Frugal Success and Failure

It's been a week of both success and failure in the frugal life - don't so many weeks seem that way?

On Monday, I was pleased to actually accomplish an afternoon of "freezer cooking."  I baked calzones (and the kids made mini pizzas) and chocolate beet/carrot bread (tastes a lot better than it sounds), and I also cooked up big pots of black beans and rice.

It was very satisfying to get a bunch of cooking accomplished in one afternoon, even if very little of this will even make it to the freezer.  These days I can't seem to set aside a whole day for once a month freezer cooking - due mostly to the amount of time and energy it takes every day to care for and entertain three preschool kids!   Instead, I am trying to accomplish a couple of hours of cooking at the beginning of each week, because it takes so much stress out of the week to have some of the more extensive cooking done.

Unfortunately, the frugal success of pre-preparing several homemade items was tempered by a real bargain-shopping failure on Tuesday!

As another part of my attempts at better organization, on Sunday I had prepped my coupons for Bloom's super double coupons day this week.  We go to the farm on Tuesday mornings, and I had decided to try to stop at Bloom on the way home.  This was a risk, since we are all pretty tired after a hot morning in the outdoors, but I nevertheless gave it try.  Well, the kids were well-behaved; Bloom had all the items in stock; I found a couple of extra deals - I happily sailed into the checkout line.  And those of you who are up local couponing bargains will already have figured out my error - the super double coupons day was on Monday.

I admit - I was too embarrassed to take items off my order, since practically my whole order was double coupon items.  I purchased the whole order and was just grateful that it was relatively small.  In the end, most of the items were still an okay deal with the undoubled coupon, though I definitely would not have purchased a couple of them if I had not thought they were a more outstanding bargain.

In defense of my own mental state - Bloom ran several weeks of super doubles days on Tuesdays recently, so I guess my mind was stuck in that mode.  You better believe I'll be double and triple checking the dates of particular promotions in the future.

I was a little frustrated and disappointed leaving the store, especially as I had put the time and energy into prepping and carrying out the shopping trip.  But I try to chalk these errors up to a learning experience and let them go.  Frugal living always involves a certain amount of experimentation, and everyone makes mistakes.

I am grateful that the loss of a few dollars in doubled coupons won't make or break our budget right now  On to the next bargain!

Easter Candy Coupons

Lent is waning, and Easter is almost here!  I am definitely planning to stock up on some Easter candy for me and my husband my kids in the next few weeks, so I am looking for the best deals.

Here's a roundup of the coupons I found for Easter candy.  My goal is to pay about $1.50 or less per bag, between sales and coupons, for good, name brand candy.

Coupons.com

- $1.50/1 Nestle Butterfinger fun size bag
- $.55/1 Nestle NestEggs (8 oz. or 10 oz. varieties)

- $1.00/2 Nestle NestEggs (8 oz. or 10 oz. varieties)

- $.55/1 Wonka Jelly Beans

- $1.00/1 Wonka Jelly Beans
- $1.00/1 Wonka Scrumdiddlyumptious Chocolate Eggs 5-pack
- $1.00/2 Mars Seasonal Products

Other printable
- Nestle Family - more Nestle Nest Eggs and Wonka

Recent Insert coupons:
- $1.00/1 Dove chocolate
- $1.00/1 any Lindor truffles
- $1.00/3 Hershey's Kisses, Reese's, Hershey's Miniatures, Cadbuy, or Whoppers
- $1.00/2 Hershey's Reese's or Cadbury Centerpiece items
- $1.00/2 bags of Starburst or Lifesavers Jellybeans

Right now using the $1.00/2 Mars seasonal products coupon you can get free Snicker's candy eggs at many stores (Thanks, Money Saving Mom for the tip).  I already got a few free individual candies free with the similar insert coupon from a few weeks ago.

Over the next two weeks I'll be looking for big sales, especially at the drugstores.  In the past there have been ECB or RR deals, or at least pretty big markdowns shortly before holidays.

Most of these coupons probably expire on Easter, but consider hanging on to any that don't.  Then you can snag double savings the week after Easter when everything is at least 50% off!

This post contains affiliate links, which help support this site.


Photo by Gastonmag.

