Extreme couponing has taken the U.S. by storm. Prices on food and household necesities continue to increase and our salaries continue to stay the same (if you are lucky), and unemployment continues to rise. Many people have turned to extreme measures in order to save money in their monthly budget.
I’m sure by now most people have seen the shows on TV dedicated to these coupon crazed people or at least heard some stories about shoppers buying hundreds of dollars worth of groceries for pennies on the dollar. If not, this new section of Martin County Kentucky will be a real treat for you. For those who have and always wanted to give it a try, here is your chance to start. At least once each week I will try to make a post dedicated to free stuff you can find locally or you can get from the internet with just a few clicks of your mouse. If you already do some extreme couponing please feel free to share your experiences and let us know where we can find the goods!
Let’s start today with just a brief overview of how extreme couponing works and how you can get started. The overall concept is to purchase items at their lowest possible price and then use manufacturer coupons or store coupons to save even more.
Watch Price Trends and Stock Up!
Most stores fluctuate prices on items on different weeks. For example a box of Cheerios might be $3.29 this week, $3.49 next week and the following week the price may drop to $$2.99. Most stores follow price trends so track trends on items you typically purchase and buy them when they drop to their lowest price. Always buy as many of the item as you will use before it spoils when it’s at this lowest price. This process will take some planning and organization but it will pay off greatly.
Use Coupons
You can usually find coupons in your local newspaper, many places online, on the manufacturers website and even in your local store located by that particular item. However, that doesn’t mean you have to use that coupon that day. Usually, you’ll find those coupons when the items are priced higher. Grab a few coupons today and save them for the following weeks. Now that you know when your target item is at it’s lowest price, use those coupons. Always watch for “store coupons”. Most people don’t realize that you can use a store coupon along with a manufacturer coupon for the same item. Sometimes stores double and triple manufacturer coupons on certain days which saves you even more money. Also, if an item is promoted as “buy one get one free” this means you can use 2 coupons, one for each item.
Get Organized
If you want to take couponing to the extreme level you will have to get organized. Saving coupons from week to week can get overwhelming. If you don’t find an organization method soon you’ll have coupons taking over your house. Find a method that works best for you. Some prefer to use small accordion file folders, envelopes or binders. All these are great options and you may have to try each method to find the one you prefer. Also, make your shopping lists before you leave the house. Staying organized will save you hours searching for coupons and walking isles at the store.
Keep checking back over the next few days. I’ll try to show you where you can find some freebies or at least really great deals!
