Finding Great Deals: First Steps

Anyone can find great deals by matching great sales with coupons for extra savings. It can be slow to learn the couponing process and get good at it, but after a few trips you will start feeling like you know what you are doing.

First, you need to get your coupons. You can get them in the Sunday paper and online. The first couple weeks I started couponing, I just picked up a paper out of the machine at the store. However, I have found it cheaper and more convenient to subscribe to a Sunday-only delivery. You can search for discount newpapers online or call your local paper. I found a great deal on Groupon so now I get the LA Times every Sunday and it only cost me $10 for the whole year! If you want to keep the clutter down, take the ads and coupons out of the paper, and thrown the rest of the paper in the recycle bin. You didn't really want to read the paper anyway, did you?! When I need a coupon I do not have, I typically search a coupon database or do an internet search to see what comes up. You can find coupon databases on both Hip2Save and For the Mommas.

Now that you have an idea of what coupons you have, it is time to go through the ads. When I first get my ads (any ads), I go through and circle anything that I am interested in buying. This includes things I need and things that look free or cheap. Once I have done this for all my ads, I go back and take a more critical look at each one. I ask myself the following questions:

1. Is this a good price for the item(s) I want to buy?


2. Do I have a coupon for the item?


3. How can I arrange my purchases for this store to get the best deal possible?

The Rite Aid and CVS ads also come in a free paper that is delivered here on Thursdays so I have a couple days to look at the ad and plan my trip before the Sunday coupons come out. In Southern CA, Rite Aid sales go Friday through Thursday so I often end up doing one trip on Friday or Saturday and another on Wednesday or Thursday. I also find it helpful to know when specific stores get their trucks in with new stock so I can be sure to shop when the shelves are full. A lack of inventory can often be a problem when the sales are really good.

I have to admit, I am fairly new to this whole couponing thing so it takes me awhile to get through the process and I do not always get the best deal I can. I am still learning! I do have a few things that are helpful and make the process easier though.

1. I follow several couponing blogs. Some of my favorites are Hip2Save, The Frugal Find, Totally Target, and for the Mommas. There are continuous updates on good deals online and in stores. They provide sneak peaks at upcoming sales, links to printable coupons, and coupon match-ups so you know where to get the coupons you need for the deal.


2. I created a spreadsheet that helps me manage each trip to the store and transaction. I have a couple different versions. Consider creating your own sheet. It does not have to be anything fancy, just something that works for you.


3. I often shop with my friend and fellow couponer, Chris. It is nice to have someone who can help double-check deals, figure things out when they just are not adding up, and keep an eye on things during checkout so things run more smoothly.

It is also helpful to know the coupon policy for any store where you are shopping. Some recommend printing the policy and carrying it with you in case any coupon problems come up while you are there. If you go on the Hip2Save website, you can watch videos on Rite Aid, Walgreen, and CVS, and you can view their policies. These videos were very helpful to me when I got started. Collin, the publisher of the blog, also does a weekly video called Coffee With Collin to provide more information on topics related to couponing.