One of the biggest mistakes shoppers make is using a coupon at the wrong time. I like to classify shoppers as “a coupon user” or “a couponer”. There is a HUGE difference between the two shoppers.
A COUPON USER is a shopper who collects a few coupons, usually they save only the coupons they know they will use, they head to the store and use the coupons on the items they need that week paying no attention to sales, deals, or Catalina’s.
A COUPONER is a shopper who actively collects and organizes coupons, and pays attention to and shops when there is a sale or special offer. Extreme couponers buy multiple coupons inserts/coupons, stockpile, and quite often will complete multiple transactions.
- Set Target Prices for products
- Stockpile when an item is at it’s Rock Bottom Price
- Find deals that save the maximum amount
Product Target Prices
Keeping track of product prices will help you know what’s a good deal and what’s not. Generally this knowledge comes with time as you shop around at the various stores, and begin to really pay attention to price. Some people however, like to make a price book or an excel file of products they use regularly.
What is a Target Price? A target price is a price at which you WILL PAY FOR AN ITEM. For example, My target price for toothpaste is FREE. There are so many coupons and deals for toothpaste that I stockpile when it’s free and wait for the next free deal to come along. I usually have plenty to give away too. My target price on cereal is $1, but I know that if it’s my family’s favorite I will allow a little more wiggle room.
Everyone’s target price is different. We all have different needs, live in different areas, and have different budgets. It will take beginner couponers some time to set target prices, but by setting target prices you will know if you should take advantage of the deal or not.
Stockpiling
A sure way to save money is to stock up on an item when it’s at it’s rock bottom price. Just last week I was able to purchase 8 three packs of Scotch-Brite sponges for FREE. My target price on sponges is FREE so the next time I can get them for FREE I will buy more. That way I’m always getting sponges for FREE. This goes with any product, if there’s a great deal or sale where an item is at a very low price stock up!
As a beginner it can be difficult to stockpile and keep a budget at the same time. So take it slow, pick one or a few items each week to stockpile and work on it a week at a time. It also might be helpful to set aside a certain amount of your budget to stockpile each week. It is much better to stay within your budget than to splurge on stockpiling. It takes time to build a stockpile, so do your best and it will come in time.
Maximum Savings
Maximum savings will happen when you combine sales, coupons, and special offers. For example I buy an item and on this particular item I use a store coupon/e-coupon, manufacturer coupon, receive instant savings, earn a Catalina/Register Reward/ECB, and submit for a mail-in rebate. When using all five coupon saving techniques, maximum savings will be achieved. This kind of savings doesn’t happen all the time but it is common to earn at least three of the five coupon techniques on an item. You may view a few examples of maximum savings Paid $2.03, Saved 80 or 26 items at Walgreens, saved 102% at Kroger, and made $25 buying $260 worth at CVS.
I post regular store deals for the stores in the Memphis area to help you know what coupons, catalina’s, and rebates are available each week. I also have a Weekly Top 10 post which includes the top 10 deals of the week. These posts can help you to know when and where to use your coupon.
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Meet Natasha, founder of Saving a Bundle and mother of four rambunctious boys, and LeaDawn writer and new mother of one boy. Raised in a frugal lifestyle we continue the family tradition by cooking from scratch, using money-smart techniques,
living simply, hunting for good deals, have fun with frugal crafts, and use coupons. Join us on our journey as we, two sisters, learn & share ways to live a more frugal lifestyle to reach our common goal to save our families money.