subject: Saving Adds Up [print this page] Saving Adds Up Saving Adds Up
In the fall of 2010, I had the opportunity to attend a Southern Savers couponing seminar. Couponing was a thing of legends to me. I knew people who said they couponed and claimed to have saved thousands but I wasn't so sure that I would be able to catch on. Not knowing what to expect, I drove to the building and could not believe my eyes. There must have been 500 or more attendees! Maybe this couponing thing wasn't as illusive as I thought.
I have two kids (one in diapers), three cats and two houses so learning to coupon seemed like the sensible thing to do. I must admit, I was afraid that couponing was privy to only an elite group of saving savvy folks. I expected to hear Charlie Brown's teacher but what I got was a delightful host! She spoke clearly, was very funny and somehow, by the end of the seminar, I felt that maybe this couponing wasn't such a foreign thing after all!
I started out light by doing BOGO (Buy One Get One) and buying the Sunday paper, clipping what I knew we would use, and anything else I thought might be a good deal at say, a drugstore. This coupon clipping took some time and the first night I spent 3 hours. But now, It takes 30 minutes or so to clip and file my coupons. Just by BOGO and coupon clipping (using only one coupon at a time as I haven't figured out the ins and outs of multiples per item), I am still very new to this. Still, I manage to save at least $60 a week on groceries and other household items. That's $3,120 a year!
I understand that every item usually has a selling cycle (about 6 weeks for the next sale or a similar discount on an item) so even if I clip a coupon this Sunday, I may not use that coupon until sometime next month. Filing is a must and the Sunday paper isn't the only place to find coupons, Lots of companies have additional savings (printable coupons) online as well!
By couponing, I always have brand items, and my pantry is much more stocked! My shopping lists have less items on them as the weeks progress too. I suspect that in a year's time I just might double my savings as I learn more about couponing and that adds up to terrific savings!
