Couponing 101 Hint D

* COLLECT 1 SET OF COUPON INSERTS PER CONSUMER IN YOUR HOME

In my opinion, this is the “real” trick to saving loads of money with coupons. I figure that if I am (1) watching the sales (2) buying enough to last my family about 12 weeks and (3) using coupons already, why not have additional sets of coupons to allow me additional saving power when I am stocking up? To achieve this level of savings, I currently get 1 Sunday paper delivered each week for each person in my family. AND, by simply buying everything based on our family’s 12 week need with multiple sets of coupons, I’ve built up a 3 to 4 month supply of food/personal/health care/household products for our home for way, way less! :)
****Don’t overpay for the paper! I can get you exclusive discounted rates for the Sunday ONLY edition! Call me for more info or to order!


These hints are compliments of my friend Colette Check out her amazing blog HERE

Couponing 101 Hint C

* UNDERSTAND THE “RIGHT WAY” TO USE A COUPON

Did you know there is a right way and a wrong way to use a coupon? In order to get maximum value and savings from using a coupon, I always use it on an item that is also on sale! Even better is when I can use a coupon on an item that has hit the lowest sale price during the store’s ad cycle. How do I know when the sale price is a good price or at its lowest? Keep reading…

* USE MY “5 MINUTE” COUPON ORGANIZATION METHOD

Before you can save money using coupons, you must first learn how to properly organize them. Toss everything out the window that you think about clipping and collecting coupons, because there is a new, incredibly efficient way to organize your coupons that will literally take you less than 5 minutes per week. It’s simple – just collect coupon inserts from the Sunday paper and your weekly junk mail and store them in a 3-ring binder or file box (whole and uncut, inside sheet protectors) in chronological order based on the date.

· (SS) Smart Source comes in the Sunday paper.
· (PG) Proctor/Gamble inserts comes in the Sunday paper once a month. (usually the first of the month)
· (RP) Red Plum comes in the Sunday paper & sometimes you might get it in your junk mail (on Tuesday or Wednesday).
· Label the front cover of all inserts with the Sunday’s date. The date is also found in tiny print on the spine of the insert.
· Don’t waste time looking through the inserts. Why? By flipping through them you’ll inevitably find coupons you’ll be tempted to clip and use at the wrong time! Remember, we are going to use our coupons on sale items to maximize our savings!

These hints from my Handout are compliments of Colette check out her awesome blog HERE

Couponing 101 Hint B

* BUY ENOUGH TO LAST

When the food and products my family consumes go on sale I buy enough to last until it is likely to go on sale again. This is why understanding store ad cycles is so important. How do I know how much to buy? In general, I buy one unit per consumer in my household. This “magic” number is different for each family (depending on how many family members you have living in your home) but serves as a basic guide to determine how much of a particular item I need to purchase in order to last my family about 12 weeks. This way, when we run out of the food & products we consume… instead of heading to the store (where it’s unlikely to be on sale again), I just hit my pantry! This is also commonly referred to as “stock piling” or stocking up. This will increase your savings dramatically over time.

These handouts I give at class are provided by Colette who is over Grocery Smarts in Nevada. She is amazing!! click HERE for her blog!

Couponing 101 Hint A

I thought since there are quite a few of us that aren't in Utah, or somewhere Grocery Smarts is established, I would blog How to Coupon 101 taken from the handouts I give at my classes. So feel free to put your imput for those that have something to add and ask your questions if you have any. We'll do one at a time so we don't get questions or comments about a million different things.

1. UNDERSTAND HOW THE GROCERY STORE WORKS

All grocery/pharmacy stores work on the same basic marketing principles. Generally speaking, ads run on a 12-week ad cycle. During that cycle, not every item, but every type of item will go on sale at least once. When it does go on sale for its “cyclical” low, that’s when it’s time to buy. Simply buying items when they are on sale will begin your quest for saving money at the grocery store.

For those not blessed with Grocery Smarts I would start getting your grocery ads and save them for 12 weeks and see if you can recognize the cycle and be able to anticipate what will be on sell.

These handouts I give at class are provided by Colette who is over Grocery Smarts in Nevada. She is amazing!! click HERE for her blog!

How to Start

Welcome to Grocery Smarts

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It is so easy! I use a FREE website that helps me plan my weekly shopping list. They enter the store ads sales & match the sales in the stores with coupons. I get coupon inserts from the Sunday paper (one for each person in my family). By combining the shopping list with the coupons, I save a ton!!

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Now you might think that one paper for each member of your family is a lot but, the idea is that if you buy 4 of something when it is at it's cheapest it can last you till it goes on sale again. Whereas if you only have one for a family of 4 it doesn't last and you'll have to go to the store and buy it full price when you need it.

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Did you already attend a class?

I am offering classes so call or email me to schedule. Till then get familiar with the Grocery Smarts website, call me or comment with questions. The passport for now is g84cab, my # is (817) 694-3057 & my email is shopgrocerysmart@gmail.com