Where to start Couponing!?!?!

[Bvv]

Hello everyone! I came across the new show extreme couponing I immediately became a fan I love it! I really want to start doing this but I dont know where to start I was actually wondering how I could get a coupon book and if someone would be willing to tell me how you gradually become an expert with couponing.

[jeffrey]

This was my foray into extreme couponing and exactly how I did it:

Eating Well On $1 A Day - Grocery Coupon Guide

Not very difficult -- takes upfront time to learn how to do, but once you do, shouldn't take much more time than you regularly take shopping.

[marvholly]

There were MANY things portrayed on that show that do NOT work in the real world; example only a few stores in certain areas double coupons & that is frequently limited to 3-5/transaction.

There are any number of web sites and blogs to guide you in couponing but it is HIGHLY unlikely you will achieve the show's level of savings. I have been a pretty hard core couponer for >40 years and the best I can do is about 30-45% savings AND that is after collecting insert coupons, scouring the internet for coupons, watching/matching store sales, using store savings cards, shopping MANY, MANY stores every week including CVS, Walgreens, Target, 2 national grocers, 2 independent grocers and 5 ethnic/fruit & veg markets EVERY week.

There is also a BIG learning curve. You need to know regular shelf price, phantom sale price and rock bottom, stock up sale price for EVERY item you regularly use. You need to have the storage space to stock up when the G-ds are aligned (rock bottom sale + coupons). You need to know the coupon policy at EVERY store you shop at. Example: Walgreens is VERY different from CVS, as is Target & Walmart. Some stores will NOT take internet printed coupons, some will but to a limited dollar amount.

Two of my favorite web sites are Hot coupon world and A full cup. Good luck, happy hunting.

[carolan]

I don't do a lot of couponing however I do save a lot of money by buying specials at different stores. Lots of grocery stores are close to each other so I buy the specials in one store, then go to the next store and get their specials etc...I check the flyers ahead of time to know what the specials are and then I buy anything else I need at my favorite store which give me something free if I spend XX number of dollars. I bought a freezer so I could store all the meat I get on special. e.g. beef special at 1/2 price, I buy a roast, cut it into steaks at home and have a couple of steak dinners for the price of one steak dinner at the restaurant!

[Alan_MoneySanity]

I coupon every week but don't extreme coupon. For my needs I use Coupon Mom. I am pretty sure her system can be used for extreme coupon use as well.

[Bvv]

Thanks!this is very helpful I don't intend to be as extreme as they show on t.v I just want savings on the things I regularly buy.

[marvholly]

Another couple points to remember if you are starting to coupon:

1. There is ALWAYS another sale down the road
2. Certain brands/coupons come out every month/season
3. Sale cycles esp on grocery and personal care repeat about every 13 weeks
4. It helps if you are NOT brand specific. Soes it really matter to you if you use colgate/crest, head & shoulders/pert, Folgers/Maxwell House, Hunts/DelMonte.......?

[marvholly]

Another thing you NEED to know is the coupon policy at EVERY store where you shop. For me, this means ONLY CVS, Walgreens, Target and Walmart accept internet printable coupons and ALL their prices are MUCH higher than my independent, ethnic and local fruit/veg markets.

[Frugal]

Hi,

In reference to saving money with coupons - I agree that it is next to impossible to achieve what the women on the show "Extreme Couponing" achieve (nor do I feel it is morally that honest that they end up paying roughly less than 1% in some cases of the total costs of their purchases - that hurts stores and the jobs those people working there have. I would much rather feel better about spending an honest amount, but cutting down some of the extra costs the stores are tacking on through using coupons to bring the marked-up costs down of food, etc.

I have been able to save roughly 30-75% using coupons on a regular basis at stores like Walmart, Walgreen's, Rite-Aid, Target, etc. and also the local grocery stores. This takes some time and effort, but as many others have said, once you get used to it, you can spend only 1-2 hours or less per week total time comparing sales ads and combining coupons carefully. If you have a little bit of patience, you can save more money by finding coupons online, and not just in stores, and in the local Sunday paper.

I have many more ideas on ways to save money with coupons...

[jerrycates]

So I've heard of these coupons too. It does save a bit or two in times you need to use them. I get 10% or so discounts at Walmart sometimes. And I've seen those freebies too. Another way to save. If it helps, nothing is wrong to keep doing it.

[CouponRefund]

I use CouponRefund.com for online coupons and for printable coupons I use Coupons.com. They are best coupon sites. I hope you'll find coupons for your desire stores from these sites. This is an easy way to get coupon.