While beginning to learn how to coupon, I suggest trying a simple coupon organizer that can be found at places like Target in their dollar spot section. It’s small, fits in your purse easily and allows you to seperate coupons with dividers. As you get into using coupons more and find that this technique isn’t enough then a binder might come in handy. There is also the idea of not cutting coupons until you need them. If you plan out your shopping list once a week, then you can go through all your inserts from that week and past weeks and cut out only what you plan to buy.
You will find that many items are free or close to it after coupons and this is when you should stock up to make it through to the next sale. If an item is free and you buy enough for a few months then you won’t have to worry about paying full price when you run out. Remember to think about expiration though. Food isn’t the only thing with expirations. Toothpaste, medications, etc. all have expiration dates and you don’t want to buy so many that you end up throwing a bunch away.
Learn the policies of each of the local grocery stores and pharmacies if you choose to shop at those too. Many places that double coupons have a limit per day that will double. Some stores like Rite Aid, CVS, etc. will put out $5 off $25 purchase or something similar. These coupons can be used on the total before coupons are used, allowing for some amazing deals. Many stores don’t take internet coupons, and it’s good to know before you get to the register if you are going to be able to use all your coupons.
Last but not least, do not copy coupons. It might seem obvious but many people aren’t aware that this is illegal. Also using a coupon for the incorrect item, and purposely doing so is illegal, it’s called coupon fraud. So think smart when using coupons so we don’t ruin the great deals for everyone.
