Your family has expanded recently, and now you are wondering how you can provide for them while still saving money throughout the year. One of the best ways to do this is through couponing. Get started by clipping out coupons from your Sunday newspaper and registering with coupon websites to receive coupons in your regular mailbox and inbox. Your favorite magazines often have coupons, so you get extra savings this way.
Only clip out coupons for the things you buy the most
Couponers often make the mistake of stocking up on items just because they are on sale, but in the end you waste money because you might not use some of the things you bought on sale. Instead, you want to focus on getting the coupons for items you buy the most. And you can buy these in bulk, so you will cut down on the trips to the grocery store.
Utilize dollar store and drugstore coupons for toiletries
In my family, we purchase most of our toiletries from the dollar store since the prices tend to be cheaper than the big box stores and supermarkets. Dollar stores often have weekly coupons so I collect these and head to the dollar store to stock up on discounted toiletries. Drugstores also have great coupons for household products each week.
Organize your coupons by category
Once you start clipping coupons regularly, it would help to organize them by category so that they are easier to locate and you will shop wisely. Some good categories to place the coupons in are dairy products, baby stuff, older kids' favorite snacks, mommy's clothing coupons and canned goods. Purchase a large or medium-sized binder with tab dividers and put your categorized coupons in them. Be careful to look at the expiration dates as you put the coupons in the binder.
Focus on high priced items when couponing
When couponing, you should focus the most on high priced items so you will save the most money when you shop. For example, if your family loves salmon but they are not the cheapest at your supermarket, you can use coupons to get the salmon in bulk. This also applies to big ticket electronics such as laptops and radios.
Set aside a time for couponing
Another thing you should do is set aside time each week for couponing. Since I get most of my coupons from the Sunday newspaper, I spend part of my Sunday afternoon clipping and organizing my coupons. You can also get the other household members involved. Your spouse can write a list of items you are low on and then the older children can locate coupons for those items.
Put your smartphone to work
One good thing about having a smartphone is that there are countless apps that help you save money and locate coupons. Download some coupon apps and then you can look up the latest coupons from local and national stores. You would then show those coupons to the cashier at the store.
With these tips, large families can save plenty of money by using coupons.
Article sources
Couponing for Beginners
http://livelikeyouarerich.com/couponing-for-beginners-11-tips-that-will-save-you-thousands/
Smart Couponing Tips
http://www.parents.com/parenting/money/household-budget/save-money-shopping/
How to Start Couponing for Beginners
http://thriftynomads.com/couponing-for-beginners-guide/
9 Easy Couponing Tips
http://www.allyou.com/coupons-deals/easy-couponing