Getting Started
I owe you all an apology! I took some time off to recover from last weeks excitement. I also have been working really hard to make this post perfect. You can see why I called my self the “obsessive shopper”, now. Then it hit me today. I could break up the one post I was working on into two or three. DUH! Doing it this way will first, not overwhelm you who are new to this and second help me get over my guilt about not doing anything! I feel better already! So check back tomorrow for the “rest of the story”.
Since the launch of the Fun With Food Storage Network last week I noticed the biggest question I keep getting is, “How do I get started?”. Today’s post will hopefully answer that question for you no matter where you live. I am starting today with the first step in The System, which is Organizing. We are going to be focusing today on three areas to make this step work for you. So lets get started shall we?
Get Coupons:
Before we can start saving ton’s of money we have to get the coupons. Now, coupon booklets like I have shown above are area specific. The booklets I get in my area are, Red Plum (formerly known as Valassis), Smart Source, and Proctor & Gamble. The best way I know so far to verify or find out what coupons you get in your area is to call your local newspaper and ask them. I recommend that you get the same amount of coupon packets as members of your household. For more information about this Trick of the Trade visit this post. Also if you live in Utah or Las Vegas I can get the papers for you at a great price. Just email me at theobsessiveshopper@live.com with what town you live in, how many subscriptions you need, and if you already get a paper which one and how many.
You can also find coupons online. The two main online coupon companies are found in the lists as Group A and Group B. Online coupons can also be printed from manufacturer sites, Box Tops For Education , and other reputable sites. Online coupons require downloading plugins to print them. They work best when you use Mozilla Firefox Browser (especially Group B).
I want to mention here that I think online coupons are good, however they can be a pain and some sites require registration to print. I always tell my classes this, so I will also tell you, online coupons are use at your own risk. I can not be held responsible if the coupon you are looking for is not there any more or if the store you shop at will not take them. Which brings us to our next point about online coupons. Some stores will not take coupons printed from the internet. It would be impossible for me to list which stores as it is up to each store indivually to set their policies. If you have a question about using online coupons at the stores near you, it would be best to call them and ask. I did look into this answer for you from the two major online sources and below you will find a letter you can give to the store when you print from Group B. (if I get further information on this subject I will let you know in the FAQ section of my site)
Group B-letter for online coupon redemntion (to be given to store who will not take online coupons)
Organize Coupons:
This area might be the scariest of all. Because when I say organize coupons half of you are picturing the days of baseball card holders, sitting on the floor cutting, alphabetizing, sorting for expired coupons, paper and mess every where, Right? I teach an easier way. The way I teach is more like Coupons 101. It is more simple, less messy, and less time consuming. Check out this video where I show you just how I do it.
After watching this video you maybe asking how will I know what coupons are in the books and when will I know how to use them. That is where the next area in getting organized comes in I will have a handy dandy demonstration for you tomorrow. See you then!
To see What’s Next click this link.
Filed under: Getting Started, The System
[...] If your ready to get started veiw the rest of this post at The Obsessive Shopper. [...]
Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!! I can’t wait to learn the rest of your system. I appreciate you taking your valuable time to help us out!
Let me start by saying I’m totally excited about finding your blog and I’m waiting anxiously for all the information about your system. But, I’m still confused about using 5 coupons for the same 5 items at one time…don’t a lot of the coupons say “limit one item per purchase” ? What exactly does that mean?
I sent ya an email. Cant wait to hear back from ya. I love your site!! Thanks
I’m so glad there are other people who have to take a break after a major event besides me. Thank you for sharing that and for all your work and instruction. It’s great.
Would you recommend or not putting a monthly tab for each coupon booklet? For example: On folder for SS January, one for Feb. etc…to cut down on the paper in each folder and make it easier to discard when expired?
Thanks so much for your information. Just an FYI for anybody else that does NOT live in utah or Nevada. Couponmom.com has a lot of the information that grocery smart offers - only for a national audience. It is also a free site.
Lindsay,
You could file them that way if you had the room and the files. That is a great idea. I say whatever makes it easier for you and your family then you should do that!
Thanks for your comment
Shauntell
Rachel,
Another website with some localized information throughout the country is PinchingYourPennies.com. I will be featuring them in an upcoming post.
Thanks for sharing,
Shauntell
Jennifer,
The coupon language says “LIMIT ONE COUPON PER PURCHASE, Which means that you can have one coupon per item that you purchase. So you can not use 5 coupons on one thing of Tide for example. Unless the store sets a limit on how many things you can purchase (limit 2 for example or a sale that specifies buy 10) as long as you have a coupon for EACH item you can get them all in one transaction.
I hope this helps!
Shauntell
Thank you for this information. I am just starting this process and can’t wait to learn more. Thank you for the links to places that help those of us outside of UT and NV. It’s appreciated! Keep up the good work!
you mentioned in your video that you get 5 papers a week! I can’t imagine what your recycle bin looks like. Here on the east coast our paper is expensive considering it takes me a week to read just the Sunday paper I can’t justify a subscription for the whole week - do you find that your coupon savings offset the monies you pay out for 5 subscriptions?
ctdaffodil,
I found that the first week I used coupons I paid for my papers because I saved so much! I you can I would see if you can get a weekend or a Sunday only subscription. They usually cost a bit less and there is less to recycle. And as always do what is best for your family.
Shauntell
Would you recommend printing all of the online coupons for group a and b since you never know what will be on sale in the future? And if you do, how often do they update them? Since you can only print them twice, when they add new ones how do you keep track of the ones that you have already printed out? Am I over thinking all of this?
Sandra,
You are thinking right along the same lines as I do! I print the online coupons every Sunday. Then I label them Group A with the date printed or Group B with the date, ie: Group A- 2/10, Then to know what ones you have already-if you print them on Sunday’s like me, you can use this link to see what was printed on that Sunday. Sweet isn’t it that the list is already made for you! You just have to print them. I hope that helped.
Perhaps if you know someone who gets the Sunday paper but does not use the inserts they would save them for you.
I am just starting with this system and so while I was looking at shopping for this next week, I didn’t have the SS for 2/8 to use a coupon for Progresso Soups (at Maceys). I went directly to their site and right now they have two coupons, one for $1 off any 2 and another for $2 off any four. You can only use each one once, but for me it will cut the price of $1.10 a can to $.60 a can. I hope someone else sees this before the sale ends and can use it too!
Lesley,
Manufacturer sites is a great way to get coupons. Most coupons you can print twice though so be sure to click your back button a few times and see if you can print it again. Then you can get twice the amount of items. (you can use ONE coupon per item(s) listed)
Shauntell
I called the Maceys in Provo and unfortunately they do not take any printed coupons apparently it is a corporate policy. I was wondering if anyone else has tried to use printed coupons at Maceys before, whether they worked or not? Thanks…sorry if anyone tried to use the coupon and it didn’t work, I was hoping!
That can happen with online coupons. I recommend that any one planning on using online printables call the store you plan on using them at to see what their policy is. The store is always the authority!
Hi Shauntell-
I was just looking through this Sunday’s Salt Lake Tribune and saw that my paper does not include a coupon pack. Am I missing it or is it possible that the coupons are not included each week?
Thanks for the help!
Rose