Yes, you CAN coupon…

There are many reasons people do not cut coupons.  If you think you can’t coupon, think again!

Cutting coupons doesn’t take up too much time.

If you don’t want to, you don’t have to cut out a single coupon until you’re ready to use it!  Here’s how:

• Pull out the coupon sections from your local Sunday newspaper.  (Important: Keep all the pages from each coupon insert together.  The inserts are titled SmartSource, RedPlum, or Proctor and Gamble.)  Label a file folder with the date, and place all the inserts in it.  All done, for now.
• Look through Once Upon a Coupon each week for a breakdown of the items on sale from the weekly store ad fliers.  If a coupon can be used to make an item on sale cost even less, the location where the coupon can be found will be written next to it.  Just open up your file folder, find the right date, find the right insert, and cut out the coupon.
• You can also go to The Coupon Clippers website and buy coupons.  They seem to have a good reputation; however I do not have any personal experience with them.

Its not too hard to organize your coupons.

There are many different ways to organize coupons.  Unfortunately, sometimes trial and error is the only way to really know if a method will work for you.  I organize mine using a few different methods.  It took me a few months to get it down, but I found this system works for me.

Some tools you can use to organize coupons are:

• File folders (mentioned previously)
• Check organizers
• Photo boxes with tabs
• Photo albums with picture pockets
• Baseball card organizers
• Plain postal envelopes.

If you decide to cut coupons out, the most important thing to remember is that you need to sort your coupons by category so that you can easily reference them.

It’s not too overwhelming to keep up with coupons, as long as you keep it simple.

Here are three tips on how to be more successful at using coupons:

1. Keep your coupons with you.  Leave them in your purse, your car, or wherever else you know you’ll have them when you need them.   Coupons left on your dining room table do you no good when you’re in the check out line.
2. Plan before you go to the store.  Sit down, make a list of what you want to buy, and set aside the coupons you want to use.  Then when you get to the store, you can go in, buy your items, and get going.
3. Don’t be discouraged.  Even if you just use one coupon a week, you should pat yourself on the back for saving money. 

You can use coupons.  It may take a little extra time, but once you see your savings, you’ll be thankful you put forth the effort. 

If you would like to share any thoughts, please use the contact form to submit your idea.  If published, I will include your name as the source and a link to your website, if applicable.