Extreme Couponing Tips

If you have been watching the Extreme Couponing Series on TLC, you know that some of these shoppers walk away with a ton of groceries for next to nothing.  Lot’s of questions  pop up like, where do they get all their inserts, can you use that coupon on that product, etc.

Here are some tips on how to be a TRUE Extreme Couponer

This week’s tip is:

::Have Patience

The one thing I always stress here and at my Couponing Workshops is to have patience.   You need to start out slowly.  You should not go into it thinking that you will clip a few coupons and save thousands right away.  Like everything else in life, the best things come to those that wait.

Not Going to Save Overnight

Reducing your budget through coupons is a process.  A process that takes time.  Here are some of the things that have to be done before you really start to see your grocery budget drop.

• If you have never used coupons before, you will need to build up your supply of coupons.  This takes time as the coupons come out each week in the Sunday Weekly Paper.
• It also takes time to learn the ropes.  Get to know your stores and the store coupon policies.  Get to know what the best stockup prices are in your area.  And, get to know how to really work the deals at CVS, Walgreens and how to do Catalina Deals.

Building Up Your Stockpile

Having a stockpile is one of the key ways to save. Building a stockpile takes time and it takes time to find the deals to build the stockpile. Once you have your stockpile, it will save you from having to run out and buy products at full price all the time. In the end it will save you tons of money!

Each week, as the sales come out, you can add more and more to your stockpile.  It normally takes about 3 months to build up a full stockpile.

Watch Your Savings Drop

During the first 4 weeks or so of couponing, you may find that the amount you are spending each week is not really dropping.  You may see a savings on your receipts and you will probably be getting a lot more groceries then you usually buy but,  during the first 4 weeks you will probably still be spending the same amount of money.  Then from about week 5 – 12, your weekly spending will start to be less and less.  And, by about 12 weeks, you should be spending a lot less out of pocket.  The amount could be anywhere from 50 – 75% less depending on the amount of time you put in.

For most serious couponers, you will be at a point where you are only spending money each week on produce, dairy and meats.  And, picking up all the FREE items for the week.

But, remember, this takes time.  So, be patient and it will pay off in the long run.

If you are new to couponing, you may want to check out the Couponing for Beginners section where you will find a lot of answers to your questions.

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