New Printable Coupons for April

At the beginning of the month, most of the printable coupon sites change and restock at least some of their coupons.  Here are some of the best I've found so far for April.

Coupons.com
- $.75/1 jar of Smuckers fruit spread (try to double and pair with a sale)
- $.75/1 Martha White Coffee Cake mix (ditto)
- $2.00/1 package of Huggies diapers
- $.75/1 Kix, $.75/1 Cinnamon Burst Cheerios, $.75/1 Chex, $.75/1 Fiber One
- $1.00/1 Progresso Panko bread crumbs (these couldn't be too expensive)
- $.75/1 Gorton's grilled item (pair with Lenten seafood sales)
- $.35/1 Pepperidge Farm Goldfish (Grab this now - Goldfish coupons are very rare!!!)
- $1.00 Hillshire Farm Lunchmeat

SmartSource
$.75/1 Kix, $.75/1 Cinnamon Burst Cheerios,
$1.25/1 Duncan Hines Premium Cake Mix wyb 2 Frostings or Glazes
$.55/1 Vlassic pickles, peppers, or relish

RedPlum
- $.40/1 Domino Sugar product, 2 lbs. or larger

Remember that you can generally print two of each coupon and that you should print particularly good coupons quickly, before the limit is reached.

This post contains affiliate links, which help support this site.

Harris Teeter General Mills Scenario

As you may know, Harris Teeter Super Double coupons started today, and boy are the deals rockin!

I'll share more details about my trip later (and a lesson on the importance of checking your receipt), but right now I wanted to go ahead and share a scenario for the General Mills promotion that is running.  I couldn't find a specific scenario on any other blogs, so I had to create my own.

The offer is this: Buy any 20 participating General Mills products using your VIC card, save $6 instantly.  This doesn't sound so great up front, but all the items are on good sales.  The sale prices combined with the super double coupons make for some great deals.

This scenario I obviously made up for my needs, and it is not necessarily the least money out of pocket.  However, it also does not require endless multiples of coupon inserts; only one or two per item.

Here's what I planned:

2 Cinnamon Burst Cheerios @ $2.00 each
2 Golden Grahams @ $2.00 each
1 Multigrain Cheerios @ $2.50
3 Yo-Plus yogurts @ $1.50 each
4 Progresso soup @ $1.39 each
8 Green Giant frozen vegetables @ $1.00 each
Total price: $28.56
Use the following coupons:
(2) $75/1 Cinnamon Burst Cheerios printables
(2) $.75/1 Golden Grahams printables
(1) $.75/1 Multigrain Cheerios printable
(3) $.50/1 Yo-Plus yogurt from recent GM inserts
(1) $1.00/4 Progresso soup from 2/13 GM insert
(2) $.50/1 GG vegetables printable
(2) $.60/3 GG vegetables from 2/13 GM insert
Total after coupons: $11.66
PLUS extra $6 off
= $5.66 OOP for 20 items!

(Hat tip to Southern Savers for some of the initial matchups.  I always use her extensive lists as a starting point for Harris Teeter.)

Of course, if you have more copies of certain coupons, you could make this deal even better.  The best deals here are the Green Giant vegetables with the printable coupons (FREE), the Yo-Plus ($.50) and the Cinnamon Burst Cheerios and Golden Grahams ($.50).  Of course, also take extra coupons in case you have to make substitutions for out-of-stock items.

Hope that's helpful!  I'll share more details of my Harris Teeter trip later.  I have a feeling I will be making several trips this week!

New Printable Coupons for February

It's February 1st, so there are new coupons out there to print!  Here are some especially good ones I found:

Coupons.com
- $1.00/2 Butterfingers Snakerz (two different coupons) (Check MoneySavingMom to see how you can get these free or very cheap this week.)
- $.55/3 Jello gelatin or pudding (Good deal on the pudding at Walgreens this week; or combine with store coupon at Target.)
- $1.00/1 A-1 Steak Sauce (Combine with Target coupon)
- $.75/1 loaf of Roman Meal bread
- $1.00/2 Mars Seasonal products (Use on the small hearts or tins of M&M's.)
- $.50/2 Philadelphia cream cheese
- $.75/2 Taco Bell Home Originals products (excludes seasoning packets)
- $1.50/1 Nestle Fun Size Valentine Exchange Pack
- $.75/1 any variety Muir Glen tomatoes (at a store that doubles, these should be pretty cheap)
- $.40/6 Yoplait yogurt
- $.75/1 Nestle Crunch or Butterfinger Hearts bag, any size
- $.50/1 Yoplait kids cup yogurt
- $2.00/1 Huggies Little Movers or Little Snugglers diapers

