Become an Expert at Couponing

Have you seen the new show Extreme Couponing? It's a little crazy, I know, but realistically I believe many people are jealous of the fact that someone can walk out of a store paying just under $20 for over $1,200 worth of groceries. I know I am!

Well, I've been slowly but surely working on becoming a couponer. I've nailed the basics and I'm moving on to building a stockpile. I don't need a grocery store in my basement (heck...I don't even have a basement), but I would love to have enough of my family's every day necessities on hand so I don't have to worry about running out of toilet paper (which happened last week :-P). So, I'm going to start small, by stocking up on things my family uses often like; toiler paper, body wash, toothpaste, Coca-Cola, rice, pasta, etc.

I am going to be spending this week walking you through the basics of couponing. My goal is to share the planning with you, so you can successfully start to create your own stockpile in the next 6 weeks. Hopefully you'll all be able to save 65% or more on your groceries. Amy and I will also be sharing our couponing shopping trips with you. Of course, you want to see proof that it can be done...even by beginners like us! :-)

Couponing FAQ's

How much time will I have to spend clipping coupons and browsing sales ads?
The good news is, there are a lot of resources online that do a good amount of the work for you. You obviously will still have to clip coupons, but depending on which option you choose to do this, it may take you as little as 5 minutes a week (as much as 15 minutes). Using the resources available online, you will most likely spend 15-20 minutes "browsing ads".

What exactly is a stockpile?
A stockpile is a reserve amount of items your family uses everyday. Some people choose to buy large quantities of items they will never use, just because they got it for pennies. I am not going to teach you how to do this. I am only going to show you how to create a stockpile that simply suits your family's needs.

What happens when I can't find a coupon for something?
One of the first things any couponer will tell you is to be open minded. Brand loyalty goes right out the window if your really looking to save money. For example; if Foldger's does not offer coupons but Maxwell House does, then think about trying a new brand. This doesn't mean that you can't say "Well Foldger's coffee is my one item I refuse to change." Of course you can, and I'll show you how to buy that Foldger's coffee when it's at it's rock bottom price (and only when it's at it's rock bottom price). You'll learn how to never pay full price for your groceries again!

When will I start seeing a difference in my grocery bill?
This depends on many factors. If you already clip coupons, then your one step ahead of the crowd. If not, you'll have to start collecting coupons to build up a supply. If you follow my lessons, in the next 4-6 weeks you will undoubtedly start to see your grocery bill go down.

Keep a look out for our first step on How to Become an Expert at Couponing, Step 1: Where do I Get all of These Coupons?

Posted in: Coupons,Saving Money