Winetags, stockpiles, catalinas, rain checks and peelies — what are all these strange words, and what do they mean? I will be taking you step-by-step, explaining a lot of these strange terms, and helping you understand coupons and how to use them.
Some of the things I plan on writing about are: different ways to organize your coupons, different values of coupons, rebates and organizing rebates, getting to know your stores and their coupon polices, what to do with expired coupons, and many other topics.
Yes, it is possible to save big money using coupons, if you know the right way to do it. I won’t lie, though. It does take some time and effort, just like any job you have, and that is the way I look at it. In a typical week I may spend fifteen or more hours going through my ads, finding the coupons I need, clipping coupons and organizing them, and then the shopping (that’s the fun part.) But if I end up saving $200.00 that week, then I have “made” a salary of $13.33 per hour, tax-free.
One of the best things about coupons is that you can do as little or as much as you want. You can be a die-hard couponer one week, and take the next week off if you are a little too busy to deal with it. The deals and sales will always be there the next time around.
And don’t be discouraged if, at first, you aren’t saving as much as others. It can be frustrating in the beginning, learning the ropes. It takes time and practice, and in time you will see yourself saving more and more. You will find yourself shopping at stores you never thought about shopping at, or stores you thought were too expensive. You will start to get Coupon Fever, and will probably get some strange looks from your husband – and from cashiers. Pretty soon, though, you won’t even want to pay .20 cents for the sour cream you got FREE a month ago.
So stay tuned for more of my blogs, and hopefully we all can get a little coupon crazy!