Hellobee

This is a guest post from Jen of becauseimwrite.

Couponing can appear to be a strange, dark abyss that swallows previously normal human beings whole. But once you get your feet wet, it’s not all that bad, and soon you’ll be saving hundreds of dollars a month. I’m going to lay out 4 tips for those of you who are brand new to couponing. They will not only help you start saving this month, but also set a foundation for future growth.

LEARN WHERE TO GET COUPONS

There are a lot of ways to acquire coupons. The most obvious being the Red Plum and P&G coupon flyer you get in the mail, which you have probably previously have thrown out. If you don’t get these in the mail, you can purchase a Sunday paper with them, and you will find the money you save using the coupons quickly covers the cost of the paper.

There are countless ways to get coupons online. Coupons.com, redplum.com, couponchief.com, and moneysavingmom.com are my favorite resources. They’re my go-tos. Being able to source coupons online has really improved the money-saving game of couponing. For instance my favorite hand soap is Bath and Body Works’ foam soaps. Sometimes I don’t always have time to stop in a store since I live in the suburbs, so I just ordered some goodies online and got an extra 20% off using an online coupon from Coupon Chief. I highly recommend making it a habit to check out online coupon sites before making any online purchase — you never know what good deal you can get!

If you could still use more, consider asking friends for their coupons. Most people don’t give them the time of day, and would gladly save them for you.

You can also use social media to your advantage. Like your favorite brands on facebook, check the websites of your favorite brands, and search hashtags like #printablecoupondeal. Be creative.

Historically, I have been the most successful with couponing when I set aside a specific chunk of time each week to devote to clipping and filing coupons. It’s harder to skip, when it is part of my weekly routine.

ORGANIZE YOUR COUPONS

There are tons of methods for coupon organization, but I suggest you start small. Purchase an inexpensive coupon organizer the size of a wallet, and label each slot based on the main grocery categories.

If you start to outgrow that, try the coupon box method. Honestly, it’s simply an extended version of the accordion file you started with. With this method, pull the coupons you plan to use at the store, but have the box with you if you come across deals or markdowns you didn’t plan for.

One key to staying organized is purging. Whenever you have your weekly sit-down to clip coupons, I recommend you also use this time to look through your coupon slots and throw away expired coupons. Nothing is worse than thinking you’re buying 4 boxes of cereal for $.25 each, only to find out that your coupons are expired at the register.

LOG PRICES

If you are new to couponing, you most likely don’t know what you pay for specific grocery items. The success of couponing depends on knowing a good deal when you see one. If I use my $.50 off a Stouffer’s lasagna coupon at Harris Teeter, where it is priced $3 more than at Wal-Mart, I’m wasting my time.

This will take time in the beginning, but the upkeep will be minimal. Keep record of what price you get each and every grocery item. You can do this in a spreadsheet or in a notebook. This way you will know when to buy and when to pass.

On one hand, some generic brand items may be unbeatable in price. Or your family goes through tons and tons of a certain item that you could never hoard enough coupons for. But on the other hand, if you can get into a rhythm of finding rock-bottom prices and buying enough stockpile to last you until the next rock-bottom sale, you most likely won’t need to buy generic.

SHOP THE SALES

This is where the magic of couponing comes to a climax. You’ve clipped your coupons, organized them into categories so they’re easy to find, and researched prices. The goal is to pair a coupon with a good sale. This is where the savings start to add up.

When you sit down to plan your grocery trip, have the weekly store flyer and your coupons with you. As you look through the flyer, don’t be deceived by sales that aren’t really sales. Armed with your pricebook, you know a good price when you see one.

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You’ll find ways to increase savings and find better deals as you delve further into the world of couponing, but by beginning with these 4 tips, you’ll see huge savings on your grocery bill this month.

Do you coupon? What’s your advice for newbies?