willing to give couponing another try

[Sumacaroni]

Thanks, I've seen that advice and you've reminded me I need to get busy on that step yet

So I've grabbed an old binder and found some of my teenagers' old football card pocket pages along with some page protector pages while I've been working on doing just some of the best coupon deals I could find the past two weeks.

As much as I like the binder, it still needs categorical (tabbed) separation and additional pocket pages. And I really need to have a calculator that isn't my kids for homework So I stopped at the Walmart on my way home from work to see if I could find what I need. I found a accordion-type file with 13 dividers to keep my RP, SS, and P&G weeklies ($5.44). I found (2) packages of (8) tab dividers ($3.44). Okay, I wasn't too thrilled with spending more than $10 on the supplies so I kept looking around. I found the exact same accordion type file from a different mfr for $3.00 on clearance! Looked around a bit more for different dividers but none had the built-in pockets with the tabs. Swallowed the idea of a little less than $10 and headed for the checkout. Got up to the self-checkout and scanned the two packages - rung through at .75 each!! Cool!!

1.00 calculator
3.00 clearance accordion file
.75 8 tab/pocket dividers
.75 8 tab/pocket dividers
plus tax = $5.78

Didn't break the bank making the coupon system work a little bit better. I didn't want to get so frustrated with what I had that I ditch this before 3 months is over. Most of what I've read says to give it at least 3 months of collecting and tweaking what I'm doing.

[NikoSan999]

Just a suggestion. I don't know what you buy but this is how I do/did it. I have the accordion thing you speak of and I also have a couple different size cutsie boxes...depending on what amount of coupons I'm up or down to.
Me..I admit it...I buy Betty Crocker, Duncan Hines, Pillsbury etc. I buy mixes etc
I have one tabbie for Betty Crocker only...one for Green Giant only...one tabbie for Pillsbury ...General Mills etc.
The odd ones out...margarine, sugars, eggs, oils I have like breakfast, baking, paper, HBA, coffee, etc
Things like toothpaste and deodorant have their own tabbies.
If I run across BOGO free Cheerios I know it's under General Mills
Just a suggestion. I've tried other ways and it just didn't work for me. I've seen the baseball card books and they're cool but I would have trouble organizing them especially after pulling the expired ones. With the box you just pull the expired and put more in.
Oh, and the ones I know I'm going to use cause I've seen the sale papers I put up in the very front in front of the tabbies and if I pull more while at the store I put up front also and just pull them out at the check out. No having to hold on to them.

[khaski]

I recently had 2 very vocal customers behind me in line complaining to each other as the cashier rang out my coupons. A few years ago, I would have been ashamed...but now? NO. It IS my right to use my coupons, I had them neatly organized, I wasn't one those folks digging in my purse to find a stray one, we were standing there as the cashier inspected each coupon before beeping it out on the register. TOUGH for them. If they choose not to use coupons and save $, fine, but I DO. I was using 15 or so, not a 200 coupon stack, some people need a little more patience. One of the people had 3 or 4 things....is it MY problem they came to regular line, behind me, with a full cart, instead of the express line? NO. You grow a thicker skin over time about these things, and as long as you are not being 'that guy', holding up the line trying to use expired coupons or digging around for the lost ones or matching them up at the register, so what? Have respect for other people, but they need to have respect for you as well! Their grumbles still made the $15+ I saved worth it! Some people are rude no matter what (like the grumpy cashier I always seem to get at CVS is is visibly disgusted by my use of ECBs and coupons...too bad for her, it's her job, I'm organized and 'follow the rules' with it, I'm not doing anything wrong)

[Sumacaroni]

gmarie, I'm glad you started this thread! Thanks.

NikoSan, I'm still working on streamlining the binder idea, I feel like I just need to tweak the dividers and I may use your category names, I like them. And I am finding I do like when I can see everything in the pages - at least for now, I don't have a zillion of them (yet!) Do you get several inserts per week? I have just been buying two different newspapers in my effort to get started.

khaski, you're right, I am less concerned about those behind me as I get my system down better. I went to Walgreen's tonight while my kids were at the movies - gave me a good buffer of time to shop around, stay organized, and make notes on what I had found and put in my cart. I wanted to be sure that the total rung up as I expected, that the coupons were all registering, and that the RR's at the end all came out as I expected. It did and I was surprised!! So far I've not had good luck at Walgreen's registers.

I took advice from some other discussion that detailed how to get through the line at Walgreen's: watch as they ring to be sure the sale prices are right, then hand over the mfr. c/o's, then hand them the WG's c/o's so that there is no confusion and the register will accept everything without a hitch. That worked like a charm! Now, if only I had remembered I had previously earned a $3 RR that I could have used. My total was originally $46-something, mfr and WG coupons brought it down to $26 plus tax and I got $11 register rewards at the end.

$46 worth of sale items >>$27 OOP after coupons >>effectively $16 after RR for two bags of things:
$3.27, 3 boxes of Kleenex we needed for a community service project (note to self: stock up when cheaper!)
Free, 1 Right Guard body wash
.99, 1 Ocean Spray
.50x2, Hershey's king-size candy bars
.49x2, Halls throat lozenges
.99 Irish Spring deodorant
.99 clearanced perfume for my DD
1.99 Gillette Fusion razor

Restock mints/candies about 5.50 total:
.75x3 Mentos gum
.75 Altoids mini tin
.75x2 tic tacs
.49 Mentos candies
.49 Airheads

And next time I have to REMEMBER that I now have $14 worth of register rewards to use!!! Getting a good stockpile of inexpensive personal items we burn through fast, buying a stockpile of goodies so my kids stop spending $1.50 for each pack of gum or mints at school -- now THIS is why I wanted to get back into the swing of coupon shopping!!! I just love having a "Mom's candy shop" to browse before my kids run off to school or the movies.

[bluebuff]

I have rarely used coupons in my life.
Could have saved hundreds of dollars.

[divinemsn]

One other thing I started doing is using a price book. I am marking down the 20 most popular things I buy and when I buy them I write down what store I bought it from, the date and the price. That way when something is on sale I can stock up on it and if I have a coupon for it even better.

[Minner77]

or does anyone else actually read the Sunday paper, too ?

Just starting my serious couponing -- and I do mean just. How fortuitous that I found this thread and its excellent advice. Thanks, everyone!

Must now continue reading more of this section....