UPDATED: Congratulations to the following winners of a copy of Saving Savvy! Winners are listed by comment number:
51) Angie
119) Pamela Perkins
Winners will be contacted by email on how to claim their prize. Thanks to all who entered!
It’s true: While there are lots of ways that you can save money without ever clipping a coupon, like meal-planning and stockpiling, you can save a lot of money, up to 75% off your grocery budget, when you incorporate coupons into your savings plan. The trick is in keeping them organized and using them strategically. If you don’t do these two things, you are better off focusing on meal planning and stockpiling.
A lot of people don’t want to go to the trouble that couponing involves, and I hear reasons from people all the time on why they don’t use them. But the truth is, coupons can save you a lot of money if you are willing to make a little bit of an investment in them on the front end. Coupons aren’t necessary to save, but they are one more tool in your savings arsenal that will pay huge dividends if used properly.
Here are five tips to successful couponing:
1. Be Organized – Only use coupons if you are going to keep them organized, preferably in some kind of filing system. I was at a friend’s house one day, and she was somewhat irritated as she told me how coupons were not working for her. I asked her where she kept her coupons, and she pulled out a drawer in her kitchen that was literally filled with coupons. They were clipped, but they were just all thrown in there. It was pretty obvious why the coupons weren’t working for her. She just needed to get them organized. There are two ways to do this: Clip and File or Clip as You Go. You can easily find the coupons you want by using the Faithful Provisions Coupon Database.
2. Only use coupons with sale items – Lots of people tell me that they don’t use coupons because they always use the store brand, and it always beats the name brand price, even with a coupon. Well, that’s when you use a coupon by itself. What you want to do is combine a coupon with a sale.
3. Get multiple coupon inserts – It’s okay to purchase more than one Sunday paper. In fact, I recommend that you buy one paper per family member. In order to save the most, you want to get multiples of items when they are on sale so you can stockpile. You can only use one manufacturer coupon per item, so the more coupons you have, the more of each item you can purchase.
I’ve got lots more tips on couponing in Saving Savvy, including information on stacking, sample deal scenarios, and how to tell the difference between a blinkie and a catalina! Plus, you can always find lots of help with couponing on my site, Faithful Provisions, where we do all the work of matching the store sales with current available coupons. Come on back tomorrow, when I’ll be sharing one of my favorite ways to save money. Chances are great that it’s something you’ve already got right in your kitchen—you just may have overlooked it.
Prayer for today: You are El Shaddai, Almighty God! I trust You with my eternity, but forgive me when I don’t give you my today. I’m sorry, Lord. O Lord, how hard can this be? I know that nothing is impossible for You. I know that You will give me what I need to do what You have called me to do. You’ve offered to trade Your strength for my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). I’m taking You up on it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Check out Kelly’s money-saving blog, Faithful Provisions, and follow her on Facebook and Twitter for great tips and tools that will save you even more money.
ENTER TO WIN TODAY’S GIVEAWAY: Finish this sentence in a comment below, and you’ll be entered to win one of two copies of Kelly’s book, Saving Savvy: “I wish there were coupons for free ________.”
“I wish there were coupons for free milk and cereal.”
I wish there were coupons forfree toilet paper!
I wish there were coupons for free TIME…I really need some of that…or free calmness?
I so agree, if we could double the time in a day, it seems to go far too fast, doesn’t it?
I wish there were coupons for free meat.
I wish there were coupons for free “energy” and maybe
sushi also 🙂
nutella.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Nutella!
I wish there were coupons for free diapers! That or milk (since we’re almost done with diapers).
I wish there were coupons for free fruits & vegetables!
I wish there were coupons for free milk!
I wish there were coupons for free diapers! 🙂
Free diapers!!!!!!!!!!
I wish there were coupons for free gas! (Although sometimes I earn 40-50cents off/gallon from couponing at Kroger, especially with the gift card purchases through the holidays)
I wish there were coupons for free produce! I’m kind of obsessed with fresh fruits & veggies! 🙂
I wish there were coupons for free produce, too! We are trying to eat healthier this year…the prices keep rising!
I wish there were coupons for free gas! Our biggest expense!
I wish there were coupons for free toilet paper and paper towels!
I wish there were coupons for free beef!!
I wish there were coupons for a free Saving Savvy book:)
I wish there were coupons for free filet of beef!
I wish there were coupons for free produce.
coupons for free milk! and chocolate!
I wish there were coupons for free prescriptions!
I wish there were free coupons for that monthly essential we ladies have to buy….
We have four girls in our family, and things are getting expensive!!
I wish there were coupons for free milk and meat, two things we run out of frequently. 🙂
I wish there were free coupons for steaks and other meats.
