Savings with Style!

Start Saving with Style with Southern Coupon Belle! I'm now COUPONING IN CoMo!
What happens when a Coupon Expert in one region of the USA moves to another area of the country? I have started over learning new stores, coupon policies and building a reasonable stock pile and savings routine from scratch since October 1, 2011. I was an expert in Atlanta and the South but now happily reside in Columbia, Missouri!

I've searched other blogs and sites but I can't find someone else in my shoes so hopefully reading how I started over can help you! Whether you are a seasoned couponer in a new area OR a beginner- I know I can help walk you through what to do and help you start saving big! Starting over has made me realize how newbies to coupons feel and made me walk a grocery store aisle or two in a beginner's shoes again! Email me at southerncouponbelle@gmail.com and let me know how I can help! Thanks for reading and taking this journey with me!

Saturday, January 17, 2009

To Clip or Not Clip Coupons... that is the question!

When you get excited about couponing like several people reading have- there is always the looming question do you clip all the coupons or save the inserts and clip when you generate your lists from CouponMom.com.

My answer to the questions is save the inserts. Clipping coupons can take a lot of time once a week. I keep the inserts in a Rubbermaid bin, clipped together by week and have the most current inserts on top in order by date.

The binder system works for a lot of people but I've always just saved the inserts. My reasoning? I stick to the lists and don't spend more than the best deals on the lists each week.

What about items you need that aren't on the list? Simple- I use the Coupon Generator option on CouponMom.com and look up to see if there are coupons for something I need.

What if you find a great unadvertised deal? I do miss out on those from time to time. I keep an envelope of coupons that I think I may run up on a steal. Things like diapers, wipes, certain shampoos etc.

Another great tip is to go to www.hotcouponworld.com. On the front page, click on forums. Then scroll down to Grocery Stores and Drugstores. There is a Publix forum and a Kroger Southeast Forum plus several for CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid. I check these everyday and people will post great deals and unadvertised clearances they are finding. These are usually very accurate and when I find something- I add the deal and the coupons to the list. CVS and Walgreen forums actually have a section dedicated just to the deals and steals people are finding.

Binders are great and there's no right or wrong method. People just get immediately turned off to the idea of sitting down and clipping so much at once. Binders get very big quickly but there are diehard fans of the binder system.

As long as you are organized and get your own system down pat- couponing is easy and not time consuming like the critics think it is.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I understand now. I thought you were clipping the coupons and putting them in the bin. This is much, much better! And now I won't have to worry about losing my coupon folder, again! ha! I was spending two + hours clipping coupons. Once again you save the day....and my time! :) Thank you!!!

Holly said...

You might already know or maybe don't shop there, there Ingles is offering triple coupons for this entire week. We saw it in their weekly circular from the AJC.

I'm excited about Wed.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the Ingles tip!!!

Traci said...

Just a note- Ingles is hard and you have to make a $10 purchase to get 3 coupons tripled. I can find the restrictions but not all coupons triple. Just a heads up!

Prohomemaker.Com said...

Great information -- I have been using the "save the flyers" method for nearly 19 months now, and it makes couponing a breeze with Couponmom. Takes me maybe 30 mins to get ready for a smaller food shop.