Q & A

Q: Where do I start?
A: Get a Sunday paper, and start clipping the coupons. You can also click on the printable coupon links on my blog and print coupons from here. Once you have clipped your coupons, organize them into categories. For different organizing ideas, click here. Then get the ad for the store you want to shop at and see what sales they are having. Then match up your coupons with the sale items, and watch the magic happen!

Q: What is the trick to couponing?
A: The trick to couponing is to combine a coupon with a sale item.

Q: How do you know what's on sale all the time?
A: I don't know what's on sale all the time. But I do know what's on sale at the stores I like to shop at. We don't get the Sunday paper at our house, which has all of the ads for the coming week (I go down to the 7-11 and pick one up during the week sometime). I also find out about them by going to their website and viewing their ad online.

Q: Don't people who use coupons end up buying things they don't need and spend more than the normal shopper?
A: People think that couponers spend more money because they are buying things just because they have a coupon, making them spend more money on items that they don't need or won't use. For some couponers, this may be true. If you purchase items just because you have a coupon, thinking you are saving money; then you may want to think again. You will most likely spend more than the normal shopper. If you know how to properly use coupons, you can save more money, or walk out of a store with more items in hand than a normal shopper.

Q: Do you only use your coupons on stuff that's already on sale?
A: Yes. If it's not on sale and I need it, then I will still use a coupon if I have it. If I don't have a coupon for an item, and I need the item, I will still buy it if it's a must have.

Q: Does it take a few months of collecting coupons before you can start couponing?
A: No.

Q: Do you clip and save every coupon?
A: Me personally, yes. Even if it's an item that I don't use. Why? Sometimes the store pays me to get a certain item that I have a coupon for. Example: Glucose monitors. I don't need or use them. But there was a sale where if you bought 2 of them then you would get $6 back in register rewards (I'm talking about Walgreen's here). I had 2 coupons that were good up to $20 for each coupon. So I used my 2 coupons, got the glucose monitors for free (because the monitors were on sale for less than $20 each), & collected my $6 in register rewards at the checkout. Glad I clipped that coupon? You bet! I will be donating them. Even the small change coupons for $.35 off are definitely worth clipping. Doesn't seem like a whole lot to save. But when paired with a sale for an item that is $.99, you can get your Out Of Pocket down to $.64.


Q: Do I shop at multiple stores to take advantage of all the sales?
A: It depends. I have certain stores that I goto each week to take advantage of their sales. If there is a great sale going on at a store I normally don't shop at and it's worth the gas then I will make the trip.

Q: Isn't it cheaper to buy generic brands, rather than using coupons on name brands?
A: Not necessarily. Yes, generic brands are usually cheaper than name brand products. But when you combine a coupon with a sale, you can usually get name brand products for super cheap or almost free. This is the beauty of couponing. Those "luxury" name brand items that I would never have purchased before, I can now get with a coupon.

Q: How do you find the time to coupon?
A: Couponing takes time. Clipping, collecting, researching, & planning. It does take time. Before I go into a store, I usually will have planned exactly what I am going to buy, what coupons I am going to use, and how much I will be spending. I find the time whenever I can. I clip coupons while watching t.v., and do all of my researching at night when the kids are in bed. It's almost like having a part time job. But I enjoy doing it. Keyword: enjoy.