Coupon Tip of the Day

Do you absolutely LOVE a product but you just can't ever seem to find a coupon for it? Take a moment, and write to the company! This is a great way to score some major brownie points with the company, and usually get some coupons for something off the cost of the product, or my personal favorite, Free!!

The 411 on Coupons

This blog is intended to help anyone who is interested in saving a few dollars. Let's face it, in this economy, everyone probably wants to save as much as possible. I won't lie, what got me started was the TLC television show, Extreme Couponing. I had stumbled upon the show one bored Wednesday night, and was amazed at the savings. I was also a little annoyed at watching these people clear shelves, leaving nothing for anyone else (disclaimer: Not everyone on that show are like that, there are a select few who will call ahead and have the store manager order a shipment in for them, I applaud these people).

Back to topic, my husband and I are looking to buy a new house in the very near future. We need to save every penny we can to put toward our new house. So far in the past month of couponing, I have saved us hundreds of dollars! My husband, the skeptic, was impressed and he loves and supports my use of coupons. I have, however, picked up a few key facts to couponing that every person should know.

The 411:

1. DO NOT clear shelves. You do not need 100 of one product to create a stockpile, again, you do NOT need 100 of one product to create a stockpile. Please, don't clear the shelves. There's nothing more frustrating then having your coupons clipped and ready to go, only to go into a store to see that a particular item you need is completely cleared out. When I coupon, I buy 5 (max.) of a product, that is it. After a month of doing just this, I already have created a very nice stockpile for myself.

2. If you'll never use it, don't buy it. Some people will buy something because it's a great deal. Listen, I don't care if the product is .10 with a coupon, if your never going to use it, what's the point? At the very least, donate those items to a shelter. I'm sure it will get put to much more use than collecting dust on your shelf.

3. Know the policy. When you start couponing, it can be extremely overwhelming, even more so frustrating if you blindly walk into a store without knowing their coupon policy. Every store's policy is different. Some take internet coupons, some don't, some will double a coupon up to .99, and some won't double any coupons. This is something you need to be aware of to watch for any discrepancies at the register. I suggest printing each stores individual policy and having it with you, just in case.

4. Get organized. I have yet to follow this advice, but trust someone who is currently digging through her shoebox full of coupons, organization is key! Don't be like me! Get a binder and baseball card holder inserts and organize your coupons. Eventually I will be taking my own advice, and I will have two binders. One for all food items, and one for non-perishables.

5. Matchups. Match a coupon to a sale for maximum savings. Keep an eye on the weekly ads for the stores specials, and then create a list and match your coupons up with the sale items. It's a little time consuming, however, it's worth it in the long run.

6. The low down on Internet coupons. These seem like a great idea, but first off, you need to make sure the store your going to will actually accept these. If they don't, your stuck paying full price for an item, and a lot of wasted ink and paper. Secondly, if your not sure if your going to use it, don't bother printing it. I rarely print off internet coupons, unless it's a really good deal, or it's a free coupon. If there's a coupon to get an item for free, I will print it off the internet. Otherwise, I usually just let it go. Again, I am not an EXTREME couponer.

These are just a few coupon tips from someone who just started out. Follow my blog as I find specials and savings in Pittsburgh, and post my savings as I go.

As for the photo above, I only spent $6.71 on all of that product, my total savings was $37.11