RedPlum
- $1.00/1 Quaker Oatmeal Squares cereal
- $.40/1 Domino Sugar Products 2 lbs. or larger

SmartSource
- $.50/1 Carefree product (doubled this usually gets free or almost-free liners)
- $1.00/3 Furmano's canned tomatoes
- $.50/1 Yoplait kids yogurt
- $1.00/1 Kikkoman product

Other
New Nestle coupons
$.75/2 Wise Snacks

This post contains affiliate links, which help support this site.

November Printable Coupons

New month = New printable coupons!  Here's a heads up on some of the good ones out there:

Coupons.com
- $1.00/2 Campbell's Select Harvest soups
- $2.00/1 Huggies Little Snugglers Diapers and $2.00/1 Huggies Pure and Natural Diapers
- $1.50/1 Huggies Baby Wipes 60 ct. or larger and 1 180 ct. or larger
- $.50/ 6 Dannon Fruit on the Bottom Yogurt cups
- $1.00/2 Pillsbury Holiday Refrigerated Cookies (look for Halloween cookies on clearance!)
- $.75/1 Electrasol Powerball tabs or gelpacs
 - several $2.00 off a variety of 20th Century Fox movies on DVD or Blueray - including A Christmas Carol and The Sound of Music!
- $1.00/1 Reach floss

Smartsource.com
- $.40/1 Idahoan product 4 oz. or larger
- $1.00/2 Pillsbury Holiday Refrigerated Cookies (again, look for Halloween cookies on clearance!)
- $3.001/2 Huggies Little Movers or Litttle Snugglers Diapers
- $2.50/1 Huggies wipes 320 ct. or larger
- $1.00/1 Kikkoman Naturally Brewed soy sauce (this seems like a high-value coupon for a single bottle)

Print any coupons that you're pretty sure you'll use right away, before they reach their limits.  Then save them to pair with a sale!

Note: This post contains an affiliate link, which helps support this site.

New Monthly Coupons

It's already October 1st, and that means it's time for new printable coupons!  Over at Coupons.com, I found these particularly good ones:

- $1.00/1 Mrs. T's Pierogis (I usually only see $1.00/2, so this is rare.  Should make for a good deal on an easy meal!)
- $2.00/1 Hidden Valley Originals Farmhouse Dressing
- BOGO Edge Shave Gel (Great deal at Wegmans right now)
- $1.00/1 Dannon 32 oz. Yogurt
- $5.001/ Evenflo car seat (!)
- $1.50/1 Huggies baby wipes 60 ct. or larger AND one 180 ct. or larger

On RedPlum.com, I like:

- $.30/1 Francesco Rinaldi ToBe Healthy pasta sauce
- $.50/1 Minute Rice Product
- $1.00/2 Skittles, Starburst, or Lifesavers (Halloween candy!)
- $5.00/1 Letters to Juliet DVD (this was such a cute movie :-)

On SmartSource.com:

- $2.50/1 Huggies baby wipes (320 ct. or larger)
- $3.00/2 Huggies Little Snugglers or Little Movers diapers
- $2.50/3 Huggies baby wipes (64 ct. or larger)

As always, print coupons that you're pretty sure you'll use right away, before they reach their limits.

Note: I am a coupons.com and redplum.com affiliate, so I'll earn a tiny percentage if you print coupons through my links.

The Secret to Coupons, Part 2

Guest Post by Sarah of Capitally Frugal

Hopefully, you made it through last week's post (The Secret to Coupons, Part 1)!  Here are 5 more tips to finding the best coupons out there to lower your grocery bill. I really hopes this helps some of you!

6. Sign up for Store Rewards Programs
Most stores offer rewards programs these days; and, it is worthwhile to sign up for them! Many times you will receive coupons, via snail mail or email, periodically throughout the year. JcPenney, Kohls, and Bath and Body Works are among my favorites - they send out high dollar coupons every few months. I've been able to score terrific deals on my husband's work clothes and get Christmas presents frugally! Restaurants also offer discount programs. If you sign up for their rewards programs, they frequently let you know of offers in your area and send you the occasional coupon. I've signed up for Ruby Tuesday's program and received many B1G1 entree coupons over the months!

