There are lots of coupons up for grabs, if you know where to find them. By far, the best places to look are:
Newspapers- the Smart Source and Valassis coupon inserts appear on a near-weekly basis. The Procter and Gamble insert appears at the start of each month.
Magazines- women's publications such as Woman's Day, Red Book, Family Circle and Good Housekeeping frequently carry manufacturer coupons.
In store- look for coupons on store shelves, on products and on the back of your receipts. Also look for coupons to print out at the register
Additional places to look:
Online- look to free grocery coupon sites for loads of printable coupons. Not all stores take them; but if yours does, you’re in luck
Junk mail- high-value manufacturer coupons have started to appear in junk mailers, so be sure to look before you toss
Direct from the manufacturer- check manufacturer websites for printable coupons or contact companies (by mail, e-mail or phone) torequest coupons
Store mailings- get a frequent shopper card for the grocery stores that you shop, and you may be rewarded with special coupon mailings
On products- look in and on the packaging of the products that you buy for special loyalty coupons
How to Keep Coupons Organized
There are lots of ways to organize coupons; the key is to find the approach that works best for you. Three options to consider:
- Clipping out all coupons
- Clipping out just the coupons that you intend to use
- Leaving the coupon inserts intact, and clipping coupons on an "as-needed" basis
Whichever approach you choose, there are several things that you can do to ensure that your coupons remain neat and accessible:
1. Develop a filing system. Many couponers organize their coupons by grocery category--dairy, frozen foods, deli, etc. – but it's not the only way to go. Find a filing system that works for you--by aisle, by expiration, etc. – and put it into action.
2. Find a container to hold your coupons. Use a shoebox, a storage container, a coupon binder, a coupon wallet or a recipe box – it doesn't matter what you choose – but it's important to have a landing spot for all of those coupons.
3. File coupons the same day you get them. Okay, so you may not always have time to file your coupons right away, but try to file them as soon as you can. This will prevent them from getting lost, and save you the hassle of having to sort through a big mess of coupons all at once.
4.Purge regularly. Expired coupons won't save you money, so don't let them hog space in your coupon file. Set a schedule for purging expired coupons, and stick to it.
Tips:
1. Because of the fact you may potentially almost make a steal, don't be so dead set on "brand loyalty." Be flexible!
2. I file my coupons by aisles in the commissary and move them from one slot to another once the item is in my cart. This way there is no potential of dropping the coupon or forgetting its there by accident. All of the slots will be empty once I am through and all items are marked of my list with a bright highlighter pen.
3. The commissary does NOT allow stacking. However, if you find a young cashier they never say anything.
4. Search for coupons on your favorite items when you run into the store for something small like bananas. I can't begin to think how many times I found good value coupons for items when I was just dropping in. When I came back for my big shopping trip, they were all gone.
5. Organization is key to you not getting confused or frustrated. I like to write out how many of the items i need to purchase in order t use the coupon AND how many different coupons I have for the items so I can use them all and not forget any.
6. Generally, the commissary has "beauty" coupons most days, such as AXE for men. There are most often Axe coupons in Sunday papers or in the coupon flyer's at the entrance to the commissary.
7. ALWAYS pick up the flyers/coupon packs at the front entrance (on the right hand side next to the doors to the food court.) Lots of valuable coupons!!!
8. Relax and Enjoy watching your grocery bill drop!!!!!
RESOURCES:
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