I have come to the conclusion that to be a successful couponer means that you no longer have to jump at every deal. Your stock pile is diverse enough that you can skip a week or 2 of deals because they aren’t as good as previous weeks. You can choose to wait until a sale comes back around and you are getting the BEST price, and not just because it’s on sale. I feel like I’ve finally reached this goal.
My stockpile has a good variety of products, and I continue to clean it out and to give to family and friends without it affecting our stock. I LOVE LOVE that feeling. Knowing that your family is in need, and even though you can’t help them financially you can help then out with sustinance and hygiene products to help them on there grocery list!
I feel like I was sooo caught up in the mindset that I needed to get every deal, whether it was an awesome deal or not. I then realized, hey I don’t need 20 sticks of deodorant! I don’t even know 20 people to give it to! So I started only buying for my families ACTUAL needs and then extended family. I spent so much time every week running to various stores and getting papers or going to recycling bins and cutting and sorting that I was missing the real point. I’m doing this to help my family budget but not instead of spending time with them.
I now use 2 systems for organizing my coupons.
1. My binder (I use this when I know I need to get a few items but want to catch non-advertised deals or clearance items)
2. Filing cabinet (I file whole coupon inserts and then cut coupons as needed, a lot less stressful that way)
I usually only use my binder if I’m going to the commissary because it’s a little further from the house and I don’t go often so I don’t want to miss out on anything.
What are some of your tips and tricks to newbies starting out? How do you organize your coupons? Comment below and let us know!!