7. Sign Up for Company Trial Programs
Vocalpoint and Kraft First Taste are just a few of the trial programs that you can sign up for. Every few months, they will send you a product to sample, along with a stack of coupons. You can use some of the coupons, and pass the rest on to your friends. Just recently, Vocalpoint sent out a sample of Pampers diapers with several high dollar coupons. I was able to combine them with CVS and Rite Aid sales, to score some terrific deals!

8. Check Companies' Websites
Do you have a favorite manufacturer? In addition to writing to them, you should also check their website for coupons! Many companies have a special area for printing coupons - sometimes, you have to sign up for their email alerts and other times you have to fill out a brief survey. But, it's definitely worthwhile to shave money off your grocery bill. I've set up a Gmail account, that I use to sign up for email and coupons - this way, it doesn't clog my regular Inbox.

A few companies that I especially love are Seventh Generation and Coleman's Organic. Seventh Generation regularly resets their printable coupon page, and I wait to print my coupons until the products go on sale at our local grocery store. That way, I don't waste ink, from expiring coupons! I've been able to get our dish washing liquid for free every time I've needed it! Coleman's is also great, because they give you 5 $1 coupons for filling out a short survey. Organic meats are so expensive that any coupon really helps, and I wait until dollar doubler days at Harris Teeter to make these coupons go even further.

9. Create a Facebook Account
I know many people are worried that Facebook invades a person's privacy; but, you can create an account without compromising your identity. Like I've mentioned before, have a separate email address, use a pseudonym (such as Thrifty Jean), and don't add any personal details that you feel uncomfortable sharing. It's very easy, takes just a few minutes, and opens a huge door to coupons! Tons of companies are jumping on the Twitter and Facebook bandwagon, and are promoting their pages with incredible coupons. I've gotten coupons for free DiGiorno pizza, a box of pasta, pens, razors, and much more!

10. Search Ebay
Every once in a while, I hear about high dollar coupons that are not in our area. Once I've exhausted other means of obtaining it, I search Ebay. Many times, you can find a coupon "lot" (usually 10-20), very cheaply. With this method, you do need to do a mental cost analysis. If you're only saving a dollar, after you pay for the coupons and shipping, is it really worth your time and money? I've also found that the most cost and time effective way of purchasing coupons through Ebay is by using vendors who offer the "Buy Now" feature. Otherwise, once you begin bidding, the cost escalates quickly - and, I've often seen people paying $4.50 for a $3 coupon! Please don't ever do this - it's bad for my sanity. ;) But, if you must bid, calculate the greatest amount you will pay, wait until the last 3 seconds, and put in the amount. This has a three-fold benefit: 1) it prevents you from bidding too high; 2) the price doesn't shoot up; and 3) many times, you win by default. (For those of you who are not too familiar with Ebay, if you bid "$5" for an item but the highest amount everyone else bids is ".50," you only have to pay $.51.)

As an example, a few months ago, Harris Teeter was doubling coupons up to $1.99. Stonyfield Yogurt was on sale, and with a $1/1 coupon, it was free. On top of that, each yogurt container has codes that you can cash in for free items. I found 20 coupons for $1 on Ebay; and used them to get 20 cups of organic yogurt and 4 containers of Happy Baby puffs (once I submitted the codes) for free. Not a bad deal for $1 out of pocket!

Hopefully, you've found this series helpful - I'd love to hear your thoughts or suggestions!

Sarah blogs about her money saving adventures in Northern Virginia at Capitally Frugal.  She is a stay-at-home mom to a lively two-year old and has an extremely patient husband who puts up with her crazy couponing schemes!

Guest Post: The Secret to Coupons, Part 1

Guest Post by Sarah of Capitally Frugal

People always ask me how I find "useful" coupons, not just ones for $1/3 Megamix Vanilla Vitamins. So, I thought I'd write a two-part series with some of the tips I've learned.

