Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Game on...

Couponing is nothing more than a game. There are so many rules to follow, and at times your supply can be limited. In order to win at the game, you have to use those rules to your advantage and go above and beyond the typical couponer. I will admit, I got into couponing after seeing the show Extreme Couponing. While I would love to be able to do what those people do, in reality I know I cannot possibly do that every week, (but of course I am going to try!)

Games can become addictive, and couponing is no exception. Although I do have my moments where I am not as much of a go-getter with coupons, there are other times I am so determined, you will find us at the recycling bins savaging for those thrown away, (occasionally we have lucked out and found a paper delivery route dumped). I have a few people I get their insert coupons from them, but most of them come from buying multiple papers. The amount purchased depends on the coupons in the papers that week. We average 8-12 papers on Sundays.

I have good and bad weeks with Internet coupons, and having multiple computers in the house usually gets me passed that 2 coupon print limit. I just hit every computer in our house and can get 10 of each needed coupon, (as long as there are no printer issues). I am still new to all of this, but I have a decent start, learning the ropes as we go. My husband is a HUGE help! He is right beside me at the dumpsters, helping on Sundays with the paper collections and searching the Internet far and wide for bargains, coupons and deals. He is also at the stores with me when help. It takes 2 to watch at the register and make sure things ring through like they are suppose to.

When I work hard at it, on average I am saving about 40%, which may not sound "extreme", but savings is savings, right?! It is time consuming and sometimes works my nerves! With every store having different coupon policies, you have to know how they play the game before you even walk into the store. You have to research those ads and decide your route ahead of time to save some time! We often spend several hours shopping, it pays off in the long run.

This blog is my way of passing on what I have learned to others. I admit I have much more to learn, and I hope that this blog helps some of you! So bear with me and check back often and let's see if we can find some deals!