In today's tough economic times, it pays to shop around. Store and manufacturer's coupons offer big savings to the people who use them. Once accumulated and paired up with sales at your favorite stores, coupons can be used to purchase items, like groceries and toiletries, in bulk and stockpiled in a pantry or storage closet. With newspapers, magazines and the Internet offering additional savings, it's easy to acquire household products for pennies on the dollar.
Instructions
1. Gather up all your coupons and arrange them on a table for easy sorting. Clip each one out and lay it aside to be categorized. Group multiple copies of the same offer together with a paper clip for easy reference.
2. Once clipped, take the coupons and sort them into piles according to what kind of product they are. Some sample categories include: dairy products, canned goods, health and beauty, snacks and meat. Pay close attention to expiration dates. Keep expired coupons off to the side.
3. Take out your local sales advertisements. Glance at each page and circle the items that are on sale or that you have a coupon for. Thumb through the sorted stacks of coupons and match them up with the appropriate items circled.
4. With pen in hand, open up the pocket-sized notebook and write the name of the store having the sale at the top. Jot down the name of the item that you wish to purchase, the number of coupons you have and the price you expect to pay for the lot. Do this with each item until you have everything you intend to purchase listed on the page. Total the price and subtract any store coupons that you might have.
5. Repeat with every store where you intend to shop. Once itemized, gather the appropriate coupons and secure them with a rubber band. Fold a Post-It Note in half and cut it down the middle to form two usable pieces of paper. Write the name of the store on the piece of paper and stick it to the top of the rubber-banded pile before filing the coupons into their respective places in the coupon organizer.
6. Look for two-for-one sales and use a coupon on each item. Take advantage of businesses that double and triple coupons. Before leaving, check out the clearance for further reductions. Save all your receipts and circle the amount saved and compare it to the amount you spent.
7. Designate a spot in your home for stockpiled items. A pantry or closet with adequate shelving is beneficial. Group all items together so they can be easily inventoried at a later date. Pay attention to a product's shelf life and give away all products that will expire before you can use them.
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