So ya wanna clip coupons...

well here we go!

There are LOTS of ways to come across coupons. Before you delve in, think about some things first.

How much time are you planning on putting in every day. (Yup, I said every day because new coupons become available daily and most have print limits so you don't want to miss out) You can put in anywhere from 15 minutes to 3 hours a day. You're going to get out of it what you put into it.

If you want to be an Extreme Couponer, just walk away, this isn't for you. I will NOT teach you how to hoard (hilariously I typed horde, anyone who plays World of Warcraft will get that) thousands of items that your family will never use, but you bought just because they were free.

Ok, that little disclaimer out of the way...Let's get down to brass tacks.

So you have your organization system planned out, but it sits there empty. How do I fill it up, you ask?

Well, let me tell you! (I'm really good at bossing people around so you should listen to me!)

First, you want to get all the coupon policies for the stores you plan on shopping at. (I'll make a separate post with a bunch of store links to their coupon policies so you can find them easily) Print them out and keep them with your coupons, so if you run into issues at the register you have them handy to resolve any problems.

Now, it's time to start looking for coupons. There are sites and sites that have coupons. Manufacturer sites usually have coupons, free samples you receive by mail usually have BIG coupons, the Sunday paper and there are at least 3 coupon sites where you can get coupons. (Those links will be in the post as well)

There are a bazillion sites out there that will tell you how to get coupons, what sales they match up with, and when you should use them. There are stores that double coupons, there are stores that let you stack coupons, and there are rewards from stores you can use to get free stuff.

For example, Target does not double coupons, BUT they have store coupons that you can use in conjunction with manufacturer coupons AND they often offer gift cards with certain items purchased. So technically, you could use a manufacturer coupon and a Target coupon on a sale item with a gift card and get the item with an overage (as in you actually come out ahead on the transaction).

More to follow! Don't get overwhelmed, it's worth it in the end!

~Kim