Coupon Shopping Tips Q & A With Grandma Juice
I get a LOT of questions in my inbox everyday and rather then try and answer them one at a time, I took some of the most frequently asked questions and complied some answers. It seems more questions have to do with how to keep it up rather then how to start it up too. Coupon Shopping Tips can be hard to answer, everyone has different needs, wants and lifestyles. I’m going to attempt to keep these answers fairly generic so they apply to just about everyone. Let me know how I do!
- The number one tip I can offer is this: It is OK to MISS A SALE!! Yes, I said it! Do NOT go sale chasing! I get a total rush watching the dollar amount on the register drop… I call it “Beat The Register Game”. And, if I let myself, I’d store hop and go all day everyday chasing that rush. But, like any addict, it’ll not only catch up with me (and you!) but you’ll end up spending more money then you should. Coupon ‘burnout’ happens to everyone, don’t push it. Take it slow, shop 1 or 2 stores. Pick your top thrifty deals of the week and grab those. Come home with a feeling of ‘I DID IT!!!’ and have those few items. This feels better then being defeated by not grabbing every single item out there.
- Don’t get behind on your organizing! Whether you save whole inserts and grab what you need as you need it or clip and file away every coupon as you get it, don’t let it start stacking up! I prefer to clip and file all coupons as I get them. But, I am guilty of letting 3 weeks worth of Sunday papers stack up and get behind. Playing catch up is exhausting! What should have taken about an hour has now turned into 3 and I’m tempted to just toss it all. Don’t procrastinate and just do it!
- Count your savings! Keep track of all your hard work! Be loud and proud! You didn’t spend all that time clipping, sorting and matching up sales with coupons for nothing, right? When you have an idea of just how much you’re really saving, it definitely gives you the drive to keep going. And don’t ever forget, every penny counts! Better to know you saved $15.00 then overspent $45.00!
- When you feel that coupon ‘burnout’ creeping up, take a break. Go out and buy yourself that bag of chocolate - without a coupon! Spend time with your family. Everyone gets busy and life sometimes doesn’t allow for coupon match ups every week. Live off your stockpile for a few weeks. That’s what it’s for, right? Don’t make it all about taking pictures for your brag book online. Use it! Once you take some time off and pay full price for that cart full of groceries again you know you could have paid much less for, you’ll feel all renewed and want to jump back in. And, your family will be happy with the extra time you took to to catch up with them. They want to see your face. Not the back of your head surfing online for every deal.
- Put a little of your savings away and do something just for fun! Let’s face it, times are tough! We coupon to save and bring down our debt. But there’s nothing wrong with going on a date night out to the movies and dinner either! Take the kids to Chuckie Cheese. Putting just $5.00 a week in an envelope tucked away for ‘fun time’ is just the reward you need and deserve!
- When it comes to the actual stores themselves, realize that some value coupon shoppers. Others hate to see us walk in! All stores have different training policies, and these come from corporate people in suits, not the cashier you interact with. That guy in the suit may not grasp just how valuable couponers are to his bottom line! They make money when people use coupons. I know!! I had no clue about that either when I first started. The stores not only receive face value back from the manufacturer, but they also receive .08 for every coupon they send in! Don’t blame the cashier who’s financial situation is the same as yours for not being properly trained. Call the guys in suits to place a complaint! After all, his silk tie costs more then you spend on groceries!
- Some people are just rude. You may as well accept that now and move on. Shelf clearers are everywhere and NO, they don’t care that you actually needed that last box of cereal they grabbed and the 15 others along with it. Don’t get your tush all twisted because you lost that last box. And, you never know, they may actually have 8 kids at home and need it too. Everyone’s needs are different. Accept that it’s gone and move on with the rest of your list.
- Everyday ‘must have’ items like milk, eggs and meat normally do not have rotating coupons like your boxes of cereal and toilet paper. Don’t get discouraged because you didn’t hit your magic % rate for a specific week if you found a good deal on meat and stock up while it’s on sale! Zip that up in freezer safe bags, slap a date on it and consider it SAVINGS! Next week, you won’t be forced to pay twice as much for it.
- ‘One Coupon Per Purchase’ means EXACTLY that. You can use one coupon for EACH ITEM you purchase. Again, remember, guys in suits make the training policies. Gently and nicely explain to your cashier that you purchased 3 packs of toilet paper so you can indeed use 3 coupons. It does NOT mean you have to return later or another day. Each ITEM is a separate purchase. NOT each ‘trip’. Ask for a manager if you still have problems with this. It seems to be one of the most confusing coupon shopping tips and policies everyone has some issue or another with.
- Finally, HAVE FUN! Play my ‘Beat The Register’ game. Do your happy dance when that dollar amount gets low, low, low. High five that grumpy guy in line behind you too! He waited not so patiently as the cashier scanned all 67 of your coupons. Give him some props for hanging in there. Who knows, maybe he’ll even give it a go. Maybe not. But YOU DID IT BABY!!! Be loud and proud! Be happy!
Do you have any coupon shopping tips you want to share? How do you stay motivated? What style of organizing works for you? Put you favorite coupon shopping tips in the comments section! Share!
