Tips to get started

So, I went to the Southern Savers coupon workshop over the weekend and it was great! Jenny really knows her stuff. I have been couponing since October of last year. So, that's about 5 months. I was anxious to see how on track or off track I was doing. Turns out I was already doing the majority of things she taught! I did learn new things about rain checks and drugstores. Questions I had were answered. I was also trying to decide if my current system was one I wanted to keep, or if I wanted to graduate to a coupon binder. The answer was suprisingly...keep doing what I am already doing! My system turns out to be the same system Jenny uses. If it's good enough for Jenny, it's good enough for me. The workshop turned out to be mostly a confirmation of things I already knew with some really great new tips and tricks that I did not know. But, I had friends that came, who were brand spanking new to couponing. I kept watching out the corner of my eye to see if their heads would actually explode at any point. I know if I got that much new information in that short amount of time, my head would surely spin round and round and pop right off! So, I thought I would post a blog to hopefully help simplify/summarize some of what Jenny taught.
First off, the system: I stand by what I will call the "insert system." That means to keep the newspaper inserts in a file and write the date on the outside of them. This way, you are not clipping every single coupon and carrying around 3 months worth of coupons with you. How heavy would that be! Then, each week, sit down and go to Southern Savers or I Heart Publix and check out the sales for your favorite store that week (I highly suggest Publix being your favorite store). Print that list out and highlight the items you need as well as writing to the side the things you still need, but are not in sale. Soon, your list of "needed" items on the side will vanish and you will only have to shop for sale items! Another easy way is to use the printable shopping list feature on Southern Savers. Jenny makes it really easy on us! Once you have your list printed out, then start gathering your coupons. Some coupons will need to be printed, some will be cut from your inserts and hopefully, some will be store coupons you have gathered from the store or gotten in the mail. You will have to learn the coupon lingo at first, but it only takes one shopping trip and you will be fluent in the language of coupons. Trust me. I can do another blog on how to read her website if anyone is confused. Your first list and coupon gathering will have your head spinning and you will think to yourself, this cannot be worth it. But wait....just wait until you see how much you saved at the bottom of your receipt! I also promise it will take less and less time each week to prepare. Don't give up. It gets easier.
The first couple of months was a little frustrating for me, because I was still trying to build my coupons up. A sale would call for a coupon that was in an insert 2 months ago and of course I didn't have it. But it doesn't take long and soon you will have access to the majority, if not all, of the coupons listed under the items you need. Also, the first few trips you won't see record savings because you are still having to buy things you need and aren't able to just shop the sales. Remember, you want to get to the point that you only have to shop sale items. The last 2 weeks I did not need one single grocery item. But I shopped the sales anyway to build my stockpile. I am to the point that if I want to take a few weeks off of shopping all together, I actually can!

The second tip I wanted to give is while I love the insert system, there is one drawback. You don't have all your coupons with you in case you run across clearance items that you know you saw a coupon for! So, here is my suggestion....DO clip coupons for things like makeup, hair color, candles and toiletries. These are the things you will most likely see on the clearance shelf. Not very many foods are discontinued, but cosmetics...well there is always a newer shade or better formula that comes out. Which means the older shades/formulas are hitting the clearance shelves! Yesterday, I scored 5 boxes of hair color for free! There was a bin of discontinued hair color for $2 a box at Publix. I just so happened to have 5 coupons for $2 off of each box with me! So, doooooo clip those cosmetic/toiletry coupons out. Those are the only ones I recommend having on hand always.
Ok, I think that's enough for now! Any questions, please, please ask! I want everyone I know to have as much fun saving money as I do.

Happy Saving!
~All thanks to God~