Out for the weekend

I really did not see and great deals this weekend so I am going to take it easy. If you find some really good deals let me know.

Where do you put all those coupons

We live a long way from town so I just get to go once a week. Because you don't know what kind of deal you will come across I cut each and every coupon. So needless to say I have a ton of coupons that I need to take with me. How you store your coupons really depends on you. There are so many methods but because you are the one that has to maintain it and be able to use it do what works for you.

Since I have so many coupons and such a limited time to shop I prefer the binder method. My Husband had to make me a binder after I split the zipper one the biggest one I could find.

So here it is. We went to Walmart and bought a CD/DVD binder. It holds like 250 Cd's. He took the rings out of 2 binders and attached them inside the CD binder. It is huge and weighs 5 pounds but it works! I have to admit I fell like everyone is looking at me when I carry this in the store but I just keep thinking if they could get they groceries almost free they would be jealous.








There is also the box method but because I am so clumsy I try not to take this in the store. I can just see me dropping this on the floor and what a mess that would make!

After I do all my cutting I sort them in here to file in the binder. It is easier for me if all the coupons are sorted out by categories.

This is a box to file pictures in with index card dividers.

Cutting your cutting time

I get 5 copies of the Sunday paper and there can be a lot of coupons to cut some weeks. So here are some tips to make the process go a little faster.

• Make sure you have sharp scissors. They can really help!
• Have plenty of room to work in.

I start by getting all my coupons together and each section separated.














Then I take each section and separate them by pages.














Then I take separate each page and stack them together for cutting.










Once you have all five pages together I cut the whole group at one time. A whole lot less cutting but BE CAREFUL! As they say in carpentry "Measure twice, cut once." Check your coupons before you cut. Sometimes they don't line up so you will have to adjust. And hold the pages tight so they don't slip.

I have found that doing this has saved me so much time especially if you can find someone to do the sorting for you! Thanks to my Hubby!!!! That is his job.

Where do you get all those coupons?

I get this one a lot. There are so many places to get coupons but you do have to be careful. There are counterfeit coupons and spoof sites on the internet that attack your computer with viruses. So to protect yourself you need updated virus software on your computer and common sense to know that if the coupon is to good to be true, it probably is.

Here are a list of places to get coupons. Both paper and electronic.

Paper Coupons

• Sunday paper- but the weekly paper sometimes has coupons for local stores and activities
• Store- a lot of stores have booklets that have coupons in the back. I pick up any ad in the grocery store and the drug store
• Company- if there is a product that you love contact the company. Most of the time they have coupons they can send you.
• Product Panels- Some companies have panels you can join to try their new products. Jergins sent me a full size bottle of lotion and 5 coupons. Ex. First Taste and Pssst
  
• Magazines- I have noticed that several magazines have coupons in them now. All You normally has lots and really good ones.
• Receipts- some stores have coupons on the back of the receipt or print out with it.
  

Internet Coupons

• Coupon sites- there are several sites just for coupons.
  
• Company site- most companies have coupons for their products on their site. If they don't email them and see if they have any.
• Store site- several store sites have coupons that can be used with a manufacturers coupon. Ex. Target and Walgreen
• Email- Join sites. You will probably need an email address just for this but you do get coupons this way.
  
• Search engine- if there is something on sale and I don't have a coupon I type it in the search engine to see if there are any out there. BE CAREFUL I have been lucky (knock on wood) so far but remember if the coupon is to good to be true it probably is and make sure your virus protection is up to date. But this is a way to find coupons you may have missed and make a good deal better.
• Download coupons- there are a great way to triple your coupon. These coupons can be used with a store coupon and a manufacture coupons. You go to the site and download them to your store card. Ex. Kroger and Cellfire

Don't forget to ask friends and family. No one else in my family coupons so when they get them in the mail they send them to me.

Protect yourself- passing off a counterfeit coupon is a punishable offense with a fine and possible jail time. Several people have been prosecuted for selling illegal coupons on Ebay and other sites. So don't pay for anything the company gives away for free.

This weeks posts.

This week I am going to show you how I do it. I am not going to hide anything or leave important bits out. I will try to keep it simple so that you don't have a lot of other stuff to read. If you have any questions let me know.

Target trip- Saved 85%

Here is my huge Target trip this weekend. If it wasn't for cat food it would have been better.

7 Glade candle refills
1 Glade candle
6 All detergent (trail)
10 M&M's
5 Poptarts
5 Kellogg's Cinnamon bars
4 Kellogg's Yo-go's
1 Kashi cereal
1 box Instant oatmeal
3 loaves bread
2 Ponds packs (trial)
12 Arm & Hammer toothpaste (trial)
6 Head and shoulders shampoo (trial)
1 12 pack Quilted Northern toilet paper
1 Purina cat food 18 lbs
5 KY (trial)
2 Spiderman book (clearance)
10 Market Place string cheese

Total Purchase $131.64
Total OOP $17.83
Total Savings $113.81

Saved 85%

There was a really good coupon for the bread in the Kellogg's Fuel for School brochure. I got mine at Food Lion. It was for $2.00 of a loaf of bread when you purchase 2 Yo-Go's. Target has Yo-Go's on sale for $1.75 and bread for $1.07.

A whole lot of cutting this week.

Heads up- There are suppose to be 5 coupons packs in the paper this week. I can feel my corporal tunnel acting up already!

Ok I only had 4 in my paper. Oh well :(