1. Buy the Sunday Newspaper
Probably the most obvious way of getting coupons is through the Sunday newspaper. While there are many coupons that you won't use, you can usually find a handful that are helpful. And, those that you don't need, you can swap (see Tip #2). Most times, the cheapest way to get the Sunday newspaper is to have a subscription. But, it's important to always check your statement - many times (at least in our area), they raise the cost of the subscription after several months, and you end up paying more for it, than if you bought it off the stand. However, if you call the newspaper, they will usually lower the cost, in order to keep your subscription.

2. Use Coupon Swapping Sites
When I first started couponing, I came upon Baby Cheapskate Baby Coupon Traders. Once you join (it's a very quick process), you can post a list of the coupons you have along with your wishlist. While you do need to post at least one coupon that is baby-related (for instance, you can do the $1/1 Johnson & Johnson baby product), the majority of the trading is for regular, non-baby coupons. Over the years, I've gotten the majority of my organic and high dollar coupons from them!

In fact, just recently, we decided to splurge on a chest freezer. (I've been saving for one, so I can stock up on meats and fruits during sales and summer time bumper crop seasons.) And, I found the cheapest freezer, with the best reviews, at Home Depot. I immediately started looking for coupons, and realized that my best option would be to trade for a "10% off Lowe's" coupon (since Home Depot takes competitor coupons). I went to my favorite BC Traders website, and listed my coupons. Within a couple hours, someone replied; and, within two days, a Lowe's coupon was in my mailbox. I ended up saving $20, by trading $5 of coupons I would never use!

Also, many times, you can find friends on these swapping websites, with whom you can trade your useless Sunday coupons. A while back, I had a friend, who I saved my cat coupons for, and she saved automatically held onto any organic coupons for me.

3. Write to Companies
Everyone loves feedback; and most businesses show their gratitude with coupons. I've written to countless companies, explaining what I love about their products, and received many high dollar coupons in return. And, there are times when I'm unhappy with their product and detail my grievances to them. I've been amazed by their timely response!

As an example, I was a loyal customer to a very well-known diaper company. For two years, we used their diapers exclusively, without a problem. Then, the quality began deteriorating: tabs did not stick, etc. I informed them of the problems we were having and our disappointment, and they immediately sent me free coupons with their sincere apologies. So, you see, it is worthwhile to point out problems - it benefits the company and you (this particular company must have gotten a number of complaints, because they ended up doing an overhaul of their product, and it's so much better now!). As a side note: Please make sure the complaint is justified (I don't write flimsy excuses, in hopes of getting high dollar coupons or monetary compensation).

4. Ask Friends
When I first started couponing, I was too embarrassed to ask friends for their Sunday newspaper. Heavens, I use to have a good job, and could afford to pay full price for my groceries, thankyouverymuch. What would people think of me? I really didn't want to be the stereotyped poor, denim-jumpered, pregnant, bare-footed homeschool mom, yet! But, the Lord has a way of stripping away one's pride; and I quickly learned that using coupons helped me be a better steward of my money! So, I did start asking people for their newspapers - at first, they looked at me a little funny and wondered whether we'd gotten a dog. And, I did get some good natured teasing...but, now, I have everyone so well trained, that they call whenever they received a coupon in the mail and ask if I want it! :)

In exchange, I always ask friends what products they enjoy and keep my eye out for great deals. When I can, I combine coupons and sales to purchase their favorite items! In my opinion, it's very important to not always be on the receiving end. Even if it's something as "insignificant" as the Sunday newspaper they were going to throw away, people always appreciate knowing you are thinking of them as well!

5. Check RetailMeNot for Coupons
Always, always search the web for coupons, before you make an online purchase! The best site I've found for online coupons is RetailMeNot. I've saved so much money by checking their site, and have found coupons for everything from pizza to an air compressor. About a year ago, my husband was frequently traveling for work and had a very measly travel stipend. In fact, it was so low that many times, he could only find hotels in the bad parts of town. So, I searched online, and found coupon codes he could use on Priceline and Orbitz. He ended up at the other extreme - getting a beautiful 4 star hotel for under $50/night, making his wife extremely jealous of his opulent living quarters. I stopped looking for coupons, when he called to say that he was relaxing in his suite and enjoying his 100 ft flat screen TV. ;)

I would love to hear how you, my wonderful readers, find coupons! In my experience, there is a lot of trial and error...did I mention, ERROR? :) But, the Lord does bless your efforts; and, while I've had many bad experiences (mostly cashier errors and uninformed store managers), there have been many blessings along the way. Through couponing, I've been able to afford organic food and to share my bounty with others! Hopefully, I haven't bored all of you, and you'll come back for part 2!

