Guest Post: Is Extreme Couponing Right for You?
Extreme couponing has received a lot of press lately, both in print, and on TV. If you’re wondering how to get started, here are some tips from Heather Wheeler and Joanie Demer, authors of “Pick Another Checkout Lane, Honey,” and owners of TheKrazyCouponLady.com.
These ladies describe two ways of using coupons, one they call the “Krazy Way,” which is what the rest of the world calls extreme. The other is the “Express Way,” which can help you start saving right away and won’t become a full-time job.
The first step is to find the coupons. There are basically two sources, one is your Sunday newspaper. The other is to print coupons off the Internet. If you’re ready to go extreme, you can do like many others do and subscribe to several copies of your Sunday paper. You can also find coupons in newspaper recycling bins and ask spendthrift friends to give you theirs.
Printing coupons is a simple way to get started saving without investing a lot of money, except paper and ink. The key with any form of couponing is to actually use the coupons you acquire. That’s what hinders a lot of people from saving. Yeah, these are the people who say, “I never really saved any money with coupons.” Well, no… you won’t either unless you USE them.
Your second step, once you’ve begun acquiring coupons from various sources is to organize them. It’s beyond frustrating to go to the grocery store and know that you have a coupon for a product you want to buy, but not be able to find it in your bundle of other coupons. It’s even worse to let a good coupon expire because you couldn’t find the coupon in time.
The way to avoid these couponing mishaps is to build a couple binder. This will save you from creating what the Krazy couponers call “a big useless pile of coupons” and help you keep your coupons in order so you can easily find what you need when you want it. You can either organize them by date (which is easiest) or by grocery aisle in your store, or by the type of product. The goal is to find a system that works for you and use it.
The third step, according to Wheeler and Demer, is to shop smart. Never purchase something just because you can save a few cents. Like my husband always says, “You can save a lot more by not buying something you don’t need and won’t use!” Sometimes it’s cheaper to buy another brand, or a generic, even when you account for the coupon savings. Compare your prices before buying, even if you plan to go extreme with your coupons.
There are many ways to save money with coupons. Some are extreme, some are simple. Whatever you prefer, when you’re looking to be a more frugal shopper, coupons can boost your savings on hundreds of products every week when used correctly.
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Darlene ‘Dee’ Bishop is a professional writer whose work has been published in hundreds of places online and in print. She is the publisher of Just Write for Business, a free weekly newsletter filled with original articles, tips, ideas, inspiration and advice to help you write like a pro and make money writing.
