Any Great Couponers Out There?

I started couponing last year and did it for about 3 months, vigorously. Just as one poster mentioned, it's a job and it's time consuming especially if you really want to save big bucks. Make sure you have a room or area in your house where you can store all your coupon stuff--that's a necessity. Also, make sure your printer has plenty of paper and ink to print out coupons off internet sites.

I first started couponing by saving all the circulars that I got in the mail and in the Sunday paper. Clip out all the coupons from the circulars, newspapers, and definitely internet sites. Many store websites also offer coupons on the site, so check that out. I used sites like redplum.com for coupons too. You can google "coupon sites" and it will bring up a whole bunch of coupon sites. At first, I got myself one of those alphabetical file envelopes for coupons and alphabetized my coupons. Later, as I became overwhelmed with coupons, so I found that it was easier to just categorize the coupons in a binder according to store departments like dairy and toiletries. I found the best deals on stuff like toiletries at drug stores like Walgreens and Rite Aid. For canned foods and processed foods, Kroger has the best deals (at least here in Michigan). I think out west, Kroger is called Ralph's. They offer the 10/$10 sales. If you sign up for a Kroger (Ralph's) credit card, they will send you coupons in the mail for stuff like free eggs or new products. Also, when you check out at the register, watch for the coupons that print out. Sometimes they give you money off your entire order, meat and produce department, or a freebie. Those are helpful because some are store coupons which you can combine with a manufacture coupon to double or triple your savings. It also helps to know your store's policy in regards to couponing. Many stores are stricter on couponing since tv shows like, Extreme Couponing, came out. The more you coupon, the more better you get at it. If you invest time into it, you can get it down to a science. I actually found it enjoyable and rewarding once I really got into it. The only problem is, I too have other fish to fry, so I don't coupon as much anymore:(

Good luck!

Couponing is going out the window. Stores have been changing their policies, and they haven't been having the sales like they use to. This makes it a lot of work without the pay out. With that said, I still get 4 papers a week, and I still use coupons.

If you are interested, find a coupon site for where you live. Also create a storage area, get a full size freezer and find someone to take care of the kids while you go out shopping.

I'm not a couponer, dont have time for it. My neighbor gave me 3 1$ off coupons for some detergent that was on sale for 3.99 a bottle. So, I bought 3 for 9 bucks... that was a good deal. She has a 4inch binder, she gets all the papers, reads all the sales, grabs every coupon she can from sites and the newspaper, figures it all out and then spends 3 or 4 hours shopping. It's a job in itself. Definitely not something a work outside of the home gig, it's pretty time consuming. However I'm sure there are some women that work all day and clip coupons too. I'm just not one of them, dont have time for it..... got other fish to fry.

check out www.couponmom.com it tells you how you can get items really cheap or free with coupons

We use coupons.com at home. It is much easier for us to choose the coupons online.

coupon sense is an organization that guides and helps you save. A lot of people were into this down here..... may be a monthly fee

I try to coupon but I never have too much success. Store brands are almost always cheaper than an brand name item with "cents off" coupon. I only find coupons worth it if I really want a name brand. I find them most useful for make-up (Almay, Maybelline etc.) at the drug stores. There isn't really any generic make-up. Rite Aid, Walgreens etc. often have "buy one get one 50% off" or once in awhile "buy one get one free". Also, some of the "extreme" couponing only works in other states with other chain stores. Below, Markasa said Krogers has 10/$10 deals. I've never seen such a tactic used in California grocery stores. You have Grocery Outlets near you in Pleasant Hill and Concord- its a great place to shop for the basics. They buy stuff based on opportunity so they don't always have the same stuff every time but they have good prices. Hit Grocery Outlet first, buy what you can there, and then finish up at a different grocery store. We have a SuperWalmart here which I use. My G.O. carries about 1/3 to 1/2 brand name, and a lot of smaller co. brand names(that i'm not always familiar with) and no name labels. For items like canned goods or peroxide who cares? Each G.O. is independantly franchised (I think) so maybe one is not as good as another, but my mother uses the one in Livermore and I use the one here and they are both fine.. However the Modesto one carries a lot of good frozen food and the one in Livermore has a very small frozen food dept. You just learn which things to buy where. It's not a luxury shopping experience but you are there to save money not for atmosphere. Initially my husband was very prejudiced about discount grocery stores. My husband thinks my mother is a pretty good cook and didn't know for a long time that she did 2/3 of her shopping at G.O. He was surprised when he found out. Now he's ok w ith me shopping there, but we don't advertise that we do. Good luck in your quest to save money!