So here's a few tips/topics to help you get organized so couponing doesn't need to be a full time job!
Finding The Time To Coupon
Organizing Your Coupons
Planning Your Shopping Trips
Building An Organized Stockpile
Finding The Time To Coupon
Its true that couponing will take up some of your time, I wont lie and say its just going to happen! But anything worth having is worth working for. Save Big, Live Better! was created to try to minimize the time taken out of your life in order to achieve the potential savings that are out there, so know how to use this site!
First, make an appointment with your coupons! Set a time aside each week (if only once a week, this will probably be a couple of hours) where you are able to review your coupons, check out the weekly matchups, and plan your shopping trip. Treat it like any other appointment, dont renegotiate that time if something else comes up. Just remember all the money you'll save from sticking to that appointment, and this wont be hard!
Utilizing the tools available to you on Save Big, Live Better! will help you save huge amounts of time by cutting back on research time, scouring the flyers, and tracking down coupons. Subscribe to our daily email to receive free daily updates right to your inbox. This way they will be waiting for you at the end of each day!
Remember, if you get stuck, don't spend forever trying to hunt down an answer on your own if you're short on time! Click the CONTACT button and I'll be glad to help you out!
Organizing Your Coupons
Another time saver! Set up a system right from the start, even if you only have a couple of coupons, be prepared for when you have more so you can just slot them in and you're ready to go!
You're couponing system should keep your coupons organized, easy to find, and easy to sort through at the end of the month so you dont end up with a ton that are expired!
You can do it whichever way feels most comfortable for you, and is most appropriate to your situation. I started with an accordian file folder with about 7 categories like "health and beauty" and "groceries". As my collection grew, I have updated my system to a binder with many more categories, and use card holder plastic sleeves to hold them as they are easier to track down when I can see them more readily.
More specific categories make it even faster for me to find a specific coupon I am looking for. An example would be searching for a coupon for cheese, would you rather look through a "grocery" group of coupons, or "dairy"?
Here's some pics of my binder, but again, do what you feel will work best for your needs!
Find more great organizational tips in a guest post from Coupon Christine--The Art of Organizing your coupons!
Planning Your Shopping Trips
Going to the store without a plan is asking to spend more than you need to. If you go with a list, and your coupons already pulled and ready to go, you can get in, get what you're after, and get out in no time!
Here's the steps I take when planning a shopping trip...
*Check the weekly matchups!-This is always the first stop for me as seeing the great deals and FREE stuff is what's going to decide for me what I will be getting, and which store I will be shopping at.
*Pull my coupons-I always have the coupons I plan to use separate from my coupon binder, even though I bring my binder with me in case there's an amazing deal that wasnt advertised! I do this to speed up my shopping trip and deter any temptation to buy anything I wasnt planning on.
*Make a list-This is a good practice to guide you on your trip and help eliminate unnecessary purchases even if you arent couponing! I add to the list how much each item will cost me so I know where I am coming in compared to my budget.
*Plan your trip-If you are visiting multiple stores, plan your trip to use the least amount of gas. If you are getting a large amount of something, ensure you have enough space in your vehicle to get it home. Also, bring snacks! It helps ensure you wont make any little purchases if you get hungry!
When I get home...
I personally take pics to post for you all to see what I got in case I snagged any deals that weren't advertised! I love when readers to the same! So send your pics and the breakdown of what you paid to savebiglivebetter@live.ca!
Next, I set aside any packaging that may have had coupons on it to make sure I dont have money sitting in my cupboards going unnoticed!
Lastly, I put everything away, ensuring that if it is something I already have in my stockpile that I rotate it to the back to use the oldest products first!
Building An Organized Stockpile
As you save more an more, you will be buying in larger quantities (especially when its free!) and will begin to build a stockpile. Keeping your stockpile organized is key to ensuring that nothing goes to waste or gets forgotten about.
Here's a few tips on keeping it organized...
*Keep like products together-meaning have all your laundry products together, all your beauty products somewhere else, and edibles another place in the stockpile.
*Rotate your products-if there are perishable items you have larger quantities of, always make sure that you place your most recent purchases at the back so the older ones get used first, avoiding waste.
*Once a month, make a donation-I like to go through my stockpile monthly and see if there are any items that we really arent using, gather them together, and donate them to a shelter or local charity where they will be used.
*Keep a freezer list-if you have a freezer with stockpiled items in it, make sure to keep a list of expiry dates of the contents of the frreezer to easily reference when you are menu planning, so you can use things before they expire.
Check out the guest post I wrote for Canadian Budget Binder--5 Tips For Successful Stockpiling!
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