Roxanne Wilson

Couponing for the Modern woman

by roxanne on 01/16/10 at 11:28 pm

An average of $318 billion worth of grocery coupons were issued last year, $3 billion were used, and $315 billion were thrown away.  We are literally leaving billions of dollars of savings on the table. -Couponmom.com

In a time where saving money is an absolute must, coupons are coming back. Call them the new Black if you will. In 2010, no one can afford to avoid free money. Not even me…

My motivation? My grandma Marie’s intriguing stories of coupon success. Or maybe my childhood friend’s weekly coupon sagas on Twitter. Or maybe it is the hunt of the prey? The game? I don’t know, but what I do know is 2010 is the year of the coupons and this single lady is getting on board.

Attempt #1

It was almost an impulse. On Monday morning, I jumped  up and rushed to the Sunday paper. I needed to cut my coupons. And so I did and then went to Randall’s to shop. Having nothing in the cupboards or the fridge, there was much to be bought. My plan: Use the Remarkable Rewards card and coupons and shop away. Ha! It took me about two hours to make it through the grocery store. Thank goodness I had went on a Monday afternoon. Not a lot of shoppers.  I was a discombobulated mess. I was stopping in each aisle looking for the appropriate coupons and then determining if I should use it. FAIL! Although I saved $44 and paid $147 that day, I knew there had to be a better way.

First: I needed to organize these things. I bought a coupon organizer in the $1 aisle at Target.

Second: I am not the first person to coupon. Why not stand on the shoulders of giants rather than reinvent the wheel.

Attempt #2

Now prepared with the coupon organizer I never leave home without (you never know when you might need to use a coupon!), I ended up saving $32 and paying $51. Progress.

After a little research, I discovered some out of this world websites, secrets and goodies. I also realized that couponing is a FULL time job. And perhaps that is why people don’t do it.

So here is some manageable ways to save . Allow me to share my finds and for the moderning day couponer.

1) Take advantage of printable online coupons. No longer must you get the Sunday paper to be a part of the couponing fun. There are several free sites where you can print off coupons. It is so easy. Print, take them to the store and you are good to go. Coupons.com, Target, Red Plum, Smart Source

2) Go green by using digital coupons. Even more exciting then fee online coupons are the sites where you can upload the coupons to your grocery store’s rewards card. Then when you go to the store and swipe your card, the coupons automatcially apply. In Austin – Randall’s is the only participant of this program. Click on the pictures below to try digital coupon sites.

3) Save the gas money and use the web to comparison shop. www.couponmom.com and www.thegrocerygame.com both do the legwork for you buy giving you all the deals in your area, and even suggesting which coupons to use. (CouponMom.com is free. TheGroceryGame.com has a nominal fee).

4) Toothpaste should always be free. When I first heard this, I thought that was wild, but if you time it right, you CAN actually pay nothing for toothpaste. I have going to try it this week. I have two coupons totalling $2.50 for the same type of toothpaste. Sunday morning, I am heading to Couponmom.com to see if any of the stores have marked it down less than $2.50. My goal, FREE toothpaste. Stay tuned.

5) Set your sights on a reward. Keep track of the money you save each time you shop. Decide what you will do with the money you have saved over a period of time, and use that as an incentive.

6) Have fun. Whether you are motivated by money or by enjoying the game enjoy! Life’s too short not to.

Let me know how your couponing adventures are going.

Must read article about great online sites click here.

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