Look for Part 2 of The Secret to Coupons next week!

Sarah blogs about her money saving adventures in Northern Virginia at Capitally Frugal.  She is a stay-at-home mom to a lively two-year old and has an extremely patient husband who puts up with her crazy couponing schemes!

Check out Frugal Fridays at Life as Mom and Mrs. Moneysaver for more great frugal links.

New Monthly Coupons

It's August, so Coupons.com has put up their new monthly coupons.  Here are some of the best:

- $3.00/1 Huggies Snug and Dry Diapers (print it before it goes!)
- $1.00/1 any Purell product (excluding trial size) (This has got to make a small bottle really cheap.)
- $.75/2 Taco Bell Home Originals (I'll bet this would be a good deal on one of the cheaper products with a doubled coupon.)
- $.40/6 Yoplait yogurts
- $.75/1 Muir Glen Product (should be able to get free tomato paste or the small cans of tomato sauce with a doubled coupon)

Also check Smartsource.com, RedPlum.com, and All You.com for more new coupons!  It's best to print ones that you definitely will use right away, before they reach their limit.

Fyi: I am an affiliate for some of these coupon sites, so if you print the coupons through my link I earn a tiny commission.

New Monthly Coupons

I can't believe it's the first of July today, but so it is!  (And I'm leaving for the beach in two days.  Yikes!)  That also means that many of the popular coupons sites have new coupons or have reset their coupons.  Here are some good ones I see on Coupons.com:

- $.50/1 Del Monte gold sweet pineapple (coupons for produce are always awesome!)
- $1.00/2 Kellog's Eggo items (Target coupon)
- $.45/6 Yoplait yogurts
- $.50/1 Yoplait kids yogurt (use with a sale to get this for about $1/pack)
- Buy one get one free Littlest Pet Shop toy
- $2.00/1 Huggies Baby Wipes and $3.00/1 Huggies Snug and Dry Diapers (these were reset for me!!!)

Also check RedPlum.com, SmartSource.com, and All You.com for new coupons!

New Coupons for June

There are new coupons up at Coupons.com for June.  It's always a good idea to print any that you really want right away, since you don't know when they'll disappear.  Here are some of the best ones I see:

- several different Fiber One coupons to go with the Fiber One Target $5 gift card deal this week
- $1.00/1 Nexcare product
- $1.00/1 Cascadian Farm product (if your store carries the frozen vegetables, this could be a great deal)
- $1.00/1 Muir Glen product (use this to get tomato products very cheaply)
- $.50/1 Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers (these sometimes go on sale for $1.00 at Giant, making them free after doubled coupon)
 - $.50/6 Yoplait yogurt
- $1.00/1 Eggo waffles (only at Tarrget)
- $3.00/1 Huggies Little Movers or Little Snugglers diapers
- $1.50 Huggies Little Swimmers

Also check RedPlum, Smart Source, and All You for new monthly coupons.

n.b. I am a coupons.com affiliate, so printing coupons through my link helps suppor this site.  Thanks!

Couponing for Beginners: How to Manage Your Coupons

In this overdue 2nd post in my "Couponing for Beginners series," I am covering how to organize your coupons.  (You can read the first post in the series, How to Get Coupons, here.)

If you are just getting started or are a "casual" couponer, an envelope or two may be all you need.  I also used to have a cute organizer that I bought at a drugstore with pockets for each store category.  However, once I got into "serious" couponing, I quickly outgrew such a small booklet

Of couponers who save most or all of the weekly coupons and actively hunt down bargains based on the coupon deals, there seem to be two schools of thought: the "cut out" method and the "whole insert" method.  As you might imagine, the first group cuts out all their coupons and organizes them (usually by category) in a box or binder.  The second group simply files their newspaper inserts by date and cuts out what they need before each planned grocery trip.

