Grocery Coupons For the Beginner

A few weeks ago we decided to take the plunge and ordered weekend delivery of the Washington Post. To be honest, I don’t even read it (I get my news online), but it comes in  handy for craft projects and for those lovely coupons.

Even with my very casual use of coupons, I’m still saving ~$15-20 every bi-weekly shopping trip. That may not seem like much, but it turns out to be roughly ~$360 a year for minimal work. I think that once I get the hang of sniffing out sales and remembering to bring the coupons for non-food items I’ll save even more.

But so far here are the tips that have helped me most:

1. Clip it even if you’re not sure you will  use it. Don’t go too crazy with items you know you will never, ever buy, but if you’re a little unsure about an item, clip the coupon anyway.  The worst thing that happens is you throw the coupon out later and its better to have it than wish you had it.
2. Plan your menus out and separate out relevant coupons. This way you remember to buy the items that match your coupons.
3. Bring your whole stash of coupons anyway. While it may not be on  your menu, if you find a common pantry item is a loss leader and you’ve got a coupon, it’s time to stock up. For example, this week I found Hunt’s tomato products at 4 for $1 and then I had a coupon on top of that. Pasta it is next week.
4. Find an organizational system that works for you. There are all these fancy pants organizers out there, but I find I can keep track of things with just two envelopes. One is my big stash, and the other is that shopping trip’s coupons. I write my grocery list on the outside of the single trip envelope and we’re good to go
5. Find a store that does double or triple coupons!
6. Stop being self-conscious. No one cares if you’re using coupons. I see people handing the cashier coupons like they’re utterly mortified to be a savvy consumer. You’re not admitting you crapped your pants, you’re just saving money.
7. Remember to give the cashier your coupons. My dad’s famous for this one. If you tend to be a little flighty, hand over the coupons as soon as you reach the register or otherwise indicate you have them so the cashier knows they’re there.

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