How to Begin

In order to begin couponing and seeing some of the benefits I have shared, you have to begin slow. You do not want to change your families habits too quickly and it takes awhile to get organized and figure out what works best for you. Here are a few things to remember when getting started:

1. Don't get discouraged if you are not saving a ton of money right away. Any money that you save is a step in the right direction.

2. Time is money, so only dedicate the amount of time you think is worth it to your family.

3. Everyone likes different things. Some of the sales may be great deals but if your family won't use it or eat it, don't buy it. I often times will cut out coupons for items I don't use but will only redeem them if the product is free. You would be amazed at how many products you are willing to try when they are free and I have found there are alot more than you think!

4. Keep a log of prices at your favorite store so you know if you are getting a good deal. Just because a product is featured in a weekly "sale" flyer doesn't always mean that it is on "sale" or a good deal.

5. Be willing to shop more than one store. Before I started couponing I believed that Wal-Mart and Target were the cheapest places in town to make my purchases. That is so far from the truth! I have actually found better prices at all my local grocery stores like King Soopers, Safeway and Albertson's. Usually each location features different sale items so be open to going to more than one store if you have time. I still plan a trip to Target or Wal-Mart too to purchase my filler items but I no longer do one stop shopping. I even found diapers and makeup cheaper at the grocery store so be open-minded about what and where you purchase your items.

6. This process will also change how you shop. Based on what is on sale, there may be a week where I buy only cereal, veggies and side dishes. I can now do this since I have a large stockpile of meat built up, or there may be other weeks where I only purchase meat. You have to realize it is wise to purchase 10 boxes of cereal when they are on sale rather than 2 than you need at the time and pay full price for the other 8. You will have to phase into this process, but sometimes I buy things that are a good deal not because I necessarily need them at the time.

7. Pay attention to expiration dates. You do not want to have a pantry full of cereal that expires in a month. Check the dates especially on products you are stocking up on.

8. Have fun. This process can be overwhelming at first but like anything the more you do it, the better you become and the more money you will save.