Save money with Coupons!

These days your grocery bill can add up quickly, especially when you have a family to feed. Snacks, toiletries, soda, meats, sides and dairy are all things we like to have on hand. It is hard to stock up when on a budget and sometimes it is even difficult to plan enough meals to last until the next pay day. As a stay at home mom, I have had to become very resourceful with my shopping, especially in this day and time. I have searched many websites, blogs and newspapers for the best coupons and deals and learned how to put them all together to equal great savings.

The first thing I learned to do was to buy multiple Sunday papers, at least two. This will double your amount of coupons. When doing this I quickly noticed a pattern, and maybe it is just me, but it seems that the best deals and discounts are available at the end of the month. Therefore, I try especially hard to remember to send my husband out for the Sunday papers on the last weekend of the month for sure.

The next thing I did was buy a printer. Most of you may already have one and that is great, but we had one that broke a while back and I never felt the need for another one until realizing there are a million coupons available online for free!! Oh yeah, my printer has more than paid for itself the first couple of months I had it in use. This sent me on a research frenzy. I have found some incredible sites that offer free, online, printable coupons. The best thing to do when looking for online coupons relevant to your area is to start with the general sites such as www.couponbug.com and www.shopathome.com. They will prompt you for your zip code and do a quick search of your local savings offers. There are usually around 20-30 available and they update every week. (On Sundays)

More free coupon websites

• http://printable-coupons.blogspot.com/2006/05/coupon-sites.html
• http://coupons.redplum.com/offers/default.aspx?Id=MomsNeedToKnow&DefaultZipCode
• http://print.coupons.com/Couponweb/Offers.aspx?pid=14803&nid=10&zid=rd17&cid=14566112
• http://www.heyitsfree.net/
• http://myfrugaladventures.com/category/all-you/
• www.couponmom.com

After rounding up any and all possible coupons it is a MUST to get a coupon organizer. This may be as simple as using different envelopes labeled things like, "frozens", "dairy" or cereal. Your organizer can also be a folder or binder you have on hand at home. I first began with sandwich bags which quickly became difficult to use when shopping. Since then I have graduated to a plastic accordion, fold up coupon organizer that I found in Walmart for about $3. This has made shopping much simpler and quicker. Before I use to accidentally skip over coupons I would need and couldn't find the given item I was in search of. Now I go to the section I need and quickly pick out the savings I need. Along with my printer this has easily been one of my best investments.

Once you have found the bulk of your coupons it is time to check the sale ads, both online and in the paper. When looking online, it is best to go to your favorite, local store's website. For me they include,

• http://www.martinsfoods.com/shareddev/storelocator/storeinfo.html?storenum=0032
• http://save-a-lot.com/
• http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/user/home/home.jsp
• www.walmart.com
• www.target.com

All of them will give you their weekly sales and then also provide a section for printable coupons both manufacturer coupons and store coupons. This may seem redundant but I assure you this will provide for optimal savings. Your goal is to then pair up the sale item with the given manf. coupon and store coupon. Sometimes this will drop your price to mere cents and occasionally FREE!! This strategy is called "coupon stacking". I bet you never knew grocery shopping could be so complicated and carry it's own "Lingo" or vocabulary! I know I didn't.

When searching for your weekly savings there are great blogs to skim through online that will give great tips such as the ones I am listing and more. This is how I have learned to be such a strategic shopper. A lot of research and experience can save bundles! Here are some blogs that I review weekly, you usually can sign up for their newsletter to get any updates on sale items, freebies etc. that they have found.

• http://coupondivas.com/
• http://www.5dollardinners.com/
• http://www.momsneedtoknow.com/new-start-here/

You can find blogs from frugal shoppers in your area with a little bit of searching. There is also a frugal map http://thefrugalmap.bargainbriana.com/, this will give you the local "frugal blogger" in your area to help with your bargain hunting.

I hope that this information helps you as much as it does me. If you know of or come along any other great savings strategies please share! Good luck!