7 Steps for a Beginner Couponer

If you're like me then you probably have tried couponing one or two times and given up.  I know I have, but I promise its easy and once you start you can never go back!

The first time I went shopping and saved 80% of my purchase I was hooked! I felt like I had won and that the budget we had made could finally be met while purchasing our needs and wants.


Here are some basic steps for a beginner!

7 Simple Coupon Tips 

1. Change the way you shop! Get rid of being tied down to specific brands and be open minded to trying new things! Don't go grocery shopping based on a menu you planned for the week. Instead buy what is on sale and you have coupons for and then grocery shop from you stockpile. For more ways to change how you shop click here.

2.  Get some coupons! You can get coupons from several places.

      * The Sunday paper (Idaho Falls Post Register)

      * Online (coupons.com, redplum and smartsource)

      * "All You" magazine, you can pick up at

          Walmart for pretty cheap and they have

          some great coupons too. 

3. Learn the Coupon Lingo! There are so many acronyms and words used with couponing its good to know what they all mean! Click here to learn!

4. Start Small, Choose 1 store to start with! You're not going to save 99% on your grocery bill first time. It takes practice! So to start out choose one store and get to know how to "work" it.  A good starter one in Rexburg is Walgreens.
 
5. Learn when to use the coupons! Just because you have them doesn’t mean you have to use them right then and there.

Easy Coupon Equation: Store sale + manufacture coupon + store coupon = amazing savings!

Now that doesn't mean you have to have all 3 parts of the equation to = amazing savings.  But try to get at least 2 of the 3 parts of the equation!

LivingRichWithCoupons

$1.50 for cereal is still great!


6. Know when to stock up.  The purpose of stocking up is so that in time you will never have to buy an item at full price!

      $-Stock up for 1-3 months
    $$-Stock up 4+ months (if you can do a year great!)

For more details on stocking up click here.






 7. Give it a try! Come on I know you want to! Start super simple and small.  Just buy one item that is on sale AND that you have a coupon for.  Look at the percentage of how much you save, and if that doesn’t get you excited I don’t know what will!