Free gas would be fantastic!!
I wish there were coupons for free produce and free meat!
I wish there were coupons for ground beef and more produce. I have seen coupons for tomatoes and clementines.
I am just beginning to Stockpile, and this book would help me so much!! Thanks!
Meat!!!! Blessings barb
Yogurt…my kids practically live off of it!
free toilet paper!
For free milk or free meat
I wish there were free coupons for free meat! That’s the one area our family spends a more on than usual.
I wish there were coupons for free meat!
I wish there were coupons to use for free beef.
I wish there were a coupon for FREE nuts or chocolate with nuts in it.
….sweet feed for horses. Thank you for your tips! Ü. With 8 children, we need all the help we can get.
I wish there were coupons for free jasmine rice. We use a lot of it.
Milk!
Free Meat!
I wish there were free coupons for “fruit of the month” or “fruit in season.”
I wish there were coupons for wildbird seeds, they have gotten so expensive this winter. The Birds have no idea why there isn’t as much food on the grounds. love the posts & great ideas.
I wish there were free coupons for house cleaning,,,,, I hate having to do it and am not willing to pay someone eles nor do i like it when they do..
Hours in the day!!
I wish there were coupons for free….meat. It has gotten so expensive as of late.
I wish there were coupons for free coffee!!!
For free produce.
I wish there were coupons for free diapers and wipes!
I wish there were coupons for free coffee! I love it and spend too much on it.
I wish there were coupons for free house cleaning!
I wish there were coupons for free haircuts!
eggs!!
🙂
I wish th!ere were coupons for coupon organizers
I wish there were coupons for free savoring-moments… those uninterrupted spaces when I can just revel in God’s abundance.
I wish there were coupons for free meat!!
looooong weekends
I wish there were coupons for free meat! My husband grew up on a cattle ranch, so doing a vegetarian meal once a week or so isn’t an option! 😉
I feel like I don’t “get” couponing. I’ve tried, and I must be missing something, but it seems that most of the coupons I find in the inserts and that come in my mail each week are for items I wouldn’t use (e.g., prepackaged food items). We try to eat natural, whole foods, lots of fresh produce, etc. Maybe I’m looking in the wrong places and there ARE coupons out there for these things. I need someone to sit down with me and explain it to me (again!), because I really would like to save more money!
Coby – We have moved to more natural and whole food eating as well. What I have found is that I have to keep my eye out for coupons in those areas, but where I really save is with toiletries, cleaning and paper products. I put a lot of focus using coupons there, and most of my food budget is from stocking ahead when there are great sales and utilizing my freezer and meal planning.
I hope that helps!
P.S. My book goes through all this for you too. 🙂
I wish there were coupons for free organic produce!
I agree with Coby, I feel like almost all of the coupons (and even most store sales!) are for products I don’t buy, mostly processed foods. We are a family of two adults and a 2 yr old, and shop at Whole Foods for the things that aren’t available from our locally grown meat/dairy/produce delivery, and we spend an average of $200 a week on food. I cook almost all of our meals from scratch, and I feel like that just has to be way too much money to spend on food, but I don’t know how else to get it down while still eating top-quality, fresh, mostly organic food.
Laura – you can see my comment to Coby above, but know that Whole Foods has great online printable coupons, and an instore pamphlet. Plus they will take a manufacturer and store coupon on one item to really bring costs down. I have been able to find some fantastic deals at my local Whole Foods by just keeping my eye out.
Hope that helps!
I wish there were free coupons for fruit!!
I wish there were coupons for free toliet paper.
I wish there were free coupons for cheese. We go through some serious amounts of cheese.
“I wish there were coupons for free Icy Hot Arm Bands.” My husband uses two a day!
I wish there were coupons for free meat and cheese.
I wish there were coupons for free toilet paper!
Meat and milk. Those are my two biggest expenses
“I wish there were coupons for free meal preparation and house cleaning!”
I wish there were coupons for free meat! My husband is a huge meat-eater! 😀 Thanks for the chance to win the book, I really need and benefit from it!
diet coke…with the amount i drink it gets really expensive
I wish there were coupons for free meat. I have access to a great farm stand and they always have the best deal on veggies, but there’s no place to buy local meat and stores’ prices on beef these days is just crazy.
I wish there were coupons for free diapers.
I agree with Diana! I could use me some free diet coke coupons!! 🙂
I wish there were coupons for free massages!! I could really use one about now!
I wish there were coupons for milk!!!
I wish there were coupons for free produce….fresh veggies & fruits!
I wish there were coupons for free fresh produce.
I wish there were coupons for quality dog food and pet vaccinations.
