Need Help with Beginning Couponing?

I hear so often people saying using coupons does not work for them. They never find good deals, there are only coupons out there for processed foods, etc. But, learning about couponing is the first step to saving money. I am about in the middle of this learning process, as I don't save huge percentages off my bill. But, I have a goal to keep learning how the great coupon divas do it, so I do my research and keep clipping or printing :)

There are many blogs out there, as well as forums, that really help me with this. But, to start off, here are some good sites that give you info on how to get started. You can take the time, little by little each day to read through them-get the basics and start trying on your own. This is how I started out. How much do I save on an average trip? Probably about 15-20% of my bill--not too bad. Last trip to Walmart, I saved more than that. But, if I had hit one of our stores that double coupons up to $1, I could have saved even more! Probably about 50% of my bill. But, that store is a bit out of my way, and I had already done my shopping for the two weeks when I found out about the deals...

One important thing, no matter if you use coupons or not, is being sure of your prices at different stores. I do know there are things at Aldi that are less than most other stores. But, I know Aldi's prices pretty well by heart now and if I see a sale at another store, I can tell if it will be a good deal or not. This also helps with my couponing. Also, don't use a coupon just because you have it-unless it is a new product you want to try, or you know it is a good deal. I will often wait for deals to use certain coupons-like, say, for cereals.

Here are some good sites to check out. Also, keep an eye open on those blogs I have listed to the right-these ladies search out the good deals and share them with their readers. They have really helped me save and I bet they can help you too!

Coupon Basics

Dollar Stretcher: Using Coupons

Dollar Stretcher: Coupon Article Section

How to Coupon Effectively

Coupons

The Simple Dollar: Coupons