Many people have asked me how I save so much on groceries and toiletries so I have decided to do a small series on it. First off, there are many great websites that explain couponing in depth and I will provide links to them throughout this series.
Secondly, I am NOT a hoarder. I do not subscribe to the “I’m a crazy stockpiler” school of thought. The coupon show on TLC is not realistic and is causing some stores to change their coupon policy, which is a major bummer for us responsible couponers.
Ok, now that we have that out of the way let us move along shall we? The most important step in my process is setting aside time to clip and organize my coupons. I usually do this on Sunday afternoons as this is a relatively calm time for my family. Expect this to take a couple hours, possibly even more when you are first starting out.
Once you have done this you will need to figure out a way to organize your coupons. The most effective system I have found consists of using a three ring binder, plastic baseball card sleeves and tabbed dividers. I divide my coupon alphabetically (e.g Crispix, Jimmy dean, Motts, etc.) by having each divider stand for a letter. This works well for me but I have seen others do it by aisle or product. I just find it easier to look through the circulars alphabetically.
Next week I will discuss effective ways to clip coupons and where to find the best coupons.
