Saturday was a great example of why I coupon with MLBB's instead of the method taught through Grocerysmarts.com. Don't get me wrong, I loved filing my coupons (without clipping them) into a binder then being directed to my coupons when sales arrived and as a beginner it got me into couponing much more than I ever thought possible. BUT after doing it that way for over a year I did notice major flaws for me personally.
1: There were many coupons I would have used on regular every day items(even if they weren't on sale) but didn't know where the coupons were.
2: There are often times unadvertised sales on items that do have coupons as well and sometimes these sales are the best. If you don't have your coupons with you then you won't be able to use them.
3: Printable coupons run out fast so when there are links to printable coupons, if they are already out, you're out of luck. This is why I print ones I know I'll use or that are high value coupons and then file them away until the sale or until I need them. Most of the time, coupons become available at the first of the month, some are reloaded in the middle of the month as well.
4: I get coupons from sunday adds, printables, mailers, magazines, and even in the grocery store-
THEY ALL NEED TO BE ORGANIZED.
Basically, if you have your coupons filed in a binder unclipped and waiting for a sale to be advertised, they are Outta Sight and Outta Mind and missed when great opportunities arise right there in the store.
I use two seperate BIG MLBB's to organize all my coupons, one for all items involving food and one for all items involving household supplies. Each one has 13 pockets so it allows for all the sections I need.
SO as far as my Saturday example...
I went to my local Smith's and had many items I wanted and I had coupons for them too. Although they were not advertised as on sale, when I arrived, most of them were actually on sale too! Very nice surprise.
I want to make a HUGE point here. So I totally forget that magazines have coupons in them but I was very lucky to remember to flip through my most recent magazine(I got the magazine for free because I am pregnant and get 6 issues completely free) Disney's Family Fun, in it was an amazing coupon for a FREE CACHE VALLEY CHEESE product. NO $ LIMIT! NO SIZE LIMIT!
Cache Valley Cheese is on the more expensive side of cheeses but I love it and for FREE, I can not complain. I got a $16.99 huge brick of cheese completely FREE! I am still so excited about this that I don't think I will ever forget to flip through magazines for coupons again.
On another note, Flaw #2, unadvertised sales in stores. I happened to be browsing the isles, looked up to see coupons for ButterFinger's new snackerz and thought I should grab some for when the go on sale, then I looked at the snacks next to them. They WERE on sale, 2 for $1.00! The coupon was $1.00 off of two... if you can't do the math on that, it means it is FREE! Yes FREE! I didn't even need to have the coupons already because they were right in front of me! I stocked up on those snacks for sure.
This happens with items that I have coupons for quite regularly as well so I love having my coupon files with me.
This was my total reciept purchase: (23 items for $22.00, including what would have been a $16.50 brick of Cheese)
2 bags of Nestle Choc. Chips $3.29 each
Ovaltine $5.49
2 cans Carnation Evaporated Milk $1.39 each
2 bags Brach Candy Corn $1.29 each
10 packages ButterFinger Snackerz $0.79 each
1 bag Butterfinger snack size Bars $3.79
100 Grand snack size candy Bars $3.79
Cache Valley Brick of Cheese $16.99
Light Bulbs 2 packs $1.19 each
Sundown Child Gummie Vit $7.99
Total =$61.80
After Coupons and Sales =$22.03 (65% savings)
And half of my purchases were FREE
Later, I went back and decided it was worth it to get more of the free snacks and since I had forgotten an item(ice cream) anyway, I needed to go back :)
30 more Butterfinger snacks FOR FREE! I think I was probably the only person that noticed they were FREE!
NOW I AM STOCKED FOR HALLOWEEN TRICK OR TREATERS!
NOW I AM STOCKED FOR HALLOWEEN TRICK OR TREATERS!
Also, I didn't need any, which is uncommon, but MILK was on manager's special 50 CENTS A GALLON. Another UNADVERTISED SALE, although this one did not require a coupon at all. I almost bought but I had like 8 gallons of milk already.
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1 comment:
Interesting post! I'm new at using coupons (refuse to use "coupon" as a verb), and I read about that method and didn't like it for the same reasons. I don't always decide in advance to go shopping, and I'm not hauling some binder around the store. Plus, since I don't get a paper, most of my coupons are individual anyway, either from the coupon dispensers at the store or ones I print out online. I've also noticed many sales are unadvertised. Plus I always go with my husband, who is totally incapable of deciding or informing me that he needs yogurt or whatever until we're in the yogurt aisle. I don't save as much as a lot of people online claim to, partly because of laziness and partly because I don't buy that many processed foods, which is what most coupons are for, but I do save at least $10-$20 a week, which makes it worth the time.
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