Shopping with Coupons

One of the most important processes that took me some time to wrap my head around was shopping according to my coupons, not my grocery list.

I used to make a list of groceries I needed, and the tried to match up sales and coupons.  That took me forever; needless to say, I got frustrated and stopped couponing.

 

I got back into it a few months later and changed my strategy.  I now make a list according to the sales listed in the flyers and only for those items that I have coupons for.

 

This wasn’t hard, it doesn’t take forever, but it does mean that I had to change my shopping habits.  I probably took about 2 months to build up a supply of staples.  Now I can wait out the sales to make sure I match up with coupons.

 

I started out with nothing as a “stockpile”.  I now have a stash of staples I know will last me for at least 4-6 months.  This means I can be patient and wait for great deals.  I also don’t buy something simply because I have a coupon for it, or because it is free!  That is a beginning sign of hoarding ;).

 

Tip:  Don’t shop with someone who doesn’t share your enthusiasm for coupons!  I learnt that the hard way by trying to shop with my sister one day.  Yeah, that didn’t work.

 

Another tip: take your coupons with you …  always!

 

I used to only take my “binder” with me when I actually went shopping.  Once I popped into the Real Canadian Superstore to grab something for supper, and there on the clearance shelves was dishwasher soap.  It was reduced for clearance (the boxes had banged up corners), if I had of had my binder, it would have been free!  I don’t do that anymore, my binder is with me at all times.

 

Speak of clearance shelves …  Almost every store will have a clearance section, hit that up first!  There are some crazy deals you can get in the clearance section.

 

Once at my Shoppers Drug Mart, in their clearance section was some Miss Clairol Nice ‘n Easy hair color with a $5 off store sticker on it.  Nice ‘n Easy is usually about $8.99, and I happened to have some $2 coupons that I had printed.  This would make it $1.99 a box!!  Score!!!  They even had my color (dark brown).  I grabbed 5 of those puppies and headed to cash! 

All this - $2.25

What I didn’t realize is that Nice ‘n Easy was on sale that week at Shoppers.  It was on for $6.99!  This meant that it was $1.99 after the instore clearance, plus my $2 coupon…  Can everyone say FREE!!!

 

I left the store wanting to shout “start the car, start the car”!!!