to start clipping? Make sure you have a pair of scissors with a nice comfy grip and have it specifically for your coupons! Tomorrow I will have details with Store Policies and how to build a notebook!
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