There are ups and downs to both methods.  The cut out method enables you to quickly find any coupons you need, and you have your coupons available at the store if you find an unadvertised deal.  Cutting them out also may help you easily remember what items you have coupons for.  However, cutting out and organizing all the coupons every week can definitely be time consuming, and depending on what you use, your box or binder can become unwieldy.

If you plan to use the whole-insert method, here is a pretty detailed post with ideas to make it work.  Crystal also just published her own overview of the various coupon-organization methods, which is definitely worth checking otu.

I personally use the cut-out method, using a shoe-box sized plastic box from the dollar store.  I really got the idea from Crystal's coupon box, but I have adapted it to my needs.  I'm planning a follow-up post to share exactly how I organize my coupons.  If you are interested in the binder method, you might check out the Couponizer*, which is spoken well of.  Erin also has a post here on how she made her own coupon binder, as well as links to lots of other bloggers' coupon systems.

Whatever system you use (and I think you'll find you'll adapt to your own needs over time), the important thing is to keep your coupons organized.  Having a good system saves a lot of time both preparing for shopping trips and while in the store, and it ensures that you don't miss out a great deal.

Coming Up Soon: the 3rd post in my "Couponing for Beginners" series: How to Make Your Coupons Work for You.

*Full disclosure: I am a Couponizer affiliate, so if you purchase the Couponizer through my link, I receive a small percentage.  Thanks.

Photo by daitenshi6.

Doing the Math on Coupons

This is a great little motivational article to read if you or a non-couponing doubter ever questions if coupons are worth it!  As the author puts it,

"Try asking yourself if you'd like to earn more than $100 an hour for a job you can do, at home, while sitting on the sofa watching TV."

Who can argue with that!

(Thanks for sharing, Laura!)

Extreme Couponing!

Have you all seen this video about "extreme" couponers?  Pretty cool!  I really can't believe that guy's stockpile!  I hope his family can use it all!

(Thanks Ashley and Rose for sharing!)

Couponing for Beginners, Part 1: How to Get Coupons

I'm starting a new series getting back to the basics of couponing, for those readers who might be new to the system.  There series will have 3 parts: "How to Get Coupons," "How to Manage Your Coupons," and, "How to Make the Most of Your Coupons."

If you're new to couponing, I hope that this series on will help to demystify the couponing process to help you save big bucks on your grocery bill.  And if you're already a couponing pro, please comment and share your perspective and suggestions.

In order to start using coupons, of course you have to obtain them! This first post in the series will discuss where to find coupons for the products you buy.

Overall, the best place to find coupons is still the Sunday newspaper. Depending on your area and the particular week, you can expect to find anywhere from one to three coupon inserts in the paper. If you need extra copies of a particular coupon, try asking friends and neighbors who don't use their coupons to save them for you or trade coupons with fellow bargain hunters.

The Internet is another great place to find coupons. Smartsource.com and Coupons.com are two of the top sites for Internet printable coupons. These coupons usually change monthly, and you can sign up for email updates when there are new coupons. You can also find many great coupons in various other places on the Internet. If there is a particular product that you like, look for a manufacturer's or product website to check for coupons. And if you're really getting into using Internet coupons, the best way to keep up with the latest and greatest coupons is to find a "deal blog" that will alert you to them. I post some deals here at Frugally Blonde, but it's also smart to check other blogs that are more totally focused on couponing.  Some blogs that I check regularly include Money Saving Mom and Mrs Moneysaver. You can also check my sidebar to see additional links.

A new phenomenon in couponing is electronic coupons, which load directly onto your grocery club card. These are great because there is no paper to remember, and you automatically get the discount when you buy the item. These are not available at all stores, but they are becoming more widespread. Check Cellfire and Shortcuts to see if your grocery store participates.

Additional coupons can be found all sorts of places. In the grocery store, look for "peelies" (coupon stickers on packages), "blinkies" (coupons in those little machines in the aisles), and "catalinas" (coupons that print at the cash register). Many magazines include grocery and other coupons on the pages or in inserts.  At home, when you finish a box of cereal or crackers or a can of soup, check the package for coupons before tossing it in the recycling. Don't forget to look on the inside of the box and on the underside of the label!

Once you collect a good supply of coupons, you're on your way to getting some terrific deals!

Coming Up , look for Part 2 in this series: Managing Your Coupons.