My Coupon Box

I get my coupons from the Sunday paper. We subscribe to one paper and then I get other coupons from our free local paper, which I have found you can get copies from a local bank on Thursdays. I also get coupons from family members who don't use coupons. Online coupons are also available, just make sure your store accepts them. Your stores may also have coupons specific to their store. I signed up for emails from Food Lion, Safeway, Weis and Super Fresh. They email me each week with the coupons. I just print the ones I need. Safeway also has the ability to load the coupons right onto your savings card. Some online coupon sites that are reliable:

Coupons.com
Redplum
Smartsource

When you print from these websites, it will require you to install what they call a coupon printer, which is needed. A thing to remember is that when you hit the back arrow on your browser after printing your first set, it will usually keep printing until your limit is reached.

Once you get your coupons, what do you do with them now? I got this idea form Money Saving Mom. It is very economical and easy to get used to, you can see how to create this coupon box here. I have my box and then I have a smaller one that I have broken up into each store along with eateries. When I pull out coupons, I place behind the store so I can easily pull out at checkout. I also store my scissors, calculator and pen in this container. Below is a picture of both of my containers.

Importance of a price list

The key to my success has been a price list. This is a list I created in Excel. You can see my version here. It has columns that include Item, Supermarket, Costco, and Aldi's. Then the amount is listed beside the item and under each store, if applicable. I refer to this list when I see an item on sale, if the price is not at or below my list I will not purchase because at some point I will be able to find it at my price list figure. Now I do at times have to re-evaluate the price, like during the current economic times. This list is kept in my store coupon holder. It is recommended that you list the price per oz. This way no matter what the item you can always price match. Most places have this listed on the shelf sticker.

It took my family time to get used to this. An example was that I will only pay .99/lb for grapes. They wanted grapes, but they were not on sale so I didn't buy that week. But low and behold the next week they were .99/lb so I bought them.