First thing is first...you need to get coupons! My first source is my Sunday paper, which usually has all the same coupons you can find online. I like to save where I can, so I only sign up for the Sunday paper and not the whole weeks worth. Also when I signed up, I did it at a local retailer that had a newspaper representative visiting. Since I signed up through this retailer vs just online with my local paper, I was able to get all of the Sunday papers for just $26 for one year...thats a savings of $1.25 per Sunday paper. PLUS since I signed up at the retailer, I got a giftcard for $25 to that retailer. So in turn I got all the papers for just a $1! Places that I have seen these retailers are Lewis, HyVee, Menards, and Sunshine.
Now that you have the paper being sent to you, your stockpile of coupons can begin. Along with the paper I receive at my home, I also let friends and family know that I am couponing so if they don't want their coupons that I will pick them up from them! You would be surprised by how many people don't use their coupons! Also along with letting people know, I will increase my stockpile by purchasing an additional paper or two if there are more then $200 in savings in that weeks paper. Most Sunday papers will have the total savings in the top corner on the front page!
This next step is the most important when you are couponing...storing and sorting your coupons! Your coupons are no good to you if you don't have them organized for easy use! There are many coupon holders out there that you can buy, but to be honest my favorite is a plain old binder with clear pocketed sleeves. I recommend checking out your local rummage sales because I would put money down that you can find either of these items for super cheap at a rummage. If you aren't into rummaging, or are starting during the winter as I did, you can easily go to Wal-Mart and get a cheap binder. For the pages I recommend using baseball card sleeves...they come in different sizes so I recommend getting a varity because coupons come in different sizes!
Once you have your coupons cut out, organize them in your binder based on catagories. I have mine broken down by how I shop and what I group on my shopping list. So I put all meats on a page, cereals are grouped followed by fruit bars and juices, and sauces by the pasta coupons. I also keep my groceries seperate from my health care and cleaning coupons. Now this binder is your couponing lifeline...keep it with you at all times! I keep mine in my car until Sunday when I update my coupons. This way anytime I stop at a store it is right there and ready to go...no excuses!
On Sundays I first go through the paper and cut out all coupons that fit our needs. Then as I stock my binder I pull out any expired coupons. This way everything is updated every Sunday all at once!
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