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So I started couponing last year, I saved my mom lots of money but I have been busy with school and I don't have much time to clip and search, i really need something like a guide to couponing aha, Im 15 and I really could use tips and how to accumulate a stockpile and any other tips:confused: sorry i accidently posted this in deals thread
Ask friends to save you coupon inserts.
Go for a short walk on garbage day and pick coupon inserts that people are throwing out.
Visit your local Mcdonald/Coffee Shop on Saturday and Sundays and check out if anyone left their coupon insert on the table.
Apart from couponing, look at other strategies to saving money, like keeping a price book and looking through sales flyer. Not everything can be purchased with coupons, so it pays to have other means to save in your pocket.
I started around age 16, visiting this site. The posts tell you when and where to find coupons, what deals you can get, and reading through the posts will give you a lot of information, other users will find deals and do the work for you.
If your mom is shopping savvy at all, she'll probably have an idea of a 'good' price for things, or have some clue as to what kind of sale prices you'll see things at. Once you know those, start combining with coupons for maximum savings. For example, my family buys cheese when we can purchase it for $1 or less per hundred grams. That is the 'regular low', so we avoid buying when cheese is something like $7.99 for 500 grams, because that isn't as good of a price. For items like bread, Wonder bread goes as low as $1.99 around here, but regularly without any sales or discounts, hovers around $3.27! Way too much. You'll start to get to know these prices if you look through flyers every week.
Stockpiles often happen by chance, either being in the right place at the right time or knowing how to sniff out a deal. One time, Superstore had a store coupon for $3 off of Mitchum deodorant. Their regular price is something like $5, and I knew that it would go on sale for around $3. I waited and watched, and before the coupon expired, it did! Free deodorant! Keep in mind season changes, as well. It's coming winter, which means tis the season for air freshener companies to ramp it up. They'll send coupons out like mad to help promote their holiday scents. If you don't need any right away, hold onto them. Right after the holidays, stores immediately try to get rid of the holiday scented stuff at rock bottom prices. You can get things free this way!
Never forget to check clearance racks, they're a goldmine!
It also helps to have a freezer for any food you might acquire at a great price. Mine is full of pies, bread and bread products, meat and more that was purchased at a deep discount and stuffed away for later. Still as good as the day it was purchased, and I paid way less for it than I would have if I had to make an emergency trip out for some little thing because I was out.
I'm sleepy so I'm going to end there, but if you have any more questions let me know, I'll come back to this thread and add more if I think of anything :)
Good luck!
I wish I started at your age! Unfortunately, I hit rock bottom when my boyfriend and I moved out, and spent over $500 on cleaning, hygiene, and personal products. I could have gotten them for FREE or at super low prices!!! A year and a half later, I still kick myself for being so naive.
Blue and Chantal have given you great tips! It's all about waiting for things to go on sale and applying coupons on them. Don't buy things on impulse just because you have a coupon for it. When I got my first batch of P&G coupons, before they expired, I had a mini attack: "how could all of these coupon expire??? I need to use them!" And my excuse was..."well, I have a coupon for it". No! That's what companies want you to do! And you know what? I've gotten so many more coupons similar to the ones that expired...that I do regret using the ones before. I stopped purchasing air freshners and other smelling products because they often come for free with brandsamplers and samplesource. When I do get those (and other coupons), I make sure to send some to my house, my mom's house, and my bf's parents' house. That way, I get triple the coupons (or I give them the ones that I won't be using).
Time is essential to coupon. I don't think that there is a way of couponing without spending some time. And I can tell you all about school: I am in my third year in University, taking 5 full-time classes, and working over 20 hours a week. So! If I can do it, I am sure that you can too? It pays off :)
Also, like blue said, you can't purchase everything with coupons, so it's good to keep in check your extra curriculum activities. For instance, if you go to the movies or for lunch/supper with your friends, it is better if you go on a Tuesday, or you buy things from the "special" menu. If you find yourself going out a lot, you could invest in an Entertainment book which has tons of coupons for restaurants and fast food joints around your area, as well as cinema and other coupons for different activities. It is great though if you could just get your friends at your place and have a pot luck of some sort--everyone brings something to eat & you could just rent a movie.
Hah...I'm surprised that I was able to write all of this out considering I'm still having my morning coffee lol. Good luck with school and hope these tips help you out!
Ask friends and family with different addresses to let you send mail to them then order coupons and freebies for that addy:) What you don't use stick on your Trade list:)Near the expiry date if you haven't traded or used the coupon "coupon fairy"it (Leave it on the store shelf for someone else to use)
I just started and I find if Im getting coupons for things I dont need I give them away It can cause impluse buying if not kept in check like right before they expire And yes it does take time and research to get the good savings
Get to know when your local store puts out the shelf coupons - should be around the same time every month. As others have said, don't buy stuff you won't use, even if it's dirt cheap. Have a coupon pouch with you so that you can take advantage of clearance deals, and don't be afraid of coupons expiring if you don't find that deal...it's still money in your pocket if you don't spend it on something that sits on your shelf and goes bad.