I wish there were coupons for free mountain dew! That’s my morning coffee!
free smiles! I just believe if you can share a genuine smile with someone, it will pick up their day. We don’t know what is going on in someone’s life at any given moment.
I wish there were coupons for free on produce & meat.
I wish for free coupons for meat and produce also. It seems like there are a lot of us that are thinking alike today.
I wish there were coupons for free dog food or fresh produce.
I wish there were free coupons for Starbucks Lattes.
I wish there was coupons for free BATTERIES! (and eggs)….with four boys in the house we go through both quickly!
I would love to see coupons for free milk, and organic that I purchase
“I wish there were coupons for free free range meat.”
Kelly, I love, love, love your prayer above!
Does your book explain a good filing method? I purchased a nice zippered 3 ring binder and sports card inserts and can not work out a system.
Thanks for all you do!
I wish there were coupons for free organic produce…and maybe beer. I’ve never been a coupon cutter (I guess because my Mother wasn’t either) but I’m gonna give it a shot! Thanks for the info 🙂
canned dog food and canned cat food. I see all those stories about people getting free cans of dog food but they must not be available in my area. Help!! I’m tired of cooking for my dog every day/week.
I feel you! I have a cat that has to have prescription food from the vet (he’s prone to getting the equivalent of feline kidney stones without the food and has had to have a catheter 3 times). I’d love to see coupons for his food – or even a nice sale from the vet!
I wish there were coupons for free produce and meat. I coupon, but mostly on non-food items. For most of our ‘meal’ foods, I try to watch sales b/c it’s been super rare to find good coupons for fresh, non-processed.
I’d love coupons for free “cooking” days — in other words, someone other than ME gets to cook! If not that, then I want endless coupons for free Nature’s Path Toaster Pastries. they are organic “pop tarts” and my son would live off them if I let him.
I wish there were coupons for free fruit and meat.
I wish there were coupons for free coffee (colombian) and nuts, especially almonds.
free produce…that’s what we are eating a lot of and we just don’t have the space for a garden. Maybe a free garden then?! Free space??!! lol! I need rest 🙂
I wish there were coupons for cars!
I wish there were coupons for free COFFEE!!
I wish there were coupons for free hair cuts and permanents.
I wish there were coupons for free diapers and milk!
Free produce – that would be very nice!
I wish their were coupons for once a week housecleaning services for free for a year.
I wish there were free coupons for chocolate chips! I am always baking with chocolate! 🙂
I just posted a giveaway for your book today. It is such a great resource. Thank you so much Kelly.
Ginger
Diapers!
I wish there were coupons for free tickkets to Disney World. Family fun can get really expensive.
I wish there were free coupons for meat and diapers.
I wish there were coupons for free produce! (Fresh fruits and vegetables) So many people don’t eat healthy because fresh food is expensive. I would love to see coupons to encourage people to eat what is healthy!
Organic mIlk and Lancôme mascara.
I wish there were coupons for free organic produce and grassfed beef. Why does eating healthy have to be so expensive?
Love your website and would love a copy of your book!
I wish there were coupons for free diapers! Diapers are soo expensive and the only coupons I can find for them are a brand that we don’t use. Oh, and if Dove chocolate would put out free chocolate coupons every now and then, that would be great too 🙂
I wish there were coupons for BJGP (Buy-joy-get-peace) free. I anyone know of any please email me. Thank. Would love to win one of your books.
I wish there were coupons for BJGP (Buy-joy-get-peace) free. If anyone know of any please email me. Thank. Would love to win one of your books.
diapers… my daughter is 8.5 months old. We have a ways to go.
I would love to win a copy of your book.
I have learned a lot by reading on your website and daily emails but still feel like I could do a lot better.
Trying to meal plan and not waste!!!
Thanks for all the tips!
i wish there were coupons for free organic foods.
I wish there were coupons for free fruit.
…meat.
milk
I wish there were coupons for free cat litter – I have three cats!!
I wish there were coupons for free accountants and house keepers. 🙂
I wish there were coupons for free milk!
I wish there were coupons for stress free days.
I wish there were coupons for free housecleaning!
I wish there were coupons for free soy milk!
I wish there were free coupons for fresh fruit and vegetables.
I wish there were free coupons for meat and produce.
I wish there were coupons for free toilet paper, fresh produce, and almond milk. I would be in heaven!
I wish there were coupons for free printer ink.
Emergen-c
Milk! We go through a ton
I wish there were coupons for free meat!
I wish there were coupons for free lessons on remaining calm when your parenting fibers are pulled to their limits!
I wish there were coupons for free – ing our children and ourselves from hurt. As mother of a family in turmoil that coupon would be worth more than any amount of $$$.
Yours in faith and prayer.
I wish there were coupons for free meats it would defantly save me alot of money.
gas.