We’ve got a great two-part series on couponing how-to for you, written by Ginger of Attention Target Shoppers. She provides great printable coupons, deals and rebates on her blog, and now she’s helping Fabu Daily readers save big. Thanks, Ginger!
Coupons are a useful currency for today’s economy. Coupons have been around since 1887 when Coca-Cola used them in a marketing campaign. They have evolved through the years and, with the invention of digital capabilities, are currently available via the Internet, cell phones, loyalty cards, newspapers, magazines and more.
Don’t fear coupons or how to use them. The important decision to be made is to that you’ll use them. There are plenty of us that can guide you through the process. Each household is unique and the types and amount of coupons will be different based on need and use. Some save 50%, 75% or 90%. Some even save 100% on their grocery budget by couponing. Some actually make an overall profit.
Successful couponing begins with organization. You’ll likely go through a variety of ways to organize until you find something that you find works for you. Some of the most used are:
- Envelopes – label with a category such as HBA, Canned, Frozen or anyway you want to label
- Note Card Box – file by category or alphabetically
- Small photo albums – Use one per category if you have a lot of coupons or perhaps one per store.
- Accordion check file – file by category or alphabetically
- Binder method – use large zipper binder, dividers w/tabs, plastic sleeves of various sizes, loaded with coupons, scissors, loyalty cards, rebates and more.
Other tools that you’ll need: Sunday newspaper w/inserts, magazines, scissors, grocery ads, you and your shopping list. It would even be wise to start the process off with a basic inventory of what groceries you have on hand and on what may be getting low. Date that inventory list and use it to help decide what items you need to purchase first and what to have on your watch list for purchasing at deep savings.
Whatever you do, decide to start couponing today! Make an appointment with yourself, your grocery list, Sunday inserts and some time to print, clip and organize. Challenge yourself to learn something new each week about couponing as well as organizing your bookmarks to help you be successful.
My niche is Target. I love the store. I am lucky that I have a great store with wonderful employees. The shelves are stocked and the deals are plentiful. I work to bring all the deals to you in a timely fashion. Be sure to drop by and check out what I do and how I can save you money not just at Target. You can find me at AttentionTargetShoppers.com.
Next time I’ll discuss the types of coupons you need to be on the lookout for in your couponing adventures and how to harvest a nice crop for future use.
Remember to check back tomorrow for the second part of the ‘Adventures in Couponing’ series! -Shayna
Filed under: Frugal Tips, Guest Posts
