Thursday Tips

Each Thursday I will try to provide you some tips on how to start/keep up with/ learn how to coupon. Many are not sure where to start and get overwhelmed with the entire process of couponing.  I am sure that after looking at this week $15 Wednesday post, you might have decided that although my haul was outstanding, you just are not going to be able to do it. Well, I am hear to tell you that you can and to show you where to start….

This week lesson: Determine what type of couponer you want to be.

Casual: The Casual Couponer cares about how much they spend.  They shop sales and they often will by off brand items to save money.  If something has a good price they will get 1 or two of these things and they typically shop about 1-2 times a month for the whole month in an effort to save money.  They do use coupons on items that find a good deal on, but overall they think they can do much better at Aldi, Sam’s Club or Costco without have to clip coupons.  They focus on how much they saved when they look at their receipt.

Sale Cycle: The Sale Cycle Couponer knows that most items go on sale about every 3 months and they try to get those things when they go on sale for the best price and to get enough of that thing to last for those 3 months.  They get 1 or maybe 2 newspapers a week to have inserts available for these deals and they might go to a clipping site to get coupons if a good dealt  comes up.  They often clip all the coupons they might use and wait until a good sale to use these coupons.  They will not buy anything they don’t normally get just because there is a coupon and they focus on how much they save, but are determined to save 40-60% off their bills.

Super: The Super Couponer is on the other half of the spectrum so they have taken it up to another level. The Super Couponer knows that there are sales cycles and will buy some things based on the sale cyles, but the Super couponer looks for the perfect combination of coupons and loss leaders during a sale cycle and then stocks up on what they need.  Their stockpile is more than 3 months and on average 3-24 months of a product. The Super Couponer will either have multiple subscriptions or have found websites that offer clipped coupons for extras.  This couponer special orders some items and will buy things they don’t need to get something they do need free. They are focused on how much they spend instead of how much they save.  Super Couponers can often get things for free and will many times get the store to pay them to get items.  They typically like to spend $5 or less for $100-$200 worth of items.

Extreme/Hoarder: The Extreme/ hoarder Couponer  got a good sale one day and had rode that thrill like a good high.  They have little room dedicated to their coupons and spend 60 hours a week couponing.  They will leave family and friends for a good deal and are actually sick to their stomach when they miss a deal. They will buy items they never needed or wanted because they are $.10 and regularly $5.  Their houses are stockpiled out of control and their family and friends are on the verge of getting them inpatient therapy.  Extreme couponer will focus on the amount spent and the %  they save, which ever one justifies their obsession that day. 

This is a spectrum of couponing so you do not have to fit into one category or the next, this is just a means to figure out where you want to be and you can be in the middle of two, a little closer to one than the other and sometimes jump up and then go back down the spectrum.  There is no wrong place (well, that hoarder level is a little out there...lol), and so many outside things have to be taken into account (space, stores in your area) so just figure out your goal and aim for it.  Feel free to ask if you have any questions too.

Where do you think you are, where do you want to be?