Part Time Job-Couponing

You have heard the expression, "Money doesn't grow on trees" right?  But the amount of money you can save by using coupons will almost make you feel as if it does. 

I have written several articles about couponing but wanted to write an on going piece about using coupons on my own personal blog.  

Being a frugal person I have used coupons off and on  throughout the years. I did not use them on a regular base,  until last year (2011).  I began to take it more seriously and challenged myself to see exactly what I could do with them.  So, I decided to see my couponing as a part-time job, writing myself a check weekly for the amount of money I saved using coupons on that weeks grocery bill.

Let me tell you one of the first things I noticed right off the top:  People do not like standing in line with a person in front of them using coupons.  Another thing I experienced was actually having a lady laugh and shake her head at me because I had my coupon book opened on top of my cart.  My first thought was how rude, but than I realized, she may have been laughing at me but when I seen how much money I save, who had the last laugh?

So, how did I decide I was going to do this: At first I went to online coupon sites and gathered what coupons I knew I would use.  Than each Sunday, I began getting two different newspapers at the store (because they do not deliver papers in my area).  I signed up at several different coupon sites and also checked my local store sites for any additional coupons they may have.  So I spent time clipping, sorting and paper clipping the coupons together. I put all of the paper clipped in a envelope and finally I felt they were organized.  But this method got on my nerves real fast. So I had to figure out something that would work best for me. (More on that a little later). 

I checked the sales papers and compared specials to my grocery list, matched up coupons and off to the store I went.  After coming home and looking at the receipt and how money I save, writing that check was sweet!  Every month I would take these checks, cash them and tuck the money away in a safe place.  I repeat the same process every week.

Here are some of my favorite sites!

SavingStar  is an ecoupon site that works with your store discount  cards.  They have several stores like Ingles, Kroger, Bi-Lo and more.  Each of these stores give customers saving cards.  When you enter that card number in the appropriate place on SavingStar, that activates any ecoupons you choose.  When you make the purchase from the store, the info is sent to SavingStar and they pay you the amount of money the coupon was for.  Once you accumulate  $5.00 they pay you via your Paypal account-Almost free money!! I have personally had several pay outs so I know this site is legit. 

Coupons  At Coupons.com you upload their printing program and go through the site and place a check by the coupons you want.  When you are done, you press print and you are done.  I know you can only print the coupons twice before they let you know you have reached your limit. AND if your printer messes up by chance and your coupons did not print, you are out of luck because the site cannot reset the printing limit.  I lost 7 coupons last week because my printer decided it wanted to give me a hard time.

Couponsurfer It is the same directions as Coupons.com

Becentsable Is a really good site that covers a lot of different things. They offer coupons from different drug stores, department stores, grocery stores and so on.  They also have a coupon data base. 

These are just a few sites that I use regularly.  There are many, many more.

This link was shared by John Sitton  and it is something that benefits everyone in a household that has to take prescriptions:  Cost2Coast Rx Care  You can save 55%-75% on your prescriptions, and it is FREE.  You go their site and add your name and telephone number (which is used as your member number) print the card laminate it and SAVE!!