Some More Tips on Getting Started

When you get started couponing - you need to have some personal guidelines.  Building up a stockpile will take time... and tolerance.  If you don't have a lot of space or the patience to get a lot of coupons, you'll be limited in what you can buy when it's on sale.

• Buy things that you know you will use before the end of the year/ in the next 6 months.  Buy what your family uses.  If it's free or a money maker - buy it but donate it to a Food Bank.  So many are struggling now- why not spread the wealth?
• Set a monthly budget.  Don't try to go from $500 a month to $5 - it just won't happen.  Aim to spend 80% of your current budget as your first goal.  If your monthly budget is $500- that means you're spending $400.  $100 is nothing to laugh at.  Once you master that, go lower!
• Set a monthly budget for couponing (included in your monthly food budget!).  There are some things you need to buy week to week (unless you have amazing freezer space) - such as milk and vegetables.  Other things you can stock up on ... and if you're not careful, you'll blow your budget just buying great deals.  My first trip couponing I was trying to cut my budget from $150 (per week) to $100 - and spent $200.  Granted, now those items are in my pantry and I dont need to buy them for a while... but I was pretty frustrated.  I try to give myself $10 a week to pick up items I dont need immediately - but will use.
• Check in mid month and see where you are against your monthly budget.  If you're over (or headed that way) - plan most of your meals from your freezer and pantry - instead of shopping- and buy only what you need
• Cut all coupons for things you use.  And if it's a good coupon - but you dont use it but could donate it -- cut that, too.  You never know what will be a money maker that can offset your purchase of items that you don't have coupons for.  My biggest mistake early one - "Oh, a coupon for deodorant.  But I just bought some and it expires before I'll need it again".  Seems logical - but what I missed was that - I will always need deoderant.  And if I can get it this week for 50 cents and save it  - it's better than spending $4 when I need it next... which will be in the near future.
• Think SHELF LIFE.  Paper towels will last forever.  A jar of mayo will not.  I buy a ton of ketchup because we use a ton of ketchup.  Well throw out a jar of mayo half full because it's expired.  I will not buy it to stockpile.

Here are some things I have saved up...

• 7 bottles of laundry detergent (All and Purex) that I bought for $1 a bottle (30-40 loads per bottle)
• 8 jars of spaghetti sauce (Barilla and Bertolli) that I bought for less than $1 per jar
• 30 rolls of Bounty paper towels that I got for less than 50 cents a roll
• 4 bottles of Zest body wash that I got for 87 cents each
• 3 bottles of Nivea shaving gel that I got for $1 each
• 1 bottle of Nivea shower gel that I made 50 cents on
• 2 boxes of Splenda that I made $1 on per box
• 2 bottles of Tabasco that I made 20 cents on each 
• 5 boxes of cereal (Cheerios, Kix and Lucky Charms) that I got for 50 cents to $1 per box
• 6 boxes of pasta (San Giorgio) that I got for free
• 2 tubes of Colgate toothpaste that I got for free

All of these will be used before the end of the year/ they expire.