Two years ago I began my coupon obsession. I dove in full
speed ahead. I purchased at least 2 newspapers every Sunday. I also searched
every recycle bin in our neighborhood for discarded coupon inserts. I started
my journey with The Krazy Coupon Lady using her binder method.
I also
printed coupons offline at coupons.com, RedPlum and SmartSource. I even joined
a coupon exchange. Every week a huge envelop of coupons arrived in my mailbox.
I sifted through them. I took the ones I needed. I added coupons from my own
collection that I would never use. Then I sent it off to the next person in our
exchange.
Every
week I checked all the local grocery ads. I compared all sales with the coupons
I had. And I usually went to at least four different stores on my designated
shopping day.
I
saved…a lot. Many items I ended up getting for free or for mere pennies. It was
a thrill. I loved it. I still do. But I had to make some changes. I think it
just became too extreme. I was spending hours a day on couponing. It’s not just
about getting coupons or going to store. You plan…a lot! You also have to stay
organized and on top of your coupons. It’s a lot of work. It can definitely be
worth it. But I learned that even now that I have downsized my couponing, I
still save and still get a huge thrill.
First,
I got rid of the binder. It just didn’t work for me. I am not against the
coupon binder. But it’s a lot of work, and it gets pretty heavy. Now I use the
box method. My own take on the method used by MoneySavingMom (Love her blog!!).
I also
no longer spend a few hours searching through the trash bins. More than one
neighbor has seen me do this. In the end, it just wasn’t for me. I didn’t want
to be known as the dumpster diver of the community.
I still
get two papers every week. But I subscribe now because it saved me quite a bit
verse buying the paper at the store each week. And I usually only shop at 1 or
2 stores. I may go to another if there is an awesome deal going on.
I still
print coupons online. I still compare sale prices to my coupons. But I had to
make changes and scale back. Extreme couponing can be a full time job, and it
just isn’t for everyone. Some people have it down to a science. And some people
just have more time than I do. I work full time. I have three young girls. So
for me, there just wasn’t that much extra time.
Don’t
get me wrong. Many couponers find a way to juggle the family, jobs and extreme
couponing and stockpiling. And if you are interested in diving in completely, I
will never tell you not to. I am just going to give you the basics and the
resources you need to coupon successfully. You have to find your own balance
and coupon in a way that works for you. Also, remember it doesn’t happen
overnight. I made many mistakes in the beginning. A lot of couponing you only
learn as you go through the process. I can’t tell you every situation you will
encounter, or how to handle them. Some stores will just never carry the exact
size or brand you need for an awesome coupon deal. Sometimes stores will change
their coupon policy without letting their customers know.
At the
end of the day…did you save any money? Ten dollars? Twenty? Fifty? Or a
hundred? Any savings is an accomplishment. We are not all going to be on
reality TV with a $1000 dollar grocery receipt and a 97% savings on it. And
that’s okay. Because you are couponing to save you and your family money. You
are improving your finances and in the end your happiness. So don’t put all
your focus on the chore and not give yourself the time to enjoy the reward.
Coupon is just a part of your life. A way to make life a little easier
financially. It should NEVER be your life.
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