Beginner Couponing

 I became a couponer a couple of years ago.  I'm not extreme - nothing like the TV show, although I have had a clerk or 2 occasionally tell me I am extreme, to which I say, "Why, thank you!"

I started off with much hesitancy and a tad bit of fear.  I also started off slow, so as not to overwhelm myself.

I'm going to tell you what I do and how I started and I would love to hear that you are giving it a shot.  It has become lots of fun to me and it's so wonderful to get to save my family money.  I've been able to create a stockpile that I can not only provide for my familyr, but share with others in need.

So here's step one.  Collect coupons.  I used to be able to buy the Sunday paper in stores for $1.  When that was available, I would purchase 4-6.  Most sites suggest you buy as many as you have people in your family.  I have 8 but don't buy that much.  Since my local paper no longer offers the $1 deal, I have subscribed to the Sunday paper (which I waited until they ran a special).  I also subscribe for my in-laws since they live a few houses down.  My mom gives me her coupon inserts also.  Right there I have 3 each week.  Sometimes I pay full price for 2 or 3 at the drug store during the week. 

The Sunday paper will have inserts from Smart Source, Red Plum and sometimes Proctor & Gamble or General Mills.  It varies from week to week.

Step 2 is to organize them. I am NOT a coupon clipper so I just put the date on the outside with a marker and fill them in this box.  There are 12 hanging folders (one for each month) and within each are 4-5 folders labeled for each week of the month (1st, 2nd, 3rd and so on).

And that's it.  Now you're ready to begin saving.  I'll post more later on just how to do that.