All About Clipping Coupons

Like I said before I started clipping coupons was not expecting to see a big change. Over time I broadened my search of coupons to not only the Sunday circular you find in the newspaper,but online coupon websites, saving of boxes, can labels, and "comping". I will tell you more about all of these, but first I need to tell you about getting organized or all your clipping will be a waste of time.

When I began this I was not organized by any means, it was a nightmare. I had coupons stuffed throughout my home. And when it came time to make a trip to the grocery store I never could find the coupons I needed, or if I did the coupon would be expired.

You can buy pre-made organizers just for coupons. I just made my own out of two large recipe boxes. I have one for groceries and one for bathroom and cleaning supplies. Once I had clipped my coupons I would alpabetize them into my coupon boxes. Filing by expiration dates under each letter from earliest expiration to latest.

You may be saying "I don't have the time to do this." If you have small children you can trust with a pair of scissors enlist their help. They will love it! My younger kids cut while the older file. If you don't have little helpers you simply have to make time. It will be time well worth spent getting pay back in big savings each week!

Buy several newspapers with coupon circulars and cut coupons in mass quanities. This can cut your monthly cost of some items in half. Let me explain, most coupons do not expire for a couple of months. Thus you can clip in quanity using a coupon each week for items you need each week. Long after the company has quit issuing the coupon you are guaranteed for at least two months you can keep reaping the benefits because you clipped four of five of the same one! Wait for the item to go on sell and use your coupons at the items lowest price, saving you even more money. Also you want to save in quanity if your store offers double coupons, this is where you can really save some money.

The internet is a ocean of coupons just waiting for you to fish them out. And it is not hard to find them. Hundreds of websites are dedicated just to coupons so you don't have to search for them. And many sites are set up where you can pick the ones you want, all you have to do is print them. How much easier can it get...wait there is more!

These are links to really great coupon websites. Also a few cash rewards online programs, when you shop you get money back. How great is that!

www.ebates.com
www.retailmenot.com
www.mypoints.com
www.eversave.com
www.coupons.com
www.couponmom.com
www.couponcabin.com
www.shopathome.com

LSo many people do not know about "comping". And this invovles no coupon clipping at all! All you need to do is keep the flyers you get in the mail from the local grocery stores. Wal-Mart offers "comping" at all of its stores. This is what you do, compare prices of other stores to Wal-Mart. If you find another store has let us say bananas for .29 and they are .49 at Wal-Mart, all you have to do is tell the clerk you want a "comp check" for bananas and you will get them at the other stores price. I take the flyer with me and show the clerk, it seems to make it easier that way.

It can be frustrating looking through all those grocery sale circulars looking for the lowest price on an item. The Sunday Saver National is a website that takes some of the leg work out for us sale searchers. They have listed hundreds of stores where you can simply click on the one you need to view and viola you have their sales page at your finger tips. No more wondering where in the heck that sales paper went. No more wondering does another store have it cheaper. All the sales papers are at your fingertips right online!

If you clip coupons, I am sure you have coupons you will never use. I usually just throw the unwanted in the trash. After reading an article of an 82 year old lady named Kay MacVey, I no longer throw them in the trash. She clips coupons for an American Legions project that helps out the military families stationed overseas. In 2007, she and 30 volunteers helped to clip more than $349,000 worth of coupons from newspapers! To date, she has mailed coupons to bases in Germany, Japan, Italy, Turkey, the Netherlands and South Korea, where US Military families are able to redeem them to save money on groceries. People started mailing her packets of coupons to which she says,
"I'm grateful for each one I get"
She hopes to meet her 12 month coupon goal of $1 million by May 2009.
If you have wanted to do something for our service men this would be an awesome way to help.

Coupon clipping is one way to help military families overseas in a concrete way. But before you reach for the scissors, here are a few guidelines.

• Coupons must be manufacturer coupons. Manufacturers will honor coupons from any newspaper or circular. Store coupons are usually good only for the store featured.



• Coupons are good for up to six months after their expiration date. But mailing the coupons can take weeks, so don't send coupons that are three months past their expiration.



• Once you are done, send them to Kay at:


Kay MacVey
3419 Polaris Drive
Ames, Iowa 50010

Good luck on clipping coupons! I hope you can make a dent in your grocery bills as I have in my own. Today everyone can use a little help when it comes to money!