Before I started using coupons, I had a system for handling groceries. I would create a menu for the month, make a list of what I needed, and then shop for everything at once, except for the perishables that I would have to go back for weekly. By shopping this way, I was spending about $800+ on groceries and household supplies in any given month; and the worst part is, by the time the month was over, the cupboard was BARE...I was having a hard time scraping meals together because it seemed like everyone was eating more than I planned. I realized that as my kids continued to get older the grocery bill was only going to keep going up and decided I needed to do something about it. That's when I started really learning how to make coupons work.
First of all, if you just get one little pack of coupons in your Sunday newspaper and clip them and use them when doing your regular grocery shopping, chances are you aren't going to save much. In truth, you may even end up spending more because you may end up buying things you didn't intend to buy simply because you have a coupon. This is why most people think it doesn't pay to use coupons. A few simple changes in the way you do things make all the difference.
Rule #1 in coupons is that you need to combine coupons with the sales going on in the store. This may lead you to shop at several different stores in any given week, but if it can save you more than half of what you are currently spending, isn't a little extra time worth it? Since things cycle through the sales, you need to be familiar with the things you buy the most, how much you use in any given week or month, and plan to buy enough to last until that item goes on sale again. Some things will go on sale about every 6 weeks, while others will never really hit a rock bottom price for an entire year. It takes some trial and error to start to understand the trends, but once you do you will never pay full price for things again!
Stockpiling of groceries can be tricky. Thought needs to be given to how much of something you will need so that you don't over buy and end up throwing things out. I like to create menus around the things in my stock that I know need to be rotated. I have a stockpile good enough now that I can literally make a menu, make a list and "shop" right out of my stock...then hit the grocery store for perishables to finish off those meals (and I look at the ads, see what perishables are on sale, and then plan to incorporate them while making the menu).
Obviously, if you are looking to buy as much as you are going to need for a month or so, one coupon is not going to be enough. Multiple coupons are key. For me, this means buying four Sunday papers, and I also collect coupons from neighbors and family members that aren't going to use them. I keep almost every coupon (those I won't be using I will give to friends who will--like diapers and dog food) because I never know what kind of deals will pop up--things I might not think I would ever buy may end up being free or nearly free, and then I will try them. I have found some great stuff that we didn't realize we would like until I got them free with coupons! I have also almost completely abandoned brand loyalty (I say "almost" because I have learned that some brands I cannot substitute--like Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup--I hate all other brands!) and have even discovered that sometimes I like a different brand more than the one I used to buy exclusively....so whatever I can get the cheapest is what I will buy!
Speaking of coupons, it's time to go clear out my expired stuff and get ready for a whole new batch tomorrow!
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