The key to maximizing your coupon savings is all in the plan! The planning of your shopping trips can literally make or break your savings.
This step is especially important to people like me who's closest Walmart is an hour away, there's no turning around if you forget something on that trip!!
Crystal from Oxbow & Area Extreme Couponers is in the same situation, and was kind enough to share with us some of her tips and tricks of how to plan a great shopping trip!
To coupon successfully, we must plan, plan, and plan some more. Like anything else in your life, planning things results in greater success. I have some great tips to share with you to ensure that you always have successful couponing trips!
- The most important step in planning is ensuring that you have removed as many distractions as you can. Now, we all love our children, but we can all agree that when it comes to shopping they are a major distraction! Find someone to help you out with your kids, so you can get your coupon on, be it friends or family or a daycare. I always try to plan my trips while my kids are in school. If you have to bring your kids, involve them in the shop and give part of the list to them and they can help look for the items!
- Before you head out to the store(s), collect all the flyers, and check the Weekly Matchups! Being familiar with the sales is crucial to planning how you will use your grocery budget that week.
- Choosing a store that price matches can save you a lot of time and money. And it also cuts out the gas costs, and inconvenience of running to multiple stores. Use your flyers to help you decide which items you will price match!
- Create a list! I am a firm believer that having a list saves you from headache and mass confusion. If you are going to multiple stores, it is easiest to create a separate list for each store. Organize your list into departments (produce, dairy, frozen, housewares), this way when you enter the store you aren’t having to scan the whole list and chance missing something.
- Have a budget! On your list write down the original price, what it’s on sale for, and what your coupon value is. This way you can add up what you plan to spend!
- You can’t go out couponing with out your coupons! If you pull out your coupons and have them paper clipped to your list or put in a baggie, it makes the whole process alot easier. This is going to save you so much time!! Now of course you still want to bring your complete supply of coupons, just in case there are surprise items on sale!
- Have store policies printed and on hand (found here!). Sometimes you run into trouble at the till, so if you have the store policy with you it will reduce waiting times, as well as confusion for everyone!
- Familiarize yourself with SCOP(Scanning Code of Practice) , you’d be surprised how often you will need it! (What is SCOP?)
Now you are ready to head out. Grab your most comfortable shoes and get your COUPON ON!!!
Thanks so much Crystal! This is a great checklist to reference for everyone as you plan your trip to make sure you don't miss anything!
Be sure to visit Crystal at the Oxbow & Area Extreme Couponers Facebook page and thank her for these great tips!
HAPPY SAVING:)